The Days I Was Secretly Loved by the All-Girls School Beauties - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

It was Friday, and a light rain suddenly began to patter against the windows.

The summer heat, mingled with water vapor, seeped through the cracks of the window frames, bringing a wave of sweltering humidity. Yun Zhan, seated right by the window, felt a flicker of irritation. The teacher refused to allow the windows to be fully closed, claiming that “some students can’t stand even a bit of heat” and that the classroom needed “proper air circulation.”

Beads of sweat trickled down her fair neck. To make matters worse, this was another Spanish class. The torture of not understanding a word, combined with the muggy air, made Yun Zhan’s mood anything but pleasant from the start of the period.

“Hang in there. School is out once this class is over,” 21 said inside her head, offering plenty of useless, breezy remarks since it couldn’t feel the heat.

“That’s the only thing keeping me going,” Yun Zhan sighed. She had already poured a massive amount of time into this subject. After pulling four or five all-nighters—sleeping only two or three hours a day—her Spanish was still only at an introductory level.

Meanwhile, the teacher on the podium assumed these noble girls already possessed a high level of proficiency. A middle-aged woman in her fifties, draped in luxurious robes, held a collection of sentimental essays. With her chin tilted high, she read Spanish literary masterpieces with dramatic flair.

As Yun Zhan listened, she was suddenly moved to an angry laugh. The teacher was muttering away, completely immersed in her own “art,” while Yun Zhan, sitting below, couldn’t understand a single word.

“Do you know? Right now, I’m like a foreigner who doesn’t know Chinese, skipping Pinyin and going straight to Classical Chinese literature,” Yun Zhan muttered, unable to hold it together. She let out a series of self-deprecating laughs. Whenever it was Spanish class, her mental state became… “vibrant.”

“Warning~ Warning~ Host suspected of suffering from a nervous breakdown.” 21, showing perfect chemistry, played an emergency first-aid audio clip.

Fortunately, the grueling Spanish class finally ended. When the bell rang, not only Yun Zhan but also the noble girls who had been dozing off moments ago perked up instantly, coming back to life in a flash.

It was a rare weekend, and the light rain gradually ceased.

The young ladies from prestigious families were picked up by their family drivers. Luxury cars lined the academy gates one after another. Wearing long dresses and expensive jewelry, the girls stepped into their cars with regal strides, followed by several servants and nannies with bowed heads.

In contrast, an orphan like Yun Zhan, without parents or a home to return to, felt somewhat out of place. School uniforms are a great way to erase the gap between classes. Yun Zhan suddenly understood the true weight of that saying.

Students weren’t allowed to wear uniforms during the break, so she had to wear the casual clothes she had brought. Her simple, solid-colored jacket didn’t fit the “wealthy socialite” image at all. Because of her stunning face, many people first looked at her with admiration, but their eyes turned strange once they noticed her attire.

However, she didn’t care much anymore. She just wanted to leave the school and explore.

“We have no money. We’ll have to pawn some of the jewelry we have.” Yun Zhan took out some gold and gemstone pieces from her bag. These were items she had brought over from previous worlds; fortunately, they were finally proving useful.

The city where Minton Academy was located was called Yuedu (Moon Capital), the current world’s capital. Upon leaving the school, she was immediately met with the bustling city center. It housed the most famous international financial and cultural centers, technological innovation bases, and an old medieval opera house. Having stayed in Minton for so long, Yun Zhan felt a bit dazed coming out for the first time.

It didn’t look much different from her original world; she had almost been blinded by Minton Academy’s medieval architectural style.

She walked into a random pawn shop, and the owner greeted her warmly.

“I want to sell this,” Yun Zhan said, handing over a ring. It was crafted from pure gold, with a rare red gemstone set in the middle. The golden ring glittered in the sunlight, showing excellent quality, though the band was large—not something a young girl would typically wear. Yun Zhan had salvaged this from the Su family in her previous world. She didn’t like it, so she decided to sell it.

“High purity gold, and the gem quality is excellent.” The owner held the ring like a treasure. The red gem refracted dazzling light. He studied it repeatedly, then stole a glance at Yun Zhan with his peripheral vision, his mental calculator already running.

“Ahem, this is indeed a fine piece. However, gold isn’t exactly rare, and the gem isn’t so scarce that it’s impossible to find. My best price is 600,000.” The owner clutched the ring in his palm, determined to take it today.

To his surprise, Yun Zhan scoffed, snatched the ring back, and turned to leave.

“Hey, don’t go!” The owner panicked and rushed to block the door.

“1.8 million. Buy it or I’m gone. If you think this gem isn’t rare, I can only say you have no eye for value.” Yun Zhan looked at him coldly. It seemed heartless people existed in every world.

“Fine, fine, fine! Just leave the ring.”

With money in her pocket, Yun Zhan felt her spine straighten. In this city of luxury and neon lights, money was the most inconspicuous thing, yet the most vital for survival.

“Sister, would you like to eat at our restaurant? We have the best opera performance in Yuedu tonight. If you buy a ticket, we’ll provide a free two-person meal.”

