Mature Fantasy Power Invasion

Chapter 60

"Morning, Yan Huan."

As that pleasant voice rang out, both Yan Huan and Yinggong Tong turned their attention toward the source. Standing beside them was a girl whose beauty couldn't be hidden, even behind a mask.

When he saw the delicate curves of her features, Yan Huan was momentarily stunned. Then he smiled and greeted her.

"Morning, Bai Yi."

At his words, Bai Yi gently removed her mask, revealing a face that was both pure and breathtaking.

Yinggong Tong kept a polite smile on her face, but her eyes immediately entered scan mode, carefully examining Bai Yi's face.

Today, Bai Yi wore a custom-made spring campus-style uniform. She was notably taller than Yinggong Tong.

Compared to the petite Yinggong Tong standing next to Yan Huan, Bai Yi appeared to be a more natural match.

After greeting Yan Huan, Bai Yi didn’t forget about Yinggong Tong.

After a brief glance, she smiled and said,

"Morning, Vice President Yinggong."

"Morning, Bai Yi."

Yinggong Tong withdrew her gaze and offered a graceful bow.

Although she had suspected yesterday that the friend Yan Huan went to meet was likely Bai Yi, his calm expression when mentioning her hadn’t raised any alarms—not the way he acted when talking about his childhood sweetheart.

At that time, Yinggong Tong hadn’t felt threatened.

But now, seeing the girl's stunning beauty in person, she felt very differently.

Pubescent boys are naturally restless, easily swayed by hormones.

The phrase 'love at first sight' fits the situation perfectly.

And to think, this girl had even shouted things like "Fan A" on stage yesterday...

This definitely called for closer observation.

With that in mind, Yinggong Tong decided to wait and gather more intel.

So, she took the initiative to start a conversation.

Covering her mouth gently with her hand, Yinggong Tong smiled and said,

"Bai Yi’s performance yesterday was truly amazing. A few student council members and I were there—we were all so impressed."

"Eh? R-Really?"

Bai Yi blushed slightly under the praise, her nose tilting up involuntarily.

Caught off guard by the sweet compliment, she quickly let her guard down.

Yinggong Tong "sincerely" nodded and added,

"Of course. After I got home, I watched several of your past performances. You've been in so many events, but I rarely heard you sing. That was surprising."

Hearing that, Bai Yi pursed her lips and replied shyly,

"Well... it's kind of complicated. But honestly, I really have to thank Yan Huan."

As she spoke, Bai Yi flashed a radiant smile and looked at Yan Huan.

*Ding~*

Unaware of Yinggong Tong’s subtle scrutiny, Bai Yi’s smile at Yan Huan was like a blinding flash grenade to Yinggong Tong's eyes.

That look...

The smile on Yinggong Tong’s face stiffened slightly. Just as she was about to press further, Yan Huan glanced at the time and smiled at Bai Yi.

"We’ve got our Monday student council meeting coming up. Let’s head into the teaching building."

"Okay~"

With Yan Huan smoothly changing the subject, Yinggong Tong—who was about to speak—fell silent once again.

That change was no accident on Yan Huan's part.

Although Bai Yi hadn’t activated the modifier yesterday and he hadn’t received any Charm Fragment from her,

She was still a Host of the modifier. Who knew what was going on between her and her mother? There was always a risk of something explosive happening.

Yinggong Tong knew nothing about this. She was already entangled with the heavy-hitter Spencer and had nearly been hit with a modifier from Ye Shiyu last week.

All in all, keeping her out of these messy situations was for the best.

That was Yan Huan’s reasoning.

Bai Yi held a small book bag behind her back as she walked alongside Yan Huan and Yinggong Tong toward the teaching building.

"Oh right, Yan Huan, remember the earpiece you lent me before? Yours looked pretty old, and I happened to get a brand-new sample from a sponsorship deal. Let me give this to you."

As they walked, she suddenly pulled a small box from her bag—it held a pair of new blue noise-canceling earpieces.

The packaging was sleek and clearly a step up from Yan Huan’s older minimalist model. It probably cost a few hundred yuan.

"Ah, thank you."

After all the running around yesterday—and without even getting a Charm Fragment—the new earpiece felt like a small consolation.

But Yinggong Tong’s eyes were sharper than Yan Huan’s. She immediately noticed the pink matching earpiece nestled in Bai Yi’s black hair.

