Chapter 61: This Money Is Meant for Him to Earn

Chapter 61: This Money Is Meant for Him to Earn

“Good morning, Yan Huan.”

As that pleasant voice rang out, Yan Huan and Sakura Kyoko immediately turned their attention, quickly spotting the girl beside them whose beauty couldn’t be masked by her face mask.

When Yan Huan caught sight of her delicate brows, he froze for a moment before smiling and greeting her, “Good morning, Bai Yi.”

Bai Yi gently removed her mask, revealing her pure and stunning face.

Sakura Kyoko maintained her smile, but the scan mode in her eyes was instantly activated, meticulously examining Bai Yi’s features.

Today, Bai Yi wore a custom spring campus-style outfit and stood significantly taller than Sakura Kyoko.

In contrast to the petite Sakura Kyoko beside Yan Huan, Bai Yi appeared just right.

After greeting Yan Huan, Bai Yi didn’t overlook Sakura Kyoko either.

After a quick appraisal, she smiled and said to Sakura Kyoko, “Good morning, Vice President Sakuraguchi.”

“Good morning, Bai Yi.”

Sakura Kyoko retracted her gaze and performed a demure bow.

Though she suspected that Bai Yi was the friend Yan Huan met yesterday, he had seemed pretty nonchalant when mentioning her later—his expression didn’t even change as much as when he talked about that childhood friend.

So, Sakura Kyoko hadn’t felt a serious sense of crisis at that moment.

But seeing Bai Yi’s breathtaking beauty now stirred something different in her.

Adolescent boys are famously restless, easily igniting sparks of affection under the influence of hormones.

The saying “seeing beauty ignites desire” holds true in this situation.

Moreover, yesterday Bai Yi had loudly shouted some strange title like “Fan A” on stage…

She needed to observe closely.

With this thought, Sakura Kyoko decided to hold back, waiting for more information.

So, she took the initiative to steer the conversation.

Sakura Kyoko lightly covered her mouth and smiled, saying, “Bai Yi, your performance yesterday was truly wonderful. I was there with some members of the Student Council, and everyone was impressed.”

“Eh? Really?”

Bai Yi couldn’t help but feel a bit elated, causing her nose to involuntarily tilt upward.

So, under the sweet temptation from the compliment, Bai Yi quickly lowered her guard.

Sakura Kyoko nodded “sincerely” and said, “Of course! But after going home, I watched quite a few of your past performances. Despite being in so many activities, I’ve hardly heard you sing. I thought that was a bit surprising.”

Upon hearing this, Bai Yi bit her lip and shyly replied, “Well, the reasons are a bit complicated. But I must thank Yan Huan for that.”

As she said this, Bai Yi cast a beautiful smile toward Yan Huan.

“Ding~”

Unaware of Sakura Kyoko’s covert scrutiny, inexperienced Bai Yi’s smile aimed at Yan Huan struck Sakura Kyoko like a flashbang.

That gaze…

Sakura Kyoko’s smile stiffened slightly. Just as she was about to probe further, Yan Huan glanced at the time and smiled at Bai Yi, saying, “We have our Monday meeting at the Student Council shortly. Let’s head to the Teaching Building.”

“Sure!”

The topic was subtly shifted by Yan Huan, leaving Sakura Kyoko, who was about to speak up, silent again.

This was intentional on Yan Huan’s part.

Even though Bai Yi hadn’t used a modifier yesterday, and Yan Huan’s actions hadn’t resulted in any splinter of her modification tool being exposed, Bai Yi was still a host for a modifier. They didn’t know how she managed the conflicts with her mother, so there was always a risk of an explosion.

Sakura Kyoko was unaware of this and had already become entangled with someone as heavyweight as Spencer. Just last week, she had almost been caught by Ye Shiyu’s modification tool.

Better to keep her away from these troublesome matters, Yan Huan thought.

Bai Yi grabbed a small tote bag for her books, holding it behind her with one hand as she walked towards the Teaching Building with Yan Huan and Sakura Kyoko.

“By the way, Yan Huan, you lent me your headphones before. Your headphones look pretty old, so I happen to have a brand new pair here that I was sponsored for. Let me give this to you!”

As they walked, she suddenly pulled out a small box containing another pair of blue noise-canceling headphones.

