Volume Three: The Academy's Complete Rampage - A Different Morning

In World's Little Corner, on the second floor of a bedroom, the bright moon gently spreads out the white bedding.

"La la~ Hmph hmph hmph~ La la~ Sleeping with Xiao Ye ~~ La la la la~~"

Haoyue hummed an off-key song, her face slightly flushed. Although her bed-making skills were clumsy, they revealed her meticulousness, just like a newlywed woman who wanted to make her husband happy.

To be honest, Haoyue felt uneasy while taking a bath.

If she takes one wrong step, her beloved will never come back—she was prepared for that.

What will happen in the future?

Nobody knows about this.

So, thinking that "if I don't kiss him now, I might never have the chance to kiss him again," she impulsively kissed Ye.

However, she calmed down after the kiss.

Why insist on thinking the worst? The right thing to do is to cherish every moment you spend with her.

The task assignments are as follows: Xiao, who is good at dealing with children, is to go and check on the girls who were sent away; Xiao Wu, who is familiar with the geography of the Central United Academy, and Givinia, who is good at searching, are responsible for finding the "Sixth District" where the Serpent's Egg is hidden; and Haoyue, who likes Ye the most, is responsible for the most dangerous task—monitoring her daily life in case anything changes.

Although it was theoretically the most dangerous mission, Haoyue thoroughly enjoyed it.

"Risk and reward go hand in hand, that's so true, otherwise I wouldn't have had the chance to have some alone time with Xiao Ye ~❤"

After holding back for so long, I finally have the chance to do some shameless things in bed with my loved one!

"Hum la la la la la~~ la la la~~~~"

Haoyue's movements became increasingly light and quick. After laying out the bedding, she quickly rummaged through her suitcase and pulled out a piece of cloth adorned with lace and ribbons, holding it up to herself and gesturing back and forth.

"Wow, this is sexy lingerie... It's the first time I've ever worn it."

Haoyue grew increasingly excited, unsure whether her carefully chosen, daring outfit would win Xiao Ye's favor.

Not only do you have to wear the most provocative clothes, but you also have to burn the best incense and set up the lighting... It's a pity there's no phonograph or other music player here, otherwise we could play some music to liven things up.

Should she put on some more makeup? Haoyue looked at the small makeup box in her hand, a little lost. She had always been a "no-makeup" person—to put it bluntly, she knew absolutely nothing about makeup. No matter how much she practiced, she would only end up looking like a ghost. But if she could successfully apply some light makeup, the effect would definitely be better...

Tap... tap...

The sound of someone coming upstairs could be heard.

"Huh? Xiao Ye has already finished washing?"

Oh no! This is bad! I was planning to give her a big surprise! If she comes early, it'll all be ruined!

This could very well be a memorable first night!

Haoyue hurriedly threw away her makeup box, straightened her sexy lingerie, tossed two large cushions onto the bed, and called out, "Hey, Xiao Ye, can you wait a bit before coming up? Please—"

Light the incense as quickly as possible, then adjust the lights one last time—it's almost done!

Click.

Behind me, I heard the sound of a door opening.

It was too late! Haoyue was filled with regret.

"Really, Xiao Ye! Didn't I tell you to wait a moment... Xiao Ye?"

Last time it was dusk, this time it's night.

The sky overhead was starless, and the pale yellow moon was half-hidden by clouds.

The old-fashioned streetlights stood quietly by the roadside, their rusty lampshades contrasting with the newly replaced energy-saving bulbs, creating an inexplicable sense of incongruity.

The faint moonlight, almost imperceptible, mingled with the stark white streetlights, illuminating the park at night.

Ornamental shrubs that are not properly pruned are growing haphazardly.

Half of the fallen flowers in the flower bed have dissolved into the soil.

The chirping of crickets came from the grass beside the path.

Gray moths were perched on the lamppost.

A gentle evening breeze rustled through the old artificial hill in the center.

It was around 8 or 9 pm, and this is what the park in the neighborhood looked like.

In the somewhat desolate scene, only the elderly people sitting in the shade not far away occasionally move.

A sound drifted from afar—the sound of traditional opera, slightly distorted, like the kind of music played on the radios that old people often carry when they go for walks. Although I couldn't understand it, it evoked a strange sense of familiarity.

She shyly stepped out, head bowed... You ask her why she rode her horse in the desolate countryside...

I turned my gaze to the elderly people in the distance, and sure enough, I could vaguely see several small radios placed next to the benches where they were resting, from which the sound of opera was coming.

However, I couldn't see the faces of those old people clearly. Their faces were hidden in the shadows, hazy and indistinct.

Good evening, it's nice to see you again.

Yes, it's better not to see them at all.

"This is a famous excerpt from Henan Opera, from the Qing Dynasty master Li Shisan's 'The Match of Spring and Autumn'. You can listen to it a hundred times and never get tired of it, can't you?"

My grandpa used to play those when I was little, but I haven't heard them in a long time. There were also songs like "Blooming Flowers in Full Bloom"...

"That's from 'The Peony Pavilion,' which belongs to Kunqu Opera."

It doesn't matter which school of thought... I don't understand it anyway.

"That would be a bit of a pity. Both opera and poetry are things worth appreciating."

A world cultural treasure, right? Forgive my lack of cultural knowledge.

