Chapter 1: Chapter 1: A Young Man’s Reincarnation in the Celestial Empire Won’t Involve Idol Fantasies

The young man lightly pressed the top of the ballpoint pen in his hand. After a grueling battle of over ten minutes, the pen’s tip finally retracted with a signal of surrender, leaving behind neatly written equations on the desk as proof of its hard work.

Flipping over the white answer sheet revealed its title:

“Yuanyue International High School Spring Semester Entrance Exam, Subject: Mathematics, Duration: 120 minutes.”

Below the printed title, the name of the test taker was written in bold black font: Yan Huan.

It was a bright spring afternoon, and sunlight poured generously through the windows of the second-floor classroom, illuminating the profile of the handsome boy who had just finished his test.

Beneath slightly long, wavy black bangs, his dark eyes gazed out the window at the vast green field outside, painted red by the setting sun. This was the school sports field, tracing the sun’s trajectory with fiery streaks of light.

On the track, young men in athletic wear ran in circles, seemingly chasing the sun as it descended—a sight that reminded Yan Huan of the legendary Kuafu.

In his previous life, Kuafu’s image in Yan Huan’s mind had always been that of a robust young man. The act of tirelessly chasing the sun seemed, to him, to embody youthful vigor—a pursuit brimming with youthful recklessness and vitality.

It was the kind of thing only the young would do, their enviable privilege.

While his classmates were still engrossed in solving problems, Yan Huan placed the slightly warm pen lightly on his desk. Supporting his chin with one hand, he exchanged a glance with the middle-aged, bald math teacher on the podium. After a brief moment of silent understanding, they both looked away.

This kid again, finishing this quickly…

Teacher Zhou Bin, your bald head is reflecting light again…

Their thoughts collided in the void of space, neither aware of the other’s inner musings.

“Read the questions carefully and double-check your answers,” came the teacher’s usual advice.

Zhou Bin had been Yan Huan’s math teacher last semester. His somewhat humorous name always reminded Yan Huan of imported Japanese cola.

Yan Huan sat there, listening absentmindedly to the sound of his classmates scribbling furiously. His mind wandered aimlessly.

“Is my reincarnation missing a bit of fantastical flair?” he wondered, suddenly annoyed.

No implanted cheat system, no nocturnal spirit maiden paying him back, no exotic foodie in his storage room saying, “Are you my master?”

Nothing!

All that had happened was that he seemed to have died young, collapsing at his overtime workstation, only to be reincarnated as a baby in a strange parallel world.

For over ten years, he had lived a disciplined life, and this year, he was once again entering the prime of his youth!

Yan Huan had to admit, he held a sliver of hope for some excitement. After all, his wish on his sixth birthday had been for his reincarnated life to have a touch of the fantastical.

Still, he reminded himself to be content. To die once and be reborn in another world was already more than enough; how much more could he ask for?

If prison life had a respawn button, even Laoda wouldn’t care about all the tired memes on the internet, he mused.

With that thought, he decided to follow Teacher Zhou Bin’s advice and recheck his test paper, even if it was just a way to kill time.

He picked up the test paper and ballpoint pen, pretending to review as his mind continued to drift.

Time flew by, and the end of the exam drew near.

“There are 25 minutes left. Please check your name, student ID, and answer sheet carefully.”

“Tick… tick… tick…”

In the otherwise silent classroom, the rhythmic ticking of the clock’s second hand echoed, as if urging the students to finish their answers.

But a second later, Yan Huan noticed something strange.

Wait, isn’t the exam clock supposed to be digital?

He glanced at the countdown timer above the whiteboard, which was moving silently.

Just then, a bird-like female voice suddenly broke into his ears, clear and melodic:

“Hello? Can everyone in Exam Room One hear me?”

Yan Huan froze momentarily. Instinctively, he turned toward the classroom door, but before he could move, a piercing, child-like scream boomed in his mind:

"DO NOT ANSWER! DO NOT ANSWER! DO NOT ANSWER!"

What’s going on? Are the Trisolarans attacking? Why didn’t they come in my last life?

Clutching his ears, Yan Huan tried to make sense of it all when, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a small head peeking through the open classroom door.

Under a cascade of silky black bangs, a fair hand cupped around the girl’s mouth, confirming that the voice had come from her.

