Pretending to Cultivate in Kindergarten-Chapter 128: The Fox Spirit from Another World

Lin Zhengran and Jiang Xueli took a car back to the talent agency and then walked home together.

On the way, Jiang Xueli kept checking the New Star Music rankings.

Originally, this competition didn’t have much attention. Even though Qiang Jie and Stidi’s fans cared about it, a small-town event wasn’t expected to gain much traction.

But thanks to Jiang Cheng’s mess…

A bunch of netizens suddenly became curious about what this music competition was all about.

Many of them decided to check out the performances, and by pure coincidence, the rankings’ playback volume shot up to an unprecedented level.

In just an hour, there were already thousands of song plays.

Jiang Xueli’s song had climbed into the top fifteen.

"Top fifteen!" Jiang Xueli practically reported her rank every time it jumped up, her twin ponytails bouncing with excitement.

Lin Zhengran reminded her, "Caring about the results is good, but do you really need to stare at your phone the entire time? Are you nervous?"

"Nervous?"

Jiang Xueli abruptly put her phone away, pretending to be just as casual as Lin Zhengran. "I’m not nervous at all! Didn’t I already say I’m definitely going to win? I’m just checking, that’s all."

As they continued walking, Lin Zhengran thought about how both Jiang Xueli and He Qing’s competitions had wrapped up. Even though the music competition’s results wouldn’t be out for another two weeks, at least these two little troublemakers could finally take a break.

Suddenly, a couple passed by them on the street, holding hands and chatting sweetly.

Their conversation drifted into earshot—something about a movie.

"I heard there’s a romance film called Love Farce that’s super popular right now. Wanna watch it tomorrow?"

"Yes, yes! Let’s go to the city for a movie, and then we’ll book a hotel for the night and not go home."

Jiang Xueli, walking beside Lin Zhengran, overheard their conversation.

Her face instantly turned red.

She was a little envious—not about the hotel part, of course, but about the date.

Then she suddenly remembered—Wait, I’m Lin Zhengran’s girlfriend now!

What was she even jealous of?

Wait… if I’m his girlfriend, then why do I have to wait until I win the competition to go on a date with him?

Why can’t we just go now?!

Lin Zhengran noticed her expression and had a pretty good guess about what was going through her mind.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Huh?" Jiang Xueli clasped her hands behind her back, her face burning. "Nothing! I wasn’t thinking about anything! I was just…"

She hesitated, then finally mustered up the courage to say:

"The competition results won’t be out for another two weeks, but tomorrow is still part of the National Holiday, right? Technically, tomorrow should be my time too. We’re not still practicing music tomorrow, are we?"

She fidgeted, battling her own pride. "Since the competition’s over, we could do… other things, right?"

She looked at Lin Zhengran expectantly.

But instead of saying what she wanted to hear, he deliberately teased her.

"Nothing much to do, really. Unless you don’t like practicing music? I think it’s pretty fun."

Jiang Xueli nearly exploded.

This guy is such a huge idiot!

And he won’t even let me call him that, but he totally is!

She frowned. "That’s not what I meant. I mean, practice is fun, but…"

"But?" Lin Zhengran prompted.

Jiang Xueli froze.

"But… since the competition’s over, we could…" Her voice trailed off, her face turning bright red.

"We could… go on a date…? We can’t practice music every day. I want to go on a date."

"I didn’t catch that. Say it louder?"

Jiang Xueli’s face burned even hotter.

"Agh! I said I WANT TO GO ON A DATE!" she shouted. "I want to go on a date with you, you idiot! I finally became your girlfriend, so we can’t just keep acting the same as before!"

Lin Zhengran stared at her.

She had mustered up all that courage, but after shouting, she immediately lowered her head in embarrassment.

"But it’s up to you," she mumbled. "Even if I want to… you have to be free first, right?"

Lin Zhengran was straightforward.

"Let me think… Okay, how about this? I promised you two things before—so let’s split them up. In two weeks, I’ll take you to the zoo. But for now, to celebrate you making it onto the New Star Music rankings, I’ll take you to a movie tomorrow. How about that?"

"Huh?" Jiang Xueli’s conflicted expression instantly turned into excitement. Her eyes sparkled.

"Really? REALLY?! You’ll take me to a movie tomorrow?!"

"Yeah, let’s watch that romance film those two were talking about."

"Yes! I’ll buy the tickets! My treat!" She beamed. "What time are we meeting tomorrow?"

"Eight in the morning. You’ve been exhausted these past few days, so you should sleep in a little."

"Okay! I’ll call you at eight sharp!"

Jiang Xueli laughed happily, practically skipping as she walked.

At the crossroads near their homes, Lin Zhengran waved her goodbye.

Jiang Xueli literally bounced home, humming to herself:

"Movie, movie~ Watching a movie with Zhengran~"

She was way too excited.

[System Commentary:]

[In the past few days, you accompanied Miss Jiang in a grand martial arts sect competition. Under your guidance, she dominated the event and achieved a top-ranking victory. However, during the competition, you discovered that a sinister force was attempting to sabotage the event.]

[By chance, you also learned that the Empress of the Imperial City was secretly involved in the competition. Having a prior connection with her, you had a brief conversation and swiftly eliminated the villains, ensuring the competition proceeded fairly.]

[During the competition, you also took the opportunity to meet the fiancée your family arranged for you. You originally thought she was Princess Jiang Qian, but to your shock, the person who arrived was none other than the Empress herself.]

[It turned out that she was the wife your family had chosen for you.]

