Qiqi also hoped to get into a good hospital, where she could not only learn from more outstanding seniors and gain more experience, but also, if she performed well, might even secure a spot there, paving the way for her future career—this was a major matter concerning both her prospects and her finances. So, Qiqi took it very seriously; she couldn't afford to slack off in her studies. She had to ace the final exams this semester, so that when the hospital came to select interns, seeing her excellent academic record over the past four years, they would give her priority consideration.
Besides, only by getting good grades could she win a scholarship. Sigh, raising a wolf king was expensive.
At that moment, the Wolf King was also sitting by the window, sipping tea, striking the pose of a literary young man, basking in a moment of bright melancholy. When he saw Qiqi finish washing the dishes and return to her room to study, he felt a bit bored, so he picked up a book to read. After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, he realized he was still on the first page he'd opened—he'd been daydreaming.
So, he simply tossed the book aside and started thinking.
He recalled the words of that red-furred fox—the taste of stirring emotions was like mango pomelo sorbet. She had sensed the scent of such emotions; was it emanating from him? Had he truly fallen for someone? When did it start? And how would it end? He would eventually have to return to the demon realm; could he take Qiqi with him then? Would she be willing to go? And then there was the matter of the Medical Immortal's ambiguous relationship with her—what secrets lay behind that? Qiqi's fate was so significant that even the Heavenly Emperor had taken notice; could she really be an ordinary mortal? If she weren't mortal, why couldn't he sense it? And if she weren't, he probably wouldn't be able to take her away.
Rong Yi pondered his feelings under the window, while Qiqi wrote furiously under the lamplight. She had downloaded video recordings of her school's lectures and borrowed electronic notes from classmates, working hard to make up for the lessons she'd missed these past days.
Before she knew it, the moon was high in the sky. Qiqi went out to wash her face, ready to pull an all-nighter. But then, from outside the courtyard, came a faint rumbling mechanical sound—the familiar, terrifying roar of a bulldozer, the kind that made holdout homeowners tremble in fear.
What? Was the demolition crew out again?
She rushed out of the courtyard in a flurry, not forgetting to grab the defensive club from the living room on the way.
Stepping outside to look around, the entire alley was pitch black, with hardly anyone around. A silver crescent moon hung in the sky, but at the end of the alley, there were faint lights—that was the home of Emily, the literary young woman.
The bulldozer sound was coming from there.
Rong Yi heard it too and stepped out of his room: "Qiqi?"
Qiqi waved at him: "Something seems to be happening at Emily's place. I'll go check it out. You're not fully recovered, so stay inside."
Dragging the club, Qiqi hurried toward Emily's house. The closer she got, the more alarmed she became—the rumbling machinery was mixed with men's shouts, women's sobs, and children's heart-wrenching cries. Before long, the dogs in the alley were roused, barking wildly. Some neighbors turned on their lights, likely woken by the noise.
Qiqi was one of the first to arrive.
Emily's house at the end of the alley was a three-story building. The second and third floors were living quarters, while the first floor facing the street had a large storefront, home to a Lanzhou pulled-noodle shop. Since Emily's father was from Gansu and made excellent noodles, and her mother was warm and friendly, the shop usually did good business. Qiqi often went there for noodles—the place was clean, the noodles tasty and generous in portion, even enough to fill Rong Yi (though it was possible Emily's mother was playing favorites; everyone knew Emily had a crush on Rong Yi).