It was a beautiful girl, so stunning that her looks seemed magnetic, impossible to look away from.

Her bright, watery eyes, framed by long lashes, sparkled like starlight. Her arched brows and radiant smile gave her an angelic charm.

Hanging over her gray school uniform blazer was a name tag that read:

“First Year, Class B: Bai Yi.”

Thank goodness, not Trisolarans…

"Your life is about to end. A worldline emergency intervention is being initiated!"

"The correction plan has begun. Please maintain your current actions and avoid showing any signs that you’ve noticed the modifier. Severe consequences will result otherwise."

"Details will be explained shortly."

Worldline? Modifier? Life ending?

Though calmer now, the voice still rattled Yan Huan’s thoughts with its bizarre terminology. Nonetheless, he followed its instructions and didn’t make any sudden moves, cautiously observing Bai Yi with just his peripheral vision.

The reason? Because he realized, with a chill running down his spine, that Bai Yi appeared semi-transparent, as if detached from the world around her.

Through his peripheral vision, he watched the ethereal girl step into the classroom, her stunning profile almost otherworldly.

She cupped her hands around her mouth and called out again with a loud, carefree shout, like someone yelling their heart out on a mountaintop:

“Ahhhhhhh!”

Yan Huan blinked, but no one else in the room seemed to notice a thing.

“It really works… they can’t see me!”

Bai Yi giggled softly, brushing a loose strand of black hair behind her ear, revealing a delicate, white earlobe.

Relaxing completely, she sauntered into the classroom, even waving a hand in front of Zhou Bin and the first-row students, amused by their inability to notice her.

“Humming~”

She began to hum a tune Yan Huan didn’t recognize as she strolled around the podium like a leader inspecting her troops.

Suddenly, the girl frowned, as if remembering something unpleasant. Her expression darkened, and she turned toward Zhou Bin at the podium.

Yan Huan had no idea what she intended to do, but she began rummaging around the desk at the front of the class... and found a marker.

Gripping the black marker, she strode toward Zhou Bin with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Under Yan Huan’s increasingly wide-eyed gaze, she tiptoed closer and used the marker to draw a giant "X" on Zhou Bin's face. Then, with several more strokes, she scribbled random doodles across his bald head.

Yet Zhou Bin and the rest of the students remained completely unaware, oblivious to the absurd scene unfolding right in front of them. Zhou Bin scanned the room with his eyes but could neither see the girl standing right before him nor sense the graffiti now adorning his face.

Only Yan Huan witnessed this surreal and utterly ridiculous moment.

"Ha! That’s what you get for ratting me out to my mom," the girl said in a voice as sweet as a little devil's, her satisfaction palpable.

A ghost? Yan Huan thought. No... wait... I know her!

Now that he took a closer look, Yan Huan finally recognized the vaguely familiar face. It was Bai Yi, a girl from his grade. Not only had he seen her around school, but she was also a school celebrity.

Bai Yi was a rising young artist already signed with an internationally renowned entertainment company. Her image as a radiant and youthful teen had captivated millions online, earning her the nickname: "The wife everyone is waiting for to grow up."

She had starred in three films, recorded several hit songs, and appeared in countless advertisements. Even Yan Huan occasionally saw her face in online shopping ads.

Although she wasn’t quite a full-fledged star yet, her fame within the school was undeniable.

And now, this online sensation was using a marker to doodle on Zhou Bin’s face?

And he was the only one who could see it happening?

What is this, some kind of 'Teenage Pig Doesn’t Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai' scenario? Yan Huan thought.

The wind suddenly picked up outside, rustling the curtains and making the exam papers flutter noisily.

As the blue-and-white curtains swayed, they partially concealed Bai Yi's figure. Yet her flowing hair and skirt remained eerily unaffected by the breeze, as if she were a ghost isolated from the world.

It was an otherworldly and breathtaking sight.

But in that fleeting moment, Bai Yi seemed to sense Yan Huan's gaze. She abruptly turned her head, her eyes brushing past his.

"Eh?"

Uh-oh!

After all his effort to stay hidden, his cover seemed to be blown in an instant.

Yan Huan’s mind raced, but his face remained calm. He merely glanced in her direction, a gesture that made Bai Yi visibly uneasy.

