Gao Wu: Oh no! Young Master Zhen is a cultivator!

"Didn't we just have dinner together yesterday?" Zhao Meng blurted out.

"It's different." Zhao Yanran shook her head, looking completely matter-of-fact. "Yesterday my brother treated us, today I'm treating."

Chu Xining looked at Lin Ran with a pitiful expression: "You had dinner with her yesterday?"

"I went because Zhao Meng invited me," Lin Ran said, pointing to Zhao Meng.

It's not that he's trying to shirk responsibility, but if he doesn't clear himself up, this little jealous person will probably spill their vinegar again.

Chu Xining glanced at Zhao Meng, then turned back to Lin Ran: "Then I'll treat you to dinner today too, what do you say?"

"Sure, I'll eat. Why would I be unhappy if someone invites me to dinner?" Lin Ran shrugged.

"Hmph!" Chu Xining raised her neck and glanced in Zhao Yanran's direction, as if she had achieved some great victory.

Seeing this, Zhao Yanran was not annoyed, and her smile remained on her face: "Why don't we all go together? It's on me."

As she spoke, she looked at Bai Ruolin and said, "Miss Bai can come along too."

Upon hearing this, Bai Ruolin immediately understood her intention.

This is an attempt to recruit me as an ally to fight against Chu Xining, an opponent with a first-mover advantage.

Despite her inward disdain, Bai Ruolin still asked, almost as if possessed, "Is it convenient?"

"Of course it's convenient." Zhao Yanran then turned to Chu Xining: "What do you think, Miss Chu?"

"I..." Chu Xining opened her mouth, her gaze sweeping back and forth between Zhao Yanran and Bai Ruolin twice.

Then, she turned to Lin Ran and gave him a pleading look, hoping that he would refuse the offer.

However, Lin Ran did not receive her signal.

Or rather, they received the message but pretended not to understand it.

"Let's go together then, it's on me. Let's go to Zhiweixuan." Lin Ran said calmly, "Zhao Hao gave me a VIP gold card yesterday, it would be a shame not to use it."

Zhao Yanran and Bai Ruolin agreed on the spot, and Zhao Meng naturally had no objections.

Of course, even if he had opinions, he had no right to speak.

"I disagree!" Chu Xining's voice was filled with barely suppressed grievance.

Lin Ran feigned ignorance: "You don't want to go to Zhiweixuan?"

"I don't want you to eat with them!" Chu Xining finally couldn't help but say what was on her mind.

"Miss Chu, I have to say a few words to you about this." Zhao Yanran said with a playful smile.

"Although your relationship with Young Master Lin has already spread throughout Xinhai, you two haven't officially confirmed it yet, have you?"

She deliberately exaggerated, saying, "If things are this strict now, what will it be like after we get married?"

"I...I..." Chu Xining's face flushed red, and she quickly explained to Lin Ran, "Brother Lin Ran, that's not what I meant!"

Lin Ran finally couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Alright, I'm not teasing you anymore. It's just a meal, let's all go together."

"Oh, okay then." Chu Xining lowered her head, her voice softening.

After Lin Ran's persuasion, the idea of ​​eating together didn't seem so unacceptable anymore.

When the group arrived at Zhiweixuan, the waiter saw Zhao Yanran and immediately led them to the private room from the previous day.

After passing through the courtyard with its artificial hills and flowing water, the group pushed open the door to the private room and took their seats.

Lin Ran sat in the outermost seat as usual, and Chu Xining took the chair to his right.

Seeing this, Zhao Yanran immediately took the seat to Lin Ran's left, before Bai Ruolin could.

Bai Ruolin glanced at the two of them, her expression unchanged, and casually sat down opposite Lin Ran.

At this moment, Zhao Meng felt somewhat superfluous.

Fortunately, the waiter's pace in serving the food interrupted his embarrassment.

The dishes were exactly the same as yesterday's, all very rare delicacies.

Zhao Yanran picked up a piece of fish and placed it in Lin Ran's bowl, then asked softly, "Young Master Lin, which academy do you plan to attend in the future?"

Seeing her actions, Chu Xining quickly served food to Lin Ran, saying, "Brother Lin Ran, try this shrimp."