She was standing on Yan Huan’s right side, yet had the left earpiece in?

That awkward placement likely had only one purpose:

To make sure Yan Huan noticed they were using the same model in different colors.

If a girl likes a guy, she won’t necessarily say, "I like you. Please be my boyfriend."

Instead, she’ll wait, hint, and send signals that say, 'You’re welcome to come closer.'

She’ll say things like, "Wow, your hand is so big—let’s compare!" or "Ugh, it’s freezing today. I forgot my jacket," or "I missed the last train..."

These are all subtle signs of romantic interest.

So calculating~

Yinggong Tong quickly realized this girl was a rival—one as clever and strategic as she was.

Like a police siren blaring *Wee-woo*, her internal alarms went off. She became even more cautious of this dangerous opponent.

"Morning, Bai Yi!"

"Morning."

As Yan Huan accepted the gift, a girl passing by saw the three of them and excitedly called out,

"I saw your performance at the expo yesterday! It was amazing! So—who’s Fan A?"

"Ah, well... that..."

Bai Yi’s cheeks flushed, and her eyes instinctively glanced toward Yan Huan.

Just a momentary look—then she quickly looked away. With a smile, she replied,

"That’s a secret~"

"Eh~ A secret, huh~"

The girl giggled behind her hand, then turned to greet Yan Huan.

"Morning, President."

"Morning."

Yan Huan gave her a small smile in return.

But when she saw Yinggong Tong, her smile faltered slightly—then she quickly walked past.

Bai Yi gave the girl a curious glance, but Yan Huan didn’t seem surprised.

In truth, Yinggong Tong wasn’t very well-liked at school. Even Pu Shuwen would scoff whenever her name came up.

The reasons were complicated: her sudden appointment as Vice President, her role in conduct policy, her top grades, her wealthy background...

After all, Yuanyue was full of geniuses and proud elites. People like Yan Huan and You’an Lina, who got along with everyone, were rare.

Yan Huan came from a poor background, but he was handsome and always spoke with a smile, adjusting his tone depending on his audience—never annoying.

As for You’an Lina, while not as quick-witted as Yan Huan, she was silly, carefree, and sincerely kind—making her hard to dislike.

Yinggong Tong, however, was the complete opposite.

She was calculating, always kept a polite distance, and occasionally showed a fierce drive that made forming close friendships difficult.

Aware of her own dark thoughts, she deliberately kept her distance from most people, only getting along decently with student council members.

That wouldn’t have mattered much—until she stood next to the radiant Bai Yi. Then the contrast became painfully obvious.

"."

Wait a second!

This is starting to sound like something Yaqiao Mu would say!

Yinggong Tong’s expression paled as she turned to look at Yan Huan and Bai Yi beside her.

The two looked perfect together—in both appearance and height.

Both were popular and well-liked.

Both came from similar backgrounds and had easygoing personalities.

'Ugh, now that I say it out loud... I’m starting to ship you two...'

'What the hell!!'

That bizarre thought popped into her head again, making Yinggong Tong flare up like the legendary Green Rage King.

(*) Green Rage King: A humorous nickname implying someone is consumed with jealousy or frustration.

'It’s all Spencer’s fault!!'

She pursed her lips but suddenly came to a halt.

"Speaking of which, that study group you mentioned before, Yan Huan..."

Bai Yi had just opened her mouth when Yan Huan suddenly noticed that Yinggong Tong had stopped walking.

He turned his head and asked with concern,

"Yinggong?"

Bai Yi looked slightly puzzled. She glanced between Yan Huan and Yinggong Tong, a thoughtful glint flickering in her starry eyes.

Upon hearing him, Yinggong Tong smiled again—though the expression was clearly a bit forced.

"President..."

"Ehehe, Yinggong～"

Just as she began to speak, You'an Lina suddenly appeared from behind, wrapping her arms around Yinggong Tong and pulling her into a hug with a goofy grin.

"Yinggong, you're so soft to hug! It feels so nice～"

Yinggong Tong's cheeks turned red in an instant. Her weak constitution made her incredibly sensitive—especially ticklish.

"You'an Lina!!"

"Hehe, I just love Yinggong the most～ So pretty and cute, easy to tease, and with such a good temper～"

"Eh?"

'Seriously, am I really that great?'

As she stared at Bai Yi’s slightly widened eyes, Yinggong Tong’s self-esteem—earlier shattered by Bai Yi’s subtle remark—was reignited.

