Crashing into Daylight

“The practical test is in the afternoon. The punishment is so exciting this year, I’m guessing all the guys will be fighting for their lives.”

“Did any of you notice that man next to the vice-principal? He’s so handsome.”

“I saw him, I saw him! I accidentally glanced over during the exam. I’m ready to faint from his hotness.”

“Shh, don’t you know who that is?”

“Who?”

The sound of conversation around him dragged Xu Yinian back to reality. Someone provided a name, and the girls went silent for a split second, all of their eyes wide open. 

A moment later, their voices became even more exuberant. 

“Are you serious?”

“He’s actually so good-looking in person! I always thought he was terrifying…”

Even though he was practically a household name, after five years, there were very few students now who knew how Yu Huai looked. As Xu Yinian listened to them jabber about the various rumors they had heard, he couldn’t help but let loose a laugh.

The punishment that Yuan Mu had settled on had adequately raised all of the students’ enthusiasm levels. Even a salted fish1 like Xia Ziheng had no choice but to reconcile to the practical exam. For the sake of fairness, students from each grade would only face opponents from their same grade.  

By the side of the 10th grade stage, the students who were waiting for their turn were shivering in fear.

This was for no other reason than the boy with black hair and matching eyes that stood on the stage, the one that on average was electrocuting an opponent till they fainted every three minutes. Of the hundred or so people in his same cohort, he had knocked out approximately a third of them. 

“Is the tyrant planning a massacre…” The male student got choked up, “Shouldn’t the vice-principal reflect on himself a little? Look how far up the wall he’s driven him.”

The face of the person standing by his side was a picture of despair. “Can I surrender straightaway?”

“Even though I want to surrender too, isn’t it a little embarrassing to throw in the towel immediately?”

At the same time that the two of them were conversing, Xia Ziheng stepped onto the stage.

“Xiao Xu-ge,” Xia Ziheng was fully cognizant of his own abilities. Unlike the others who faced the challenge head-on, he played the friendship card instead. “Since we’re friends, how about taking it easy this time?”  

The electric current that sizzled at Xu Yinian’s fingertips expanded with a flourish. 

“Understood. You don’t have to do anything.” Xia Ziheng quickly continued, “I surrender.”

The audience beneath the stage were dumbstruck. “…Someone actually raised a white flag immediately.” 

“My fellow brothers, the opportunity is nigh!” The male student speaking slapped his thighs hard, then announced in high spirits, “Since someone has taken the lead, let us all concede together!” 

The next male student in line feared that Xu Yinian’s hand would slip, immediately throwing out the honorifics the moment he stepped on stage. “Xiao Xu-ge!” 

Xu Yinian was stunned. Before he had even figured out who this was, the male student yelped, “Don’t hit me, I admit defeat!”

“…”

The students that followed after essentially all performed variations of the actions of the first, with a portion of them that enjoyed being dramatic and stirring the pot even taking a bow on stage. 

“Ge, no violence please, I’ll admit defeat immediately!”

“Surrender! I surrender!”

“Nian-ge, you get it. We’re on the same team, I’m just up here to go through the motions.”

As an investor who was visiting the academy watched this scene that resembled gangsters letting their boss win, he grew astonished. “This student is…?”

Yuan Mu’s expression remained unchanged as he smiled, “An exemplary member of our school.”

The investor understood immediately, following up with a laugh. “Mr Yu also graduated from Maple Bridge academy, right? Indeed, capable people come forth in large numbers.”

Yuan Mu pondered inwardly that he had hit the nail on the head. The year that this student had stood on the stage, not a single soul dared to step forward. 

“The teachers taught me well.” Yu Huai’s response was one born out of courtesy. His line of sight shifted to the stage; after Xu Yinian’s new opponent had stepped up, Xu Yinian cast a steady gaze at him. Even though there was little discernible change in his expression, anyone familiar with him would be able to decipher his growing nerves.

Seeing Ye Qiao walk onto the stage, Xu Yinian focused, silently gathering his powers in both his palms. 

He could never fully see through Ye Qiao’s abilities. The majority of demon slayers grew up in Maple Bridge Academy; the number of transfer students like Ye Qiao could be counted on one hand. Four years ago, Xu Yinian gained an additional new transfer student roommate. The combination of being in different classes and Ye Qiao’s taciturn meant that Xu Yinian did not initially sense anything peculiar about his roommate. It was only until they gradually got familiar with each other that he found out that be it his classroom assignments or practical assignments, Ye Qiao could maintain a standard that easily matched the rest of the students. He could execute tasks with skill and ease, forever able to stay perfectly average. 

