On the way back to the dormitory with Gu Jiasui, Yan couldn’t help but reflect on what had just happened.
Had she acted too quickly earlier?
She thought back to her high school days. In situations like this, if she hadn’t been able to save her desk mate, someone else would have stepped in—perhaps the aloof top student, the rebellious school bully, or the gentle student council president. They would either swoop in to save the day or gracefully offer their jacket, earning the admiration and envy of everyone around.
So... had she really stolen the spotlight just now?
That heroic moment of saving someone wasn’t meant for her.
After all, the moment Professor Su Jing appeared, the crowd erupted in gasps of awe and admiration.
Even though Yan had protected Gu Jiasui, no one seemed to notice her.
Logically speaking, while it might not have been an act of extraordinary bravery, it was still a noble deed—standing up for someone in need. Shouldn’t that have earned her at least a few words of praise from the onlookers?
Unfortunately, as soon as Professor Su Jing arrived, all eyes were glued to him and Gu Jiasui.
When their eyes met, it was as if a spotlight had been cast on them.
Yan silently chided herself, mentally knocking on a wooden fish twice.
Please, heavens, don’t blame her for stealing the scene. She had only acted out of concern.
...
“Jiasui, are you okay?” Yan asked cautiously, glancing at Gu Jiasui beside her.
Gu Jiasui seemed to be in a strange mood—restrained, joyful, yet confused. It was as if she were lost in thought.
“Yan.”
“Thank you.”
Gu Jiasui’s voice was clear and melodious. Despite what had just happened, her posture remained upright, exuding an air of innate dignity and pride.
Gu Jiasui held Yan’s hand as they walked. It had been over a year since she arrived in this world, and she was gradually adapting to the rules of this modern era.
Back in the Great Zhou Dynasty, only a handful of noblewomen would have been worthy of holding her hand.
She was the only princess to have been granted a special title. Her mother was Princess Changyang, her uncle the emperor. She was born a county princess and was further honored as Princess Jianing at her one-month celebration. Since the emperor had no daughters of his own, he treated her as his own child. She studied in the imperial study alongside the crown prince and enjoyed the revenue from three counties.
She had everything she could ever want, and the adoration of all the noble daughters of the realm was hers.
After her coming-of-age ceremony, her uncle the emperor, her aunt the empress, and her mother gathered portraits of all the eligible young men in the capital and hosted a grand banquet to select her husband.
But Gu Jiasui had her heart set on one person.
Su Jing, an Imperial Academy Scholar, Assistant Tutor to the Crown Prince, and a lecturer in the imperial study.
However, in the Great Zhou Dynasty, those who married a princess were barred from holding political office, and the princess’s husband was not allowed to engage in state affairs.
Su Jing always maintained a respectful distance, and when she boldly confessed her feelings, he said, “A true man should dedicate himself to the welfare of the people. Please, Your Highness, grant me this.”
He was the crown prince’s future right-hand man and a trusted minister in the eyes of the emperor. Gu Jiasui eventually chose a handsome young man from a distinguished family as her husband.
On the last day of her lessons before moving into her princess residence, Su Jing, as stern as ever, dismissed the attendants and said, “Since Your Highness is joining the Xie family, you must respect your husband and elders and refrain from acting willfully.”
Yet, just as she was about to leave in frustration, he knelt before her.
“What I said earlier was the advice of a teacher to a student.”
“I have failed Your Highness’s affection and deserve death for my sins.”
“But please remember, Your Highness, that marrying into the Xie family is their good fortune. You are a precious jewel and should never suffer any indignities. I beg you to take care of yourself in the days to come.”
Later, she married and became a wife, while he rose to the highest ranks of the imperial court.
Somehow, he contracted a lung disease and grew weaker by the day, passing away before he turned thirty. When Gu Jiasui awoke, centuries had passed, and she found herself in the body of a girl with the same name and a strikingly similar appearance.
Ironically, this modern Gu Jiasui was the daughter of a wealthy family, the equivalent of a noblewoman in this era. However, she had been abducted as a child and spent over a decade living in obscurity.
In their grief over losing their daughter, the Lu family adopted a girl named Lu Jianian and raised her as their own.
Given her true identity, one would expect Gu Jiasui to be cherished upon her return.