'That’s right. Just yesterday, the President said something similar to me. And yet, I lost my spirit at the most critical moment. How disgraceful!'

'But still... thank you, Secretary You'an Lina. I used to think of you as just a dumb pet...'

'Actually, you might be one of the few people I can call a friend, right?'

'That joke about making you repeat middle school—I never really meant it.'

But in the next second, You'an Lina looked up at her with pleading eyes and said,

"So, since you’re so cute, Yinggong, please let me copy this week’s math homework. Thanksies!"

"......" *Haha,* 'Maybe you really should repeat elementary school, You'an Lina.'

Watching Yinggong Tong with a vein pulsing on her forehead, while You'an Lina remained adorably clueless, Yan Huan couldn't help but smile.

"That’s You’an Lina, the school secretary."

"Ah... I see..."

Bai Yi blinked and kept her eyes on where Yan Huan had been looking.

Several classmates passed by, all greeting Yan Huan enthusiastically.

Even upperclassmen from the second and third years invited him to go to KTV or grab food after school.

(*) KTV: Short for karaoke television, a popular social activity in East Asia where people sing in private rooms.

The process of youthful infatuation is often the same.

For some reason, you start liking someone, and then begin to imagine how sweet romance could be.

But after real interaction, the gap between fantasy and reality creates uncertainty and anxiety.

Just like now—still caught up in yesterday’s “Fan A” romance—Bai Yi quickly noticed how popular Yan Huan truly was.

(*) "Fan A": A trope where someone idolizes another person, often from a distance.

He had his own social circle, other friends, and a life that didn’t revolve around being someone’s fan.

Surely, there were others who liked him—maybe even loved him.

Especially that Yinggong Tong—Bai Yi couldn’t shake the feeling that something dangerous lurked behind her eyes.

In the end, reality isn’t a fairy tale where princes and princesses are destined only for each other.

Feeling the pangs of first love, Bai Yi pursed her lips and suddenly felt uneasy.

Just as these thoughts swirled in her mind, Yan Huan turned to her and asked,

"By the way, didn’t you want to ask about the study group earlier?"

"Eh, yes."

Bai Yi had assumed he hadn’t heard her before, so she was surprised he remembered.

"The study group will probably start tomorrow. I’ll be in charge, along with Yaqiao Mu, the student council’s accountant."

"It’ll meet twice a week—Tuesdays and Thursdays at lunchtime. Before exam week, we’ll also have off-campus study sessions on weekends."

As he spoke, Yan Huan smiled at her again and added,

"Like I said before, Bai Yi, joining is just a suggestion—it’s totally up to you."

"I’ll join!"

Bai Yi blinked, blurting it out as she stared at Yan Huan’s handsome profile. Her brain hadn’t even caught up with her mouth.

She had asked about it yesterday—joining the group had always been optional, and almost no one ever went.

Which meant, most likely, she’d be studying with Yan Huan twice a week—just the two of them!!

Yaqiao Mu? Completely forgotten.

Whatever image popped into her head, it made Bai Yi’s cheeks flush again. Meanwhile, Yan Huan nodded and handed her a slip of paper.

"Alright, then make sure to prepare these books when you get home."

"Eh?"

Bai Yi took the paper and read the titles listed:

"Three Years of High School, Two Years of Mock Exams," "Math Mastery: 100 Drills," and "Grammar and Reading: One Book to Rule Them All."

She blinked. Her face, still red from romantic fantasies, was yanked straight into the cold waters of reality.

She looked up at Yan Huan, only to see him smiling as he said,

"Although tutoring an idol is kind of stressful, I’ll make sure to teach you well."

"......"

......

......

Meanwhile, in the Principal’s office—

"Principal, please take a look. These are her disciplinary records from the past week."

The secretary placed a folder on Principal Hermis’s desk.

In one corner of the documents was the name "Aruiya Spencer."

Hermis opened the file and skimmed through it, immediately seeing a full page of complaints from various departments.

She had smashed the doors of the equipment and changing rooms...

Beaten up three classmates...

Skipped class, failed entrance exams and quizzes...

All that—in just one week—had created a mountain of work for Principal Hermis.

Heads of various departments were furious. Even parents like Pu Shuwen’s—who held influence—had come knocking. It was a huge hassle.

After a long sigh, Hermis shakily removed his glasses and placed them on the table.

