Chapter 460: A Super Awkward Situation!

Paper can never contain fire1, especially when this fire was extraordinarily strong and the paper was exceptionally thin. The news of Bai Xiaofei’s return was just like a typhoon that swept speedily through Starnet. Spreading along with it was the failure of their mission.

In an instant, those who had been looking forward to seeing him back were excited, while those who had grudges against him secretly felt joy and used this matter as the hot topic of their conversations.

Bai Xiaofei could never expect that his return would stir up the whole academy, friends and enemies alike… Would this count as ‘the best of both worlds’?

When learning about this, Bai Xiaofei couldn’t help but give a wry smile. As for why it was a wry smile, it was because he wasn’t enjoying the sweet aspect at all. As Qin Lingyan had said, there were just too many people waiting for him!

“Xiaofei! Open the door! Everyone is waiting for you!”

Early in the morning, Yun Sheng’s voice, filled with excitement and joy, echoed outside Bai Xiaofei’s door like ocean waves, abruptly waking him out of his deep sleep. Bai Xiaofei almost rolled off the bed…

“I’m naked, don’t come in!” His face bitter, Bai Xiaofei rubbed his blurred eyes, then sat up on the bed, sighing in his underwear.

Just how many things are going to happen today?!

Heavily exclaiming in his heart, Bai Xiaofei had no choice but to get up and clean his face. During this, Yun Sheng’s urging outside never once ceased.

“Big Brother Yun, did you suffer something terrible during the time I was out?” said Bai Xiaofei upon opening the door, earning a big, surprised stare from Yun Sheng.

“Damn! Long time no see and you’re still so formidable! You’re absolutely right! And it’s more than just something horrible! While you were away, I was living a life worse than death!” whined Yun Sheng tearfully, apparently completely oblivious of the fact that he was the prince of a kingdom.

During the Blossom Ranking competition, the Demon of Illusions made a lot of money. Even without the upcoming department competition, its position was already as solid as a mountain. Now that the crisis of dissolution had passed, Chu Liuyun and the Leng triplets finally freed their nature with some big pocket money as the foundation.

‘Buy, buy, buy’ had become their daily routine, while Yun Sheng was employed as a free labor force. Not yet to the point where he had to carry their shopping bags, but running around serving tea and doing chores was regular on the list.

And this was only one of the ‘horrible things’ he had suffered from.

At first, the girls got used to Bai Xiaofei’s absence, but as time passed, they started to get jittery. As a result, Yun Sheng’s new daily task was to run to the Starnet Ranking every day to ask if Bai Xiaofei was back. Later, just asking became inadequate. He had to act as a waiting statue as well as a lookout for Bai Xiaofei’s return.

However, those were just some trivial tedious chores, not anything that the Grandmaster Rank Yun Sheng couldn’t accept. What was unacceptable for him was that the girls started taking turns to lose their temper!

Because Bai Xiaofei had been away for far too long, the long wait made them become more and more violent, and when looking around, Yun Sheng was the only one who qualified as a punching bag…

So, the one who was definitely most happy about Bai Xiaofei’s return was neither Hu Xian’er nor Chu Liuyun, but Yun Sheng!

Originally, Bai Xiaofei wanted to have a good talk with Yun Sheng about how he had been scared off his bed, but looking at him now, he swallowed back the urge. The pain on the guy’s face was all too real…

“Big Brother Yun, just now you said that everyone was waiting for me, by ‘everyone’ you mean…” asked Bai Xiaofei weakly with a hint of unease. He was not ready to meet everyone all at once, so he was hoping that they would come to see him one by one.

However, sometimes expectation was too ideal compared to reality. It had been half a year, who could wait?!

“All of them. Everything you can think of is here. Do you want me to do a roll call one by one?” Yun Sheng blurted out without thinking.

The big stone that hung over Bai Xiaofei’s heart smashed down and nearly caused a real internal injury.

“No need…” Gulping, Bai Xiaofei was ready to face his bad luck.

“Then go, you can’t escape this one.” Yun Sheng chuckled, looking as evil as he could ever be.

Following Yun Sheng all the way through the familiar yet unfamiliar Demon of Illusions, Bai Xiaofei inexplicably felt like a lifetime had passed. It felt like everything in the Ancient Yue Kingdom hadn’t happened at all and he was just a freshman entering the Demon of Illusions for the first time.

But feelings were only feelings after all. After reaching the renovated dining room, he was met with a row of burning eyes. How to put it? These people looked like they were going to eat him alive!

Fang Ye, Yun Jingshuang, Han Qianye, Hu Xian’er, Xue Ying, Chu Liuyun, the Leng sisters, Lin Li, and all of the members of the Savage Class, as well as Rui Mengqi, Lei Min, and Chu Qingtian.

