Douluo Dalu 2: The True God King-Chapter 223: [DD2]:

Credits: Shadow260802

Listening to the exchange between Su Yu and Cai Meier, the inner courtyard students couldn't help but feel secretly astonished.

They had to admit, that Su Yu was outrageously bold. Not only did he blatantly provoke Vice Dean Cai Meier, but he also deliberately brought up Dean Xian Lin'er to rile her up. Everyone knew Cai Meier and Xian Lin'er had a longstanding grudge. When it came to courting death, Su Yu was practically a master.

Some students who weren't fully aware of Su Yu's background secretly hoped that Cai Meier would teach him a lesson. Su Yu's arrogance rubbed them the wrong way, and they were eager to see him humbled.

But those like Bei Bei, who had some understanding of Su Yu's background, knew better. Even if Cai Meier wanted to, there was no way she could do anything to Su Yu. The fact that Cai Meier hadn't lost her temper after Su Yu's provocations already spoke volumes.

Watching Cai Meier's expression—equal parts exasperation and forced restraint—Su Yu couldn't help but feel amused. He didn't particularly enjoy teasing her, but her husband, Yan Shaozhe, made it hard to resist. Yan Shaozhe wasn't just unpleasant; his personal life was nothing short of spectacularly messy.

Apart from his entanglements with Xian Lin'er and Cai Meier, he even had another confidante, Feng Ling, a woman whose impact far outshone Xian Lin'er's. After all, she was the first woman in Yan Shaozhe's life.

However, Su Yu refrained from bringing that up—it would've been too much. He also decided against continuing to provoke Cai Meier. After all, she was just a woman, and he had no interest in bullying her endlessly.

Shifting his gaze, Su Yu scanned the crowd of Shrek Academy students. Most of them instinctively avoided his eyes, as if afraid of drawing his attention. Only Xiao Xiao, a young girl, stared at Su Yu openly with wide, curious eyes.

Finally, Su Yu's gaze settled on Zhang Lexuan. A sly smile curved his lips as he strode toward her.

Seeing Su Yu approaching, Zhang Lexuan couldn't help but feel puzzled. What was this troublemaker up to now?

Su Yu stopped about two meters in front of her and began openly sizing her up—brazenly and unabashedly.

Zhang Lexuan didn't mind Su Yu looking at her; she had long since considered herself his. But given the crowd, his casual behavior was rather surprising.

Before she could speak, Su Yu broke the silence. "Sister, have we met before?"

His words left half the audience speechless.

Beside Zhang Lexuan, Han Ruoruo chuckled and said, "Su Yu, that's such a cliché pick-up line."

Su Yu shook his head and responded seriously, "But I'm sure I've seen her before."

Though she didn't understand what Su Yu was getting at, Zhang Lexuan decided to play along. "Maybe during the Soul Master Tournament? I was one of Shrek's team leaders then."

"That's it!" Su Yu exclaimed, feigning realization. "I knew I'd seen you before. A beauty like you is impossible to forget."

Bei Bei: "..."

Han Ruoruo: "..."

Cai Meier, who was walking over: "..."

Was Su Yu trying to woo Zhang Lexuan? Did he even realize how much older she was?

Han Ruoruo raised an eyebrow and teased, "Su Yu, don't tell me you're interested in Lexuan. You're too young to even understand what love is."

Su Yu turned his attention to Han Ruoruo, who had a stunning appearance and a graceful demeanor befitting an older sister figure. "And how should I address this lovely sister?"

"Han Ruoruo," she replied with a charming smile.

"Senior Han Ruoruo." Su Yu nodded thoughtfully before asking, "Have you ever been in love?"

Han Ruoruo smiled faintly. "Not yet."

Su Yu beamed. "Well, I have."

The statement caused Han Ruoruo's smile to falter slightly.

"So, maybe the one who doesn't understand love is you, Senior," Su Yu continued with a bright smile. "Of course, I didn't mean to imply that being single at your age is sad or anything. Please don't take it personally."

Han Ruoruo: "..."

Her delicate face froze, and she clenched her fists tightly. One sentence from Su Yu had completely shattered her composure.

