Su Wen finally made his way to the Headmaster's office.
Sunlight filtered softly through the tall windows, dust motes dancing lazily in the warm rays.
A middle-aged man sat behind his desk, leaning back comfortably and laughing out loud as he read a book.
He reached into his storage ring, pulled out a bottle of wine, and poured himself a cup, chuckling intermittently as if he'd stumbled upon the greatest treasure in the world.
This was Michael Rosmond, Headmaster of Sunrise Academy for the past twenty years.
Under his guidance, the academy had risen to become the premier institution on the Eastern Continent.
Yet his background remained a mystery. All anyone knew was that he had come from the Central Continent.
That alone was unusual... after all, the Central Continent was considered a holy land for cultivation. Leaving it behind meant giving up the best chances of breaking through to higher realms.
Su Wen paused at the doorway, taking in the scene.
The legendary Headmaster, feared for his stern expression and iron rules, was sitting there drinking wine and laughing at what appeared to be… a family drama novel.
If the students outside ever caught sight of this, they'd probably be in shock for a week straight.
Su Wen, however, wasn't surprised. He simply walked over, took out another cup from his storage ring, poured himself some wine, and then filled his teacher's cup to the brim.
Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "Which chapter are you on now? Did you get to the part where the boss wife beats the crap out of that greedy relative?"
Michael scoffed and looked at him. "You brat, don't spoil it! I'm still at the part where the boss wife destroys the enemy's base with just one finger."
Su Wen squinted, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "Oh… that part, heh. Do you think Teacher Elen could do that too? Destroy her enemies with just one finger?"
Michael snorted dismissively. "Nonsense. She's so weak she can't even kill a mosquito with both hands, and you're talking about one finger?"
Neither of them noticed a dark shadow slowly approaching from behind.
But Su Wen's Level 2000 Instincts immediately picked up the danger.
He didn't turn around. Instead, wearing a calm expression, he said proudly,
"Old man, looks like your eyes are failing with age!
Teacher Elen is like… a diamond among stones, beauty among beauty, elegant and powerful! Just her aura alone shows how strong she is. How could you talk about her like that?"
Michael, still engrossed in his book and sipping wine, blinked in stunned silence. 'What's gotten into this brat all of a sudden? Has he finally lost his mind?'
Without looking up, he took a slow sip and said,
"Brat… your brain's finally given up, huh? Now you're comparing an old lady to a young beauty? Hahaha!"
Su Wen couldn't help but mourn the famed Headmaster of Sunrise Academy, silently vowing to light a few incenses for his teacher's soul later… cough.
"Teacher, I haven't lost my mind. I'm just stating the universal truth of the world. Teacher Elen is kind, gentle, and always supportive. You shouldn't talk about her that way. If you were a real man of integrity, you'd say it to her face!"
Michael chuckled, "Hmpp… you and righteous?"
He scoffed, shaking his head, "Do you want me dead? If I said even one word like that in front of her, she'd definitely sell me to the Underworld… for free."
Before Su Wen could retort, a cold, flower-like voice came from behind:
"Do you think she wouldn't hear what you just said?"
"Brat, are you going to... gulp..." Michael started to reply, but abruptly stopped mid-sentence.
A chill ran down his spine, and the wine slipped from his fingers, staining his robes.
Standing behind them was Elen, a stunning woman in her late thirties, dressed in elegant purple robes adorned with delicate jewelry. She held a wooden stick in one hand and some spirit herbs in the other, her gentle smile doing nothing to hide the terrifying aura radiating from her.
"H-Honey! When did you get here? You should've told me; I would've brewed some tea for you."
Michael laughed nervously, trying to steer the conversation anywhere, like a fish flopping desperately out of water.
"Oh, no worries, husband. I came just as you were talking about the boss wife who destroyed her enemies with a single finger. Don't worry about the tea... I have a friend named Meng Po, famous for her tea worldwide. I'll take you to her later for a special cup."
Her tone remained calm, but her eyes narrowed dangerously, and her red lips curved upward like a crescent moon.
The temperature of the room seemed to drop, and Su Wen didn't waste a moment, instinctively distancing himself from the Headmaster.
Trying to divert attention from himself, he said, "Teacher, you were saying something about the finger and mosquitoes… could you repeat that part for Teacher Elen?"
Michael's eyes twitched.
Now he understood why Su Wen had been praising Elen earlier... the brat had just betrayed him when he needed support the most.
His gaze seemed to silently plead, 'Your wife, your problem. I don't want to end up in the Underworld over some old lady named Meng Po and her tea.'
Just as Su Wen prepared to make a quiet escape, a hand pressed firmly onto his shoulder, pinning him in his seat.
"Don't worry, Su Wen. You came to talk about something important, right? I'll bring you a cup of tea too. Then you can tell me how you kill mosquitoes with a single finger."
Her smile didn't change, but cold sweat broke out on Su Wen's forehead.
He hurriedly explained, "T-Teacher Elen, I… I actually just wanted to ask the Headmaster about the latest volume of Legends of the Boss's Wife! I got my answer, so I should probably leave now and not disturb you two."
"Drink some tea first," Elen said immediately, her expression still calm, making Su Wen feel like a helpless sheep sitting before a cheerful butcher, waiting for his turn.
He sighed, nodded weakly, and sat back down.
The Headmaster, realizing he wasn't going to face this alone, couldn't help but smirk, as if the disaster about to unfold had nothing to do with him.
"Better die together than suffer the cold alone…"
Su wen turned to glare at him, and the look in his eyes said, You dragged me into this, old man!
Michael just gave a helpless shrug and sighed, 'What a filial student...'