Early the next day, Jessy prepared herself and got ready for school. She was going to be both a teacher and a student.
At the same time, she planned to use this new identity to mask her others. She was acutely aware of how dangerous the capital was; if those people realized she was around, she wouldn't be able to survive in this city.
Meanwhile, the next-door neighbors had woken up exceptionally early, hoping to catch a glimpse of the rich tycoon living next door. They didn't have an ulterior motive; they were simply drawn by the soul-stirring flute music from the night before.
The second daughter, Maggie, secretly hoped this tycoon would be a young master from a wealthy, elite family.
"Second sister, when are you going to wake up from this dream of marrying into royalty?" her brother, Toby, asked with a sigh.
"And what is your problem? Shouldn't you be happy that your little sister actually has dreams?" she countered, crossing her arms.
"Let me tell you, sister—work on your brain, and then maybe a man like that will come for you. No man needs a trophy wife nowadays," he retorted.
"Mmph... jealous brother," she scoffed, turning away.
"Alright, I've warned you," Toby said.
"Shh! Look, the gate is opening and I can see a luxury sports car coming out! Let's go and wait by the road," the eldest sister, Vero, interrupted.
The three siblings rushed downstairs and stood by the roadside, waiting for a handsome heir of a rich family to stop by. It was a comical sight. They flagged the car down, and Jessy pulled over her new sports car just outside the compound. She lowered the window and smiled nicely.
"Hello, how may I help you?" she asked politely. With her radiant smile and charming, diamond-shaped face, she instantly won the hearts of her neighbors.
"Hi! I am Vero, the eldest. This is Maggie, and Toby is the youngest. Nice to meet you," Vero said.
"Nice to meet you too. I'm Jessy—you can just call me Jess," she replied.
"Well, are you the owner of this house?" Maggie asked eagerly.
"Sorry, no, I am not," Jessy said.
"Then who was playing the flute?" Vero asked. "I really love the flute. It sounded so beautiful, soul-touching, and peaceful. I love music, but that was the first time I've ever been completely carried away by a melody."
"Ah, that wasn't me," Jessy answered smoothly. "It was my boss's daughter, but she left shortly after playing."
"Too bad," Vero said, a bit disappointed. "Can we be friends, though?"
"Sure," Jessy answered.
"Can you tell us if your boss has a handsome son?" Maggie's obsession flared up again.
Jessy burst out laughing. "Haha!"
"Don't mind her," Toby said, looking at Maggie with a hint of disgust. "She's obsessed with the idea of becoming a billionaire's trophy wife. It's a chronic illness."
Jessy smiled, though her eyes held a deeper wisdom. "Be careful, young lady. Riches aren't everything. Don't step into a fire that will only end up burning you."
"Thank you, big sister, for talking some sense into her," Toby said.
But as he looked closer at Jessy, something caught his attention. Why does it feel like I've seen her face somewhere before? he thought.
Once Jessy drove away, Toby suddenly shouted, "Uh, are you kidding me?!"
His sudden outburst startled his sisters.
"What is it? Why are you shouting like a madman?" Vero asked, clutching her chest.
"I know why," Maggie teased. "He couldn't resist Jess's beauty. Even though she looks mature, she seems to be around eighteen years old. I get it."
"No, that's not it at all!" Toby said, impatiently tapping his foot.
"Then what is it?" Vero asked.
"Big sister, when was the last time you actually went to the university campus?" he asked.
"I haven't reported yet since the beginning of the semester," Vero replied, confused.
"And you, Maggie?"
"Why are you asking so many questions?" Maggie grumbled, losing her patience.
"Think about it! She said this isn't her house, it's her boss's. She said the flute player was her boss's daughter. Yet, she is driving the latest model of a luxury sports car—the Gala J, from the Gala Company. That car is a limited, one-of-a-kind model, and she's the one driving it. What kind of boss just hands over a car like that to an employee?"
Toby's eyes widened as the pieces clicked together. "I saw her face on the university forum! Check the website right now to see who she really is!"
Without waiting, Toby rushed back inside the house to get ready for school. How thrilling was it that the legendary goddess of studies was their actual neighbor?
In the academic world, it was an undisputed fact that no one had ever matched or beaten the grades of Edward Gray—the young master of the prominent Gray family—except for this one legendary girl. Despite her young age, her intellect surpassed even the top young masters of the capital.
When Vero and Maggie checked the forum on their phones, their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. They hadn't originally planned on going to campus that day, but after this revelation, they scrambled to get ready.
"I can't believe we were played just like that..." Maggie said in total disbelief.
"Sister, I find it hard to believe that a legend like her just casually had a conversation with us," Vero whispered, stunned.
Downstairs, their parents wondered why their daughters were suddenly rushing to school after meeting the neighbor. Is it true that the neighbor is a young master from one of the top families? they wondered.
