Two months had passed.
Two months since the day inside the hospital room—the day tears, apologies, and buried guilt had finally been dragged into the light. Cici had accepted his apology without hesitation, the way only someone with a painfully kind heart could. She had smiled, patted his back, and told him it was alright.
But Lian Yu knew better.
Forgiveness from others did not mean forgiveness from oneself. Every morning when he looked into the mirror, he still felt the same wave of disgust wash over him.
Sometimes he would stare at his reflection for several long seconds, jaw tight, eyes cold.
Then the insults would begin.
"You bastard."
"You useless fool."
"You brainless goat."
"You retarded idiot."
The words varied depending on his mood—some childish, some harsh enough that anyone overhearing them would assume he had gone mad. But the meaning was always the same.
He deserved it.
If curses were the only punishment the world gave him for what he had done in his previous life, then he would accept them gladly.
There were moments when the guilt appeared in the strangest situations.
One day during class, a couple had begun arguing near the lecture hall door. It was the kind of loud, dramatic lovers' quarrel that seemed to flourish endlessly on university campuses—where emotions ran high and pride ran even higher.
The girl had been furious, her face flushed as she hurled insult after insult at the poor boy.
"You're such an idiot!" she snapped. "A brainless pig! A useless jerk!"
Most people in the class had laughed or watched with mild curiosity.
But Lian Yu simply sat there quietly.
Nodding. Accepting every word.
As if those insults were meant for him.
Because in his mind, they were.
Yes, he thought bitterly. That sounds about right.
That was the kind of man he had been.
That was the kind of man who had killed the woman he loved. The days continued passing quietly after that.
Then one morning, something new happened.
Two new students transferred into the department.
The lecture hall that day buzzed with the usual low murmur of students chatting before class. Some were discussing assignments, others gossiping, and a few half-asleep figures were already leaning over their desks in silent surrender to boredom.
When the lecturer entered, the room gradually settled.
He was known throughout the faculty by a nickname students had secretly coined: Mr. Bald.
The name was cruel but accurate.
His scalp shone slightly under the fluorescent lights, and his perpetually stern expression made most students think twice before speaking out of turn.
He placed his notes on the podium and glanced briefly at the two unfamiliar figures standing beside the door.
"This isn't high school," he said bluntly.
His voice carried the dry impatience of a man who believed time was far too precious for unnecessary formalities.
"But since you two are new, introduce yourselves."
There was no warmth in his tone. No encouraging smile. His expression clearly suggested that he considered this entire exercise a waste of valuable lecture time.
Still, rules were rules.
The first person to step forward was a boy.
He was tall and lean, though his shoulders curved slightly inward as if he had grown too quickly for his body. His hair was neat but slightly messy at the edges, and perched on his nose were glasses so large they almost swallowed half his face.
The oversized frames made him look like a stereotypical nerd. But that illusion only lasted until he lifted his head.
His features were unexpectedly handsome—sharp jawline, calm eyes, and an easy confidence that softened the awkward posture of his body.
He gave the room a relaxed smile.
And just like that, several girls in the lecture hall straightened in their seats.
"Hello," he said simply. "I'm Luo Peng. Nice to meet you."
The reaction was immediate.
A quiet wave of whispers spread through the room like wind through tall grass.
"Wow…"
"He's cute."
"He's totally my type."
A few girls were already leaning toward their friends, whispering excitedly while trying to pretend they weren't staring.
Meanwhile, Lian Yu frowned.
His lips scrunched slightly in mild annoyance.
He knew this face too well.
Even in his previous life—no, especially in his previous life—Luo Peng had always been absurdly popular. It didn't matter where he went. People liked him instantly.
Lian Yu had never denied that his best friend was handsome.
But every time he saw girls reacting like this, he couldn't help the small sting of jealousy that rose in his chest.
Back then, it had been worse.
He had hated Luo Peng visiting his house.
Not because Luo Peng had done anything wrong—but because Lian Yu had always been secretly afraid.
Afraid that someone as good-looking and easygoing as Luo Peng might steal Ciao Ren's attention.
