Speaking of Crimson King, Huang Xiu wondered curiously if there were any time-based abilities. She had encountered many types of abilities during this period, yet none were related to space or time.
‘It would be for the best if there weren’t,’ she thought. ‘Such an outrageous ability would be incredibly difficult to counter.’
Huang Xiu shook her head, pulled out her phone, and checked the schedule for her Introductory Forging Method class. She discovered it was scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.
She immediately felt a surge of excitement, clasping her hands together in prayer. “I hope I belong to The Sun lineage.”
From Monday to Thursday, their schedule was packed with classes, leaving them only Friday afternoon free.
Correspondingly, aside from the Introduction to Void Realm Knowledge, the other four classes were held twice a week.
Their class this afternoon was the Basic Void Art Explanation.
However, the thought of the afternoon’s Basic Void Art Explanation instantly gave Huang Xiu a headache.
It wasn’t due to the difficulty of the course, but rather the painstakingly slow pace of the instructor.
Huang Xiu pursed her lips. “If this teacher manages to cover even five basic Void Arts, it’ll be a miracle.”
As the class neared its end, Wen Zhidie simply paused, allowing them to study independently and digest the lesson’s content.
Huang Xiu organized her notes, briefly reviewing the morning’s entire curriculum. Just then, the dismissal bell softly chimed.
She packed her notebook and watched other students rise and leave. She, however, was in no hurry, remaining seated.
Now, whenever there was a large lecture attended by several classes, she would wait for Jia Qianrou and Chi Xue so they could all go to the cafeteria together.
“Let’s go!”
Spotting Jia Qianrou and Chi Xue approaching from the front, Huang Xiu gently patted Ying Zhiyu’s shoulder and walked forward to meet them.
The path from the capital’s tower to the cafeteria was bustling with students.
The sight of the four distinctively beautiful girls walking together drew an impressive number of回头率 [TL Note: A term used to describe the rate at which people turn their heads to look at someone, indicating high attractiveness].
This made Huang Xiu feel somewhat troubled and uncomfortable.
As a girl who had only recently transitioned, she was far from reaching the point of being immune to others’ gazes.
Yet, if she were to suggest to her friends, ‘Let’s not eat together next time,’ Huang Xiu feared it might damage their friendship.
While she was lost in thought, trying to dispel her discomfort, a boy approached.
He looked at Huang Xiu and asked, “Excuse me, student, may I add you on WeChat?”
“Ah?!”
Huang Xiu was stunned, taking a moment to process his words. ‘Add WeChat… why would he randomly want to add her WeChat?’
She stopped, pointing to herself with her right index finger. “Are you sure you want to add me on WeChat? And what for?”
“Yes, I mainly wanted to get to know you, student,” the boy replied with a smile.
“Wait a minute…” Huang Xiu made a stopping gesture.
She turned her head to look around, noticing that students on the surrounding path were curiously staring. Ying Zhiyu, meanwhile, was secretly chuckling. “Xiu Xiu, you’re so popular!”
At that moment, Huang Xiu finally snapped back to reality, comprehending her current situation—she was being hit on!
She had been seen as a target for pursuit!
‘Oh my god! What an utter humiliation!’
Huang Xiu knew she was beautiful, and that being hit on was bound to happen eventually. After all, as a guy, she understood her own allure and how restless eighteen or nineteen-year-old boys could be.
But when it actually happened today, she still felt a sense of bewilderment and indignant shame.
After silently raging for a good while, Huang Xiu managed to compose herself, flashing a polite, distant smile that clearly conveyed her refusal.
“Sorry, but no.”
“Is that so?”
Seeing Huang Xiu’s direct refusal, the boy didn’t pester her. He simply apologized for the interruption and left.
This allowed Huang Xiu to secretly breathe a sigh of relief. If he had been insistent about getting her WeChat, she truly wouldn’t have known how to handle it.
“Xiu Xiu, you seem to be the first among us to get hit on! As expected of you, your charm is truly something else!”
As she grew more familiar with Huang Xiu, Ying Zhiyu gradually revealed her slightly mischievous nature.
“Enough!” Huang Xiu said, her face darkening, as she quickly stopped the others who seemed eager to speak.
‘Today truly is an unlucky day!’ she sighed inwardly. Not only had she been sneezing since last night, but now she was also being hit on on her way to eat.
After walking a little further and seeing the cafeteria ahead, Huang Xiu simply quickened her pace and entered.
The cafeteria had two main entrances, facing the teaching building in the front and the student dormitories in the back.
