Chapter 10: Study Tour Agreement, Internal Group Chat, Starting Work

Chapter 10: Study Trip Plans, Group Chats, and Starting Work

After discussing Qi Heyin's matters at the elite academy, the two continued chatting about other topics through the screen.

Qi Heyin had a calm and introverted personality, so during their interactions, Shang Wenze was often the one guiding the conversation. In truth, he wasn’t naturally talkative either—arrogant and aloof by nature, he only showed a bit more patience and gentleness when facing He Yin.

He took the initiative to bring up his recent journey to the Western Continent, saying, "Though the food was bad, the sleep was worse, and I kept wanting to return home, this trip wasn’t entirely without merit. There were some remarkable experiences—would you like to hear about them, He Yin?"

Qi Heyin nodded in agreement.

Shang Wenze smiled, slowing his tone as if accustomed to it, his voice gentle as if telling a bedtime story to a child. He said, "This time, I accompanied my father on his visit to the Western Continent. We first arrived in Helena, then traveled north through Ascalia and Larkshire, and are now stopping at Gru Port. Eventually, we’ll take a ship to the northernmost country, Otto."

"Though Helena is a small country, the scenery is beautiful, with a warm and pleasant climate. The coast is abundant with lustrous golden pearls. I visited many seaside shops there and brought back quite a few lovely pearls for you."

"Ascalia has the largest inland lake on the Western Continent. The lake is home to an exotic fish with delicate pink scales—an elegant, pure color—and long pectoral and tail fins that resemble a fairy’s skirt. Unfortunately, I couldn’t bring any of these fish back, so I could only take some photos for you."

"Larkshire is famous for its rose vineyards. Though the wine is unremarkable, the sight of roses blooming across the estate under the sunlight is stunning—a dazzling sea of blooms. When I arrived, I happened to witness a couple holding their wedding there. They kissed amidst the flower beds, looking incredibly happy. At that moment, I thought..."

Qi Heyin listened attentively as he recounted his journey, her eyes shining with quiet longing.

It was a familiar feeling, just like when they were children. She had always learned about the world through Shang Wenze’s stories, waiting for him to set foot on new lands and bring back the treasures of his travels.

From a young age, she and Shang Wenze had been different.

He was healthy and strong, bursting with restless energy to explore the world. He adored extreme sports—bungee jumping, diving, skiing, surfing, skydiving—and had gone off-roading in the mountains, climbed the highest peaks, chased the northern lights, and even spent seven days and nights alone in a primeval jungle, battling venomous snakes and predators to survive.

No one their age had life experiences as rich as his. He was like a swaggering adventurer, obsessed with conquering the world.

As for her, she had been trapped in cycles of hospitals and home, always separated from the real world by a window, a door, or a wall.

She used to watch Shang Wenze with envy and sorrow, feeling like a captive in her fragile body.

But Shang Wenze had told her she was the queen of the mind's boundless realms—that the world she saw was vaster than any physical world.

As for the real-world scenery, he could see it for her and then slowly recount it to her.

This was a promise he had kept for many years.

"Your health has improved, He Yin. It might not be long before you can travel on your own," Shang Wenze said, noticing the longing in her eyes as he smiled at her. "The elite academy organizes a large-scale study trip every December, visiting various countries for inspiration. Once I return this time, we can go together."

"Mm!" Qi Heyin nodded earnestly, her eyes filled with anticipation.

Glancing down at the time displayed on her communicator, she realized they had talked for nearly forty minutes without realizing.

Remembering that it was almost 2 a.m. on Shang Wenze’s end, Qi Heyin quickly said goodbye and ended the call under his lingering gaze.

Standing up, she straightened out her wrinkled pajamas and prepared to read a bit more of her thesis before going to bed.

Qi Heyin kept a strict 9 p.m. bedtime every night, waking at 6 a.m. to ensure a full nine hours of rest—a routine maintained during her recovery period. Once her health fully stabilized and she officially joined the research institute, her bedtime might be adjusted accordingly.

The next morning, Qi Heyin woke up on time. After a simple breakfast, she boarded the car heading to Faro Elite Academy.

The entire day was packed with core classes, making up credits, reviewing research materials, and writing her thesis—leaving her with a feeling of accomplishment.

This routine continued for several days, and Qi Heyin soon fully adapted to the rhythm of campus life.

As her courses progressed, she met more classmates—some from her own grade, others first-year students...

Little by little, her device began receiving numerous friendly greetings daily, no longer just the initial gossip. This inexplicably gave Qi Heyin a sense that "socializing doesn't seem so hard after all"... Could it be that, as Yunxin had said, she truly possessed some natural charm?

On Friday, Qi Heyin arrived early at the classroom again, sitting near the front and quietly studying.

A few classmates walked in, intending to greet her, but upon seeing Jiang Yanche beside her, they hesitated and held back.

These days, Jiang Yanche's seat seemed fixed—no longer the lone wolf occupying the very back row. Instead, regardless of the class or classroom, he always planted himself beside Qi Heyin.

