CH 240

Villainous Singer (12)

In the following one or two months, just as the system had mentioned, Lin Ruoyu indeed began to reduce the frequency at which she had Song Xu Yi teach her. Even when she initiated communication with Song Xu Yi, Lin Ruoyu appeared extremely tired, but she would still smile and engage in casual conversation with Song Xu Yi, rarely having her teach.

However, Song Xu Yi’s salary continued to be disbursed as usual, each time greatly exceeding the initially agreed-upon amount.

Song Xu Yi’s feelings were immensely complex.

She continued to live frugally as before. Now, Lin Ruoyu had enough models in her room, and Song Xu Yi had saved a significant amount of money by learning from these models. There weren’t many other places where money could be spent. Every time Lin Ruoyu sent money over, Song Xu Yi saved all of it.

And a few months later, Lin Ruoyu once again reverted to her previous attitude towards Song Xu Yi, starting to have her teach various types of robot models, and even becoming more affectionate than before.

Song Xu Yi breathed a sigh of relief in her heart. The time spent with Lin Ruoyu could be considered a rare safe haven for her, a place where she could temporarily relax. In order to be as authentic as possible, Song Xu Yi worked hard to control her performance. Her academic performance started to resemble what it was before: excelling in theory but struggling in practical skills. Every exam she took placed her on the edge of elimination.

Maintaining a state of being on the brink of elimination without actually being eliminated required immense effort. Despite considering herself experienced in the ways of the world, every time an exam came around, she still felt as if she were walking on a tightrope over a cliff, incredibly tense.

In reality, Lin Ruoyu was the only friend left with whom Song Xu Yi could communicate.

With the rise of Song Yi’s status, more and more children from Ruo Shui joined in. The frequency changed from once every few years to once a year. Among these students, various incidents began to emerge.

After the first Ruo Shui person gave up on their studies, not long after, the second and third followed suit…

Many of the new students also started engaging in relationships with Proxima Centuarians, just like the older students did.

Afterward, several batches of people arrived, but very few could study in the Robotics Research Department. Song Xu Yi seemed to have become a benchmark. However, due to Song Yi’s status, the other children seemed to have an unspoken agreement and were not particularly willing to form close friendships with Song Xu Yi. Even Luo Xi, who used to have a good relationship with Song Xu Yi, chose to distance herself.

In the year when Song Xu Yi turned thirteen, just as outlined in the original plot summary, Song Yi’s proposal to establish the new Guardian Manor gained the favor of the leaders of the Proxima Centauri military, making him the biggest Guardian.

The news also spread to Proxima Centauri.

Because of Song Yi’s relationship, teachers and classmates from Proxima Centauri became much friendlier towards Song Xu Yi. Many labs that were originally off-limits to Song Xu Yi started opening up to her. After all, Song Xu Yi’s talent was not particularly high, and they were willing to do her a favor.

Moreover, becoming a Guardian historically meant complete allegiance to Proxima Centauri. They were even more demanding of their own kind than they were of Proxima Centauri individuals. Using the language of the Ruo Shui people, the Guardians were described as the most loyal and fierce dogs of the Proxima Centauri military. The Ruo Shui people would have loved to devour their flesh and bones. Even if a Guardian later wanted to break away from the Proxima Centauri military, they probably wouldn’t be accepted by the Ruo Shui people again.

After this news spread, the attitudes of the Ruo Shui classmates towards Song Xu Yi became increasingly subtle. Song Xu Yi originally thought that Lin Ruoyu’s attitude towards her might also change. She was sure that Lin Ruoyu must have heard the news, because on that evening, Lin Ruoyu, who had been seemingly busy lately and hadn’t contacted Song Xu Yi in half a month, once again sent a video call to her.

At this point, Lin Ruoyu had turned eighteen years old, already an adult both on Ruo Shui and Proxima Centauri. She was in the prime of her youth, her fame spreading throughout Proxima Centauri. Suitors pursued her like countless fish in a river. There was even a small nation from Proxima Centauri willing to offer her the position of a princess…

Yet, Lin Ruoyu seemed solely focused on singing, with no rumors or scandals surrounding her.

