Several days had passed since the incident north of the city.
The Academy’s Security Department had sent many people to handle the matter.
The disturbance was significant, but in the end, it died down without a sound.
Everything seemed to have returned to its former stability and harmony.
If Su Li hadn’t personally experienced that incident, he might have forgotten about it quickly.
Alice and he maintained an unspoken understanding—they told no one, not even Cheng Yehai, about what happened that day, except for the teacher.
Looking up at the sky, the sunlight was warm, the sky a clear, bright blue.
It seemed like the kind of weather for a wonderful encounter.
But Su Li still felt uneasy.
He kept thinking about the past, about a girl with gray hair who always stayed by his side.
Sometimes they laughed together, sometimes she comforted him.
Often, they would sit together, looking at mountains, water, the sky—so many things—and finally say they would never be apart.
He wouldn’t forget, not ever.
But Su Li tried not to think about it.
She was someone who had nothing to do with him.
Like a photograph—just put it in a frame, don’t look at it, don’t think about it.
“Brother Su, we need to pick up the amulet today. Don’t forget.”
Cheng Yehai reminded him from beside.
Su Li snapped back to the present, suppressing the emotions in his heart, and quietly hummed in acknowledgment.
Basically all new students received amulets issued by the Academy.
If they had good talent, they could even get multiple engraved items.
Of course, this was a privilege for the talented.
Su Li clearly wasn’t included.
Soon, Su Li arrived at the Academy’s supply distribution center and received an amulet.
The amulet was round overall, with the Enlightenment Academy emblem on the front—engraved with three elements: sun, moon, and stars, with the crescent moon as the largest pattern.
On the back was a complex design engraved with silver lines.
Su Li could feel the magic power surging within it, so this must definitely be the [Guardian] engraving.
Su Li put it in his pocket and was about to leave when he heard:
“This student, wait a moment.”
Su Li’s footsteps stopped.
He turned toward the source of the voice.
It was a male student with gold-rimmed glasses and neatly combed hair.
He wore the Academy uniform, and a perfectly appropriate smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
“You’re Su Li, right?”
Su Li didn’t answer immediately.
He just felt that the person in front of him was smiling, but his eyes seemed to emit a cold light, making him very uncomfortable.
“Who are you, and what do you want?”
Su Li suppressed the discomfort in his heart and responded with a nod.
“Let me introduce myself. I’m Yang Zhihe, you could consider me your senior.”
The other pushed up his glasses and smiled.
“I heard there’s a student this year with a supernatural ability that prevents detection of his level. I’m quite interested, so I came to find you.”
“And? What specifically do you want?”
Su Li’s tone turned cold.
“No other meaning. I just wanted to get to know you. Of course, if you ever need any help—since I’m your senior—I’ll definitely lend a hand.”
Yang Zhihe smiled, his tone sincere and thoughtful, perfectly playing the role of a helpful senior looking after his junior.
“No need to trouble yourself, Senior.”
Su Li’s expression was indifferent, neither servile nor arrogant.
“I simply think that a special new student like you…”
Yang Zhihe kept rambling, but Su Li had already stopped listening.
‘The world hustles and bustles for profit,’ he thought.
Although he didn’t understand the real purpose of the person in front of him, it definitely wasn’t as nice as his words made it sound.
Su Li had no interest in the conversation.
He shifted his gaze to the surroundings.
The crowd came and went in a flurry.
But among the people, he caught a familiar color.
Like snow, but darker than pure white snow.
Like silver, but without the smooth metallic reflection.
It was a quiet, clean color.
Whose color was that?
No need to think.
Su Li immediately acted.
Ignoring the senior who kept chattering in front of him, he simply said:
“Sorry, I have something to do.”
Then, he hurriedly sidestepped Yang Zhihe and walked toward the person with that gray-white hair he had just seen.
Su Li quickly walked through the noisy crowd, step by step, going against the flow.
After walking a distance, the crowd thinned out.
Finally, in a remote corner, he saw that person’s back.
His intuition told Su Li that it was her.
But he didn’t speak immediately.
He was wondering why You Xue had come to the Academy.
To find him?
Su Li wanted to imagine that, but he knew it was impossible.
And if she could enter the Academy, it meant she was permitted for some reason.
But why?
He wanted to know, yet he didn’t know how to ask.
Su Li felt a little angry.
At himself.
He had clearly said they should cut ties, yet he couldn’t help but get entangled.
‘I shouldn’t be doing this,’ he thought.
Bitter memories flooded Su Li’s heart.
He stood four or five steps away, unwilling to take even half a step closer.
A little disappointed.
A little angry.
At You Xue, at himself.
Both.
‘Forget it,’ he thought, retreating in his heart.
Su Li prepared to turn back when he heard:
“Su Li.”
The somewhat petite figure turned around.
Her soft hair swayed at her shoulders, and her light blue pupils appeared before Su Li again.
But only one.
The other eye was covered by a white eye patch.
Su Li opened his mouth.
There were too many things he wanted to say to her—some gentle, some carrying resentment.
But in the end, he asked:
“What happened to your eye? Why are you wearing an eye patch? Are you sick?”
Su Li looked at that single remaining clear blue eye, which no longer seemed as cold as before.
You Xue tilted her head slightly, lowering her eyelids.
“It’s nothing. Just a bit of inflammation. It’ll be fine in a while.”
“Then you…”
Su Li wanted to ask why she was here, but before he finished, You Xue interrupted:
“I’m not here to find you. I’m here to deliver amulets. The amulets the Academy ordered were made at our place.”
“Your place?”
Su Li found it hard to imagine how powerful the organization behind her was.
The thought made him feel a little deflated.
Because it seemed like he could never reach that level.
The way he had been treated seemed almost deserved.
Everything he had done in the past was like a sandcastle on the beach—when the tide came, it all washed away.
“I’m sorry.”
He heard her gentle voice and froze on the spot.
The wind passed between them, ruffling her gray-white hair.
Su Li was stunned.
He had never expected You Xue to suddenly apologize to him.
“Although I don’t think I made the wrong choice, if I made you feel sad, I’m sorry.”
You Xue took something out of her pocket.
It was a bracelet—a thin chain with a delicate silver luster, strung with tiny beads, and a small, round pendant hanging from it.
The pendant was light blue, with no sharp edges, only soft curves.
She held it out to Su Li.
“This is for you.”
Su Li didn’t take it.
He only asked:
“Why?”
“I just don’t want to owe you anything.”
You Xue turned her head away.
Su Li couldn’t see the emotion in her eyes.
“If you don’t want it, then forget it.”
Her tone was light, but not as cold and hard as before.
“… I didn’t say I didn’t want it.”
Su Li instinctively grasped her wrist and took the bracelet from her hand.
He could feel the magic power of the engraving within it.
This was clearly an engraved item.
After doing this, You Xue stepped back, reopening the distance between them.
“I’m leaving.”
Seeing her about to go, Su Li hesitantly asked:
“Your eye… is it really okay?”
You Xue touched her earlobe.
“Yeah.”
She responded softly, then turned around.
“Don’t misunderstand. I just happened to come by. Consider everything settled. Don’t have any illusions, and don’t come looking for me from now on.”
With that, You Xue took a step forward and gradually walked away.
Su Li wanted to stop her, but he couldn’t find a reason convincing enough to himself.
He stroked the silver bracelet in his hand.
It emanated a faint coolness, yet seemed to retain a trace of warmth.