The next day, around 8 a.m., the sweltering heat began to show its teeth.
Inside a high school in Yinyun City, before the first class started.
A boy lazily slumped over his desk, utterly out of place among classmates exchanging morning greetings.
The surrounding chatter wouldn’t let Chi Yuzhou truly sleep, but resting his eyes was better than nothing.
Though his tavern job was easy, getting home after midnight meant sleep deprivation was inevitable.
Freedom always demanded its price.
Anything was preferable to being locked back in that pitch-black room.
The pre-class bell rang just as a girl entered the classroom, instantly drawing dozens of stares.
Xiao Yingwan, however, was long accustomed to such attention. She slid into her seat near the front without a glance.
Almost instinctively, she glanced back—to check if a certain someone was in his seat.
Unlike the mesmerized students, that boy remained quietly slumped in the corner, unnoticed.
Only when the class bell rang did the deputy monitor nudge his shoulder, prompting him to sit up and pull out his textbook.
He looked like any ordinary high school boy.
As the white-haired math teacher entered, the classroom settled into studious silence.
Except for some students.
Chi Yuzhou, in the back row, felt his drowsiness deepen with every equation on the board.
He understood each number and symbol alone—but strung together? Utterly incomprehensible.
Why couldn’t math be as straightforward as literature?
Staring at the formulas with conflicted eyes, Chi Yuzhou slowly lowered his head again.
He’d tried…
He silently prayed his future self would magically grasp this, then drifted off to the rhythm of the lecture.
Thirty minutes passed in the blink of an eye.
Numb-armed from sleeping on it, Chi Yuzhou jolted awake at the bell—and the teacher’s voice:
"Xiao Yingwan, come with me."
He lifted his head just as Xiao Yingwan’s gaze met his while leaving.
Chi Yuzhou quickly looked away, turning toward the window.
Freedom. However you looked at it, the view never got old.
Before he could savor it, the next bell rang as a girl stepped into the classroom.
Literature class was manageable.
It only required memorization—something he could handle.
Understanding texts… was at least easier than math.
Refreshed from his nap, Chi Yuzhou stayed unusually focused this period.
So did nearly every other student.
Standing at the podium, the female teacher wore thin gold-rimmed glasses. Her silky hair was simply tied back. The plain teacher’s uniform somehow amplified her beauty, layered with quiet intellect.
The gentle sway of her ponytail, her flawless profile—front or side—held every student captive.
As she spoke, her clear explanations made the lesson utterly absorbing.
Chi Yuzhou, at least, deeply respected Ms. Guanmingxue’s teaching skills.
Her looks? Irrelevant to him.
After all… any random woman from the Xue Clan would rival her beauty.
Growing up surrounded by Snow Maidens made it impossible not to become desensitized to beauty.
When the second period ended, Guanmingxue turned to Xiao Yingwan—now the literature monitor—and gave quiet instructions before leaving.
A girl seized the chance to chat with Xiao Yingwan.
By the time Xiao Yingwan turned back toward the rear seats, that familiar figure had vanished.
...
Chi Yuzhou spent the entire morning in peaceful ease.
During lunch break, he bought bread and yogurt from the school store.
The bread was good. Tomorrow, he’d treat himself to a proper cafeteria meal.
This life was truly comfortable.
He could sigh about freedom hundreds of times a day.
Returning to an empty classroom, he yawned. Plenty of time before afternoon classes.
Just as he settled in to rest, a figure appeared at the doorway.
Seeing Chi Yuzhou alone, Xiao Yingwan inexplicably exhaled in relief.
Finding him today had been strangely difficult—either her schedule interfered, or he’d vanish without warning, only reappearing when class started.
She walked lightly toward the back row. Chi Yuzhou watched the only other person in the room approach.
Clearly, she was coming for him.
His mind raced. He was invisible here. Had yesterday’s incident left traces?
A faint crease appeared between his brows as Xiao Yingwan stopped before him.
Up close, she noticed that furrow beneath his messy bangs.
Was he… put off by her?
Most boys would be flustered, even thrilled, by her approach.
Confused but determined, she spoke:
"Hello."
"Hmm."
His cool reply didn’t deter her. She offered an apologetic smile.
"I wanted to apologize again for my actions yesterday."
"Just an accident. Forget it."
Realizing she only meant the locked-door incident, Chi Yuzhou waved it off casually.
*She’s actually considerate?*
But his dismissive tone sparked a flicker of defiance in her.
"To make it up to you—let me treat you to lunch tomorrow?"
"...No need."
Chi Yuzhou had almost agreed. But he refused.
Simple rule: avoid any woman with even a trace of beauty.
Women only brought trouble.
Like this one, already luring him with food.
He wouldn’t fall for it.
Before Xiao Yingwan could respond, a girl with braids and thick glasses entered, followed by the deputy monitor. More students trickled in. Xiao Yingwan retreated to her seat.
Chi Yuzhou didn’t care what she thought.
He was already wondering if he’d meet more women at Heng Li’s tavern after school—women who’d listen to his stories and offer comfort.
Monetary comfort, of course.
