Ch77 - The Crown Prince Personally Teaches Him How to Write

The small grove was quiet, with only the occasional birdcall breaking the silence.

Jian Mei felt conflicted. He had been holding back for a while, and just as he was about to speak, a bell suddenly rang from the nearby dormitory. Its deep chime echoed through the air, a distant reminder.

Lu Xingwang glanced toward the sound and said, “Curfew’s about to start. They’ll be closing the gates soon.”

Jian Mei’s eyes widened. “Wait, does that mean I won’t be able to get in?”

The dormitory gate was still at least two hundred meters away, and he wasn’t sure he could make it in time.

Lu Xingwang watched Jian Mei’s slightly flustered expression, finding it adorably earnest—just like the times he had called in a panic, unsure of what to do, his voice carrying a hint of helplessness. Back then, they had been miles apart, but now they were close enough to touch.

Lu Xingwang extended his hand and said, “Come.”

Jian Mei wasn’t sure what he meant, but still, he reached out his hand.

Lu Xingwang pulled Jian Mei closer and softly said, “Close your eyes.”

Jian Mei obeyed and shut his eyes. A rush of wind swept past his ears, and for a moment, he felt weightless—like he was floating. Then, Lu Xingwang’s deep voice sounded beside him. “We’re here.”

When Jian Mei opened his eyes again, they were already at the dormitory.

It had barely taken half a minute!

Jian Mei turned to Lu Xingwang in awe. “Wow, that was incredible.”

But Lu Xingwang didn’t seem impressed. He lowered his gaze and said matter-of-factly, “It’s just a basic spell. Any priest with wind-based powers can do this.”

Jian Mei glanced at him. The spring night carried a slight chill, and they were standing so close that their quiet breaths almost intertwined. After hearing Lu Xingwang’s words, Jian Mei didn’t agree. He looked up at the prince and smiled softly. “But they wouldn’t bring me back to my dorm.”

There may be many priests in the world,

But none of them are you.

They might be powerful, but none would use their divine abilities just to make sure someone didn’t miss curfew.

“Thank you.” Jian Mei took a few steps toward the dormitory building before turning back to Lu Xingwang. In a quiet voice, he asked, “Um… I mean, will we have the chance to meet again?”

The dormitory’s streetlights cast a warm, golden glow, and the air carried the light fragrance of spring flowers and fresh grass.

Lu Xingwang stood by the entrance, his gaze flickering toward the building above—perhaps unintentionally. But he didn’t hesitate. He stepped forward, closing the distance between them, and said in a deep, steady voice, “We will.”

“I promise you,” he added.

For some reason, Jian Mei felt as if a weight had suddenly lifted from his heart, and a genuine smile spread across his face. He waved at Lu Xingwang. “Alright, I’m heading back to the dorm now.”

Lu Xingwang gave a slight nod.

Jian Mei jogged back to the dormitory, but as soon as he stepped into the lobby, he found it brightly lit, and no one had gone to bed yet.

Nanfeng, who had been perched on the sofa, immediately sprang to his feet. “You’re finally back!”

Ying exhaled in relief and asked, “Are you okay, Mei?”

“We were all worried about whether you’d make it back tonight.” Qiao strode over, his voice laced with guilt. “It’s my fault. I dragged you into danger.”

Jian Mei hadn’t expected everyone to still be awake. He was genuinely touched and softly said, “Thank you, everyone. I’m fine now.”

Seeing that he was alright, the others finally started asking the questions they were most eager to know:

“Did you talk to the crown prince?”

“Did you go to the crown prince’s palace?”

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“……”

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xQJN GUqqTB ITi GITTsA LJB AQNITB mQAdSUYYp. “W’P Af MTLYfUA!”

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Qiao chuckled. “I think that was my peak moment. I’m pretty sure I can’t pull it off again.”

Ying nodded. “Classes start tomorrow, right? You can ask Teacher Aster then. Maybe he’ll have an answer for you.”

Speaking of classes, Jian Mei had a few concerns of his own.

Jian Mei glanced at the little boy from the Xiwu Clan, curled up asleep on the sofa with his white gloves still on. He asked, “So, you’ve all been assigned classes and teachers already, right? What about me, him, and Yunsu? How are we supposed to attend classes tomorrow?”

Ying reassured him, “Don’t worry. Tomorrow, our homeroom teacher, Mr. Aster, will give the three of you an exam. Based on your results, your schedules will be arranged accordingly.”

An exam?

Jian Mei grew nervous. “What kind of exam is it?”

Ying shook her head. “No one knows. Actually, each person gets a different set of questions, so there’s no way to predict it. You just need to get some rest and be ready for tomorrow.”

Hearing that, Jian Mei could only accept it.

The next morning, their uniforms were delivered, and the sizes were just right. It was Jian Mei’s first time wearing such high-quality fabric—it was smooth and silky to the touch. When he put it on, it felt perfectly comfortable, neither too hot nor too cold, and fit him like it had been made just for him.