It was precisely noon, and students from both the Research and Exploration Departments streamed in from all directions. The foot traffic at both entrances was substantial, especially at the East Gate.
Huang Xiu and her three friends slowly ambled into the cafeteria through the East Gate, following the crowd.
Instead of heading directly to a queue, she paused near the entrance, habitually looking up at the display screen in the center of the cafeteria to see what was on the menu today.
“It seems to be Cantonese cuisine today. Braised squab, roast duck… looks good.”
Huang Xiu swallowed, preparing to join a line. Just then, someone from behind her suddenly reached out and grabbed her arm.
This hand, which gripped her arm, was slender and pale, with nails painted a light red. Huang Xiu had always disliked intimate physical contact with others, especially after becoming a girl.
“Xiao Yu, stop messing around,” she playfully chided, but the hand didn’t loosen. Instead, it gripped even tighter.
“What is it?”
Huang Xiu frowned and looked up, only to find Ying Zhiyu, Jia Qianrou, and Chi Xue standing in front of her. Ying Zhiyu, in particular, was turning to look at her with a puzzled expression, clearly wondering why ‘Xiu Xiu’ had suddenly called her name.
“What’s wrong?” Ying Zhiyu tilted her head and asked.
Huang Xiu didn’t reply. If it wasn’t Ying Zhiyu or her friends… then who was grabbing her?
Filled with confusion, she turned her head, following her arm to its source. Her pupils suddenly constricted, and she froze as if struck by lightning, her tongue tying itself in knots.
“Y-y-y-you…”
Behind her, amidst the bustling crowd, stood a girl with delicate features, a faint baby fat on her cheeks, and dimples. She was gripping Huang Xiu’s arm tightly.
She wore the school uniform of a white shirt and a black pleated skirt, with a blue school badge on her chest. This indicated she was a student of the Research Department.
But even without the uniform, Huang Xiu would have recognized her. It was Fang Miaoging! The same female classmate she had lived under the same roof with for two years, and secretly harbored feelings for during that time!
Even if Fang Miaoging were reduced to ashes…
Although she didn’t know why Fang Miaoging had suddenly appeared and gripped her arm so desperately, Huang Xiu knew instinctively that something major was about to happen!
This was bad, very bad!
Alarm bells rang in her mind, and her nerves were stretched taut. Perhaps the immense pressure of this life-or-death moment forced out her potential. The more anxious she became, the calmer she grew, not a hint of her true emotions showing on her face.
Huang Xiu quickly adopted a bewildered expression, completely masking her previous tension and confusion.
“Student, may I help you?” she asked, her face full of innocent confusion.
Full marks, a hundred out of a hundred!
Huang Xiu silently gave her performance a perfect score. That bewildered look, that puzzled tone—it was the work of a seasoned actor, capable of handling anything! Even a director like Zhang Mou would be utterly shocked and declare he had found a gem!
“Stop pretending!” Fang Miaoging smiled faintly. “I already know who you are.”
“?!”
Cold sweat trickled down Huang Xiu’s back, an ominous premonition scratching at her heart like a cat’s claws. “What are you talking about?” she managed, forcing out another question in a very confused tone.
“What’s wrong?” Ying Zhiyu, Jia Qianrou, and Chi Xue, sensing something amiss, walked over.
“This person…”
Huang Xiu was about to use her friends’ presence to make her escape, but Fang Miaoging suddenly spoke. “Huang Xiu, it’s rare for old classmates like us to meet. Let’s have a meal together.”
After speaking, she winked, her meaning unmistakable. So, she really knew after all…
Huang Xiu lost all hope, deflating like a punctured balloon. At this moment, a myriad of emotions churned within her.
There was the fear and shame of her identity being exposed. Yet, there was also a flicker of relief, liberation, and acceptance that her true self had finally been recognized by her classmates, allowing her to potentially resume their past relationship.
Huang Xiu examined her own heart, then suddenly realized she had seemingly been anticipating this moment for a long time.
She couldn’t bear to completely sever ties with her classmates. Not changing her phone number or QQ ID, only altering her name to a homophone… these seemingly flawed choices seemed to have been made out of this very mindset.
Huang Xiu wanted people to find her through these clues, to discover that she was indeed Huang Xiu. She yearned for a bridge connecting ‘Huang Xiu’ and ‘Huang Xiu’—these two different identities—and a way to solidify her acceptance of her past self.
But at the same time, Huang Xiu didn’t want everyone to discover this secret, or rather, to discover it too easily.