He didn’t know why Ye Qiao would hide his abilities. But if the other party didn’t offer a reason, then he wouldn’t ask either.

As Ye Qiao watched Xu Yinian adopt a serious countenance, he recalled that the latter’s theory exams typically garnered a single digit mark. He sighed, “I admit defeat.” 

“?”

After finishing his sentence, Ye Qiao stepped off the stage. As it was in line with the image he had always maintained, no one noticed anything unusual. 

The next person on stage was another familiar face. Xu Yinian was finally facing off with someone entertaining. “You won’t admit defeat immediately, will you?”

“What do you think?” Chen Ran moved his fingers a little, his knuckles cracking. “This opportunity is hard to come by. It would be a pity not to trash you; I’ve never led a team member who was more troublesome than you.”

“That was what I thought too.” Xu Yinian finished talking, then expelled a large blast of electricity as he pounced. 

Lightning and blazing fire collided ferociously on the stage. After such a long time, someone finally dared to fight Xu Yinian; everyone was crowding forward to enjoy the action. It was a pity that the amount of space these two people were occupying in their fight was too large. With a ‘BOOM’, the stage was blown to pieces before the very eyes of the audience. In an instant, smoke and dust engulfed the air, and the students who were standing too close started to cough incessantly.

After the flying sand and stray rock had dispersed, one of them lay on the ground. 

“I concede.” Chen Ran wiped the traces of blood by his lips and threw in the towel straightforwardly. 

Xu Yinian approached him.

“Although you nag a lot for a team leader,” Xu Yinian stuck out a hand, “if I were to end up in the same team with you in the make-up assessment, I wouldn’t be against it.”

A smile tugged at Chen Ran’s lips as he responded with a sarcastic grunt. He accepted the hand Xu Yinian offered. 

In the evening, the practical tests concluded. The various teachers for each grade were responsible for tabulating everyone’s overall scores. Because this year’s punishment was unbelievably absurd and perverse, all the students had remained by the stage with their hearts in their mouths to wait for the results. Finally, Xu Yinian saw Dean Qin walk onto the stage with the results. Xia Ziheng, who stood by the side, had already started to recite his scriptures. “Not me, not me, definitely not me.”

“Xia Ziheng.” Qin Weihang announced in a clear, loud voice.

“…” Xia Ziheng’s face had gone ashen. “My fucking shit luck.”

“Chen Chi, Lu Pengfei…”

Dean Qin then continued ratting out a couple of names. Intermittent howls of grief echoed from the crowd. As the names were revealed successively, Xu Yinian unconsciously clenched his fists.

“The final student obtained the highest scores for the practical exam in his year, but his theory scores were… It wouldn’t matter even if you got one or two more points.” Dean Qin shook his head, then choked out with some amount of frustration, “Xu Yinian!” 

Xia Ziheng had revived once more and was in high spirits. “Xiao Xu-ge, my good brother!”

Xu Yinian’s face was sour as he stood in silence. Xia Ziheng thought that he had already accepted this reality and made to loop his arm around his good brother’s shoulder. His fingers had just brushed against him—

“Ouch!” Xia Ziheng wailed in pain. 

Xu Yinian’s electric powers had overflowed again.

For his powers to have seeped out, he was probably furious.

The picnic was located along Maple Lake. A hundred years ago, a spell had been cast on all of the maple trees on campus, ensuring that they would maintain their fiery colors even in spring. Layer upon layer of maple trees lined the lakeshore, and on the grass beneath those trees were long tables and chairs.  

The student union had decorated the venue in advance, with thousands of lanterns that had been sent over at the last minute currently floating in the air. The glowing and luminous spores lingered in the air like little stars. 

In the middle of the venue, there were two long tables covered with delicacies of all kinds that students passing by were free to enjoy. Amidst the warmth of the spring breeze, the tantalizing aroma of food drifted in the wind. An evening like this should have been pleasing and comfortable, but the only thing Xu Yinian was thinking of was shoving his head into the wooden barrel filled with fruit juice.

Courtesy of Yuan Mu, tonight’s activities had gone from being a ‘highly anticipated picnic’ to a ‘highly anticipated crossdressing affair’. With an expressionless gaze, Xu Yinian placed a bowl of vegetable soup in front of a male junior from the 8th grade. “Your soup, please enjoy.”

After finishing his sentence, he made to leave without a second look. The junior hurriedly called out to him, “Wait!”

Xu Yinian halted his step.