“Welcome back!” said a smiling Hu Xian’er who stood at the very front of the group, which gave Bai Xiaofei the feeling of finally returning home.

“It’s not necessary for such a big gathering…” A guilt-ridden Bai Xiaofei gulped. He realized he still wasn’t prepared enough. None of the people present was easy to deal with!

“Big? I think it’s okay, you know everyone.” With another smile, Hu Xian’er then got up from the head seat while the rest collectively looked at Bai Xiaofei quietly. Unknown if they had reached a consensus in advance, no one else spoke.

With a heart full of uneasiness, Bai Xiaofei went to his position and sat down. Facing the table full of delicacies, he for once didn’t pay attention to the food.

“Is this… a welcome back party?” The silence at the dinner table made Bai Xiaofei panic more and more. The strange atmosphere was getting a bit scary…

That’s right, scary!

Bai Xiaofei could see that everyone had something to say, but unable to be the one to start with so many people sitting together. This resulted in the current eerie silence.

It really wasn’t easy for Hu Xian’er to speak up just now.

And this situation was unexpected by all present. Originally, Hu Xian’er planned to welcome Bai Xiaofei’s return with only the girls, but people came one after another and none of them was someone she could reject. In the end, this was the result.

“Try the food, it’s all the work of Second Sister. I bet you’ve forgotten the taste of her cooking after being away for so long!” The ever fearless Leng Liuying laughed. Her bravery wasn’t exaggerated. As she said this, she blinked at Bai Xiaofei, trying to tell him to end this strange atmosphere.

If there was only one person who could break up this awkward situation, it would be Bai Xiaofei!

Getting the hint, Bai Xiaofei took a deep breath.

“Since this is my welcome party, I will start first.” He stood up and poured himself a cup. After a brief shock, the rest followed by filling their cups as well.

Q: What do you do if the situation is awkward?

A: Drink!

Wine was a good prop to warm up any event. If one cup wasn’t enough, then two cups. All awkwardness would be resolved once enough alcohol was ingested.

“First of all, I am very happy to see you guys again!” Bai Xiaofei said and threw his head back, draining his cup in one go.

Everyone responded with welcoming words and drank their cups. However, just when they were about to sit back down, Bai Xiaofei poured himself another cup.

“This one is to thank everyone for setting aside their personal matters and coming to see me.” With this, he finished another cup. In fact, it didn’t matter what one said at this time. Everything was just an excuse for drinking. Bai Xiaofei only had one thing on his mind: Diffuse the situation with wine.

“The third cup is to my former classmates. I haven’t seen you guys in so long. I really miss you.” This was his true feelings. When the mission had become so sticky that it was hard to advance, Bai Xiaofei had thought most of were the members of the Savage Class and the difficulties they had faced together in the Infinite Mountain Range.

“The fourth cup, to you lot who help me out with all the trivial stuff. You guys must have been very busy during my absence. This one is my apology!”

Well, it has been really busy!! But now you’re gonna take over all of it!

“The fifth cup, to everyone in the Demon of Illusions. I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.” Bai Xiaofei looked apologetically at Chu Liuyun and the others, especially Leng Liushuang. The hairpin that she had given him was gone…

“The sixth cup, to Vice President Chu and Big Sis Lei. It’s my honor to be cared for by my seniors!”

Caught off guard thinking that they wouldn’t be mentioned, Chu Qingtian and Lei Min hurriedly raised their cups and drank.

Aside from Bai Xiaofei, the most embarrassed people here were Chu Qingtian and Lei Min as their ages were obviously inconsistent with Bai Xiaofei’s regular circle. However, the distance was pulled a lot closer after this cup. At least they weren’t just sitting around…

“The last cup is to everyone again! I have come home, and you are my family!”

Hearing this, everyone’s heart was warm. At the same time that this round of wine entered their stomachs, the previous strange atmosphere dispersed completely and they grew more harmonious.

“Brother Fei, I heard that your mission failed?” Mo Ka, who had been scared by the situation and didn’t dare to speak, immediately revealed his nature after a few cups. Not only was he curious, but he also couldn’t control his curiosity.

“It’s a long story. If you don’t mind, let’s talk over dinner. I’m starving!”

Drinking is the opening, while eating is the main play to close the relationship! No one would refuse Bai Xiaofei’s proposal. Everyone picked up their chopsticks.

And then, they couldn’t put them down…

This was the charm of Leng Liushuang’s cooking. As long as you took the first bite, you could not stop even if you wanted to!

Seeing that everyone gradually became familiar with each other, Bai Xiaofei couldn’t help a long sigh of relief. After composing himself, he began to tell the story…

1. Idiom: a secret can't be kept forever. ↩