Afraid that Ciao Ren might eventually realize Luo Peng was the better choice.
The thought made Lian Yu shake his head slightly now. What an idiot I was. Because this man… This very same man….
Had been the one to show up at his door years later like a ghost from the past.
The one who rang the bell repeatedly until he eventually opened it himself. The one who hugged him when he had completely fallen apart.
The one who brought him the news that Sujiang had died. Beaten to death in a dark alley. And the one who had dragged him to that final party.
Luo Peng had always stood beside him.
Through every ugly moment. This time, Lian Yu thought firmly, I won't let that change.
This time, he would cherish this brother-like friend properly.
He would never disappoint him again.
Without realizing it, a faint smile appeared on his face. He lifted his hand slightly.
And waved.
At the front of the classroom, Luo Peng noticed. For a split second, his eyes lingered on Lian Yu with faint curiosity.
Beside him stood the second transfer student.
A girl.
She stepped forward with a gentle, graceful movement.
Her smile was soft—almost delicate—and her large eyes seemed deep enough to draw people in without effort. Her appearance carried an innocent charm, the kind that made others instinctively want to protect her.
She looked fragile.
Like a glass ornament that needed careful handling.
"Hello," she said sweetly, bowing politely.
"My name is Song Sujiang. Please take care of me."
Her voice was soft enough to make several people in the room visibly melt.
For a brief moment, the entire lecture hall seemed ready to admire her beauty.
But before anyone could react—
Mr. Bald scoffed loudly.
"Take care of you?" he repeated with visible irritation.
He folded his arms and looked at her as if she had just said something profoundly stupid.
"Are you a child?" he asked flatly. "How old are you?"
The room froze.
"Why would you use such a ridiculous line?" he continued mercilessly. "You're in university now. If that's the best introduction you can come up with, then you can certainly do better."
His words sliced through the air like a knife.
Students stared in stunned silence.
Anyone who didn't know this lecturer might have assumed he was jealous of the girl's beauty.
But those who knew him simply sighed inwardly. That was just Mr. Bald.
Blunt and ruthless.
And completely uninterested in sparing anyone's feelings.
___
Mr. Bald was not cruel. Not exactly. He was simply… unfeeling.
Or at least, that was how most students chose to describe him. It was easier than trying to understand the complicated reason behind his sharp tongue and his obvious dislike for overly sweet personalities.
The truth was that girls like Song Sujiang—soft voices, fragile smiles, polite bows—had nearly cost him his career once.
So whenever he saw someone acting overly cute, his expression hardened instantly, his patience vanished, and his words became blunt enough to slice through steel.
The students had long since grown used to it. That was why, when he openly criticized Sujiang's introduction just now, many of them only smiled quietly instead of reacting in shock.
It was simply Mr. Bald being Mr. Bald.
And his nickname… well, that had quite the legendary story behind it.
At their university, lecturers had an odd habit.
Whenever they had free time—or perhaps too much pride—they would gather near the central lobby and play a ridiculous game the students privately called "Our Department Is Better Than Yours."
It was childish.
Embarrassingly childish.
But somehow, it had become a tradition.
A literature professor might boast that their department produced the most cultured graduates. A computer science lecturer would argue their students were the smartest. Meanwhile, the engineering department would loudly claim they were the backbone of modern society.
Students loved it.
Watching grown adults argue like competitive schoolchildren was far more entertaining than any campus drama.
Even the school board knew about it.
And while they could easily have shut it down, they never bothered.
After all, the rivalry had one unexpected benefit: it forced many otherwise lazy lecturers to actually take their jobs seriously, just so they wouldn't lose face the next time someone challenged them publicly.
So the tradition continued.
And on one unfortunate day… the challenger happened to be a new science lecturer named Sini.
She was young. Energetic.
And completely unaware of the storm she was about to unleash.
Standing confidently in the lobby, she had looked straight at Mr. Bald and declared with a playful grin:
"All you know is business this and that. Our science department is obviously better."
The students nearby had immediately leaned closer, eager for entertainment.
What they did not realize was that Sini had just made a catastrophic mistake. Mr. Bald had stared at her silently for several seconds.
