Chapter 9: The Receding Hairline Director and a Friendly Teacher

Unbeknownst to them, as Bai YuYang and Tang Qihuang conversed, Lin QingYu, who stood with Bai YuXi behind Bai YuYang, was on the verge of bursting into laughter.

She did her best to keep her voice low, ensuring Bai YuYang wouldn’t overhear her.

“Woohoohoo… I’m dying of laughter, YuXi, did you see that? Tang Qihuang’s expression just now, haha… Didn’t she always say this period was her ‘dark history,’ and that she was just faking it?”

“Shh… Sister QingYu, you shouldn’t say such things…”

“What are you two whispering about?”

Having sent Tang Qihuang away, Bai YuYang turned around to find these two adorable girls secretly chattering.

Bai YuXi, quick-witted as ever, immediately replied, “Sister QingYu was saying how much she envies the student council president’s… *voluminous* figure. She wants to drink more milk in the future, hoping to still salvage her own.”

“Ah?! You little rascal! I never said anything of the sort! And this kind of thing…”

‘What voluminous figure?’

The innocent Lin Loli’s face flushed crimson with just a thought.

Bai YuXi chuckled inwardly, then twisted the knife further.

“I meant Sister QingYu envies the president’s *broad-mindedness*. Where did your mind go?”

“I… you…”

Though seeing Lin QingYu’s shy yet indignant double blush was quite amusing, there were still more important matters at hand. Bai YuYang promptly cut short the mutual teasing between these two ‘arch-rivals.’

“Alright, you two bicker incessantly every day, is it really necessary? Come on, come with me to catch the tail end of the opening ceremony. Never mind QingYu for a moment, but if Little Xi misses the ceremony on her very first day of school, she’ll surely regret it.”

“Mhm!”

“Hey! You idiotic siblings! Wait for me!”

‘Honestly! These two, they don’t even think to look out for my short legs!’

***

The auditorium of Qifeng First High School was a renowned building within Qifeng City.

As the face of the city’s top-tier high school, it boasted a vast area and exquisite decor. Even with all the students from the entire school gathered inside, it could comfortably accommodate them.

From first-years to third-years, more than three thousand students were arranged in three orderly columns, all seated in their respective class sections, which had been set up beforehand.

When Bai YuYang and the others slipped in through a small side door of the auditorium, the teacher on stage was already speaking.

‘Oh, isn’t that the ‘receding hairline’ grade director speaking? His head is almost completely bald.’

Bai YuYang had always thought he was in his fifties or sixties, only to learn after graduation that the director was merely forty.

‘Hiss… while not exactly young, losing his hair so early is truly terrifying. I must remember not to stay up late in the future.’ Bai YuYang resolved this silently.

After entering, he led the two along the wall, trying his best not to attract attention.

Normally, student council members would have been stationed at the door to block latecomers. However, the entrance was now deserted, likely because Tang Qihuang, who had arrived earlier, had taken them away.

‘Serves you right for slacking off during work hours! Ahem… brothers, I’m not tattling; this is the hammer of justice!’

Bai YuYang glanced around, then turned to speak.

“We definitely can’t go to the class sections to find seats. It’s too conspicuous and might be awkward. Let’s just stand here and watch. After it ends, we can follow our respective classes back. Little Xi, I’ll take you back later.”

“Okay, thank you, big brother. But… it seems a teacher is walking this way. Is that alright?”

“!”

The words startled Bai YuYang. He spun his head sharply, indeed seeing a teacher in a autumn wool sweater approaching them.

After getting a clear look at the newcomer…

‘Oh, it’s my homeroom teacher. Then it’s fine.’

Qin Yan. She had been Bai YuYang’s homeroom teacher during his first year of high school.

She was probably nearing forty, with short brown hair and an ordinary appearance. Currently, she looked rather listless.

As for why she was listless, Bai YuYang, having been reborn, naturally knew. It was a rumor he had overheard: Teacher Qin Yan was reportedly facing pressure to remarry at this time.

The stress a middle-aged woman, divorced once, faces when remarrying was something Bai YuYang didn’t fully understand.

He only knew that Teacher Qin later remarried quite smoothly, finding a very good partner. However, that time clearly hadn’t arrived yet. Qin Yan’s dark circles clearly showed how difficult this period was for her.

If it were any other teacher approaching, Bai YuYang might have to nervously offer an explanation. But with Teacher Qin, it was inconsequential, for a very simple reason.

For instance, the first thing she said when she walked over was:

“Well, Bai YuYang, you’re late on the first day of the new semester. Oh, Lin QingYu is late too? Haven’t seen you all summer, and you still haven’t grown taller, huh? And who is this, a new student?”

“Who hasn’t grown taller!”

Lin QingYu was furious. She truly wanted to jump up and smack the teacher’s head. Even if it was a teacher, even if it was true, one simply did not bring up that topic!

“Uh… Teacher Qin.”

Bai YuYang stopped Lin QingYu and then pointed to Little Xi. “Let’s not talk about that for now. We were late for a reason.

This is my younger sister, a first-year student. Anyway, we’ll just stand here for a bit. You go on and tend to your business, we’ll head back to class soon.”

“……”

Teacher Qin Yan had taught at the school for so many years, yet she never seemed to establish much authority. Logically, shouldn’t a student, caught being late by a teacher, offer a proper explanation?

Yet, Bai YuYang was practically dismissing her.

And it didn’t end there. Bai YuYang added,

“Oh, right, Teacher. You share an office with the homeroom teacher of First-Year Class Three, don’t you, since you both teach physics? Could you do me a favor? Just say my sister was late because of a family matter. It’ll sound more convincing coming from a teacher than from us students.”

“Ah… Hello, Teacher Qin! My name is Bai YuXi!” Bai YuXi hadn’t quite grasped the situation, but she politely introduced herself anyway.

“……”

‘Hmph, these students, each batch is harder to manage than the last.’

But then again, Teacher Qin Yan was notoriously easygoing. It wasn’t that she was irresponsible, but many things didn’t become as harsh or rigid with her as they might with other teachers.

Helping out was no problem, and Qin Yan was too lazy to ask why they were late. After all, Bai YuYang was an excellent student, having placed first in the grade’s final exams last year, so he likely had his reasons.

However, Qin Yan was not in a good mood today, having slept poorly due to some trivial matters yesterday. She deliberately gave him a hard time:

“Bai YuYang, if you’re late, you need to write a self-criticism. Don’t always think of taking shortcuts…”

“Teacher, you haven’t completed the school’s required class attendance record for today yet, have you? I can help you finish it and deliver it later.”

“!”

That attendance record, especially for the first day of school, was particularly troublesome to compile. Qin Yan had just been fretting over it.

Upon hearing Bai YuYang offer to take on the task, she couldn’t have been happier. Even her tone changed.

“Cough! The self-criticism is excused. Who hasn’t been late a few times? Just be careful next time and don’t let me catch you again. As for the attendance record, bring it to my office once it’s done.”

It seemed she had agreed to help.

With that, Qin Yan turned to leave, not forgetting to add, “Don’t forget to mark the remarks on the attendance record!”

“Got it, got it.”

‘So easily dismissed.’

Bai YuYang had also avoided many troubles throughout his three years of high school precisely because he had such an accommodating homeroom teacher.

Just as he let out a sigh of relief, the voice of the “receding hairline” grade director echoed through the auditorium’s sound system.

“Alright, I’ll stop here. For the final segment, please welcome the student representative to the stage to share a few words with everyone!”

As soon as the words fell, the entire hall erupted in the most fervent applause since everyone had taken their seats. One might have thought an idol was about to take the stage.

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