Chapter 49: Doubts

A Morning of Dedication

In the early morning, while most students were still preparing for school, Chen Ya was already in the teacher’s office, looking utterly exhausted. Dark circles framed her eyes, and she seemed on the verge of collapse. Nevertheless, her face was alight with excitement, as if she had just discovered a new world.

“Teacher Fu, are you saying that calamity beasts might have evolved from magical beasts due to some special reason, and they could retain their original habits? Is that right?!”

Despite her poor physical state, Chen Ya’s enthusiasm was undeniable as she questioned Fu Kui, who stood beside her.

“Impressive, Chen Ya. You’re quite sharp,” Fu Kui said with a nod, her face adorned with a polite smile, clearly approving of Chen Ya’s deduction. “To reach this conclusion from such fragmented data is remarkable.”

“Chen Ya, congratulations. You’ve passed. I’ll teach you everything I know. Keep this passion, and one day, your understanding of calamity beasts might surpass mine.”

“Really? That’s amazing!”

Chen Ya jumped up in excitement. Last week, driven by curiosity, she had approached Fu Kui in the office for guidance. To her surprise, she discovered that Fu Kui possessed a wealth of unpublished data, which thrilled her. These were details she had never encountered before.

Eagerly, she requested to review the materials. Fu Kui, shaking her head, handed her a stack of documents instead. If Chen Ya could extract valuable insights from them, Fu Kui would take her on as a disciple, sharing all her knowledge and providing personal instruction.

Chen Ya had spent sleepless nights poring over the scattered data, and now she had finally passed Fu Kui’s test. Perhaps because the tension had lifted, exhaustion hit her hard, and she began to feel drowsy.

“Cough… ugh…”

“Chen Ya, there’s a sofa over there. Rest for a bit. Research is important, but so is taking care of yourself,” Fu Kui said helplessly, noticing Chen Ya’s swaying figure.

“No… I’m fine…”

Chen Ya wanted to return to class, as lessons were about to start.

“Be good and rest here. As your teacher, it’s my responsibility to look after you.”

Fu Kui gently pulled Chen Ya to the sofa, firmly insisting she lie down.

“But…” Chen Ya tried to protest, but Fu Kui’s resolute gaze silenced her.

“Alright… I understand, Teacher.”

With a soft reply, Chen Ya settled onto the sofa, and soon, her steady breathing signaled she had fallen asleep almost instantly.

Seeing Chen Ya asleep, Fu Kui shook her head gently, a soft smile crossing her face. “Well then, time for class.”

A Troubling Lesson

In Class B’s classroom—

Fu Qingyue rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on. She wasn’t fond of calamity beast studies—not because of the subject itself, but because she couldn’t adjust to the new teacher.

The instructor was an elderly man she was certain she’d never met, yet his teaching style felt oddly familiar, which unsettled her. This strange sensation made her uncomfortable, but she had no choice but to listen attentively, as the subject was undeniably important.

“Sigh…”

Thankfully, the lesson was nearing its end. Fu Qingyue, who had never found classes taxing before, let out an unconscious sigh.

“Let’s hope everyone remembers…”

As the teacher concluded, the school’s crisp bell rang, signaling the end of the lesson.

“Alright, class dismissed.” Without further ado, the teacher called out and began neatly packing up his lesson plans.

Relieved, Fu Qingyue slumped onto her desk, closing her eyes to rest.

Thud—

Just as she settled in, she heard something being placed on her desk. The deliberate action suggested it wasn’t an accident.

Irritated, Fu Qingyue looked up, first noticing a pair of legs clad in white stockings. Following the legs upward, she saw a cheerful, cute girl with black hair and a tear-shaped mole by her eye, adding a unique charm to her appearance.

“Li Bao?” Fu Qingyue blinked, ensuring the girl before her wasn’t a mirage. Only then did she confirm it was real.

“Little Qingyue, you look so fierce~ Did I disturb your rest?”

“No, I thought it was someone else.”

“Oh? So it’s fine if it’s me, but not others?”

“Yeah, Li Bao, you’re my friend.” Fu Qingyue spoke candidly, seeing nothing wrong with her words.

Yu Li blinked at her, then broke into a delighted smile. “Hmph, Little Qingyue, you’re so honest! Here’s a gift for the honest Little Qingyue!”

With a gentle push, Yu Li revealed a lunchbox now sitting on Fu Qingyue’s desk.

A Thoughtful Gesture

“Li Bao, what’s this?”

“A friendship bento! I woke up early just to make it for you!” Yu Li said proudly, placing her hands on her hips, clearly confident in her creation.

Stunned, Fu Qingyue stared at Yu Li. Someone who shared her joy, comforted her in sadness, and even woke up early to cook for her—this felt less like an ordinary friend and more like…

Realizing her thoughts, Fu Qingyue’s cheeks flushed, and she instinctively touched her face, feeling the warmth.

“Little Qingyue?” Yu Li tilted her head, puzzled by Fu Qingyue’s lack of response.

“Cough… can I… accept it?”

“Of course! It’s made specially for you. Eat every bit, okay? I’ll check later, and if there’s anything left, hmph~”

Yu Li’s cute, mock-threatening smile made Fu Qingyue feel grateful. She was thankful for that day when she took a detour and met Yu Li.

“I won’t waste it,” Fu Qingyue replied earnestly, her expression unwavering.

“Good! Well, class is starting soon, so I’ll head out. Bye, Little Qingyue~”

Yu Li waved with a smile and skipped out of the classroom.

A Lingering Suspicion

Before leaving, Yu Li glanced at the podium. The elderly teacher, just finishing packing his lesson plans, was about to leave. Combined with the notes on the blackboard, it was clear that both Class B and Class A had calamity beast studies last period.

“Different teachers… and it seems the entire first year has calamity beast classes at the same time,” Yu Li murmured, frowning.

‘Maybe I was overthinking it.’

Shaking her head, Yu Li’s expression softened. She had come to Class B not only to see Fu Qingyue but also to confirm a nagging doubt.

Now, with her suspicion eased, it seemed the school’s wealth allowed them to hire multiple calamity beast instructors.

Yu Li glanced back at Class B’s classroom, a flicker of doubt in her eyes. “Still… something about Class B feels off.”

Unrelated to the calamity beast professor, Yu Li sensed a strange aura gathering in the classroom. Yet, when she tried to focus on it, the feeling vanished.

“Whatever, it’s not my concern.”