Pretending to Cultivate in Kindergarten

Han Wenwen turned her head away, puffing out her cheeks like a sulky little fox. "Hmph! I'm never talking to Lin Zhengran again! You made me sound like a total clown!"

Lin Zhengran gave her a bored look. "Why are you always acting cute? Anyway, are you renting this place because you want to be completely independent now?"

Han Wenwen’s expression relaxed. She put her hands down, crossed her legs, and suddenly smiled tiredly.

"Mm, I have to rely on myself. My aunt said they could support me until I graduate middle school, and I could keep asking them for money, but I…"

She smiled, eyes curving. "But I really don’t want to keep living at my uncle’s place. It feels awful to be a burden. And for the sake of my uncle’s family harmony, as an outsider, I should take the initiative to leave."

She placed a finger near her lips, speaking in a bright tone.

"Think about it. Even my own mother abandoned me when I was little, but my uncle took me in. To me, his kindness is something I can never repay. Now that he has a girlfriend, and my aunt is even pregnant, how could I shamelessly continue staying there and taking their money? If I have even a little bit of sense, I shouldn't drag them down anymore."

Lin Zhengran hummed in response, but he knew this little fox was still too young. "If I were you, I’d probably do the same. But judging by the place you rented… making money isn’t easy, huh?"

Han Wenwen blinked her fox-like eyes, looking confident. "This is the internet age! Even without a job, there are plenty of ways to make money. I earned this 500 yuan by posting fashion tips for girls!"

She leaned in toward Lin Zhengran. "Are you worried I’ll go down the wrong path? Don’t worry, I won’t repeat my mom’s mistakes. Even if I starve, I’d never do something like that."

Lin Zhengran actually had no idea what had happened with her mother… That was something Han Wenwen had just let slip.

He exhaled slowly. "Want me to help you?"

Han Wenwen was surprised. "Help me? How? You’re not planning to lend me money, are you?"

"Of course not. Give me a week. I’m busy practicing songs with Jiang Xueli right now. I’ll come find you after that and teach you how to make money. If you follow my lead, you’ll definitely earn more than you would on your own."

Han Wenwen stared at him in a daze. If any other guy had said this, she wouldn’t have believed them. But coming from Lin Zhengran… she didn’t doubt him at all. She laughed.

"Alright! Thanks, Lin Zhengran! Oh, and about what I said earlier—you have to keep it a secret, okay? Since you helped me rent this place, kept my secret, and even promised to teach me how to make money, I’ll treat you to lunch today. How about hotpot?"

"Don’t worry, I’m not the type to blab other people’s secrets."

"I figured. Otherwise, how could you have kept this from me for so long?" Han Wenwen bit her lip, looking a little shy.

"Since you’ve already helped me this much… can you do me one more favor? I need help moving my stuff. Some of it’s too heavy for a girl to carry alone."

She tugged on Lin Zhengran’s sleeve and acted cute. "Zhengran-gege~ please?"

【Today, you witnessed the Demon Cult Maiden attempting to leave the Demon Cult and venture into the martial world on her own. However, her cultivation is still weak, and she knows her limits.】

【Since she has given you elixirs before and helped He Xianzi, you choose to lend a hand. You help her find temporary shelter and teach her a martial technique. In return, she offers you a bowl of Flame Blood Transformation Soup.】

【This rare Demon Cult secret technique causes intense burning pain when consumed, but greatly enhances cultivation and strengthens the body.】

Flame Blood Transformation Soup… hotpot?

Lin Zhengran raised four fingers. "I’ll help you, but you have to treat me to hotpot four times."

Han Wenwen blinked. "Four times?! But I don’t have that much money…"

"You don’t even have enough for four hotpot meals? How were you planning to survive this summer? Earning and spending as you go?"

Han Wenwen chuckled sheepishly.

Lin Zhengran sighed and got up. "You’re really bold, little fox. Fine, just get the soup base ready. I’ll buy the ingredients."

"Really?! Lin Zhengran, you’re the best! Don’t worry, when I have money, I’ll treat you to a huge feast!"

The two of them headed to the school to pick up her belongings.

For Lin Zhengran, carrying a large bag of bedding felt no different than holding a bottle of water.

Han Wenwen was stunned. "Whoa… Lin Zhengran, you’re so strong. I bet you could lift me with one hand!"

By the time they moved everything into her rental, set up the bed, and unpacked, it was already late afternoon.

The little fox had clearly been planning to move out for a while—her things were surprisingly complete. She even had a kettle, a small frying pan, and a hairdryer.

She placed the frying pan on the table, opened the packet of hotpot seasoning, and poured it in.

Then, she pulled out two cans of beer from her bag and handed one to Lin Zhengran.

"Here, one for each of us."

Lin Zhengran took it but frowned at the can. "Wait a second. Don't you tell me you and He Qing drink this in the dorms on weekends?"

Han Wenwen, who was about to change clothes, froze. A drop of sweat rolled down her forehead as she turned back. "Of course not! Qingqing wouldn’t drink this. I just bought it. It’s my first time trying it."

With that, she grabbed a dress and headed to the bathroom to change.

Before closing the door, she peeked at Lin Zhengran with her fox-like eyes. "Moving was exhausting, so I’m changing into a skirt and a fresh top. Don’t peek, Lin Zhengran~"

"I’m not that bored." He picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks and popped it into his mouth.

Han Wenwen blinked, thinking to herself, No matter how much I tease him, he never gets embarrassed. Is that normal for a teenage boy?

【You and the Demon Cult Maiden consumed a pot of Flame Blood Transformation Soup together. Your cultivation level has greatly increased. Strength +3, Stamina +1.】

A week later, Han Wenwen’s uncle and aunt arrived at the rental.

When they saw that Han Wenwen had found a place on her own and had even paid the deposit, they were completely shocked.

They signed the lease with the landlord, and during the process, the couple tried to secretly leave 5,000 yuan for Han Wenwen.

But she refused, saying she could already make money online, and if she ever needed help, she would ask.

Though she declined, her uncle and aunt seemed to feel guilty and left the money anyway.

Standing in the hallway, Han Wenwen waved at them with a bright smile. "Bye, Uncle, Auntie! I’ll be fine, don’t worry about me!"

Her uncle and aunt waved back as they left.

Through the window, Han Wenwen watched them get into their car. Inside, they looked happy together with their newborn baby.

A gentle smile formed on her lips.

"I hope that now that I’m gone, Auntie won’t argue with Uncle anymore. The three of them should be able to live happily."

But maybe fate had other plans.

The next morning, when Lin Zhengran finished helping Jiang Xueli and went to find Han Wenwen to teach her how to make money, he was met with an unexpected sight.

The little fox, looking feverish and groggy, opened the door weakly.

"Lin Zhengran… you’re here…"

She barely got the words out before she lost her balance—falling straight into his arms.