A few days later,
the school anniversary arrived.
As part of Silver Mountain Academy's 70th-anniversary celebration, the school had granted students a week-long holiday to enjoy the festivities. Ye Chuan woke up early that morning and began his usual routine.
"Chuan, I'm heading to school first for rehearsal. There's also the evening gala to prepare for," Luo Xi's lively voice chimed from the phone on the table. Her sweet, bell-like tone was as energetic as ever, capable of brightening the entire day.
"Mhm," Ye Chuan responded vaguely while brushing his teeth in front of the mirror.
After Luo Xi hung up, Ye Chuan finished washing up and went out for breakfast.
Bai Qianshuang had already prepared the meal. After days of practice, her cooking had improved—at least it was edible now, with no trace of the "dark cuisine" from before. Breakfast was simple: steamed buns and corn.
"Today’s our school anniversary. It’ll be lively—I think I mentioned it before? Want to come take a look?" Ye Chuan asked Bai Qianshuang.
Upon hearing this, Bai Qianshuang, sitting across from him, thought for a moment before nodding lightly.
"I’ll go."
"Me too! It’s been years since I last attended a school festival!" Lan Xiaoke immediately raised her small hand.
After all, she was also a student of Silver Mountain Academy—just a deceased one.
"Then let’s all go together."
With Bai Qianshuang and Lan Xiaoke in tow, Ye Chuan boarded Wang Yanran’s car and arrived at the school.
The entrance of Silver Mountain Academy was bustling with students and visitors, the crowd so dense it resembled a tourist hotspot.
"So lively," Bai Qianshuang murmured. She wore a simple white T-shirt paired with a beige long skirt, her ethereal aura drawing frequent glances from passersby.
Perhaps uncomfortable under so many gazes, she subtly moved closer to Ye Chuan, their arms lightly touching. The cool, smooth texture of her skin was faintly noticeable.
"It’ll be even livelier in the evening. The gala will feature performances from various school clubs, plus guest appearances by celebrities," Ye Chuan explained. With the campus open to the public during the anniversary, it had practically become a city attraction.
"Honestly, our school hasn’t changed much over the years," Lan Xiaoke mused, floating around Ye Chuan. Having been confined to the school’s classrooms for so long, she yearned deeply for freedom.
Bai Qianshuang, meanwhile, observed their surroundings curiously. The field ahead was lined with stalls—snacks, games, everything one could imagine.
"Want to grab a bite?" Ye Chuan chuckled at her expression.
Bai Qianshuang nodded, then shook her head. "..."
"What’s wrong?"
"I just ate."
"That doesn’t matter. You’re a cultivator—your body needs more energy than an ordinary person’s. Eating more is normal, right?"
Hearing this, Bai Qianshuang seemed to find some logic in it. The guilt in her heart lessened slightly.
Ye Chuan led the two through a food tour until they spotted a familiar figure behind one of the stalls.
"You’re running a stall too?" Ye Chuan raised an eyebrow at the short-haired girl shaking a cup of lemon tea.
"Just earning some club funds," An Shiyu replied, flipping the metal shaker like a gambler handling cards.
After a theatrical shake, she poured the drink into a plastic cup, sealed it, and handed it to a waiting customer.
"Want one?" Ye Chuan asked Bai Qianshuang.
"Yes."
"Small cup for 15, large for 25," An Shiyu pointed at a small blackboard with the prices scribbled in chalk.
"One large, then."
"Coming right up." An Shiyu smashed a lemon with a plastic rod, gave the cup a perfunctory shake, and sealed it. "Thanks, that’ll be 25."
Ye Chuan frowned. "You shook that other guy’s drink forever. Why only a few seconds for mine?"
"If I don’t shake it longer, how will customers feel like their two-yuan lemon tea is worth the price?" An Shiyu deadpanned. "You’re different—we’re old friends. The taste is the same. Don’t believe me? I’ll drink it myself."
Ye Chuan twitched his lips and handed the cup to Bai Qianshuang. "Scammer."
"You taught me this trick when you ran a stall back then," An Shiyu retorted, unfazed by the accusation.
"Did I?"
"Didn’t you?"
Ye Chuan thought back and vaguely recalled a similar incident during middle school.
He had once run a lemon tea stall and fed An Shiyu the same line.
Well, well. She’d stolen his ancestral trade secrets.
"You really hold a grudge, huh?" Ye Chuan muttered. All he’d done was prank her once.
After circling the food stalls, Ye Chuan and the others moved to the game and trinket booths.
Bai Qianshuang paused mid-step, her gaze fixed on a goldfish scooping stall.
"Interested in trying, miss? Five yuan per try," the stall owner said cheerfully.
"You get a paper net—whatever fish you scoop are yours," Ye Chuan explained.
Perhaps reminded of catching spirit beasts in her sect, Bai Qianshuang crouched down and picked up a net. With just one gentle dip, the paper tore instantly.
"Ah..." She hadn’t expected it to be so flimsy.
"Want another try? Beginners often struggle. Practice makes perfect," the owner coaxed.
Ye Chuan scanned a 20-yuan payment for a few more attempts. But even after several tries, Bai Qianshuang failed to catch a single fish.
"......" Her disappointment was palpable, even the tuft of hair on her head drooping like wilted wheat.
"Let me try?" Ye Chuan offered with a smile.
The owner’s face lit up. These paper nets had been tampered with—unless customers shelled out 20 or 30 yuan, he wouldn’t hand over a sturdier one.
"One try, please."
Hearing Ye Chuan’s request, the owner feigned concern. "One try might not be enough..."
"It’s fine. Just give it here."
Smirking at Ye Chuan’s stubbornness, the owner handed over another flimsy net.
Ye Chuan took it, cradled the basin with one hand, and subtly infused the paper with spiritual energy. With a few swift flicks, three fish landed in his basin.
Then, in one fluid motion, he scooped up over a dozen more.
The owner: "?!"
T-this isn’t right!