Chapter Thirteen: Come, Perform a Magic Trick

“Yes, yes, Fufu is the best!” Lu Mingfei thought with a smile.

Judging by Furenina’s flustered reaction, she must have only recently awakened this ability—the exact reason was still unclear. But... seeing her become stronger made Lu Mingfei genuinely happy. As long as it didn’t harm her, the reason behind it didn’t matter.

“Hmph... that... um... that little devil... did he come to see you again?”

“He did. He told me that I instinctively unleashed a mental domain before. He warned me it’s best not to use this in front of others, or I might be hunted down like a Dragon King,” Lu Mingfei answered.

“Dragon King?” Furenina raised an eyebrow slightly, sensing there might be a special link between that dark power and the Dragon Kings, though she couldn’t recall exactly what it was at the moment.

She didn’t dwell on it, instead continuing, “Then you need to be careful. Don’t use your mental domain recklessly. If you end up being hunted down, I... I...”

“...I’d cry, you know.” (very softly)

A warm feeling filled Lu Mingfei’s heart, and he replied, “Don’t worry. Last time, I could use the mental domain only because I was at my mental peak during the transformation. Normally, I couldn’t do it even if I tried. I’ll be fine.”

...

Afternoon.

After lunch, Lu Mingfei paused briefly at the school gate. Looking at the school’s name, memories of his time here surfaced, and a relieved smile spread across his face. Straightening his back, he strode through the gate, stepping into a brand new future.

I am not the same person anymore.

This afternoon, he would attend classes. After school, he’d go home and ask his aunt for his living expenses. He was well aware that the high-quality life at his aunt’s house was funded by his parents, and that money rightfully belonged to him. Even if he had to be forceful to get it, it was only fair.

Just as Furenina said, he hadn’t done anything wrong. He was the one whose interests had been infringed upon—a strong counterattack was only natural.

Why should those who wronged me continue to enjoy my parents’ money without consequence?

I will fight back. I have every right to!

Judge Furenina said so!

And once I have the money, I’ll buy a set of fine clothes, get a stylish new look, then train my mind with diligence, learn more in school, and become well-rounded in every way.

Before long, Lu Mingfei was back in the classroom.

It was break time, so students coming and going didn’t draw much attention. Still, the little goddess spotted him right away, casting a proud, disdainful smile in his direction.

It was as if she was openly mocking him:

‘So you’re the one who tricked me, huh?’

Lu Mingfei narrowed his eyes, a mischievous thought suddenly occurring to him. He strode over to Su Xiaoqiang, put on a friendly, generous smile, and said, “You were the one who took me to the hospital before, right? Thank you. As a token of gratitude, how about I show you a magic trick? Want to see?”

“Magic?” Su Xiaoqiang was rather puzzled. In her eyes, Lu Mingfei was just an ordinary unlucky kid—what magic could he possibly know?

Curious, she broke into a spirited smile. “Alright, let’s see what kind of magic you’ve got.”

“Then... please look forward to it.” Lu Mingfei’s smile remained elegant as he waved both hands in front of her, showing that he held nothing.

“Okay.” Su Xiaoqiang nodded, intrigued by his confidence. She wondered what trick he had up his sleeve.

“Watch, I’m about to snap my fingers,” Lu Mingfei said, putting his left hand behind his back and holding out his right hand before her. “The moment I snap my fingers, something surprising will happen. Be ready.”

He quietly took two steps back.

“Got it,” Su Xiaoqiang replied, her eyes fixed on his other hand and the cuff of his sleeve. She knew a little about magic: most tricks relied on props and sleight of hand. A skilled magician could deceive the audience’s eyes and create incredible effects.

But she didn’t believe Lu Mingfei had that level of skill—he must be using some kind of prop.

What kind of magic would it be?

Roses, maybe?

So cliché. I don’t even like roses! But if he does it well, I might as well accept it—he is my friend, after all, and I can’t embarrass him too much.

“Get ready,” Lu Mingfei reminded her again, then locked eyes with Su Xiaoqiang and said, “Water.”

Snap!

A fine jet of water appeared out of nowhere and sprayed directly onto her face. Su Xiaoqiang, her face suddenly drenched, stared blankly at Lu Mingfei, bewildered.

She had no idea where the water had come from.

His cuffs hadn’t changed, his other hand hadn’t moved—how had he done it?

On the other side, Lu Mingfei wore a deeply satisfied grin. Pranking the little goddess felt incredibly good. She’d always given him a hard time; at most, he’d only shot back a few sharp words. But now, he’d splashed her with water using a word spirit—utterly exhilarating.

“Lu Mingfei, you’re messing with me!” Su Xiaoqiang finally snapped out of it and stood up, glaring at him furiously.

“No, I’m performing magic. Look—wasn’t the way that water appeared amazing?” Lu Mingfei replied, already preparing to make a quick escape. Previously, he’d backed up two steps, securing a strategic advantage; she shouldn’t be able to catch him.

‘You dare call splashing me in the face amazing?’ The little goddess clenched her fists, her hawk-like eyes locked onto him, her chest rising and falling rapidly with anger.

She was seething.

But instead of exploding, she calmed herself, sat down, took some tissues from her desk, and dabbed the water from her face. “Where did you get the water? Do you have a tiny water gun hidden in your sleeve?”

‘Pretty civil of her,’ Lu Mingfei thought, relaxing a bit. He held out his hands to her and said, “Nope. My magic relies on sleight of hand—the ultimate sleight of hand. No one can top me at this.”

“Sleight of hand?” Su Xiaoqiang’s eyes widened in disbelief as she roughly grabbed his hand, rolling up his sleeve to check for hidden devices.

But to her disappointment, there was nothing inside.

She didn’t give up, running her hands up and down his arm as if hoping to find something concealed, but she still came up empty.

Lu Mingfei’s smile remained confident, as though he wasn’t the least bit worried.

“Alright, I’ll give it to you,” Su Xiaoqiang grumbled, her gaze drifting around the room. Soon, her eyes settled on Chen Wenwen, and with a triumphant smile, she said, “Go on, show Chen Wenwen that magic trick. If you pull it off, I’ll give you a thousand yuan performance fee. Deal?”