Chapter 5 The Prince's Principle

  In the scorching summer, the sultry air was filled with heat haze. The lush camphor trees around the school became somewhat wilted under the blazing sun, their leaves struggling against the intense sunlight. The greenery stretching out before one's eyes reflected the dazzling sunlight, and not a single person could be seen on the empty playground.

  Sunlight filtering through the dense foliage casts dappled shadows on the wooden floor. The dance studio is cool and well-ventilated, with members of the entertainment department busily preparing for a cultural competition to be held in a month's time. Department head Xia Weiya holds a registration list, calling out names one by one. The quiet, cool dance studio presents a stark contrast to the cicadas' shrill cries and sweltering heat outside the window.

  Lin Yuchen stood outside the dance studio on the corridor, looking through the glass window at the student union members who were rehearsing inside. She was very envious. Since she was a child, she had a talent for dancing. After watching a dance once, she could imitate it perfectly. When she heard that an art competition would be held soon, she rushed to sign up excitedly. Only when she arrived did she realize that only student union members were allowed to participate, which made her mood plummet.

  "1, 2, 3 turn... again turn... jump up..." The familiar rhythm accompanied by music came from the dance room, where students were practicing one after another with serious faces. Lin Yuchen, who was standing outside the window and staring at something in a daze, didn't notice at all that someone was standing behind her, looking at her with equally serious eyes.

  "Why don't you go in?" A gentle voice sounded from behind him, and he could tell without looking that it was her, as there wouldn't be anyone else.

  "Study... study hard!" She didn't expect to run into him here, he must be from the student council, it's all her own fault for being too careless, last time he helped her out she actually forgot to ask his name.

  "Why don't you go in?" Seeing her, he didn't know why he always had a warm feeling, it was a heartfelt warmth. Just passing by here, seeing her standing at the door, he couldn't help but step inside.

  "Oh, I'm not a member of the student council, so I won't be able to participate." She replied with her head down, afraid that if she looked up and saw him, she would blush.

  "Who said that only members of the Student Union can participate in the literary competition? You're a student too, and you can also join!" He smiled as he replied to her somewhat silly question.

  "But when I went to sign up, they said only student union members could participate. I thought...” She looked at the members who were practicing, actually she also wanted to join in, if not, she wouldn't mind too much, as long as she worked hard to get recognized by the student union and joined it, then there would be no lack of opportunities.

  "Does the student union have such a rule? I didn't know." When did he stipulate that only members of the student union can participate in the literary and artistic competition? It seems that some people are making trouble again.

  "I don't know..." She knew very well that she was here to study as a poor person, and everyone rejected her, looked down on her. However, it didn't matter, her skin was thick, and she wouldn't mind.

  "Let's go in." He pushed open the door and went in first. As soon as they entered the dance room, everyone fell silent, stopped their movements, and looked at the person who had just come in. Before long, people began to discuss it one after another. The Minister of Culture and Entertainment saw the newcomer and turned around hastily to walk towards him.

  "Wow, is that Prince Yan?" someone exclaimed, their voice full of reverence.

  "Really? Is it really Prince Yan?" Another girl chimed in.

  "Yan, you're here." Minister of Culture and Entertainment, Xia Weiya looked at him, then turned her head to glance at the person standing behind him, looking puzzled.

  "Vivian, I don't think it's stipulated that only student union members can participate in the literary competition, right?" The tone was gentle, but to Xia Weiya's ears, it sounded like a challenge.

  "Yan, I don't understand what you mean." She really didn't understand what he meant. The literary competition had always been open to all students in the school, and there had never been a rule that only student union members could participate.

  "Who is in charge of registration?" Yan Zi's calm expression looked a bit terrifying to Xia Weiya, and she probably also guessed what was going on.

  "It was me." A female student replied timidly. If she had known this day would come, she absolutely wouldn't have dared to take matters into her own hands, no matter how much she disliked that poor student. Everyone knew that Yan Wangzi was notoriously strict when it came to students' affairs.

  "Can you give me a reasonable explanation?" His hands were inserted into the pockets of his casual pants, and his gentle and charming tone carried an unmistakable severity.

  "I...I..." She didn't have the courage to tell him the truth, and provoking Prince Yan would not end well. Today she finally understood.

  The atmosphere once dropped to freezing point, Yan Ziye's cold and indifferent face didn't have a hint of expression. In order not to make the atmosphere so awkward, the head of the cultural department smiled and mediated.

  "Alright, Yan, it was just a misunderstanding. I'm the one who messed up, so punish me if you want." She had never seen him look so indifferent before. Just a few days ago, he had made such a big fuss over that girl and even held a collective meeting for her. What exactly was the relationship between that girl and Prince Yan that made him protect her like this?

  "Vivian, you know my principles." He believed in his own principles, and the members of the student union were all aware of them.

  "I know, but I think she didn't do it on purpose either. Just forgive her mistake, and I guarantee that this kind of thing won't happen again." How could she not understand his principles? She understood them too well, which is why she came out to mediate. As a minister, she had the obligation to take responsibility for their affairs.

  "Senpai... can you tell me what's going on now?" She had been standing behind them listening for so long and still didn't understand what they were talking about, why was he blaming that girl? Was it because of her? What did she do wrong again?

  "You're the transfer student Lin Yuchen, right? Last time Minister Du Xinhad you check the school's sanitation and our President Yan scolded him severely. You like dancing too, join us, how about it?" She had just seen her standing by the window, didn't know what reason made her hesitant to come in, that longing gaze she didn't overlook, she thought she should really like dancing.

  "Minister... why did I get scolded by the president? Upperclassman, you... are you the student council president?!" He was actually the student council president, which far exceeded her imagination.

  "Heavens! You didn't know he's the student council president?" Yan Wangzi had helped her time and again, yet she still didn't know that he was the student council president. Her reaction was a bit too slow, wasn't it?

  "I don't know..." She really didn't know, if she did, she wouldn't have been dragged here by him for no reason. Lifting her head to look at Yan Ziyu's cold face, Lin Yuchen suddenly became speechless. The current him was so cold and serious, not the prince with a warm smile that she met under the tree.

  "So, are you willing to join us?" Xia Weiya asked with a soft smile, she liked the simplicity and elegance that shone through Lin Yuchen's eyes, unlike the spoiled and arrogant rich young lady.

  "Hmm." Looking at the pretty and kind minister, she suddenly felt that she was very gentle, Lin Yuchen liked her from the bottom of her heart, she thought they would become good friends, and believed that she wouldn't refuse her either. Turning around, she saw the senior who had quietly left, a happy and joyful smile blooming on her face.

  "Wait a minute, senior." She blurted out towards his back, she hadn't even thanked him yet.

  "What's up?" He stopped in his tracks and slightly turned around, smiling at her.

  "Th-thank you, senpai!" She bowed her head slightly in genuine gratitude.

  "You're welcome."

  "Senior, may I know your name?" This time she must ask him what his name was, otherwise after he had helped her so much, she still didn't know what his name was, it was really embarrassing.

  "My name is Yan Ziyu." He turned around and left elegantly, his warm voice echoing in the quiet dance room. Behind him, a group of girls gasped as they saw Prince Yan's smile, which was as warm as heavenly sunshine, and sent him off with eyes full of adoration.

  Outside the window, the cicadas' intermittent cries, the scorching sun still changes its position and sweeps across every corner of Jin Yi campus. Some ambiguous emotions that have been growing in my heart, like plants growing, are waiting for the arrival of the first spring rain. The thoughts in the hazy season have the fragrance of youth and flowers.