When they went downstairs, the others were already dressed in their uniforms. SA Academy’s uniform featured a golden-yellow design with white jackets, accented by deep gold embroidery along the collar and patterns. The ensemble radiated elegance and prestige.

Nanfeng waved. “Oh, you’re finally up?”

Jian Mei roomed with the boy from the Xiwu Clan, and his morning routine always started with making sure the little one had brushed his teeth and washed his face. Once the child was ready, he took him downstairs. He responded, “Yeah, I’m up.”

Ahead of them, Yunsu had his long hair loosely tied back. He waved at them. “Mei, it’s time for our exam.”

Jian Mei immediately led the little boy over.

The classroom building was hidden behind the dormitory, deeper within the forest. The white structure was composed of cube-like blocks, resembling a magical Rubik’s cube. According to Yunsu, these cubes constantly rearranged themselves at random intervals, meaning the building’s layout was never the same. Only students with the proper ID cards could enter, making access more complicated than simply walking through the door.

Jian Mei and Yunsu reached the entrance and followed suit, swiping their cards to step inside.

They passed through a long crystal corridor, and at the very end, they finally spotted the classroom. Standing there was a striking blonde teacher. Her red lips were bold, and her tall, graceful figure carried an air of confidence. Seeing the three of them, she smirked slightly. “Quite a few new students this year.”

The three of them bowed slightly and respectfully greeted, “Good morning, Teacher.”

“Take a seat,” the blonde beauty said. “Let me introduce myself—I’m Aster, your homeroom teacher. If you ever have any questions, feel free to ask. Hmm… even personal ones are fine.”

None of the three quite understood what she meant.

Aster shrugged and went on, “Alright, let’s get started with the exam. I’ll be giving you test papers to evaluate your academic level. Make sure to take it seriously.”

The students all nodded in response.

After distributing the test papers, Aster saw that Alai, Xiwu, and Yunshi quickly got to answer the questions. Meanwhile, Jian Mei stared at his paper, completely lost—every single character on the page was incomprehensible to him.

By the time most students had nearly finished their exams, Jian Mei’s test paper was still completely blank. When Aster walked over and saw it, she was visibly taken aback. She hesitated before asking, “Why haven’t you answered anything?”

“…Sorry, Teacher. It’s not that I don’t want to.” Jian Mei hesitated for a moment before finally admitting, “I can’t read.”

The room fell into a brief silence.

All eyes turned toward him, filled with disbelief. In this day and age, how could someone still be illiterate?

Aster naturally had the same thought. Just as she was about to speak, she suddenly remembered seeing Jian Mei’s file. Both of his parents were listed as deceased. Her heart softened. He came from a civilian background—if he’d never had access to proper education, it made sense.

Aster sighed and said gently, “Jian Mei, not knowing how to read will be a big challenge. This is a school for divine power, and only the beginner class offers literacy lessons. I’ll arrange for you to attend a tutoring class outside of school.”

Yunsu and Xiwu stared at him in shock.

Jian Mei’s face flushed slightly, but he still nodded. “Okay.”

During the day, Aster had already arranged for Jian Mei to attend a tutoring session. The institution was located outside the school and primarily catered to younger children. So when Jian Mei walked in, the other students turned to him with confused and curious stares. Fortunately, he had grown a thicker skin lately. Without hesitation, he found a seat at the back of the class and quietly settled in to listen.

In reality, learning basic characters wasn’t that difficult—the real challenge was the mental pressure.

By the time his evening class ended, Jian Mei felt exhausted, both mentally and physically. As he stepped out of the tutoring center, night had already fallen. The streets of the Imperial City were alive with the steady flow of traffic and bustling crowds.

Jian Mei felt a bit hungry. Just as he was about to search for a place to eat, his information wristband vibrated—it looked like he had received a message. The screen was filled with characters he couldn’t read. Hesitantly, he tapped on it, only for a more complicated interface to pop up. To make things worse, even the previous message screen disappeared.

“This is so frustrating…” Jian Mei sighed helplessly. “I should’ve just admitted it last night. Embarrassing or not, it wouldn’t have made a difference.”

As Jian Mei walked down the street, heading back to school, his information terminal beeped again. This time, it was different. Although he couldn’t read, he noticed an icon that looked like a small phone. Without hesitation, he tapped it, and a voice immediately came through.

For the first time in a year, he heard Lu Xingwang’s voice over the communicator. “Hello?”

Jian Mei froze in place, his entire body stiffening.

Yesterday, seeing him in person hadn’t stirred much emotion. But now, hearing his voice through the communicator, it felt as if time had suddenly rewound. For a brief moment, his mind went blank, and a tidal wave of longing crashed over him.