But after being brought back to her wealthy family, she was seen as uncultured and unrefined, having grown up outside their world. Her parents were distant, her brother indifferent, and even her fiancé showed more concern for her adopted sister, Lu Jianian.
When Gu Jiasui first arrived in this body, the original owner had already been vilified online for her “spoiled and selfish” behavior on a family reality show, where she was constantly compared unfavorably to her sister. In an attempt to prove herself, she had joined a talent show, hoping to win her family’s approval.
The idea of performing as a singer and dancer in front of a large audience was something Gu Jiasui couldn’t bring herself to do.
However, after merging memories with the original owner, she discovered that the few girls in the F-class, who were considered the weakest in the competition, were the only ones who had been kind to her.
Out of gratitude, Gu Jiasui helped them through a performance before withdrawing from the show.
Over the past year, she had immersed herself in learning about this modern world, adapting to a society where people casually called her by her name, where insults and disrespect went unpunished, where no one knelt before her or attended to her every need—a world where “rituals and music had collapsed.” She had even gained admission to the modern equivalent of the Imperial Academy.
The imperial palace of her past was now a museum, a tourist attraction where anyone could buy a ticket to visit. Even she, a princess of the Great Zhou Dynasty, was now just a wealthy idler in this era.
But what she never expected was to encounter Su Jing again.
The professor shared the same name, and his face was identical to the one from her past life.
Meeting him now was like reliving the past—he was still the teacher, and she the student.
But did he remember their shared history, or was this just a coincidence?
His act of standing up for justice, scolding the wrongdoer, and protecting the weak—even his personality seemed eerily similar.
Gu Jiasui returned to her dormitory with Yan. She stared blankly at her vanity before suddenly deciding to search for “Su Jing, Bin City University” on her phone.
Only three people were in the dormitory at the time; Ding Ling and Chu Bingbing hadn’t returned yet.
Meanwhile, Yan noticed several new messages on her phone.
[Zhu Jue]: Professor Su had his assistant collect clear footage from the bystanders as evidence. The guy who threw the water was taken away for processing.
[Zhu Jue]: Voice message 60s
Her childhood friend, who had stayed behind to watch the aftermath, sent an update. Yan nodded, unsurprised by the outcome.
She put on her headphones to listen to the voice message, which wasn’t from Zhu Jue but rather the chatter of the onlookers.
“Professor Su is so cool! That’s exactly how it should be handled. How did that idiot even get into this university? Disgraceful!”
“Throwing water at a girl? What kind of person does that? Trash!”
“But he didn’t succeed. Could he be one of Gu Jiasui’s haters?”
“Professor Su Jing did the right thing. He’s my academic idol!”
“Thankfully it was just water. If it had been acid, she could’ve been disfigured. This is clearly intentional harm. We mustn’t tolerate even small acts of malice. Kudos to Professor Su!”
Yan: Even though I was the one who saved the day, no one cares. :) Not surprising at all.
[Zhu Jue]: It’s already all over the internet. It’s trending.
[Zhu Jue]: Weibo link/Douyin link/Xiaohongshu link to the video.
#Gu Jiasui Splashed with Water at Bin City University#
#Gu Jiasui Water Incident#
In the less than twenty minutes it took for Yan to accompany Gu Jiasui back to the dormitory, numerous videos of the incident had already gone viral online. The internet was ablaze with activity, and a flood of malicious comments attacking Gu Jiasui had appeared.
“It wasn’t acid? Disappointing. He should’ve been braver.”
“How did Gu Jiasui even get into Bin City University? Did she buy her way in? @Bin City University @Bin City Education Bureau @National Ministry of Education, we demand an explanation!”
“She wasn’t actually hurt. Why is she making such a big deal out of it? Maybe he just accidentally spilled some water.”
“Ugh, this attention-seeking leech is at it again, this time targeting Bin City University.”
“Gu Jiasui getting into Bin City University? What a joke. She’s just trying to stir up drama. Get lost, you has-been!”
Yan sighed as she read the comments. She had known since childhood that those who shone brightly were bound to attract envy and hatred.
After all, back in high school, a photo of Xu Jiaojiao, her deskmate, wearing old clothes and working part-time had been posted on the school’s forum. Within half an hour, it had already garnered a thousand mocking replies.