The person holding onto Yun Zhan was a young girl about eight or nine years old. She was dressed in an opera costume, her small face painted with traditional makeup. Her round eyes looked up at Yun Zhan, her voice young and tender.

Yun Zhan couldn’t bring herself to say no.

The restaurant stood by the river, featuring blue bricks and dark tiles. The storefront was small, but the building was deep. The ebony door was studded with copper rivets, polished smooth by time. Inside was a long, narrow courtyard where moss grew in the cracks of the stone, glowing green now that the rain had stopped.

The pearwood dining tables faced the stage. The restaurant was open on three sides, and twelve metal birds hung from the eaves. In the prosperity of Yuedu, this ancient-style building had become a cultural symbol.

Yun Zhan found a seat. The food was good. She ate a bit, and as night fell, the opera performance began.

“Hey! Tonight’s ‘Star’ is the number one singer in Yuedu. That beauty has a waist like a willow branch, and her voice when she sings… tsk, it makes your bones go soft just hearing it.”

“This little ‘Dan’ doesn’t come every day. I only know her name is ‘Xue’ (Snow), famous for playing the fox demon Qingwu. She comes from humble beginnings but is gifted. Her singing is described as ‘a jade hairpin slicing through spring water.’ We’re in for a treat tonight!”

Several young men nearby, their faces flushed from wine, chattered incessantly. Yun Zhan frowned slightly, glanced at the first man, and then moved her gaze to the stage.

After three rounds of gongs and drums, a long “Ya—” rang out from behind the curtain, like a wisp of smoke rising from an incense burner. When “Xue” stepped out from behind the screen with mincing steps, every spectator in the restaurant held their breath.

It was Yun Zhan’s first time watching an opera, and she was utterly mesmerized. She didn’t even notice her sleeve brushing against melon rinds on the table. She watched the graceful girl on stage, the flowing water sleeves reflected in her dark eyes. Her heart felt squeezed; her breathing slowed.

As the girl named “Xue” walked out, the theater went silent. Yun Zhan was struck by her stunning beauty and elegant aura.

“Since you are my flower-like companion, through the years like flowing water~”

The melodious, lingering aria began. The woman’s water sleeves flew like butterfly wings, her voice winding and mournful, perfectly portraying the fox demon’s longing and melancholy for love.

“Ahhh, Yun Zhan! This one is a heroine too!” 21 shouted excitedly, its mechanical electronic voice unable to hide its thrill. “Ugh, damn it, how is your luck so good? Another heroine to woo…” 21 almost cried, hating that it couldn’t apply to be the host.

“She’s a heroine? And? What else did you say?” Yun Zhan’s heart was in her throat. She only heard the first sentence; 21 had been too excited for her to catch the rest.

The performance ended with “Xue’s” water sleeves frozen in the shape of a falling flower. The audience erupted in applause. Then, a cloud of mist surrounded the girl, and she quietly exited the stage amidst the stunned gazes of the crowd.

Yun Zhan sat there, staring at the food on the table, unable to snap out of it for a long time. To be honest, she was truly bedazzled.

After the performance, there was a small interactive segment. The performers would walk among the guests. If a guest enjoyed the performance, they could offer a reward. If the performer caught the tip steadily, it belonged to them; if it fell to the floor, it belonged to the troupe.

“Xue” was extremely popular. Wearing a veil and light, ancient-style opera attire, she moved gracefully past each table. Guests were not stingy, stuffing large wads of cash into her sleeves.

“21, get that gold brooch I had out.” Seeing “Xue” about to reach her, Yun Zhan grew anxious.

“Such a generous move?”

“Quickly! She’s a heroine. I’ll be interacting with her later anyway,” Yun Zhan urged.

The girl walked with light steps, slowly leaning toward Yun Zhan. An elegant fragrance floated in the night air as the beauty’s hair swayed. Beneath the veil, the cinnabar mole at the corner of her eye was highlighted by rouge. “Xue” was beautiful beyond the mortal realm. As their gazes met, Yun Zhan’s eyes crashed into the girl’s, and both of them shuddered.

“Xue’s” eyes brightened as she stared at Yun Zhan for a long time. This was the first time she had seen such a beautiful guest.

“This is for you. Don’t let it fall.” Yun Zhan snapped out of it and hurriedly pinned the gold brooch to “Xue’s” chest. She pinned it deeply, as if afraid it might drop.

“This… this is too valuable.” Xue looked at the brooch on her chest in surprise—it was made of gold and inlaid with sapphires. This single brooch was worth nearly ten years of her income.

“Please accept it. I want you to have it; it suits you well.” Yun Zhan waved her hand, refusing Xue’s protests.

“Thank you…” Xue carefully accepted the brooch, her slender hands stroking it several times.

Until the performance ended completely and the troupe packed up, Xue continued to hide in the shadows, stealing glances at Yun Zhan. She only looked away once Yun Zhan had left the restaurant.

“You said she’s a heroine. What’s her name?” Yun Zhan asked suddenly once she was far away. Those people called her “Xue,” but that was likely just a stage name.

“Her name is Wen Sixue.”

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