Chapter 74

Chapter 74: Her Wonderland Changed Again!

The fruit trees she had planted in the already existing soil of her wonderland were now laden with abundant fruit.

But now, six more plots of land had appeared next to the existing ones!

The soil was a light golden color, and each plot contained a large tree.

Shen Ningning walked over, staring in amazement.

She spread her small arms to embrace the trunk, but they were too small to wrap around it.

Looking up, she saw that the interwoven leaves at the top of the tree bore numerous grey-black mists.

It looked like mist, yet also like clouds.

On a wooden sign next to it, it read: "Dark Cloud Tree."

"Dark Cloud Tree?" Shen Ningning was quite puzzled.

She knew that the soil could grow food, but she didn't know it could grow clouds.

Looking at these small, not fully grown dark clouds,

What would they become when mature? Would they turn into individual clouds?

Shen Ningning climbed up to the top of the tree and picked a piece of dark cloud to examine.

The small dark cloud was about the size of her palm.

As soon as it left the branch, it turned into a pool of water, like soft candy melting.

Shen Ningning quickly climbed down from the tree.

"It seems my Dark Cloud Tree still needs time to grow." She wondered, will it rain when they fully mature?

Thinking about going to the private school soon, the young girl decided to leave the wonderland for now.

She moved several blocks of ice from the cellar of her house into the wonderland.

She also placed a seven-bladed fan inside.

This way, even if she stayed overnight at the private school, she could still enjoy a comfortable sleep!

Knowing that there were many classmates at the private school, Granny Qin prepared two boxes of meals this time.

"Ningning, take these to share with everyone. There are also two bags of fruit for the teacher at the school."

The young girl thanked Granny Qin for her hard work and took out a bag of wolfsbane she had prepared.

"Granny, when you go down the mountain at noon, the apothecary owner will come to collect the herbs, and he'll give us some silver."

Granny Qin nodded, "I’ll remember that, Ningning. Be careful not to get too much sun in this hot weather."

After saying goodbye to Granny Qin, the young girl rode Black Wolf King down the mountain.

The guard sent by County Magistrate Fu Yuansong to pick her up was already waiting at the usual spot.

Upon reaching the private school, the guard, seeing Shen Ningning with so many things, helped carry them inside.

"Thank you, Guard Brother!"

"Miss Shen need not be so formal with me. County Magistrate said, whatever you need, just instruct."

As soon as Shen Ningning appeared at the private school, she attracted the attention of her classmates.

They immediately gathered around her—

"Shen Ningning, it's good to see you’re okay!"

"Yeah, we all thought something happened to you. We heard that Lan Qian died!"

"She deserved it, who told her to slander others, steal things, and frame others? It’s her own fault!"

The young girl wore a blue and white gauze dress, with silver bells gently tinkling on her head as she moved.

She smiled sweetly, "Since she has already received her deserved punishment, let’s not talk about her anymore!"

Someone agreed, "Right, let’s not mention her. It brings bad luck."

Just then, someone shouted, "Lu Shaoyuan is here!"

Instantly, the students fell silent and made way.

Lu Shaoyuan, holding a book, walked towards Shen Ningning.

He looked at her, wanting to say something but hesitated.

When she was in trouble, he had rushed back to the capital in a carriage as quickly as possible, seeking his maternal family's help.

But by the time he arrived with help at the county government office, he heard that Shen Ningning had already been rescued by the Crown Prince.

Only then did he realize that she was also friends with the Crown Prince.

Words of concern reached his lips, but Lu Shaoyuan found himself unable to speak them.

Shen Ningning blinked her round, black eyes, patiently watching him.

Lu Shaoyuan hesitated for a long time.

The young girl proactively asked, "Do you have something you want to say to me?"

Lu Shaoyuan’s handsome eyes darkened slightly.

"I..." He glanced at the surrounding classmates out of the corner of his eye.

After a moment, he spoke in a deliberately cold tone, "I just wanted to tell you, don’t be so foolish next time. Don’t just go with anyone who tries to take you away."

