"Miss Xiang, during the holiday the day before yesterday, I took a special trip to the Prime Minister’s residence to look. The plaque is new, but the threshold hasn’t been replaced yet, hahaha..."

"And the guards at the gate still had their heads and arms wrapped in gauze, hahaha."

"Also, also, I heard your guards are incredible fighters. Could they teach my family’s guards a thing or two in the future...?" 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

From the moment she sat down, Qian Zhuye rattled on nonstop.

Ye Qianning pressed her temples. "No talking while eating."

"Didn’t you two just finish talking? I saw everything."

Ye Qianning: "..."

’She’s a genuine chatterbox. Not even the Student Code could rein her in.’

’Qian Fanji is so quiet. How did his family produce such a motor-mouth?’

"Miss Xiang, now that you’re in the academy, are you in our class? Let me tell you, Prime Minister Gao’s son is in our class too," Qian Zhuye added.

"Oh? Which one?" Ye Qianning’s interest was piqued.

Qian Zhuye turned to scan the rows behind them, then pointed with her little finger. "That one. The kid in the second row is Gao Qi."

Ye Qianning looked over as well. Prime Minister Gao had his son rather late in life and doted on him immensely. At that moment, Gao Qi had finished his meal, stood up with his tray, and was heading toward the tray return area.

He was twelve years old and quite handsome, but his height...

"He’s that short?"

’Did the academy’s food have weights in it? Why does it feel like there isn’t a single tall person in the entire class?’

"Shh, you can’t say he’s short to his face. He’s fine with anything else, but the moment you mention his height, he throws a fit," Qian Zhuye whispered.

Ye Qianning stared at the boy’s retreating figure. He was twelve but had the stature of a seven or eight-year-old. She also thought his walk was a bit strange, and his neck was very short. He seemed somewhat underdeveloped.

"I also heard yesterday that Gao Qi was asking about you."

"Asking about me? Does he want revenge?"

"No, he was asking when you’d be coming to the academy. He even asked the Eighth Prince what you look like." Qian Zhuye then looked at Sang Zhi. "Isn’t that right, Eighth Prince?"

"Asking what I look like?" Ye Qianning was suspicious. ’Shouldn’t he be screaming for my head after I beat up his parents? Why ask about my appearance?’

Sang Zhi’s young face darkened. "Student Code: Do not speak ill of others."

"The master isn’t here to see, so saying a little something won’t..."

"AHEM!"

Before Qian Zhuye could finish her sentence, Master Zhang was already standing by their table.

"You have violated the Student Code. Each of you will copy it ten times and hand it to me before class ends."

Sang Zhi stood up. "Yes, Master."

’A model student.’

"Huh? Ten times? The noon break is so short. How can we possibly finish?" Qian Zhuye’s little face scrunched up.

"If you don’t finish, you’ll copy it after class. If you don’t finish today, you are not permitted to go home," the master said coldly.

Qian Zhuye deflated like a punctured ball.

"I have to copy it too?" Ye Qianning asked.

Master Zhang gave her a complicated look. "As the Dean’s personal disciple, you especially cannot break the academy’s rules. You will copy it fifteen times."

"..."

Ye Qianning cried out in misery inwardly. ’It’s all that gossipy Qian’s fault.’

’She could barely write a few traditional characters. The Student Code has hundreds of rules. She wouldn’t be able to finish fifteen copies even in two days.’

When the mealtime ended, Ye Qianning was dragged away by the other two to copy the Student Code.

It was now the noon break. After eating, the other students had gone back for a short rest. Aside from the three being punished, the classroom was empty.

Ye Qianning held her brush pen and stared at the Xuan paper, a headache blooming. ’I didn’t even get to finish my meal, and now I’m being punished to copy the Student Code fifteen times. So unfair...’

The other two beside her had already finished one copy, but she still hadn’t started.