A Sensible Mess

The next day, following the directions Meng Shan had given her, Ran Jiuyi found Bai He’an’s classroom.

Because her twenty-something appearance looked far too young among the crowd of middle-aged parents, all eyes were on her the moment she stepped through the door. Combined with her attire from yesterday—a crisp, professional OL (Office Lady) outfit—she looked exceptionally sharp. Paired with her mature aura, she looked exactly like a high-powered corporate executive, leaving everyone to whisper and wonder about her identity.

Ignoring the stares, Ran Jiuyi scanned the room for Bai He’an. She was used to this; ever since she had taken on this form, she drew attention wherever she went.

As an honor student, Bai He’an sat right in the middle of the classroom. It only took Ran Jiuyi a few seconds to spot her.

The teacher also noticed her arrival. The young woman doubted that someone dressed like a social elite was actually a student’s parent. “Excuse me, are you a parent of one of the students? Or are you in the wrong room?”

“Hello, Teacher. My name is Ran Jiuyi. I’m Bai He’an’s older sister. I’m here for her conference.”

With that, Ran Jiuyi walked over to Bai He’an and greeted her enthusiastically. “Hey, Little An! You were hard to find.”

Bai He’an, however, was far from happy to see her. “Why are you here? Where’s Big Brother Shan?”

“Your Brother Shan is next door. We figured it was a bit too much trouble for him to handle two conferences all by himself.”

“Oh… I see. He was spread pretty thin last time.”

“Exactly. But don’t overthink it. Shan said you’re way better behaved than Jiang Yunshu and that he doesn’t have to worry about you, so he sent me here.”

Ran Jiuyi’s casual remark set off alarm bells in Bai He’an’s head.

Why is she here? Does she know about my plan? No, that’s impossible. We haven’t started yet, and there’s no way she could know what we talked about yesterday.

Then why? Is it because she sensed my suspicion? Highly likely. I’ve been the most cold toward her. Jiang Yunshu and Yi Ziling wear their trust on their sleeves, but I’m the only one keeping my guard up. Damn it… I didn’t notice this detail. Now that I’ve caught her eye, she’ll be alert. Tailing her is going to be even harder now.

While Bai He’an’s mind was in a whirlwind, her classmates were spiraling into even wilder fantasies based on Ran Jiuyi’s words.

Imagine, for a moment, that you have a classmate who is both a top student and exceptionally beautiful. Because she has no parents, she’s always been poor—the kind of girl who pinches every penny just to eat. Then, one day, she suddenly starts spending money like water.

She has more clothes, her lunches get fancier, and even that old, tattered backpack is replaced with a brand-new one. She’s even buying expensive, high-end model kits. Simultaneously, this girl—who never missed a single class—starts taking constant leaves of absence. Skipping class becomes a daily routine.

The teacher doesn’t say much because her grades haven’t dropped, but in your mind, a question lingers: Is she doing something… “bad”?

Then comes the parent-teacher meeting. Suddenly, your question seems to be answered. A mysterious man, claiming to be her “older brother,” appears for the first time. He is tall, burly, covered in scars, and has calloused hands and a terrifying, villainous aura. He stays for only half the meeting before rushing off to attend another girl’s conference in the same school.

After some digging, you find out that the other girl has the exact same story: poverty, sudden wealth, and constant absences.

Whenever you ask about that mysterious man, your classmate stiffly changes the subject, as if he’s a secret she’s forbidden to speak of.

So, what conclusion would you reach?

Obviously, he’s a Mob Boss who has “sponsored” two beautiful young girls and plays with their lives for his own amusement.

This rumor had spread like wildfire, growing more exaggerated with every telling. Eventually, Meng Shan was rumored to be a local Underworld Kingpin who not only ruled the criminal element but had the government in his pocket.

The innocent Meng Shan had no idea that simply by being a good guardian, he had become the city’s most dangerous man.

And today, a stunning, sharp-looking woman appears at your classmate’s meeting. She seems close to the student, but you’ve never seen her before. She’s dressed like a corporate employee, but she has a lethal, piercing aura that no regular office worker could ever possess.

