"Once you enter university, you'll face a different kind of life—and naturally, you'll make different choices."
Evan Lin stood where he was, watching Lynn Chen's figure as she turned and walked away, and shook his head slightly.
Lynn Chen had changed a lot over this period.
Just a few days ago, Lynn Chen had put aside her pride for what she did at Capitalview First High, which made Evan Lin see her in a new light.
But after entering university, once Lynn Chen meets more people and encounters so-called talented individuals in the ordinary world, whether she can stay true to her original self will be a question. Likewise, given Evan Lin's current mindset and three hundred years of experience on the Immortal Martial Continent, he and Lynn ultimately belong to two different worlds.
"But that dragon on my left hand—why did it briefly awaken before? What was the reason?"
Evan Lin glanced at his left hand.
Today, when he faced Lynn Chen, the dragon didn't react at all.
"No matter what, this summer vacation is nearly three months long. First, I need to make sure there's enough supply—Angel Epoch will be my future cashflow engine. If I have hundreds of billions or even trillions in capital, I can massively expand spirit herb cultivation and spirit pill production to support my cultivation."
"Second, there's the Luo family's Strange Flame secret. My Fire-Spirit Mortal Body is still at its most basic stage—whether it's for fighting or refining pills, its effect is great but the power is still limited. If I can find enough fire-spirit sources to let my Fire-Spirit Mortal Body evolve into the Fire-Spirit Divine Body, everything will become much easier."
Evan Lin walked home, quietly lost in thought.
Once he got home, Evan didn't hesitate much and started packing his things.
It seemed Irene Xu and Stella Huang had been staying home every day lately, knowing Evan could leave at any time.
"It's just the start of summer break and there's still so much time left. You're already planning to leave?" Irene Xu, munching on an apple and leaning against Evan's doorway, watched him pack with a look of reluctance. "Why not stay a few more days and have some fun in Jinnan? I won't even charge you rent for these days, and I'll cook something good for you every day. How about it?"
"You can wait here until the exam results come out. I'm off work these days too—why don't the three of us go out together? I'll take you to try some local specialties." Stella Huang nodded, agreeing with Irene's suggestion.
"Let's do it next time when we all have time."
Evan finished packing his bag, then looked at them. "I've been away from home for a long time too. I want to go back and see my mom first."
"Hey, why not change your mind while you still haven't filled out your application? Capitalview University is pretty good too, you know! And if you ever want to visit Rivercrest, the high-speed rail is super convenient. Whenever we have holidays, the two of us—your beautiful roommates—can go with you!"
Irene Xu grinned from ear to ear.
But after she finished speaking, seeing that Evan's expression hadn't changed much, she couldn't help plant a hint of sadness.
Irene Xu and Stella Huang walked Evan to the train station together.
On the way, Irene tried hard to act all cheerful, but she just couldn’t hide the disappointment in her eyes. Stella, the reporter, was way more rational—she gave Evan a rundown of what to watch out for in college, especially warning him about those seniors who barge into your dorm selling study guides and newspapers the moment you enroll.
At the station, Evan said goodbye to both of them.
Before he left, Irene grabbed Evan’s phone, saved both her number and Stella’s, and then called their phones from his. That way, he’d have their contacts locked in.
"These numbers are the only way we can reach you from now on. Don’t you dare lose them!"
Handing the phone back, Irene looked genuinely sad. "Honestly, Evan, I really should thank you."
"If it weren’t for you, I don’t even know where I’d be right now."
Back then, Irene was being chased by some sleazy rich kid. If Evan hadn’t stepped in, who knows what would’ve happened to her by now.
Now, at this moment of parting, Irene felt just how much safety Evan radiated—the kind of trust only he could give.
Beneath that seemingly skinny frame hid a soul you couldn’t help but admire and trust.