Yu Zhi stood outside the art classroom for a moment, searching through the corners of her memory for the name before taking a deep breath and pushing open the door.
Seated before a canvas, a long-haired, beautiful female teacher was focused on painting something. Hearing the sudden noise behind her, she looked back with curiosity.
“Yu Zhi?” She recognized the student and her smile brightened with surprise. “What brings you here? Did your parent agree to your transfer?”
Parent.
This commonplace word made Yu Zhi momentarily dazed.
Past memories were stirred by the teacher’s words— memories deeply buried in the heart of the former “Yu Zhi,” a bitter chapter she did not wish to recall.
Yet this past, which had once caused her countless sleepless nights, now floated in her mind as plainly as daily routine, as if she were examining someone else’s memories.
“Teacher Wang.” Yu Zhi’s voice was calm and indifferent. “I came today to apologize. I won’t be transferring classes.”
Wang Shuyue was not surprised by Yu Zhi’s answer; in fact, she had anticipated it.
She sighed, her eyes drooping slightly with regret. “I see. Since you don’t plan on joining the Art Class, I won’t say more. Life’s path is yours to walk. Your academic grades are excellent—I believe you can get into a good school. But… your artistic talent is still a bit wasted.”
“I’m not transferring, but I will still take the Art Unified Exam and the School Exam,” Yu Zhi interrupted Wang Shuyue’s melancholy. The teacher was momentarily stunned before frowning. “Yu Zhi, this is not a joke. You know how packed the Liberal Arts Class schedule is. You still have the Final Exam this semester—you won’t have time to paint.”
“I’m not gambling with my future,” Yu Zhi said. “Actually, I came today hoping you could wait for me here at noon tomorrow. I have a painting to give you. After you see it, you can decide if my choice is appropriate. Is that okay?”
“…” Wang Shuyue quietly observed Yu Zhi. After a moment, she said suddenly, “You’ve changed a lot.”
Yu Zhi pressed her lips together, her smile restrained and serene, like a violet bud about to bloom.
……
The early autumn sunshine was pleasant, warm as if wrapped in a gentle embrace.
The last time she had walked under the sun so carefree was 450 years ago.
Yu Zhi’s steps were slow, steady yet light. Two completely different memories and personalities merged with each step, forming a new self.
Everything about Parnaki felt like a long dream. Now that the dream had ended, she had to abandon her past reserve and return fully to “reality.”
Seeking out her former art teacher was not about escaping the past’s shackles or resolutely walking the path of the Art College Entrance Examination.
The exam and entering her ideal university no longer mattered to her.
Painting had once been both a hobby and a spiritual refuge, a way to change her destiny.
She had argued with her parents many times for this dream, spending all her spare time working part-time jobs to save enough for art studio fees and university.
She had spent three hundred of the five hundred years in the other world painting. Painting had become as natural as breathing. Even if she could not match the top geniuses in talent, her skill was almost unparalleled in human history.
Now, all she needed was one opportunity— Teacher Wang had a collaborative art studio outside school with abundant resources and channels.
If she could gain her recognition, she could participate in large competitions through the studio and completely change her life.
Yu Zhi stopped walking, squinting and stretching lazily.
She had never imagined that shedding all burdens and strolling through the mortal world would feel so relaxed and pleasant.
“Hey, you look pretty happy.” A brazen female voice suddenly sounded by her ear.
Yu Zhi blinked, turning toward the voice—a girl wearing earrings, with large wavy curls and light makeup, chin raised arrogantly, looking down on her.
A very familiar face, seemingly a classmate from the first year, though the name had long slipped her mind.
For people unimportant to her, Yu Zhi never bothered to remember their names. She vaguely recalled this girl had targeted her in high school and once stole her wallet.
“Do you need something?” Yu Zhi turned around and stared quietly at her.
“Heh, not bad, your nerve has grown a lot.” The girl smirked with a mischievous look, clearly looking down on Yu Zhi. “Hey, I’m out of money recently. Hand over your wallet.”
Kids nowadays are this brazen when asking for money?
Yu Zhi was somewhat speechless and shook her head. “I won’t give it to you.”
“Huh?” The girl laughed like it was the funniest joke she’d ever heard. “Wow, a few days apart and your temper’s gotten worse, huh?”
