Chapter 5
It was Friday, and a light drizzle suddenly started falling outside the window.
High temperatures mixed with moisture seeped in through the cracks in the window, bringing a stuffy and humid atmosphere. Yun Zhan, whose seat was right next to the bed, couldn't help but feel a little irritated. The teacher didn't allow the windows to be completely closed, claiming that some students couldn't stand the heat at all and that the classroom needed to be well-ventilated.
Sweat beaded on Yun Zhan's fair neck, and to make matters worse, this was a Spanish class. The agony of not being able to understand, coupled with the humid air, made Yun Zhan's mood less than pleasant from the very beginning of the class.
"Hang in there, the holiday will start after this class." 21, feeling no heat, said a lot of useless, sarcastic things in Yun Zhan's mind.
"Only this can comfort me." Yun Zhan sighed softly; she had already spent a lot of time on this course.
After staying up all night for four or five days, she could only sleep two or three hours a day, and her Spanish is currently only at the beginner level.
The teacher on stage assumed that these aristocratic girls had a high level of Spanish proficiency. A middle-aged woman in her fifties, dressed in a magnificent robe, held the sentimental text in her hands, raised her chin high, and read aloud the Spanish literary work with great emotion.
As Yun Zhan listened, he suddenly burst into laughter out of anger.
The teacher on stage was muttering to herself, completely absorbed in her art, while she sat below, unable to understand a single word.
"You know what? I'm like a foreigner who doesn't understand Chinese right now. I can't even spell pinyin and I'm starting to learn classical Chinese right away." Yun Zhan couldn't hold back anymore and laughed several times in a self-deprecating manner.
She always looks radiant during Spanish class.
"Warning~ Warning~ The host seems to have lost his mind." 21 played an emergency medical message in perfect harmony with her.
Thankfully, the grueling Spanish class is finally over.
As soon as the bell rang, not only Yun Zhan, but also the aristocratic girls who had been dozing off in the classroom, all perked up and instantly came to life.
It was a rare weekend, and the light rain gradually stopped.
The young ladies from well-to-do families were picked up by their family drivers. One luxury car after another was parked at the school gate. The girls, dressed in long skirts and adorned with expensive jewelry, stepped gracefully into their own luxury cars, followed by several maids and servants with their heads bowed.
However, an orphan like Yun Zhan, who has neither father nor mother, seems somewhat out of place.
School uniforms can effectively smooth out the gap between social classes; Yun Zhan suddenly realized the significance of this statement.
School uniforms are not allowed during holidays, so she could only wear the casual clothes she brought with her.
Wearing a simple, solid-color coat, Yun Zhan looked completely out of place with the image of a "rich heiress," but her beautiful face made her stand out. As a result, many people initially looked at her with amazement, but then their gazes turned strange when they saw her clothes.
However, she no longer cared much; all she wanted now was to leave the school and go out to explore.
"We're out of money, so we'll have to pawn some of our jewelry." Yun Zhan took out some gold and jewelry from his bag. These were things he had brought from previous worlds, and thankfully they came in handy.
The city where Minton School is located is Lunar Capital, which is currently the capital of this world. You can see the bustling city center as soon as you step out of the school.
This place boasts the world's most renowned financial and cultural centers, as well as a hub for technological innovation and an ancient medieval opera house... Having spent so much time at Mington School, Yun Zhan was somewhat disoriented when he first came out.
It looked no different from the original world, and I was almost fooled by the medieval architectural style of Minton School.
Walk into any pawn shop, and the owner will greet you warmly.
"I'm going to sell this." Yun Zhan handed over the ring in his hand.
This is a pure gold ring with a rare red gemstone set in the center. The golden ring sparkles in the sunlight and is of very good quality. However, the ring's size is quite large, not like something a young girl would wear.
This was something Yun Zhan had salvaged from the Su family in the previous world. She didn't like it, so she decided to sell it.
"The gold is of very high purity, and the gemstone is of good quality as well." The shopkeeper held the ring in his hands like a treasure. The red gemstone reflected a dazzling light. He examined it repeatedly, then secretly glanced at Yun Zhan out of the corner of his eye, and started to make his own calculations.
"Ahem, this is indeed a nice item. However, gold isn't that expensive, and gemstones aren't so rare that they're hard to find. I'll give you a fixed price of 600,000." The shopkeeper gripped the ring in his palm; he was determined to get it today.
Unexpectedly, Yun Zhan scoffed, snatched the ring, and turned to leave.
"Hey, don't go!" The boss panicked and quickly stopped her, blocking the doorway to prevent her from leaving.
"1.8 million. If you're not buying it, I'm leaving. If you think this gem is worthless, I can only say you have no taste." Yun Zhan turned around and looked at him coldly.
It seems that heartless people exist in every world.
"Alright, alright, just leave the ring here."
·····
After having money, Yun Zhan felt his back straighten considerably. In this dazzling, decadent city, money is the most insignificant thing, but also the most important thing for survival.
"Sister, would you like to dine at our restaurant? We have the best opera performance in Yue Du tonight. Buy an opera ticket and we'll give you a free meal for two."
The girl who was holding Yun Zhan's hand was an eight or nine-year-old girl. She was wearing a theatrical costume, and her small face, no bigger than a palm, was covered with theatrical makeup. Her round eyes looked at Yun Zhan, and her voice was young and innocent.
