Chapter 44
Chapter 44: Killing Without a Blade, Missing the College Exam Top Scorer
Rong wasn’t a common surname. Only the Rong Family of Yun Jing truly carried weight.
That said, there were other people with the surname Rong outside the Rong Family, so the principal of No. 1 High School had never considered it important.
If someone from the Rong Family had really come to River City, how could he possibly have received no warning?
Yet the impossible, illogical thing had happened anyway.
The principal shot to his feet. “Why didn’t you say so earlier?”
“Principal,” the psychology team lead sneered, “you’ve never cared about the psychology team. How was I supposed to say it earlier? When Mr. Rong resigned to you, you didn’t even ask who he was.”
In his view, students’ mental health mattered more than anything. A healthy mind was the foundation of a long future.
But the current principal didn’t understand that. He only created the psychology team because regulations required it.
Remembering his own impatience yesterday when Rong Yu called to resign, the principal broke into a cold sweat.
Without realizing it, he had offended the Rong Family of Yun Jing.
The Rong Family was an old noble clan, with deep roots and many descendants.
But only the branch belonging to the family head formed the true core.
The psychology team lead watched coldly as the principal fumbled for the desk phone and dialed Rong Yu again.
“Hello, Mr. Rong,” the principal said, forcing his voice gentle, posture as low as he could manage. “I’m sorry for my rudeness yesterday.”
He swallowed, then continued softly, “May I ask what salary No. 7 High School offered you? No. 1 High School will pay ten times.”
“I’m sorry, Principal,” Rong Yu said with a sigh, “but I really don’t lack money.”
He sounded almost troubled. “I have a brother. He’s ridiculously rich. He even donated nine buildings to No. 7 High School.”
Rong Yu let out another sigh, as if weighed down by wealth. “Honestly, those nine buildings were originally going to be yours, but since you…”
“N-nine buildings?” the principal stammered.
“Sigh, he really is that rich,” Rong Yu said. “If you could make him happy, ninety buildings wouldn’t mean anything. You get what I mean, right?”
“Wait, Mr. Rong! Mr. Rong—”
Click.
Only a cold mechanical tone remained.
The principal stood there as if turned to stone.
Nine buildings.
That kind of generosity was something only a few noble families in Yun Jing could display so casually.
And it couldn’t have been the younger generation. It had to be someone holding real power.
So who…?
The principal didn’t dare think further. Breathing hard, he called another number.
“A young master from Yun Jing’s Rong Family has come to River City,” he demanded. “Why wasn’t I notified?”
“Rong Family?” the person on the other end said bluntly. “The Rong Family isn’t like the Lin Family. Their young masters and young misses are secretive as ghosts. I’m not Bureau 723. How would I dare monitor them?”
The principal’s stomach dropped.
He stumbled back, sank into his chair, and felt his mind unravel.
Because of a simple information gap, he’d made a catastrophic mistake.
How was he supposed to fix it?
The psychology team lead only sneered and walked out.
—
Meanwhile, at River City No. 7 High School, in the physics office.
“Perfect. Truly perfect.”
Teacher Ren stared at Ye Wan Lan’s test with worshipful obsession. “Principal, look at this. This is a physics genius.”
“A physics genius?” The principal stared, baffled. “What are you talking about?”
“The transfer student I proctored yesterday.”
“But she’s in the history-chemistry-biology track,” the principal said. “She doesn’t study physics.”
Teacher Ren snapped awake, voice trembling. “You said she chose what track?”
“History-chemistry-biology,” the principal repeated, helpless.
“No!” Teacher Ren roared. “Make her study physics! She has to study physics!”
“Teacher Ren,” the principal said quickly, edging back, “calm down. Please calm down.”
“How can I calm down?” Teacher Ren’s voice climbed higher. “You don’t know anything. Do you have any idea that if she studies physics, next year’s Top Scorer won’t just be from No. 7 High School—I’ll take your surname!”
The principal went slack-jawed. “B-but she isn’t—”
Teacher Ren glared. “Isn’t what?”
Isn’t she someone who bribed her way in by donating buildings?
The principal didn’t dare say it. He quickly had someone invite Ye Wan Lan over.
The history department head came as well—she taught history for Senior 2 Class 1.
The moment she sensed Teacher Ren’s dangerous enthusiasm, she stepped in front of Ye Wan Lan like a shield, one hand out, ready to block him from pouncing.
“Classmate Ye,” Teacher Ren said earnestly, “how can you study history? If you study history, physics loses a genius. Don’t doubt yourself—you have the talent!”
The history department head smiled sweetly. “Teacher Ren, most students choose physics anyway. We finally got a student choosing history, and you want to steal her in broad daylight? Respect her choice.”
