Chapter 19: A Dish Delivered To The Door
Ge Bai came out of Old Qian’s office and had just turned into the corridor where the classroom was when she saw He Le Yao leaning against the wall at the classroom doorway, occasionally looking in this direction.
“Ge Bai, you’re back!”
As soon as He Le Yao saw Ge Bai, her eyes lit up, and she came rushing over with a mix of running and jumping.
“What’s the situation? Huang Min said Old Qian looked particularly angry. Are you okay?”
He Le Yao, whose grades were mediocre, was most afraid of getting on Old Qian’s bad side and was somewhat worried about Ge Bai.
Ge Bai smiled and shook her head.
“It’s nothing. Don’t mind him.”
She was just about to head back to the classroom with He Le Yao when she heard an extremely discordant voice from behind.
“Yo yo yo, look who this is.”
“Isn’t this our school’s excellent student Ge Bai?”
“Contracted some flower or grass? Didn’t take it out to get some sun?”
Ge Bai rolled her eyes; she didn’t need to turn around to know it was Jiang Yan and his gang.
That punch-worthy tone was as annoying as ever.
He Le Yao had already jumped up, turned around, put one hand on her hip, pointed at Jiang Yan and the others’ noses, and started cursing.
“Yo my ass, that nagging tone, who knows where you learned it—it’s disgusting.”
Jiang Yan and his group of four came sauntering over.
Paying no attention to He Le Yao’s cursing, they just glanced at her before staring at Ge Bai again and saying maliciously.
“Hey, we heard that classmate Ge Bai became a Spirit Planter, so we came specially to congratulate you.”
He Le Yao didn’t care about any of that.
“So what if she’s a Spirit Planter? Did the Spirit Planter eat your family’s rice or drink your family’s water?”
“Jiang Yan, don’t think you’re all that just because you contracted a Spirit Beast.”
“Don’t you know thirty years east of the river, thirty years west? But with your character, you look like a total fake no matter how you see it.”
He Le Yao’s little mouth was like a small machine gun, unleashing a barrage at Jiang Yan.
Ge Bai watched coldly. When He Le Yao paused to catch her breath after ranting, Ge Bai tugged at her, signaling her to stop.
He Le Yao did listen to advice, but Jiang Yan and his group had no intention of letting it go.
“He Le Yao, go wherever it’s cool for you. This doesn’t concern you.”
Hearing this, He Le Yao was about to jump up again, but Ge Bai pulled her behind her.
Seeing Ge Bai step forward, Jiang Yan got even more spirited.
“Ge Bai, where are you planning to work? Tell us quickly.”
“We’re classmates, after all. We can go take care of our old classmate’s business.”
Ge Bai sneered but didn’t respond, instead slowly rolling up her sleeves.
Jiang Yan instinctively took a step back.
No helping it; it was a conditioned reflex.
Over these years, Ge Bai always rolled up her sleeves like this before swinging her fist.
As if realizing that this step back made him look a bit cowardly, Jiang Yan deliberately raised his voice.
“G-Ge Bai, what are you planning to do? Let me tell you, we’ve all awakened our Spiritual Consciousness Space and contracted Pet Beasts now.”
“Don’t act like a little thug all day; it’s so crude.”
Hearing Jiang Yan’s blustering words, Ge Bai laughed out loud.
Provoking wasn’t thug-like, but losing made others little thugs?
For people like Jiang Yan, when you can use fists, don’t use words.
“Jiang Yan, cut the crap. If you need a beating, just say so.”
By now, quite a few classmates had gathered around, pointing and whispering.
Jiang Yan saw he hadn’t gained any advantage and Ge Bai still looked ready to flip the table at any disagreement, which made him seethe with anger.
He really couldn’t figure it out— at this point, why wasn’t Ge Bai tucking her tail and acting humbly? What was there to be arrogant about?
Ge Bai couldn’t be bothered with what he was thinking. Having rolled up both sleeves, she slightly lowered her head, only lifting her eyes to glare at Jiang Yan.
Her gaze held no warmth, as if ready to smash a fist into his face at any moment.
Jiang Yan weighed his options, thinking he absolutely couldn’t show weakness now. Gritting his teeth, he shouted at Ge Bai.
“If you have the skills, let’s have a Pet Beast Battle.”
Hearing this, Ge Bai’s eyebrows rose slightly. Just as she was about to say something, He Le Yao couldn’t stand it.
“Jiang Yan, have you no shame? Challenging a Spirit Planter to a Pet Beast Battle?”
Jiang Yan, however, acted like he’d turned the tables, smug and triumphant.
“If Ge Bai is scared, she can refuse. Maybe she’s exceptionally talented and contracted some super powerful Spirit Plant.”
The few behind him also started jeering, trying to goad Ge Bai.
More and more people gathered around, all the type to watch the fun and stir up trouble.
