"Next, we'll begin practical training."
"Please follow me to Arena No. 6," Zhang Lingxue instructed as she led the students to the training ground.
Ye Bai noticed that at some point, Zhang Lingxue had changed into casual attire. She had even tied her hair into two ponytails, giving off the vibe of the athletic girl next door.
The male students seemed to love it, whistling in unison—except for Ye Bai. He quietly stepped back to distance himself from the group. He had seen someone tease Zhang Lingxue before and suffer miserably for it. Only because he was her favorite student could Ye Bai get away with it... barely.
But the moment Zhang Lingxue's cold gaze swept across the crowd and locked onto him, Ye Bai knew she had plans for him too.
"Alright, future pet masters. Let me see the mental state of your pet beasts. Today's lesson is: How to Properly Understand Pet Beasts."
Following her command, everyone summoned their pet beasts.
To Ye Bai's surprise, he saw Boxing Rabbit—the one abandoned by He Qingyuan—now standing beside a chubby classmate. This boy kept pulling out ruby and gold carrots from his pocket and feeding them to the rabbit.
Boxing Rabbit looked far from sad. In fact, it seemed to be thoroughly enjoying itself.
Looks like it found itself a new long-term meal ticket, Ye Bai thought.
The sound of crunching filled the arena—man and beast happily munching away.
But Ye Bai's Thousand-Change Silkworm refused to be left out. It bounded over with a flattering look, circling the chubby classmate with hopeful eyes.
Eventually, the chubby boy noticed the fat, white silkworm at his feet. Its tongue was drooping to the ground, glistening with drool.
"You want one?" he asked, holding out a golden carrot.
The silkworm nodded like a drumstick in a garlic-pounding session, its eyes fixed on the carrot.
"Here you go."
The chubby boy handed over the carrot. The Thousand-Change Silkworm took a bite, and a divine flavor exploded in its mouth. It was so delicious that the silkworm felt it could take flight out of pure bliss.
Its eyes sparkled as it stared at the chubby classmate like he was a walking food dispenser.
Ye Bai facepalmed. What did I do wrong to raise such a foodie?
The arena echoed with loud chewing—originally just one boy and a rabbit, now joined by the ravenous silkworm.
Zhang Lingxue gave Ye Bai a disappointed look, silently telling him to control his pet.
Ye Bai merely shrugged, helpless. Unless it's completely full, nothing can distract the Thousand-Change Silkworm from eating.
Zhang Lingxue's expression darkened. Her fists clenched.
The silkworm suddenly felt a chill down its back, as if it were being stared at. It looked up and froze. There she was—the woman with the deadly glare.
"Thousand-Change Silkworm, enjoying your snack?" she asked with a sinister smile. Her beauty combined with that expression was like a potion brewed by a witch in the woods—chilling and intense.
Boxing Rabbit and the chubby boy were still lost in their food-induced trance.
Zhang Lingxue sighed. The boy's name was Li Chen, the son of Jiaying City's richest man, Li Defu.
As a child, Li Chen had been abused by a nanny, leading to a paranoid disorder—he always felt like someone was trying to harm him. Only eating could bring him peace.
Li Defu had taken him to a top psychologist, Mr. Charles, who diagnosed the issue as a lack of love. He suggested that forming a bond with the right pet might help.
They tried many pet beasts, but Li Chen was terrified every time—until he entered the pet selection realm and met Boxing Rabbit.
At first, he was so scared he refused to get out of the car. But then he saw a lone, emaciated rabbit training on a wooden stake, smashing it with its fists.
"That rabbit was abandoned and wary of humans," Zhang Lingxue explained to the class. "But it awakened a unique skill: Madness. It hadn't eaten in days, just to push its limits. No one could convince it otherwise."
Li Chen recognized the loneliness in the rabbit—it mirrored his own.
He bravely approached it, step by shaky step.
"Wait! Be careful! That Boxing Rabbit is still aggressive!" Zhang Lingxue had warned.
But Li Chen didn't stop. He didn't want the rabbit to see him as weak.
Boxing Rabbit paused its training and glanced at him. Li Chen saw the sadness in its jewel-like red eyes.
Its fists were bruised, bleeding, and layered with old scars and sawdust. The ground beneath was stained with dried blood.
"What a coincidence," Li Chen said. "I don't have a contract pet yet. Want to be my friend?"
"I promise—I'll never abandon you."
Touched by his sincerity, the Boxing Rabbit began to cry, tears and snot falling freely.
"It's okay to cry," Li Chen said, gently wiping the rabbit's tears.
"You like ruby carrots? I've got sapphire and gold ones too."
He handed over a bulging backpack. "Try them. I picked them just for you. They're delicious."