66: Sleeping Beauty and Thumbelina

Lin Luo said this frankly, but when Teacher Kirisu heard it, she felt an inexplicable sense of displeasure—this guy, she hadn't seen him pay this much attention to grade rankings before, so how was he so clear about these two beautiful girls? Could it be that his eyes only wandered toward pretty girls?

She suppressed that inexplicable feeling in her heart and turned to look at the two students in front of her who were giving her a headache. Her tone was full of frustration, as if she were disappointed that they hadn't lived up to her expectations: "These two children have reached a dead end, and they won't listen to anything I say. I've earnestly paved a smooth road for them, but they disdain it and insist on hitting a brick wall before they'll be satisfied."

Furuhashi Fumino felt that the teacher's words were too harsh and couldn't help but stubbornly retort: "Teacher, this is our dream! You cannot just deny the vision in our hearts like this. I... I just want to work in a field related to astronomy!"

Ogata Rizu also nodded vigorously, her serious blue eyes shining with a firm light: "Yes, I want to major in psychology. This will be a great help for me to understand the complex emotional logic between people."

Teacher Kirisu couldn't help but raise her hand to rub her throbbing temples, her tone full of helplessness: "Listen, you all listen to this." She turned to Lin Luo, as if seeking agreement, "A liberal arts Genius wants to study astronomy, and a science elite wants to study psychology—if you get them to take out their recent report cards and look, you'll understand."

Lin Luo suddenly raised his hand, interrupting the conversation that was about to turn into a critique of their grades: "Please wait a moment, Teacher Kirisu. I don't think we should be in such a rush to deny their dreams."

His gaze swept over the two girls in front of him, his voice clear and firm: "Since these two Geniuses have such lofty ambitions, what we should do is support them, not hinder them. Martin Luther King once said—'I have a dream.' May I ask, who hasn't harbored a dream? Even if that dream seems unattainable to others, we have no right to deprive them of the right to pursue it."

These words were resounding and echoed in the office. Furuhashi Fumino and Ogata Rizu widened their eyes in unison—this was the first time a peer had spoken up for them so firmly.

Especially the sentimental Furuhashi Fumino, whose eyes were already slightly red. She stared intently at Lin Luo, as if she had found a kindred spirit. At a time when everyone was denying their choices, this boy's understanding and support made her feel as if she had seen a ray of light in the darkness.

"You bastard! Did I ask you to come here to support their nonsense?" Teacher Kirisu was so angry that she slammed her hand on the desk, the loud noise instantly pulling everyone back to reality from the moving atmosphere.

Lin Luo cleared his throat, startled by the sudden commotion: "Ahem... don't get angry, Teacher Kirisu. Then tell me, what did you intend for me to do by calling me here specifically?"

Teacher Kirisu pulled him into a corner and lowered her voice: "Don't you know that Spell? The psychological suggestion you used on me before. Use it on them too, and make them change their current ideas." She looked back at the two students who were causing her so much worry, her tone resolute: "I absolutely cannot watch such Geniuses degenerate."

Lin Luo looked at her with surprise, as if seeing her for the first time, then leaned in and lowered his voice: "Teacher Mafuyu, aren't you forcing me to commit a crime? Misusing psychological suggestion is an absolute taboo!"

Teacher Kirisu immediately retaliated, pinching his waist calmly and whispering through gritted teeth: "Then when you used it on me back then, why didn't you say it was a crime?"

"How can that be the same..." Lin Luo gasped in pain, but still leaned close to her ear and chuckled, "Between us... aren't we closer?"

"You, what nonsense are you spouting!" Teacher Kirisu's ears burned from his bold statement, and she hurriedly pushed him away a little, "Are you trying to kill me, saying such things in a place like this!" She rolled her eyes at him, but her cheeks unconsciously flushed with a faint red.

Teacher Kirisu coughed twice, and after the unnatural flush on her face faded slightly, she turned back to Furuhashi and Ogata. She deliberately maintained a professional tone, but the content of her words was intended for Lin Luo beside her:

"Since conventional educational methods are ineffective on them, from today on, these two students will be under your guidance."

She paused for a moment, her gaze sweeping calmly over Lin Luo's slightly stunned expression, and added:

"My education has failed. Since this path doesn't work, we'll try a different guide—this is also the Hospital Director's wish."

Lin Luo was dumbfounded: "Isn't this arrangement too reckless? In terms of grades, I can't compare to either of them."

Teacher Kirisu, however, disagreed. She didn't believe that someone who mastered supernatural powers would truly be inferior to ordinary people in academics—even if the other party was a Genius in the eyes of ordinary people. "You two listen clearly," she turned to Furuhashi and Ogata, her tone unquestionable, "From today on, Lin Luo will be responsible for helping you make up for your weak subjects. If there is no significant improvement in the upcoming joint exams, then put away those unrealistic fantasies early."

"Yes..." Furuhashi and Ogata nodded timidly, their voices so soft they were almost inaudible.

"Return to the classroom first."

"Yes!" This time, the answer was exceptionally quick. The two disappeared at the office door in the blink of an eye, as if they would suffocate if they stayed for another second—it seemed they were genuinely in awe of Teacher Kirisu.

