Chapter 189: The Ex-Girlfriend and Gender Concerns
After returning from the central teaching area, even the sky had dimmed a bit; it was later than I usually came back.
As soon as I stepped through the door, I saw Hong Chanyi fiddling with her… uh, skirt?
“Hong Chanyi, why did you buy so many clothes again?” I looked at her. Usually, she is the first to respond when I come back, but this time she didn’t, making me curious about what she was doing.
“Xiao Han Jie? Come and see if this dress matches my temperament!” At this moment, Hong Chanyi was striking poses in a dress, beside her was a full-length mirror that I didn’t know when she had gotten.
“What are you doing? Also, didn’t you all buy clothes before? Where did these come from?” I looked at the well-packaged bags neatly stacked next to the sofa, clearly all belonging to Hong Chanyi.
“These… heh, they were bought by my girlfriend… oh, she doesn’t allow me to call her my girlfriend; anyway, they were bought by my good friend.”
“Ah? Is it… Shi Huiyu?”
I asked tentatively, after all, Hong Chanyi had slipped up and called her girlfriend. But isn’t she your ex-girlfriend?
“Yeah, I went to see her today. Our relationship… isn’t really reconciled, it’s more like a slightly closer than girlfriend relationship.”
“Slightly?” I tried to understand what “slightly closer” than a girlfriend relationship could mean.
“Ugh, Xiao Han Jie, don’t ask about these things! You wouldn’t understand our relationship!”
“I understand. You guys are not… just friends, right?” I asked directly. After all, even if they’re back together, it’s not necessary to put it that way, right?
Moreover, after chatting with Shi Huiyu a couple of times, I found her to be quite assertive. Who knows, maybe she was the one who pursued Hong Chanyi, considering how she’s treating her now; it’s like… who would guess she used to be a boy?
“What are you talking about! You can’t describe our relationship with such vulgar terms! Xiao Han Jie, saying that makes me… really sad! Also, yesterday, didn’t you do something excessive to Shi Huiyu? Didn’t you say you would hold back?”
“I did hold back; I didn’t use any spellbooks beyond the standard consumption.” I shrugged my shoulders in response.
Although I now have a better grasp of standard consumption spellbooks, they are still more dangerous than those that consume more.
“This… um… you…” Hong Chanyi was somewhat at a loss for words in response to my statement; she couldn’t just say that such spells are still quite powerful, could she?
Clearly, they all ended up among the top ten, so why is there such a big gap?
“Alright～ I understand. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, just come to me. After all, I am your class leader and roommate. Don’t forget about Xiao Han Jie just because you have a good girlfriend.” I patted Hong Chanyi’s shoulder, speaking with sincere concern.
“Yeah… Oh right, this morning a senior came looking for you, but you weren’t here. Who was that senior?”
“Oh, about this morning? Her name is Bai Yu, I call her Sister Bai; we’ve known each other for many years.”
“Huh? So, Xiao Han Jie, you have that kind of relationship?”
“Not really. Just acquainted with some seniors. By the way, are you the only one in the dorm? Where are the others?” I instinctively asked as I approached the stairs.
“Oh, you asked the right person! Dongli Yiren is in the bedroom probably doing something; Guan Qiuling went to play house at her senior’s place today; and Yu Yatian… I heard she went to that so-called meditation club. Whatever the case, she’s likely negotiating with those club members about the academy visit from Holy Angel Academy. They even want to be traitors!”
“Ah?”
The first two I had gotten used to, but Yu Yatian’s matter threw me off guard. Still, I find the idea of being a traitor somewhat unrealistic. After all, Tan Han was originally accepted by Holy Angel Academy, and now she’s been taken away. I don’t see Holy Angel Academy forcibly taking people back.
Moreover, the way it was put was so euphemistic; they were even willing to contribute more for Tan Han during the exchange competition.
Those below Tan Han’s level, no matter how hard they try, couldn’t return to Holy Angel Academy, right?
Or is it purely out of devotion to the Holy Light, just going to worship?
Now that I think about it, I realize I haven’t seen Yu Yatian for a few days. She should be fine, right? After all, she’s a meditation practitioner; although I feel like we don’t connect that well, she is still my roommate and one of the students in Class 14.
