“Yuyu! We have to go!”

Lia's call echoes through the halls, prompting hurried footsteps down the stairs of the respectable estate. With the sun high in the sky, the two women traverse their usual paths, enjoying the mix of the warm rays and brisk breeze.

Meanwhile, an unusual scene unfolds by the desolate training field. Just beyond the entryway, amid the strip of dirt separating walls from tiles, a man with long, dark hair focuses intensely on markings etched into the earth. The space between his brows scrunches up as he struggles to grasp the information before him.

A long line stretches across the dirt, one side marked with “0” while the other marked with “100”. Nine smaller lines, not counting the ones marking the “0” and the “100”, divide the main line evenly into ten equal sections.

Across from him kneel two boys, their gazes fixed on their mentor with anticipation. The man occasionally nods, his expression shifting between comprehension and confusion.

“Thank you, Wei, Dan…” Sun begins, causing the boys to brim with excitement. Before continuing, he flashes an apologetic smile. “But I still don’t get it.”

Having been struggling to explain the concept of “percentages” since morning, the boys deflate upon hearing the same statement once again. Wei’s hand instinctively twitches, ready to palm himself in the forehead. Fortunately, he manages to fight the instinct so as to not disrespect his Master.

Beside him, Dan takes a deep breath as he seeks a different approach. His mind races, trying to recall back to the time when his father bought him stacks and stacks of books; he tries to recall how he went about absorbing information without prior formal education.

After revisiting those early days surrounded by mountains of books, Dan comes to a grim conclusion: either he’s too smart or his master is… well… not. As the two boys pull their hair out trying to think of a different approach, a group of spectators observe from the side with much anticipation.

“Two silvers, after.”

“One silver, after.”

“Three silvers, after.”

Whispers and coins float back and forth as each guard wagers on the outcome of the lesson. Believing that an instructor of the Academy would surely be able to pick up on the concept of percentages, the overwhelming majority elects to wager that food would arrive after Sun reaches enlightenment.

“Ten silvers, before.”

The ludicrous whisper causes all the guards to snap their eyes towards the man at the center of the group. They watch as the man reaches into his sleeves, pulling out a coin pouch before extracting ten silver coins. The man smiles as he drops the coins into the box before him.

“What? Since when do you gamble?” One of the guards asks, staring at the man responsible for facilitating their friendly wagers.

“Why not? You don’t get a payout if there’s no wagers against.” The guard replies nonchalantly as he shuts the coin box. A slight smirk flashes across his face as he lifts his gaze towards the math lesson unfolding before him. “Besides, it's not gambling if I know I’ll win.”

The guards roll their eyes at his confidence, turning back to the lesson. Their anticipation grows as they observe the boys' strategic discussion. Occasionally, their eyes would flicker toward the drifting shadows, hearts racing as they pray for the boys' success before Lia and Yuyu’s arrival.

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Warm golden rays of sunlight stream through a tall series of windows, casting a blurry pattern across the grand office. The scent of aged parchment drifts across the air, mixing with the sweet breeze passing through the windows. A stack of scrolls and books sprawl across a large desk, crafted from the finest rosewood and decorated with masterful carvings of clouds and coins. Between the desk and the windows, a young lady flips through the pages of a thick book.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

She would pause every now and then, furrowing her brows as she scans across the multitude of numbers recorded across the pages before her. Lifting a brush resting beside an inkwell, the young lady would swiftly note down her calculations before flipping to another page. After a few more flips and calculations, the young lady closes the book and sets the brush down. She releases a sigh of relief as she leans back in her chair. Her brows flutter as she blinks, staring at the ceiling blankly.

The warm rays and brisk breeze that others would normally find refreshing, feel suffocating to her when mixed with the scent of old books and scrolls. Despite that stifling feeling, she continues to stare at the same ceiling day after day, night after night. Now free from her work, her mind begins to wander.

Chunchun, Xi, Dan, Wei, Yuyu… Anning… Instructor Sun…

Her vision begins to blur as their faces flash across her mind. The golden coins adorning her sleeves suddenly fold between the young lady’s fingers, floating to her eyes to clear away her tears.

