"Senior, don’t be nervous, just relax..."
"If you feel overwhelmed today, like last time, we can set a safe word."
"Just say it, and I’ll immediately stop the acting lesson, alright?"
Lin Yu spoke from behind Tang Yimian, laying out the rules for pausing today’s session.
Having done this before, Tang Yimian saw no issue with it.
She nodded, waiting for Lin Yu’s choice.
Lin Yu continued:
"If it gets too much, just say..."
"'Classmate, I need to go to school for class...'"
Tang Yimian was about to agree—
But then, Lin Yu added:
"Today’s first period is English, second is math, third is science, and there’s no fourth period. But I’ve added an extra class—a free reading session!"
Tang Yimian: "???"
Her attention had been entirely on the first part.
The long list of subjects—English, math...
What even came after that?
She hadn’t memorized any of it!
Tang Yimian: "Lin Yu, can we maybe—"
Lin Yu: "Shh, we’re starting now. Until you use the safe word, don’t speak. Just follow my lead."
Tang Yimian: "!!!"
It was starting already?
She hadn’t memorized the safe word!
Now she couldn’t even stop it!
Helpless, she watched as Lin Yu’s shadow moved against the wall.
No time to argue.
No choice—she had to go along with it.
She had to focus... completely immerse herself...
This was her chance to find the missing "thread" in her craft.
Then—
The comb glided gently through her hair.
[Ding!]
[Used "Mystic Sky Silk Guidance" during the Forbidden Zone expedition!]
[Reward: 30 Sect Contribution Points, 80 Spirit Stones.]
Another personal item, effortlessly inspected.
Lin Yu, "acting on orders," had practically become a rogue imperial agent—once inside, he could investigate anything!
Tang Yimian sat in the chair, acutely aware of Lin Yu’s movements—
The comb sometimes slow, sometimes swift, dragging all the way down.
The varying pressure sent shivers down her spine, unsettling her.
Even worse was his other hand—
Gliding along her neck, behind her ears, lingering, restless.
The heat of his palm seeped into her cool skin, disrupting her heartbeat, her breathing.
To steady herself, she clutched her unlucky bear plushie tightly.
As if her last shred of safety depended on it.
Suddenly—
Tang Yimian’s mind flashed with realization: "!!!"
This...
This was exactly what Lin Yu had called—"externalizing the internal"!
With just two props—a comb and a plushie—
He’d vividly portrayed a twisted Lin Yu and a defenseless her!
Her own writing had never used "prop symbolism" like this.
Fragments of past literary lessons resurfaced in her mind...
If you want to write sorrow, don’t just write sorrow.
Write "asking when you’ll return" but getting "no certain date."
Write "night rain" slowly "filling the autumn pool."
If you want to write homesickness, don’t just write homesickness.
Write "bright moonlight," "frost on the ground."
Write "lifting your head" to gaze at the "distant moon."
If you want to write grief, don’t just write grief.
Write "by the small window," "doing her makeup."
Write "a thousand miles" separating you from a "lonely, cold grave."
Tang Yimian wanted to smack her own head.
She was a literature teacher! How could she forget such basics?
Weren’t these just symbolism, emotional projection, blending scene and feeling?
So impressive...
Lin Yu’s teaching method was brilliant.
No need for excessive narration.
Just props and actions—and the characters’ emotions became crystal clear.
Wait...
If she’d used crude descriptions instead:
She’s so nervous, she’s so anxious, she’s terrified, she’s panicking...
He’s so domineering, he’s so sly, his gaze is icy, he’s about to devour her...
That kind of blunt telling?
It would’ve been redundant. Empty.
A story with only bones—no flesh—would anyone even want to read it?
[Ding!]
[Masterful guidance! Pinpointing flaws has deeply impressed the Elder of the Transmission Hall, further elevating his reverence for the Holy Son!]
[Reward: 20 Spirit Stones.]
Such a clever, talented senior!
Working with smart people saved so much effort.
But at this stage—
The [Soul Cultivation Trial] still hadn’t registered as complete?
If this kept up, he’d run out of material!
Two days of nonstop coaching—he’d used up all his verbal tricks.
He wasn’t actually a web novelist.
Just a guy who’d read a lot and could nitpick flaws.
If I still can't complete the "Soul Cultivation Trial" now...
Does that mean I have to go back to square one and take another careful step forward in the ambiguous relationship between the two of us?
Exchanging our first kisses clearly wasn’t enough!
Heavens know how much self-control Lin Yu had to muster to play along with his senior’s teaching routine earlier, especially with that ethereal figure standing before him.
Sorry, senior.
All for the sake of cultivation.
Since playing the refined scholar didn’t work...
I’ll just have to break through by force!
Right now, in Tang Yimian’s mind, Lin Yu must represent absolute "authority."
Now that she’s realized it...
The real test begins!
Test, test...
When ordinary people in a confined space become aware of and firmly believe in the presence of "authority,"
Do they truly enter an "agent state," abandoning independent judgment and switching to "execution mode"?
Even if the "authority" issues commands that cross their personal boundaries, they’ll still obey.
It’s convoluted.
But it’s a famous psychological experiment from decades ago.
Of course,
There’s also the chance that during the process, Tang Yimian might manage to recite the full "safety phrase."
Lin Yu is a man who follows the rules.
If she says it, he’ll stop immediately!
Lin Yu leaned in closer:
"Yimian, I can tell you’ve learned something, haven’t you?"
Tang Yimian nodded repeatedly, about to speak.
Lin Yu quickly raised a finger to her lips.
If she started talking, who knew how much she’d ramble?
It wouldn’t help at all—just ruin the delicate tension in the air.
Lin Yu continued softly:
"Good. Then let’s experience... the allure of sound in fiction."
The moment the words left his mouth—
"Ah—"
Tang Yimian felt her body go weightless as Lin Yu scooped her up and carried her to the table by the window.
The next instant,
She was turned around and pressed face-down against the desk, her back to him, her face toward the window.
Instinctively, she braced her hands against the table to steady herself.
"Don’t be nervous. Right now, we have the wind, the rain... all we’re missing is the sound of reading..."
...
(Extra chapter delivered—thank you all for your support! More to come tomorrow!)
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Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
ver to a world of cultivation and returned invincible. Modern medicine is child's play compared to elixirs; technological might crumbles before true cultivation. My name is Qin Ning, Earth's sole cultivator!
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