Lu Xingwang’s voice was quiet. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Jian Mei’s eyes reddened involuntarily. He lowered his voice. “It’s nothing.”

Lu Xingwang’s brows furrowed. He knew Jian Mei too well—something was clearly off. “Where are you?”

The sounds of passing vehicles and horses made it obvious that Jian Mei wasn’t at school. He answered honestly, “I’m outside. I just finished class and was about to head back.”

“Class outside?” Lu Xingwang asked. “Why?”

Jian Mei’s face heated up, a little embarrassed.

At first, Lu Xingwang hadn’t thought much of it, but after noticing Jian Mei’s hesitant silence, he cautiously asked, “Is it a tutoring class?”

He actually guessed it!

Jian Mei hesitated. “Mhm.”

Lu Xingwang held some documents, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “What are you studying? Basic literacy?”

!!!

Jian Mei felt like he was being teased, but he had no proof!

A little embarrassed, he muttered, “Just learning to read.”

Lu Xingwang didn’t seem surprised. “Did you start today?”

“Mhm.” As Jian Mei walked, he grumbled, “Your language is way too hard. I spent the whole day learning, but I feel like I barely remember anything…”

Jian Mei kept an eye on the street signs, trying to memorize the way back to school.

Just as he was estimating how much farther he had to go, he heard Lu Xingwang’s voice from the communicator. “I’ll teach you.”

Jian Mei’s steps came to an abrupt halt.

Lu Xingwang said, “Stay where you are. I’ll send someone to pick you up.”

After the call ended, Jian Mei stood there in a daze for a moment before realization struck—he hadn’t even said where he was! How did Dazhuang-ge know?

Yet, sure enough, not long after, a car pulled up.

A well-mannered attendant stepped out and approached him. “Mr. Jian, His Highness sent me to pick you up. Please get in.”

Jian Mei asked hesitantly, “What about school?”

“As long as you’re back before curfew, it won’t be a problem,” the attendant replied respectfully. “The academy allows students to manage their own schedules.”

Only then did Jian Mei feel at ease.

He sat in the car and returned to the palace. Upon entering the study, he finally saw Lu Xingwang. The desk was stacked high with documents, making it clear that the workload was immense. Beside the crown prince’s desk was a smaller table. When Lu Xingwang saw him, he gestured toward it. “Sit there.”

Jian Mei quietly walked over and sat down.

“Did your teacher assign any homework?” Lu Xingwang asked.

“She did.” Jian Mei pulled out a practice book from his small bag, along with a set of letters and words to memorize. “I have to write these 50 times today.”

Lu Xingwang gave a slight nod. “Mm.”

Jian Mei’s homework wasn’t just simple copying. His practice book was mechanized—students had to write directly on it, and the board would automatically track the number of times each word was written. Any characters that didn’t meet the required standard wouldn’t be counted.

Jian Mei’s handwriting was always crooked and uneven. The written language of Stan Star was incredibly intricate, resembling hieroglyphs, with countless complex strokes that were difficult to master. Because he was still unfamiliar with it, his writing often ended up looking like a clumsy imitation.

After struggling for a while, he suddenly heard a voice. “Let me see.”

Jian Mei looked up to find Lu Xingwang, who had been focused on his work, now leaning over. The crown prince, dressed in black embroidered official robes, exuded an air of maturity and composure, a stark contrast to yesterday.

He picked up a pen and demonstrated the correct way to write. His strokes were sharp and fluid, forming strong, powerful characters. In a quiet voice, he said, “Write it like this. Do you understand?”

Jian Mei’s eyes lit up as he stared at the writing. “Wow, Dazhuang-ge, your handwriting is incredible!”

“……”

A flicker of exasperation passed through Lu Xingwang’s gaze. “Try writing it.”

Brimming with confidence, Jian Mei responded, “Okay!”

He picked up the pen and started writing. His strokes were still wobbly and uneven, and halfway through, he forgot how to write a character and froze. Lu Xingwang sighed inwardly before speaking. “Jian Mei.”

“Hmm?”

Jian Mei turned his head, about to ask something, when Lu Xingwang, who had been standing beside him, suddenly leaned down. The man’s large hand—one that had the power to command the winds—enveloped Jian Mei’s soft, fair fingers. In a quiet voice, he said, “I’ll guide you through it. Pay attention.”

The two of them were suddenly very close. A faint, clean fragrance lingered on Lu Xingwang, and his hand was cool to the touch. Yet, for some reason, Jian Mei’s face grew warm. Lu Xingwang steadily guided his hand through the strokes, and once they finished, he glanced at him sideways. “Did you learn it?”

Jian Mei, lost in a whirlwind of thoughts, suddenly snapped back to reality. He blinked at the crown prince, looking completely dazed. “Huh…?”

Translator’s Notes:

My bad, that was my mistake guys. I accidentally uploaded the wrong chapter earlier. Here’s the correct Chapter 77!