Keep a Low Profile? No Need

The next morning, the first rays of sunlight rose over Sea God Island, slipped through a gap in the curtains, and fell across Tang Wulin's eyes. The light was thin and pale gold, carrying the gentle warmth of mist heated over the lake. When he opened his eyes, it rested on his eyelids, warm enough that for a moment he could not tell which life he was in.

He still kept the habit from his previous life: waking before dawn. He lay in bed for another quarter of an hour, then sat up when the first footsteps sounded in the corridor. He put on his jacket, walked to the window, and drew the curtain halfway open.

Outside, Sea God Lake shimmered pale gold in the morning light. The wind pushed ripples slowly across its surface, sending them outward in rings before they gradually smoothed away. The outlines of distant buildings showed faintly through the mist. Farther still stood Shrek's main building, its gray-white stone walls cool-toned in the dawn.

"Another life, and the pressure's still huge." He stood at the window, reflecting on it. His hand rested on the frame, knuckles against the wood damp with morning dew. A faint chill rose through his fingertips.

As before, Wu Changkong told them the essential basics. The seats in the classroom were much roomier than those in East Sea. The desks were made of dark wood, their edges polished smooth, with a tiny Shrek emblem set into each corner. Sunlight entered from the side and cut a bright strip across the desktops.

Xie Xie sat beside Tang Wulin, his legs stretched out as he rubbed his soles back and forth against the floor. Gu Yue sat on Tang Wulin's other side, slowly turning the pages of a textbook she had just received.