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墨書 Inktalez
"Lan Juan, if you have something to say, just say it. Stop pretending to be all sharp and prickly; it's really disgusting!" Ning Feiwan and Yan Yuyan glared at each other with displeasure.
"Hmph, I wonder who the truly disgusting one is? You both know in your hearts," Lan Juan scoffed, then turned away with a look of disdain.
Yan Yuyan couldn't help but make a face at Lan Juan's haughty retreat.
"Tsk, what's the big deal! It's just luck that she was born into a good family. Does she really think she's so special? It's ridiculous that the Lan family rules even state 'Do not be arrogant or proud!'"
"Well, Mian Fei, don't take it to heart. That person has always been like that..." Qi Wei said awkwardly to me.
"But for Lan Juan to look down on us outsiders as disciples is one thing; treating you like that too...," Ning Feiwan looked at me with a puzzled expression. "Could it be that the rumors are true?"
"Rumors?" I was completely confused and had no idea what was going on.
"Um... class is about to start. Let's head in first! We can talk more when we have time," Qi Wei quickly reminded us.
Upon hearing this, the two of them immediately stopped talking and turned nervously toward the Plum Blossom Chamber.
"Let's go too, Mian Fei," Qi Wei said with a smile as she took my hand.
What had to come would come... I quickly pushed aside the strange episode from earlier and put on a face of utter despair.
Regardless, facing the challenges ahead was more important.
"Alright." I steeled myself, ready to face whatever came next.
As soon as I stepped into the Plum Blossom Chamber, I immediately felt an indescribable, eerie atmosphere.
Unlike the carefree days when Wei Wuxian and his friends would sit wherever they pleased without a care in the world, the Plum Blossom Chamber was distinctly divided. The Lan family members occupied one side, while the outsiders took up the other, creating a clear separation.
This scene reminded me of how girls have always had a tendency to form cliques. As someone who once attended an all-girls school, I couldn't help but feel a wave of nostalgia.
"Mian Fei, do you want to sit next to me?" Qi Wei asked.
"No..." I glanced at the central spot she had chosen and then at the isolated corner seat in the back row that seemed to be ignored by everyone. "I'll sit there."
"Huh? But it's hard to hear from there..." Qi Wei frowned in disapproval.
I waved my hand dismissively and walked toward that spot.
"Don't worry, it's fine."
Let the diligent students focus on their studies! Unlike you all, I don't need to go back and bring glory to my family; I just want to scrape by.
That inconspicuous gray corner was perfect for me—just right!
Qi Wei seemed like she wanted to say more, but Elder Lan arrived punctually in the Plum Blossom Chamber, causing her to swallow her words and sit down obediently.
The previously bustling space fell silent in an instant.
Lan Qiren's sharp gaze swept over everyone, and when it landed on me in the corner, it seemed to linger for a moment.
I lowered my gaze and ignored everything, convincing myself that it was all just an illusion.
Then, the dull and tedious class began.
As I had anticipated, I completely understood nothing of the lecture. The lack of comprehension made it impossible to fight off the drowsiness that crept in…
“...Wei Hua, please answer.”
Suddenly called upon, I jolted awake, the sleepiness that had occupied my mind vanishing in an instant.
“...Yes.” Under the watchful eyes of my classmates, I slowly stood up and calmly looked at Lan Qiren, stating bluntly, “I don’t know.”
Perhaps my attitude was too nonchalant; the crowd that had been waiting to see how I would perform all wore expressions of shock.
Lan Qiren glared at me with furrowed brows.
“Is it because you were busy dozing off and didn’t hear the question clearly that you can’t answer?”
“No.” I repeated the question from earlier to prove that I had indeed been listening. “But I’m sorry, I really don’t know the answer.”
Lan Qiren raised a hand to stroke his goat-like beard and coldly said:
“Lack of ambition, and you can’t even answer such a basic question. In that case, you can stand for the duration of this class!”
Thus, I spent my very first class in school standing as punishment.
After school, I couldn't help but slump into my seat like a pile of mush.
