Both of those things?!’ Zhong Shiyi completely lost patience for this girl and her boundless arrogance. ‘Do you think you’ll be able to stand at the top of the world just because you say you will?!
Of the numerous experts in the Nine Provinces, none would dare to call themselves the best!’
“That’s a great ambition, Yaoguang!” Hobo Uncle glanced at Shi Sheng with an expression of gratification. “Believe in yourself! I know you can do it!”
Shi Sheng, “...” ‘Don’t wanna look at this Hobo Uncle anymore...’
“Ye Tiannan, you’re going to ruin her prospects if you continue like this.” Zhong Shiyi was very unsupportive of Ye Tiannan’s educational methods. Even if she used her talent to the fullest, she would have no self-restraint. People like that didn’t live very long in the Nine Provinces.“You just worry about yourself, you old fogey! How I teach my students is none of your business!” Hobo Uncle humphed.
“Ignorant!” Zhong Shiyi uttered a cold harrumph before speaking to Qin Langyue, “You okay, lass? Did he bully you? Don’t be afraid to tell me. You’re my disciple now; I’ll help you redress any grievances.”
Qin Langyue glanced at Shi Sheng and then at Hobo Uncle, and after quite a while, she shook her head. “No.”
“Don’t fear them! Ye Tiannan doesn’t own the academy!” But Zhong Shiyi thought it was because Qin Langyue was too frightened to admit the truth, so he spoke with greater force.
“Teacher,” Shi Sheng declared with an expression of ridicule, “Junior has already said we didn’t bully her, yet you want to pressure her into saying we did? Do you think all these people are blind? This isn’t the right way to frame others!”
Zhong Shiyi’s expression changed slightly. ‘I didn’t mean it that way! How’d she come to that conclusion?!’
The new students who’d been called out didn’t know whether they should stand witness or keep quiet. After all, this matter seemed very precarious.“How vicious of you, old fogey!” Hobo Uncle seemed to have been enlightened as he flew into a rage. “Well bring it on! Gonna pummel you till you can’t tell east from west!”
Shi Sheng didn’t know if Zhong Shiyi ended up not being able to tell east from west after the fight, but she sure as hell knew Hobo Uncle couldn’t.
“Yaoguang, you have to work hard! In the future–hsst be gentler, it hurts–in the future, you have to beat that old fogey to death! How infuriating!”
Shi Sheng pretended to not hear his words as she helped him apply medicine.
‘What an idiot... picking a fight you know you can’t win! With a teacher like this, it’s no wonder Shen Yaoguang had a penchant for courting death...’
“Yaoguang, you’re my hope! Don’t disappoint me!” Hobo Uncle gazed at Shi Sheng expectantly.
Shi Sheng’s lip twitched. “I know I won’t disappoint you... but you’d have to still be alive to see it!” ‘Stop courting death already!’
“Damn girl, how could you say that? How would I die before that old fogey?” Hobo Uncle’s expression became stern.
“Hard to say.”
‘FL-sama’s got cheats, you know. If this fellow continues provoking her, he’s not far from logging off for good...’
“Dammit girl!” Hobo Uncle threw a cup from the table at Shi Sheng. “Can’t you believe in me for once?”
Shi Sheng turned her head to dodge the incoming projectile and calmly stared at Ye Tiannan. ‘How am I supposed to believe a guy who starts fights with Zhong Shiyi the second they cross paths?’
Shi Sheng swallowed back the mocking words that were on the tip of her tongue.
......
Reality proved that trouble was an avid fan of most female leads.
This was apparent by how the minute she’d departed from Ye Tiannan’s residence, Shi Sheng almost immediately heard others gossiping about the confrontation between Qin Langyue and Third Prince.
The hierarchy of power in the Nine Provinces was... complicated. All kinds of factions ruled over their own little kingdoms, with a few powerful clans dominating over the rest. The imperial clan was supposed to be the ruling family, however, it was gradually losing influence.
In the last century, no prince with innate talent had been born, causing the position of the imperial clan to become quite precarious. But just as their morale was starting to crumble, Third Prince was born.
His talent was comparable to Shen Yaoguang’s, and they’d always been touted as a match made in heaven.
...Except he was already engaged. To Qin Langyue.
In his mind, it was simply preposterous that a genius such as he would have to marry an idiot.
One could imagine his reaction when he found out Qin Langyue was attending the same academy.
Indeed, their betrothal had not been dissolved yet. And Zhong Shiyi had employed some methods to suppress the fact that Qin Langyue had already achieved the first level of Spirit King, so Third Prince was left in the dark.
By the time Shi Sheng arrived, the two involved were already surrounded by a crowd of onlookers.
A few girls standing in front of her were conversing in disdainful, yet jealous, tones.
“So she’s that Qin Langyue? She dares to think she can get married to the Third Prince?! She should take a good long look at herself! I heard she’s a dud–how’d she even get into the academy?”
“Who knows what despicable method she used?” The girl paused before continuing, “Even if she has entered the academy, Third Prince won’t like her! He’s like the brilliant moon in the sky while Qi Langyue is just cow dung! She’s not fit to even carry his shoes!”
“Third Prince...”
Shi Sheng gauged her chances of squeezing through the crowd before concluding that the likelihood was close to none. She surveyed her surroundings before making her way to a less crowded area and leaping onto the roof of a nearby structure.
She navigated her way through the heart of the crowd by traveling over the roof beams.
However, just as she reached halfway, she suddenly halted.
There was already someone else present on the roof ahead.
Though he wore somewhat filthy clothing, his expression was very devilish. Perhaps he had sensed someone had arrived, for his devilish expression immediately turned dull as he glanced over with a blank stare.
Shi Sheng narrowed her eyes.
It was Jun Hanlin, the Seventh Prince.
And also the male lead who was aiming to maintain a low profile.
‘Oi, I already saw everything! The fuck you changing your expression for?!’
Jun Hanlin recognised Shen Yaoguang, but he was currently acting as an idiot, so naturally he was unable to simply address her by name. He could only call out in an innocent tone, “Big Sis, I can’t get down from here.”
‘Big Sis your head! I’m younger than you, okay?! Idiot!’
“Oh? Then how’d you get up here?” Shi Sheng smiled. Though her eyes reflected specks of light, when you really stared at them, you would feel neither the slightest warmth nor any other emotion.
Surprise surfaced in Jun Hanlin’s mind. ‘This Shen Yaoguang doesn’t seem like the one I know...’
Though he quickly unraveled the matter in his mind.
He was born in the imperial family, after all. Naturally, he’d be aware that the descendants of large clans had a propensity to wear masks; the personality presented in public may not represent their true selves.
“They tossed me up here,” Jun Hanlin spoke in an aggrieved tone.
Jun Hanlin really had been thrown up here by someone. Despite holding the position of an imperial prince, the truth was, he was treated worse than normal people.
“Then do you want to get down?” Shi Sheng neared Jun Hanlin, her smile very gentle as she asked.
“Yes.” Jun Hanlin nodded his head. “Can you bring me down, Big Sis?”
“Of course.” Shi Sheng nodded.
A slight hint of unease rose in Jun Hanlin’s heart. He watched as Shi Sheng approached him, bent over to grab his arm, and sent him flying from the roof with minimal effort.
His eyes reflected the scene on the roof.
The young girl stood with an expressionless countenance, her clothes fluttering gracefully in the breeze. With those flowing dark locks and her pale figure, she looked like a goddess descended unto the mortal world. The brilliant white light behind her was utterly blinding.