Then he spoke.
"Oh? Science is better?"
His voice had been dangerously calm.
"I can do whatever you scientists do."
Everyone assumed it was just another playful jab.
Until he walked straight into the chemistry laboratory. Students and teachers alike rushed after him, confused and slightly amused.
Inside the lab, Mr. Bald began examining various chemical bottles with the intense focus of a man determined to prove a point.
"Sir… maybe you shouldn't—"
"Professor, that's not—"
"Wait—please don't mix those—"
But he ignored every warning.
With the confidence of someone who clearly had no idea what he was doing, he began mixing chemicals together like a chef preparing soup.
For a few tense seconds… Nothing happened.
Then—
BOOM.
The explosion echoed through the entire building. Smoke poured from the lab.
Students screamed.
A few teachers nearly fainted. And when the dust finally settled…
Mr. Bald stumbled out of the laboratory looking like a man who had just survived a battlefield.
His eyebrows were gone. His hair was gone.
His once-neatly combed head was now completely, undeniably bald.
From that day forward, the nickname was born.
Mr. Bald.
Even he eventually accepted it.
Though for the next two years he wore wigs while waiting for his hair to grow back.
But if the explosion had been embarrassing for him… The consequences for the students were far worse.
Because Mr. Bald had apparently decided that if he could embarrass himself like that, then his students should at least suffer alongside him.
Classes became a nightmare. Quizzes appeared without warning. Impromptu tests were given at the slightest excuse.
Attendance checks happened randomly—especially when he was in a bad mood. And the lectures themselves?
They became brutal.
Assignments piled up endlessly, deadlines tightened, and the difficulty of exams skyrocketed.
Students described it as entering a battlefield every time they stepped into the classroom.Those who had once treated the business department casually quickly learned the true meaning of seriousness.
Eventually, the entire department reached their breaking point. One afternoon, dozens of exhausted students marched directly to Sini's classroom.
They begged. Pleaded. Some nearly collapsed from stress.
"Professor Sini, please… please talk to him!"
"We can't survive like this!"
"You started this—please end it!"
Realizing the chaos she had accidentally unleashed, Sini eventually apologized to Mr. Bald on behalf of everyone.
Only then did the torture finally ease. Not disappear completely.
But ease.
And from that day forward, no lecturer—no matter how bored or competitive—ever dared challenge him again.
Despite everything, though…
Mr. Bald was actually a very good teacher.
The university respected him.
The students—even the ones who feared him—knew that everything he did came from a desire to make them stronger.
Sini simply hadn't understood the rules of the game when she first arrived.
She had challenged reality… And the heavens had answered with an explosion.
One that left a laboratory destroyed, a lecturer bald, and an entire department of students nearly collapsing from academic exhaustion.
___
Back in the present, the classroom had grown quiet again.
After Mr. Bald's blunt remark, Song Sujiang's face visibly crumpled for a brief moment.
It wasn't dramatic—no tears, no loud embarrassment—but the fragile sweetness she had carefully displayed cracked just enough for people to notice. Her lips trembled slightly as she lowered her gaze, as though trying to hide the humiliation.
Several students exchanged sympathetic looks.
A few girls even glared faintly at the lecturer, silently accusing him of being unnecessarily harsh.
But Lian Yu...
Lian Yu felt something very different.
The thoughts that had been swirling in his mind moments earlier vanished completely.
Seeing her expression like that gave him a strange sense of relief.
Relief so strong that it almost felt… justified.
For a brief second, the tight knot that had been living inside his chest for two lifetimes loosened slightly.
So he smiled. Not a bitter smile. Not a forced one.
A genuine, relaxed smile—like a man watching a perfectly ordinary scene on a perfectly ordinary day.
Mr. Bald's voice cut through the silence again.
"Find seats and don't disturb my lecture."
His sharp gaze swept across the room.
"I hate noise."
Every student in the business department understood that statement very well.
Mr. Bald hated noise the way a soldier hated an ambush.
Quietly, the class began shifting as people adjusted their seats.
Lian Yu had already settled comfortably at his usual desk near the middle of the room, flipping open his notebook with practiced ease. For the moment, he was content to mind his own business.