I was filled with sorrow and despair... Although I had often faced inexplicable punishments while studying in the real world, I never expected to be punished even after being transported into a story...
Where was the promised power of the protagonist? Why could I not feel it at all? Was it because I wasn't the main character?
Where is the justice in this world?
“Mian Fei, um… are you still recovering from a brain injury?” Qi Wei looked at me with concern.
“No, I'm just naturally dull-witted,” I mumbled, burying my face in the table.
“I mean, you should at least try to pull yourself together! Remember when the Yiling Patriarch came to Yunshen Buzhichu to learn? When Mr. Lan called on him, he answered fluently and made connections effortlessly. Even Mr. Lan almost couldn't keep up! And look at you…” Yan Yuyan leaned closer, shaking her head in disappointment. “This is just too much! You can't even answer such a simple question. What are you doing to Senior Wei's reputation?”
“Huh? What does my naturally poor intellect have to do with Senior Wei?” I looked up in confusion. Please don’t compare us just because we share the same surname!
“Uh, because you’re not Senior Wei’s…”
“Ha! I thought a guest elder personally recommended by Senior Wei would be some rare talent, but it turns out you're just a hollow shell…” Someone interrupted Yan Yuyan's unfinished words with a cold sneer. “For Yunshen Buzhichu to be forced to accept someone of your low caliber as a guest elder is simply an insult to our Gusu Lan's standards.”
I turned my head calmly toward the source of the voice—sure enough, it was that aloof and arrogant Lan Juan from earlier.
How strange; what had I done to provoke her? It felt like she was deliberately targeting me. We had never met before…
"Wait, Wei Wuxian personally recommended me? How come I didn't know about this?"
However, before clarifying this matter...
"The style of the Gusu Lan?" I tilted my head to look at her. Xu Ran smiled and said, "I see now. This kind of arrogance and disdain for others, this 'elegance and integrity,' I have indeed witnessed."
I couldn't tell if it was because the discipline for female cultivators was more lenient or if girls were simply better at putting on a facade in public, but so far, among the relatives of the Lan, aside from their graceful demeanor, I had only sensed varying degrees of pride and delicacy. There was hardly any trace of 'elegance' or 'integrity'; the proud cultivation of the Gusu Lan seemed entirely hollow.
Speaking of which, while it's one thing to disdain my mediocre talent, claiming that I forced the Gusu Lan to accept me as a guest elder? Sorry, but I refuse to take that blame!
"You!" Lan Juan was momentarily speechless with anger, indignantly saying, "How dare a mere low-ranking guest elder act so arrogantly! If it weren't for Senior Wei's sake, do you really think you have the qualifications to be recognized?"
"Since Senior Wei is only responsible for the recommendation and doesn't have the final say, whether I qualify or not—and who grants that recognition—should be decided by you insiders of the Gusu Lan, right?" I replied dismissively.
"Ha! Ms. Wei, you should speak with some conscience. Just your identity as 'the daughter of the Yiling Patriarch' alone—let alone our Gusu Lan—who among any of the current immortal sects would dare to refuse you?" Lan Juan said with a mocking tone.
"What?" I was taken aback. "Wait a minute, daughter of the Yiling Patriarch? What nonsense are you talking about?!" Please don't tarnish Wei Wuxian's reputation like that! Even if he doesn't have much of a reputation to begin with, it shouldn't be like this!
"At this point, why pretend to be ignorant? This is common knowledge! Who would have thought that the daughter of the Yiling Patriarch would turn out to be someone with such mediocre talent..." Lan Juan smirked and deliberately lowered her voice as she said maliciously, "Or perhaps it’s just a case of mistaken identity? After all, Senior Wei was ranked fourth on the list of noble young masters back in the day; he was known for his handsome looks and charm. Yet here you are with such an ordinary appearance? I mean, even if you want to use this opportunity to forge connections, you should at least take a look in the mirror first."
Common knowledge? Why was it that I, the person involved, had no idea? After the initial shock wore off, my mind began to calm down.
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