Chapter 173: Ex-Girlfriend's Request to Get Back Together: Rejected
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 173: Ex-Girlfriend's Request to Get Back Together: Rejected
【Edited】
"Hello. Were you looking for me?"
Regardless of my internal turmoil, I quickly composed my expression and stepped forward to greet the elven teacher as if we were total strangers.
I had to admit, this was the first time I had ever seen an elf from such a close distance!
Those pointed ears weren't just some decorative accessory like the ones I’d seen in my previous life. There was an aura of nobility and natural affinity radiating from her, a perfect combination that made one feel she was someone "to be observed from a distance but not trifled with."
Of course, the more someone is told not to do something, the more they want to try. However, she was an elf from Afuhemi Academy—a mentor, no less. I had to show basic respect. At the very least, I couldn't let my wandering thoughts show on my face.
"Yes. I hope it isn't too much of a bother to disturb you so abruptly after your match? Allow me to introduce myself. I am a mentor at Afuhemi Academy, Ariel Shelley. If it’s convenient, you may simply call me Mentor Ariel." After speaking, Ariel gently nudged the elven girl standing behind her forward.
"This is my student, Yao Beijuan. I thought you youngsters would have more to talk about. We just witnessed your performance in the arena, and your valiant figure left a deep impression on her. That is why we took the liberty of coming to find you."
Ariel was quite the smooth talker. Although her words sounded sincere, whether there was any truth to them was another matter entirely.
"Is... is that so? There really wasn't any need for that." I glanced at Yao Beijuan. I knew her personality well; she was somewhat afraid of teachers, but the moment they weren't around, she’d likely show a completely different face.
This elven mentor was shamelessly lying right to my face. Yao Beijuan had clearly come here because of my name. All that talk about my "valiant figure" was nonsense. I truly wondered how the mentor could say such things with a straight face.
"Well then, I won't intrude on you young people. I hope you enjoy each other's company." Ariel smiled and prepared to make her exit. She knew staying would only make her an obstacle, and she had more important things to attend to.
As Ariel walked away, she began calculating. Originally, she had suspected that the girl named Yang Yuehan might be a candidate for a Child of Destiny, much like Yao Beijuan, potentially possessing a Luck Seed.
But now, it seemed that wasn't the case. The girl did carry the aura of Luck, but if she possessed a Luck Seed, she wouldn't be wasting it like this. She would be directly "watering" the seed instead. Such behavior was subconscious; that was simply the nature of the relationship between Luck and a Luck Seed.
More importantly, there was the Ley Line information. Ariel had followed them to harvest the data recorded by the girl's body. Only by using specialized equipment to analyze that data in conjunction with her Spirit Vision could she determine, without physical contact, whether the girl's talent involved a Luck Seed.
The reason she had been chosen as the leader for this trip was precisely because she was one of the rare individuals whose Spirit Vision had reached the third-tier "Unknowable" level. She could see far more information than others.
Strange... No talent... It seems her talent is just a common item or something similar, and she isn't carrying it on her...
After confirming the data, Ariel shook her head. Even with Unknowable-level Spirit Vision, she couldn't extract any more from the Ley Line information. If it wasn't there, it wasn't there. This machine might struggle with other talents, but it would never make a mistake regarding a Luck Seed.
Of this, she was certain.
Based on the current situation, the girl likely had some connection to Tan Han and had obtained the power of Luck through unknown means or by accident. Since she wasn't a candidate for a Child of Destiny, there was a high probability that this portion of Luck would eventually become Yao Beijuan's property.
From this perspective, it was a brilliant start. The second Luck Seed in the world to be nourished by Luck—that would surely carry significant weight, wouldn't it?
That was the nature of seizing the initiative: one step ahead, always ahead.
So what if Tan Han was ahead of everyone else? The moment she became the target of everyone's greed, that initiative would become her burden.
Of course, this exchange competition between the various Transcendent Academies would also generate Luck. Any major event in this world would gather Luck as the Script played out. If this were a linear story with a single protagonist, this would be a major plot node in their rise to power.
But now that they had entered the fray, it was impossible to see how the Script would develop.
Or rather, instead of calling it the development of a Script, it was more like a direct gamble between various factions. The stakes were incredibly high.