The packaging looked good. In any case, it was definitely better than Yan Huan’s previous plain headphones, likely worth a few hundred.

“Ah, thank you!”

After all that hustle yesterday without exposing any modifications, receiving a new pair of headphones felt like a consolation prize.

However, Sakura Kyoko’s perception was sharper than Yan Huan’s. She raised her gaze and soon spotted the pink, matching headphones Bai Yi was wearing in her black hair.

A girl who was originally standing on Yan Huan’s right somehow still wore her left noise-canceling headphone?

Such an inconvenient act probably had one motive:

To make Yan Huan notice they were wearing the same style in different colors.

If a girl has a crush on a guy, she probably wouldn’t straightforwardly say, “I like you, please be my boyfriend.”

They are masters at waiting, being subtle, and sending signals that imply they welcome you getting closer.

So, they might say things like, “Wow, your hands are so big! Let’s compare!” or “Brr, it’s so cold today! I forgot to wear a jacket!” or “Ah, I missed the last bus!”

Such insinuations are indeed revealing signs of a girl’s affectionate thoughts.

Cunning~

Sakura Kyoko quickly realized she was facing an opponent on par with her in cleverness and schemes.

Like a police siren, a warning rang in her mind, and she felt increasingly wary of this dangerous girl in front of her.

“Bai Yi, good morning!”

“Good morning.”

Just as Yan Huan accepted the gift, a passing girl excitedly exclaimed upon seeing the three of them approaching, “I saw your performance at the exhibition yesterday! It was amazing! Tell me who Fan A is!”

“Ah, well, that’s a secret.”

Bai Yi’s face turned slightly red, but her gaze was irresistibly drawn to Yan Huan, like a magnet.

Just one glance, and she quickly looked away again, smiling as she explained, “That’s a secret.”

“Eh~ A secret, huh~”

The girl covered her mouth and giggled, then greeted Yan Huan, “President, good morning.”

“Good morning.”

Yan Huan smiled slightly in response.

However, the moment she saw Sakura Kyoko, the girl’s expression slightly froze, and she walked past them without saying anything.

This puzzled Bai Yi as she glanced back at the girl’s retreating figure, while Yan Huan seemed unfazed.

In reality, Sakura Kyoko was not particularly well-liked at school, so whenever Po Shuwen mentioned her before, he would scoff.

The reasons were complex, involving her inexplicable position as Vice President of the Student Council, her oversight in moral conduct regulations, and her outstanding academic performance from a wealthy background.

In short, genius students in Far Moon School and arrogant, affluent heirs were a dime a dozen; it was rare to find people like Yan Huan and You Anli Na who maintained good relations with most others.

Yan Huan came from humble beginnings but was exceptionally handsome, always smiling when interacting with others and adept at striking a balance in conversations, never really annoying anyone.

As for You Anli Na, though she didn’t have the same intelligence, her silly naivety made her straightforward and sincere, endearing her to others.

In stark contrast, Sakura Kyoko was the opposite.

With a heavy heart and always maintaining a polite distance, she sometimes displayed terrifying aggressiveness that made deep friendships nearly impossible.

Self-aware of her dark inner thoughts, she consciously maintained distance from everyone, but her relationship with the Student Council was pretty good.

While that was nothing noteworthy, in comparison to the sparkling Bai Yi beside her, it seemed to reflect poorly on Sakura Kyoko.

“Wait a minute!”

Things were starting to sound more like what Ya Qiao Mu had said!

Sakura Kyoko’s small face turned pale, and she turned to look at Yan Huan and Bai Yi beside her.

They matched perfectly in appearance and height.

Both were very popular and enjoyed favorable relations with others.

Their family backgrounds were equivalent, and their personalities harmonized.

Huh, saying it that way, I even feel a bit like I ship you two…

No way!!

Such strange thoughts had inexplicably popped up, making Sakura Kyoko feel flustered like she was turned into a legendary green tea princess.

It’s all Spencer’s fault!!

She pursed her lips, her footsteps abruptly halting.

“Speaking of that study group you mentioned earlier…”

Just as Bai Yi was about to speak, Yan Huan immediately noticed Sakura Kyoko had stopped.

He turned his head, asking with concern, “Sakuraguchi?”

Bai Yi blinked in surprise, glancing at Yan Huan and Sakura Kyoko, her starry eyes flashing with contemplation.

