A Disquieting Return

Early the next morning, Bai Qiao, dragging her schoolbag, led Bai Chen. ‘It seems I’ll have to attend my old class as a transfer student,’ she thought.

Bai Chen, looking a little perplexed, followed Bai Qiao into the subway entrance, descended underground, and boarded the train. Fortunately, given Bai Chen’s personality, he wasn’t the type to ask endless questions or draw attention with his curiosity. This observation brought a sigh of relief to Bai Qiao.

“Is this what your mother calls a school?” Bai Chen asked, gazing at the large gate before them.

“Yes…”

“How is this different from the Inner Force Academy back home?”

“Uh, ah… just consider it the same,” Bai Qiao started, but immediately realized her mistake. She quickly added, “But you can’t just hit people freely here…”

“…”

Second-year Class B7 was as boisterous as ever. With the teacher’s whereabouts unknown, the classroom was far from quiet; it buzzed with noise and chaos. All this would transform into a tranquil pool the moment a teacher arrived, but for now, it was merely called ‘youthful vitality.’

“Click!”

A sound came from the classroom door, and in an instant, everyone returned to their seats. As the door swung open, they all became diligent students, quietly focused on their studies. However, the unfamiliar footsteps prompted some of the bolder students to cautiously look up.

“You, you, you… how are you back?!”

The student immediately clapped a hand over their mouth. This former nightmare, hadn’t he disappeared? Three months without a trace, and now he was back without warning. Drawn by the outburst, all eyes turned to Bai Chen, though they only dared to stare. The entire classroom fell into an eerie silence; Bai Chen seemed to exert an even greater oppressive force than a teacher.

Unaware of the current situation, Bai Chen remained silent. He merely cast a fleeting glance over the students, but that brief look alone was enough to make many break out in a cold sweat. They quickly averted their gazes, finding even a moment of eye contact with Bai Chen deeply unsettling.

Remembering the spot Bai Qiao had mentioned, Bai Chen settled into the window seat, observing the scenery outside. The desk had been vacant for three months, untouched by anyone, perfectly preserved as if new. ‘Just how terrified are these guys of ‘me’?’ Bai Chen mused internally. ‘I’ve been gone for so long, yet no one dared to touch ‘my’ desk. The psychological trauma must be quite profound.’

“Click!”

The door opened once more. The teacher, initially puzzled by the classroom’s unusual quiet, felt a wave of relief upon seeing Bai Chen. Composing herself, she announced, “Today, we have a new transfer student joining our class. Let’s give them a warm welcome.”

As fresh and vibrant as the morning itself, Bai Qiao stepped inside, radiating youthful energy. Everyone took a sharp intake of breath. For some inexplicable reason, the aura surrounding this girl felt utterly distinct from that of any other female student. Despite her exquisite beauty, she exuded an incredibly potent, masculine energy.

‘These guys… they’ve really grown bolder,’ Bai Qiao thought, ‘to dare to stare at me like this.’ She briefly ignored the familiar faces seated below the podium, including her own ‘former’ face. Then, she shot a fierce glare at Yang Zhiming. ‘When did this fellow become so audacious? How dare he look at me with such lecherous eyes…’

“!”

A sudden jolt of alarm went through Yang Zhiming, and cold sweat beaded on his brow. He froze for a moment, then buried his face deeply. ‘That girl… why did that glance just now remind me of when Bai Chen broke my arm before?’ he thought. ‘No, no, no, it must be my imagination. How could such a cute girl… be like… that violent brute?’

“Ah, ah, still such dry knowledge…” Bai Qiao sighed, slumping onto her desk. She noticed Bai Chen similarly slumped at his own desk. Well, their reasons were entirely different: Bai Chen genuinely understood nothing, while Bai Qiao simply had no need to listen.

“Ding-a-ling-a-ling!”

Bai Qiao exhaled deeply. Class was finally over.

“Hey, classmate, where are you from?”

“Classmate, do you mind… sharing your measurements?”

“Classmate, I’m called… how about we become friends?”

“…”

The moment class ended, so many people swarmed around her. Bai Qiao suddenly felt uncomfortable; these guys used to flee at the mere sight of her. ‘Ah, this world, gender discrimination, it’s hopeless…’ she thought.

Just as Bai Qiao considered shooing them away, her vision suddenly brightened. This was followed by two dull thuds as Bai Chen forcefully pulled two students apart. He then slammed them into nearby desks, instantly toppling a whole section of furniture. ‘He’s really causing trouble, isn’t he?’ Bai Qiao thought, silently mourning the two unfortunate classmates lying amidst the wreckage.

“What are you doing! What? Has Young Master Bai taken a fancy to this new girl again? This calls for fair competition! Don’t go too far!” a slightly bolder, usually outspoken boy shouted.

‘…’ ‘How infuriating! How dare he speak to me like that!’ Bai Qiao fumed. Although she knew the boy was addressing Bai Chen, the target of his words was, in essence, herself. Thus, Bai Qiao went against her own inclinations, against her belief in ‘yuri supreme,’ and offered a sweet smile. In front of everyone, she looped her arm through Bai Chen’s and said, “A’Chen, don’t beat them too badly. Just enough to make your point~”

“…”

‘Excellent. The world is finally quiet…’

After school, a few of the more unruly boys from various classes gathered together. Naturally, these were the ones who had always disliked Bai Chen. “Do you guys feel like Bai Chen has been a bit off ever since he came back?” one asked.

“Huh? You noticed it too? He seems so unfamiliar with all of us now. Even the subordinates who used to follow him around, he just ignores them…”

“Yeah, and his speech is a bit weird too. ‘Inner force’ and all that… it’s all jumbled up.”

“Especially, while he was formidable before, directly sending two grown men flying… isn’t that a bit much?”

The group chattered amongst themselves until the school was completely deserted. Still, they reached no conclusions, so… they quietly dispersed.

Yang Zhiming returned to the classroom, intending to retrieve another book. The corridor was empty, the classroom vacant. No, wait, not vacant—Bai Chen! It was so late… Yang Zhiming hastily hid by the door. Beyond the classroom lay a narrow corridor, which then led to a railing.

“!!!”

The most unforgettable sight of Yang Zhiming’s life unfolded before him: someone suddenly leaped up, stepped onto the railing, and vaulted straight down—from the seventh floor! Yang Zhiming rushed to the railing. What he saw next was Bai Chen landing steadily on the ground, then swiftly departing the school. ‘I… am I going crazy? Am I hallucinating?’ he thought. ‘No, it can’t be. This feels so real. But no, this kind of thing is impossible.’ Traditional thinking ensured Yang Zhiming would likely never believe such an event, even to his dying day.

“Hey! What took you so long?” Bai Qiao, already impatient from waiting outside, asked in an irritable tone. “You didn’t use your inner force in front of anyone, did you? It would be hard to explain, and very troublesome.”

“Mm,” Bai Chen nodded faintly. “There is something, though. Since we’ve returned from that abyss, then those who fell into it before… might they also have…?”

“…!”

****