Similarly, this was the breakthrough the Abyssal Demon race was hoping for. No matter how small the probability, it was far better than having no chance at all.
* * *
Meanwhile...
"Yang Yuehan, is it really you?"
Now that Ariel had left, Yao Beijuan’s previous stiffness relaxed slightly. She was even the first to speak.
"Yes, my name is indeed Yang Yuehan," I said with a nod, keeping my emotions in check. I noticed that we had become the center of attention. Many people were curious about what was happening, as an elf like Yao Beijuan was very conspicuous here.
And as the person talking to her, I was even more so. Given that I was already a hot topic, people were probably gossiping already, likely inventing some melodramatic plot for us.
"Let's find somewhere else to talk. There are too many people here, and you don't like being stared at like a monkey in a zoo, right?"
"Mhm... You really are Yang Yuehan! And you were pretending not to know me!" Yao Beijuan nodded instinctively and followed me as I prepared to leave. But a moment later, she grabbed my hand, completely ignoring the strange looks from bystanders as she exposed the truth.
She knew me well. After all, she had been my deskmate and one of the few people I could actually talk to during my school days.
I didn't know which specific word I’d said that gave me away, but I didn't deny it.
Since we had met and she had even come looking for me, there was no longer any need for concealment.
"Is that so? I thought we had already... ended things during the break."
I had originally wanted to say we had "broken up," but then I realized we had never actually sent a formal message confirming a breakup. "Ended" felt more appropriate.
My words clearly had a significant impact on Yao Beijuan, causing her eyes to widen.
"I know! I was indeed thinking about breaking up and ending it back then, but you didn't even tell me you ran off to a Witch Academy!"
"Why would I?"
I led her away, at least getting us out of the sight of the majority of the crowd and into a rear corridor. This wasn't the kind of conversation that should be overheard. If she said something shocking, I wouldn't be able to handle the fallout.
She was just that kind of person—blunt, impulsive, and often speaking without engaging her brain.
"Why would I tell you that?"
"But I told you I was going to Afuhemi Academy!"
Yao Beijuan's logic made me feel like my brain cells were dying. I couldn't figure out what she was thinking. Knowing her, she did occasionally say naive things or completely misread the situation.
"Um, you weren't... kidnapped and brought to the Witch Academy, were you? I heard that kidnapping incidents are frequent here." Yao Beijuan stared at me intently. Even though she was talking to me, she seemed a bit dazed herself. The boy she had spent every day with had turned into... this!
He looked nothing like his former self!
He was even a bit cute. She instinctively compared her own "assets" to mine and silently celebrated a total victory in her heart.
"It's not like that. I was a special admission... Hey! What are you doing?!"
I shook my head, dismissing her kidnapping theory. Did she really think a Witch Academy needed to kidnap people?
She was looking down on me. I was the type who could be lured over with a single phone call.
But just as I was about to continue, a hand lunged straight for my chest.
"Let me feel... Is this real? They feel pretty big, though not as big as mine."
"Tsk! Can't you think before you act?!" I slapped her hand away and spoke in a lecturing tone.
She had always been intensely curious about sexual matters, but it was strictly limited to curiosity. Back when I was a boy, she had dared to ask me about male anatomy.
However, after we became boyfriend and girlfriend, I realized she was all talk and just a bit of a pervert. It was a time of budding hormones, but in reality, nothing happened. We never did anything we weren't supposed to.
In fact, our relationship might have just been her way of competing with other students, believing the nonsense that school life isn't complete without a romance.
"Don't be mean to me." Yao Beijuan didn't care at all, her gaze even drifting downward. "I'm just curious. Xiao Han, do you have to squat to use the bathroom now? Are you used to it?"
"You don't need to worry about that."
"And you're wearing a leg ring."
"This is storage equipment."
"So, do you like boys now, or girls?"
"My sexual orientation hasn't changed, okay?"
"Then you're a Yuri! I remember you seemed to like Yuri manga. Even though you never read it in front of me and always apologized for sneaking peeks, I caught you once!"
"So what?" I turned my face away. Why was this girl bringing up my embarrassing past?
