133 Gossip About Mu Fei

Chitter-chatter, gabble-gabble... Flora chatted away with great spirit as she cleaned the treehouse, proving she could multitask between chores and gossip with effortless ease.

Theresa, meanwhile, unpacked various household items from her space ring, listening to Flora’s rumors with keen interest. She would occasionally offer a noncommittal "Ah," "Oh," "Is that so?" or "Really?"—small verbal nudges to encourage Flora to keep going. It must be said, gossip was truly the best companion for manual labor; with it, chores didn't feel tedious, tasks didn't feel fragmented, and fatigue vanished. One could almost say it made the work more invigorating.

Flora was clearly an active socialite within the academy, as her stream of gossip had been flowing for an hour without a single repetition. Theresa listened intently, but when a familiar name suddenly reached her ears, her heartstrings tightened instantly.

"...Although Professor Mu Fei is just an intern who joined the academy this year, he has already vaulted into the top ten of this year’s 'Most Popular Teacher' rankings. He is the pride of us half-elves from the Green Clan," Flora said, puffing out her well-developed chest with a look of pride.

"What is his charm? Why is he so popular with the students?" Theresa asked, feigning indifference.

"His talent in alchemy is the primary reason, of course. You probably don't know this, but he’s already a Level 6 Alchemist before the age of thirty! Even on a national scale, that makes him a rare genius. But more importantly, Professor Mu Fei combines the strengths of both the Natural Realm and the Human Empire. He is much more flexible in his teaching methods than the traditionalists. Many students have noted that they find his lectures much easier to follow and grasp than those of other professors. Even those of us without any foundation in alchemy can understand fifty or sixty percent of what he says."

Theresa blinked, unable to respond immediately. She was inwardly marveling that someone as sharp-tongued as Mu Fei could ever be so popular.

However, Flora interpreted Theresa's silence differently and explained even more fervently, "Don't just take my word for it! Professor Mu Fei’s basic open lectures are now the most popular courses in the entire academy. Every time he teaches, the area around the podium is packed wall-to-wall."

A thought stirred in Theresa’s mind, and she asked tentatively, "If his classes are that popular, he must be very funny and humorous, right?"

"Funny and humorous? Not exactly," Flora mused, tilting her head. "Professor Mu Fei is always quite serious during class. But he is incredibly patient and meticulous. I once saw him spend over two full hours with a single student who couldn't grasp the 'principles of hydration,' explaining and demonstrating everything until the student understood."

The more Theresa heard, the more astonished she became—this was a hundred thousand miles away from the Mu Fei she knew.

Just then, Flora began rambling about the schedule for Mu Fei’s public lectures. Hearing that one was starting in half an hour, Theresa couldn't help but suggest going to listen and broaden her horizons.

Flora, naturally, enthusiastically took on the role of guide.

***

Only upon arriving did Theresa realize that what Flora called a "public lecture podium" was actually a purely open-air plaza. When they arrived, the plaza was already filled with people, with many standing just like Theresa and Flora.

"See? What did I tell you? Professor Mu Fei is incredibly popular. You believe me now, right?" Flora lifted her chin, looking triumphant.

Theresa couldn't help but chuckle—she had never said she didn't believe her. She didn't argue, though, and simply looked around with a smile.

The plaza was neither large nor small; it could comfortably seat five or six hundred, but at that moment, it held at least seven hundred. After a quick glance, Theresa noticed something interesting.

"Tell me, is my eyesight failing, or are there really that many girls here? And they don't look like first-year students, do they?"

"Hee hee, you’re so sharp," Flora whispered, grinning mischievously. "Professor Mu Fei’s classes always have a high ratio of girls, and I’d say five or six out of every ten have 'ulterior motives'~"

*Ulterior... motives...* Theresa felt a bit awkward hearing that. *Ulterior motives for that bad-tempered, sharp-tongued man? They’d better be careful not to get a heart attack from his prickly personality first...*

Flora, unaware of Theresa’s internal turmoil, continued to gossip with great enthusiasm: "Professor Mu Fei is handsome, has a good temperament, and is highly talented, so he’s naturally popular. However, he usually focuses on his alchemical studies and rarely appears in the academy outside of class, so everyone has to seize the chance during these public lectures to 'behold his grace.' I’ve heard that after every class, he receives all sorts of love tokens. One time, they even filled half of his office!"

As the gossip reached its peak, a stir rippled through the crowd—the lecture was about to begin.

Amidst the soft murmurs and the rustle of clothing, Theresa saw a figure slowly ascend the small, raised platform in the center of the plaza. His long green hair was tied into a ponytail, revealing a refined and handsome face—it was indeed the familiar Mu Fei.

Mu Fei stood still on the platform, surveyed the plaza, and offered a faint smile. With a gentle wave of his wand, a row of magical projected text appeared above his head: *Basic Alchemy Theory: Fire Magic Characters.* Bathed in the soft, golden-red glow of the firelight, his handsome face appeared even more radiant.

"Ah~~~ Professor Mu Fei is always so handsome~~~ No matter how you look at him, he’s just perfect~~~" Flora sighed with stars in her eyes. Theresa broke into a cold sweat; she looked around and realized many other girls were just as "lovestruck" as Flora. But what Flora said next made Theresa break into an even colder sweat.

"Professor Mu Fei is an intern, so according to the rules, he has to serve as a life advisor for a year, mentoring three to five new students. I wonder which lucky students will get that honor. If it’s a guy, fine, but if it’s a girl, hmph~"

"If it’s a girl, what would you do?" Theresa asked weakly.

"Skin her alive and crush her bones... well, that's impossible," Flora winked playfully. "I’d just be filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred. But if Mu Fei’s 'Pink Fan Club' finds out, that girl’s life won't be easy~ You didn't know? Ever since the new student list was published, some have been secretly tracking which students were assigned to which advisors~"

Theresa felt sweat-drenched, then even more sweat-drenched, until she finally resigned herself to the situation. *Let them track who they want. It doesn't matter.* She had already made up her mind: she would never, under any circumstances, go out of her way to bother Mu Fei.

However, Theresa didn't realize at the time that while she could control her own actions, she could not control the actions of others—and Mu Fei’s actions were no exception.