By next morning’s pale light like rice paper, Tang Coco was up early. She and Meng Xiaoxiao shared breakfast, steam curling like tame dragons. They had classes today, a river of routine pulling them in. Coco wanted to skip again, but Xiaoxiao stuck to her like a warm cat, so Coco sighed and decided to draw her away herself, letting Li Muyan’s team keep digging in peace.

Coco wore a black dress like lake water at night, matched with simple canvas shoes like quiet gulls. Her long white hair was tied into a high ponytail, a snow ribbon on a swan’s neck. Ever since Su Xinhua’s “lessons,” a thin frost had melted in her heart; she accepted women’s clothes more easily, and her walk settled into something calm as a bamboo grove.

“Morning, Class Rep~” Voices chimed like wind-bells.

Hand in hand, Coco and Xiaoxiao stepped into the classroom, sunlight spilling like spilled milk. Classmates came up, smiles sprouting like spring shoots. The rumor that Coco liked girls had flowed through campus like tea through porcelain. Fewer love letters from boys now, yet pink envelopes from girls bloomed like camellias, making Coco sweat a little under a summer fan.

They had just sat down when a fresh scent drifted over like jasmine at dusk, and a graceful shadow took the seat nearby.

“Hey~” Coco’s greeting brushed the air like a feather.

“Mm.” Ouyang Lingxue nodded, a faint smile like a ripple on ice. It wasn’t obvious, but the watching students gasped, like stones dropped in a still pond.

“No way, the Ice Goddess got tamed by Tang Coco?”

“Wow, my goddess really is unstoppable. I wanna join their circle~” A girl hugged her face, envy blooming like hibiscus.

“You’ve been late a lot,” Coco leaned close, her voice a fox’s whisper at Lingxue’s ear. “Don’t tell me you burned too much stamina last night~” Her inner rascal stretched like a lazy wolf in the sun.

“You—” Heat rose fast as a sunrise. Lingxue’s ears flushed red as maple leaves. Her left hand found Coco’s side, firm as a goose bite, and then—

“Hiss—” Coco straightened, alert, like a cat pricked by a thorn.

“Hey? You dare pinch me? Don’t forget, I know your weak spot too~” Coco rubbed the sore spot, a little snake of threat flicking its tongue.

Lingxue stared, speechless, eyes cool as moonlight. She hadn’t expected Coco to be this shameless—like a street dog with nine lives.

“Hey hey hey! Coco-jie! I’m mad now~” A soft hand clasped Coco’s left arm, clinging like ivy.

“Huh? Xiaoxiao, what’s up?” Coco turned, heart tugged like a kite string.

“I’m telling Sister Yiyi. You’re out here attracting bees and butterflies again.” Xiaoxiao puffed her cheeks, anger round as persimmons.

“Pfft… I’m not…” Coco laughed, awkward as a creaking gate. A spark of play had made her forget the little devil at her side.

“Hmph! No need to explain!” Xiaoxiao’s mouth stayed puffed, like a carp.

“Okay okay, cutie, we can talk this through~ hiss!!!” Coco slid an arm around Xiaoxiao, hugging like a warm shawl. Right then, Lingxue’s fingers found Coco’s side again, a little crab pinch.

Coco looked at the two of them, helpless as a reed in a crosswind. Her Asura arena had begun, drums thudding in her chest.

“Brother Lü, you giving up now?” In the back corner, shadows pooled like ink. Li Mao spoke to Lü Kai, who lay over his desk, eyes glued to the three girls like a hawk.

“Of course not. So she’s into girls—what, that means I can’t make her mine? I’ll find my chance and show her what a real man can do.” Lü Kai clenched his fist, bravado flaring like cheap wine.

Li Mao stared blankly, face flat as a slate. Who knew what weeds were growing in his mind.

Fifty minutes later, the bell rang, sharp as a brass coin.

“Alright, that’s it for today’s class.” Avril gathered her lesson plans, papers rustling like leaves. “Your PE teacher told me you’ll have a fitness test this afternoon. Go home at noon and get ready.”

“Okay~” Voices rose together, a flock answering the herder.

“Tang Coco, come to my office.” Avril’s gaze swept the back row like a cool fan and paused on Coco.

Coco winced, a little ache like a stone in her shoe.

“Uh~ Coco-jie, the homeroom teacher seems mad,” Xiaoxiao murmured, like a sparrow gossiping. “She called you yesterday and you didn’t go.”

“Eh… fine. You play on your own. I’ll see what she wants.” Coco shook her head, a tired crane folding its wings.

