Chapter 128: Following
Chapter 128: Following
"Although the Frostfire Salamander has greater potential and strength, I think that compared to it, the Green Scaled Serpent might be a better fit for me." When faced with Li Qian's question, Li Lanying didn't hesitate and immediately gave her answer, which was also her genuine thought.
Upon hearing this, Li Qian's interest deepened, and he continued the conversation, asking again, "Oh, why is that?"
Li Lanying's charming face still carried a smile. She glanced at the Central Pond and after a moment, explained, "The Eastern Dragon aligns more with my aesthetic preferences."
Li Qian was slightly taken aback by her response but quickly recovered.
The Eastern Dragon matched her aesthetic preferences; this answer seemed a bit far-fetched, but strictly speaking, it wasn't impossible.
If Li Qian had to choose, he would probably give the same answer, with the Green Scaled Serpent being his top choice.
Among various factors, aesthetics played a significant role in his decision.
Of course, aesthetics weren't the only consideration, so he empathized and asked with interest, "Is that all?"
"Of course not!" Li Lanying paused and replied firmly, "The Eastern Dragon aligns with my aesthetic preferences, but that's just one of the reasons I chose the Green Scaled Serpent. Additionally, compared to the Frostfire Salamander, the Green Scaled Serpent has the ability to fly, making it much more agile in combat without any restrictions on the battlefield, which is another crucial factor."
Li Qian nodded in agreement after hearing this explanation, "That's a reasonable consideration. It seems you know exactly what you want."
"If I didn't have a plan, I wouldn't be here." Li Lanying turned to Li Qian, a confident smile gracing her face, which was quite captivating.
Regarding this classmate, Li Qian's first impression wasn't very strong, as she wasn't the type to leave a stunning impression at first sight.
She exuded maturity, grace, gentleness, and intelligence, giving off a big sister vibe that didn't quite match her age.
While she might not be breathtaking at first glance, she was definitely not ugly, and the more you looked, the more pleasing she became—a beauty that grew on you.
At this moment, she spoke calmly and smiled as she said these words, leaving Li Qian with a refreshing feeling.
The two continued their casual conversation as they walked, and after a while, Li Lanying suddenly asked, "By the way, old classmate, I have a question for you."
Li Qian didn't think much of it and casually replied, "What is it?"
Li Lanying asked nonchalantly, "I heard you've been specially recruited into the Beastmaster University ahead of time. May I ask which university you're going to?"
She seemed casual, but Li Qian sensed a hint of intentionality.
This didn't seem like something Li Lanying would typically say.
He quickly processed the situation and realized that even if he didn't tell her, Li Lanying could find out this information from other sources. So, he didn't hide it and directly answered, "It's the Shazhou Beastmaster Academy."
As Li Qian expected, upon hearing the name, Li Lanying's face showed surprise, "Shazhou Beastmaster Academy? I thought it would be the Jiangnan Beastmaster University!"
Li Qian spread his hands and smiled, then frankly said, "I had no choice; they offered a lot."
Without pausing, he turned the question back to her, "What about you? Where are you planning to go?"
Li Qian didn't ask about her grades or whether she could get into the Beastmaster University; for her, it wasn't an issue.
"My parents want me to go to the Jiangnan Beastmaster University, but I don't really want to go..." Li Lanying replied.
Li Qian asked further, "Why?"
Li Lanying showed no intention of hiding anything and smiled lightly, "Rebellious, I guess. I don't really want to live under their watchful eyes."
Li Qian glanced at Li Lanying, "That doesn't sound like something you'd say."
Li Lanying suddenly met Li Qian's gaze, "Maybe I acted on impulse and chose Shazhou Beastmaster University. Who knows?"
Li Qian averted her gaze, "It's best not to be impulsive about such matters."
About half an hour later, Li Lanying left. Throughout their conversation, they didn't discuss money, only saying, "Let's do it at the market price."
For a genius who could contract a dominant-rank potential companion beast in high school, this amount of money was insignificant.
...
The next day, there was an additional sum of money in the breeding base's account.
Li Qian took a look and found it was enough to cover the purchase cost of the Green Scaled Serpent.
As Li Lanying arrived with the money, Li Qian didn't hesitate. Following the previous procedure with Mu Qianqian, he first took her to the Central Pond.
If there was a Green Scaled Serpent willing to follow, Li Qian wouldn't mind letting any one of Jin Yi, Jin Er, or Jin San go with her.
But if they weren't willing, Li Qian wouldn't force them to leave. In that case, Li Lanying would have to bring the fish herself.
...
In the teacher's office of Lingwater City Beast Taming High School, Chu Xiran looked at her favorite student, Tu Jiaojiao, "Jiaojiao, what brings you here?"
Tu Jiaojiao hesitated for a moment, then finally asked, "I want to know which Beastmaster University Li Qian was specially recruited to."
"Oh..." Chu Xiran was taken aback for a moment, clearly not expecting Tu Jiaojiao to ask such a question.
Unconsciously, she frowned, "Now isn't the time to think about such things."
"Are you still worried about my grades, Teacher?" Tu Jiaojiao knew what Chu Xiran was concerned about and spoke up.
"I'm not worried, but..." Chu Xiran fell into deep thought, and after a moment, she sighed, "Fine, I'll be honest with you. I do know which Beastmaster University Li Qian was specially recruited to, but it might not be the best choice for you."
"Alright, since you insist, I'll tell you."
Looking at Tu Jiaojiao, Chu Xiran spoke truthfully, "It's Shazhou Beastmaster University."
Like Li Lanying, Tu Jiaojiao was also surprised by Li Qian's choice, "Shazhou Beastmaster University!"
"Jiaojiao, there are some things you don't know, but I must remind you. Following in the footsteps of someone too excellent might not be a good thing." Chu Xiran continued without pause, "Sometimes, you might feel utterly hopeless."
Tu Jiaojiao suddenly furrowed her brows, her eyes fixed on Chu Xiran, "Teacher, have you experienced this?"
"Oh..." Chu Xiran fell silent again, then deliberately changed the topic, speaking earnestly, "I won't deny that you have excellent talent, but remember, there's always someone better out there."
"If you're following Li Qian's path just to surpass him, I'd encourage you. But if it's for another reason..."
Finally, she spoke with a serious tone, "I can only say this isn't a good choice."
In the end, Tu Jiaojiao didn't reveal the reason for her inquiry.
After expressing her gratitude, she left the office.
Chu Xiran watched Tu Jiaojiao leave and shook her head helplessly, "Another troublemaker!"
But upon reflection, it seemed quite normal.
At their age, it was natural to admire the strong, especially since Li Qian had once confessed to her.
It was normal to have different thoughts in her heart.
Chu Xiran only hoped that these different thoughts wouldn't sway her emotions, leading to irrational choices.
(End of Chapter)
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