On her phone, Chu Bingbing, who had gone out without knowing what to do, quietly sent a message. She had clearly recognized her and Gu Jiasui and was asking if they were injured and if she should call a private doctor to give them a full check-up.
She replied, “I’m fine, don’t worry. Not a scratch on me.”
Sitting back-to-back with Yan, Yi Zhi was surfing the internet when she unexpectedly stumbled upon her roommate on the trending page.
A juicy piece of gossip!
As soon as she clicked on the video, she immediately exited and put on her headphones.
Rewatching the video, Yi Zhi was startled to find that not only was Gu Jiasui in the footage, but Yan was also there. No wonder the two of them had returned together earlier.
Yi Zhi didn’t pay much attention to the professor who appeared later in the video. Instead, her gaze was fixed on Yan, who moved with lightning speed in the clip. Her eyes flickered with curiosity.
She searched for several videos from different angles on various platforms, her right hand gripping the phone tightly, almost unnaturally.
“Too fast,” Yi Zhi thought to herself.
These videos showed no signs of editing; they were all raw footage. Piecing together the angles in her mind, she could clearly see that Yan had pulled Gu Jiasui away in less than 0.2 seconds.
Her reaction speed was astonishing! She hadn’t even let a single drop of water touch Gu Jiasui.
Yi Zhi’s expression grew serious. Even if she had been there herself, her reaction time would likely have been on par with Yan’s.
But her own reflexes had been honed in a post-apocalyptic world, where danger lurked at every corner, and one wrong move could cost you your life.
If Yan was just an ordinary college student, how could she possibly have such quick reflexes? The coordination between her brain and body was extraordinary.
Yi Zhi subtly glanced back at Yan, her sense of unease resurfacing.
Looking at the comments, it was clear that Yan had been the one to save the day, yet it seemed like no one had noticed her. Whenever acts of bravery were reported in the news, weren’t the heroes usually praised? Yet Yan seemed to possess a certain quality that made her blend into the background, completely unnoticed.
This trait reminded Yi Zhi of someone.
In her past life, there had been a rumor in the base where she and her mentor had stayed for a long time. It was said that there was a hidden S-class ability user in the base who would always save people outside without leaving a name, disappearing after doing good deeds, leaving no trace of their heroism. Yi Zhi had once thought it was just a rumor until she was personally saved by that hidden powerhouse. She later discovered that the person was actually a market patrol guard in the base, someone she often chatted and joked with. Despite being a powerful S-class ability user, they did the most basic tasks every day, living like an ordinary person.
Yan’s demeanor was somewhat similar to that person’s.
Yan’s features weren’t particularly striking on their own, but together they formed a pleasant and harmonious appearance. She had a small face, delicate and gentle, with slightly wavy shoulder-length black hair, exuding a scholarly aura.
Her eyes always held a warm gaze, and there was a faint smile on her lips. She dressed simply yet elegantly, looking every bit like a girl from a well-educated family—the kind of friend everyone has: polite, kind, excellent in academics, and well-liked by both teachers and classmates.
She was beautiful, but not in a way that left a lasting impression.
For instance, in their dorm room, Room 320, she couldn’t compare to Gu Jiasui’s stunning, celebrity-like beauty, nor did she seem as wealthy as Chu Bingbing. As for academic performance... well, everyone here was a top student admitted to Bin City University.
At this thought, a sudden realization struck Yi Zhi.
On the surface, Yan didn’t stand out in any particular aspect, but when you looked closer, she wasn’t lacking in any area either. She was like what people online often referred to as a “hexagonal warrior”—seemingly average, but actually exceptional in every way.
Her quick reaction in the video, especially her speed, was on par with that of a top-tier athlete.
Was Yan really just an ordinary person?
If she had such physical reflexes, then what she had said earlier about the gardenia flowers... might not have been entirely truthful!
Yi Zhi glanced back at Yan again. Yan was now focused on wearing her headphones, seemingly engrossed in a game, showing no signs of having just saved someone.
Yi Zhi’s expression grew even more serious. The resemblance was uncanny—the more she looked, the more Yan reminded her of that powerhouse from her past life.
This unassuming, ordinary demeanor, the way she acted as if nothing had happened after accomplishing something extraordinary—it was just too similar to that hidden S-class ability user from her previous life!