As far as the parents knew, Young Master Edward from the Gray family was the only person who could make their eldest daughter's heart beat. In fact, Edward was the entire reason the family had moved to this area. Vero had never disappointed them when it came to mastering various skills to make herself the perfect bride, and they were confident she would be the ultimate choice when the time came.
Vero herself had never desired any man besides Edward. She had loved him since childhood, even though the young master had never spared her a single glance. Still, she believed that because her family was wealthy and she was considered the most beautiful and brilliant young lady in her circle, she would eventually be his only logical option.
Meanwhile, at Imperial University, the moment Vero walked into the building, she found herself surrounded by crowds of gossiping students.
"Hey, fill me in. Is there any new department gossip?" Vero asked her friend.
"Oh my gosh, yes! Our goddess of studies appeared on campus yesterday!" her friend gasped. "She has been hired as a lecturer in the Mathematics and Engineering departments, as well as the Medical department! If that's not shocking enough, she's only eighteen years old. And honestly, even though I'm a woman, she is exceptionally gorgeous. She's beautiful, charming, and so cool. A woman like that isn't meant for mere mortals—she belongs among the gods!"
While the rumors spread like wildfire across the campus, Jessy was in the staff room preparing for her first class.
When she walked in, the lecture hall was completely packed. Students who weren't even enrolled in the course were sitting on the steps just to catch a glimpse of the "Legendary Jessy."
Jessy stood by the whiteboard, her marker moving with lightning speed.
"Discrete Mathematics isn't about memorizing formulas," she said, her voice calm but commanding. "It's about the logic of the universe. If you can map the nodes of a graph, you can map the flow of the world's economy."
By the time she finished her lecture, the room fell into a dead silence. Then, a thunderous roar of applause broke out. Even the senior professors standing at the back of the hall were nodding in sheer awe. She hadn't just taught a class; she had performed a miracle.
Discrete Mathematics was a unit the students usually universally hated, but after her lecture, they found themselves falling in love with the subject.
"I can't believe Discrete Math could be this easy. I mean, how can she be so perfect?" one student whispered.
"Now I understand why she holds that legendary title."
"Never in a million years did I think it could be explained like this. Education really is simple."
"Yeah! She said, 'Education is simple, as long as you want it to be.'"
"She has my vote forever," another chimed in.
The students no longer regretted taking the difficult course because this brilliant new young lecturer had given them a reason to believe in themselves.
Afterward, Jessy walked into the main administration office.
"Good morning, everyone," she greeted the staff.
"Good morning, Lecturer Jessy! How was your first class?" one of the professors asked warmly.
"Not lecturer—student Jessy," she corrected with a light smile. "I must say it was wonderful. My fellow students are great, and I really enjoyed it."
"That's excellent. What's next on your schedule?" another lecturer asked.
"Going to attend my own classes, I guess," she replied.
"Make sure to have some breakfast before your lectures, dear," a faculty doctor advised.
"I'll grab something in the canteen," she said, taking her leave. Because she preferred to keep a low profile, she slipped away quietly, and the busy students in the campus canteen didn't even notice the legendary figure sitting quietly in the corner.
Meanwhile, over at the Gray Estate...
"Son, I heard the university hired the young woman who managed to beat your grades two years ago," Edward's mother mentioned over morning tea.
"Yes, Mother, she was hired," Edward replied. His tone carried a slight edge of unhappiness.
"Why do you look so displeased, son? Personally, I really need to meet this woman," she noted, amused.
"Oh, Mom, you definitely need to see her!" Edward's brother, Edmond, chimed in excitedly. "She is incredibly beautiful, and she's only eighteen!"
"What did you say?" their sister, Eller, asked, looking up suddenly.
"Exactly what you heard, sister. Honestly, I wish she could be my sister-in-law. She's the only woman I've ever seen who is a perfect match for big brother," Edmond teased.
"I need her as my daughter-in-law!" Mrs. Gray declared, slamming her teacup down with absolute finality.
"Mother, please," Edward sighed, rubbing his temples in exasperation. "I haven't even met her yet. For all we know, she could be a cold, arrogant academic."
"She's eighteen, Edward!" Eller chirped, rapidly scrolling through the university's online forum. "And look at this photo. She's absolutely gorgeous. If you don't marry her, I'm going to kidnap her and make her my best friend anyway."
Edward glanced briefly at the slightly blurry photo on Eller's phone screen. Something about the girl's posture—the way she carried herself with a fierce, lonely independence—tugged at a distant memory he couldn't quite reach.
"I, too, want her as my granddaughter-in-law," the Elder Master Gray suddenly announced from his armchair.
"That's it, I'm going to the university today to see my beautiful future sister-in-law!" Eller cheered.
"Oh, please, give it a rest," Edward groaned.
"No way, this girl must become a part of our family," the matriarch insisted with a firm nod.
"Ah..." Edward muttered, completely defeated, while Edmond laughed in the background. "Yeah, brother, just accept it!"
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