At twenty-eight, Han Ruoruo was older than Zhang Lexuan by two years and had yet to find a partner. Being called a big unmarried woman in a roundabout way was like a sharp dagger to her pride.

Though she tried to maintain a calm facade, her chest heaved visibly, betraying her turbulent emotions. The sight didn't escape Su Yu, who silently marveled at the striking image of her outrage.

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In the original story, this captivating older sister was somehow won over by Wang Yan, a much older teacher. Su Yu found the idea both ridiculous and wasteful.

Finally, Han Ruoruo collected herself and tried to counterattack. "If you've already been in love, Su Yu, why are you still chasing after Lexuan? Isn't that a bit inappropriate?"

Su Yu puffed out his chest and said confidently, "What's wrong with it? Who said having a girlfriend means you can't pursue another one?"

His unapologetic boldness left Han Ruoruo stunned. She pointed at him, but no words came out for a long moment.

"Su Yu, could you please show some mercy and stop tormenting our students?" Cai Meier finally intervened, her tone carrying a hint of pleading.

This little troublemaker had been stirring up chaos from the moment he arrived.

"Vice Dean Cai, you're exaggerating. I was just chatting with this senior," Su Yu replied innocently. "But since you've said so, I'll stop. My apologies for disturbing everyone. Goodbye."

With a meaningful glance at Zhang Lexuan, Su Yu clasped his hands in a farewell gesture and turned to leave.

"Wait, Su Yu," Cai Meier called out, clearly unwilling to let him go.

"What is it, Dean Cai?" Su Yu asked, looking genuinely puzzled.

Cai Meier took a deep breath and said, "It's dangerous to venture into the Star Dou Forest alone. Why not join us?"

After all, this was a rare chance to encounter Su Yu. Shrek Academy had been looking for him for quite some time. Whether it was Elder Xuan or Ma Xiaotao, they all regarded Su Yu as crucial to the academy's future. Letting him walk away now would be unacceptable.

"No need. I'm used to being on my own, but I appreciate the offer," Su Yu declined with a wave of his hand.

He knew exactly why Cai Meier wanted him to stay, but there was no way he'd make it that easy for her. Where was the fun in that?

Cai Meier grew anxious and added, "Su Yu, isn't this a fateful encounter? Shrek Academy would always welcome your visit. Oh, and Ma Xiaotao has missed you dearly since your last meeting."

If appealing to his sense of camaraderie didn't work, Cai Meier wasn't above using Ma Xiaotao as a bargaining chip. Everyone knew the academy wanted to pair the two together.

As Ma Xiaotao and Zhang Lexuan differed, Ma Xiaotao couldn't live without Su Yu. In fact, without his help, her life would be in danger. As for whether Su Yu had other girlfriends or if Ma Xiaotao could truly find happiness, she couldn't afford to care about that now. Her top priority was convincing him to return to the academy.

After all, as Yan Shaozhe's wife, living with him for so many years had inevitably influenced her.

"Miss Xiaotao, it's true that I haven't seen her for quite some time now. I still remember how she said she wanted to challenge me again," Su Yu said, a nostalgic expression crossing his face.

Hearing this, Cai Mei'er's heart leaped with joy. "That's perfect, Su Yu. If you join us, you can meet Xiaotao again."

Su Yu appeared to think for a moment, then waved his hand. "Let's forget about it. Looking at everyone here, it seems like I'm not very welcome."

Cai Mei'er quickly responded, "How could that be? Our Shrek Academy is known for its hospitality. Isn't that right, everyone?"

Her gaze swept across the group of inner court disciples. Despite their reluctance, they nodded and voiced their agreement under Cai Mei'er's imposing presence.

Zhang Lexuan sighed inwardly. Su Yu had become even more skilled at stirring the pot. With a few simple moves, he'd managed to suppress all the hostility directed toward him—and what's more, he made Shrek's people do the work.

She could already imagine how frustrated those who disliked Su Yu must feel.

After a moment's pause, Zhang Lexuan spoke. "Dean Cai is right. Our Shrek Academy is indeed very hospitable. Su Yu, would you consider traveling with us?"

