Chapter 4: The Prince
"What are you even doing here?!"
The girl's question was baffling. What else would someone do at school if not study?
"I'm here because—"
"Hmph, what other reason could there be? Clearly, you're here to seduce our Prince!"
"That's right!"
Suddenly, several more girls with hostile expressions gathered around the beautiful girl. Ling Olivia noticed that these girls only appeared after the mention of the so-called Prince.
"I'm sorry, but I don't know any Prince," Ling Olivia replied helplessly.
"Hmph!"
Amidst the snickers, a voice, shrill and dripping with mockery, broke through the crowd.
"My dear ladies, what's going on here? Why are you all gathered together?"
Ling Olivia looked up to see a middle-aged woman hurrying toward them. Her exaggerated tone made her sound like an old matchmaker from a period drama.
"Teacher Zhang, this country bumpkin dared to come into our classroom and even tried to sit next to the Prince!"
"Teacher Zhang, look at her! She's so rustic; she's obviously from the countryside!"
"Exactly! She must've snuck into our school!"
The room erupted with chatter. Even some of the male students joined in to watch the commotion, turning the scene into an uproar.
"Quiet, everyone!"
The middle-aged woman, addressed as Teacher Zhang, raised her voice, and the noise gradually subsided. A few rebellious girls continued to mutter under their breath, but Teacher Zhang merely gave them a resigned glance, as if indulging childish antics.
"The administration has already informed me about this. This student, Ling Olivia, is now a member of Class 3-1. Her assigned seat is right here," Teacher Zhang declared, pointing to the desk in question.
"How is that possible?!"
"Teacher Zhang, the Prince has never interacted with anyone, let alone shared a seat! He'll be furious—furious!"
"That's right, Teacher Zhang! How could you arrange this?"
The classroom exploded in protest again, leaving Ling Olivia feeling overwhelmed by the noise.
It's just a seat. Why are they making such a big deal out of it?
"Whether the Prince gets angry or not is none of your concern. This arrangement was made by the administration. If the Prince has any complaints, he can take it up with them. Now, return to your seats. The opening ceremony is about to begin, and we need to head to the auditorium."
Grumbling under their breath, the students gradually dispersed. Finally, Ling Olivia managed to sit down in the very seat the beautiful girl had fiercely guarded.
As she settled in, Ling Olivia listened to Teacher Zhang's instructions while taking in her surroundings. The classroom carried a faint fragrance, a testament to its opulence.
The floor-to-ceiling pink curtains gave the room a warm and inviting atmosphere. The uniform dark blue chairs and the pristine white desks looked as flawless as white jade.
At the front of the room, a massive touchscreen monitor dominated the space. The teachers relied entirely on high-tech tools for their lessons. Despite sitting at the back of the classroom, Ling Olivia could hear the teacher clearly, thanks to the podium's built-in audio amplification system.
Every desk and chair bore a delicate cherry blossom engraving, adding a subtle touch of elegance to the room.
Shortly after, Teacher Zhang led the class to the grand auditorium for the opening ceremony. As Ling Olivia stepped into the lavishly decorated hall, she couldn't help but marvel at its grandeur.
The ceremony lasted the entire morning, and classes officially began in the afternoon.