Just as I was about to go back to my room, I was stopped by Hong Chanyi again.
“Wait, Xiao Han Jie.”
“What’s up?” I turned curiously to Hong Chanyi, who clearly had just thought of something and perhaps was asking casually.
“Um… I saw a rumor on the academy’s online forum that said… Xiao Han Jie, did you have a girlfriend before you enrolled?”
“Where did you see that?” A hint of surprise flashed in my eyes. How did Hong Chanyi find out about this, and who spread it?
“Oh, I just flipped through casually, and I was like, how could Xiao Han Jie have a girlfriend!”
“I did have one, but she became my ex-girlfriend before I enrolled. Where did you see it?” I asked seriously.
I truly have reason to suspect that this rumor came from Yao Beijuan; even if not, it would still be related to her.
After all, apart from me and Sister Bai, who else knows about such matters?
It can’t be Tan Han, right? She doesn’t seem like the type to spill secrets.
“Ah? Ah!? What? Xiao Han Jie, you actually had a girlfriend!”
“Let me correct you—it’s an ex-girlfriend.”
“Well… that’s still ridiculous! Since you like girls… wait, you wouldn’t have thoughts about me too, right? I mean, I am taken!” Hong Chanyi instinctively covered herself.
“Ugh… Looking at how you guys in the dorm are, do you think I would have any interest in you? And I asked you, where did you see that?”
“Guess you’re right. Xiao Han Jie, you always keep a distance from us, so that reassures me. But… actually, I just casually saw that rumor; it’s all just guesses.”
“Guesses? What were they based on?”
“Well… it’s just that a fairy from Aphhemia Academy came straight to you, and a lot of people were guessing whether you had some… relationship.”
“Just because of that?”
“Pretty much, but I didn’t pay much attention. Um, Xiao Han Jie, if you care, just take a look yourself on the academy’s forum and such.”
“Thanks, I got it.”
After understanding this, I headed to my bedroom. Although Hong Chanyi might have mentioned it casually, it still had a significant impact on me.
Even though I had already prepared myself for this fact to be publicized, I still felt a bit nervous when it came to this moment.
I was just wondering what exactly I was anxious about: was it the audience’s cheers turning to insults in the arena, or the disdainful gazes of strangers passing by?
In fact, I had also noticed some boys becoming students in the Witch Academy; even if they publicly revealed their previous identities as boys, they still lived quite freely.
But I am different; I am the class leader of Class 14 and also a contestant in this freshman competition—reaching the top ten would make me somewhat of a “public figure,” right? It seems like the controversies that insignificant students face could be magnified a thousand times when applied to me.
Even though I comfort myself countless times that Sister Bai is with me, I still feel anxious. I even took a long time in the bathroom, so long that Hong Chanyi asked if I was done yet.
In the end, I wrapped myself in a bath towel and locked myself in my room, though locking the door had already become a habit of mine.
After lying on my bed, I logged into the academy’s website.
I planned to see what was happening and… to check if it was really Yao Beijuan who stirred this up.
Once opened, the academy’s site was filled with recent hot topics; due to the isolation from external information, it was mostly discussions among students.
I also saw several interesting news items transported from outside the academy being posted here, suggesting that the academy doesn’t seem to mind such behavior very much. After all, it’s just information acquisition rather than direct communication with the outside world; the academy probably adopts a “one eye closed” attitude towards these matters.
After scrolling for a while, I found plenty of news from a few days ago regarding teachers from Aphhemia Academy bringing students to visit. Many comments below were from detective-like students who could pry into every detail.
In the end, the conclusions were very similar to Hong Chanyi’s—just speculation. However, I still found some discussions questioning whether Yang Yuelan used to be a boy, but those were all drowned out in the comments.
Oh no, there was a reply saying, “Isn’t that better?”
So… the situation hasn’t developed to its worst yet, but everything still stemmed from Yao Beijuan’s actions.
Ugh, sleeping might be better.
Before going to bed, I decided to check the class group’s messages; as long as there weren’t any outrageous rumors in the group, it would be fine. After all, the things circulating online are just virtual, while the class group reflects the reality I can reach.
