Chapter 15: Class 2, Grade 11; Class 2, Grade 12

She came from such a poor family, yet she seemed so familiar with this brand—could she really be so vain? If that were the case, then losing her uniform, changing into new clothes that didn’t look like cheap knock-offs, and somehow ending up with three thousand yuan… Huang Yan’s thoughts took a sharp turn, his expression growing increasingly unpleasant.

———

With every new school year, the classes changed their rooms. Advancing from the second to the third year of high school was no exception. Yesterday, Sui Yi hadn’t paid her tuition because she was short on money; she had only registered her name before leaving. She honestly didn’t know where her new classroom was, but following the signs, she found it quickly enough.

Class was already in session inside, and it seemed rather quiet. Sui Yi didn’t go in but instead sat on a bench in the corridor outside the classroom. Although the third year was mostly review and there weren’t many new books, carrying a large stack was still exhausting. She placed the pile of freshly issued textbooks beside her, glancing sideways to see the open door of Class 2, Grade 2, where students were listening attentively to the math teacher, Gao Youwei.

There were still about half an hour until the 11:30 dismissal. Sui Yi picked up a book and flipped through it to pass the time. Inside the classroom, the slight commotion came from students interacting with their teachers. This was a pure, ivory-tower world, but one filled with competition—excellence and failure clearly divided, every exam a battlefield.

Even those with the most powerful families felt the pressure to do well in their studies; after all, poor grades were seen as a denial of one’s intelligence. Who wanted to be regarded as a fool?

Time passed quickly as Sui Yi’s fingers slid over page after page, the crisp sound of turning paper cutting through the air like a gentle caress over the weathered face of time—cool to the touch.

“Aren’t you going in?”

Suddenly, a shadow blocked the warm sunlight before Sui Yi. She looked up.

He had a fair face, features almost delicate—almost feminine in their fineness. His skin was good, yet his outline was resolutely masculine, tall with long legs. Now, standing in the sunlight, he bent slightly to look at her, the golden light gilding him from behind.

Sui Yi reached up to brush her hair from her forehead, silent for a moment, trying to recall who he was.

She thought she might have seen him once or twice at the door of a neighboring class—he seemed vaguely familiar.

Since Sui Yi didn’t speak, the boy fell silent too, a hint of frustration in his eyes. Did she really not know him?

“Seriously, you really don’t know who I am?”

“No.”

“….”

She really dared to answer so bluntly! The boy bit his lip, catching a glimpse of the chemistry book in Sui Yi’s hands—she’d already gone through a third of it? He seemed to remember her chemistry grades weren’t great. Was she just flipping through at random, or…?

Before, he would have assumed so, but after what happened yesterday, he didn’t dare underestimate this seemingly harmless girl.

He raised his brows, about to speak—

Before the bell rang for dismissal, the math teacher, Gao Youwei, assigned a few problems, then stepped outside for a breath of fresh air and a cup of tea. He happened to see Sui Yi with the boy.

He was momentarily surprised, then called out, “Sui Yi, why are you sitting out here instead of coming in for class? Get inside!”

“Sorry.” Sui Yi gathered her books, walked past him toward the classroom just as the bell rang.

The boy was taken aback, frowned, and turned toward the door of Class 2.

“You were here earlier?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you come in? Why weren’t you in class?” Gao Youwei’s tone was not pleasant, his face full of anger.

He subconsciously assumed Sui Yi was skipping.

“I didn’t want to disturb you.” Sui Yi’s answer was calm, surprising both teacher and the boy behind him.

It was an unexpected reason, yet somehow reasonable.

Sui Yi slightly lifted the stack of books in her arms. “Sir, may I go in now?”

“Er… go on in.” Truth be told, Sui Yi’s answer left Gao Youwei both frustrated and amused—unable to be angry, though perhaps he should have been grateful for her consideration.

Still… he had to admit it pleased him.

As Sui Yi entered, many eyes followed her, their gazes complex.

It was mainly because Sui Yi was such an odd figure—an outsider in their class: low-key and quiet, with middling grades—not outstanding, but not the worst either. She had an appearance and temperament that made her neither disliked nor easy to befriend.

But missing most of the day’s classes was unusual for her.

“Sui Yi, where did you go? You’ve never missed class before!” someone asked, curious, though clearly expecting no answer.

The truth was, Sui Yi didn’t have many friends in the class. She was unfamiliar with most, and her cold demeanor—along with her poor background—made her a target for gossip. “Aloof” was about the kindest thing people said about her.

“I had something to do.” Sui Yi’s gaze swept the classroom as she hugged her books, realizing every seat was taken. That really was a headache.

Gao Youwei came in, clapping his hands to quiet the students. “Settle down. Sui Yi is here for class. Are all the seats taken?”

“They are… She’s so late, though. I thought she wasn’t coming back to school.”

“Yeah… hey, Sui Yi, did you manage to pay your tuition?”

“Hah, got the tuition in just one day? That’s impressive~~”

The voices chattered like sparrows, the words unfriendly, with a hint of something nastier beneath the surface. The boys, at least, were mostly gawking at Sui Yi’s face, muttering to themselves—they’d always known she was pretty, but who knew she’d look so different in new clothes?

Maybe that was why the girls were so sharp-tongued today.

Sui Yi lowered her eyes and walked straight to the back—there was a seat.

Empty.

Qian Fengling, who sat in front, turned around, arms crossed, brows arched, sneering. “Who said you could sit here?”

Sui Yi looked at her, thinking that everyone seemed particularly hostile today—was it because she’d changed her clothes?

She stared at Qian Fengling a moment, then let go of her books. The heavy stack landed on the desk with a loud thud—sudden but not violent.

Qian Fengling barely managed to pull her hands away in time; her face went pale, anger stuck in her throat, ready to explode, but then Sui Yi pressed her hands down on the books, leaning in slightly, her slender body tilted, her clear, bright eyes fixed with a cold, indifferent light that slid inch by inch over Qian Fengling’s face.

Like a knife, like frost, like icy spring water.

It sent a sudden chill through Qian Fengling’s body.

“Compulsory high school education. The law says so. I’ve paid my fees. I’m here to learn. Even the school should treat me like a customer. There are forty-five seats in this classroom—one of them is mine. Do you have a problem with that, Miss Qian?”

“…” Qian Fengling’s lips trembled, unable to argue—too afraid, perhaps, to try.

After all, Sui Yi had lived in the harsher side of society, always exposed to its dark underbelly. Not to mention, she’d been hunted just last night—the courage and aura she exuded were nothing these sheltered students could match.

But this presence lasted only a moment; in a blink, it was gone. Sui Yi glanced at her coolly, then calmly began stacking her books into the desk drawer, one by one.

Qian Fengling was left speechless. The other students fell quiet too, even those packing up their bags frozen in place—until someone walked into the classroom and approached Sui Yi, pausing in surprise at seeing her.

Sui Yi turned her head, equally surprised.

She truly hadn’t expected the seat beside hers to belong to this person.

Clearly, the other girl was just as taken aback.