Under the students’ stares like lanterns, Coco climbed to the fifth floor. The “luxury” office sat there like a lacquered box.

Knock knock knock—

“Come in.”

Avril’s voice floated like a silk ribbon. Coco pushed the door open and saw Avril at the desk, legs crossed like a scissor of shadow.

“Whew… what? Need something?” Coco stepped up, breath leaving like steam from a cup.

“Mm? Did your teachers used to teach you to talk to them like that?” Avril looked up, tone cool as porcelain with a hairline crack.

“Sorry. I never went to school.” Coco’s shrug was a drifting cloud.

Avril stared, steady as a mirror. Coco stared back, a blade in moonlight. Silence sat between them like a stone. Finally Avril sighed, soft as rain on the eaves.

“Hey… you… were you alright yesterday?” Concern threaded her voice like fine silver.

“Hm? What about yesterday?” Coco’s eyes were clear as winter water.

“Don’t play dumb. You think the Will family wouldn’t notice a little scuffle like that?”

“Oh. Well, you saw it. I’m fine, see?” Coco waved it off, a leaf riding a stream.

Talking to Coco felt like trying to tie wind. Avril’s care kept landing like petals that wouldn’t stick. She shook her head and shifted the path.

“Alright, forget that. Let’s talk about your duties as class rep.” Her tone set like a compass.

“Hey hey hey, I don’t wanna be class rep.” The word poked Coco like a thorn.

“That’s what your classmates wanted. If you’ve got opinions, ask them.” Avril cut her a look, a fan snap.

“Okay, okay~ What do you need me to do?” Coco’s helpless smile wilted like weeds.

“Ninghai University and Yanjing University will host an exchange soon. We need to choose a batch of exchange students.” Avril’s voice was crisp as folded paper.

“Hold up—don’t tell me I have to go.”

“Every class rep must go.” The verdict fell like a gavel.

“You think I’ve got time for that?” Coco leaned over the desk, gaze locked like a lion’s. From that angle, Avril caught a flash of snow at Coco’s chest, an accidental moon.

“No rush. It’s only two weeks. After that, you’ll return. And each class gets ten slots. You can bring your friends.” Avril explained, steady as a metronome.

Coco watched her, curiosity rising like incense. “Huh? You seem pretty comfy in your role now.”

“Of course. Getting close to you is worth a little work. During the event, I’ll go as your supervising teacher.” Her smile tilted like a crescent.

“Tch, save it. I’m not going.” Coco straightened, stubborn as a pine.

“Really not?” Avril’s brows drew a thin bridge.

“Our family detected strange Anomalous Energy signals in Yanjing.” She sighed, regret soft as dusk. “Looks like only I’ll go investigate. Ah~”

“You—” Coco’s temper sparked like flint.

“What about me~” Avril’s eyes danced, a cat at play.

“…” Coco pressed her lips, wind holding back rain.

“Fine! I’ll go! Tell me the dates.” The decision fell like a blade.

“Next Saturday. Departure.” Avril’s answer clicked like a bead.

“Got it. Anything else, Teacher?” The last word came through gritted teeth, cold as a spear.

“Nope, nope~” Avril beamed, sweet as candied haw.

“Later.” Coco turned, steps sharp as arrows. At the door, Avril called her back.

“Tang Coco.”

“Mm?”

“Your chest got bigger~” Her playful tone bubbled like spring water.

“…” Coco’s silence was a thunderhead.

Bang! The door slammed, a drum in a temple.

“What happened, Coco-jie? You didn’t get scolded, right?” Xiaoxiao caught her arm, tugging like a young vine.

“Eh… more trouble’s coming.” Coco’s spirit drooped, a weary crane trailing its shadow. Then a thought bloomed like a lantern.

“Right—Xiaoxiao, do you miss home?” Her voice softened, a warm lamp.

“Home? Coco-jie, you’re not sending me back, are you?” Panic fluttered like a sparrow.

“Not Yuting’s place. Your home in Yanjing.” Coco’s eyes held a city skyline.

“Oh. Mm… now that you say it, I do. It’s been a while.” Nostalgia rose like mist.

“Hehe~ I’ll give you a chance.” Coco’s smile held a secret, like a folded note.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Xiaoxiao tilted her head, a curious fox.

“You’ll find out this afternoon~” Coco tucked the secret away, a jade in a sleeve.

At noon, to give Li Muyan’s people space, Coco took Xiaoxiao to the cafeteria. They ate, steam and chatter weaving like a market street. After lunch they strolled the campus, shade and sunlight playing like koi.

