Once they were left alone, Zu An looked at Shang Liuyu quietly for a moment before he remarked, “You sure have it tough as a teacher. Your students even stormed right up to your doorstep to torment you.”

Shang Liuyu rolled her eyes. “Isn’t it all because you didn’t shut the door properly? How else do you think they managed to get in here?”

“Ah, I forgot to close it in a moment of excitement,” replied Zu An sheepishly.

“Forget it. Let’s go through the melody once more to see if there are any problems with it.” Shang Liuyu placed her fingers on the ‘harp’ once more. They began to fly across the strings, producing a passionate melody that set one’s heart thumping.

As the music came to an end, Zu An nodded excitedly. “That’s exactly what I had in mind! Big sister Shang, you are a true prodigy!”

“How can I be considered a prodigy? It’s the creator of this melody who is the true prodigy here.” Shang Liuyu narrowed her eyes quizzically at Zu An and asked, “You really aren’t the creator of this melody?”

“It really isn’t me. I only happened to hear it in my dreams.” As thick-skinned as Zu An was, he wasn’t so shameless as to actually claim credit for these songs.

“I see. I hadn’t expected you to be so humble.” Shang Liuyu picked up something that resembled a seashell from beside her and passed it to him. “Here, take this.”

Zu An was just about to correct Shang Liuyu’s misunderstanding when the seashell was thrust towards him. Perplexed, he asked, “What is it?”

“This item is able to record sounds it has just heard. You can use it to play that… background music when you enter the classroom later on,” answered Shang Liuyu.

“You aren’t coming with me?” Zu An asked, his disappointment evident.

Shang Liuyu’s face reddened. “I’m not about to embarrass myself publicly.” 

Still, this Zu An was really a bag of surprises. He could come up with all sorts of bizarre things even when it came to simply teaching a class.

“Eesh, I see.” With no other choice, Zu An accepted the seashell. Under Shang Liuyu’s guidance, he soon understood how to use it.

Isn’t this practically a recorder?

Once again, Zu An was amazed by how wondrous this world of cultivation was. Despite being technologically underdeveloped, it was more than compensated for by the wonders brought about by ki. Many of the conveniences of the modern could be emulated through the use of artifacts and formations.

“Big sister Shang, do you have any hair wax that I can borrow?” asked Zu An.

“Hair wax?” Shang Liuyu didn’t understand what Zu An was asking for.

“Err, I’m referring to gel that helps to keep your hairdo in place,” Zu An roughly explained.

“Ah, I think I have something similar to that here,” replied Shang Liuyu. She headed into her residence for a while before returning with a bottle filled with some sort of gel. “What kind of hairdo are you going for?”

“I’m thinking of doing it like this…” Zu An described how a slick back hairstyle roughly looked like as he applied the gel on his hair and tried to shape it. However, his fingers turned out to be clumsier than he’d thought.

Shang Liuyu smiled at this sight and said, “I’ll help you.”

She ushered for him to sit on a stool before helping him tidy up his hairdo.

Her close proximity made Zu An aware of a light fragrance coming from her, and it made his heart thump. If he wasn’t mistaken, she should have just gotten out of the pool when he’d arrived, so there hadn’t been time for her to apply any fragrances or powder.

How could she still smell so nice, then? Could it be the cosmetics she usually applied had somehow seeped into her skin?

Shang Liuyu started off by tidying the hair on the back of his head, before moving over to the front to fuss with his fringe. She was so focused on the task that she subconsciously bent down a little, revealing a sight that almost made Zu An’s nose bleed.

Since she had just finished bathing, the robe she donned was a little loose. When they’d been standing apart earlier, all he had seen were the tops of her shoulders and her collarbone. However, now that she was bending down in front of him, her loose collar ended up drooping down slightly, revealing more of her fair skin and two very attractive mounds.

“Gulp~”

Zu An mentally reminded himself to remain calm, but he couldn’t help but swallow nervously.

The sound caught Shang Liuyu’s notice, and drew her attention to his strangely nervous state. She lowered her head to take a look, and her face swiftly flushed red. She immediately shot to her feet and took several steps backward. There was a moment of silence before she said awkwardly, “It should be about done. You can head to class now.”

Zu An was impressed by the composure she was showing as a mature woman, choosing to ignore the matter and play it down. A younger girl would likely have started shrieking and kicking up a huge fuss. 

