Time, it seemed, was frozen at this moment.
If Yang Mingyu's previous calling out of other students was like dropping pebbles into a calm lake, stirring up curiosity and doubt, then his soft whisper in Zhao Min's ear just now was akin to detonating a deep-sea bomb in the center of the lake.
There was no earth-shattering roar, but it stirred up a silent, raging torrent capable of overturning everything.
The entire Grade One, Class 14 fell into a deathly silence.
This silence was completely different from the quiet caused by curiosity earlier, making every student's breathing careful and hushed.
Everyone's gaze, like iron filings drawn by a magnet, uncontrollably focused on two points—the nonchalant teacher on the podium and the bewildered 'Big Sister' in her seat.
Zhao Min remained in her upward-gazing posture, unmoving.
Her eyes held a complexity that no classmate had ever seen. There was shock at a secret being exposed, wariness at her privacy being scrutinized, a hint of helplessness, but more than anything, a sense of bewilderment and confusion.
She was like a hedgehog accustomed to protecting herself with a hard shell, but suddenly someone had precisely touched her softest belly. That unexpected touch left her sharp quills unsure of how to retract or extend.
Meanwhile, the instigator, Yang Mingyu, seemed as if he had truly just gone for a stroll.
After returning to the podium, he didn't speak immediately, but instead gave this deathly silence enough time to ferment. His gaze calmly swept over the faces filled with surprise and uncertainty, taking in everyone's reactions.
He saw it.
Wang Hao, the arrogant rich second generation, had already uncrossed his legs and sat up straight, his eyes full of apprehension, no longer daring to meet his gaze.
Li Lei, the class monitor who was reading wuxia novels, stared blankly at his ink-ruined book pages, as if looking at some divine miracle.
Liu Lili, who had applied cheap lipstick, had secretly wiped her mouth several times with her sleeve, her face full of lingering fear.
And Lin Tian, the 'gaming genius' who had been detached from the situation in the corner, had put down his GBA and, for the first time, seriously scrutinized him with an inquisitive gaze.
Very good.
Yang Mingyu nodded in his heart.
This was the effect he wanted.
To subdue this group of unruly wild horses, conventional disciplinary lectures and gentle persuasion were useless. They had long become numb to that approach. He had to use the most thunderous methods to plant a seed in their hearts.
A seed named 'awe'.
Only when this seed took root and sprouted could his subsequent 'education' truly begin.
Under everyone's gaze, Yang Mingyu finally made a new move. He picked up a white chalk, turned around, and calmly wrote three words on the blackboard, which was covered with old writings.
Yang Mingyu.
The handwriting was strong and vigorous, the strokes steady.
He put down the chalk, clapped the chalk dust from his hands, and faced the entire class again.
By now, there was no more whispering below the stage, only dozens of eyes, filled with various complex emotions, staring fixedly at him.
"My name is Yang Mingyu," he finally began his formal self-introduction, his voice still flat, but it resonated powerfully in the silent classroom, "From today onwards, I am your homeroom teacher."
He paused, observing the students' reactions, and a meaningful curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"I know you have many questions in your minds right now. For example, why do I know your affairs? Did I investigate you beforehand? Or am I just pretending to be mysterious, playing some psychological tricks?"
His words accurately articulated the thoughts of most students.
"None of that matters," Yang Mingyu's tone suddenly shifted, his gaze becoming sharp, like a keen sword that could see through people's hearts, "You only need to remember one thing."
He cleared his throat and, in an undeniable tone, as if proclaiming a truth, slowly said:
"You may not believe in my teaching ability, but it's best to believe in my 'predictions'."
"From today onwards, I am the…"
He deliberately drew out his voice, his gaze sweeping over each student, clearly seeing their breathless tension, before finally uttering the last three words:
"...spoiler of your future."
The three words "spoiler of your future" hit like three heavy hammers, striking deep into every student's heart.
A chill ran up many people's spines.
If the previous 'predictions' had left them shocked and fearful, then this positioning as a 'spoiler' made them feel an unprecedented terror from the depths of their souls.
A teacher who can spoil your future?
This had exceeded their understanding, like a myth.
Yang Mingyu was very satisfied with this effect. He looked at the completely stunned faces below the stage and finally revealed his first smile since the beginning of school.
It was the smile of a victor in control of everything.
"Now," he leaned his hands on the lecture desk, his body slightly forward, his gaze sweeping across the room again, "does anyone still have questions?"
Below the stage, there was absolute silence.
All the previous arrogant, disdainful, and provocative gazes had disappeared. In their place were awe, surprise, and fear hidden deep in their eyes.
Even Zhao Min slowly lowered her head, avoiding his gaze, but the hand tightly clutching the small knife unconsciously loosened a few points.
The entire Grade One, Class 14, on the first lesson of the first day of school, had its power structure completely overturned by their new homeroom teacher in an inconceivable way.