Lin Ran didn't pay attention to the two women's little tricks. He just ate whatever was in his bowl.

"I don't plan to go to the martial arts academy."

"Why?" Zhao Yanran was slightly taken aback: "Even if Young Master Lin only has F-level talent, based on his performance in the mock exam, he will still be sought after by various martial arts academies."

"I don't have time to go to school," Lin Ran admitted.

His cultivation level is currently low, so each cultivation session only lasts for a few hours.

Once your cultivation level reaches a higher level, you can go into seclusion for days or even months at a time. Why bother going to school then?

"What a pity." Zhao Yanran shook her head and smiled. "I was hoping to invite Young Master Lin to join Xinhai Martial Arts Academy. Then I would be Young Master Lin's senior."

She pronounced the words "senior sister" very clearly, with a slight upward inflection at the end, and her gaze naturally drifted towards Chu Xining.

Upon receiving the battle signal, Chu Xining immediately put down her chopsticks: "Brother Lin Ran doesn't like older people!"

"Really?" Zhao Yanran turned to Lin Ran, her tone certain. "Then it's probably because Young Master Lin hasn't tried it yet. Perhaps after trying it, he'll find that older women are better."

Chu Xining panicked and grabbed Lin Ran's sleeve: "Brother Lin Ran, quickly tell her that you don't like older women."

However, her request was somewhat wishful thinking.

"Ahem..." Lin Ran cleared his throat. "Xi Ning, you can't force me to lie, can you?"

Upon hearing this, Chu Xining's features scrunched up: "You're bullying me again."

Lin Ran feigned ignorance: "What makes you say that?"

"Do you really prefer older women?" Chu Xining asked with a suspicious look.

Lin Ran picked up his water glass and took a sip: "It doesn't have to be about age. As long as the right parts are big, that's fine."

As he spoke, his gaze swept over the three women, and he made a comparison in his mind.

Bai Ruolin is the most outstanding. At such a young age, she has shouldered a weight she shouldn't have to bear, and she seems to be surpassing even the D-level.

Then there's Zhao Yanran, who is slightly inferior to Bai Ruolin, but also reached the threshold of D level.

Finally, there's Chu Xining, who's currently only at C-rank and needs further improvement.

"What do you mean?" Chu Xining's eyes widened, looking completely confused.

Bai Ruolin blushed, rolled her eyes at Lin Ran, and uttered two words: "Vulgar."

"Brother Ran is such a true character!" Zhao Meng gave a thumbs up, his expression full of admiration.

Seeing Bai Ruolin's appearance, Chu Xining finally realized what was happening.

She first looked down at her own chest, then looked up at Zhao Yanran's chest. After making a careful comparison, her confidence returned.

"They're not that much older than me, are they?"

Zhao Yanran smiled without saying a word, but simply straightened her back slightly.

The war between women is so simple, unadorned, and yet so intriguing.

Chu Xining withdrew her gaze and said seriously, "I will definitely be older than her in the future."

"How can you be so sure?" Zhao Yanran feigned disdain.

"I'm younger than you, so I have more room to grow," Chu Xining said confidently.

Zhao Yanran swirled the water in her hand and said calmly, "Only a year apart, how much room for difference can there be?"

"Anyway, I won't lose to you," Chu Xining insisted.

"You two are really going too far!" Bai Ruolin rubbed her forehead. "Can't you guys be a little more mindful of your image?"

Zhao Yanran turned her head and said in a tone of someone who had been through it all, "How can you care about your image when you're trying to steal a man? You're going to suffer for it."

Bai Ruolin, who was already a little shy, blushed and her voice rose: "Who wants to steal your man? I'm just here for a meal."

Chu Xining's eyes widened as she stared directly at Zhao Yanran: "So you really are trying to steal Lin Ran from me!"

"With someone as outstanding as Young Master Lin, it's no wonder that many girls like him," Zhao Yanran readily admitted.

Hearing her say that, Chu Xining felt she couldn't refute it, and could only force herself to say, "I won't let you succeed!"

"That depends on your abilities," Zhao Yanran said nonchalantly, maintaining a calm expression.