Lin Luo watched them leave in a panic, and couldn't help but turn to look at Teacher Kirisu: "Teacher Mafuyu, why force them like this?"

The female teacher's face sank instantly, her voice filled with irrefutable firmness: "I am just fulfilling the duties of an educator. Guiding talented students onto the right path is a teacher's responsibility. To possess talents that surpass ordinary people, yet choose a path that is fundamentally impassable, is simply a waste of life."

Seeing this, Lin Luo waved his hands with a smile: "Alright, alright, don't get excited yet. So, according to you, do I just need to go through the motions to complete the Hospital Director's task, and let them eventually give up when they realize how hard it is? If that's the case, it wouldn't be hard to handle."

A dangerous glint flashed in Teacher Kirisu's eyes, and she reached out to pinch Lin Luo's cheek and tugged it gently: "If you dare to slack off and let their grades show no improvement... you know the consequences yourself."

Lin Luo was amused by her childish action, and imitating her, he gently pinched her cheek: "This is the serious and responsible Teacher Kirisu I know. Rest assured, I will definitely help them properly. By the time the joint exams come, they will definitely make you look at them with new eyes."

"Mmm... you idiot, you are so disrespectful to your teacher." Teacher Kirisu hurriedly slapped away Lin Luo's hand and subconsciously looked around. Fortunately, the other teachers had already gone to their classrooms to prepare for lessons, leaving only the two of them in the large office.

Lin Luo couldn't help but laugh at her nervous appearance: "Teacher Mafuyu, you are too cautious."

"L-less nonsense!" Teacher Mafuyu's ear tips were slightly red, and she glared at him in shame and annoyance, "Get back to the classroom quickly, you rebellious bad student!"

Returning to the classroom obediently, Lin Luo keenly noticed gazes falling on him from time to time. He sighed helplessly; this was probably what they called shooting oneself in the foot, and now he could only silently endure the trouble brought by this "fame."

"It seems that from now on, we should keep some distance at school." A soft voice drifted from beside him. Kato Megumi was still looking at the book in her hands without blinking, her tone as calm as if she were talking about the weather.

Lin Luo turned to the side and leaned on the desk, his gaze falling on her serene profile, and replied disapprovingly: "I actually think we should be closer."

"..."

"By the way, that student Aki we met before contacted me again." Kato Megumi changed the subject naturally, "He hopes I will visit the club he formed, saying he wants to show me how serious he really is."

Lin Luo raised an eyebrow: "Student Aki? Oh, is that Aki Tomoya?"

Kato Megumi nodded gently. Lin Luo asked again: "Do you plan to go?"

"I plan to go take a look before replying to him. After all, being accosted so abruptly by a stranger has indeed caused me quite a bit of trouble."

The corners of Lin Luo's lips curled into a smile: "Then, I'll go with you."

When the school dismissal bell rang, Lin Luo and Kato Megumi tacitly stood up and left the classroom together. If they were any later, they would likely be surrounded by curious classmates—he had always kept a low profile in this new class and didn't want to break this tranquility because of the morning's commotion.

"Lin Luo, please wait!"

A crisp shout came from behind. Lin Luo turned around at the sound, and what came into view was a visually striking scene: Ogata Rizu's petite body was bursting with amazing energy, each step running heavily, that sense of weight inconsistent with her figure making one feel alarmed; while Furuhashi Fumino took elegant and light steps, her slender figure flowing smoothly through the corridor, and in the blink of an eye, she arrived gracefully.

This sharp contrast made Lin Luo sigh inwardly—the heavens' "gifts" in certain aspects indeed never care about the word fairness.

"Hey hey, don't run in the corridor." He reminded them subconsciously, his gaze moving back and forth between their vastly different running styles, his tone carrying a bit of helplessness.

At this moment, he noticed an inquiring gaze cast from his side. Kato Megumi was looking at him quietly, her eyes carrying a bit of confusion. Lin Luo turned his head nonchalantly and lowered his voice to explain: "Two 'troubles' I picked up from Teacher Kirisu."

"Lin Luo, you were walking too fast." Furuhashi Fumino brought Ogata Rizu to the two of them, panting slightly, "The matter of Teacher Kirisu asking you to guide our studies, you haven't forgotten it already, have you?"

Before Lin Luo could respond, she continued to chatter and complain: "It's only been two hours, and you already want to ditch us. You heartless man..." The girl's voice was as crisp as a lark, but the content of what she said made Lin Luo's eyelid twitch uncontrollably.

"Fumino..." Ogata Rizu gently tugged at Furuhashi Fumino's sleeve, trying to stop her from continuing.

However, it was too late. Furuhashi Fumino's voice had already attracted the attention of surrounding students, and the crowd gradually gathered, whispers rising one after another:

"Isn't that the boy who confessed to Sakurajima Mai? So he's from our school!"

"Even though he already has Senior Mai, he's actually still entangled with our school's 'Sleeping Beauty' and 'Thumbelina'..."

"This playboy! We must tell Senior Mai and let her see this person's true colors..."