Afternoon arrived, first period PE. Coco’s class walked to the blazing track, heat rising like brass from an oven. Soon a woman strode over, skin bronzed like wheat, black crop top and shorts crisp as ink strokes, ponytail flicking like a horse’s tail. She looked under thirty, her figure carved like a bow. Big eyes and a small refined mouth, dimples like hidden wells—another beauty, the kind that made heads turn like sunflowers.

“Finance Class Two?” she asked, voice clean as a bell.

“Yes.” A nearby student answered, quick as a sparrow.

“I’m your new PE teacher. Assemble.” Her tone snapped into place, a bamboo rod.

“Alright, line up! Move it!” A boy called out, a whistle in his voice. Coco had been the PE committee lead on paper, but she’d never led a single class. She didn’t even know what the old PE teacher looked like. During Coco’s “irresponsible” reign, this guy had handled PE like a mule that knew the path.

Seeing a new teacher who looked sharp and carried herself well, everyone fell into line fast, tops flapping like flags.

“Ugh… so hot…” A whisper wilted like grass.

“Yeah… gonna roast… Why test in this heat?” Complaints bubbled like tar under the sun.

“Enough! What’s all the grumbling?” The teacher’s shout cracked like a clap.

“Let me introduce myself. I’m Duan Ruo, your new PE teacher.” Her eyes were flint. “I don’t care what habits you had. In my class, I have strict rules. Whoever you are, whatever background, you follow my rules here.” Her words rang like iron.

“Wow, she’s really strict.” Murmurs drifted like gnats.

“Seriously… we’re in college. Still this strict?” A few students muttered, leaves rustling in a back wind.

“You two over there—what are you whispering?” Duan Ruo’s call cut like a blade.

Silence fell, heavy as a stone bowl.

“Hot day, isn’t it~” Her tone swung light, like a fan.

“Yes!” Everyone answered, hope flicking like a candle flame.

“Then we’ll run two laps less. PE rep, lead them for three.” The verdict landed like a stamp.

“Aaah—” Groans rose, especially from the girls, birds flapping against a cage.

“What’s with the whining! Ten seconds of dawdling earns an extra lap!” Her voice cracked like thunder.

“Ugh… hurry up…” Feet shuffled, a herd moving.

“Back row, keep up!” The PE rep barked, and thirty-something students started a slow jog under the blazing sun, breaths puffing like steam from an iron pot.

“Ugh… Coco-jie… what do we do…” Xiaoxiao’s face pinched, a blossom under harsh light.

“What do we do about what?” Coco’s tone was breezy, a kite in blue sky.

“Three laps. In this heat. No way I can finish… and I’ll get tanned for sure…” Xiaoxiao’s worry clung like wet cloth.

“Three is long?” Coco’s question was mild, a pebble dropped in a pond. Ten laps wouldn’t scratch her—a tiger in the bamboo.

“Coco-jie, don’t try to act tough now.” Xiaoxiao shot her a look, sharp as a needle. “With that delicate, pretty-little-thing body of yours, just spare yourself…” Her gaze ran over Coco’s fine lines, a sculptor’s sigh.

"I..."

Tang Coco went speechless, words snagging like a fishbone in her throat.

Annoyance rose first, then a thought bloomed—maybe it was time to show this kid real strength, like lifting the veil off a storm.

She didn’t speed up though; she kept pace with Meng Xiaoxiao, their steps drumming together like twin wooden clappers.

Duan Ruo watched the students on the track, their faces like wilted grass, and helplessness pooled in her chest like rain in a stone basin.

Just then her phone rang, a bright trill like a sparrow tapping at glass.

"What." Her voice lay flat, cold as a blade on ice.

One glance at the caller ID, and she knew, the name flickering like a small flame in the dark.

"So, how’s the job I found you?" The voice on the other end was syrupy, honey swirling in hot tea.

"How is it? So-so. It’s the kind that gets you cursed behind your back, like knives riding the wind."

"Come on, just endure it. You wouldn’t marry the Liu family’s young master, so lie low in Ninghai for now. I’ll have friends look after you, like lanterns along a rainy street."

"Got it. I’m grown; I don’t need babysitters. Anyway, I’m hanging up." Her words snapped like a dry twig.

"Hee-hee. And don’t forget to look into that matter. Bring me a strong helper back, so you can stand against the Liu clan like a spear at their gate."

"I know. Bye." The farewell was crisp, a door swinging shut on its hinges.

She hung up and let her gaze return to the field, like a kite reeled back into her hand.

"Who here is an Abnormal..."