Yun Zhan couldn't bring himself to refuse.
The restaurant stands on the riverbank, with blue bricks and gray tiles. The facade is not large, but it is very deep. The ebony door is inlaid with copper rivets, which have been polished smooth by the years. Inside the door is a long and narrow courtyard, where a few moss peeks out from the cracks in the bluestone, and glistens green when the rain stops.
The dining table made of pear wood faces the stage, the restaurant is open on three sides, and twelve birds hang from the eaves. In the prosperous Yuedu, this kind of ancient restaurant-like architecture has become a symbol of culture.
Yun Zhan chose a seat; the food on the table was quite good. She ate a little, and as night fell, the opera performance began.
"Hey! Tonight's 'star' is none other than the number one diva in the capital. That beauty has a slender waist and soft limbs, and when she sings, her voice is really... tsk, it makes your bones melt."
"This young actress doesn't come every day. I only know her name is 'Xue,' and she's famous for playing the fox demon Qingwu. This beauty comes from a humble background but is exceptionally talented. Her singing style has been described as 'a jade hairpin cutting through spring water.' We're in for a treat tonight!"
Several young men, their faces ruddy, chattered incessantly after having a few drinks.
Yun Zhan frowned slightly, glanced at the first man, and then turned his gaze back to the stage.
After three rounds of gongs and drums, a "Ya—" came from behind the curtain, like a wisp of smoke rising from an incense burner. When "Snow" stepped out from behind the screen with light, quick steps, the breath of everyone watching in the restaurant was caught for a moment.
It was Yun Zhan's first time watching traditional opera, and she was completely captivated.
Yun Zhan was completely unaware that her sleeve had brushed against the melon rind on the table. She was staring at the graceful young woman on the stage, her dark eyes reflecting the light and flowing water sleeves on the stage. Her heart felt like it was being clenched, and her breath caught in her throat.
When the girl named "Xue" walked out slowly, the entire theater fell silent instantly. Yun Zhan was stunned by her stunning beauty and elegant demeanor.
"For you are as beautiful as a flower, and as fleeting as flowing water~"
As the melodious and graceful singing began, the woman's flowing sleeves fluttered like butterfly wings, and her singing was so plaintive that it seemed to weep, perfectly capturing the fox demon's longing and sorrow for love.
"Ahhh, Yun Zhan! This is also the female lead!" 21 shouted excitedly, its mechanical electronic voice unable to conceal its excitement.
"Waaaaah, damn it, how come you're so lucky with women? Another heroine waiting to be conquered..." 21 almost burst into tears, regretting that she couldn't apply to become a host right now.
"She's the female lead? And then, what did you say?"
Yun Zhan's heart was in her throat. She only heard the first sentence, and she was too excited to hear the second sentence clearly.
As the song ended, "Snow's" flowing sleeves froze into a flower about to fall, eliciting applause from the audience. Then, a cloud of mist dispersed around the girl, and she quietly left the stage amidst the amazed gazes of the crowd.
Yun Zhan sat in the audience, staring at the food on the table, unable to come to her senses for a long time. To be honest, she was genuinely amazed.
After the performance, there was a short interactive segment.
After the performance, the actors could surround the guests. If the guests thought the performance was good, they could give the actors money. If the actors could catch the guests' tips, they would receive the money. If the tips accidentally fell to the ground, the money would belong to the opera troupe.
"Snow" was very popular. The young girl, wearing a veil and a light, ancient-style opera costume, gracefully passed in front of each guest's table. The guests were generous with their money, stuffing large amounts of banknotes into "Snow's" sleeves.
"21, take out that gold brooch I had before."
Seeing that "Snow" was about to reach him, Yun Zhan became anxious.
"So generous?"
"Hurry up, she's the female lead, and I'll be interacting with her later," Yun Zhan urged.
The young girl took light steps and slowly leaned against Yun Zhan's side, a delicate fragrance wafting through the night along with her hair.
Beneath the veil, the vermilion mole at the corner of her eye was blurred by rouge, making "Snow" look otherworldly beautiful. Their gazes met, and Yun Zhan's eyes met the girl's, causing both of them to tremble.
Xue's eyes were bright as she stared at Yun Zhan for a long time; it was the first time she had ever seen such a beautiful guest.
"Here, take this. Don't drop it on the ground." Yun Zhan regained his senses and hurriedly pinned the gold brooch to "Xue's" chest.
She seemed very reserved, as if afraid the brooch would fall to the ground.
"This... is too precious." Xue stared in surprise at the brooch on her chest, which was made of gold and inlaid with sapphires.
This brooch is worth more than almost ten years of her income.
"Please accept this. It's something I wanted to give you. It suits you very well." Yun Zhan waved his hand, refusing "Xue's" offer.
"Thank you..." Xue carefully accepted the brooch, gently stroking it several times with her slender hands.
Even after the performance was completely over and the opera troupe had finished, Xue still secretly glanced at Yun Zhan several times from the shadows. She only looked away after Yun Zhan left the restaurant.
"You said she's the female lead, so what's her name?" Yun Zhan suddenly remembered to ask this question after walking away.
Those people just now said her name was "Xue," but that's probably just a nickname.
"Her name is Wen Sixue."
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