Being the socially observant student you are, you notice your classmate isn’t happy. In fact, she seems to be guarding herself, intentionally keeping her distance. And their conversation reveals that this unknown woman is very close with that “Mob Boss” from last time—close enough to handle his “parental duties.”

A student sitting near Bai He’an whispered, “Is she your sister? She’s so young! I’ve never seen her before.”

Ran Jiuyi beat her to the punch. “I’m An’s cousin. I’ve been working out of town, but I was recently transferred to this city.”

“And the outfit?”

“Oh, I have to head back to work in a bit. I have some… troublesome business to settle.”

Just then, the teacher finished the general class overview and started addressing individual student issues. “Regarding Student Bai He’an this semester…”

Hearing the name, Ran Jiuyi immediately looked toward the podium, her expression turning dead serious.

Although she had fabricated a high school diploma for her fake ID, Ran Jiuyi had never actually attended school. She was entirely self-taught. Entering a real classroom for the first time—an environment she had once watched from afar with longing—made her feel a genuine spark of nerves.

It was a normal reaction, but she forgot one thing: years of life on the battlefield had given her a razor-sharp edge. Ordinarily, she suppressed it, but the moment she got serious, a cold, piercing pressure instinctively bled out from her.

To a war veteran like Meng Shan or a battle-hardened Magical Girl like Bai He’an, this was nothing. They might not even feel the “killing intent.”

But to an ordinary person who had never seen blood? It was enough to paralyze them with fear.

The teacher on the podium felt it the most. The moment she said Bai He’an’s name, the “parent” named Ran Jiuyi locked eyes with her. A terrifying pressure radiated from the woman. Before Ran Jiuyi could even speak, the teacher’s legs turned to jelly, and her words caught in her throat.

Why did she stop mid-sentence? Ran Jiuyi wondered. She asked curiously, “Teacher, is there a problem with He’an this semester? Did she do something wrong?”

In Ran Jiuyi’s mind, it was a simple question. In the teacher’s mind, it translated to: “Do you have a problem with my girl? Do you really want to say that out loud? Do you have the guts?”

Seeing the teacher’s silence, Ran Jiuyi added, “If she hasn’t done well, please, just say it. Don’t mind me.”

But to the teacher and the surrounding parents, it sounded like: “If you want to keep your life, keep your mouth shut. I’m watching you.”

Fortunately, the teacher was young enough to still have a spark of youthful passion and the courage to face “tyranny.” She took several deep breaths and declared resolutely:

“Student Bai He’an’s performance this semester has been exemplary! Not only are her grades outstanding, but her relationship with her peers is wonderful. I often see her helping others. She is a model student in every sense!”

Originally, the teacher had intended to bravely point out Bai He’an’s excessive absences. But the moment she saw Ran Jiuyi’s “lethal” gaze, the words were swallowed back down and automatically replaced with praise.

The onlookers watched in silent fury but didn’t dare speak up. They had neither the courage nor the reason to stick their necks out against a woman of Ran Jiuyi’s stature.

And as an observer of all this, you—the student—have likely guessed Ran Jiuyi’s “true” identity by now.

First, based on her aura alone, she is clearly a “Big Boss” accustomed to high-stakes situations. Otherwise, it would be impossible to intimidate an entire room with just a few words. Second, she is clearly on intimate terms with the “Mob Boss” from last year. Finally, consider her stunning beauty and professional attire.

The answer is obvious: She is the wife of the Mob Boss from the last meeting.

The “Iron Lady” wife, who has been busy working abroad, has finally returned to her husband’s side, only to find two “little foxes” (mistresses) lingering around him. Being a mature and sophisticated woman, she doesn’t mind; she knows it’s a man’s nature, and for the sake of the bigger picture, she won’t press the issue. She’s even “kind” enough to help her husband attend the mistresses’ school meetings, though who knows how much “kindness” is actually involved?

You—the surrounding crowd—marvel at your own brilliant deductive skills. You immediately decide to share this juicy piece of gossip with every friend and relative you have.

And so, without her knowing, the not-so-innocent Ran Jiuyi had inexplicably become the “Dangerous Mafia Wife” in the eyes of the public. This rumor would eventually travel far, leading her to cross paths with another Magical Girl in the future.