Chapter 42
Chapter 42: Ye Wan Lan Who Holds Back the Collapsing Tide
Teacher Ren had been worrying his overenthusiasm might crush a student’s motivation and will to learn.
Then he heard her say she was done.
For a moment, his mind went completely blank. “Done with what?”
“The physics test,” Ye Wan Lan said. “I’d like to do the history paper now. Is that okay, Teacher?”
“You finished it?”
Teacher Ren jolted. “Impossible. Absolutely impossible! You… you didn’t just scribble nonsense, did you? You have to respect physics!”
He snatched up the test and flipped through it at lightning speed.
Her handwriting was neat. Every question was answered.
And worse…
Everything he saw was correct.
These were questions he’d written himself—deliberately competition-level problems—so he remembered them clearly.
Even No. 1 High School’s top physics student would get thoroughly beaten up by this paper.
But now…
Teacher Ren’s eyes went hollow.
Oh no.
Had he… met a physics maniac even more insane than himself?
—
At the academic affairs building, the admissions director checked the time every few minutes. Only after half an hour did he finally relax.
Whenever No. 7 High School held an exam and Teacher Ren wrote the physics paper, someone always ended up being carried out and put into an ambulance.
This young lady named Ye Wan Lan had a strong mentality. Worth nurturing.
“Old Liu, is Ye here to enroll?”
The principal of No. 7 High School rushed into the admissions office. “Where are you placing her? The new history-chemistry-biology class won’t be ready until next week. Put her in Class 1 for now.”
Unlike No. 1 High School, No. 7 High School actually had two history-chemistry-biology classes.
“Huh? Oh.” The admissions director blinked.
The principal snapped, “Why are you still testing her? She comes with nine buildings. Can you do that? Idiot!”
The admissions director froze. “What nine buildings?”
“Move.” The principal stormed toward the exam room. “My precious student better not get bullied by that dead psycho!”
Utterly confused, the admissions director could only follow.
“Principal, you’re still in incredible shape!” he gasped as he jogged after him. “This year’s fall sports meet—you absolutely have to represent the teachers!”
Who would’ve thought a principal in his fifties could sprint like an athlete?
“If Ren ruins my nine—my precious student, I’ll—”
The principal abruptly stopped, eyes bulging.
Teacher Ren was gripping Ye Wan Lan’s shoulders, face blazing with excitement, like he was about to kneel.
The admissions director gaped. “What… what is happening?”
“I don’t care what you’re doing,” the principal barked as he yanked Teacher Ren away. “Ye, sorry you got startled. Ignore him. No need for exams. I’ll put you in class right now.”
Ye Wan Lan didn’t move. “But I haven’t done the history paper yet.”
“No need! The school believes in you!”
The principal’s face turned solemn, as if he were taking an oath. “Ye, you are an outstanding classmate.”
Those were his nine buildings.
He coaxed and pleaded. Only after promising her ten full sets of history papers did Ye Wan Lan finally agree to leave with him.
After they left, Teacher Ren remained frozen, as if his soul had wandered off.
The admissions director smirked. “Teacher Ren, what are you acting out now? You finally met a student with a good mindset, and your own mindset collapsed?”
He bent to gather the papers—and then his hands stopped.
He flipped the test over.
The back was filled, too.
He didn’t understand physics, but it was obvious the person answering had found the questions easy. The solutions flowed, seamless and confident.
This…
“Get lost!”
Teacher Ren snapped back with a roar. “Don’t touch my paper! It’s my treasure! Nobody touches it!”
The admissions director stared at him. “…Fine.”
He’d been saying it forever: people who study physics were all crazy.
Best to stay away.
—
Senior 2, Class 1.
“Today, Class 1 welcomes a new classmate,” the homeroom teacher announced, glowing with pride. “Everyone, applause!”
The clapping was thunderous.
The students exchanged looks. They were about to enter Senior 3, and they were getting a transfer student now?
Ye Wan Lan had already changed into No. 7 High School’s black-and-white uniform, yet her beauty and presence still stood out.
She stepped up to the podium, backpack slung over one shoulder, and introduced herself simply. “Ye Wan Lan.”
A few students had clearly heard her name before. Their expressions turned strange, but most looked thrilled.
“Which characters is it?” someone called.
“The Ye from ‘In the deep night, I lie listening to Ting Feng and the rain,’” Ye Wan Lan replied softly. “And Wan Lan, as in ‘to hold back the collapsing tide.’”
“That sounds so cultured!”
“What a grand name. Most people couldn’t carry it.”
The homeroom teacher nodded, satisfied. “Classmate Ye will be studying with us from now on. Find a seat.”
In an instant, the room erupted.
“Sit here!”
“Over here!”
“Get lost—don’t fight your sister. A Lan should sit with me!”
“Sis, I’m your desk mate!”