She looked at herself, then at the swaying curtains, before finally locking eyes with the handsome boy sitting by the window.

Oh… it’s you, Student Council President.

Bai Yi pursed her lips, her expression unreadable. Without a word, she walked toward Yan Huan, her approach making his heart race despite his composed facade.

She stopped right in front of him, bringing with her a faint yet refreshing scent, like flowers blooming on a crisp morning.

Leaning forward slightly, her black hair tilted at an angle, brushing lightly against his temple. Yet Yan Huan felt nothing, confirming for him that she was unquestionably real, yet not of this world.

Yan Huan sat motionless, his gaze fixed straight ahead, his eyes passing through her chest as if admiring a scenic view.

“...”

Getting no response, Bai Yi paused, then her face lit up with a devilish grin—an expression that starkly contrasted with her wholesome idol image. She picked up another pen lying on Yan Huan’s desk.

Something incredible happened. The pen in her hand instantly turned semi-transparent. Or rather, it was as if she had pulled the ethereal "soul" of the pen from its physical body.

Now there were two pens: one solid pen lying on the desk and one translucent version in her hand, like two branches of the same timeline.

"You’re just as annoying as ever, President," she said with a cold smile, the translucent pen now aimed at him like a weapon.

Huh? Me? I’m annoying? We’ve barely spoken! How could you possibly think that?

Bai Yi offered no further explanation. Still smirking, she lowered the pen as if preparing to scribble on him just as she had on Zhou Bin.

Yan Huan’s dark eyes narrowed as the earlier voice in his mind echoed once more:

"The correction plan has begun. Please maintain your current actions and avoid any signs of detecting the modifier. Severe consequences will result!"

Even so, his arm twitched, seemingly poised to intercept her slender wrist.

At that crucial moment, a distinct “tick… tick… tick…” sound echoed from Bai Yi herself, identical to the earlier clock noise he had heard.

Then, more strange noises emanated from her.

"Current effect: Irrelevant Consciousness."

"Fifteen-minute countdown nearing completion. Please take note."

Bai Yi froze, still holding the pen. A look of resignation crossed her face.

She glanced at the time, then sighed with clear reluctance.

"Time’s up already? That was quick."

She placed the pen back on the desk, aligning it perfectly with its counterpart as if nothing had happened.

Turning to Yan Huan, her luminous eyes lingered on his face for a long moment before she finally huffed and looked away.

"We’ll meet again, Yan Huan... hmph."

“Tick… tick…”

The sound of the clock echoed once more, mechanical and steady like droplets of water falling into a vast, unseen ocean.

Yan Huan silently watched as Bai Yi’s figure gradually retreated. Her graceful silhouette vanished from sight, leaving behind only the lingering memory of what had transpired.

Minutes later, everything returned to normal.

Then, out of nowhere, Zhou Bin jolted slightly. His face twisted as if he were suddenly aware of the marker’s itch-inducing doodles.

“Hiss!”

He clutched his face with both hands, letting out a loud “smack!”

The noise drew the attention of the test-takers, who all looked up in unison.

"What are you staring at? Finished question two already? No? Then get back to—"

"Uh… Sir…" A brave student shakily raised their hand, pointing at Zhou Bin’s face. "Your face… sir…"

"My face?" Zhou Bin blinked in confusion, pulling out his phone to use the front camera.

What he saw was a disaster. His bald head, now smeared with black marker, bore a chaotic mix of drawings: a pair of JQK cards, and repeated scribbles of the words “Stupid teacher, stupid teacher, stupid teacher.”

The messy handwriting looked like the work of a mischievous preschooler.

The classroom fell into dead silence, save for Zhou Bin’s increasingly red face and trembling body.

"WHO DID THIS?!!"

A second later, his anguished shout reverberated through the entire school building, loud enough to disturb the neighboring exam rooms.

Only Yan Huan remained frozen in his chair. He was the only one who truly understood what had just happened.

And just like Zhou Bin, the spot on his temple where Bai Yi’s hair had brushed him earlier now began to tingle faintly.

It felt like a delayed response, as if the surreal moment had finally caught up to him, engraving Bai Yi’s enigmatic beauty in his mind.

And along with it, a belated fulfillment of the wish he had made on his sixth birthday…

For just a touch of the fantastical in his life.