Chapter Fifty-Six: Sherin the Water Mage

“What are you watching?” In the study, Xiaoting sat slouched, hugging a bag of chips and watching a drama. Guo Lang’s sudden voice startled her so much she nearly flung the chips across the room.

“Can’t you make a sound when you walk?” Xiaoting turned around, about to scold Guo Lang a couple more times, but the moment she saw him, she froze in surprise.

“Hm?” Guo Lang didn’t notice Xiaoting’s expression at all; instead, he glanced at the screen first and smacked his lips. “The Name of the People? Why is a kid watching an anti-corruption drama? Do you even understand it?”

Normally, faced with Guo Lang’s blatant ridicule, Xiaoting would be rolling up her sleeves, ready to argue with him. But this time, she paid no mind to his mocking tone and simply stared at him in a daze.

“What’s wrong?” Guo Lang tapped her forehead. “What are you spacing out for?”

“Brother…” Xiaoting’s voice was thick with disbelief, and after hesitating for a long while, she struggled to speak. “Don’t you feel you’ve changed a bit?”

“Nope!” Guo Lang deliberately looked himself over, feigning confusion. “I used your BB cream this morning; could it be my skin has already gotten smoother?”

Of course, Guo Lang was well aware of his own changes. The Night Elves were a branch of the Elven race, universally recognized in the universe as the most beautiful beings. Every elf, male or female, was strikingly handsome—so much so that the angels of myth were modeled after them. As a Night Elf, he also possessed the mysterious aura of the night, giving his already exquisite looks an added layer of enigmatic allure.

After taking the bloodline potion, Guo Lang, even without having awakened his bloodline, had undergone some subtle changes in temperament—not too different from before. But after taking the Royal Bloodline potion, things were different. Even without activating his bloodline, his entire demeanor had shifted dramatically! His features hadn’t changed yet, but every movement now exuded an inexplicable elegance—an aura that was hard not to notice.

His playful answer didn’t distract Xiaoting in the least. She stared at him intently, suspicion in her eyes. “You… you’ve gotten taller, too!”

“Really?” Guo Lang feigned surprise. “You must be seeing things.” The first time he took the potion, he’d grown taller, but when he first came home, no one really noticed. After all, he’d been 169 centimeters, and an extra three centimeters only took him from third-degree shorty to second-degree—not much of a difference. But after the Royal Bloodline, he’d shot up another five centimeters. Now he stood at 177 centimeters—a perfectly standard height for Central Asia.

To go from a third-degree shorty to a perfectly average height, even someone as young as Xiaoting couldn’t help but sense something was off.

“You’re mistaken,” Guo Lang repeated, a faint trace of violet flickering in his eyes. With his mental strength now over twenty, he could already influence those who met his gaze. He hadn’t yet mastered external projection, but simple hypnosis was well within his abilities—a skill he’d honed in his previous life through professional anti-hypnosis training.

“Oh, I guess… I made a mistake…” Xiaoting’s chubby face flashed with bewilderment, torn between doubt and acceptance, but as soon as Guo Lang repeated himself, her gaze went hazy, and she inexplicably accepted his explanation. She really must have been mistaken!

“Come on,” Guo Lang said with a laugh, patting her cheek. “It’s already five o’clock. Time to pick up Mom.”

“Okay!” Xiaoting, still a bit dazed from Guo Lang’s mental suggestion, suddenly brightened at the mention of their mother. “Are we taking Dad’s new car?”

“Yes, yes! The new car!” Guo Lang jingled their father’s keys, emblazoned with the Giant City logo. The new SUV their father had bought was the Giant City CS75, a well-established local brand. Ever since the federation was founded fifty years ago, economic integration across regions had drastically reduced import tariffs, causing the once-promising domestic car market to plummet. Only in recent years had things started to turn around. Naturally, as a government official, Guo Zhenghua was eager to support local industry.

“Oh, oh!” Xiaoting’s face lit up with excitement. Then, as if remembering something, she quickly reminded him, “Don’t forget the cake!”

“I know, Aunt Lu’s shop, right?” Guo Lang smiled. In his previous life, his mother’s favorite had always been Aunt Lu’s blueberry cake. Their father had already ordered one for her birthday the day before. The thought made Guo Lang’s eyes grow distant—after so many years, he finally had the chance to pick up that cake himself.

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The cake shop Xiaoting mentioned was called Fragrant Garden, a small store next to Guo Lang’s school. The cakes there were renowned for their exquisite appearance, delicious taste, and variety, making the shop wildly popular among the students. Every day, the place was bustling with activity.

Today was no exception. Both floors of the shop were already packed, and those wanting to take cakes to go had to wait in long queues. But today, something was different. In one corner on the first floor, at a table for four, sat a lone young man. It wasn’t for lack of customers—business was better than ever, and many girls lingered nearby with hot drinks in hand, some gathered in small groups, clearly discussing something. Their eyes kept sneaking glances at the young man, obviously interested, but none dared approach him.