"So, did you enter the Witch Academy on purpose? Just so you could experience it for yourself..."
"Stop right there!" I held up a hand to cut off her wild theories. I swore I had no such plan! I didn't even know I would turn into a girl before I entered the Witch Academy!
"Xiao Han, look, we never actually officially broke up. How about we try getting back together? As girl-girlfriends? I actually think our old way of getting along was pretty good."
"That won't be necessary. Yao Beijuan, what exactly did you come here for?" This time, I didn't mince words. I rejected her directly and got straight to the point. She must have had a reason for coming; it wouldn't be good to let this conversation wander any further.
"Oh. Actually, I was shocked when I saw you on stage and heard your name. Then my mentor insisted on bringing me here. That mentor of ours is so mean. Honestly, I kind of regret going to Afuhemi Academy. That old elf is so grumpy and loves to keep a constant eye on me. It's miserable."
As Yao Beijuan spoke, she seemed to relive the experience, her face twisting in disgust. She complained to me just like she used to.
She hated teachers, so she described every teacher who called her name as "grumpy."
"Just because of the name?" My brow furrowed. If I had known, I would have just changed my name!
"Yeah! I thought it wasn't you at first. I really didn't expect it! Xiao Han, come on, call me 'Big Sister'!" Yao Beijuan suddenly slammed a hand against the wall. I had been leaning against it, and her move effectively pinned me in a "kabedon."
She was quite tall to begin with, even by male standards. Now that she had become an elf, she was even more statuesque. Her pale gold hair was braided behind her, and her pointed ears seemed to quiver with excitement.
"No."
I crossed my arms, refusing to listen.
"Eh...?"
Yao Beijuan dragged out the syllable, a mischievous glint in her eyes. When she made that face, it meant she was plotting something.
"What if I tell everyone that you used to be a boy?"
"...Go ahead."
I was silent for a moment before responding in a cold tone. It was just the truth. What was the worst that could happen?
"Huh? Are you actually mad? Don't be mad, I was just joking." Yao Beijuan immediately backed down, sensing the change in my tone.
Having been my deskmate for so long, she knew what I was like when I was angry. I didn't get hysterical; I had never shown such an ugly side of myself in public. I usually just wrote my feelings in a diary, knowing I would eventually forget them.
Just like now—I had long since deleted the diary on my old phone, and I couldn't even remember the specifics of what I’d written.
"I don't think we have anything left to talk about. Sigh... I'm going back." I pulled out my phone and took a deep breath. Pulling out a phone was a universal signal that the conversation was over.
What I really wanted to do was call for backup—specifically, Sister Bai. I really didn't want to stay here with Yao Beijuan any longer. Even though we didn't have any real conflict and our breakup had been peaceful, we had both clearly felt that it was the end for us.
It was only a cruel twist of fate that brought us together here.
"Hey! Wait! We finally met, shouldn't we talk more? Why are you still so quiet, just like before?"
"I just haven't changed."
I leaned my head back against the smooth wall, letting the cool surface chill my skin and brain, bringing me a sliver of calm.
"Who says you haven't changed? You've changed quite a lot."
"Heh. You haven't changed either. Still speaking without thinking."
"Who are you calling brainless! Are you going to say I'm 'all chest and no brains' next? Don't you worry! You'll definitely be an 'all chest and no brains' girl too. Once you've finished developing, I'll come back to mock you!"
"Heh... I'll take that as a blessing."
I shook my head. Yao Beijuan really had a way with words. The atmosphere had been stiff a moment ago, yet she’d broken it. I couldn't tell if she had high emotional intelligence or was just incredibly blunt.
I had indeed called her "all chest and no brains" before. She had hit puberty early and was more "developed" than other girls, which made her stand out. But that was the extent of it.
Thinking back to our school days, she had done plenty of ridiculous things, perhaps to get attention. She was quite rowdy when teachers weren't around and had even brought... "adult" items to school once.
But it didn't go beyond that. Even when she brought them, she just filled them with water to play with. She simply enjoyed the thrill and the misunderstood looks from others.
Of course, she hadn't spared me. I still remembered the elastic sensation of a water-filled "balloon" being pressed into my hand.
