Roughly three hundred years ago, a retired Minister of Finance, also a famed scholar, returned to his home in Mountainside City and founded a small school, which later became the precursor of East Hill School as it expanded along the way.
Le Xaan soon reached the classroom. At the front of the classroom stood Nue Suyen, a senior teacher.
Nue Suyen was currently flipping through the class attendance list, seemingly poised to do a roll call at any time.
Le Xaan and a few other students came to the classroom barely in time. When entering it, they first bowed to Nue Suyen and then looked for empty seats to sit down.
The classroom was rectangular-shaped, and roughly twenty students were seated there.
Le Xaan took a seat beside Soan Jingor. After sitting down, he adjusted his clothes and sitting posture properly. Then, he rummaged through the desk drawer to remove the textbooks that he would need for the class.
Some school staff placed the books in the drawers beforehand.
Everyone sat cross-legged on the floor; the desk was actually a short table.
"Duin Refrai." "Here."
"Wein Tao." "Here."
"Chao Pamoo." "Here."
"Ayan Soay." "Here."
Nue Suyen took attendance swiftly, expressionless. And soon, it was Le Xaan's turn.
"Le Xaan." "Here."
"Chao Qingo." "Here."
"Wein Zikua."
"Wein Zikua?"
Nue Suyen appeared puzzled and started scanning the students present with a stern gaze. With his excellent memory capacity, he had long before remembered these students' faces and names. With a sweep of his eyes, he could determine whether Wein Zikua was absent.
"Where is Wein Zikua?" Nue Suyen asked to confirm.
Soan Jingor cast a glance around and was sure of Wein Zikua's absence, bewildered.
"Perhaps he has some urgent businesses to attend to?" Soan Jingor muttered.
Le Xaan did the same and found Wein Zikua nowhere to be seen in the classroom. For some baffling reasons, the image of the eerie pleasure cruiser suddenly flashed in Le Xaan's mind.
"Does he sleep in?"
Le Xaan aired his guess. Upon hearing this, Soan Jingor looked surprised and then showed a meaningful smirk on his face when he thought back to last night.
Le Xaan and Soan Jingor no longer spoke.
Having confirmed Wein Zikua's absence, Nue Suyen coldly harrumphed, picked up a charcoal pencil, and made a mark under Wein Zikua's name.
"Now the class starts. In the last class, we covered the part "Citizens should follow the law to flourish. Businessmen have to be honest when operating to thrive..."
Nue Suyen decided to dismiss this and began to teach his lessons today.
While listening to Nue Suyen's teachings, Le Xaan thought about Wein Zikua. His instincts told him that his classmate's absence might well be relevant to the pleasure ship.
An hour later, the class concluded. Nue Suyen left in a hurry with books in his arms.
Le Xaan and Soan Jingor rose from their seats.
"From the looks of it, Brother Xaan, you are confident in taking the Annual National Examination." Soan Jingor said with a smile, "I could tell that you are attentive while listening to the lessons. Clearly, you have been absorbing the principles and logic of the teacher's lesson. I am expecting that you will have a stellar performance in the Examination! "
"Brother Jingor, I'm flattered, but you hold me in too exalted regard." Le Xaan replied with a smile. He thought the world of Soan Jingor for his generosity and big-heartedness. Even though Soan Jingor's family could counted as the richest among their classmates, Soan Jingor had never looked down upon others. And his most admirable trait was the helpfulness. Whenever others asked Soan Jingor for a helping hand, he would always do them a favor within his capacity.
"Chin Wensy has come. Last night, you took her side and defended her. It looks like she is obsessed with you now. Go ahead and chat with her." Soan Jingor glanced through the classroom's doorway and then playfully winked and pulled faces at Le Xaan.
Le Xaan looked over his shoulder and spotted Chin Wensy at the doorway. She was now dressed in a pure white dress. Her wide sleeves drooped down, concealing something in her hand.
She coiled her long hair into a delicate bun atop her head and fastened it with a white jade hairpin. A strand of hair hung down beside her chest.
Her waist was slender, her legs long, her skin glossy as jade, and her bosom ample. All these made her look like an angel descending into the mortal world, stirring up Le Xaan's heart.
"Who is the girl? Her legs are grossly extended, simply ugly!" A male student who stood to the side grumbled, turning the atmosphere sour.
"Yes. Her legs are too hideous to behold. If not for this, I might have long before started chasing after her."
"She's Chin Wensy. If not for her unsightly legs, with her family's fortune, she would have had a large following of suitors. What a shame..."
"What ugly legs!"
"Yes, you're right!"
"Don't say something like this anymore. It's not her fault with such legs. The shape of her body was prenatally determined. Who would like to have such unattractive body part? We're all schoolmates. Don't you think it is too rude to comment on her like this?" A female student couldn't hold it in and began to persuade those abusive onlookers.
Soon, those students scattered.
While marveling at Chin Wensy's graceful legs, Le Xaan sneered at the words that those unappreciative classmates barked.
"Go ahead. Chin Wensey has dressed herself up for you!" Aware of Le Xaan and Chin Wensy's close relationship, Soan Jingor shoved Le Xaan lightly.
Then, Le Xaan walked over briskly, took hold of Chin Wensy's hand, and walked away with her in the direction of the lecture theater.
Occasionally, the School would invite famous scholars to give speeches to the students at that place. Yet, most of the time, it was deserted, making it a reserved spot for loving couples.
In this world, regardless of gender, everyone had the right to education and the chance to become an official, although gender disparity still existed.
The two of them started running at a light pace and soon came to a small forest near the lecture theater. The place was against the cliff of the mountain, which blocked out the sun's rays, thereby making it a little dim and cold.
Le Xaan paused in his steps and turned to look at Chin Wensy.
"Why come and look for me? Are you fine after what happened last night?"
Chin Wensy chuckled and reached a hand into her sleeve before pulling out a coquettish bright red peony.
"This is for you."
Le Xaan was stunned and took the flower from her. Even though the women here were bolder compared to those in his previous life, Chin Wensy could still be considered a rare type for her proactiveness.
Chin Wensy said with a smile, "Earlier on, my family intended to marry me off to the man we encountered last night. So my elder brother tried to curry favor with him, yet unsuccessfully. He dislikes me so much that he refused to take me even as a concubine."
By then, traces of sadness were visibly hidden in her smile.
"I know that my figure is bad, my legs are too long... It's understandable that he dislikes me. Every time I hear people remark on my legs, I feel distressed and cannot stand their words."
The corner of Le Xaan's lip twitched. He felt that something was wrong with what Chin Wensy said. From his perspective, it's simply too strange for a girl to dislike her enviably long legs.
"But what can I help? My legs are innately lengthy..." Chin Wensy raised her head to look at him, revealing a careworn expression. "I know that perhaps you dislike me too. But I really like you..."