Ye Chen was taken aback by how soft and delicate her hand felt.
The warmth lingere but Zhao Yanyan quickly withdrew her hand as if startled by something. Ye Chen felt a little disappointed by the sudden distance.
Without another word, Zhao Yanyan pulled a book from her bag and began reading .
Ye Chen thought about continuing the conversation but held back when he saw how focused she was.
Instead, he quietly turned his attention inward, drawing in Yin energy from Zhao Yanyan's body without her noticing.
The process helped nourish his cultivation while keeping up appearances.
Before long, the teacher entered a middle-aged man with tired eyes and a disinterested expression.
It was math class, but none of the students seemed to care. Some chatted away, others played on their phones, and a few dozed off with heads on their desks.
Despite the chaos, the teacher didn't reprimand anyone.
This was Class J infamous in the school for its low academic scores and troublemaking students. Most of them were children of wealthy elites or powerful officials, which made the school hesitant to discipline them too strictly.
Yet amidst the disorder, Zhao Yanyan listened attentively to the lecture, her focus unwavering.
Ye Chen observed her from the corner of his eye. He couldn't understand why someone like her would be in a class like this. But it wasn't his place to ask ,they had only just met.
Instead, Ye Chen opened his math textbook. Thanks to his cultivation, absorbing and memorizing information had become effortless.
He flipped through the pages rapidly, every formula etched clearly in his mind. Once done with math, he moved on to other subjects, studying each with quiet determination.
From her seat, Zhao Yanyan occasionally stole glances at Ye Chen. His behavior was… unusual.
Unlike other boys who always stared at her with obvious infatuation, Ye Chen barely even looked her way.
He seemed completely immersed in his own world.
That irritated her more than she expected.
Ever since she was young, Zhao Yanyan had been the center of attention chased by sons of wealthy families, admired by many. She had rejected them all.
But Ye Chen? He introduced himself and then acted as if she didn't exist.
Somehow, it bothered her.
When class finally ended and the break bell rang, most students rushed toward the cafeteria. Ye Chen stood and prepared to head there as well.
"Hey, Ye Chen! Where are you going?" Zhang Liao called out.
"To the school cafeteria," Ye Chen replied.
"I'll join you," Zhang Liao grinned and followed him.
Zhao Yanyan watched Ye Chen leave without so much as a glance her way.
She felt a twinge of annoyance most guys begged to sit with her during breaks, yet this new guy didn't even bother to ask.
"Hmph. Why do I even care?" she muttered under her breath, gathering her books.
Still, she decided to go to the cafeteria too.
Because their classroom was on the top floor, Ye Chen and Zhang Liao had to go down a long flight of stairs.
Along the way, they noticed eight students struggling to push a heavy grand piano upstairs.
Once they reached the first floor, Zhang Liao suddenly paused. "Wait up I need to use the restroom."
Ye Chen nodded and leaned against the stairwell to wait.
Just then, he noticed Zhao Yanyan descending the steps behind them elegant and composed.
But from above, someone shouted in panic, "Move! Move away from the stairs!"
Ye Chen turned his head and saw it a massive piano had broken free from the students' grip and was sliding down at alarming speed, straight toward Zhao Yanyan.
Zhao Yanyan froze. There was no time to escape.
She closed her eyes, bracing for the worst.
But just before impact, she felt strong arms wrap around her.
Ye Chen.
With one hand holding Zhao Yanyan tightly, his other arm braced against the falling piano. A thunderous BANG echoed through the stairwell.
Though Ye Chen could have easily stopped it with his strength, he didn't want to expose his power.
Instead, he let himself fall backward with Zhao Yanyan in his arms, cushioning her from the impact.
Gasps erupted from the surrounding students. A piano weighing several hundred kilos crashing down like that… anyone hit by it should've been badly injured, if not killed.
Zhao Yanyan, trembling in Ye Chen's arms, kept her eyes shut.
"Hey, it's over. You okay?" Ye Chen said softly.
She opened her eyes and saw his face, only inches away. Realizing their position, she quickly stood up, flustered.
"I… thank you…" she murmured.
"You alright?" Ye Chen asked casually, brushing dust off his clothes as he got up.
Zhao Yanyan extended a hand and helped him to his feet. "You saved me… even though we just met. If you hadn't stopped that piano, I would've…"
Ye Chen waved it off. "It's just a muscle spasm. I'm fine."
Zhao Yanyan looked unconvinced. "You should really visit the infirmary. Just in case."
"No need, really. I'm used to stuff like this."
Just then, Zhang Liao returned from the restroom, wide-eyed. "What the heck happened? Are you okay, Ye Chen?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Ye Chen said with a reassuring smile. "Let's head to the cafeteria."
He turned to Zhao Yanyan and added politely, "If there's nothing else, I'll be going now."
With that, Ye Chen and Zhang Liao walked off.
Zhao Yanyan stood in place for a moment, her heart still pounding. She had originally planned to go to the cafeteria… and now she found herself quietly following behind them still wondering just who this mysterious, quiet boy really was.