Chapter 33 The Ones Who Should Have Learned

The moment Qingxue and Qiuhan stepped onto the academy grounds, the shift was immediate. A quiet murmur rippled through the students, a mix of admiration, envy, and, for some, barely concealed fear.

Six years had passed since the Leng twins had last walked these halls, yet their presence was as commanding as ever.

Qingxue, dressed in a tailored white coat over her uniform, moved with effortless grace. The delicate features of her face, paired with the cold indifference in her silver-blue eyes, made people hesitate before approaching. Beside her, Qiuhan exuded an unshakable force, his sharp gaze holding an intensity that made some students avert their eyes rather than risk drawing his attention. They hadn't spoken a word since stepping out of the car. They didn't need to. The unspoken understanding between them was stronger than ever.

But even as they walked forward, seemingly unaffected by the weight of all the stares, Qingxue could feel it—the lingering resentment that had never quite faded. She wasn't surprised. People like Ruolan never truly learned.

From the second-floor balcony overlooking the entrance, a pair of narrowed eyes tracked Qingxue's every movement. Ruolan stood with her hands lightly gripping the edge of the railing, her fingers tightening with each step the twins took. They were back. Perfect. Untouched. Untouchable.

Everything she had worked to destroy, everything she had schemed to tear apart—it had all meant nothing.

Her expulsion had been a devastating blow, one that nearly ruined her standing entirely. But her mother, Chen Meiyu, had worked tirelessly behind the scenes, using every connection at her disposal to slowly claw her way back into the elite circle. Ruolan had spent every moment of these last six years sharpening her own weapons.

This time, she wouldn't make the same mistakes.

This time, she would take everything from Qingxue.

Her gaze flickered across the courtyard toward the boy who had just arrived, stepping out of an all-black luxury car. Li Shen.

The moment she saw him, her stomach twisted in frustration. He was walking straight toward Qingxue. Without hesitation. Without even glancing at anyone else.

Her hands clenched into fists. It was always Qingxue.

She had spent years carefully constructing her own reputation, surrounding herself with admirers and manipulating them as she pleased. But no matter what she did, no matter how much influence she gained—there were still those she could not touch.

Li Shen was one of them.

He had always been indifferent to others, his presence cold, his interactions minimal. But he had never ignored Qingxue. And that was something Ruolan could not accept.

If she couldn't have his attention, then no one could.

A slow, calculating smile curled her lips. If Li Shen wanted to stand beside Qingxue, she would make sure it cost him everything. And if she couldn't take him away, then she would destroy him.

Qingxue barely reacted when she sensed Li Shen approaching. It had been years since she had last seen him, but his presence was unmistakable. The cold, sharp intensity in his golden eyes had only deepened over time. His tall figure had grown leaner, stronger, more imposing.

He stopped directly in front of her, ignoring the watching crowd as if they didn't exist. The crisp autumn air carried the faintest scent of cedarwood from him, clean and distant, much like the boy himself.

For a long moment, he said nothing. Then, with a gentleness that seemed at odds with the sharpness in his gaze, he lifted a hand and brushed a stray strand of silver-blue hair from her face.

"Xiao Xue."

His voice was quiet, but it carried through the courtyard, cutting through the hushed whispers around them. It was the same name he had called her all those years ago.

Qingxue met his gaze, her expression unreadable. She didn't flinch from his touch, nor did she push him away.

Ruolan's nails dug into her palms.

Qingxue might not see it yet, but Ruolan did.

Li Shen belonged to Qingxue in a way that not even he seemed fully aware of. And that was something Ruolan would never allow.

A sickly sweet smile curled at her lips as she turned away. If Qingxue thought this game was over, she was gravely mistaken. The pieces were only just being placed on the board.