“I wonder what they’re up to…”

The curiosity gets the better of her, causing the lady to jump onto her feet. With confidence in her eyes, she reaches for the pink ribbon on her hair and tugs it loose. A wave of black hair cascades downwards, swaying against the breeze passing through the windows behind her. After carefully gathering her hair back into a bunch, she secures the ribbon and parts her hair, pulling each half in opposite directions to tighten her ponytail.

“Lady Maoyi, may I enter?” A voice calls out from beyond the office door.

“Yes! You’re right on time!” The voice causes a smile to sweep across Maoyi’s face. “Come in, Administrator Cai.”

“On time?” Administrator Cai asks as he steps into the office with a tall stack of books in hand. What for, Young Lady?”

“I’m going to get some air. Can you take care of the rest?” Maoyi asks in response, rummaging through the messy desk. Whilst searching for her coin pouch, she continues with the relevant information to pass the work onto Administrator Cai. “The sales report for last month is done. We’re down around three percent from the previous month, but still on track for targeted growth in New Hope City. Hospitality is down ten percent, but up six year-to-date. Garment businesses are still declining, down eight percent year-to-date. Please pay the Golden Cocoon a visit when you get a chance, something seems a bit off about their sales numbers. Raw materials are…”

Administrator Cai sets the books onto the corner of the desk, smiling as he listens to Maoyi speak without break. Seeing her growing increasingly impatient in her search, he hovers his palm above the desk, coating it in a thin layer of aura before slamming down. The books and scrolls fly up in response, revealing a silk pouch at the corner of the desk.

“Ah! Thank you, Administrator Cai!” Maoyi exclaims as she swipes the white pouch and tucks it into her sleeve pocket. “Where was I? Oh, right! Numbers for New Hope City look fine overall. We’re still missing a few reports, so please reach out to your replacement and for an update on the V… Viridian… the Viridian V-”

“Lady Maoyi…” Upon noticing Maoyi’s tumultuous aura, Administrator Cai places his hand on her shoulder. “Please, leave everything to me. After all, I didn’t accept this promotion to idle around as an assistant.”

“Sorry… Administrator Cai.” Maoyi mumbles in response, digging her nails into the meat of her palm.

“You’ve nothing to be sorry for, Young Lady. If anything, I should be thanking you for all that you’ve done for my daughters.” A soft smile sweeps across his face as he pats Maoyi’s shoulder. “You can’t hole up in my office forever. Go now, you’ve buried yourself in my responsibilities for far too long. Allow this humble shopke- er… administrator to earn his worth.”

Maoyi takes a deep breath to calm her heart. Knowing that Administrator Cai speaks only the truth, she exhales before repeatedly slapping her own face with both hands. Upon shaking off the unpleasant memories, she turns towards Administrator Cai.

“By the way, how are your daughters?” Maoyi asks with a soft smile on her face. “Are they settling in okay?”

“No need to worry about them, Lady Maoyi.” Seeing Maoyi back to her cheerful self, Administrator Cai withdraws his hand from her shoulder. “We frequently visit New Hope City to visit my sons, so they’re no stranger to the hustle and bustle.”

“Sons?” Maoyi raises a brow upon hearing that Administrator Cai has more children. “Are they…”

“They’re not the brightest…” Administrator Cai politely declines Maoyi’s intention. “Besides, they already do plenty well for themselves as guards of the Academy. Perhaps you’ve met them before? Jinxiang and Jinfeng?”

“I haven’t, but I’m heading there!” Maoyi exclaims as she’s suddenly reminded of why she wanted to leave in the first place. Knowing that she needs to hurry to make it there before lunch, Maoyi darts towards the door. Upon entering the hallway, she turns back towards Administrator Cai. “Thank you again, Administrator Cai! If I run into them, I’ll let them know you said hi!”

“Hav-” Maoyi disappears before Administrator Cai can finish his words. Although nobody is there to hear him, he smiles and continues anyway. “Have fun, Lady Maoyi.”