However, Lin Ruoyu didn’t question or distance herself from Song Xu Yi as she had expected. In fact, Lin Ruoyu appeared even happier than before. Her beautiful eyes sparkled like diamonds, and despite speaking words of comfort to Song Xu Yi, she couldn’t hide the smile at the corners of her lips. “Xu Yi, it’s okay. Even if others don’t understand you, you still have me. We are kindred spirits, the best of friends…”

Song Xu Yi furrowed her brows.

However, when she looked again, Lin Ruoyu’s expression shifted, and she lowered her gaze.

Song Xu Yi glanced at Lin Ruoyu’s demeanor but didn’t dwell on it much. After all, Lin Ruoyu’s reputation had been spreading farther and farther. Everyone had started to believe that she wouldn’t return to Ruo Shui and, given that she rarely stayed at school and hadn’t made any close friends there, Lin Ruoyu always displayed a candid childishness in front of Song Xu Yi. Now that Song Xu Yi found herself in this situation, Lin Ruoyu probably felt they had each other as enduring companions and felt joyous about it…

The subsequent interactions with Lin Ruoyu didn’t show anything unusual. She continued to watch Song Xu Yi dismantle robots as usual. Song Xu Yi completely brushed aside this minor incident.

Time passed swiftly. With the growing number of students sent to Proxima Centauri, the people from Ruo Shui split into two distinct factions.

Those who chose to return to Ruo Shui formed a united group, creating clubs and organizing events on Proxima Centauri.

The other faction, on the other hand, had an ambivalent stance. Some belonged to families that had aligned with Proxima Centauri, much like Song Xu Yi’s, while others were Ruo Shui individuals who had found romantic partners on Proxima Centauri…

Song Xu Yi didn’t get close to either faction. She remained focused on her studies, and her presence among the Ruo Shui students on Proxima Centauri began to diminish.

Meanwhile, Luo Xi and others became more outspoken. It’s unclear where they obtained videos reflecting the current situation of the Ruo Shui people. Since the internet was heavily monitored, images and videos couldn’t be shared openly. Instead, they resorted to distributing leaflets on the streets in a primitive form of communication.

These leaflets fell into the hands of Proxima Centauri individuals, completely shattering the lie perpetuated by the Proxima Centauri military that they were “rescuing uncivilized nations.” Public sentiment among Proxima Centauri’s civilians began to shift in sympathy towards the Ruo Shui people. Moreover, an inexplicable force seemed to be aiding these students behind the scenes. The leaflets found their way onto Proxima Centauri’s networks, sparking significant public discourse.

The upper echelons of Proxima Centauri quickly took notice of this sentiment. In an effort to quell unrest, they summoned the involved students, using threats and incentives to coerce them into admitting that the rumors were false and that all leaflets had been fabricated by them.

Naturally, these students refused to comply.

The military grew increasingly frustrated and even sent two students back, effectively cutting off the students’ supplies as a form of protest. Their reasoning was that “Proxima Centauri is unwilling to support Ruo Shui individuals with ill intentions towards Proxima Centauri.” They attempted to break the students’ resolve through this tactic.

Most of the students sent to Proxima Centauri came from humble backgrounds, and cutting off their supplies worsened their situation. Yet, they displayed the unyielding spirit of the Ruo Shui people. Even in the face of hunger, they refused to compromise the hard-earned success of their public sentiment.

Confronted by a superior power, the students sent to Proxima Centauri no longer discussed their positions. People from the other faction, while not directly involved in these matters, were unwilling to watch their fellow kin go hungry. Those who had the means began donating money, the capable offered their assistance, and several Ruo Shui individuals who had become partners with Proxima Centauri individuals used their influence to expose the reality of Proxima Centauri’s practice of withholding student supplies…

It seemed as if another inexplicable force was aiding them, and this wave of public sentiment once again sparked a significant storm.

Under the pressure of public opinion, the Proxima Centauri military appeared to compromise. However, they began isolating these students in their courses, even going so far as to exclude them from certain classes under the pretext of involving core technologies.

This approach was extremely cunning but highly effective.

