From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

Dean Su slowly said, "This segment is—a timed free debate between the two sides, and they can invite others to join them!" After he finished speaking, the whole audience was in an uproar.

The crowd below the stage buzzed with discussion. The conservative faction instantly became like chickens with their necks being choked, staring wide-eyed at Dean Su as if they had witnessed something unbelievable.

Confucius was so angry that he almost choked on his breath.

Young Master Bai's face turned deathly pale, his lips trembled, and he pointed at Yan Ruyu, but couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

Yan Ruyu smiled slightly, her eyes sparkling with a hint of cunning, and turned to Mr. Lu, saying, "Mr. Lu, would you do me the honor of fighting alongside me?" Mr. Lu was taken aback, then readily nodded, his eyes gleaming with excitement, "It would be my greatest honor!"

The free debate begins.

Confucius was the first to attack, his eyes wide with rage like a furious lion. He pointed at Yan Ruyu's nose and cursed, "Distorted logic! Utter nonsense! You're simply misleading the youth!" Young Master Bai followed suit, as if he had found a pillar of support, adding aggressively, "Exactly! You're bewitching people, and your intentions are sinister!"

Yan Ruyu and Mr. Lu exchanged a smile, remaining completely unmoved.

Yan Ruyu parted her lips slightly, her voice clear and melodious: "Confucius, Young Master Bai, you accuse me of spreading fallacies and misleading people, but do you have any evidence? Empty words are nothing but the ranting of a shrew!" Mr. Lu calmly added, "What you two say is nothing new, just old clichés. In this era of change, clinging to old ways will only lead to stagnation and eventual elimination by the times." The two worked together seamlessly, one attacking and the other defending, defusing Confucius and Young Master Bai's attacks with fluid grace.

The students in the audience listened with great interest, holding their breath and not wanting to miss a single exciting moment.

"You..." Confucius was speechless after being rebuked by Yan Ruyu, and his face turned ashen with anger.

Young Master Bai was even more furious, clenching his fists, wishing he could rush up and beat Yan Ruyu up.

Yan Ruyu slightly raised her chin, her eyes sparkling with confidence.

She cleared her throat, her voice as melodious as a spring: "Gentlemen, I have here a book left by an ancient sage, which records an important argument that may answer our debate today."

She slowly took out a yellowed scroll of paper from her sleeve and unfolded it in front of everyone.

Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, falling on the scroll of paper, as if bestowing upon it a kind of sacred radiance.

Everyone held their breath and focused.

“In this will, the wise man said: ‘The world changes, but only change can endure.’” Yan Ruyu’s voice paused, like a sharp sword piercing the hearts of Confucius and Bai Gongzi.

She continued, "The wise believe that sticking to the old ways will only lead us to stagnation and ultimately be eliminated by the times. Change, on the other hand, is the real driving force for social progress."

Confucius was stunned. The anger on his face was gradually replaced by astonishment. His mouth was slightly open, as if he wanted to say something, but he couldn't find the words.

Young Master Bai was dumbfounded, his hands trembling, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists. It was as if Yan Ruyu's words had shattered his last line of defense.

The students below the stage exchanged admiring glances, and some couldn't help but whisper in praise: "Miss Yan is truly intelligent and courageous!" "That's right, these arguments are really sharp and convincing!" Mr. Lu also showed an appreciative smile. He turned to Yan Ruyu and bowed: "Miss Yan, your wisdom is truly admirable. I am willing to fully support your propositions."

Yan Ruyu smiled slightly and gently patted Mr. Lu's shoulder, signaling him to continue: "Mr. Lu, now please explain in detail to everyone the new ideas of the male protagonist."

Mr. Lu nodded, stepped forward, and said in a loud and passionate voice: "Gentlemen, Mr. Xu's new ideas are based on this discourse of the sages. He believes that social change is an inevitable trend, and we need to embrace new ideas in order to better adapt to this era. His propositions not only conform to the teachings of ancient sages, but also meet the actual needs of today's society."

A round of enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience, and many students nodded in agreement.

Confucius and Bai Gongzi's faces turned even more ashen, as if they were nailed to the pillar of shame with nowhere to escape.

Confucius gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with resentment; Young Master Bai, on the other hand, was agitated, his hands clenched tightly, as if he were about to explode at any moment.

At this moment, Miss Ye suddenly stood up and shouted, "Long live Miss Yan! Long live Young Master Xu!" Her voice was clear and powerful, like the spring sunshine, warming everyone's hearts.

Other students who supported the new ideas responded enthusiastically, and applause and cheers filled the air, creating an atmosphere of victory.

Just then, a deep gaze fell upon Yan Ruyu from the crowd.

She turned her head and saw Xu, the male protagonist, standing not far away, with a slight smile on his lips and eyes full of pride and love.

Yan Ruyu felt a warmth in her heart.

“Young Master Xu,” Yan Ruyu said softly, her voice gentle yet firm, “thank you for your support and trust. We will definitely be able to make new ideas take root and flourish in this academy.”

The male protagonist smiled slightly, looking at her tenderly, as if to say, "I'm here for you."

