The False Smile

After saving on military spending, the welfare of the Nation of Beauty people has actually improved significantly, and their living environment has also been greatly improved. Despite having only a second-rate overall national strength, the quality of life of the people is no less than that of the Su State. They define themselves as fashionable, travel-oriented, and adventurous, somewhat similar to the Nordic countries of the 21st century, but their social security is much inferior.

Fashion and tourism go without saying; art is at the forefront of fashion and also one of the best tourist attractions. As for adventure, it refers to the Hide-and-Seek Forest of the southern Nation of Beauty, inhabited by many Demon Beasts that attract bounty hunters from all walks of life who hunt these Demon Beasts for rewards.

The depths of the Hide-and-Seek Forest are shrouded in mist; once you enter, you can't come out. However, the edges are safe. The seemingly dangerous Demon Beast have contributed to the local economy. After all, fighting against monster tides is too unrealistic for private individuals; that's a task only the military can accomplish. They can only hunt scattered, lone Demon Beast. Therefore, along the edge of the Hide-and-Seek Forest, many service buildings such as inns, guild halls, and intelligence stations have been built.

Si Ming and Si Huaruo traveled together by boat. Along the way, they saw many down-on-their-luck painters and wandering Music School, dressed in shabby clothes that hadn't been washed for who knows how many days, looking like beggars, peddling their talents on the street, hoping to meet their patron.

On the other hand, he also met great artists, who were surrounded by a large entourage and had their names shouted by countless fans when they appeared. Their treatment was no less than that of idol stars, and perhaps even more so.

Art, if it gains recognition from others, can easily fetch millions for a single performance and tens of millions for a single painting. Conversely, if it doesn't gain recognition, it's worthless and nobody would want it even if it were given away for free.

This has led to a huge wealth gap in the Nation of Beauty. People at the bottom of society don't think about changing their lives through work; instead, they dream of becoming artists to change their fate and soar to the top. However, the art world is usually the exclusive domain of the upper class, and it is extremely difficult for ordinary people without connections to get in. Talent, luck, and emotional intelligence are all indispensable.

This creates a strange phenomenon: a country with top-notch social welfare has the world's largest number of homeless people.

The various contradictions and incomprehensible details broadened Si Ming's horizons and increased his understanding of the country.

About an hour later, the two finally arrived at the Emperor Peak Luofu Academy.

Chapter 284 A False Smile

As a prestigious girls' school, many people, including Si Ming, thought that studying at the Emperor Peak Luofu Academy meant spending their days drinking tea, eating snacks, chatting, showing off their latest designer purchases, and occasionally holding tea parties. They believed that studying wasn't important; what mattered was building connections.

However, once he entered the school, he discovered that it wasn't like that at all.

As a former top student, Si Ming possessed a natural learning radar. The moment he stepped into the campus, he could feel the intense academic atmosphere that enveloped the school, a Spartan-style atmosphere where every student who passed by wore a serious expression and hurried along, showing no sign of leisure.

Undoubtedly, Emperor Peak Luofu Academy practices holistic education, but this holistic education is quite different from the kind of holistic education that Si Jingyu Si Jingyu about, which lets the clansmen be free and choose whether to study or not. Rather, it is more accurate to say that what Si Jingyu is talking about is actually a laissez-faire education, and both holistic education and exam-oriented education can be laissez-faire.

If exam-oriented education makes you do twelve hours of test papers, then holistic education makes you learn ten hours of skills and expertise, and then do two hours of test papers.

Recruiting the most talented individuals, assigning the best teachers, and implementing the strictest educational management—this is the slogan used by the Emperor Peak Luofu Academy, and in fact, that's exactly what they do.

If you have a talent for painting, the school will arrange for a world-class Painting School to supervise you to paint for at least six hours every day. At the same time, you can't miss regular theory classes and physical education classes, pursuing all-round development in intelligence, physical fitness, and skills.

Since this world has Internal Cultivation, sleep time can be compressed to four hours. After deducting two hours for meals and washing up, and four hours for free time, the academy arranges fourteen hours of classes for students every day.

Many people assume that the upper-class aristocratic Aristocratic Clan, upon seeing this almost physically and mentally devastating educational approach, would feel sorry for their children and be reluctant to send them to school here, unwilling to let them spend a Wutian childhood. In fact, quite the opposite is true. They flock to the Emperor Peak Luofu Academy, going to great lengths to send their children there. However, in order to maintain its reputation, Emperor Peak Luofu Academy maintains strict admission standards, only accepting students with outstanding talents in a particular area.

As for aristocratic schools with a relaxed teaching style aimed at networking, they certainly exist, but Aristocratic Clan usually throw their children who have little talent and are not valued into them, leaving them to fend for themselves.

Moreover, in this country dominated by powerful Aristocratic Clan, on the one hand, they promote joyful learning and advocate for children to have a happy childhood, misleading ordinary people into giving their children a laissez-faire education. On the other hand, they subject their own children to high-pressure education, hiring famous teachers and arranging one tutoring class after another, with classes lasting from morning until late at night, so much so that the pressure causes their hairlines to recede.

After learning all this from Si Huaruo, Si Ming couldn't help but sigh, "No wonder they're both called 'Nation of Beauty,' they even use the same methods."