Then again, Shang Liuyu had been in the midst of helping him when he’d accidentally taken advantage of her. No matter how thick-skinned he was, it still left him in an awkward spot. “Thank you for your help today. I’ll treat you to a meal next time.”

Since Shang Liuyu was intentionally avoiding the topic, he wouldn’t be so dumb as to bring it up. This was the kind of telepathic connection mature people shared with one another. 

Hmmm, I’m more of a youth right now though.

Shang Liuyu’s expression gradually returned to normal. With a slight smile, she said, “There are plenty of people who want to treat me to a meal. It might take a long time before it reaches your turn.”

“I’d expect no less from you.” Knowing her explosive popularity in the academy, Zu An knew that her words were true. “If the opportunity arises, then.”

It was about time for the arithmetic class, so Zu An quickly waved her goodbye before heading for the Sky class.

… 

Unlike the rowdy Yellow class, the Sky class was much quieter. It was filled with proud prodigies, after all. Even if they had time to spare, they preferred to keep to themselves to maintain their personal air of lofty superiority. It was well beneath them to fool around like how the students of the other classes did.

Despite this, everyone’s eyes still naturally drifted toward a certain person. Chu Chuyan was sitting quietly all on her own, but a mysterious mist seemed to enshroud her, making her seem as if a fairy descended from heaven.

As expected of the number one beauty!

Everyone in the classroom shared the same thought. It was rare to see Chu Chuyan around, even in the academy, and it was vital that they treasured every glimpse they could get of her. 

Shi Kun intentionally chose a seat near the back of the classroom, so that he could fully appreciate her perfect figure. Yuan Wendong and the others sat around him, trying their best to butter him up to get into his good graces. Shi Kun would respond to their remarks from time to time, but his attention was clearly on the fairy sitting in front of him.

He noticed that the other students kept sneaking glances at Chu Chuyan, and anger welled up in his heart. 

How dare these men covet my woman?

Of course, this only proved just how charming the woman he had chosen was. Seeing things from this other perspective helped alleviate his anger slightly.

Isn’t there another woman in the class who is rumored to equal Chu Chuyan in beauty called Pei Mianman or something? Why don’t I see her around?

Most of the prodigies in the Sky class had their own businesses to deal with outside the academy, so there was no requirement for their attendance. As a result, it was rare for the whole class to be present on any given day, and Pei Mianman’s absence wasn’t out of the ordinary.

Ah right, wasn’t there also another beauty going by the name of Zheng Dan too?

Shi Kun’s gaze drifted around, and he swiftly caught sight of a beautiful woman who gave off an air of traditional grace. Her gestures were gentle and demure, overflowing with feminine charm.

Even someone with standards as high as Shi Kun’s couldn’t deny her ravishing charm.

Sang Qian sure is lucky.

It was not a secret that Zheng Dan was Sang Qian’s fiancé, and Shi Kun was well aware of this.

What a pity!

Had she been engaged to anyone else, Shi Kun would probably have tried to snatch Zheng Dan over to his side. He was no stranger to stealing other men’s women over the years. However, the Sang clan was currently favored by the emperor, and it wasn’t wise to anger them at the moment.

Fortunately, the Sang clan didn’t have a stable foundation. If any misfortune were to befall them in the future… 

Hehehe, he’ll have no choice but to turn to me for help. By then, all I’d have to do is point at Zheng Dan, and she’d be mine… 

His imagination began to run wild as he thought about how he would slowly befoul her purity and drag her into the abyss. Eventually, she would lose herself and fall head over heels for him.

He had executed such tricks plenty of times, and was intimately familiar with how it all played out.

All he wanted from these women was the sense of exhilaration that stemmed from successfully dominating them. He didn’t harbor any true feelings for them, so he didn’t particularly mind if they were married or not. In fact, conquering married women brought him far greater thrill. 

However, it wasn’t the same for Chu Chuyan. He had devoted his feelings to her, and he wouldn’t allow anyone to sully her.

Not too far away, Zheng Dan sensed Shi Kun’s heated gaze on her, so she directed a faint smile toward him in response. She had long heard of the reputation of the Sixth Young Master of the Shi clan, and he was as dashing as the rumors put him out to be. However, his gaze at the moment left her deeply uncomfortable.

