Volume 3: High School Arc - Mirror Game
The teacher had spoken with other students ahead, so I wasn’t surprised she came over.
But I didn’t expect that the first person she’d approach would be Lu Haochen.
“Teacher Xue.”
“Teacher, where are we going for lunch this afternoon?”
The ones who responded to her first weren’t Lu Haochen, but the two people next to him.
One was a short boy sitting in front of him, wearing glasses, who looked fairly spirited.
The other was a sturdy chubby guy sitting on his right.
These two had been chatting with Lu Haochen just moments ago, and they seemed to get along well.
“Hello, I remember… you’re called Huang Lishan, and you… you must be Li Kaihuai?”
The teacher smiled at the tall, stocky chubby one first and nodded, then smiled again at the small-framed boy.
Not a trace of a teacher’s typical airs.
“Teacher, just call me Da Shan, everyone in my family does.”
The chubby guy, Huang Lishan, was also showing friendliness, his plump face full of honest smiles.
“……”
The smaller Li Kaihuai didn’t bother introducing himself, only pushed up his glasses and smiled at Teacher Xue.
“Good, I didn’t get it wrong… I spent days memorizing your names and faces, you know.”
Teacher Xue wore a look of relief, with a slightly mischievous smile on her face.
The three of them couldn’t help smiling too.
Even a few boys nearby tried to stifle their laughter.
If this had been an ordinary school, what Xue Li did would be considered a bit unorthodox.
After all, most teachers still tried to maintain a high level of authority in front of students.
But this wasn’t just any place.
This was a nobles’ school.
Every single family here was either rich or powerful.
Trying to enforce discipline with the harsh style of a normal school wouldn’t work.
They were all around fifteen or sixteen.
If you tried to suppress them, they’d rebel just as hard.
Anyone who had ever been in a fight knew that fifteen or sixteen was the age when people had no sense of restraint.
They didn’t think things through like adults did.
Plenty of serious incidents happened because of impulsive actions at that age.
And because these kids were either rich or powerful, they rarely got scolded at home.
Trying to dominate them right off the bat?
Let’s be blunt — not even worth dreaming about.
From my perspective, the same sort of scene was probably playing out in the other classes next door.
These teachers had obviously been trained.
They weren’t just hired based on graduation, degrees, or passing some test.
That two-hundred-thousand tuition fee wasn’t just for show.
Besides, as long as the teachers did well, who’s to say those rich and powerful families wouldn’t offer them extra benefits?
They couldn’t hand over cash directly, but gifts were fine, right?
A trip abroad, coming back with a welcome present — a watch? Jewelry?
Just take a look at the stuff in my room and you’ll get the idea.
When I was in school, teachers never joked around like this with students.
The first class was usually just for introductions, then they went straight into teaching.
Teachers kept their status high, and students didn’t act chummy like now.
Back then, as soon as class ended, it was all about roughhousing, linking arms, trying to act cool.
Get into arguments, start trash talk — no one backed down.
But here… it was like a microcosm of society.
Even if students didn’t get along, they wouldn’t cross the line.
They’d make a few polite remarks and then quietly keep their distance.
Not like in my old public school, where someone always tried to show off on the first day.
Trying to show off here?
You don’t even know the other person’s family background.
What if you end up confronting the son of a gang boss, who’s chatting with the son of the police chief?
Of course, because of different family backgrounds and different upbringings, some of these students acted unruly.
But that didn’t mean they were stupid.
They might mess around outside, but in this school, no one dared act up.
Well… only before they figured out each other’s backgrounds.
Once everyone had the facts, they didn’t need to speak or threaten.
They’d already know their place.
“Student Lu Haochen, the teacher… has something to talk to you about, would you…”
Teacher Xue was being very polite with Lu Haochen, which puzzled me a little.
What kind of matter required a private chat?
Wait a second…
Could the teacher be trying to make a move on this second-gen rich kid?
“Teacher Xue, if there’s something to say, just say it.”
Lu Haochen smiled calmly.
“But…”
Teacher Xue seemed a little hesitant, as if holding something back.
“It’s okay. No matter how well it’s hidden, paper can’t wrap fire. Sooner or later, everyone will find out.”
Hidden?
What’s hidden?
Could Lu Haochen be the son of some billionaire?
No way, right?
“Well then… if you say so.”
Teacher Xue looked like she still didn’t want to say it, which immediately piqued the curiosity of nearby students.
Lu Haochen nodded, and after a slight pause, Xue Li pursed her lips and said:
“Student Lu Haochen, the teacher knows your family situation isn’t very good. So this afternoon, I’ll cover your meal. You don’t need to worry about the money. The school allows teachers to get reimbursed through the finance office.”
???