[The Empress, a ruler of an entire empire, deeply admired your abilities. During your conversation, an unexpected incident led to her falling into your arms. You couldn’t help but notice that her body was incredibly soft and sweetly fragrant.]

Lin Zhengran: "???????"

[She invited you to abandon your wandering lifestyle and stay by her side forever, offering you immeasurable wealth and power.]

Th𝓮 most uptodate nov𝑒ls are publish𝒆d on ƒreewebηoveℓ.com.

[You knew this was a crucial decision. However, the opportunities and treasures in the martial world far exceeded what a single empire could offer. Plus, you didn’t want to be tied down. So, you firmly declined the Empress’s offer. She was slightly disappointed.]

[However, instead of being angry, she became even more intrigued by you. She promised never to stand against you in the future and even admitted that—if it weren’t for her empire—she might have chosen to wander the world with you instead.]

[Some things are simply a matter of timing.]

[System Commentary:]

[You parted ways with the Empress of the Imperial City and continued your journey with Miss Jiang, awaiting the results of this competition.]

[At first glance, this encounter didn’t seem to bring you much, aside from Miss Jiang’s growth and the double feedback bonus you received. However, the favor of the Empress is not something an ordinary person can obtain. What you don’t know is that while she spoke to you, she unknowingly planted a strand of her fate’s silk thread into your being.]

[Rulers have no love. But for her to leave behind her last strand of emotional fate inside you proves that your connection is far from over. If she had a choice, you would be her only one. What the future holds for the two of you remains uncertain.]

[From this competition, you have gained +2 Spirit Level, +5 Stamina, +5 Strength, +5 Energy.]

[Your current Spirit Level: 57 (Qi Refinement Phase)]

[Your attributes:]

[New Unlocks:]

[Your current Spirit Level: 57 → 59]

Lin Zhengran listened as the system rattled off a flood of messages.

He could clearly feel his physical strength increasing once again.

Level 57 now… just three more levels until 60. At that point, he’d unlock another new talent skill.

He was only a high school freshman, yet he was progressing way faster than expected.

By the time he got to university, his level might be far beyond what he had originally envisioned.

Just as he was thinking about this, his phone buzzed.

A message from Han Wenwen.

(This fox is getting impatient.)

From the moment today’s competition ended, she had already sent him three or four messages.

To be fair, he had been super busy these past two days and hadn’t had time to check in on her.

Without any further delay, Lin Zhengran headed to Han Wenwen’s apartment.

He arrived at the familiar residential complex and walked up to her rental unit.

Knocking on the door, he heard an excited yet sulky voice from inside.

"Zhengran-ge?! You don’t need to knock, just come in!"

Unlocking the door with his spare key, Lin Zhengran stepped inside.

Immediately, a strong fragrance hit him.

It was her scent—that unmistakable, alluring aroma.

Whenever he spent time around her, it wasn’t overpowering. But if they hadn’t seen each other for a few days, her scent always seemed extra intoxicating.

But today, the room carried another scent…

Fried chicken.

Lin Zhengran frowned slightly and looked up.

What he saw made him pause for a moment.

Han Wenwen was standing in the kitchen, wearing a traditional Chinese hanfu.

The long red-and-white robe draped elegantly around her, and her slender jade-like legs peeked out beneath the flowing fabric.

She stood at the stove, attempting to fry chicken cutlets in a small pan.

Her hairstyle was completely different—styled in an old-fashioned, vintage updo, making her look even more like a fox spirit from ancient times.

Yet, instead of looking strange, the outfit suited her perfectly.

Her long black hair cascaded over her shoulders like a silk waterfall, emphasizing her already mesmerizing features.

The first thought that popped into Lin Zhengran’s mind was:

"Demon Cult Maiden."

"You time-traveled?" Lin Zhengran asked. "When did you get back?"

Han Wenwen’s fox-like eyes sparkled mischievously. She gave him a seductive smile and replied,

"Just now, Young Master Lin. Close the door behind you."

Lin Zhengran had no idea what she was up to, but Han Wenwen was always like this—rarely acting "normal" for long.

He walked over to the kitchen.

She turned off the heat and cut a small, thin piece of fried chicken with a spatula.

Then, picking it up with a toothpick, she held it up to his lips.

"Ahh~ Young Master Lin, try a bite of our fox clan’s mountain chicken. It’s delicious."

Lin Zhengran looked down at her.

In this outfit… with that playful yet enchanting expression…

She was even more dangerous than usual.

But Lin Zhengran wasn’t an ordinary man.

Without hesitation, he took a bite.

Han Wenwen leaned closer, eyes bright. "How is it?"

Lin Zhengran chewed, then gave his verdict.

"It’s alright. Just a little burnt."

Han Wenwen rolled her fox-like eyes at him.

"Hmph! You’re just saying that!"

Pouting, she cut herself a piece and took a bite—then instantly deflated.

"...It is a little burnt."

She sighed dramatically. "Am I really that hopeless at cooking?"

Lin Zhengran casually sat on the bed, noticing the scattered packaging from her hanfu purchase.

"You got that outfit online?"

Han Wenwen twirled around in front of him, showing off her robes.

"I was out shopping today, and a clothing store was open. When I walked in, this caught my eye! How does it look? Gorgeous, right?"

This time, Lin Zhengran gave her a very honest opinion.

"With that outfit and a tail, you’d look exactly like a real fox spirit."

Han Wenwen giggled, bending down slightly to lean closer to him.

With her hands resting on her knees, she looked him straight in the eyes.

"If it didn’t look authentic, I wouldn’t have bought it," she purred.

She smirked. "I only got it so I could seduce you, Zhengran-ge~ I wanna devour you whole~"