Hearing this, Sakura Kyoko forced a smile, albeit a bit strained, saying, “President…”

“Hey hey, Sakura~”

In that moment, You Anli Na unexpectedly appeared from behind, hugging Sakura Kyoko and laughing as she exclaimed, “Sakura, you’re so soft and cozy to hug~”

Sakura Kyoko’s face instantly flushed, her bad health making her particularly sensitive, especially ticklish. “You Anli Na!!”

“Hehe, who told me I like Sakura the most~ You’re so beautiful and adorable, so easy to bully, and your temperament is so nice~”

“Eh?”

Seriously, am I really that great?

Watching Bai Yi with her eyes slightly widened, Sakura Kyoko felt her previously bruised self-esteem reignite.

Right! The President just said that to me yesterday—I shouldn’t lose my composure now!

But still, thank you, You Anli Na. I’ve always thought of you as a silly pet…

Actually, you could be counted among the few friends I have, right?

The earlier comment about you repeating elementary school was just a joke. How could I really think that?

But in the next moment, You Anli Na lifted her shimmering eyes and said to Sakura Kyoko, “So, Sakura, since you’re so cute, please let me copy your math homework this week, thanks!”

“…”

Hahaha, better go repeat elementary school, You Anli Na.

Seeing the veins popping on Sakura Kyoko’s forehead and the adorable You Anli Na, Yan Huan couldn’t help but smile in resignation, saying, “That’s You Anli Na, the school secretary.”

“Ah… I see…”

Bai Yi blinked, her gaze still lingering on where Yan Huan was looking.

Several classmates passed by, greeting Yan Huan enthusiastically.

Even senior students from the second and third year invited him out to KTV or for dinner after school…

The processes of young romance are generally the same.

Feeling a crush for some reason, they inevitably fantasize about the sweetness of love, only to become anxious when reality doesn’t align with those fantasies.

Just like right now, still lost in the romance of “Fan A” from yesterday, Bai Yi quickly realized that Yan Huan was a very popular guy.

He had his social circles, other friends he knew, and a life beyond her fandom identity…

There might even be other girls here who had feelings for him or even liked him.

Especially that Sakura Kyoko; Bai Yi always felt there was something dangerously mysterious in the way she looked at her.

In short, reality is not a fairy tale where “the prince and princess” are destined to be one and only.

Having just had her first crush, Bai Yi pursed her lips, feeling oddly self-conscious.

While lost in her thoughts, Yan Huan turned to her and asked, “By the way, you were about to ask about the study group earlier, right?”

“Eh, yes.”

Bai Yi thought she hadn’t been heard earlier, so she was taken by surprise when he brought it up now.

“The study group will likely start tomorrow. I’m working with the Student Council’s treasurer, Ya Qiao Mu.”

“It’ll be held twice a week, tentatively scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday during lunch breaks, with off-campus activities planned before exam week.”

As he spoke, Yan Huan smiled at Bai Yi and asked, “Like I mentioned before, you only suggested joining, so ultimately, it’s up to you…”

“I’ll join!”

Bai Yi blinked, gazing at Yan Huan’s handsome profile, and her mouth reacted faster than her brain, blurting out the statement.

She had already asked about this yesterday, and over the years, joining the study group had merely been a suggestion, with hardly anyone attending.

So the most likely scenario was that she would have one-on-one study sessions with Yan Huan twice a week!!

Ya Qiao Mu was quietly being overlooked.

Bai Yi’s face turned red as she contemplated whatever scene came to mind, while Yan Huan nodded, pulling out a note and handing it to Bai Yi.

“Good, then remember to prepare these books when you go back.”

“Eh?”

Bai Yi took the note and glanced down, only to find it listed:

“Three Years of High School, Two Years of Simulations,” “100 Exercises for Mastery in Mathematics,” “Comprehensive Grammar and Reading Material.”

She blinked, her rosy cheeks suddenly yanked back from the romantic dye to ice-cold reality.

She lifted her gaze to Yan Huan, who was smiling as he said, “Although guiding an idol in studies is quite the pressure, I will teach you properly.”

“……”

……

……

At that moment, in the Principal’s office.

“Principal, please take a look at this; it’s the record of disobedience for the week she was punished last week.”

Principal Hemis’s desk was handed a document by the secretary.