What?
Meal money?
Wait… did I hear that right?
Meal money?
A student at this academy… short on meal money?!
Impossible…
I was stunned for a moment, and so were the other students around me.
But in the blink of an eye, two words suddenly flashed through my mind.
Special admission!
Lu Haochen got into the academy because of special admission!
As I came to this realization, the other students around me might have also figured it out.
Some people even started whispering softly.
At this moment, Teacher Xue knew she couldn’t stay silent anymore and swept her eyes over the entire class.
“Well… actually, the reason I didn’t say anything earlier was because I didn’t want anyone to ostracize Lu Haochen. But I believe no one in our class would do that, so I won’t hide it anymore… Student Lu Haochen’s family background is quite average. He came to this school through a recommendation and his own hard work, and earned a special admission spot. So I won’t hide it anymore.”
The entire classroom fell silent for a moment, and all the students listened to the teacher seriously.
Recommendation?
Special admission…
I understood more or less, and so did most of the other students.
Most of them showed kind smiles, and the boy who had become the class monitor even patted his chest and said loudly, “Don’t worry, Teacher! In this class, nothing like that will happen! Lu Haochen, if anything comes up, talk to me. I’ve got your back!”
The female vice monitor quickly stood up to show her support too, and the rest of the students also chimed in one after another.
But who could tell how much of that was sincere?
“Thank you, everyone.”
Seeing this, Lu Haochen quickly stood up and expressed his thanks to the class.
And with that, the conversation came to a smooth close.
Lu Haochen’s identity as a special admission student was now exposed.
But for now, none of the students showed signs of discrimination.
However, faces may smile while hearts curse — no one could tell what they really thought.
After finishing the conversation with Lu Haochen, Teacher Xue turned to look in my direction.
Before she did, I noticed Huang Lishan and Li Kaihuai.
They seemed like decent people, at least on the surface.
They didn’t show any change in expression at the words “special admission”.
Of course, that was only on the surface.
It wasn’t that I was particularly cynical or pessimistic, but… I had seen too much darkness.
“Student Liu Yunyan, hello.”
When facing me, Teacher Xue didn’t act cute or playful.
She spoke in a calm and peaceful tone.
“Hello, Teacher Xue. Actually, you don’t have to be so formal. Just call me Yunyan.”
Then the teacher turned to greet Bai Juanjuan, who was looking at her with anticipation.
She leaned in and said softly, “Juanjuan, the school infirmary has the medicine you need. If you run out of what you brought, make sure to let the teacher know, okay?”
Although her voice was low, I still heard it.
In fact, it seemed like Teacher Xue deliberately let me hear it.
Bai Juanjuan, after hearing her words, nodded and responded, then snuck a glance at me.
Clearly, she knew I would hear that too, and was watching my reaction.
Teacher Xue, too, had said that on purpose — to see how I’d react.
Sure enough, Bai Juanjuan must have some kind of illness.
Judging from the brief moment I touched her wrist, it was likely something related to her heart or lungs.
“Yunyan, did what happened a few days ago scare you?”
A few days ago?
In an instant, I knew what Xue Li was referring to.
“It’s fine, just a car breakdown. Nothing major.”
I smiled.
Looks like being a teacher at this school really isn’t easy — even this kind of information was known.
A few days ago… aside from the incident in the tunnel, what else could it be?
“That’s good. If you feel scared, you can always talk to me.”
Teacher Xue said with a gentle smile on her face.
“Mm, I will.”
I returned the smile.
Of course, that was just polite talk.
If I really told her about the kind of horror I’d experienced, I’d probably end up with eight or ten psychiatric hospital directors standing in front of me tonight.
“Eh? Yunyan, you… you were in a car accident? Were you hurt?”
Bai Juanjuan had heard it too.
Naturally, so did Lu Haochen, who was sitting nearby.
When the words “car accident” came up, his body noticeably flinched slightly, showing that he was focusing on the conversation.
“I’m fine, the car just broke down. Really… see? Not a single scratch on me.”
Looking at Bai Juanjuan’s genuine concern, I could only return a reassuring smile.
“That’s good…”
She patted her not-so-big chest, clearly relieved.
Then Teacher Xue moved on to the next few tables to continue chatting with other students.
And just like that, the whole morning passed.
Just as the bell for the end of the fourth period was about to ring, Bai Juanjuan seemed a little tired from all the talking.
Her cheeks were slightly flushed.
I also finally had a bit of free time, so I took out my phone.
Not for any particular reason — it was just a habit.
However…
Just as I pulled out my phone and before the screen even lit up.
My face — Liu Yunyan’s face — suddenly twisted.
And in that instant before the screen turned on, I seemed to see…
Me, smiling at myself?