At the moment, Jiang Yanche was badgering her with questions. The young master propped his arms on the desk, his pink hair dazzlingly bright, his piercing blue eyes fixed unblinkingly on her as he spoke in a sugary, wheedling voice.

A few passing students were startled by the sight, sharing knowing looks before promptly pulling out their phones, tapping furiously across the keyboards as if their fingers were a blur.

Messages instantly flooded a certain mysterious group chat within Farro Prep.

"Wow, wow, is our noble Young Master Jiang about to be won over by the new student? I swear he’s totally gone for her—did you see the way he was looking at her just now? He’s absolutely smitten!"

"Pfft, as if. Our Qi Heyin is that person’s childhood friend. Even Master Shang hasn’t managed to win her over all these years—you think Young Master Jiang stands a chance?"

"What’s wrong with our Young Master Jiang? I’ve seen Master Shang at the student council—sure, he’s handsome, but that cold, arrogant expression of his could scare a three-year-old to tears! Personally, I’d take Young Master Jiang any day—sunny, charming, and definitely the sweet, clingy type in a relationship~"

"I’d love to see the two young masters fight over her—a showdown would be epic! Just imagining these lofty prep princes vying for a fragile girl... oh my, am I reading some trashy romance novel?"

"Qi Heyin is gentle and brilliant—who wouldn’t like her? The only downside is how friendly she is with those scholarship kids. I hope those commoners don’t get any delusions—she’s only a match for the young masters!"

"She’s so lucky to have the young masters’ attention. I’m honestly a little jealous, boo hoo~"

"Hah? You’re all worshipping the young masters too much. Personally, I don’t think Qi Heyin is even thinking about romance. Insider tip: check the latest recruitment announcement from the Velitas Research Institute—there’s a surprise~"

The group exploded with chatter, occasionally muttering curses under their breath while sneaking glances at the quiet girl sitting at the front, inwardly thrilled.

Given Farro Prep students’ usual gossip habits, these messages would normally have been posted openly on the forum.

Hiding behind the anonymity of the forum, many students even dared to discuss the prep’s most untouchable young masters, not to mention ordinary students with average backgrounds—they said whatever they pleased.

But for some reason, when it came to Qi Heyin, the usual free-for-all discussions became an exception.

Lately, any forum posts about her were mysteriously deleted almost instantly, sometimes even resulting in the poster’s account being banned. After repeated incidents, everyone gradually realized something was off.

A few rebellious students tried flooding the forum with more posts to protest the censorship, only for their families to receive warning calls from higher-ups that very night. The posters were disciplined at home and returned to school the next day in tears.

This heavy-handed warning left the students intimidated, muttering curses about the "control-freak mods" in their hearts while quietly taking their gossip underground in private group chats.

Qi Heyin remained clueless about all this. She didn’t browse the forum and only checked her phone for messages from friends when she had free time after school.

Right now, she was explaining a new problem to Jiang Yanche.

Lately, the young man had been oddly quiet online, only sending a few questions each day—as if aware she wouldn’t respond to anything unrelated to academics.

But in person, he remained as warm as ever, sitting beside her and kept reaching out.

Seeing Jiang Yanche silently staring at the problem with a blank stare, unsure if he’d actually understood, Qi Heyin thought for a moment and said, "Let me test you, then."

Jiang Yanche: "......"

"Fine," he sighed, slumping dramatically. "I didn’t get it."

Qi Heyin: "What part?"

Jiang Yanche carefully tapped the test paper: "Here, here, and here."

Qi Heyin was silent for a moment: "So... all of it?"

"...Yeah." Jiang Yanche stole a cautious glance at her, sounding slightly aggrieved. "Do you think I'm dumb, Qi?"

Qi Heyin shook her head. "No."

After a moment of thought, she added bluntly, "In my eyes, everyone is the same."

She believed in equal education for all.

Jiang Yanche, however, seemed to take her words the wrong way.

Upon hearing this, he gave her a stunned look, covering his mouth as if she'd stabbed him in the heart.

Qi Heyin tilted her head in confusion: "?"

......

By Friday afternoon, the school week was over.

Qi Heyin returned home and spent a cozy Saturday with her parents and sister.

Unusually, she left early on Sunday morning.

Dressed in relatively formal attire, she packed all her research documents neatly into her bag, preparing to head to the Velitas Research Institute for her first day at work.

The sun shone brightly in a clear blue sky. Sitting by the train window, she watched the scenery rush past on either side, the gentle breeze brushing against her face, putting her in an exceptionally good mood.

Meanwhile, inside the Velitas Research Institute, a personal file was placed on the meeting room table.

A man in a spotless uniform gazed respectfully at the stern, silent figure seated on the sofa. "Young Master Li, this is the profile of the Mimic researcher assigned to you by the Institute for the joint military-research project."

"The Institute officially recognizes her as a new S-rank Mimic researcher."