The reason was a sense of inferiority. The young man, who looked about Guo Lang’s age—perhaps just over twenty—wore his hair short. The collar of his white shirt was slightly open, and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing tanned skin. His eyes were deep and bright; his features were pronounced but not harsh, instead exuding a gentle, refined air. Most striking was the way he ate—his every motion radiated grace. Unlike Guo Lang’s biological, magnetic allure due to his bloodline, this young man’s charisma came from the flawless precision of his manners, a gentleman’s noble etiquette that naturally drew the eye.

The girls of City C were known for their boldness, but at this moment, not one dared to approach him.

After an awkward stalemate, one girl finally mustered her courage and took a few steps toward the young man. She was strikingly pretty—her light blue jeans and pale pink blouse made her look fresh and youthful. Her clear, bright eyes, arched brows, and long lashes trembled slightly, and her fair face, touched with a hint of blush, added to her charm. She was famous at the teachers’ college, and had long been the object of Guo Lang’s secret admiration—the beauty of the history department, Ding Wanyu. Yet even she, usually poised and elegant, seemed nervous now. As she approached, the young man sensed her, looked up gently—but in his eyes, Ding Wanyu could keenly sense, there was no invitation.

She had almost never faced such embarrassment before. Her steps faltered, and she stood awkwardly in place. The young man offered no comfort; after glancing at her, he simply lowered his eyes and continued enjoying his cake. Ding Wanyu’s face clouded with disappointment; she bit her lip, and an awkward tension filled the air.

Those around reacted in various ways—some with ridicule, others with sympathy—but no one intervened. Just then, the shop’s electronic bell chimed, “Welcome,” easing the atmosphere a little. In truth, it was mainly because the noble young man looked toward the door, drawing everyone’s attention in that direction.

It was Guo Lang and Xiaoting entering. The moment they stepped inside, Guo Lang felt a certain gaze upon him. He instinctively looked over, and their eyes met in midair—each feeling a tangible collision. At that instant, both narrowed their eyes, unconsciously aware of the other’s formidable mental strength.

Interesting. For the first time, the young man’s face broke into a smile. He looked at Guo Lang and nodded politely, his manners impeccable. Guo Lang nodded back, but inwardly he tensed: “I didn’t expect to run into him here!”

Heishui Sorcerer—Xie Lin! In his previous life, this man was someone Guo Lang could only look up to—the number one water mage of the Radiant Lord’s faction, one of the five legendary heroes of the human race. Back then, they were as far apart as giants and ants, but now—at least for the moment—Guo Lang stood on equal footing with him.

“Hey!” A tall girl in a gray tracksuit suddenly came over, clapping Guo Lang on the shoulder with an easy familiarity. “You know him, don’t you?”

Guo Lang’s lips twitched. He knew this person, too—Wei Jialin from their class, a cheerful, sunny girl, the polar opposite of the gentle and refined Ding Wanyu. He wasn’t particularly close to her, but he didn’t dislike her either; girls with her outgoing nature rarely attracted much dislike.

“I don’t know him,” Guo Lang replied bluntly, dashing her hopes. He could guess her intentions even without knowing the details—he had no desire to be used as a stepping stone.

“Hey!” Wei Jialin’s face darkened. She leaned in closer, feigning a threat. “Not giving me face, huh? I’ve always looked out for you—can’t you help your big sis out just this once?”

Guo Lang rolled his eyes. When have you ever looked out for me? Stop recruiting little brothers at random! He lowered his voice and warned, “Honestly, you’d be better off staying away from him.”

“So you do know him!” Wei Jialin’s eyes sparkled, completely ignoring the warning. “My love life depends on you. If you pull this off, dinner’s on me tomorrow night!”

Ah… Guo Lang knew there was no reasoning with a lovesick girl. Helplessly, he turned to Xiaoting. “Go get the cake. I’ll go sit over there for a bit.”

“Hmph, always bossing me around!” Xiaoting glared at him, then pouted her way over to the counter to queue up.

Sighing, Guo Lang strode toward Xie Lin with Wei Jialin in tow. The onlookers were all surprised—after all, anyone who could disrupt the strange equilibrium was bound to attract attention!

Others might not know the truth, but Guo Lang did. This fellow, despite his elegant and noble demeanor, wasn’t intimidating simply because of his manners. It was the magnetic field radiating from his bloodline. Since he was human, the effect wasn’t as jarring as with other races, so most people didn’t consciously notice—it just made them feel unworthy to approach.

“Long time no see,” Xie Lin greeted him as Guo Lang approached.

Guo Lang was briefly taken aback, but then, without ceremony, pulled out a chair and sat down. “I’m surprised Young Master Xie remembers me!”

Indeed, Xie Lin had another identity: the son of Xie Tianhua, Executive Deputy Mayor of City C.