CHAPTER 6: A Beautiful Girl Comes

Xinghai High School was originally a school for the children of employees of Xinghai Medical. After the company went bankrupt, the school transitioned into a private institution. In its fifty years of history, it had produced numerous students who got into Tsinghua and Peking University, making its college entrance rate one of the best in the province.

So, to be enrolled at Xinghai High, a student either had to have top-tier grades or come from a very wealthy family. But in this day and age, the “rags to riches” story wasn’t all that common. Students with good grades usually didn’t come from poor households either. More often than not, their parents were highly educated professionals who had at least reached middle-class status.

On Monday, the first day of school, the street outside the campus was lined with luxury cars.

Old Su was driving a Maybach—not to show off to the other parents, but simply because the Maybach was spacious.

Looking at the three lanky boys crammed into the backseat through the rearview mirror, he couldn’t figure out why kids nowadays had such ridiculously long legs. One after another, they’d climbed into the car this morning, squishing in so tightly there was barely any room left for their knees.

“Jiahe, you get out first and walk the rest of the way. Who knows how long this traffic jam’s going to last.”

“Ah—”

Old Su scratched his brow and handed him fifty yuan.

Ever since Su Jiahe started high school and got away from his sister, his allowance had been slashed over and over. Back in the day, he wouldn’t even bother picking up fifty yuan off the ground. Now, he was totally content: “Thanks, Dad!”

“You’re welcome. Now scram.”

Su Jiahe slung his backpack on and jogged off. The moment he got out, Ji Jing let out a breath of relief and shifted over—Maybach or not, it was still cramped.

Su Jiasui sat in the front passenger seat, staring at the long line of cars ahead. “Dad, maybe we should just walk too. It’s not that far.”

“No rush. See the traffic cops up ahead? They’re already working on clearing it up. Once it opens up, I’ll park inside the school and drop by to meet your homeroom teacher.” Old Su tapped the steering wheel, then looked at Jiang Yan in the rearview mirror. “Xiao Jiang, do you know which class you’re in?”

“The proctor told me to go to the office first thing this morning to get the placement.”

“I called Sui Sui’s teacher last night to ask. She didn’t say outright, but it sounds like getting into the Rocket Class shouldn’t be a problem. I had her prepare a full set of uniforms for you—don’t feel pressured, just think of it as a gift from me and your aunt to welcome you.”

Xinghai High’s uniforms were modeled after those of international schools. They included a Western-style formal uniform, matching leather shoes and bowtie, spring/summer uniforms, fall/winter uniforms, summer sportswear and sneakers, winter sportswear and sneakers, and even a winter down jacket. A full set cost nearly five thousand yuan.

Considering the quality of the clothes and shoes, five thousand wasn’t that expensive. The school’s intention was to use standardized uniforms to prevent students from competing over appearance or brands. But like all things, there were pros and cons. For most families, dropping that kind of money all at once was tough. They often had to buy one formal set and one sports set first, then gradually get the rest—so many freshmen and transfer students couldn’t attend P.E. classes for the first month.

“Thank you, Uncle.” Jiang Yan accepted the gift without hesitation. He had enough confidence in his future not to feel burdened. “Once I get a job, I’ll definitely pay you back.”

Old Su liked Jiang Yan. He admired his calm and dignified demeanor—it reminded him of his younger self. So what if your family didn’t have money? You could still make something of yourself through hard work.

Compared to him, that rich kid just waiting to inherit his family fortune had nothing going for him.

Old Su gave Jiang Yan a warm smile, then immediately shot a glare at Ji Jing. You could practically read his thoughts off his face.

Su Jiasui, sharp as ever, turned her head to Ji Jing and changed the subject to break the awkward tension: “Where’s your uniform? Did Chen Xu bring it for you?”

“Yeah, he messaged me. He’s already in the classroom. I’ll change when I get to school.”

“Can you even get in like that?”

“First day of school—tons of kids aren’t wearing uniforms. Look, there’s one right next to me. I’ll just blend in.”

Old Su said dryly, “The principal trying to sneak in probably won’t be easy.”

Ji Jing sat up a little straighter. “Uncle, they’re just messing around. It’s not serious.”

Five minutes later, traffic finally cleared. Old Su dropped the three kids off at the school gate, then turned the car around and headed into the staff parking lot. He ran an appliance business and knew his daughter wasn’t exactly the quiet, obedient type. Back when Su Jiasui enrolled, he’d donated a hundred air conditioners to the school just to be safe, so he had a campus access pass.

As Ji Jing said, plenty of students weren’t wearing uniforms today, and the administration wasn’t too strict about it. Using Jiang Yan as cover, Ji Jing slipped in without a hitch.

“Sister Sui! Sister Sui!”

“Cheng Zi!”

To Su Jiasui, an ideal life should follow a clear and steady rhythm—like the high school dramas she used to watch. Study hard, improve every day, fall in love, and have a bestie to walk to the bathroom with hand in hand.

Cheng Xiangxue was that bestie.

“Waaaah Sister Sui, I missed you so much!”

“I missed you too! When did you get back from your hometown?”

“Just yesterday! Ugh, don’t even get me started. It was pouring in Harbin, all flights were grounded, so I had to take the train. That thing clunked and clattered all the way—I nearly died! I laid around the house all day recovering, or I would’ve come to hang out yesterday.”

As Cheng Xiangxue spoke, her eyes landed on Jiang Yan. Suddenly shy, she nudged Su Jiasui in the waist with a finger. “Who’s that? Aren’t you going to introduce me?”