These students had originally come with a fervent desire to learn and acquire knowledge to contribute to Ruo Shui. Coming from Ruo Shui, most of them didn’t have a deep knowledge foundation and could only improve themselves through hard work, much like Song Xu Yi. They heavily relied on the guidance of their teachers. However, once the guidance from Proxima Centauri individuals was cut off, it meant that these students would struggle to make academic progress.

The Proxima Centauri military seemed determined to assert their absolute authority through this method. Nearly half a year passed, and under the military’s direction, the Colin Academy began further excluding these students. A few of them couldn’t even enter the doors of Proxima Centauri classrooms.

After thinking for a long time, Song Xu Yi decided to tell Song Yi about this matter during their communication.

Song Yi made a decision that even Song Xu Yi found difficult to comprehend: he sent a letter to Proxima Centauri in the name of Ruo Shui, stating that these students were disrespectful to their elders, lacked a sense of gratitude, and contradicted Proxima Centauri’s long-standing education principles. He declared that they would be recalled and replaced with a new batch of students from Ruo Shui.

Even if Song Yi intended to confuse the Proxima Centauri military, there was no need to go to such extremes…

Song Yi became the most despised Guardian by the Ruo Shui people, and this sentiment extended to Song Xu Yi as well, subjecting her to disdain from the students.

Song Xu Yi opposed Song Yi’s plan in her heart. After all, these students hadn’t completed their education yet. However, under the conditions of monitored communication, Song Xu Yi, who was far away on Proxima Centauri, couldn’t effectively voice her objections.

The plan for the students to return was soon finalized.

At the beginning, those students refused to go back. However, unlike the original host, these students still had living parents on Ruo Shui. It’s estimated that Song Yi did something to these students’ families. In any case, in the end, these students compromised and agreed to return.

Song Xu Yi didn’t expect the situation to turn out like this and felt immense guilt. She had originally thought that Song Yi would find a way to help these students, but she never anticipated that Song Yi would directly order them to go back.

Soon, the day for these students to return arrived.

Song Xu Yi went to see them off.

Surprisingly, at the spacecraft’s port, Song Xu Yi once again saw Lin Ruoyu waiting there.

Lin Ruoyu had been busy for the past two months, but it wasn’t clear with what. She appeared much thinner, and when she saw Song Xu Yi, she repeated her usual gesture from the past few years—pinching Song Xu Yi’s cheeks. However, this time Lin Ruoyu applied a bit more force, distorting Song Xu Yi’s features. Song Xu Yi couldn’t help but stare at her, signaling for her to stop, which diluted the guilt overflowing in her heart.

Luo Xi was the last one to leave.

When she departed, just as when Song Xu Yi had arrived, Luo Xi carried a large suitcase, hoping to take with her anything that could potentially help the Ruo Shui people. But unlike their friendly encounter at first, Luo Xi’s gaze toward Song Xu Yi was incredibly complex. “I regret ever knowing you—”

Luo Xi seemed like she wanted to say something more, her gaze grazing past Lin Ruoyu at the side. Her words stumbled and in the end, she didn’t say anything more. She looked deeply at Song Xu Yi, then turned and walked towards the direction of the spacecraft.

“Don’t feel guilty because of this group of passionate fools!”

As Song Xu Yi watched Luo Xi’s departing figure, her guilt welled up once again. However, Lin Ruoyu’s voice sounded from the side: “Returning is a good thing for them. Staying here any longer would only be a waste of time. But by going back to Ruo Shui, they can accomplish more…”

Song Xu Yi was taken aback, then heard Lin Ruoyu continue, “Because the senior officers of the Proxima Centauri military find Ruo Shui’s people uncivilized, they’ve allowed Ruo Shui to reopen its schools. At this point, Ruo Shui urgently needs knowledgeable teachers…”

How could Lin Ruoyu know about Ruo Shui’s situation?

Surprised, Song Xu Yi subconsciously looked at Lin Ruoyu, yet before she could voice her doubts, Lin Ruoyu smiled and winked at her, raising her hand to point ahead—

“Look!”

The new spacecraft once again descended, hovering and landing on the ground in the glow of dawn, bringing another group of children from Ruo Shui.

These children had clear and innocent gazes as they walked toward the sunrise.

—They represented a fresh, ever-renewing hope.