Chapter 5: Wang Qianqian
Ling Olivia soon realized that her classmates were only at school in name, as no one, aside from herself, seemed interested in paying attention to the lessons. The teacher, catching sight of Ling Olivia's focused gaze, appeared genuinely grateful, as if their effort had finally been validated.
If her previous teachers had been faced with such a chaotic classroom, there would have been roars of frustration and a disciplinary stick in hand—though in her small fishing village, teachers rarely used such measures and kept the stick more as a deterrent.
The third period was a self-study session. After yet another futile attempt to concentrate on her English textbook amidst the cacophony, Ling Olivia stood up.
It was too noisy!
Since many of her classmates had already left the classroom to wander about, finding a quiet spot to study didn't seem unreasonable.
Determined, she quietly slipped out through the back door.
However, as soon as she exited, the girl who had called her a "country bumpkin" earlier, Liu Ying, followed closely behind with a group of equally unfriendly girls.
Carrying her English textbook, Ling Olivia wandered around the campus. Eventually, she found herself unexpectedly crossing paths with Liu Ying again. This time, Liu Ying was accompanied by a cute-looking girl, Wang Qianqian.
"Wow, what are you doing, wandering around with an English textbook?"
Wang Qianqian didn't call Ling Olivia by her name, as no teacher had formally introduced her to the class, nor had she had the opportunity to introduce herself. Ling Olivia, however, had already learned many of her classmates' names through their interactions.
Ling Olivia remembered her Chinese teacher's advice: "Remembering someone's name is a sign of respect."
"Hello, Wang Qianqian, I—"
Ling Olivia greeted her politely, but Wang Qianqian rudely cut her off.
"You're looking for a quiet spot to study, aren't you? I know the perfect place!"
Wang Qianqian pointed toward a distant area with her finger.
"That place seems..." It looked a bit far.
Before Ling Olivia could finish her sentence, Wang Qianqian stepped closer, grabbed her hand, and smiled.
"Come on, we'll take you there!"
She glanced at Liu Ying, who had been silent until now. To Ling Olivia's surprise, Liu Ying smiled and nodded repeatedly.
Seeing Liu Ying's smile, an uneasy feeling rose within Ling Olivia. Yet, before she could pinpoint what felt wrong, Wang Qianqian and Liu Ying were already pulling her along.
The campus was vast, and it took them a long time to reach their destination.
The area was a small, secluded meadow. Tiny flowers dotted the lush green grass, while a few tall trees stood proudly in the middle. As the breeze passed, the leaves danced and fell gently, like colorful butterflies in flight.
It was eerily quiet, without a single sound. The shade under the trees seemed like an ideal spot for reading.
"Over there! See that big tree? No one will bother you there!"
Wang Qianqian's voice was filled with urgency. Seeing Ling Olivia hesitate, she impatiently gave her a slight push forward before retreating cautiously.
"Well... thank you," Ling Olivia said, unable to refuse the seemingly kind gesture.
However, Wang Qianqian's expression seemed... strange.
Was it just her imagination?
"Wow, it's really so quiet here!"
The closer Ling Olivia got to the largest tree, the more delighted she became.
This spot was truly serene and secluded. Compared to the noisy campus, it felt like an entirely different world.
"Perfect!"
She reached the enormous tree and happily sat down on the grass, leaning her back against its sturdy trunk.