In one corner of the document, the name “Aria Spencer” was written.

Hemis opened the file, skimmed through it, and immediately saw a whole page filled with complaints from various departments.

She had broken the doors of the Equipment Room and Changing Room…

She had fought with three classmates…

Skipped classes, a disaster in entrance exams, and atrocious performance on pop quizzes…

This was just within a week, and Principal Hemis had already faced so much hassle because of her.

All departments had major issues with her, and even the parents, including Po Shuwen’s, were stirred up, which became a huge headache.

After a moment of silence, Hemis shakily took off his glasses and set them down on the desk, speaking, “Sigh, it’s only been a week, and all the departments are urging me to expel her… The problem is, if Little Spencer is expelled, then Old Spencer will certainly come knocking.”

Principal Hemis’s wrinkled face showed none of the previous joy of collecting money; he stood up and looked out the window at the luxurious new teaching building nearing completion.

Then, he asked, “Our school emphasizes comprehensive development; relying solely on academic performance isn’t enough for expulsion. Does she not have any other strengths?”

In truth, this phrase was a subtle way for him to signal the secretary to find some redeeming qualities about her to silence the murmurs of discontent.

The secretary, fully aware but deep in thought, eventually pushed her glasses up, saying, “Apparently, there are none.”

“……”

Principal Hemis fell into a silence, gazing out the window.

He happened to see Spencer squatting outside near the teaching building, seemingly up to something.

She seemed to be secretly reading a book, with a black bag beside her.

As he watched, she scratched her head, worn out but looking rather enlightened.

Hemis narrowed his eyes and turned to grab his glasses back.

At this low height, he could vaguely see what book she was engrossed in.

What entered his view was a fiasco of pixels.

“……”

After one glance, Hemis nearly passed out.

His vision turned white, and he leaned back in a faint.

“Principal!!”

The secretary rushed forward to support the principal, quickly pinching his acupoints.

“Do you… need medication, Principal?!”

Hemis’s lips trembled as he shook his head and suddenly seized the secretary’s hand.

In a thin voice, he uttered words that sounded like an epitaph, “Earning money is hard, and this stress is unbearable…”

“…Principal!”

Hemis closed his eyes, a thick tear rolling down from the corner of his eye.

In a fleeting moment, he recalled that evening call from Spencer.

On the other end of the line, an oppressive voice rang out, “My daughter just arrived at Linyi Gate, and I’m not beside her, so you’ll be responsible for her!”

“Certainly! Absolutely!”

Now, Principal Hemis really wanted to slap himself.

He had asserted that so confidently, and yet barely a week into Far Moon, she’d brought a coloring book to school.

This was heading towards expulsion!

If they expelled her, the board and the Golden Lion Group would be in an uproar.

But if he didn’t expel her, he would lose face for himself and Far Moon, and it would be a hassle with the other parents.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, he thought… is this what 70 feels like in terms of tackling inevitable challenges?

“What do you think can save her from expulsion while allowing me to maintain my dignity?”

Principal Hemis was helped to a chair and popped a few heart-saving pills before he looked desperately at the secretary beside him.

After thinking for a moment, the secretary suddenly remembered something and said, “How about a Club Battle, Principal?”

“A Club Battle?”

The secretary nodded, leaning in closer as she explained, “The club that wins the Club Battle can make a wish from the board. We need her to join a club that can definitely earn first place…”

“But that’s too obvious. How about we revise it a bit?”

With an intrigued blink, Hemis looked at the document handed to him, titled, “Notice Regarding Enhancing Student Campus Life Experience and Comprehensive Skill Assessment.”

The secretary blinked back, suggesting, “Right now, there’s a new policy requiring students not yet part of a club to join one. We can leverage this to have her try joining the athletics club, which has the highest chance of winning this year…”

“She seems physically fit; if she qualifies, winning the Club Battle will help keep her enrolled.

“Even if it doesn’t pan out, we can use this policy to appease the board and the Golden Lion Group.”

“What do you think?”

Upon hearing this, Hemis’s eyes brightened slightly as he looked at the smiling secretary beside him, saying, “Wow, I’ve just realized— this money-making job should be done by someone like you.”

The secretary nodded, and Hemis raised the policy document to read it, saying, “Then let’s research this some more. We’ll send a bulletin to the Student Council today…”

“Sure thing, Principal.”