Chapter 14: Freshman Opening Ceremony

The heat from the class committee elections hadn’t yet faded when the class bell, carrying the scent of ink, rang out. Chalk scraped crisply across the blackboard, weaving together with the cicadas’ chorus outside to form the unique rhythm of a new school term.

Lin Yumo turned her new fountain pen in her fingers, her notebook already filled with neat notes.

After the class committee selection, lessons continued as usual. By the long break in the middle of the morning, the school held the freshman opening ceremony. Li Xuanxuan organized the class into lines and led them to the auditorium to take their seats.

When the bell rang after the second period, the whole teaching building instantly buzzed with excitement.

Standing on the podium, Li Xuanxuan’s ponytail swayed with her arm movements. “Everyone, line up in the same order as during military training!”

Her voice carried a natural authority, and the previously noisy classroom quickly became orderly.

The blue-and-white uniforms merged into a flowing river as Class 7’s line wound along the tree-lined path. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, scattering dappled light over their shoulders.

Inside the auditorium, crystal chandeliers cast a gleaming shine over the marble floor.

Following the line to her seat, Lin Yumo looked up to see the golden school emblem hanging center stage, gleaming under the lights.

When the principal stepped up to the podium, the room filled with neat applause. His voice, amplified through the speakers, resonated through the hall: “Students, high school is a new beginning in life…”

Her attention drifted during the long speech—until the words, “Please welcome Chi Ling, an outstanding representative from Class 1, Grade 10, to give a speech,” struck her like a heavy drumbeat, making her heart skip.

After speaking, the principal stepped aside to sit down.

Under the soft lighting of the auditorium, a tall, slender figure walked out from the side door.

Chi Ling was dressed in a neatly pressed blue-and-white uniform, his cuffs buttoned properly, the silver school badge at his collar catching the light with a cold gleam.

His brow bone was striking, his eyes deep and dark as a cold lake. His thin lips pressed lightly together with a trace of aloofness, yet the slight droop at the corners of his eyes lent a subtle warmth.

His pace was unhurried, each step measured and precise, until he reached the lectern. Long fingers rested lightly on the edge, his gaze calmly sweeping over the audience. Without a word, the room quieted instantly.

Only then did his low, cool, faintly magnetic voice begin this short yet powerful speech: “It’s an honor to stand here today…”

The speech ended quickly, but the applause rose like a wave, filling the hall. A few girls in the front row had flushed cheeks, clapping until their hands reddened, still feeling it wasn’t enough to express their excitement.

Chi Ling gave a slight bow of thanks, a strand of jet-black hair falling over his brow. Under the spotlight, it shone with a luster like polished obsidian—cool yet warm.

As he turned to walk back toward the seating area, Jiang Bozhou bounded up like an excitable monkey, looping an arm around his neck. In a playful, lowered voice, he said:

“Ling God! There’s a pretty girl in Class 3 who was just filming you on her CCD camera!”

He even made a money-transfer gesture with his hand, waggling his brows. “Give me five WeChat accounts and I’ll buy you drinks for a month!”

Chi Ling frowned, turning his head away from Jiang Bozhou’s warm breath. The collar of his uniform was tugged slightly askew, and he gave his shoulder a small shake in distaste. “No. Hands off.”

Jiang Bozhou’s arm slipped off like a drifting leaf.

“No way, Ling God!” Jiang shouted dramatically, drawing curious looks from nearby girls.

Leaning closer to Chi Ling’s ear, he asked mysteriously, “Don’t tell me you already like someone?”

Chi Ling’s expression didn’t change, his voice as cold as a soda fresh from the fridge: “No one but my mom and classmates gets through. Which one do you want?”

“Hey, hey, wait!”

Unwilling to give up, Jiang Bozhou caught up to him, tugging at his arm. “Do you have that fairy from Class 7 on WeChat? The one I pointed out to you guys last time—”

Before he could finish, Chi Ling cut him off coldly.

“Ask her yourself. And stop bothering girls.” His tone was calm but brooked no argument as he kept walking.

“What do you mean bothering? This is an exchange of aesthetic appreciation!” Jiang clutched his chest in mock outrage.

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The lingering echoes of the opening ceremony faded like petals drifting away, slipping quietly into the seams of time, and Lin Yumo’s high school life began.

On campus, classmates were like seedlings touched by the spring breeze, gradually shedding the awkwardness of their first meetings.

At first, there was still a touch of unfamiliarity and restraint, but over time, this distance dissolved, replaced by familiarity.

So, the lively and bustling life of Grade 10 began, and Lin Yumo settled into a steady routine.

At six in the morning, her alarm would wake her, and she’d rise quietly to begin twenty minutes of yoga.

After yoga, she would wash up efficiently.

Once the school term started, she politely declined Uncle Wu’s rides.

After all, the school wasn’t far from home, and during the morning rush the roads were full of students hurrying to school and cars stuck in traffic.

Walking was quicker—and doubled as exercise.

In class during the day, Lin Yumo was like a dried sponge, absorbing knowledge with full concentration.

Her eyes followed the teacher’s every movement, her pen moving constantly to jot down key points. All her focus was condensed into each bit of information, missing nothing.

At noon, she didn’t eat at school—home was close, and it was more convenient to have lunch there. After lunch, she would take a short nap to recharge for the afternoon classes.

Between the last afternoon period and evening self-study was only an hour. Going home for dinner would be too rushed, so she chose to eat at school in the evenings.