This is the best talent academy in all of Yuanzhou, roughly equivalent to a combination of high school and university in the previous life, referred to as “Caixue,” with a four-year system. The class Grace Brooks is in is the best in the entire school. In this world, there’s no such thing as nearsightedness, and no one in the advanced class makes a fuss; seating order is entirely based on height.

“Modern history is of utmost importance!

“It’s definitely on the exam!

“Especially the ones I mentioned, these people—you’ve all seen them on banknotes, right? Anything about them, you must, absolutely, memorize it all by heart!”

This is a history class.

Cultivators still have to study history… Well, that actually makes sense. Ancient cultivators probably had to study it too.

Anyway, Grace Brooks has absolutely no desire to listen. The teacher doesn’t care about him either—he’s the son of a nationally renowned historian, practically raised in history books, and probably knows way more about history than the teacher.

So Grace Brooks props his chin up with one hand, looking down at his biology notes, while his other hand absentmindedly plays with the hair of the girl sitting in front of him.

The girl in front doesn’t like it and swats his hand away.

After a while, Grace Brooks grabs her hair again.

The girl in front swats his hand away once more and pulls her hair to the front.

Grace Brooks doesn’t mind; he’ll just pull it back again.

“Smack!”

This time, the girl in front uses a bit more force. After swatting his hand away, she turns around and gives him a very displeased look.

Grace Brooks grins at her.

When he grabs her hair again, she can’t be bothered to respond to Grace Brooks anymore.

And so it goes, all the way until class ends.

“Group photo time!”

The female class monitor stands up and shouts, “Everyone gather at the bleachers near the stadium podium.”

Grace Brooks immediately stands up and pats the girl in front of him on the shoulder. On her desk sits only one book, “Cosmic Hypothesis,” and nothing else, making her stand out from the other students.

“Let’s go!”

Grace Brooks walks in front, with Lily Carter following behind.

Annoyed with him, Lily Carter gets more and more irritated the more she thinks about it. As they leave the classroom, she suddenly gives him a hard shove from behind, but only manages to make him stumble forward a step.

At the bleachers beside the stadium podium, everyone stands in front of the tiered seats, all dressed in youthful, vibrant outfits. In the very front row sit the teachers of each subject and the school leaders, all dressed in their most formal attire. A few teachers who usually dress casually are, for once, wearing suits.

Grace Brooks and Lily Carter stand together.

“Everyone stand still!

“Attention—

“Three, two, one!”

Grace Brooks flashes a brilliant smile, while Lily Carter remains as calm as ever, her face betraying no emotion.

“Click!”

“Let’s take a few more!

“Three, two…”

Grace Brooks puts his arm around Lily Carter’s shoulders.

“One!

“Click!

“Very good, very good!

“Now everyone sit down for another shot!”

The students all sit down.

Lily Carter glances at Grace Brooks but says nothing, still sitting beside him.

Ten minutes later, the photos are done. Everyone disperses and heads back to the classroom for more lessons.

Lily Carter says to Grace Brooks, “I’m heading back.”

“Huh? Stay for a couple more classes!”

“You’re going to pull my hair.”

“There’s still the time capsule activity.”

“……”

So Lily Carter silently follows him back to the classroom and sits in her original seat. As expected, he grabs her hair again.

“Everyone, think carefully. You can write down your ideals or aspirations, encourage yourself, or write a message to your future self. Our school will keep these time capsules safe for you by class. At least, at least twenty years from now, if you return to your alma mater, you can retrieve your capsule.”

Lily Carter’s face shows no expression. To her, these are all boring activities.

But Grace Brooks doesn’t think so. He pokes her from behind:

“Write it seriously.”

Lily Carter ignores him.

It’s not until Grace Brooks pokes her again that she impatiently grunts in response.

The classroom quiets down, the sound of pens on paper filling the air.

Sitting in this classroom are basically the most talented students in all of Yuanzhou. Each of their futures holds endless possibilities—at twenty now, where will they be and what will they be doing at forty? Will they still remember themselves sitting in this classroom at this moment?

Chapter Four: Mr. Cat

At home.

Professor Brooks sits in the living room watching the news, the volume turned down low.

Grace Brooks walks over and sits down beside him.

Professor Brooks glances at him, making no comment about his son watching the news with exams approaching. He simply picks up the remote and turns the volume up a bit.

“Recently, the rainy season has arrived, and many areas in our province have experienced heavy rainfall…

“Our country’s birth rate continues to decline. How to solve the problems of unwillingness to marry and have children is currently a top priority…”