Lanya Hall is situated on the shores of Swan Lake, its exterior a circular main structure exuding a strikingly modern, technological aesthetic.
This is a grand hall capable of accommodating two thousand people. With a majestic golden domed ceiling designed in a cosmic style, it offers a breathtaking view as if the vast universe is slowly unfurling before your eyes, leaving you with a humbling sense of insignificance in the face of its boundlessness.
At this moment, the new students were entering the hall in an orderly fashion, sitting down quietly, with very few whispering to each other.
In an inconspicuous corner, Dai Niantong was whispering secretly to her companion, Zheng Jinghan.
"Do you know who’s going to speak on stage as the representative for the new students later?"
Zheng Jinghan replied without hesitation, "Who else could it be besides Shen You’an?"
Dai Niantong curled her lips, "Why does it always have to be her? Apart from excelling at academics, she has nothing else going for her. I think it should be Qin Xiangge. Not only does she consistently rank in the top ten, but she’s also multi-talented. She’s already passed the Grade 10 piano exam, which is at a professional performer’s level. And let’s not forget, she’s the school beauty of Lanya Middle School and represents the Lanya Group’s public image."
At the front row, a girl with an elegantly refined demeanor stood out amongst her peers. Many people were stealing glances at her from the corners of their eyes, but the girl remained completely unaware, maintaining an air of effortless beauty.
Sitting beside her was Gao Yuyue, who was equally matched in both poise and looks. However, Gao Yuyue was typically too arrogant and lacked Qin Xiangge’s approachability. As a result, although both were influential figures, public opinion of Gao Yuyue fell far short of Qin Xiangge’s.
As for Shen You’an, her name was well-known to all, but in person, she was extremely low-key. Coupled with her disadvantaged background, this made her the subject of subtle disdain among these privileged sons and daughters of elites.
Over the years, Shen You’an had consistently outshone them, which left many harboring unspoken resentment. Deep down, they dreamt of the day when they could see her fall from her pedestal.
Next to Gao Yuyue was an empty seat that everyone knew belonged to Shen You’an. She was most likely backstage, preparing for her upcoming speech.
Beside the empty seat was Gu Bichen, whose name had already become well-known just a few days into the school year.
Sitting next to Gu Bichen was a boy wearing gold-rimmed glasses. His long, narrow fox-like eyes were partially obscured by the lenses, and the corners of his lips were perpetually lifted into a gentle smile, giving him the appearance of someone warm and mild-mannered.
This boy was none other than Liu Runxi, who had secured second place in the provincial high school entrance exams this year.
For others, competing with Shen You’an might feel like a futile chase, but for God Liu, the gap was just within reach.
In this year’s entrance exams, the total score difference between him and Shen You’an was merely two points.
In the past, similar situations had occurred. No one could tell whether Shen You’an was simply lucky, or Liu Runxi was simply unlucky, but he always seemed to fall short by one or two points, leaving onlookers to sigh in frustration.
Compared to Gao Yuyue’s vexation, Liu Runxi appeared far more indifferent, seemingly having come to terms with his perennial place as the runner-up.
A young man walked past the front row and sat down beside Qin Xiangge. The two exchanged smiles in greeting.
This scene, falling into the eyes of others, carried all kinds of implications.
Zheng Jinghan’s eyes lit up. "Mr. Jiang! He didn’t even acknowledge Gao Yuyue and only greeted Qin Xiangge. I knew it—he definitely has a special relationship with her."
In the entire school, there were only two people who could be referred to with the honorific "Mr."
One was this Mr. Jiang—Jiang Shengyao, the young master of the Lanya Group. One could say that the entire school essentially belonged to his family.
Despite overseeing such a colossal enterprise, Jiang Shengyao wasn’t the type to squander his privilege lazily. His grades were quite decent—not the top tier, but securely within the top fifty.
To put things in perspective, to rank in the top fifty at Lanya High School was equivalent to being among the crème de la crème at another elite school like Wende.
Zheng Jinghan scanned the room but didn’t spot Young Master Leng.
Leng Yunyang—the young master of the Leng family. The Leng family had made its fortune in real estate, riding the waves of economic progression to become the top-tier family in Qingzhou. Within Leng Yunyang’s own generation, offspring were plentiful, and although the internal competition was fierce, he still remained a standout figure among the second-generation elites.
But then, there was Liu Runxi, who was incredibly low-key. His father happened to be the Governor of the province, a background that should have allowed him to rise above everyone else. Yet, Liu Runxi had never flaunted this advantage or used his position for leverage. In this sense, he had quite a lot in common with Shen You’an.
Still, everyone knew that while Shen You’an might best him in academics, the two were utterly unmatched in other respects.
Leng Yunyang, for instance, was particularly sharp. He was never seen studying, never attended tutoring classes, spent most of his time dating or napping, and yet, when it came time to take exams, he would reliably rank in the top ten. If he were to genuinely apply himself, it was almost terrifying to imagine whether even Shen You’an could hold onto her lead.