Yet with the arrival of this transfer student, they had become the subject of jealousy for all the classes on campus.
And who could blame them? Chi Yun had caused a stir just by walking through the gates earlier today. With her face and figure, the boys had quickly dubbed her their goddess, and she had effectively won over 98% of the student body's male population. Most of them had even sneaked close and stealthily taken pictures of her on their phones.
As for the remaining two percent of the boys, they were deduced to be the hardcore fans of the current campus belle, Yao Ran.
Well, as things stand, the holder of this title just might change. Within an hour of being at school, Chi Yun had already scored a lot of popularity votes, and there was talk among the forums about nominating her as the new campus belle.
Naturally, the students for Class 1 joined the fray, clamoring among themselves in anticipation. They wanted to see if this new student was really as beautiful as shown in those clumsy photos, or if the rumors were only exaggerated.
Now, the object of all the commotion glided into the classroom, her hands tucked inside her pockets. Her every movement was delicate and graceful.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Chi Yun." At last, she looked up and faced the class before her.
The class waited with baited breaths, wondering what else she would say, but Chi Yun held her peace.
The silence stretched, and even Lin Mei began to feel uncomfortable, so he quickly smoothed things over and carried on: "Student Chi is still new, so she's probably a little shy. Everyone, please take care of each other."
"Teacher Lin, where shall I sit?" Chi Yun asked, turning to the teacher without caring for her classmates' reactions.
Lin Mei had a stiff expression, her lips pressed into a thin line.
She pointed at the three empty seats at the back of the class. "Sit behind to Lin Xin for now. It's the empty seat on the fifth row from the right."
After that, she immediately sat at the seat where teacher Lin said.
"Chi Yun, why is this name so familiar?"
"I know! Do you remember last week when the trending topic was dominated by a pianist who published her first album that was very popular on the internet a while ago? The artist's name was Chi Yun!"
"Now that you mention it, I remember it too. No way, is she really that Chi Yun who went trending a while ago because of her album?"
"I also heard that Chi Yun is also very good. I heard that she was accepted by Country A's Bachelor of Music. She's the first Chinese student to be admitted."
"But, gosh, she's really gorgeous, isn't she? I can't even look at her directly! I feel like her beauty might blind me."
Teenagers would always be teenagers, and after recovering from their initial shock, they instantly caused an uproar among themselves.
Beside her, Lin Xin calculated different scenarios in her head before deciding on a course of action. "Hello, Chi Yun," she called out gently. "My name is Lin Xin, and I'm a member of the study committee. If you have any difficulties with your subjects, feel free to come to me."
Chi Yun turned to her and narrowed her eyes ever so slightly. "Hello."
Then her gaze drifted to Lin Xin's smile, and her demeanor changed abruptly. "It's nice to meet you. Do you think you can show me around the campus later? I would like to familiarize myself with my new surroundings."
Chi Yun's smile was like a garden blooming around the classroom, drawing color from the rest of the world.
Lin Xin was stunned, despite herself. "Okay, uh, sure, Chi Yun! Why don't—why don't we go to the library during lunch break? I'll take you to the cafeteria afterward, and we can have lunch together, okay?"
Lin Xin turned away and covered her face with her hands. In her mind, she grumbled over and over that Chi Yun wasn't playing fair. Taking a deep breath to calm her thundering heart, she looked ahead and pretended to listen to Lin Mei.
The teacher had already started the class. For today's lecture, she was set to discuss the presence of the element chlorine in various bodies of water.
Lin Mei proceeded with her lessons as usual, just like she would on any other day.
For once, though, none of the kids were talking over her discussion. They were far too busy stealing glances at Chi Yun, their eyes constantly flitting back in her direction.
However, the person in question paid them no mind and kept her attention on the lesson. She kept her languid pose throughout the class, displaying her exquisite face and the smooth, milky skin of her arm. It was like she had cast a spell on the people around her.
Lin Mei was very satisfied with this, though.
She was pleasantly surprised by the class' uncharacteristic calm. Generally, they would be turning the room upside down just a few minutes before the lecture ended. And yet, when the bell finally rang, they were all still firmly in their seats. They were all still staring at Chi Yun, too.
Lin Mei couldn't help but be amazed by the girl's popularity, and on such short notice, to boot. She announced the dismissal of class, then picked up her lesson plan and exited the classroom.
As the day wore on, countless other students came and went to catch a glimpse of Chi Yun. Boys from other classes and year levels stopped by and shamelessly poked their heads into the door just to get a good look at her.
But Chi Yun had long since grown to this kind of scrutiny, and she had no trouble ignoring their stares. She remained seated on her desk, her headphones plugged into her ears, her fingers tapping idly on her phone screen.
She wasn't wearing their school uniform yet, which only set her apart even more. At that moment, she was leaning back against her chair, her legs stretched out before her. She looked rather haughty, but the boys liked it.
Who could resist such an aloof beauty?
...
"Oh, I just had a grand idea! Why don't we make the school forum blow up today?"
"Should we? This newcomer has put Yao Ran's position as campus belle in jeopardy since she arrived at our school. She's so beautiful, I'm afraid to even breathe the same air she does! "One of the boys exaggerated.
"Do you think she would go up against Brother Caishen, then?"
"Oh, forget it! Can't you see how gorgeous she is? I bet Chi Caishen is also going to fall for her at first sight. He's probably going to hand over the throne to her without any fuss."
It didn't take long for a crowd to gather in the hallway outside Class 1.
They fought over a vantage spot at the windows and the doorways, but Chi Yun ignored them all.
She kept her focus on her phone instead. She unlocked the device and realized that someone had sent her several messages.
Fussy Manager: Come into the company on Friday.
Fussy Manager: You have a lot of endorsement proposals.
She found it troublesome to type her responses, so Chi Yun just sent a thumbs-up emoji.
Meanwhile, in Class 2,
Whenever a class period ended, a swarm of boys would usually flock to Yao Ran. Today, however, her admirers have visibly dwindled.
"Is there anything going on at school today? "She couldn't help but ask, "Why is everyone running out of the classroom every break?"
"I heard that a new student was admitted to Class 1," a boy piped up. "Apparently, she's called Chi Yun, and she's very pretty. Everyone is grabbing the chance to take a look at her."
When Yao Ran heard this, her hands balled into fists. A spiteful haze fell over her eyes.
So the school she was referring to was Shize No. 1 High School? Just how bad was her luck? When the show starts, no doubt everyone will compare me to her.
...
At lunch time, Lin Xin accompanied Chi Yun to the library.
She walked into the library, and she was taken aback by the sheer size and magnitude of it. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before, and she felt a sense of awe and wonderment.
The library contained books from across the ages. It had an Old World charm, with rows and rows of books, high ceilings, and a lot of open spaces.
There were wooden walls and exposed brick, and the shelves were made of heavy oak that had been sanded smooth. The floors were wood as well, and the whole feeling of being in the library was cozy and relaxing. It was like stepping back in time to a simpler, more dignified age.