‘I’m really so conflicted!’ Huang Xiu thought with a bitter smile, then turned to her friends. “Um, she… she really is an old classmate of mine. I won’t be eating with you all today. You go on ahead.”
“Eh, Xiu Xiu, since she’s an old classmate, why don’t you invite her to eat with us?” Ying Zhiyu pouted unhappily.
She was about to say more, but Jia Qianrou quickly grabbed her before the words could escape. Chi Xue, in turn, covered her mouth.
“Old classmates meeting up surely have things to talk about! Don’t butt in!” Jia Qianrou sighed.
Huang Xiu watched the three walk away. She then turned her head to look at Fang Miaoging, who still held onto her arm, showing no intention of letting go.
She swallowed hard, then, with a voice softer than a mosquito’s, managed a small burp and a greeting. “Fang student, um… hello?”
Fang Miaoging let out a dissatisfied hum, a hint of resentment in her tone. “So you *do* know I’m your classmate? I thought you didn’t recognize me!” She had sent dozens of messages, none of which had been replied to.
She scrutinized Huang Xiu, her eyes wide with shock. Even with the strong evidence of sharing the same QQ ID, she hadn’t dared to fully believe Huang Xiu was *the* Huang Xiu until her identity was truly revealed.
The difference between the two was simply too vast! The previous Huang Xiu, though possessing well-defined features, could only be considered somewhat handsome, barely making it into the top five among the school’s male students. Yet, the Huang Xiu before her now had soft features, exquisite beauty, lively eyes, and an exceptionally unique aura.
It was the kind of beauty that would evoke a sense of ‘why must there be both Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang’ jealousy even in Fang Miaoging, a girl widely recognized as the school’s beauty.
“By the way, how… how did you end up like this?” Fang Miaoging looked at Huang Xiu’s face with intense curiosity.
Huang Xiu dared not meet Fang Miaoging’s gaze, her eyes flitting away. “Um… it’s a long story. Let’s talk about it while we eat.”
“Alright!” Fang Miaoging nodded.
“Can you… can you let go of my arm?”
As they walked to the counter, Huang Xiu, seeing Fang Miaoging still clinging to her, spoke with a touch of helplessness. “What if you run away?” Fang Miaoging shook her head. She was genuinely afraid that if she let go, Huang Xiu would bolt. After all, this person had a history.
Last time, outside the Touchpoint, she had run faster than a rabbit. And it was important to remember that to catch Huang Xiu on the spot, she had sprinted to the cafeteria right after class, waiting like a hunter for prey. She hadn’t even fully caught her breath yet.
She had even planned to continue staking out the cafeteria at night if she didn’t catch her at noon, until she succeeded. However, luck was clearly on her side. This noon, she struck gold, spotting Huang Xiu standing by the entrance, looking at the menu.
What happened next was self-explanatory. “I won’t. You already know my identity, and we’re in the same school. A monk can run, but his temple can’t!”
In truth, Huang Xiu could easily break free from Fang Miaoging’s grip with her Awakened individual physique. But a monk can run, but his temple can’t. Studying in the same campus meant there was no avoiding this, so Huang Xiu had already prepared to reveal everything.
After much persuasion, she finally got Fang Miaoging to release her arm, on the condition that she would reply to her messages promptly.
Having little appetite, Huang Xiu simply got a few dishes, then sat with Fang Miaoging in the cafeteria’s furthest corner.
“Speak!”
Fang Miaoging sharply placed her chopsticks on the tray. Then, sitting upright like a police officer interrogating a criminal, she said with a stern face, “Confess and be lenient; resist and be dealt with severely!”
“Don’t be so serious… ‘Confess and be lenient, spend your life in jail; resist and be dealt with severely, go home for New Year’s,'” Huang Xiu mumbled.
“Pfft…” Fang Miaoging was amused by the remark. She tried to maintain a serious expression, but kept breaking character, eventually waving her hand dismissively.
“Fine, fine. Suspect Huang Xiu, quickly and honestly confess how you became like this.”
The less serious atmosphere eased some of Huang Xiu’s mental pressure. She cautiously looked left and right. Only after confirming that there was no one at the nearby tables, or no one watching her, did she quietly recount her experiences from that period, in full detail.
The entire process felt like a spy rendezvous. Although it had only been a little over a month ago, when Huang Xiu spoke of those days, it felt as though a much longer time had passed. She could only attribute it to the sheer volume of events that had occurred recently, stretching her perception of time and its weight.