"Si Huaruo, is this your bodyguard?"

As they stepped into the school gate, the two were stopped by the gatekeeper. His powerful aura, sharp eyes, and agile movements all proved that this gatekeeper was also a master. Joining a chivalrous gang like Tiger and Wolf Death School would at least allow him to become a mid-level leader, but instead, he was serving as a mere gatekeeper here.

"Yes, it was assigned to me by my Lineage. Do I need to register?" Si Huaruo asked with a smile.

"Yes, according to school regulations, female guards are allowed to pass, while male guards must register and wear this tracking device. Although I think it's unnecessary, it's an order from above, and I have no choice. After all, this is my job, so please understand."

There was no need for such a long explanation, but seemingly infected by Si Huaruo's smile, the gatekeeper couldn't help but say a few more words, and then took out something that looked like a watch.

Despite his instinctive aversion to being monitored, Si Ming understood that the other person's caution was understandable, given that he was a member of the opposite sex entering the Lily Garden. So he didn't make things difficult and put on the watch tracking device.

"It's a rest day today, so not many people are coming to school."

After saying goodbye to the gatekeeper, Si Huaruo's smile disappeared, and her voice lost its warmth, sounding very flat, neither intimate nor distant, as if she were facing just an ordinary clansman.

Si Ming deeply understood this. After all, his body had been seen naked. Although it was all arranged by his mother, how many ordinary people could resist taking their anger out on him? This kind of behavior was already rare and commendable, and he couldn't ask for anything more.

"I think there are quite a lot of people. Is everyone so eager to learn?"

Although few students passed by on the road, it was because the area was sparsely populated. Emperor Peak Academy covered an area of three thousand acres, which would have been equivalent to a key university in Si Ming's previous life, but the number of students was only a little over a thousand. Judging from the proportion, at least one-third of the students came to the school.

"Because a new round of the Nine Arts Phoenix Fledgling Selection has begun, everyone is seizing the time and trying to achieve good results."

"So what's your goal? Is it dance?"

Si Ming had already learned from Si Shuiyun that the Nine Arts Phoenix Fledgling of dance was Si Jingyu, and he felt that with Si Huamu, she would probably encourage her daughter to challenge Si Jingyu.

However, after a brief silence, Si Huaruo said, "No, my goal is theater."

The further they went, the more students they encountered. Many of them would come up to greet Si Huaruo. Even though Water Mirror Manor had lost a Spirit Transformation Grandmaster, it was still considered one of the top Aristocratic Clan. Most people would come up to curry favor with her, not for their own sake, but for the sake of their Lineage.

Si Huaruo was not impatient. She replied to each question with standard etiquette, and her face returned to the same smile as before. It wasn't the kind of fake smile that looked insincere, but a smile full of warmth that instantly made people like her.

However, after turning a corner, leaving the crowd, and entering a flower-lined corridor, her smile vanished like ice thrown into a furnace. At this point, she wasn't exactly cold, but she was far from friendly either.

Si Ming watched silently from behind, showing no surprise or inquiry, appearing indifferent to his employer's situation, like a true professional bodyguard—the kind of guy who flirts with the person he's protecting is just there to pick up girls.

With a mother who thinks about revenge every day and is even willing to use her daughter as a bargaining chip, Si Huaruo's ability to not always wear a bitter and resentful face is already a testament to her cheerful nature. Moreover, according to the information Si Ming gathered from the maids at the Water Mirror Manor, Si Huaruo was ostracized by her peers when she was young because of her blonde hair, and few people were willing to be her friends. This situation only changed after she was admitted to the Emperor Peak Luofu Academy.

In the Sea Continent, blond hair and blue eyes are the characteristics of the Southern Barbarian Tribe. They eat raw meat and drink blood, are savage and ignorant, and there are even rumors that they have the habit of cannibalism. They occasionally appear in the Hide-and-Seek Forest, so some people speculate that the other side of the Hide-and-Seek Forest is actually a new continent, but the civilization is very backward.

Because of her blonde hair, Si Huaruo has been the subject of much gossip since she was a child. Rumors such as her mother having an affair with a member of the Southern Barbarian Tribe were quite popular in the Water Mirror Manor. After all, her mother was a loser in the struggle for power, so why not take advantage of her?

Si Ming naturally wouldn't care about such things. In his view, blond hair and blue eyes were just a genetic mutation. Sun Quan during the Three Kingdoms period was "blue-eyed." Although such things are rare, they do exist.

Rather, it's more surprising that the Si Clan, a prominent Aristocratic Clan that practices endogamy, hasn't produced a large number of deformed children. This is what's worth investigating. Si Ming has always suspected that the Si Clan's special bloodline has the effect of compensating for genetic defects, or that there's some special method to eliminate hereditary diseases.

"But she didn't put on a mask in front of me. Was it because I saw through her completely, and she simply gave up and couldn't be bothered to hide anymore? Or was she intentionally trying to go against her mother, so she showed me her hypocritical side to dispel my goodwill?"

Just as Si Ming was pondering this, Si Huaruo arrived in front of a large building that resembled an auditorium. Standing in front of the door, she immediately put on that impeccable smile and then knocked on the door.

"Coming, coming."