"Opera and poetry are folk arts. Elevating them to the status of 'cultural treasures' will only make people keep their distance from them. The moment art becomes distant from the people, it loses its meaning."

That sounds profound, but even if you put it that way, I don't really get it.

How are you doing in the new world?

You've already asked this question, haven't you?

Even if you ask the same question to the same person, you will get different answers at different times and in different situations.

As usual, there were some gains and some hardships, but today... something feels a little strange.

"What exactly is strange about it?"

If I had to put it in a way... it would be... a rift?

"There are always barriers between individuals; as the saying goes, you can't see into someone's heart."

But this is different; to call it a barrier would be too thick a description.

"In that case, let's just wait and see. Time will solve everything."

That's easier said than done.

The world is not complicated.

That said, who exactly are you?

"Me? Generally speaking, my name is --"

"--!"

I suddenly opened my eyes.

What came into view was a bare ceiling.

"Hmm..."

I rubbed my eyes and sat up.

I have a vague sense of fatigue.

And, I think I had another dream... What did I dream about?

I closed my eyes again and tried to recall, but I couldn't remember anything; my mind was completely blank.

I keep having these dreams about things that are both important and trivial, which is quite contradictory.

Moreover, it seems that he woke up at a crucial point.

No memories remain, only feelings.

The feeling of "leisurely taking a stroll downstairs after dinner and listening to a play" lingers in my heart.

It brings a sense of peace, yet also a subtle unease.

But... oh well, why bother taking a dream you can't even remember seriously?

I smoothed my messy hair and sat up.

"Huh?"

That's when I realized that the place I was sleeping in was a bit unusual.

"... Sofa? This is... the living room?"

Indeed, beneath me lies the old sofa in the living room, a place that Xiao Wu usually loves to hang out in, and the place I'm in is the most spacious room in this World's Little Corner —the living room.

Wait a minute, I remember I went upstairs to my bedroom to sleep after I took a shower yesterday, so why am I in the living room on the first floor?

Could it be that I've developed sleepwalking without even realizing it?

With a soft rustling sound, something large slid off me and fell to the ground. I looked closely and saw it was a clean, thin white blanket that had been covering me just seconds before.

So... when I sleepwalked, I was still carrying a blanket? I found my way downstairs, lay down on the sofa, covered myself with the blanket, and went back to sleep? Just imagining that scene is hilarious.

Speaking of which, where is Haoyue?

Knowing her personality, she would definitely have attacked me while I was asleep, but I don't seem to have any strange marks or liquids on me. Could it be that I escaped because I was sleepwalking?

Anyway, I thought I should go check on her...

At this time--

A door on the side suddenly opened; if I remember correctly, that was... the laundry room?

"Oh, Xiao Ye, you've finally gotten up?"

The girl who came out of there caught my eye.

She had a gentle smile on her face, her long, jet-black hair tied into a long ponytail that draped over her shoulders, and a white apron tied around her waist. Underneath the apron, instead of the usual cheongsam, she wore very simple long-sleeved trousers. What surprised me even more was that she was carrying a large bamboo basket filled with clothes and sheets, which seemed to have just been washed.

All of this combined makes Haoyue seem like a newlywed young woman who gets up early to do housework.

Having shed her usual captivating charm and adorable cunning, she now displays a rare, simple beauty that feels refreshing to me.

"Haoyue, what's wrong with you...?"

To be honest, after living under the same roof for a while, I'm becoming increasingly worried about Haoyue's housework skills. As far as I know, she has absolutely no talent for cooking, sewing, or cleaning, to the point of making me want to facepalm.

"Oh, Xiao Ye, even I do some housework. I admit I'm not very good at cooking, but I'm really good at washing clothes! Even I'll sometimes get up early to do some housework. How about it? Seeing someone in such a domestic role, aren't you tempted?"

"Having a crush... nothing compares to Xiao Wu."

"Tch-- Xiao Ye, you bad guy, are you deliberately trying to make him jealous?"

That's true, isn't it? To be honest, as time has gone by, Xiao Wu has long become the epitome of a virtuous wife and loving mother in my mind. She's capable of everything from cooking to housework. Ah, I really want to marry her! I'd even be happy to marry her!

"I'm sorry I made you jealous... How's breakfast? Did Xiao Wu make it?"

"Xiao Wu went out on business."

"The Scavengers's job?"

"That's right~ so let's make breakfast!"

"To be precise, I'll do it; with your cooking skills..."

"Don't worry about it!"

With a bright smile, she put down the clothes, took my hand, and led me to the kitchen.

Then, it took a spectacular fall.

"Hao... Haoyue!?"

Is she deliberately trying to be cute? I was unsure whether I should help her up.

"Phew... it's okay, I'm fine..."

Haoyue immediately got up and dusted off her knees.

"Um... really, I guess I slept in the wrong position and my legs went numb. Sorry for making you laugh, Xiao Ye ~"

The words had barely left his mouth—bang!

He lost his balance and crashed into the wall again.

"Haoyue? Are you really alright? Are you feeling unwell?"

Am I seeing things? Just now, when she bumped into the wall, her steps seemed a little... unsteady?

"..."

This time, she bent slightly, leaning against the wall, without uttering a word.

Her long hair obscured her face, so I couldn't see her expression.

After a long silence, she finally spoke.

"It's okay, Xiao Ye, I'm really... okay."

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There was a typo in the previous chapter; I typed "make love" instead of "favorite," which was just...