347 The Man Without Grace (1/2)

Autumn had arrived within the blink of an eye. The streets full of drifting fallen leaves and catkins in Hangzhou had combined into a poetic scene.

During autumn, Hangzhou was not as scorching as the cities in the south, with temperatures similar to summer. It was also not as chilly as the places in the north. It had the perfect temperature, with a gentle breeze. It was more like the gentle, elegant final washes of ink or color to a drawing, instead of an omen of the upcoming winter season...

Zhejiang Institute had the same dull-gray color. More fallen leaves were waiting to be cleaned up every day. They were like the clothes that women dumped as the seasons changed, not worth being sentimentally attached to.

The female students still retained the usual trend of wearing short skirts and black stockings. The outfit was deemed the all-around outfit among the girls, regardless of the season, and it would never be described as out-of-fashion, either. It was like Nippon Lily, retaining the radiance of spring at all times... {TL Note: Fun fact, the radiance of spring is sometimes referring to a slight glimpse of something sexy or erotic *wink*}

In comparison, the most popular outfit among the men was the combination of sandals and jerseys. In the south, this outfit was good enough to last three and a half seasons. Those who were not bothered about trifles would wear it during all seasons, not because they would simply wear an outer layer of down-coat in the cold seasons, but because they did not need to rely on extra warmth from clothing due to their Fire or Ice Elements.

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Speaking of the perks of having those Elements...

Zhejiang Institute had a small lake to its west, and at its center stood a pavilion.

The pavilion was left unattended for quite some time. Even the wooden bridge connecting the pavilion had collapsed to the bottom of the lake, as if it serving as a sign telling the students not to hang around the lake.

Unfortunately, everyone there was a Magician, thus the bridge would not make a difference at all.

A handsome man with perfectly set hair stood by the lake and said with a smile. ”I'll push you there, it's nothing worth mentioning.”

The calm surface of the clean lake reflected his rather tall figure. The gentle, yet masculine movement and tone implied that he had come from a fairly educated background.

He reached out his hand and swept it across the lake.

The weeds at the shore were gradually covered by a layer of ice. The ice rapidly spread to the water, making a crackling noise.

The surface of the lake froze. The thin layer of ice gradually thickened, as the icy energy continued to spread across it. It looked like an ice bridge was slowly extending across the surface of the lake, resulting in a magical view.

”It's the Prince of Ice, Liu Yilin. Not only is he handsome, his control of the Ice Element is very impressive too. As expected of someone ranked on our school's leaderboard!” Some girls nearby screamed at the top of their lungs.

The Prince of Ice was a complimentary title that Zhejiang Institute had given to Liu Yilin. He had conquered the entire school with his Ice Element not long after coming here. Together with his outstanding appearance and cool demeanor, he quickly captured many girls' hearts.

Wasn't a man like him the reason why they had worked so hard trying to secure a spot in the powerhouse institutes?

”Sigh, he's with that girl again. I don't understand, what good does a girl who can't even walk properly have?” a female student with a perfect mid-split hairstyle blurted out in envy.

In terms of appearance, many girls could easily outmatch her.

”I bet he's just pitying her. I hate people who act like they are pitiful the most. Grumbling when someone has merely stepped on an ant. Ah, I can't walk, please push me around. Ah, I'm having a slight headache, I think I've caught a cold. Everyone knows how to pretend to be weak. Humph!” Chen Yunqi snapped.

Her mimic was on point, which prompted her friends nearby to bust out laughing. The laughter echoed in the path lined up with trees...

The Prince of Ice, Liu Yilin, glanced back at the girls who he used to hang out with. He smiled gently and slightly lowered his head, ”Don't mind them, they are only jealous because I'm spending my time with you. Come, let's go to the pavilion.”