"It’s only been one week, and every department is already urging me to expel her… The problem is, if I kick out Little Spencer, Old Spencer will show up."

(*) Old Spencer likely refers to a powerful guardian or relative of Aruiya Spencer.

The wrinkles on Hermis’s face no longer resembled the "Happy Chrysanthemum" expression he wore when accepting bribes. He stood and looked at the extravagant new teaching building nearing completion outside.

Then he asked,

"Our school values well-rounded development. Academic grades alone aren’t enough to justify expulsion. Doesn’t she have any redeeming qualities?"

In truth, he was putting it mildly. What he wanted was for the secretary to find something—anything—to silence the critics.

Of course, the secretary understood. But after thinking for a while, she pushed up her glasses and replied,

"It appears... no."

"......"

Principal Hermis fell into silence and looked out the window.

He spotted Spencer crouched outside the teaching building, doing who knows what.

She seemed to be secretly reading a book, a black bag placed next to her.

As she read, she scratched her head, as if she were actually learning something.

Hermis squinted, then turned and put his glasses back on.

The floor wasn’t that high, and from here, he could vaguely make out the contents of the book she was reading so intently.

What he saw… was covered in mosaics.

(*) "Mosaics" here likely refers to censorship pixelation, often associated with adult content in Japanese media.

"......"

That one glance nearly made Hermis faint.

His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed backward.

"Principal!!"

The secretary rushed forward to catch him, pressing his philtrum.

(*) Pressing the philtrum is a traditional Chinese method believed to help revive someone who has fainted.

"Medicine... Do you need your medicine, Principal?!"

Hermis’s lips trembled violently. Shaking his head, he suddenly grabbed the secretary’s hand.

In a weak voice, he muttered like a man reciting his own epitaph,

"Money’s hard to earn, and shit’s hard to swallow..."

"…Principal!"

Hermis closed his eyes, and a murky tear slid down his cheek.

Faintly, he seemed to recall that phone call from Spencer the other night.

On the other end, a female voice with terrifying pressure had said—

"My daughter just arrived in Linmen. I'm not there to watch over her, so I'm leaving her in your care."

"Absolutely! You can count on me!"

Right now, Hermis really wanted to slap himself.

Back then, he had spoken so confidently. But now, barely a week into her time at Yuanyue, she had already brought those illustrated adult magazines to school.

'This is basically skating on the edge of expulsion...'

'If she gets expelled, it'll be impossible to explain to the school board and the Gold Lion Group.'

'But if she doesn't get expelled, as the Principal, both I and Yuanyue Academy will lose face. That’ll also be hard to explain to the parents and various school departments.'

Pressure was coming from both sides. 'Who says seventy isn't the perfect age to take risks?'

"Tell me, is there a way to avoid expelling her while still saving face?"

Hermis was helped into a chair, popped a few fast-acting heart pills, and looked hopelessly at the secretary beside him.

He saw the secretary think for a moment, then suddenly perk up and say,

"Club Wars, Principal."

"Club Wars?"

The secretary nodded, leaned in, and said,

"The club that wins first place in Club Wars gets to make a wish to the school board. So, we just need to get her into the club most likely to win..."

"But that would be too obvious. Instead, how about this, Principal—take a look."

Hermis blinked and looked down at the document handed to him, titled:

"Notice Regarding Strengthening Student Campus Life Experience and Comprehensive Talent Evaluation at Linmen."

The secretary blinked and continued with a plan.

"Perfect timing—there’s a new policy. We're drafting a rule requiring all students who haven’t joined a club to do so. We can use this as a pretext to nudge her into this year’s top contender—the Track and Field Group..."

"I think she has good physical ability. If she joins and the club wins Club Wars, that might be enough to keep her enrolled."

"Even in the worst-case scenario—if things don’t work out—we can use this new policy to explain ourselves to the school board and the Gold Lion Group."

"What do you think?"

Hearing that, Hermis’s eyes lit up slightly. He glanced at the smiling secretary beside him and said,

"Hss... I've realized—you’re exactly the kind of person who deserves this salary."

The secretary nodded, and Hermis lifted the policy document again, beginning to read.

"Then let’s review it again and send a formal notice to the student council today..."

"Understood, Principal."

[End of this chapter]

(*) Note for line 204: "colored picture books" is a euphemism in some cultures for adult or inappropriate illustrated materials.