As she spoke, she moved her wrist. “What, wanna get beaten? You know who I am and you still dare talk to me like that?”
Unfortunately, these self-assured threats had no effect on Yu Zhi.
She frowned slightly, her deep eyes filled with pity and compassion as she looked at the girl.
All beings are foolish. In this matter, Parnaki and Earth are no different.
Perhaps it was this pitying gaze that struck a nerve, because the girl spat and suddenly exploded in anger.
“Who the hell do you think you are, staring at me like that?” She raised her right hand and swung at Yu Zhi’s cheek but was stopped halfway by a fair, slender hand.
The fragile-looking wrist easily nullified all her struggling force.
Unexpectedly caught off guard by Yu Zhi’s sudden counterattack, panic and even more anger flooded the girl. She shamelessly cursed, trying to kick forward.
She imagined Yu Zhi would, like in the first year, show a humble, terrified, pleading look before her and her followers.
Why should someone so gloomy and smelling like fish at the market look at her that way? Why wasn’t she afraid?
But Yu Zhi was faster.
The woman who looked like a goddess in that pitiful gaze nimbly avoided the kick, swiftly twisted the girl’s arm behind her back to disarm her, and covered her mouth with the other hand, muffling a painful cry.
In Parnaki, she was the goddess who commanded storms and shielded the people from disasters, but also the Goddess of Calamity who brought ruin and destruction.
“Don’t come looking for me again, understood?” Yu Zhi’s voice was soft and gentle but filled the girl with unprecedented fear. She hastily nodded, and with a “crack,” Yu Zhi easily reset her dislocated arm.
Pain and fear left her no energy to continue, and she fled stumbling toward the teaching building.
Only after her figure vanished from sight did a smiling voice leisurely sound from above.
“The first thing the noble goddess does after returning to Earth is dealing with the student who bullied her? That’s not quite befitting your status, is it?”
Lin Yuan sat in a tree, looking down but without oppression. His smile was easy and teasing.
“This is Earth. I’m not a goddess anymore, and I don’t have to restrain myself in the name of a deity.” Yu Zhi raised her hand, beckoning Lin Yuan down. “Don’t sit so high. There are cameras at school. If they catch you, you’ll have to write a self-criticism.”
Lin Yuan: “……”
He gave Yu Zhi a plaintive look, somewhat sullen. “I thought you were worried I might fall.”
“Do you think I don’t know your strength?” Yu Zhi smiled slightly, relaxed for once. When Lin Yuan jumped down and approached her, she affectionately patted the top of his head like before. “I taught you with my own hands.”
“But I’m not a child anymore.” Lin Yuan took her hand and lowered it. “Besides, don’t you not want to acknowledge our teacher-student relationship?”
“You and I are both students of Rui Teacher. If you called me teacher too, wouldn’t that confuse the generational titles?” Yu Zhi said, not pulling her hand away but indulgently letting Lin Yuan bend forward and perform a formal kiss on her hand. “Your words are the truth, my dear Goddess of Calamity.”
“—What are you two doing!”
A sharp, cracking shout interrupted their tacit intimacy. Yu Zhi and Lin Yuan both turned to see the Dean of Students approaching angrily, scowling. “You students these days don’t know how to study, just secretly dating behind teachers’ backs! Which class are you from? Come with me to see your homeroom teacher!”
The voice was tinged with unrestrained pride, clearly ready to use them as an example.
Yu Zhi: “……”
Lin Yuan: “……”
They recalled Rui Teacher’s words—she didn’t want them called to the Principal’s Office over early romance.
As a Temple Knight of the Goddess of Calamity, used to dealing with followers, Lin Yuan quickly recovered from his panic.
He didn’t immediately let go of Yu Zhi’s hand but confidently met the Dean’s scolding gaze and calmly said, “You’ve misunderstood. We’re just acting.”
“Acting?” The Dean sneered, clearly disbelieving. “Holding hands and a back hug in public, and you tell me it’s acting? Do you think I’m an idiot, or are you just cocky?”
He crossed his arms with a look saying, ‘I’m curious to see what trick you’ll pull next.’ “Well then, tell me—what play are you performing?”
Lin Yuan: “Thunderstorm.”
Yu Zhi: “…Western Fantasy Magical Version.”
Dean of Students: “???”