Then suddenly—
Thud.
A bag dropped onto the desk beside him.
The sound wasn't loud, but it was close enough to make him look up instinctively.
And the moment he saw the person standing there, his entire body stiffened.
In front of him stood Song Sujiang. That green snake.
She smiled sweetly at him, the same delicate smile that once fooled so many people.
"Excuse me," she said gently. "There aren't any seats left. Do you mind if I sit here?"
Her voice was syrupy—soft, polite, and pleasant. Exactly the way he remembered.
But something was wrong. Very wrong.
This wasn't how things were supposed to happen. His mind moved quickly, recalling the fragments of his previous life.
In that timeline, Luo Peng had sat beside him. Not her.
So why—
His gaze swept quickly across the room.
At the far end of the classroom, Luo Peng had just reached an empty desk and was about to sit down.
Lian Yu frowned.
Without even acknowledging Sujiang's presence, he twisted slightly in his seat and looked behind him.
A girl sat at the desk directly behind.
She had faint freckles scattered across her cheeks, and a small red dot of acne stood out near the bridge of her nose. Her posture was slightly hunched, as if she had grown used to shrinking into the background.
It was obvious she wasn't particularly popular.
She rarely spoke. Rarely looked up. And rarely had anyone sit near her.
When Lian Yu suddenly addressed her, she blinked in surprise.
"Is anyone sitting here?" he asked.
The girl looked startled. For a moment she thought she had misheard him.Then she quickly shook her head.
No one ever asked to sit near her.
People generally avoided her quietly, the same way one might avoid an awkward silence.
But before she could ask why, Lian Yu had already turned his head again.
"Luo Peng," he called.
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly across the classroom.
"Come here. I have a seat for you."
Several students turned their heads.
Even Mr. Bald glanced briefly in their direction.
But surprisingly, the lecturer said nothing.
Perhaps he believed his top student had a good reason. Or perhaps he simply didn't care enough to interrupt.
Luo Peng walked over calmly.
That same easy expression rested on his face—the kind of smile that seemed capable of charming anyone who looked at him.
Anyone except Lian Yu, apparently.
When he reached the desk, Lian Yu pointed casually toward the empty seat beside the freckled girl.
"Would you mind sitting here?"
Luo Peng glanced at him. Then at the girl.
The girl froze under his gaze, clearly unsure how to react.
After a moment, Luo Peng nodded.
"Sure. Thank you."
He placed his bag down and sat beside her without hesitation.The girl looked both shocked and slightly flustered, her fingers nervously gripping the edge of her notebook.
Meanwhile, Lian Yu finally turned his attention back to Song Sujiang.
His expression softened into a polite smile.
Then he shifted slightly in his seat, moving just enough to make space beside him.
"You may sit," he said gently.
From the outside, he looked every bit like a courteous gentleman.
Song Sujiang flashed her signature alluring smile.
"Thank you," she said sweetly. She sat down beside him.
Inside, however, Lian Yu felt nothing but cold calculation.
In truth, he wanted nothing to do with her.
But shouting at her in the middle of the classroom would only create unnecessary attention—and he wasn't interested in explaining a hatred born from a life no one else remembered.
After all…
He wasn't innocent either. Back then, he had allowed everything to happen.
So starting a public fight now would only make him look ridiculous.
Still, one thought continued to bother him.
Something about this situation felt wrong.
Was Song Sujiang already in this university during my previous life?
He tried to recall carefully. Maybe she had been.
Maybe she had stood at the podium just like today and introduced herself to the class.
But at that time, Lian Yu had been a completely different person.
A quiet, obsessive student who cared about nothing except grades. Back then, the only person he really spoke to was Luo Peng.
And in his second year, Ciao Ren had entered his life.
Between studies and love, he had paid attention to almost nothing else.
So perhaps Sujiang had always been here…
And he simply never noticed. But one thing was certain.
A green snake remained a green snake.
No matter how innocent it tried to appear.
And Song Sujiang—
Whether she realized it or not—Had just stepped into a game she believed she knew how to play.