“Classmate Ye, listen to me,” Teacher Ren pleaded. “If you choose history-chemistry-biology, you’ll have far fewer majors available in college. Pure science has a future!”
The history department head’s smile remained polite, but her eyes sharpened. “Classmate Ye likes history. History-chemistry-biology can still lead to great things.”
Both of them turned at the same time, staring at Ye Wan Lan with blazing intensity.
“Classmate Ye,” they demanded together, “who do you choose?”
Ye Wan Lan looked between them, expression unreadable.
She only wanted to quietly earn her diploma.
Between physics and history…
Ye Wan Lan lifted a brow. “I like history. I’m choosing history-chemistry-biology.”
The history department head practically beamed.
Teacher Ren let out a grief-stricken howl. “No! You can’t do this! Do you know you’re wasting your gift?”
“Teacher Ren,” the history department head said, displeased, “that’s not right. Classmate Ye has talent in history, too.”
Then, with pride, “Today I discussed a historical question with her, and even I gained a new perspective.”
Before their argument could escalate, Ye Wan Lan cut in, calm and faintly amused. “I’ll keep studying history-chemistry-biology, but I can participate in the physics competition.”
“Deal!” Teacher Ren grabbed her shoulders, practically glowing. “Prelims are in September. There’s still time to register. I have one slot left. I’ll sign you up right now!”
He dashed out, arms flailing like a man possessed.
The history department head sighed, deeply satisfied. “See? People who study history are steady. Classmate Ye choosing history is the right call.”
The principal shot her a sideways look. “And if one day you discovered Princess Yong Ning’s tomb?”
“I’d write a paper and announce it to the whole world!” the history department head shouted, springing up. “I’d walk around with a loudspeaker every day screaming it was my discovery!”
The principal stared. “…And you call yourself steady?”
Ye Wan Lan’s lashes fluttered as her gaze drifted into the distance.
Her tomb?
Truthfully, even she didn’t know where it was.
With the Prince of Yan’s level of protection, her grave would never be easy to find.
“Royal brother…” she murmured.
It had been so long—long enough that everyone from her time had turned to dust, merging with the Shen Zhou continent, guarding it forever.
And yet she still missed them.
So much.
Three hundred years had passed.
Did she truly have a chance to avenge them?
The history department head, satisfied she’d “won,” left in high spirits.
The principal cleared his throat and leaned closer. “Classmate Ye… your relationship with that Young Master Yan…”
He lowered his voice even further. “He donated nine buildings to No. 7 High School for you. I thought you were—”
He swallowed. “I owe you an apology. That was my fault.”
“Nine buildings?” Ye Wan Lan’s eyes narrowed slightly, thoughtful. “That’s a bit wasteful.”
The principal stared. “…Only a bit?”
As the one benefiting, he still felt physical pain.
Leaving the physics office, Ye Wan Lan took out her phone and, for the first time, opened her chat with Yan Ting Feng.
His profile picture was simple—blue sky and white clouds. It looked like something from Lin Huai Jin’s generation.
Ye Wan Lan: Nine buildings?
Yan Ting Feng: Today I brewed Gu Zhu Purple Tea. When are you coming over, Miss Ye?
Ye Wan Lan raised a hand to shade the bright sunlight and typed two words.
At noon.
The weather was perfect.
Ideal for tea.
—
That night, at the Sheng Family’s old residence.
Steward Sheng led a teenage boy into the garden and approached Sheng Yun Yi. “Miss Yun Yi, someone is here to see you.”
“Hello, Sister Yun Yi,” the boy said. He was still wearing No. 7 High School’s uniform, posture stiff with nervous respect.
Sheng Yun Yi raised a brow, taking a moment to place him.
A few seconds later, she smiled gently. “So it’s Little Song. I remember you’re about to enter Senior 3. You’ll have summer tutoring too, with how heavy your workload is. Why did you suddenly come to see me?”
“Sister Yun Yi, you remember me?” Sheng Song blurted, delighted.
He and Sheng Yun Yi were distant relatives beyond the third generation. They were only allowed to gather at the Sheng Family’s old residence during holidays.
Even at those gatherings, he never got a chance to speak to her.
He hadn’t expected her to remember his name.
The satisfaction swelled in his chest, feeding his vanity.
“What is it?” Sheng Yun Yi asked warmly. “Did you run into a problem in your studies?”
Sheng Song swallowed. “Sister Yun Yi, I came to tell you… Ye Wan Lan. She—she…”
He struggled for a moment, then forced it out. “Your stand-in. She came to our school.”
“Our school?” Sheng Yun Yi’s eyes sharpened. “No. 7 High School?”
“Yes. And I saw our principal personally escort her into Class 1.”
“I see,” Sheng Yun Yi said, her smile deepening. “No. 1 High School can’t use back doors, and international schools require English scores. So of course she could only go to No. 7 High School.”