“But doesn’t their chatter distract you from studying?”
“If I ignore them, I can focus just fine.”
Watching Yan Yu continue copying her notes, completely unfazed, Xu Ziqi—who was far more bothered by the stares than her friend—couldn’t help but press further.
“You might be able to ignore them, but as your best friend—and the person who cares about you most in this school—I can’t just brush it off like you do.”
Yan Yu set down her pen and looked up at Xu Ziqi.
“I know you’re worried about me, Ziqi. You’re afraid I’ll feel alienated or isolated because of their stares. But you don’t need to be. I’m tougher than that.”
Xu Ziqi opened her mouth to argue, but after a moment’s hesitation, she swallowed her words. Yan Yu was strong—unshakably so.
Finally, she sighed.
“Fine. I admit it—you really are unbreakable.”
Yan Yu smiled. “Since you’ve admitted that, stop paying attention to them too.”
With that, she picked up her pen and resumed her notes.
…..
When the class bell rang, the students fell silent as their professor strolled into the room.
Whether it was Xu Ziqi sitting beside Yan Yu or the gossipers in the back, everyone quieted down, shrinking into their seats like startled quails.
The reason for their sudden discipline was simple: this wasn’t just any lecturer—it was their homeroom professor.
Standing at the podium, the professor surveyed the room, noting the empty seats where nearly a third of the class had once been. He suppressed a sigh.
He couldn’t afford to show weakness in front of his students. Instead, he focused on those still present and began firmly:
“Alright, class. Today, we’ll continue where we left off last time. Pay attention to the notes on the board.”
The students dutifully turned their attention to the lecture, scribbling down the material as the professor wrote.
But halfway through the class, a knock at the door interrupted the lesson.
The professor paused mid-lecture and turned toward the sound.
There, in the doorway, stood a woman in an elegant emerald-green hanfu, her beauty so striking it could topple cities.
For a brief moment, the professor—a man in his fifties—was visibly stunned. But he quickly composed himself and asked,
“May I ask who you are? Is there something you need?”
The woman—Yan Qi, now in her Dao Yan Empress form—had no intention of hiding her purpose.
“Hello, Professor. I am Dao Yan. I’m here to speak with Yan Yu about an urgent matter.”
The name Dao Yan triggered a flicker of recognition in the professor’s mind.
“Dao Yan? That’s an unusual name… but why does it sound familiar?”
While he was still puzzling over it, the students erupted into whispers.
Many of them, avid internet users, had seen countless videos and photos of the legendary Dao Yan Empress. It didn’t take long for them to recognize her.
“Wait—isn’t that the famous Dao Yan Empress? Why is she here?!”
“Didn’t she just say she’s looking for someone?”
“Who in our class would warrant a personal visit from her?”
“Yan Yu? No way. They don’t even know each other!”
“Oh my god, the Empress is right there—I have to get her autograph!”
“She’s even more stunning in person… I feel like a duckling next to a swan.”
“Do you think she’d teach me some supernatural tricks? Maybe I could finally stop being ordinary!”
The classroom buzzed with excitement, students whispering and plotting how to approach her.
Hearing the commotion—and finally placing the name Dao Yan—the professor’s expression shifted to disbelief, mirroring his students’ earlier reactions.
Seeing him still frozen, Yan Qi spoke up again, urgency in her voice.
“Professor, now that you know who I am, could you please call Yan Yu out? This really can’t wait.”
Snapping out of his daze, the professor quickly nodded.
“Of course. I’ll get her right away.”
He grabbed the microphone on his desk and addressed the class.
“Quiet, everyone. Yan Yu, are you here? Step outside, please. This… Dao Yan has something important to discuss with you.”
Yan Yu blinked.
“Something important… with me?”