As she had said back then, it felt good and was a great stress reliever. It really was—until her fingernail accidentally popped it, and the resulting splash soaked her pant legs.
It was such an absurd event that I remembered it clearly, mostly because I had been splashed too.
"A blessing? You're actually looking forward to it? I knew it—I wasn't wrong about you. You were always cut out to be a girl. Looking at you now, I know I was right~"
Yao Beijuan looked me up and down, as if admiring a work of art or perhaps thinking of new ways to tease me.
"By the way, Xiao Han, tell me secretly... which feels better, being a boy or being a girl?"
"What kind of question is that?" My expression immediately soured. It was a weird question, and she definitely wasn't just asking which I preferred.
"Eh? You haven't tried it yet? I'm telling you, now that you're a girl, shouldn't you get to know yourself first?"
"Oh, I've 'gotten to know' myself. I'm well aware of the common knowledge of being a girl. You don't need to worry."
"Ugh! That's not what I meant!" Yao Beijuan was clearly annoyed by my evasive answer.
"I know exactly what you meant, but I'm not telling you."
"You, you, you! You're infuriating! I was thinking that if you were honest, I wouldn't mind teaching you some 'hand techniques' that girls like."
"No thanks. You can keep those 'traditional techniques' to yourself. I'm not interested. I intend to be a pure person—no, a pure witch."
"You? I don't believe it!"
But as she said that, the sound of crisp, hurried footsteps echoed through the empty corridor.
Using my Spirit Vision, I saw that the newcomer was Sister Bai. I smiled slightly. My rescue had finally arrived!
"Alright, let's drop the subject. Someone's coming," I said, stepping forward a few paces. At the corner, I finally saw Sister Bai's figure.
"Sister Bai! What are you doing here?" I called out the moment I saw her.
"Hm? Xiao Han... you... Oh, I have some business here. You two are..."
When Bai Yu saw me, she almost reflexively asked, "Didn't you send me your location and tell me to come?" But seeing the other figure, she quickly changed her tune.
"Oh, we were just chatting. This is Yao Beijuan, a freshman from Afuhemi Academy here for the exchange." I emphasized her name slightly. After all, I had mentioned the name to Sister Bai before, though they had never met.
"Oh, Yao Beijuan... Nice to meet you. I am Bai Yu, Xiao Han's older sister. I didn't expect to meet you here like this," Bai Yu said to Yao Beijuan with a smile.
She knew who Yao Beijuan was, of course. Xiao Han's girlfriend—no, ex-girlfriend. That was an important distinction.
She hadn't expected to run into her here. It seemed she had tracked Xiao Han down? Afuhemi Academy had only just arrived; how had she found her so quickly?
"Uh... Hello, Senior Bai." Yao Beijuan's composure faltered upon seeing Bai Yu. The relaxed atmosphere from before was completely shattered by her presence.
In particular, when her eyes swept over Bai Yu's "assets," she knew she had lost. But she quickly recovered. She had never heard Xiao Han mention having a sister—at most, he’d mentioned a younger brother.
"Um, you said you were Xiao Han's... sister?"
"Yes. Is there a problem?"
"No... nothing. Um..."
"Is there something else? When I was coming over, I saw an elf. I assume she's your mentor? She seemed to be waiting for you," Bai Yu said with a smile.
"Is that so? Then I'll be going. I shouldn't keep her waiting." Yao Beijuan took one last look at Bai Yu before turning to leave.
It seemed Sister Bai's aura was quite powerful. Yao Beijuan clearly didn't like that mentor—she had just been complaining about her to me. That excuse was obviously just for Sister Bai's benefit.
Once Yao Beijuan was gone, Bai Yu turned to me.
"What? Couldn't handle your ex-girlfriend?"
"Ugh... yeah."
"Aren't you two broken up?" Bai Yu asked, seemingly casually.
"Yeah. I know it, and she knows it. She was just surprised to see me here. I'm glad you came when you did, Sister Bai. I'm really not good at dealing with people who talk that much."
"It's fine. I'll help you. If anything happens in the future, just contact me like you did today." Bai Yu smiled and pulled me into a side-hug, her other hand patting my head comfortingly.
"I know~ But Sister Bai, stop patting my head like I'm a child!"