Chapter Nine: A Frozen Heart

“Go inside now, what are you staring at?” Han Bingran turned to ask.

“Oh… nothing.” Han Bingyan replied in a hurry. Seeing his sister cheerfully enter the classroom without suspicion, he let out a sigh of relief, though confusion lingered in his heart. “Why is Second Uncle here at school?” The familiar figure he had spotted just moments ago was indeed his Second Uncle, Han Bingwu’s father.

The two were cut from the same cloth. To Han Bingyan, his Second Uncle regarded him with the same disdain. The saying goes, ‘like father, like son,’ and it rang true; Han Bingwu’s arrogance and disregard for others likely stemmed from his father. What Han Bingyan couldn’t fathom was why he had come to the school, and moreover, he was speaking with the principal of Chaoyang Primary.

“No matter, the sky isn’t going to fall. Maybe Second Uncle just happened to be passing by on some business.” Shaking his head, Han Bingyan dispelled the unnecessary worries, refusing to dwell on the matter.

He took his seat, and his sister nestled up beside him. They were both still young then, unburdened by notions of propriety between boys and girls. Han Bingran leaned close to her brother’s ear and whispered, “If you come first in the exam, I’ll give you my Mingyuan Sword.”

“Really?” Han Bingyan’s eyes lit up. The Mingyuan Sword was the iron blade Han Bingran always used. To own such a sword was a dream he had long cherished. But then he frowned, “And what about you? If you give me your sword, what will you use?”

“I’ll just get a new one!” Han Bingran threw him a coquettish glance, as if to say, ‘How silly you are.’ Han Bingyan laughed, realizing he’d overlooked the obvious. His sister was exceptionally gifted in martial arts and adored by everyone. Asking for a new sword would be no trouble at all.

“Then it’s settled!” Han Bingyan hurried to confirm, fearing she might change her mind.

At that moment, the homeroom teacher entered, carrying a thick stack of report cards. She stepped up to the podium, cleared her throat, and prepared to announce the results.

The teacher was a young woman barely in her twenties, named Li Lanyue. She was strikingly beautiful, and it was rumored that many of the male teachers at school pursued her. More importantly, she took special care of Han Bingyan—not merely because he was her star pupil, but out of genuine affection. Li Lanyue was particularly devoted to the first class she taught after graduation, and among them, none garnered her attention more than Han Bingyan, whose delicate features and outstanding grades set him apart.

When she first met Han Bingyan, Li Lanyue almost mistook him for a girl—gentle and shy, traits that were evident in him. Yet at times, he radiated a quiet strength and determination.

Such contradictions intrigued her, and gradually, Li Lanyue took pains to learn more about his circumstances. She discovered details about his life and, in her eyes, saw him as a pitiable child, set apart in his family due to his birth. Her sympathy for him grew, and imperceptibly, she began to treat Han Bingyan as a younger brother.

The report cards were handed out from the back to the front, arranged by academic performance. As Li Lanyue called out names, each student’s expression changed—some elated, others crestfallen—all shaped by their expectations.

Unconsciously, the list reached the top ten, and several members of the Han family emerged. Their results were quite good, squeezing into the top ten of the class, Han Bingyan thought.

“Fourth place, Han Bingruo!”

Li Lanyue smiled as she spoke. Her fondness for Han Bingruo was second only to that for the Han Bingyan siblings. Han Bingruo’s achievement pleased her greatly. Han Bingruo stepped forward and took the report card. “Keep working hard!” Li Lanyue encouraged her.

“Next, third place: Han Bing…yan!” Li Lanyue turned, picking up another report card. As she read the name, she frowned, unable to believe her eyes. “How can this be? Little Bingyan always comes first in the class; how is he third this time? Did he underperform?”

Since Li Lanyue hadn’t compiled the scores herself, she couldn’t help but frown as she saw them.

“Did I really do so poorly?” Han Bingyan could hardly believe it. Did this mean he had lost the Mingyuan Sword he’d promised with his sister?

He numbly walked to the podium, took his report card, and said nothing. Third place in the class was a respectable result, one that would inspire envy in most, but he was Han Bingyan. The score fell far short of his expectations, leaving him with no cause for joy.

He was already lagging far behind his family in martial arts, and Han Bingyan yearned to surpass them academically to fill the emptiness in his heart. Was even this modest goal out of reach?

Upon returning to his seat, Han Bingyan hunched over, unable to vent the sorrow in his heart. Tears, unnoticed, had already slipped from his eyes, soaking his ordinary clothes.

“Brother, don’t be like this.” Han Bingran, beside him, struggled to find words of comfort. “I’ll still give you the Mingyuan Sword—please don’t be sad.”

Han Bingyan looked up, wiped away his tears, and met his sister’s anxious gaze, a warmth flickering in his heart. He wasn’t truly concerned about the Mingyuan Sword; more than anything, he longed for acceptance from his family.

He forced a smile. “It’s nothing now.”

The results were all revealed. The top four: Han Bingruo, Han Bingyan, Han Bingwu, and Han Bingran. Both Han Bingran and Han Bingwu ranked ahead of Han Bingyan, a blatant falsehood.

Han Bingwu aside, Han Bingran knew her own abilities. In her mind, her brother Han Bingyan always surpassed her academically; after the exam, they’d even compared answers, and she was certain she couldn’t have outperformed him.

Feeling the disdainful gaze from Han Bingwu behind him, Han Bingyan’s heart grew colder.

The Han family was, after all, the school’s main sponsor. Sometimes, in an effort to curry favor, the school would boost the children’s scores, making them look more impressive.

Han Bingyan glanced at Li Lanyue. Made uncomfortable by his gaze, she saw confusion, disbelief, and even a hint of resentment in the boy’s eyes.

“It’s not true!” Li Lanyue cried out silently. She knew Han Bingyan might suspect her of tampering with the results, but she hadn’t; she had no idea how it happened.

In truth, Li Lanyue misunderstood. Han Bingyan did not suspect her. He knew perfectly well it wasn’t the woman he regarded as an older sister. He simply hated the school and needed someone to blame—who else but the teacher? Perhaps he wasn’t even conscious of the impulse.

Thus, the class meeting ended in haste.

On the way home, “Brother…” Han Bingran began, unsure what to say. After a moment, she tried again, “Brother…”

“It’s alright, Ran. I know what you want to say—don’t worry, I’m fine now. Third place… is still a good result.” Han Bingyan adjusted his expression and smiled.

“But… there’s something odd about these results.”

“No, nothing strange at all! I only came third—there’s no other reason.” Han Bingyan worked hard to dispel Han Bingran’s suspicions.

Han Bingruo shook her head. “You should be like me—don’t worry about striving so much, and don’t let such trivial matters bother you.”

“….”

Do you really not care? Han Bingyan wondered. Perhaps you just express it differently. Who truly doesn’t care?

“By the way, school’s out now. Have we thought of any plans for the holiday?” Han Bingyan quickly changed the subject.

“No, not really,” Han Bingran replied, her innocence allowing Han Bingyan to distract her easily.

“Then let’s make some plans!” Han Bingruo said, enthusiasm sparkling in her eyes.