In comparison to his intent stare, Zu An seemed much more of a gentleman.

Hah, it sure is a weird world we live in. A true gentleman has his reputation in shambles, but a wolf in sheep’s clothing like Shi Kun enjoys such a good reputation.

As these thoughts surfaced in her mind, her eyes drifted subconsciously toward Chu Chuyan, sitting quietly by herself like a noble princess.

Hmph! I wonder how you’d feel if you found out how helpless your husband is before my charms!

Zheng Dan couldn’t really recognize herself anymore. She had never allowed any men to come close to her, and had even disallowed her fiancé to hold her hand. Yet, where in the world had she found the boldness to allow Zu An to… 

Am I really going this far just to prove my charm by snatching away Chu Chuyan’s man?

For some reason, this thought made Zheng Dan’s stomach roil. She noticed how the other male students were sneaking glances at Chu Chuyan, and that only fueled her irritation. 

All of these lustful men!

It was then that the door to the classroom suddenly burst open. Everyone’s heads whipped around, expecting to see their teacher finally arrive. However, it was only Wu Qing, walking in with a frosty look on her face.

Wu Qing was actually quite a looker as well, and there were many students who were interested in getting close to her. However, her current chilling aura warded them all away. No one wanted to get involved with her when she was in an irritated mood.

Without saying a word, Wu Qing walked over to her seat and sat down. It was then that she noticed Chu Chuyan sitting close to her, and her rage flurried like a winter storm. She stood back up, stormed over to Chu Chuyan’s side, and gazed down on her coldly. “Is Zu An your husband?”

Chu Chuyan frowned upon hearing the question, but she still nodded in response. “Yes, that’s right.”

Her purpose of marrying Zu An was to blunt the schemes of those coming after her and the Chu clan, so there was no reason for her to deny it.

Shi Kun understood the rationale behind Chu Chuyan’s actions too, but hearing his beloved woman acknowledging another man as her husband still made his hackles rise. His face turned awfully livid as a problem he’d been neglecting came to light.

He was aware that Chu Chuyan was still a maiden because of what Snow had reported, but no one else was privy to that information. Most would assume that her chastity had been taken by now. If he were to marry her in the future, wouldn’t everyone think that he had been cuckolded?

“Since he’s your husband, shouldn’t you keep a close eye on him? Why is he flirting around with other women?!” Wu Qing demanded coldly before stomping back to her seat in a huff.

Chu Chuyan was stunned. She had no idea what in the world Wu Qing was talking about.

That being said, Wu Qing’s words left plenty of room for speculation, and the other students in the Sky class began whispering to one another. The desire to gossip was innate in all humans, even in lofty prodigies.

“Zu An actually tried to flirt with Wu Qing?”

“Holy moly! That man sure is a beast! He actually wants to monopolize the young misses of two ducal clans!”

“Despite having a wife as beautiful as Chu Chuyan, he still wants to find other women outside! Hmph, he really should learn his own place!”

“Haven’t you heard of the saying, ‘the grass is always greener on the other side’? Chu Chuyan might be a goddess to us, but Zu An has already had a taste of her, so naturally, he doesn’t cherish her as much anymore. It’s always the things that are out of reach that look the most attractive.”

“Oof! Why do your words feel like a knife stabbing into my heart?”

… 

These excited whispers made Shi Kun’s eyelids twitch in horror. 

Does that fellow really wield such amazing capabilities?

A wild melody suddenly cut through the air, causing goosebumps to rise amongst the students. Their blood immediately started pumping, as if they were about to march into a battle to save the world.

“What’s going on?”

The bewildered students turned their eyes toward the entrance of the classroom, and were awed by the sight of a towering figure slowly making his way in. His hair was combed back in a slick hairdo that no one had seen before, but somehow looked very cool. He wore a black uniform that enhanced his imposing figure with every measured step he took.

“Who’s that guy?”

“That’s the uniform worn by the academy’s teachers right?”

“Rubbish! When has the teacher’s uniform ever looked so suave?”

… 

Meanwhile, Chu Chuyan narrowed her eyes in puzzlement. 

Why does that person look oddly familiar to me?

Shi Kun was in the midst of taking a sip of water, his mind working on a plan to deal with Zu An. He finally took a proper look at the person walking toward the podium, and immediately choked on his water, causing a mess.