Ch. 127 - The First Class Assembly (Part 1)

I silently scooted away from her on the couch. Was this girl’s brain actually functioning, or was it just static in there?

If her story was true, her life was a total train wreck. And the place she was describing sounded... well, less than reputable.

"Wait a second," I said, narrowing my eyes. "That place you were talking about... was it called Charm Alley?"

"Huh? You know about it, Yuehan?" Hong Chenyi blinked, then shook her head. "I mean, that’s just what some people call it. It has an official name, but who cares? The seniors there are so sweet, and the beds are incredibly soft. I absolutely loved it there!"

"Right..." I massaged my temples. She’d probably been scammed by some seniors and was still thanking them for the privilege. Either that, or she’d been brainwashed.

"But then, out of nowhere, the place got raided yesterday!" Hong Chenyi’s face fell, her voice rising in righteous indignation. "All these Seniors in uniforms swarmed the place and forced them to shut down. I had nowhere else to stay, so I remembered I actually had a room assignment and a keycard. That’s why I’m here."

"..."

I stood up without a word. Was there even one normal person in this dorm? I was seriously starting to question if living with these girls was worth my sanity.

"Wait! Yuehan, you’re leaving? I’m not finished!"

"It’s late, and I have a big day tomorrow," I said, making a break for it. "Don't stay up too late watching TV. I’m hitting the shower."

I needed an exit, and I needed it fast. I couldn't handle any more "enlightenment" from someone whose brain had clearly been fried by whatever they were teaching in Charm Alley.

How did someone this ditzy even get high enough test scores to get in here? Maybe she studied so hard her common sense just evaporated.

"Oh, right! The class assembly!" Hong Chenyi chirped. "Don't turn off the bathroom light when you're done, Yuehan! I'm up next!"

"Got it."

I retreated into my bedroom, gathered my things, and locked myself in the bathroom. After a long, steaming shower that managed to wash away some of the day's stress, I crawled into bed and passed out.

The next morning.

I took a little extra time with my appearance today. I still couldn't bring myself to use makeup—Bai Yu had bought me a whole kit, but it was just gathering dust.

Deep down, I was still stuck in a "guy" mindset: makeup was a hassle, and the trash can seemed like a better home for it than my face.

Besides, who needs foundation when you have Witchification? It’s basically the world's best skincare routine.

I went with an all-black outfit—a sharp jacket paired with a skirt that wasn't too short.

Looking in the mirror, the vibe wasn't "cutesy" or "frilly." It was cool, crisp, and effortless. It had a certain unisex edge that felt like me, while still maintaining that soft, feminine silhouette.

I pulled my hair back into a simple ponytail, and I was ready to go.

"Wait! Yuehan! Why are you up so early?" Hong Chenyi scrambled around the living room, frantically trying to get her life together. "Wait for me! We still have ages before the meeting starts!"

She looked terrified that I was going to leave her behind, practically begging me to stay.

"I’m the Class President," I reminded her, checking my watch. "If I’m not the first one there, it looks like I don't care about the job."

"Isn't the President supposed to make a grand entrance?" she grumbled. "The VIP always shows up last."

"That’s called being an arrogant jerk," I countered. I wasn't going for the "Ice Queen" vibe; I wanted to be approachable. I planned to build a solid rapport with everyone in the class.

I’d never managed a group of people before, let alone a hundred of them. But I figured if everyone liked me, they’d be more likely to listen to me. If things got messy later, I’d cross that bridge when I got to it. For now, it was all about maintaining the image.

After waiting for Hong Chenyi to finish fussing over her hair, we finally made it out the door and caught the shuttle to the academic building.

The shuttle was packed with girls, their faces bright with that unmistakable first-day-of-school energy.

It was easy to pick out the freshmen from the seniors. The new arrivals still had that naive, wide-eyed look, their bodies housing only a single Mana Core—not yet worn down by the "tough love" of the Academy.

Bai Yu hadn't been kidding; most of the freshman dorms were concentrated in this area. As we got closer to the academic hub, the crowd grew thicker.

I made a mental note to start leaving earlier from now on if I didn't want to be squashed like a sardine.

Luckily, every advisor sets their own schedule for these initial meetings.

I’d already checked with Dongli Yiren and the others; their classes weren't meeting yet, so I didn't have to worry about the shuttle lines getting even worse.

Next to me, Hong Chenyi was buzzing. She had gone all out with her outfit—it was flashy and, frankly, barely there. While it was "conservative" compared to the sheer outfits she’d described back at Charm Alley, you could still see the influence of that district's aesthetic. She wasn't leaving much to the imagination.

With her looks and that outfit, she was a literal magnet for every pair of eyes on the bus.

"Whoa, Yuehan! Look at all the new students!"

"Yeah, big day," I replied. "It’s officially day one. I wonder if there’s going to be a formal convocation or some kind of ceremony? I haven't seen a notification for one, so probably not."

"Really? No opening ceremony?" Hong Chenyi pouted. "That is so unprofessional. What kind of elite school doesn't have a grand opening?"

We kept up the idle chatter until the shuttle pulled up to the Central Teaching District.

The "campus" here was a massive sprawl of interconnected buildings. With thousands of students across multiple years, one or two halls weren't going to cut it.

"Yuehan... which one are we going to?"

Hong Chenyi looked at me with a blank, helpless expression. It was like the moment she followed me, she’d decided to turn her brain off and let me do all the heavy lifting.

"Just follow me," I sighed.

I checked the building numbers against the message Ji Niang had sent and led the way.

I didn't bother trying to memorize the route or the room number. This was just a temporary meeting spot, and since I’d already been granted a waiver for the foundation courses, it wasn't like I’d be spending much time here anyway.

After hiking up a few flights of stairs, we found the room. It was huge—easily big enough to seat a hundred people with room to spare. You could probably cram two full sections in here if you had to.

"Huh? This is it? Someone beat us here?" Hong Chenyi was as lively as ever, practically shouting the moment we crossed the threshold.

I followed her in and spotted a lone girl sitting in a far corner. She looked up as we entered, but the moment our eyes met, she shyly looked away, her face flushing slightly.

"Hey there," I said, putting on my best 'friendly leader' voice. "I'm Yang Yuehan, the Class President for Section 14. You're early!"

"Wait... the President?" The girl looked surprised, her eyes widening as she took me in. "Oh... um, hi. I'm Feng Yuzhen."

"Nice to meet you, Yuzhen. I'm looking forward to us all getting along," I said with a warm smile.

She seemed like the classic introvert—socially anxious and soft-spoken. In a way, she reminded me of how I used to be, but I was actively trying to shed that skin.

After the brief introduction, I made my way to the very front row and took a seat. As Class President, I knew Ji Niang would probably want me within arm's reach when she started the meeting. Sitting in the back would just make things awkward.

Translator's note: Now she has mentioned that... Yuehan did have changed a bit. She was so timid when she first arrived here, yet now she always took the initiative to greet people. How so?

Editor’s note: character development~ also kinda jealous. I’m a girl too, and I still think that make-up is a hassle to wear. Too many steps, it has to be natural, get the right colors, expensive. Real hassle.

Comments