But evidently, the class group was nowhere near as diverse in its topics as the academy’s online discussions, and since I was the class leader of Class 14, I was someone they felt they could discuss matters closely with—even now, the group was still debating what kind of relationship I had with that fairy named Yao Beijuan.
I was scared enough not to dare to speak, so I just lurked in the group.
Moreover, I even saw Hong Chanyi’s messages; this girl is still chatting in the group this late?
And why does she have to spill everything in the group?
I scrolled through and even found that Hong Chanyi had debunked the rumor about my ex-girlfriend.
Could it be that I had spoken too lightly about this, making Hong Chanyi think I didn’t care about it?
But the good news is that the topic had already been discussed before; they had already moved on to other subjects.
Turning off my phone, I lay in bed, still unable to fall asleep. I just felt too uneasy. Isn’t there some spell to forget worries? Bring it on!
In the end, I opened Sister Bai’s private message; I might as well ask her some things… she’s a senior at the Witch Academy and must know more than I do.
Yang Yuelan: Sister Bai, are you there? Are you asleep?
Bai Yu: Not yet, what’s up? Are you suddenly contacting me to say goodnight?
Yang Yuelan: Not really… mainly… I’m a bit restless.
Bai Yu: What’s wrong?
Yang Yuelan: Well… what if it becomes known that I was a boy before at the Witch Academy… what should I do?
Bai: Why? Are you really worried about this?
Yang Yuelan: Today I saw someone digging up my relationship with Yao Beijuan, and you know what happened today; I’m afraid…
Bai: Whether you were a boy or a girl before doesn’t affect your current identity as a witch. Be good, Xiao Han, the Witch Academy does not allow discrimination in this regard.
Yang Yuelan: But even if there’s this rule, people still find it… strange, right?
Bai: What I mean is, it doesn’t come from the academy’s rules. The Witch Academy has no rules against discrimination; it’s a common understanding! Although I hate to admit it, witch transformation does indeed have the ability to change a person’s perception. Even if those who mock you truly exist, they must be low-level scraps in the witch transformation process.
Yang Yuelan: Huh?
Bai: So in your situation, seniors wouldn’t care. The junior students or your contemporaries who mock you aren’t even your opponents, understand? Strength matters more than public opinion in many cases.
Bai: Public opinion is a very low-level tactic, and you’re underestimating your own influence. You’re also underestimating the degree to which the Witch Academy limits information dissemination in this regard. The seniors who manage the academy’s website are not to be trifled with; whether it’s the fairies from Aphhemia Academy or anyone else trying to lead Witch Academy’s students astray, they won’t even know how they’ll end up, do you understand?
Yang Yuelan: I get it a bit.
Bai: Good, as long as you understand. Don’t worry, everything… Sister Bai is here for you.
Bai: Sweet dreams~
Yang Yuelan: Goodnight, Sister Bai.
After chatting with Sister Bai a bit, I felt slightly relieved, but I was still a bit worried; it required a lot of pressure to cope with this.
However, I also understood that the idea of “witch transformation” changing perceptions is a very terrifying thing; slowly altering a person’s understanding like that is scary when considered from any angle, right?
But at this moment, it transformed into something that could protect me.
Now that I think about it carefully… Can changing perceptions ignore the fact that I was a boy before?
In other words, it can overlook the concept of gender; after all, a witch is a witch.
Perhaps the so-called Holy Angel Academy has a similar change in perception concerning gender as well.
So, the s*xual orientation of witches is that of witches, akin to the image of girls, which means Sister Bai’s orientation is also… uh…
It seems I’ve come to a rather significant conclusion.
Ugh, never mind!
My brain is overloaded; no matter how this comes about, it’s like Sister Bai said—a bunch of lowly individuals can only talk about me!
If I ever encountered such people, I should actually feel sorry for them. They are so weak and foul-mouthed that they might as well just drop out.
Sometimes, once a person lets go of their dignity and shamelessness, they become invincible. Sister Bai is right; I will use my strength to make those guys shut up.
After all, isn’t all of this just me scaring myself? From another perspective, would I despise Tan Han if it was revealed that she was originally a boy? Would I feel disgusted?
Not at all. When a person’s mindset changes, many things will change alongside it. Having lived through two lives, why should I care so much?
Sleep!
Tomorrow, I’ll have to try that so-called dream battle!