The instant their gazes met, the junior’s demeanor shifted uncomfortably. Despite this senior carrying with him a preordained fate that was the trepidation of the entire Demon Slayer World along with his complete and arrogant annihilation of his grade in the afternoon, but… 

His appearance was simply too elusive.

The long and black straight wig had blended into his original hair, the bangs softening the harsh edges and angles of his boyish features. He was wearing the full maid outfit set with its lace hairband and black skirt, along with an apron tied around his waist that was even adorned with ruffles along the hem.    

Xu Yinian’s complexion was extremely fair, his facial features impeccable and impossible to fault. In addition, his physique was tall and slim, his waist slender and legs long. While the other male waiters that were cross-dressing were faced with hahahahahahaha, the pause button seemed to be pushed in any space he walked through, with everyone successively looking in his direction.

All of the girls in his vicinity were whispering in amazement.

“He’s not wearing makeup?”

“My god, he’s really bare-faced! Even those eyelashes are his own!”

Dressed in this ridiculous getup, Xu Yinian was uneasy all over, the urge to get away from the crowd consuming his thoughts. Yet the junior that had called out to him was struck dumb and keeping silent. A little anxious, he urged, “If you have something to say, just say it.”   

The junior rubbed his nose in embarrassment. “On second thought, I’ll add another bowl of seafood noodles.”

The “why didn’t you say so earlier” that was right about to leave Xu Yinian’s mouth made a turn last-minute. He answered courteously, “Alright, please give me a moment.”

He returned back to the pick-up point where he bumped into Xia Ziheng, who was similarly dressed in a maid outfit. The latter had already serenely accepted his ensemble. “My good brother! I now think wearing women’s clothing isn’t too bad. It’s the first time so many girls have stared at me.” 

“My good brother, leave me alone.” 

“…”

Xu Yinian served the bowl of noodles to that junior, and was considering just pissing himself when a voice laced with laughter called out to him from a little table covered with entwining flower garlands that he’d passed by.

Xu Yinian turned his head and saw Yuan Mu and Yu Huai sitting by the table. The former nodded towards him, gesturing for him to come over. 

In that moment, Xu Yinian was not certain if he had successfully kept his facial expressions in check. He had observed the area to make sure that Yu Huai wasn’t in the vicinity of that area before making his escape there on purpose.

When did these two people show up? Also… 

Glancing at Yuan Mu’s smile, Xu Yinian wanted to compliment him for being the proactive bridge between the two realms’ peaceful co-existence. He truly never forgot to bring along the national idol of the Demon Realm no matter where he went. 

No matter how unwilling Xu Yinian was, he had no choice but to walk step by step towards them.

The first to speak was Yuan Mu. The vice-principal gave his outfit a once-over, and the hint of a smile buried along the corner of his eyes and the tips of his eyebrows deepened. “Is it exhausting being a waiter?” 

“Not at all,” Xu Yinian’s tone was stiff. “I’m serving the people2.”

Yuan Mu didn’t seem to sense the acrimony in his voice. “Treat it as an opportunity to gain experience.”

Xu Yinian could not figure out how accumulating this sort of experience would benefit him at all. Yuan Mu blurted out, “You’re rather suited for this attire.”

As he spoke, he pretended to casually ask the person next to him. “What do you think, isn’t this beautiful?”

In his heart, Xu Yinian rebuked Yuan Mu for being an elder lacking self-respect. When he sensed Yu Huai looking over, his spine involuntarily tensed up, his breathing going shallow. 

He very quickly found his own reaction inexplicable. 

Yu Huai’s temperament had gone through such a major change, he would definitely laugh at his current attire for being ridiculous, as ridiculous as his theory marks till there was no point of return… 

The thousand lanterns made the surrounding space as bright as daylight, with Xu Yinian’s expression well-lit. Yu Huai remembered that there was a small tear mole under Xu Yinian’s eye. When he looked towards him, he paid particular attention to the corner of his eye.

Sure enough, it was just like he had remembered it. 

“He’s always been beautiful.” Yu Huai answered softly. 

Xu Yinian was stumped for words, unable to believe what he had just heard. 

By the time he had recovered, the heat on his face was enough to set the prairie ablaze. Along with his neck and the tips of his ears, they had all gone red, through and through.

Author’s Notes:
Xiao Xu, is your heart still doing okay?

 

Describing someone as a salted fish implies that said person has no pursuit or ambitions. Oof.Pretty sure he’s referencing the political slogan of the Mao Zedong-era sarcastically here, haha.