After a vacation that passed in the blink of an eye, Hua Rong was back at school. The familiar hallways, the scent of books mixed with the faint hum of chatter—it was all the same, yet something felt different. Maybe it was because she had submitted her application for the archery competition, and now, all she could do was wait. She didn't know when or if it would be accepted, but that uncertainty wasn't going to stop her.
She had already decided—after class, she would go straight to practice.
As she made her way to the classroom, she noticed a group gathered near the entrance. Zhou Yifen, Zhinchen Liu, and a few others stood in a tight circle, their voices dropping the moment they spotted her. The air around them felt thick with something unspoken.
At her sight, the group instinctively stepped aside, creating a path for her to walk through. Hua Rong didn't say anything. She didn't need to. With a calm expression, she moved past them, entered the classroom, and took her usual seat by the window.
The courtyard outside looked peaceful, bathed in the soft morning light. She rested her chin against her hand, watching the trees sway gently in the breeze. It was quiet now, but in her mind, she was already thinking ahead—to the competition, to the practice she needed to do, and to the countless possibilities that awaited
Hua Rong's gaze drifted back to the group near the entrance. They were deep in conversation, their expressions ranging from frustration to disbelief. Something was clearly going on.
Curious, she lifted a hand and waved, catching Zhou Yifen's attention. "Hey, Yifen!" she called, motioning for him to come over.
With an exaggerated roll of his eyes, Yifen strode up to her desk, crossing his arms. "That damn Headmaster Jian," he muttered, the irritation clear in his voice.
Hua Rong arched a brow. "What did he do this time?"
Yifen huffed before explaining, "The first test paper was the hardest one we've ever had. Turns out, he made it that way on purpose—to make sure most of us fail."
Hua Rong's fingers instinctively curled around the edge of her desk. No wonder she had struggled with the exam. At one point, she had even started questioning her own abilities.
"And the worst part?" Yifen continued, his tone darkening. "He sent our test papers back to our original schools."
Hua Rong's eyes widened. "What? Why would he do that?"
Yifen scoffed. "Probably to rub it in. So that our old schools can see just how badly we did."
"He's crazy," Hua Rong muttered under her breath, barely able to contain her frustration.
"That's not even the worst part," Zhou Yifen added, his voice laced with annoyance.
She turned to him, her brows furrowed. "What now?"
"The whole system of sending students to represent the school every week or two? It's been canceled," he announced.
Hua Rong blinked. "Wait, what? Why?"
Yifen let out a dry laugh. "Because instead of feeling humiliated, students were actually enjoying it. And, well, that apparently doesn't sit well with our dear Headmaster Jian." He crossed his arms. "So now he's planning something else—something worse."
Hua Rong ran her fingertips through her hair, fighting the overwhelming urge to strangle the man. From the very first day, she had found him insufferable. Now, it was clear—he wasn't just annoying. He was the kind of person who thrived on control, someone who enjoyed bending the rules in whatever way suited him best.
The chatter at the entrance came to an abrupt halt the moment Teacher Gaoshun stepped into the classroom. His sharp gaze swept over the gathered students, silencing any lingering murmurs as they hurried to their seats. The atmosphere shifted instantly—what was once a lively discussion filled with complaints and frustrations now dissolved into tense anticipation.
Hua Rong leaned back in her chair, her fingers tapping absently against the desk as she stole a glance at Yifen, who still looked annoyed. Whatever Headmaster Jian was planning, it wouldn't be good. But for now, they had no choice but to focus on the lesson ahead.
.....
Wuhao Li wandered through the academy, weaving through various practice rooms in search of her. He checked the dance studio, where music pulsed through the walls, students perfecting their movements in front of mirrored panels. He passed by the martial arts dojo, where the rhythmic clash of wooden swords echoed, and the gym, where the clang of weights and the sound of sneakers squeaking against polished floors filled the air. Still, she was nowhere to be found.
Then, at last, he spotted her.
Inside the archery practice room, she stood with her back to him, bow raised, her fingers curled around the string, an arrow nocked and ready. The dim lighting of the room cast sharp shadows against the walls, highlighting the loose fit of her t-shirt over the protective chest guard, her leggings hugging her form as she adjusted her stance.
Wuhao Li took a step forward, his footfall barely audible against the wooden floor. Yet, as if sensing his presence, she turned—bow still drawn, her steady gaze locking onto him.
For a split second, his breath caught. Was she aiming at him?
Before he could react, she released the arrow.
It sliced through the air, the sharp whistle of its flight brushing past his ear. His body stiffened, his pulse hammering. He hadn't even blinked.
Slowly, he exhaled, his gaze shifting to her. She stood motionless, unreadable, before lowering her bow.
"What are you doing here?" Hua Rong asked, not bothering to lower her bow as she lined up her next shot.
Wuhao Li took a step closer, a teasing smirk playing on his lips. "Well, I was in search of a muse."
She scoffed, pulling back the bowstring. "Didn't I already tell you to just imagine me?"
"I tried," he admitted, watching her movements with interest. "But it turns out, I still can't."
"Not my problem," she muttered, releasing the arrow. It struck the target with a sharp thud.
He sighed dramatically. "At least let me wait. You can come see me after you're done."
For a fleeting moment, she glanced at him, her expression unreadable, before turning back to her practice. Wuhao Li folded his arms, leaning against the doorway, watching her in silence.
Hua Rong.
He had heard that name plenty of times before—from his sister, from passing conversations. He had even seen her once or twice, but back then, she had been just another face in the crowd, not worth a second thought. From what he'd gathered, she was ambitious—too ambitious. She was the kind of person who chased after more than what she had, never satisfied with the bare minimum. He never liked people like that. They exhausted him, their endless drive and unrelenting energy suffocating.
And yet, standing here now, watching her, he felt none of that discomfort.
She was completely focused, her eyes sharp, her posture unwavering, every movement deliberate. It wasn't mindless ambition—it was something else.
Dedication.
For some reason, that didn't bother him at all.
Hours slipped by unnoticed as Wuhao Li remained where he was, waiting.
Hua Rong finally put her bow away, returning the equipment to its proper place before glancing at him. With a sigh, she ran a hand through her sweat-dampened hair. "Let's go."
She could have ignored him earlier, but after seeing him wait this long, refusing now felt pointless.
Wuhao Li stretched lazily, falling into step beside her. "I never knew you practiced archery. Why now?"
Hua Rong kept walking, her expression set. "I'm aiming to be this school's solo representative."
He raised an eyebrow. "Interesting."
She turned slightly. "Well? You wanted me to come with you, right?"
To her surprise, he shook his head. "No need."
She frowned. "Why? Weren't you the one who said you needed me here?"
Wuhao Li smirked, tilting his head. "Yeah, I did. But I don't need you anymore."
Her brows furrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"
He leaned in just slightly, his eyes flickering over her sweat-slicked skin before stepping back. "I've already watched you long enough. Now, I can imagine you perfectly."
Hua Rong blinked at him, confused. "Why me?"
He paused for a moment as if considering the question, then casually shrugged. "Probably because you're the only girl I've seen for the longest time."
Then, taking a step backward, he added with a smirk, "And I'm not into boys."
As he walked away, Hua Rong stood frozen for a second, before realization hit her. That excuse!