The applause from the audience remained enthusiastic, and the air was filled with hope and determination. This debate laid a solid foundation for the spread of new ideas.

Looking at the radiant Yan Ruyu on the stage, Xu's eyes were almost overflowing with love.

She not only cleared his name but also promoted his new ideas. How could he not be excited?

He could no longer contain his emotions, and rushed onto the stage, tightly embracing Yan Ruyu.

“Ruyu,” his voice was low and hoarse, trembling slightly, “you are truly amazing! I am so proud of you!”

Yan Ruyu was caught off guard by his sudden hug, but she quickly relaxed and gently rested her head on his chest.

She could feel the rise and fall of his chest, and she could feel his burning love.

A burst of good-natured laughter and whispered blessings rang out from all around.

Miss Ye jumped up excitedly and shouted, "Kiss me! Kiss me!"

Upon hearing this, the male protagonist looked down at Yan Ruyu in his arms, his gaze deep and tender.

He slowly lowered his head and, in full view of everyone, gently kissed her lips.

A blush rose on Yan Ruyu's face. She closed her eyes and responded to his kiss.

At that moment, time seemed to stand still, leaving only the two of them, immersed in this sweet love.

After the kiss, the male protagonist, Xu, gazed at Yan Ruyu with deep affection and said loudly, "Ruyu, I love you! From the first moment I saw you, I fell deeply in love with you! Will you be my wife?"

Tears of happiness welled up in Yan Ruyu's eyes. She nodded vigorously, her voice choked with emotion, "I do!"

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience, and blessings came one after another, surging in like a tide.

Dean Su looked at the two people embracing tightly on the stage, and a gratified smile appeared in his eyes.

Just as everyone was immersed in this joyful atmosphere, Yan Ruyu suddenly spoke up: "Everyone, today's achievements are not the result of my efforts alone, but the result of everyone's joint efforts. I hope that in the future we can put aside our prejudices, discuss academic matters together, and contribute our strength to the development of the academy."

As soon as this statement came out, everyone in the audience was shocked.

Confucius and Bai Gongzi were dumbfounded, as if they could not believe their ears.

They originally thought Yan Ruyu would take the opportunity to retaliate, but they didn't expect her to be so magnanimous.

Dean Su looked at Yan Ruyu, slowly walked onto the stage, patted her on the shoulder, and said, "Miss Yan, your magnanimity and demeanor are admirable. I believe that under your leadership, the academy's future will be even more glorious."

Yan Ruyu smiled slightly, her gaze firm and confident.

She knows the road ahead is long, but she is prepared to meet all challenges.

"Ruyu," Xu suddenly whispered in her ear, "Tonight, I want..."

His words came to an abrupt halt, which only made Yan Ruyu's cheeks flush even more.

The atmosphere in the academy was as lively as during the Chinese New Year.

The students gathered in small groups, enthusiastically discussing Xu Nanzhu's new ideas, occasionally bursting into hearty laughter.

Those who had previously mocked Yan Ruyu now looked at her with new respect and came forward to congratulate her, praising her as "a truly remarkable woman." Yan Ruyu almost burst out laughing.

Yan Ruyu and Xu, the male protagonist, strolled hand in hand along the tree-lined path of the academy.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled patterns that shone on their faces, making them appear even more radiant.

Yan Ruyu had a smile on her lips, her eyes sparkling and bright, like a blooming peony, delicate and beautiful.

The male lead, Xu, looked at her with doting eyes, whispering a few words in her ear from time to time, which made Yan Ruyu playfully complain.

"Ruyu, you were amazing today!" The male lead gently squeezed her hand, his tone full of pride.

“Of course,” Yan Ruyu raised an eyebrow and smiled playfully, “Don’t you know who I am? With me in charge, what can’t I handle?”

The two looked at each other and smiled, saying nothing.

In the distance, in the academy's garden, hundreds of flowers bloomed, vying for beauty and fragrance, a truly breathtaking sight.

This scene seems to symbolize the rebirth of the academy, and also the sweetness of the two people's love.

However, amidst this joyful atmosphere, a commotion suddenly arose outside the academy, growing louder and clearer as it approached.

The noise of people mixed with the sound of horses' hooves broke the tranquility of the academy.

"What's going on?" Yan Ruyu frowned slightly, a sense of unease rising in her heart.

Xu, the male protagonist, also noticed something was amiss. He shielded Yan Ruyu behind him and looked warily toward the entrance of the academy. "I'll go take a look."

The surrounding students were also attracted by the sudden commotion, and they all stopped and looked around curiously.

"It seems like something big has happened..." a student muttered quietly.

"Could someone be causing trouble?" another student said worriedly.

The commotion grew closer, as if something was approaching the academy.

Yan Ruyu and Xu, the male protagonist, exchanged a glance, their hearts filled with doubt and worry.

“Let’s go take a look,” Yan Ruyu said firmly, taking Xu Nan’s hand.

Xu nodded, held her hand tightly, and the two walked together toward the entrance of the academy.

"Halt! Who are you?" A rough voice suddenly rang out, carrying a hint of hostility.