“Not anymore. Move your desk. Now.”
Hands waved. Chairs scraped. Someone even pulled out the empty chair beside them with eager courtesy.
Ye Wan Lan walked down from the podium and set her backpack at the last row by the window.
A collective sigh rose from the crowd.
The homeroom teacher’s temple twitched. “Look at you—like you’ve never seen the world!”
Ye Wan Lan sat, then reached her hand toward the student on her left. “Ye Wan Lan. Please take care of me.”
The girl had been reading. She looked up, startled.
After a beat, she still reached out and shook Ye Wan Lan’s hand. “Su Xue Qing. Please take care of me.”
“Enough,” the homeroom teacher said, tapping the desk with a rolled book. “Class is starting. Pay attention. Anyone who drags the class down in the final exam—don’t blame me when I deal with you.”
A class period passed quickly.
As soon as it ended, Ye Wan Lan packed her things and turned slightly. “Want to eat together?”
Su Xue Qing pressed her lips together, then murmured, “Sure.”
Neither of them seemed to care much about food. They chose the least crowded window, lined up quietly, ate, and left together.
A figure popped out as if he’d been waiting.
“Hi, classmate Ye! We meet again!”
Rong Yu greeted her like a spring breeze.
Ye Wan Lan fell silent.
She genuinely didn’t understand why this idiot was here at No. 7 High School.
“Allow me to reintroduce myself,” Rong Yu said, straightening. “Rong Yu, current head of the psychology team at No. 7 High School.”
He cleared his throat. “From now on, it’ll be very convenient if you need me, classmate Ye. I’m right across from your building.”
Ye Wan Lan narrowed her eyes and tilted her head up, gaze snapping to the second window on the fourth floor.
A man in a white, modernized traditional outfit leaned on one hand and looked down. Their eyes met.
He didn’t seem surprised to see her. His phoenix eyes curved, and a gentle smile spread like ink across water—quietly catching at the heart.
“Xue Qing,” Ye Wan Lan said, “I have something to do. I’ll go first.”
Su Xue Qing nodded.
Ye Wan Lan walked past Rong Yu and headed straight for the counseling office.
“Hey—”
Rong Yu turned his bright smile on Su Xue Qing. “Hello, classmate! Do you want to—”
“No.”
Su Xue Qing tightened her grip on her backpack strap and bolted.
Rong Yu scratched his head, baffled.
With such a warm, friendly face, why did everyone run from him?
—
Fourth floor. The new counseling office.
Ye Wan Lan pushed the door open. The fragrance of tea rolled over her at once.
“Miss Ye is here. Sit.”
Yan Ting Feng lifted a hand with a faint smile. “Freshly brewed. Try it.”
Ye Wan Lan took the cup and sipped slowly. “Dong Ting Bi Luo Chun. Very fragrant.”
The taste was full and rich, smooth and dense on the tongue, with a lingering sweetness.
“If Miss Ye likes it,” Yan Ting Feng said casually, tapping the tabletop with one finger, “I can brew it for you every day.”
One sip and she knew what tea it was.
Sharp senses.
“Rolling, kneading, shaping, bringing out the down, drying…” Ye Wan Lan murmured. “Not many people still understand the old methods.”
Across past and present lives, she had always loved tea.
Her teacher—Great Ning’s Imperial Tutor, Han Yun Sheng—had been a master at it.
When she studied music, chess, calligraphy, and painting under him, he would make tea nearby. If her work pleased him, she could drink as much as she wanted.
And when Great Ning’s Female Chancellor, Shen Ming Shu, visited, Ye Wan Lan would watch them compare teas and debate the Dao, learning a bit herself.
But now, tea culture had broken off for a long time.
Ye Wan Lan’s expression dimmed.
“I’m very interested in intangible cultural heritage,” Yan Ting Feng said gently. His eyes were clear as daylight. “I assume Miss Ye is as well.”
His smile softened. “There’s much more you can take your time tasting. If there’s any tea you like, tell me. Even if I don’t know it, I’ll try to learn.”
He liked the feeling of slowly drawing closer to her.
It was strange.
And wonderful.
—
At the same time, over at River City No. 1 High School.
Even the principal himself had only just learned that a camera had been installed outside the counseling office.
The psychology team operated separately and had its own head. The principal usually didn’t interfere.
But this time involved Zhou He Chen and Sheng Yun Yi. He had to be cautious. It was time to rein the team in.
Neither the Zhou Family nor the Sheng Family could be offended.
“Teacher Li, sorry to bother you,” the principal said coolly, finding the psychology team lead. “That person named Ye Wan Lan is not to receive counseling anymore. Put her on the visitor system blacklist. Tell the psychological counselors as well—none of her sessions are to be accepted.”
If she wasn’t a student at No. 1 High School, she had no right to use No. 1 High School’s resources.