The vice principal's office carried the faint scent of old wood and ink, its shelves lined with neatly stacked files.
Vice Principal Ming, a man in his fifties with thinning hair and sharp glasses, stood as the door opened.
"Young Master Qin, Miss Xi—welcome. Principal Wang has gone to a conference, so I'll be handling the admission process on his behalf. Madam Qin has already explained everything."
Qin Yichen gave a curt nod and sank into the chair opposite. He crossed his legs, expression sharp with impatience. "Good. Then prepare the papers quickly. I need to leave."
Vice Principal Ming's eyes lingered on Xi Jiayi for a moment, measuring her quietly. He said nothing flattering, nothing extra—simply opened a file and slid a stack of papers across the desk.
Qin Yichen didn't even glance at the girl beside him. He flipped through the pages swiftly, signing wherever required. His pen strokes were clean, sharp, impatient.
The papers returned to Vice Principal Ming's hands within minutes.
But Ming didn't pass them on immediately. Instead, his gaze swept once more to Xi Jiayi before settling back on the text. "Her details are fine, but…" He tapped the column at the bottom. "What about the parents' names? It's required in the system."
Qin Yichen's lip curled in a sneer. "Write orphan. That should be simple enough."
The words landed heavy in the room.
Xi Jiayi remained perfectly still, her eyes lowered as though they weren't speaking about her at all. Not a twitch of emotion betrayed her.
Vice Principal Ming only nodded after a beat. "Understood." He filled in the blank space himself, his pen scratching across the form before stamping it with the school's seal.
When he finally turned back, it was with the admission papers in hand. He extended them toward Xi Jiayi. "Here, these are yours."
She took them silently, the faintest curve tugging at her lips—though whether it was amusement or something else, no one could tell.
Vice Principal Ming pressed the intercom button on his desk. "Teacher Bai, come to my office."
A few moments later, the door opened.
The man who stepped in was tall, broad-shouldered, and well put together, his presence steady like an anchor. His features were handsome, marked with a maturity that didn't dull but sharpened his appeal.
"This is Teacher Bai," Vice Principal Ming introduced, "Today he is in charge instead of Miss Xi's class. Her original teacher had to take emergency leave."
Teacher Bai's gaze flicked briefly to Xi Jiayi. Unlike the vice principal's distant appraisal, his eyes held warmth.
He walked over, crouched a little to meet her height, and reached out to gently pat her head. "Welcome. Don't worry, I'll take care of everything in class."
Then he straightened and turned to Qin Yichen, extending a hand. "Young Master Qin, I am Bai Furen. It's good to meet you."
Qin Yichen glanced at the hand but didn't move to take it. He rose from his seat with a grunt. "The admission is done. My work here is finished."
Vice Principal Ming opened his mouth, perhaps to add something formal, but Qin Yichen didn't wait. His long strides carried him to the door, and in the next breath, he was gone.
The silence he left behind felt heavy, though Teacher Bai only chuckled lightly as if brushing off the tension. "That one doesn't waste words, does he?"
Vice Principal Ming's lips pressed into a thin line but he said nothing.
Teacher Bai turned back to Xi Jiayi, his tone softening. "Come along with me. I'll show you to your class."
She blinked once, then rose, clutching her file under her arm.
At the doorway, Xi Jiayi paused to give a polite bow to Vice Principal Ming. "Thank you, Vice Principal."
Vice Principal Ming gave a small nod of acknowledgment.
And just like that, the tall figure of Teacher Bai walked out with the quiet girl in tow, their backs disappearing down the corridor.