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Translator's note: Ji Jiang literally means "Ji Mom" in Chinese. In Chinese universities, advisors are basically the campus mom. They're in charge of everything of the students.
E/N: It’s weird to have a slice of life genre for almost a hundred chapters and then BAM! Plot. I am interested in Ji Jiang though, and what this script they talked about.
“Yuehan, you got the class assignment notification, right? Do you know which section you’re in?”
“Let me check,” I said, pulling out my phone to double-check the alert. “Section 14. Do you know where that is, Bai Yu?”
“No clue,” she said, shaking her head. “But at the Witch School, 'sections' aren't really about a specific classroom. It’s more about your cohort. You just follow your syllabus to different halls for lectures, and sometimes you’ll be crammed into those massive audit classes with five other sections.”
“Oh, got it.”
I nodded. So, it was basically like college back home. I’d expected a "School of Transcendence" to have some mystical, unconventional teaching method, but apparently, even magic involves sitting through lectures.
“Did you see who your advisor is?” Bai Yu asked, her tone shifting to something more serious. “They’ll be your primary contact until you graduate—or finish your term.”
(TR's note: POV changing)
Bai Yu knew plenty of the Transcendence instructors. She was clearly hoping it was someone she could pull strings with—someone she could influence to look out for Yuehan. Or, more accurately, someone she could convince not to use Yuehan as "cannon fodder."
Calling it "fodder" might sound dramatic, but in this world, being a catalyst for the "Story" didn't always mean you died; it just meant you were a tool for the plot. Sure, there might be rare rewards, but the risks were usually catastrophic. It wasn't a gamble Bai Yu wanted Yuehan to take.
(TR's note: POV changing back)
“I didn’t catch the name. Hold on.” I pulled up the Academy bulletin again.
I scrolled to the bottom of the assignment list. Most advisors seemed to be juggling five or six sections at once. But when I found Section 14, I blinked. My advisor was listed as someone named Ji Niang. And weirdly enough, Section 14 was her only class.
Talk about a lopsided workload.
“My advisor is someone named Ji Niang,” I said, looking up. “Know her?”
Bai Yu’s face went pale.
Before Bai Yu could even open her mouth, a strange voice cut into our conversation, “I thought I heard someone whispering my name. And look at that—it’s my lovely new student!”
Bai Yu’s instincts kicked in instantly; she stepped in front of me, shielding me like I was in the line of fire. I stood there, totally bewildered.
The woman who had spoken looked like a much more... mature version of Bai Yu. If I’d heard her correctly, she’d just claimed me as her student. Which meant she was... Ji Niang?
Wow... she’s... gifted, I thought, my eyes widening. I couldn't help but swallow hard.
“Honestly, Bai Yu, you’re hurting my feelings,” the woman said. The way she spoke suggested they weren't exactly strangers.
This didn't look good. Usually, when your best friend and your new teacher have "history," it ends with you getting extra homework, or worse.
“What are you doing as an advisor?” Bai Yu’s voice was ice-cold. “I thought you were just a guest lecturer.”
I couldn't blame Bai Yu for the attitude. This "Ji Niang" was the same Transcendence Witch who had cornered her earlier to cryptically talk about "The Script." Bai Yu had looked into her afterward, and while the woman wasn't exactly an enemy, she was a total wildcard.
And in this world, "wildcard" was just another word for "dangerous." Having her as my advisor was the last thing Bai Yu wanted. It was obvious this woman had some kind of specialized interest in me.
“Call it a whim,” Ji Niang said, offering a breezy, dismissive wave. “Relax. I’ll take excellent care of her. Now then... Yang Yuehan? Don't tell me you've forgotten me already?”
“Wait, me?”
I peeked out from behind Bai Yu’s shoulder. I’d been so distracted by the... uh... obvious visual highlights of her appearance that I hadn't really looked at her face. Up close, she actually seemed quite friendly.
Though, honestly, I would have preferred it if she hadn't addressed me directly.
“Don’t recognize me? Does my voice really not ring a bell?” Ji Niang led me on with a playful smile, her tone like a cat batting at a ball of yarn.
Now that she mentioned it, her voice did strike a chord deep in my memory. I just couldn't quite place the face.
“‘Congrats on making the right call! Welcome to Witch School!.’ Does that refresh your memory?” she continued, her eyes twinkling.
“Wait… oh! Oh! It’s you!” I froze for a split second before it hit me like a freight train.
That voice—it was the same one from that recruitment call! The one who had practically fast-talked me into enrolling here in the first place.
I stared at her, my jaw practically hitting the floor. The mastermind behind my current life was standing right in front of me.
“There she is,” Ji Niang said, clearly enjoying my internal meltdown. “Let’s do this properly, then. I’m Ji Niang. I’ll be your advisor for the next ten years—your personal 911 for anything you need. If you hit a snag or just need to vent, I'm your girl. Now, let’s swap contact info.”
She whipped out her phone with practiced ease.
“Oh… right. Of course. I look forward to working with you, Ma'am,” I stammered, scrambling for my own phone. This woman held the keys to my academic future for the next decade; the last thing I wanted was to be on her bad side.
“Don’t you worry,” Ji Niang said, casting a sideways glance at the silent, brooding Bai Yu. “For Bai Yu’s sake, if nothing else, I’ll be giving you my undivided attention.”
She added me back instantly. Bai Yu didn't try to stop her. She knew as well as I did that in this academy, advisors’ word was law. No matter how much she wanted to shield me, she was still just a student. She couldn't veto an advisor’s appointment.
“Anyway, since I ran into you first, let’s kill two birds with one stone. Section 14 is the only cohort I’m overseeing this year. Yuehan, how would you like to be the Class President?”
“Me? President?” I was blindsided. I’d never been a leader in my life. Being handed a title like that on day one felt like a recipe for disaster. “Are you sure about that?”
“Have some confidence, darling. You were the first in your section to arrive, and you’ve adjusted faster than anyone. Besides…” She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a confidential hum. “You’ve already mastered the basics of Witch Meditation. That alone makes you the most qualified person for the job.”
“Wait… you know about that?” I instinctively looked at Bai Yu. Did she tell?
“Relax. Every advisor has the clearance to check their students' files. I saw the 'In Progress' flag on your meditation training turn green on my dashboard. Your little friend didn't say a word.”
“Oh. Right. I see.” I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. I felt a wave of relief that Bai Yu hadn't betrayed my confidence, even if it wasn't exactly a world-ending secret.
But then, the realization hit me. A cold, prickly sensation crawled up my spine.
Bai Yu’s earlier warning echoed in my head: The teachers can see your information.
If she could see my meditation progress… then what about my Talents?
What about [Transcendent Knowledge]?
Was I standing here completely exposed?