Chapter 43: Scheming

Tian Ji Restaurant

The moment Gu Yunfan saw Su Rou cast her spell, his usually calm heart suddenly pounded fiercely.

Found her. Found her, he silently repeated, struggling to suppress his surging emotions and regain his composure.

His lowered gaze sharpened with the predatory glint of a hunter who had found his prey.

He lifted his head, raised his chopsticks, and his expression reverted to that of the amiable Gu Yunfan.

Yet beneath this facade, he subtly observed Su Rou's character and habits, preparing for any eventuality.

But as the saying goes, "The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it."

Beside him, Ke Lu's keen eyes missed none of this.

Time slipped away amidst clinking glasses and idle chatter. Before long, Shi Lei was sprawled lazily in his chair, patting his bulging belly.

"I can't eat another bite," he groaned, patting his round stomach and letting out a satisfied burp. "That was delicious."

The others were similarly stuffed.

Shi Lei's earlier claim that "Tian Qiu's dad is the best cook around here" now seemed more credible. Both Ke Lu and Su Rou agreed that the food was exceptionally good.

"Alright, guys, time to head back to school for evening self-study. You can hop in my car to get there faster," Gu Yunfan said with a perfectly calibrated smile, radiating understanding. "You wouldn't want to get called out for being late, would you?"

"No way!" the other boys groaned in unison, slumping over in mock despair.

Gu Yunfan extended his hand, offering a formal bow to Su Rou and Ke Lu. "Would you two like a ride as well?"

"But..." Su Rou began to nod, but Ke Lu forcefully pulled her back.

"Thanks, but we'll walk," Ke Lu said bluntly, blocking Gu Yunfan's outstretched hand and tugging Su Rou away.

"Oh, right! We need to stretch our legs after that meal," Su Rou said innocently, completely unaware of Ke Lu's scheming and trusting her implicitly. "We're off! Bye!"

As they watched the girls' retreating figures, Gu Yunfan's expression turned pensive.

"Boss, what brings you here today?" Shi Lei clapped Gu Yunfan on the shoulder with a hearty swing of his arm.

Gu Yunfan frowned, a flicker of irritation crossing his eyes, but he didn't shrug Shi Lei off.

He tossed out a curt, "My car's downstairs. Someone will pick you up shortly," before pushing open the door and leaving.

Left standing alone, Shi Lei scratched his head, puzzled. "The Boss is acting a bit strange today," he muttered.

After a moment's thought, he gave up trying to figure it out and tossed the idea out of his mind. He joined the other four men, slinging an arm around each of their shoulders as they descended the stairs.

Downstairs, Gu Yunfan had already boarded another car. His voice was cold as he ordered, "Head to the school."

The driver wasted no time, pressing down on the accelerator, and the car shot forward.

In the back seat, the middle-aged man from earlier spoke up, "Your Highness, how did it go?"

Gu Yunfan chuckled softly, as if recalling something pleasant.

This reaction made the middle-aged man's heart skip a beat. He hadn't seen the prince genuinely smile in ages—not the polite, superficial smile, but a heartfelt, genuine laugh.

Though the man knew all too well that the laughter wasn't rooted in joy, but in a sharp, determined sense of certainty.

Ever the pragmatist, he pressed the button on his armrest.

Iron bars rose, sealing off the driver and front passenger seat, completely isolating all sound.

"That Su Rou... she's quite extraordinary," Gu Yunfan finally answered directly. The middle-aged man immediately pricked up his ears, ready to hear an answer he had never even considered.

"Her Spirit Power has rainbow attributes," Gu Yunfan said casually, propping his head against his hand as he leaned against the car door handle. "Butler Chen, you understand what this means."

By now, the middle-aged man's mind was roiling with shock. He took a moment to process the revelation.

"Could it be a bloodline from the Imperial Consort's clan?"

"Who knows?" Gu Yunfan gazed out at the bustling street. "If she possesses this Talent, she'll inevitably be drawn into our struggle for the throne."

His voice betrayed neither joy nor anger, only a soft sigh: "What a pity... for such a promising girl."

"She might even be some distant cousin of mine."

He immediately ordered, "Investigate her origins thoroughly. No matter what it takes."

"Yes, yes, yes," Butler Chen replied, his heart sinking. They had already investigated thoroughly—the truth was, there was simply nothing to find.

Gu Yunfan hadn't missed this detail. He wrote down a phone number. "This man owes me a favor. Ask him what he knows."

Butler Chen finally relaxed, accepted the number, memorized it, and burned the slip of paper.

In the pitch-black night, a black sedan sped through the darkness, delivering its owner to their destination.

-

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city,

After pulling Su Rou away, Ke Lu didn't head straight back to school. Instead, she took out her phone and made a call, deliberately keeping her voice low so Su Rou couldn't overhear.

"What's with all the mystery?" Su Rou pouted, sitting nearby.

When they finally returned to school, Su Rou saw Ke Lu wave her inside instead of entering herself. "I have something to take care of. You go in first," Ke Lu said.

"Alright," Su Rou replied, reluctant to part with Ke Lu but understanding her friend's need for privacy.

"Remember," Ke Lu's voice echoed in Su Rou's ears, each word carrying a warning, "be careful of Gu Yunfan. I'll explain why later."

Su Rou watched Ke Lu's retreating figure, utterly baffled. "I just don't get it."

At that moment, a sea-blue car was already waiting by the roadside. Ke Lu opened the door and slid inside.

Inside the car, Hysilens handed over a stack of files. "We've uncovered Gu Yunfan's background. He's the Fourth Prince of the Demon Race."

Ke Lu's hand froze as she flipped through the files, her eyes hardening. "Hah."

In this world, each of the five races had distinct political systems:

The Human Race had an emperor and a parliament with limited authority.

The Demon Race, on the other hand, was an absolute monarchy, with the emperor's will as the ultimate law.

The Monster Race governs through feudal domains, Beast Race tribes live in scattered settlements, and the Spirit Race operates without a formal government.

Ke Lu spoke with certainty, "He's set his sights on Su Rou. There must be something about her that attracts him."

She recounted every detail of the dinner: "He showed a clear reaction the moment Su Rou used the Healing Spell on Tian Qiu after he was accidentally injured."

"After that, he kept observing Su Rou intently."

Ke Lu's gaze sharpened like a newly honed blade. "Regardless, no one lays a hand on my people."

Her tone was hostile, brimming with suspicion. "Still, he remains useful to me."

By "useful," she was of course referring to the System's quest, an unavoidable hurdle.

However, Ke Lu wouldn't shy away from confronting him just because he had ulterior motives.

Faced with such a situation, she would confront him head-on, crushing all his schemes into dust.

"Hysilens, investigate the Demon Royal Family," Ke Lu ordered. "Since he mentioned a prince, this interest might be connected to the royal court."

Leaning back slightly, Ke Lu gazed up at the moon, the Wheel of Destiny she had glimpsed at noon resurfacing in her mind.

Could this be the crisis foretold in Su Rou's fate?