Shen Ningning blinked her innocent eyes, "I was carried away against my will."

How could her small arms and legs struggle against anyone?

Lu Shaoyuan frowned, "Then, if someone tries to take you away again, hold onto me. I’d like to see who dares to take us both. My maternal family won’t let them off."

His words provoked laughter from the surrounding classmates.

"Lu Shaoyuan, you’re concerned about Shen Ningning, aren’t you?"

"Yeah, who would dare to take you both? Ningning is now a person of importance to the Crown Prince!"

"You won’t even need to intervene; the Crown Prince wouldn’t spare that person!"

Lu Shaoyuan, thin-skinned, blushed slightly at the teasing, his fair and handsome face turning a light shade of red.

He raised his fist, pretending to be angry, "Have you said enough?!"

The classmates quickly scattered.

Shen Ningning reminded him softly, "If Teacher Huang sees you hitting someone, he will definitely punish you!"

Lu Shaoyuan then lowered his arm.

He huffed, "Let him punish me, I’m not afraid."

Despite his words, he still followed Shen Ningning into the classroom, one after the other.

The County Magistrate’s guard placed the food boxes down and then excused himself.

The little girl sitting next to Shen Ningning, Ren Yu, looked at her enviously.

"Ningning," Ren Yu scooted closer and sat beside her, "Even the County Magistrate dotes on you so much. You’re like a young lady of the Fu family. After finishing classes here, will you go to the national academy?"

The national academy, located in the capital, was attended by students from wealthy and noble families.

In ordinary families, even with wealth, one cannot enter such an academy without influence.

Ren Yu added, "I heard that the County Magistrate’s own grandson studies at the national academy. When you're old enough, you could go there too, right?"

Shen Ningning, however, expressed uncertainty.

Previously, Grandfather Fu indeed instructed his guard to tell her to diligently copy the 'Prayer for Rain' scripture.

He also mentioned that if she could present herself before the Emperor, he would find an opportunity to send her to the national academy.

But after the recent commotion, attending the national academy might not be so straightforward.

"I really don't know. Whether I go or not, it’s all the same, right?"

"Not at all!" Ren Yu countered, "Being in the national academy is like having one foot in the door of high society."

"Because the people you meet there could be your future husband, or become close friends. If they marry into powerful families, they can also be of help to you."

Shen Ningning listened, not fully comprehending.

She was too young to understand what a husband meant.

The young girl was preoccupied with the meat buns in her pocket that she didn't eat on the way due to drowsiness; they would get cold if not eaten soon.

She sneakily took out a meat bun, took a big bite with her head down, and then looked up with her bright, sparkling eyes, cautiously glancing around.

Hoping no one would notice.

Because eating in the classroom is impolite, but she was really hungry.

Meanwhile, Ren Yu continued talking enthusiastically about her aspirations for the national academy.

"It's a pity the threshold for the national academy is so high. With my father's minor seventh-rank official status, there's no way he can get me in, but you are different—"

"With the County Magistrate looking out for you and being friends with the Crown Prince, in our class, only Lu Shaoyuan is certain to enter the national academy. Now there’s you too, I’m so envious!"

Just as she finished speaking, Teacher Huang entered the room.

Shen Ningning quickly stuffed the half-eaten bun back into her pocket in a panic.

Ren Yu also hurriedly returned to her seat.

Teacher Huang stood on the platform, speaking in a calm and steady voice, "Before we begin today's lesson, I want to introduce a new student who will be studying with you all at the private school from now on."

After speaking, he looked towards the door, "Qin Xuezi, please come in."

Shen Ningning's eyes widened slightly in surprise.

She watched as Qin Fangmei, carrying books, walked in smiling from the door.

The young girl suddenly felt a chill run through her body, and her eyebrows furrowed tightly.

Qin Fangmei's smiling gaze swept over everyone, finally resting on Shen Ningning.

"Hello everyone, my name is Qin Fangmei."