Section 9: Dormmate? Yan Que Challenges!

"Good, very good. Since you've entered Heavenly Song Academy, just you wait! I'll make you pay the price for looking down on me, Ning Yiyi! You will regret this, truly regret this!!"

Watching Chu Yun's back gradually disappear, Ning Yiyi couldn't help but pant, her eyes seemingly spitting fire.

Wei Qie stood right beside Ning Yiyi. He gazed greedily at this flower of the academy, his eyes lingering on her rising and falling chest. Swallowing hard in secret, he actually felt a twinge of jealousy toward Chu Yun.

To be able to garner such attention from Miss Ning... if it were me, I'd die content! Sighing inwardly, Wei Qie's resentment toward Chu Yun grew even more intense.

He immediately expressed his adoration to Ning Yiyi, saying, "Yiyi, why get so angry? He's just a mere Chu Yun. A reckless brat who got lucky and stumbled into a title by pure chance. If he had seen you in person, he would have been tripping over himself to agree to anything. I, Wei Qie, am willing to solve this trouble for you!!"

Ning Yiyi glanced at him sideways. "What good ideas do you have?"

Struck by that coquettish glance, Wei Qie felt his heart flutter and his soul drift away. He blurted out, "Let's wait for a dark, quiet night, drag the brat out, and give him a good beating!"

"A beating? That's letting him off too easily; it wouldn't vent the anger in my heart!" Ning Yiyi snorted coldly, then turned her face toward the handsome young master beside her, a faint smile appearing. "Young Master Hua Ying, you are exceptionally clever. Do you have any good ideas?"

Hua Ying, who would later earn the title "Hundred Ingenious Schemes," was already showing his talent for strategy. He wore a luxurious pink floral robe, no less extravagant than Ning Yiyi's. His handsome face was pale, possessing a somewhat sickly, feminine beauty, and his peach-blossom eyes revealed a naturally flirtatious nature.

Swish. He snapped open the folding fan in his hand, which depicted a beauty chasing butterflies.

After fanning himself a few times, the scent from the fan wafted out. Hua Ying smiled slightly and said calmly, "There are plenty of ways, but it's tricky to find one that doesn't violate academy rules while still serving as a lesson to make that brat Chu Yun regret his actions."

"Could it be that even Young Master Hua is out of ideas?" Ning Yiyi rolled her eyes and sighed with feigned disappointment.

Provoked, Hua Ying immediately replied, "For me, Hua Ying, it's effortless. Ah, I have it. There is a plan right now. We can use the Student Council's authority to arrange Chu Yun's dormitory. We'll place him in the West Mountain dorms."

Wei Qie immediately began to mock him, never missing a chance to strike at a rival. "What kind of pathetic plan is that? Arranging a room—how is that supposed to teach him a lesson?"

Hua Ying glanced at Wei Qie with disdain and said slowly, "That is why true power lies in the brain, not the muscles. How could a muscle-head like you understand?"

"You!" Wei Qie was a large, burly man with thick, well-developed muscles. He was a bully who ran rampant in the academy. He glared fiercely, his fists clenched tight, as if he were about to smash them into Hua Ying's pretty face at any moment.

"Young Master Wei, calm down. Let Young Master Hua explain his reasoning," Ning Yiyi hurriedly mediated.

"Hmph! Let's see what you have to say for yourself!" Wei Qie grunted.

Hua Ying remained unruffled, shielding his chin with his fan. A cunning light flashed in his eyes as he whispered, "This is a strategy of borrowing a knife to kill! The dormitories at our Heavenly Song Academy are divided into East Mountain and West Mountain. The East Mountain dorms are for us children of noble clans, while the West Mountain is for commoner students. Historically, the nobles and commoners have been the two major factions among the students, and they have never gotten along. Chu Yun is the Young Island Master of the Shu Clan, a genuine noble, yet he will be living among the commoner faction. Heh heh, I wonder if there will be a good show to watch?"

"Brilliant!" A strange light flashed in Ning Yiyi's eyes. "Those commoner students really think that just because they were lucky enough to get into Heavenly Song Academy, they can compare to us nobles. How naive. Especially their leader, Yan Que—he actually thinks he's someone. Hmph, let them tear each other apart. I'll get to work on the arrangements."

The Student Council was an organization composed of a small number of outstanding and prestigious students who managed the daily lives of the entire student body at Heavenly Song Academy. They were responsible for the students' living arrangements and held significant real power.

Among them, Ning Yiyi, Hua Ying, Wei Qie, and Yan Que were all members of the Student Council. Arranging a dormitory for a new student was certainly not difficult.

"What? The dorms are double rooms?" Upon hearing this news, Jin Bihan's heart skipped a beat, and her already slightly improved mood immediately plummeted.

Thinking of how she was disguised as a man to deceive others, the prospect of spending the next two years of academy life sleeping in the same room as a male student made her want to die.

"No, this absolutely cannot happen. I'll go ask the Academy Master. He is a friend of my Imperial Father; he will surely help me with this."

Having made up her mind, Jin Bihan took a few steps before hesitating.

"A new student arriving on the first day and demanding a single room? Not only would it put the Academy Master in a difficult position, but such an action would also invite suspicion... I am here to study, not to enjoy myself. My Imperial Father is critically ill; should I really make such a fuss over these trivial details? Jin Bihan, oh Jin Bihan, you are no longer that princess waiting to be married, but an Imperial Daughter of the Dunhuang Kingdom!"

Encouraging herself, Jin Bihan gritted her teeth and, with a pale face, made her way to the assigned dormitory.

"How, how could it be you?!" Upon entering the room, Jin Bihan saw Chu Yun sitting cross-legged on the other bed with his eyes closed, practicing with his blade. She froze in place and gasped in shock.

"Oh? So my roommate is you." Chu Yun slowly opened his eyes. After a faint glance, he raised an eyebrow. "Is this really the attitude you show your savior?"

Before the Lower Gate Tower, Jin Bihan had actually gained some respect for Chu Yun. But now, she only felt a sense of irritation. Looking at this detestable guy who had stolen her first kiss and kept bringing up some "life-saving grace," her anger flared up.

She opened her mouth to speak, but at that moment, a steady male voice came from outside the door: "I have heard of the reputation of the 'Young Tiger.' I, Yan Que, have the audacity to come and seek some pointers. I hope the Young Island Master will not begrudge me his instruction."

"A challenge?" Jin Bihan was stunned, then began to laugh with malicious glee.

"Yan Que?" Chu Yun noted the name, a flash of surprise appearing in his eyes. He had originally intended to befriend this talent, but were they to cross blades upon their very first meeting?