Once, I wanted to be a good person

"Do you want to know why I was able to make such a quick realm breakthrough and why my cultivation progressed so fast?"

"Do you want to become the next me?"

Upon hearing Fang Ze's words, Bai Ling could hardly remain angry. Her watery eyes sparkled as she nodded incessantly.

Seeing this, Fang Ze smiled and took out the Sunny Doll that Miaomiao had given him yesterday, then solemnly handed it over to Bai Ling, saying, "This... is actually my secret!"

Bai Ling looked at the Sunny Doll Fang Ze handed her, slightly confused, "A... Sunny Doll?"

Fang Ze nodded seriously and continued, "Don't think it's just a Sunny Doll."

"It is an Extraordinary Artifact with magical abilities."

"Extraordinary Artifact?" Bai Ling's eyes slowly lit up.

Fang Ze made a sound of affirmation and then spoke in a tone tinged with world-weariness, "Yes. This is my family's heirloom trump card."

"As long as you carry it with you, it will increase your concentration, speed up your cultivation, and enhance the probability of breaking through to new realms!"

"It's because of this that my cultivation improved by leaps and bounds within a month! Tremendously fast!"

Hearing Fang Ze's words, Bai Ling's hand tightened around the doll, and then she asked, "Then... don't you need it anymore?"

Fang Ze nodded seriously and replied, "Because it's only useful for stages below Skin Tempering. It doesn't work beyond that."

"And I've reached the Skin Tempering stage as of yesterday, so I don't need it anymore."

"Therefore, I want to give it to someone who needs it more!"

Upon hearing this, Bai Ling paused, then quickly responded with excitement, "Is that me? I need it!"

As she spoke, and perhaps considering the value represented by this precious doll, her mood sobered again.

She hugged the doll tighter, then asked tentatively, "Fang Ze, could you sell me the doll? I can give you money..."

With these words, she reached into her pocket, pulled out a purse, and opened it.

Inside was a bundle of money.

After some thought, she took out a 200 Lini note.

And then...

She put it back into her own pocket.

After that, she handed all the remaining money, along with the purse, to Fang Ze, and then said timidly, "I... I just have twenty thousand Lini on me. Could you leave me 200 for lunch? Is that okay?"

Fang Ze looked at this little rich girl and was about to say something.

But at that moment, Bai Ling seemed to have a second thought and reflexively retracted her hand, then looked at Fang Ze with some wariness, saying, "You... You're not trying to con me out of my money, are you?"

Upon saying this, she paused, then after looking at Fang Ze's handsome face, she added another sentence, "If you're short on cash, tell me, and I can lend you some. But... please don't deceive me, okay?"

She lowered her head, "You're the only one who's ever repaid me after all..."

Listening to Bai Ling's pitiful tone, Fang Ze felt as if he was somehow touched.

But then he immediately thought: what's there to be touched about! He had never intended to trick Bai Ling out of her money! On the contrary, he wanted to lend her something!

With that in mind, Fang Ze snatched Bai Ling's purse and, to her astonishment, carefully placed it back in her pocket himself.

Then, smiling, he said, "Chief Bai Ling, you're underestimating our relationship!"

"How could I possibly deceive you for money!"

"I don't want a cent!"

Bai Ling's head popped up with a question mark: ?

"So......"

She was interrupted mid-sentence by Fang Ze, who said, "That's right. This Sunny Doll, I'm lending it to you for no charge to help you make your breakthrough!"

"Consider it a thank-you gift for all the care you've given me recently!"

Upon hearing Fang Ze's words, Bai Ling looked at him in surprise, "Really?"

Fang Ze nodded, "Of course!"

Seeing that Fang Ze was actually willing to lend her such a "precious" Extraordinary Artifact so easily, she jumped into his arms with a cheer, gave him a hug, and said joyfully, "Thank you, Fang Ze!"

"You really are a good person!" Stay connected through empire

After speaking, she let go of Fang Ze like a happy little bird, twirling around in delight.

Watching her, Fang Ze couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time.

This couldn't count as deceiving someone, could it?

He hadn't conned her out of money or affection, but just spun a tale to fulfill the conditions needed to trigger his Awakening Ability, right?

But seeing her so happy...

Just how long had the Skin Tempering stage been holding her back?

He hoped she wouldn't be heartbroken when she found out it didn't work...

Maybe he should consider ways to make amends... like preparing some tissues, ready to wipe her tears?

Meanwhile, as Fang Ze mulled over this,

there came a knocking at the classroom door, "Knock, knock, knock."

Fang Ze snapped back to reality, and Bai Ling, still holding the Sunny Doll, quieted down as well.

They exchanged glances and then turned to the classroom door.

They heard a colleague's voice from the doorway, "Commissioner Fang Ze, Specialist Bai Ling, are you in there?"

"Officer Bai Zhi is looking for you."

Hearing their colleague's words, Fang Ze and Bai Ling exchanged glances once again, then walked to the classroom door, one after the other.

Opening the classroom door, they were greeted by that colleague whose name Fang Ze had heard but forgotten, standing at the doorway.