“Hmph, none of your business! Ji Jing, take Xiao Jiang to the office. I’ve got something to say to Cheng Zi.”

“Got it.”

As Su Jiasui pulled her away, Cheng Xiangxue twisted around and waved to Ji Jing. “Bye, Jing-ge!”

Just like Su Jiahe didn’t like Ji Jing, Ji Jing wasn’t exactly fond of Cheng Xiangxue either. He gave her a half-hearted nod and said to Jiang Yan, “Come on, I’ll take you to the office.”

“Thanks.”

Jiang Yan wore jeans that had faded from too many washes, canvas shoes, and a cotton T-shirt that had lost its shape. He was clean and neat, but that unembellished, almost rustic aura felt oddly out of place on campus—especially standing next to the always-glowing Ji Jing.

All along the way, countless eyes quietly sized the two of them up, secretly guessing their relationship. But no one stepped forward to ask. Without Su Jiasui by his side, Ji Jing wasn’t one for conversation—talking to him usually meant being ignored. No one wanted to embarrass themselves trying to be friendly and getting the cold shoulder in return.

Chen Xu was the exception. He had been Ji Jing’s classmate and neighbor since junior high. His parents were divorced and remarried, leaving him to live with his grandmother. A textbook case of “not lacking money, just love.” He and Ji Jing were kindred spirits in their own way, and quickly became close friends.

“Xiao Jing.” Just like Ji Jing wasn’t too fond of Cheng Xiangxue, Chen Xu… no, Chen Xu outright hated Su Jiasui. “I just saw Su Jiasui sneaking off toward the broadcasting room with that one guy. It’s only the first day of school, and she’s already up to—hey? Who’s this?”

“Jiang Yan,” Ji Jing paused and said, “Su-jie’s relative. Just transferred here. I need to take him to the office.”

“Tsk tsk, you’re really playing the part of the dutiful live-in son-in-law, huh?” Chen Xu, ever the extrovert, slung an arm around Jiang Yan’s shoulders. “Hi, I’m Chen Xu. I’ll take you to the office. Hey, better change into your school uniform quickly—Old Zhao’s doing a full sweep today. He’s basically your dad’s hatchet man.”

Ji Jing usually had no problem going against Ji Hanhua, but making trouble now would only piss off Su Jiasui. If she really ran off to Ji Hanhua’s company with a sack over her shoulder, things could get messy. “Yeah. See you in class.”

Chen Xu walked off with his arm still around Jiang Yan and only then asked, “So what kind of relative are you to Su Jiasui?”

“Not really a relative. My aunt works for Uncle Su.”

“Oh, that makes sense. So you got into Hai High through Su-zong’s connections?”

“I transferred in through normal channels.”

“Nice. I like you already. An upright and honest young man.” Chen Xu withdrew his arm and grinned. “Here we are—the office.”

Just as he finished speaking, the office door opened from the inside, and Chen Xu’s eyes lit up.

A girl stood there in a crisp white dress, her jet-black hair braided into a thick plait. Delicate brows, bright, dewy eyes, and when she smiled—two beautiful dimples. She was pure and lovely, radiating an aura of innocence, like a first love come to life.

“Wow…”

“Wow my ass. What are you doing here?”

“Uh… bringing in the transfer student.”

“He’s been delivered. Now disappear.”

The homeroom teacher of the senior rocket class wielded absolute authority in this school. Even Chen Xu didn’t dare act out. He slipped away like lightning.

Back in the classroom, he immediately delivered the latest intelligence to the boys: “We’ve got an eight-out-of-ten beauty! She’s in the office right now! I just caught a glimpse, and Old Li was guarding her like a fortress—pretty sure she’s joining our class!”

“No way? I heard the transfer student was a guy.”

“I saw her with my own eyes! White dress, braided hair, eyes like a freaking deer.” Noticing Ji Jing quietly playing on his phone nearby, Chen Xu nudged him. “Got any inside info?”

“Nope.” Ji Jing frowned, fingers flying across the keyboard.

Chen Xu didn’t even need to look to know who he was texting. “You—you’re messaging Su Jiasui, aren’t you?”

Ji Jing’s expression relaxed slightly, but he didn’t look up. “Mm. I heard you.”

“…Man. You’re really destined to be a live-in son-in-law.” Chen Xu leaned on one hand, sighing dramatically. “Back when we met, Ji Jing was still a big deal. Now look at you—like her damn grandson.”

“We’ve only known each other for a few years.”

“Ungrateful traitor! Tossed me aside the moment you saw a pretty face!”

Ji Jing suddenly looked up, put his phone away, and stared seriously at Chen Xu. “So Su-jie counts as ‘pretty’? You’re admitting she’s good-looking?”

Chen Xu hadn’t noticed how quiet the room had gotten. He went on unbothered, “Eh, she’s alright. On a scale of ten, maybe a six. Don’t you think she’s got kind of bunny teeth? Those big chompers—makes me want to feed her a carrot every time she smiles.”

“…”

“Ji Jing, I swear to God, if she’s standing right behind me—”

Su Jiasui locked an arm around Chen Xu’s neck and whispered darkly into his ear, “If you’re gonna badmouth people behind their backs, you’d better be ready for the consequences.”

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Author’s Note:

Since this story leans toward a slice-of-life vibe, the pacing will be a bit slower. In the next chapter, Su-jie finds out she’s inside a novel. The breakup happens in Chapter 22, and everything after that is pure fun~ hehe