He Le Yao was getting anxious and glanced at Ge Bai, seeing her still calm and composed. Unable to hold back, she tugged at her clothes.
“Ge Bai, forget it. Let’s go.”
Ge Bai looked at He Le Yao, then at Jiang Yan and his group.
This was truly a dish delivered right to her door.
She’d just come from Old Qian’s place with a belly full of fire and nowhere to vent it, and here came Jiang Yan, this punk, offering himself up for a beating.
Ge Bai wasn’t worried at all about not being able to handle Jiang Yan.
He’d only contracted a Porcupine Beast, which was a high-priced Beginner Pet Beast. Given Jiang Yan’s family background, buying one wasn’t easy.
Jinggang City happened to have a Porcupine Beast Breeding base, so this Pet Beast wasn’t rare. Jiang Yan must have contracted it just yesterday.
A juvenile Porcupine Beast had at most two Beginner initial Skills. What was there to fear?
“Alright, let’s go.”
Ge Bai’s words weren’t clear, so He Le Yao thought she was talking to her, breathed a sigh of relief, and prepared to pull Ge Bai into the classroom.
Jiang Yan thought the same and stepped up to block them, his arrogance at full blast.
“Running away? Ge Bai, don’t be a coward.”
He Le Yao then realized something was off. She was pulling Ge Bai toward the classroom, but Ge Bai was heading toward the stairs.
Ge Bai paused, as if realizing she hadn’t been clear, tugged He Le Yao, and said without looking back.
“Heh, stop all the trash talk. We can’t fight here—let’s go to the Battle Arena.”
With that, she pulled He Le Yao toward the playground.
Although junior high students hadn’t contracted Spirit Beasts or Spirit Plants yet, the school still arranged Pet Beast actual combat demonstration classes.
The center of Chongming District Public Junior High School’s playground had a standard 15-meter diameter circular Pet Beast Battle Arena.
Both the playground and the Pet Beast Battle Arena were open-air. Classmates who had heard the argument here rushed to the corridors and windows with views of the playground, grabbing the best spots to watch.
He Le Yao, following Ge Bai to the playground, was worried sick.
“Ge Bai, you contracted a Weeping Ancient Willow, right? Don’t push yourself.”
“How about we call Liu Hao, Wu Da Mi, and the others?”
She kept nagging nonstop.
Ge Bai let He Le Yao hold her arm but didn’t slow her steps, patting her hand reassuringly.
“Don’t worry. Just watch quietly.”
The playground wasn’t far. Once there, Ge Bai didn’t hesitate, vaulted onto the arena, and looked down at Jiang Yan and his group.
Jiang Yan’s group trailed not far behind. Seeing Ge Bai nimbly stand on the arena, he felt some regret.
It just didn’t feel right, but at this point, there was no other way.
Jiang Yan’s face darkened as he also vaulted onto the arena.
Today was mostly self-study anyway, and most students had just contracted their Spirit Beasts or Spirit Plants, so they were excited.
Hearing there was a spectacle, how could they stay put?
Word spread like wildfire—every corridor and window with a view of the Battle Arena was packed with little heads.
Whistles, cheers, and jeers rose one after another.
Figures appeared at quite a few teacher office windows too.
Jiang Yan eyed Ge Bai sinisterly but made no move; he was starting to get nervous.
Ge Bai was quite composed. With a stir of her Spiritual Sense, she summoned Big Willow.
The Weeping Ancient Willow’s mini form gradually solidified in front of Ge Bai.
Big Willow, just out, looked curiously at the unfamiliar surroundings, glancing around with its Willow Threads swaying.
Seeing that Ge Bai had indeed summoned a Weeping Ancient Willow, Jiang Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief and gave a look to the few who’d come with him at the arena’s edge.
These lackeys immediately got it, laughing exaggeratedly and mocking loudly.
“It really is a Weeping Ancient Willow.”
“Look, quick—those little Willow Threads are still so tender. Can’t withstand one bump from a Porcupine Beast, huh?”
“Ge Bai, got your Nutrient Solution ready?”
He Le Yao was itching with anger nearby but also looked anxiously at Ge Bai, fists clenched tight.
She seemed far more nervous than Ge Bai.
Ge Bai on the arena acted like she heard nothing, lowering her head to instruct Big Willow.
“Big Willow, I just made a Pet Beast Battle agreement with someone. The opponent is a Porcupine Beast. The rules are simple: knock the opponent down or drive it off the arena area to win.”
Big Willow nodded. A battle! It loved that.
“This time the opponent isn’t a practice friend. Big Willow, go all out and beat it hard.”
Ge Bai’s instructions were clear.
Big Willow nodded again. It could go all out! Thrilled.
The excited Big Willow jumped down from Ge Bai’s hand. Amid a flash of white light, it transformed back to its original form over two meters tall on the arena.
