Chapter 35: The Iceberg Senior and the Prodigy’s Aura

I never expected to encounter that Iceberg Senior Sister here. To be honest, I truly wanted to greet her, to make her acquaintance. Yet, her aura was simply too potent. In that regard, her presence utterly eclipsed even Huang Beifeng and Mu Rong Xin Xue. If they could already drive me to distraction, the Iceberg Senior Sister was simply unimaginable. I feared I’d be frozen solid by her imposing aura before I could even utter a few words.

‘Still,’ I reasoned, ‘there would surely be other opportunities to get to know her. After all, we attended the same school, so it wouldn’t be difficult to ascertain her identity.’ As for making her acquaintance, that could wait. For now, it was better not to dwell on it. I should prioritize getting to know my own classmates before branching out to others.

However, now that I thought about it, aside from Huang Beifeng and Tang Xiao Rou, I didn’t seem to know anyone else in my class. As for the other girl—Can Ye, who, like Tang Xiao Rou, had written a love letter to me—I knew nothing more than her name; we’d never exchanged a single word.

‘Sigh,’ I mused, ‘I suppose I should just take things one step at a time. It was only my third day at this school, so it was perfectly normal not to know everyone in my class yet, wasn’t it?’

Upon returning home, Mu Rong Xin Xue remained a picture of languor, still clad in her pajamas. As a university student, she wasn’t bound by the same time constraints as us high schoolers. Huang Beifeng, on the other hand, had already finished her morning routine and changed into her school uniform. For some reason, a hint of disappointment flickered in Huang Beifeng’s eyes.

“Breakfast is here. I was too lazy to cook today, so I bought some from outside.”

Taking out the steamed buns from the bag, I distributed a few to each of them, along with a cup of soy milk.

“The buns are chosen according to your preferences.”

Mu Rong Xin Xue preferred stronger flavors, so hers were a bit salty and spicy. Huang Beifeng, with her sweet tooth, would typically enjoy pastries. However, the pastry shop was a bit far, and fearing I’d run out of time, I skipped it. Besides, sweets aren’t ideal for breakfast; a proper meal should be hearty and filling.

“For today, this will have to suffice. Tomorrow, I’ll cook for you myself.”

“Mu Rong Xin Xue, keep an eye on the time yourself. Beifeng and I are leaving now.”

“Alright, be careful on your way.” After stifling a yawn with her hand, Mu Rong Xin Xue rubbed her still-sleepy eyes and ambled back into her room.

‘It seemed she intended to catch a few more hours of sleep. While she had that luxury, Huang Beifeng and I had to hurry. We absolutely had to catch the early bus; missing it meant a high probability of being late for the next one.’

****

The timing was impeccable; just as we arrived at the public bus stop, the Route 3 bus pulled up. And, by a strange coincidence, there was the Iceberg Senior Sister once more.

‘Suppressing the urge to greet her, I decisively pulled Huang Beifeng onto the bus and found us a corner seat. However, despite the numerous empty seats available, she chose the one directly to my left. This was, by far, the closest she had ever sat to me.’

‘Huh, why did she always sit next to me? It was too much of a coincidence, especially with so many other empty seats. It couldn’t possibly be accidental every single time, could it? Could she be doing it on purpose?’

‘But she didn’t know me. Our only interaction had been a simple request for directions. There was no logical reason for her to consistently choose the seat beside me.’

Just then, Huang Beifeng, seated beside me, suddenly tugged at my sleeve, her expression one of utter surprise.

“Isn’t that Mo Yuyan Senior Sister?”

‘Wait, you know her? Yet, I recall us seeing her on the bus several times before. Why didn’t you mention it then? Why only now?’

“You know her?”

“Of course! Mo Yuyan Senior Sister is quite the prominent figure at our school.”

‘*Hiss!* A prominent figure at our school? Merely making a name for oneself in a school teeming with prodigies is impressive enough. To be a prominent figure, she must be truly extraordinary. She must be incredibly impressive, then.’

“Without a doubt. Not only does she consistently rank first in her grade, almost always scoring near-perfect marks, but she also outpaces the second-ranked student by a staggering forty or fifty points.”

‘*Hiss!* That’s… terrifyingly good.’

Logically, this school is filled with exceptional students, yet the Iceberg Senior Sister leaves them all far behind. She shouldn’t merely be called an ‘exceptional student’; she’s practically a prodigy, a force of nature.

According to Huang Beifeng, Mo Yuyan Senior Sister isn’t just academically brilliant; she’s also represented the school in numerous major competitions. Beyond provincial contests, she’s even claimed national championships, bringing immense honor to the school. That’s why she’s celebrated as a prominent figure on campus.

‘This is simply… too powerful. She truly lives up to the moniker of a prodigy!’

Furthermore, in terms of appearance, Mo Yuyan Senior Sister has been crowned the school’s beauty queen. With her stunning looks and formidable abilities, she’s practically the ideal choice for a partner.

However, perhaps her only flaw is her personality. She is exceedingly aloof, her aura so overwhelming that it deters others from approaching her. This, too, is part of her distinctiveness. After all, even a rose possesses thorns. While her reserved nature makes her difficult to approach, it also lends her an ethereal quality, making her seem like a celestial maiden untouched by mortal concerns, further enhancing her otherworldly charm.

‘Such an exceptional individual could only be an object of admiration. To consistently find myself on the same bus as her truly felt like a stroke of luck.’