Don't misunderstand her. Zhang Lexuan wasn't speaking to help Shrek Academy; she was simply expressing her longing for Su Yu. It had been two years since they'd last met—how could she not miss him?

After all, she had devoted all her thoughts and emotions to him.

Besides, from her understanding of Su Yu, it was clear that he intended to visit Shrek Academy. If he hadn't wanted to, he would've already left without sparing Cai Mei'er a second thought.

Others might not know him well, but she did. Given Su Yu's background, even a Titled Douluo like Cai Mei'er was likely not someone he paid much attention to.

As for whether Su Yu had other plans for visiting the academy, what did that matter to her? She saw herself as Su Yu's person—not Shrek Academy's.

Hearing Zhang Lexuan's words, Su Yu promptly replied, "Since this beautiful sister is inviting me, it would be impolite of me to refuse."

Cai Mei'er was delighted, while Beibei, Han Ruoruo, and the rest of the group were speechless.

Some were outright disdainful, while others, like Xiao Xiao, found themselves charmed. After all, Su Yu was remarkably handsome, unlike anyone she'd ever encountered.

Cai Mei'er, for her part, felt both relieved and overjoyed that Su Yu had agreed. Returning to the academy with him would undoubtedly be a huge surprise for everyone there.

At the same time, she felt a pang of sympathy for Zhang Lexuan. The girl was truly considerate—what a kindhearted child.

Even though she likely knew Su Yu's intentions toward her weren't entirely pure, she still chose to speak up and help.

Cai Mei'er's fondness for Zhang Lexuan grew to near admiration at this moment.

Collecting her thoughts, she turned to Su Yu and said, "Su Yu, a few of our disciples still need to obtain their soul rings. Would it be alright if we continued the hunt before returning to the academy?"

Given they were already in the forest, Cai Mei'er wanted to ensure her students got what they needed. But if Su Yu was adamant about returning immediately, she'd have no choice but to comply—even if it meant making a second trip later.

"Dean Cai, it's entirely up to you. I'm just an outsider and wouldn't presume to interfere. Anything's fine by me," Su Yu said with a seemingly good-natured smile.

But Cai Mei'er couldn't help but feel wary.

Still, Su Yu's agreement made things much simpler.

The group resumed their journey, continuing the search for soul beasts. Cai Mei'er, however, diverted more of her attention to Su Yu, ensuring he stayed in the center of the group—the safest spot.

This arrangement irked the inner court disciples to no end. Being forced to protect someone as aggravating as Su Yu was nearly unbearable, yet Cai Mei'er's orders left them no choice.

Standing closest to Su Yu were Xiao Xiao and Han Ruoruo. The former was too weak to defend herself effectively, while the latter, as a control-system Soul Master, needed to be in the core position to exert control over the battlefield.

Su Yu frequently cast sidelong glances at Han Ruoruo. As Zhang Lexuan's confidante and close friend, she was undoubtedly powerful—already a Level 79 Soul Sage, likely on the verge of breaking through to the Soul Douluo level within the next year.

Though not as exceptional as Zhang Lexuan, she was still a top-tier talent.

It baffled Su Yu how someone of her caliber had ended up with that old lecher, Wang Yan. Of all the people, why him? It was a travesty.

Surely someone of her brilliance could have found a younger, more promising partner.

Of course, Su Yu wasn't just troubled by Han Ruoruo's situation; his thoughts briefly turned to Xiao Xiao and He Caitou. The mere idea of pairing such a petite, adorable girl with a dark-skinned, bulky guy seemed utterly incongruous like some plot in doujin.

Thankfully, this wasn't the original story. At this point, Xiao Xiao probably didn't even know He Caitou existed. After all, she hadn't participated in the Soul Master Tournament, so there had been no opportunity for them to meet.

That wasn't necessarily a bad thing, considering He Caitou was one of the most perplexing characters in the original.

Though Su Yu disliked Xu Sanshi the most, He Caitou's story wasn't far behind in absurdity. A member of the Sun Moon Empire's royal family enthusiastically joining Shrek's mission to bomb the capital? It was... challenging, to say the least, to rationalize.