Being the center of attention for a group of geniuses—how could anyone not be nervous?
Meng Junzhu nodded. "Next."
Xun Meng hurried back to her seat and discreetly patted her chest.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Ye Song. I’m fifteen years old and from Yunzhou. I don’t have many hobbies, but I enjoy studying magic tricks. How about I perform one for you?"
The boy spoke cheerfully, gently twisting his hand mid-air, and immediately, a rose appeared in his palm.
The whole class turned to look incredulously.
He flicked his hand, and the rose transformed into a silk scarf, fluttering in the air like a drifting cloud.
He covered the scarf with his other hand, and in the blink of an eye, the scarf passed through his fist, and a sparrow emerged in his palm, chirping softly like an unexpected guest.
Gasps of astonishment filled the room.
The boy released the sparrow, which flew around the classroom, circling above the students’ heads.
Suddenly, Zhu Ci felt a cool sensation on his head. Raising his hand doubtfully, he found bird droppings smeared across his palm.
The whole class erupted in laughter.
Gao Yuyue laughed so hard she clutched her stomach, pointing at Zhu Ci: "Out of everyone in class, it just had to be your head! Looks like it’s taken quite a liking to you... ."
Zhu Ci’s expression instantly darkened, his face blacker than coal.
Realizing it had caused trouble, the sparrow quickly flapped its wings and darted out of the open window, soaring toward the distant blue sky.
Ye Song leaned forward with a smile. "Pardon my humble display."
Applause thundered through the classroom. "Amazing, Ye Song! You’re a magic master!"
"If anyone’s interested, I can teach you."
Ye Song was completely at ease, showing no signs of stage fright, which left everyone with a fantastic impression of him.
From start to finish, Meng Junzhu maintained her usual indifferent expression. Some even suspected she might be emotionless—how could someone possibly show no reaction at all?
The subsequent introductions were significantly duller. There wasn’t another "social butterfly" like Ye Song. Most students kept their introductions brief and restrained, hurriedly finishing and stepping down from the podium.
Until Gu Bichen walked onto the stage, prompting everyone to scrutinize him with a mix of complex and wary looks.
"Hello, classmates. My name is Gu Bichen. I like listening to music, exercising, and writing. I hope we can get along well over the next three years."
The tall and graceful boy carried himself with an air of elegance, his movements calm and refined, as if a gentle spring breeze were brushing past, leaving people feeling both comforted and soothed.
A warm and perfect boy—utterly irresistible.
Yet, the more perfect Gu Bichen seemed, the greater the pressure everyone felt.
One Shen You’an was already a headache; now there was another top student? How were they supposed to make it through?
Meng Junzhu adjusted her glasses, a fleeting trace of amusement glimmering in her eyes.
Shen You’an’s introduction was concise and assertive; everyone already knew her. Besides, her previous speech was still fresh in their minds—she had completely captivated the room.
After Shen You’an finished, Meng Junzhu spoke up, "I’d like to remind everyone that the math league is coming up in October. I hope you’ll all actively sign up to participate."
Shen You’an raised an eyebrow—was Mr. Meng deliberately singling her out?
Meng Junzhu indeed had a motive. Shen You’an hadn’t participated in any competitions during middle school, which was a bit of a regret.
However, another perspective argued that competitions were extremely demanding. Some felt that if Shen You’an joined one, it might distract her from her studies and cost her the top spot in academics.
So Shen You’an’s avoidance of competitions wasn’t a regret but rather a wise decision—a calculated trade-off.
No matter her reasons for skipping competitions in the past, in high school, they would hold significant importance. This reminder was essential.
With the league just over a month away, there was no time for leisure, and it felt as if dark clouds loomed over everyone’s heads.
"Alright, everyone. Go have lunch. This afternoon, we’ll elect class representatives. I encourage you all to actively participate."
After Meng Junzhu left, the classroom fell silent for a moment before the students began leaving with their close friends, heading to the cafeteria.
The three grades of the high school were located in separate buildings, far apart from each other. Students naturally chose the cafeteria closest to their respective buildings. Coming into this new environment wasn’t too strange—it felt quite familiar, as high school campuses were similar to middle schools, aside from their larger size.
As Gao Yuyue was about to leave with her companion, she glanced toward Shen You’an.
"Yu’e, what are you looking at?"
Song Xiaojing followed Gao Yuyue’s gaze and saw Shen You’an leaning on her desk, playing with her phone. She couldn’t help but sneer.
"Yu’e, have you seen that forum post digging into Shen You’an’s background? It’s hard to imagine her mother is a simple-minded fool."
Her tone was dripping with disdain.
"And so?" Gao Yuyue shot her a cold glance.
"Does it change the fact that she’s a genius?"
Song Xiaojing faltered. "Yu’e, why are you speaking up for her?"
"I’m just stating the truth. Also, your jealousy is showing—it’s ugly."
With that, she walked away without a backward glance.
Song Xiaojing was left seething but didn’t dare unleash her anger aloud. She glared at Shen You’an and hurried after Gao Yuyue.
Meanwhile, Shen You’an was messaging Qi Baotan.
It started when Qi Baotan sent her a picture of the film crew’s lunch. She was positively thrilled.
[An’an, today we’re having drumsticks! So happy! (image of a twirling dance)]
[Good girl. (image of a patting hand gesture)]
[An’an, have you eaten yet?]
Resting on her left arm, Shen You’an typed with her right hand.
[Not hungry; don’t feel like eating.]
[That won’t do. Meals must be eaten on time. I’ll stop messaging you—go eat now! If I were by your side, I could supervise you.]
At that moment, a notification popped up in her system.
Shen You’an narrowed her eyes, sitting up straight.
Xiao Long: [Rong Xianning has disappeared.]
Shen You’an fixed her gaze on those six words and swiftly typed back.
The other party succinctly recounted the events leading to Rong Xianning’s disappearance, adding that Ding Meng had already reported it to the police, though no leads had surfaced thus far.
Shen You’an suddenly thought of the stray puppy she’d brought home.
Could this really be a coincidence?
Her memories of Rong Xianning from her previous life were vague—she could barely recall any details.
The only impression she retained was the clear and gentle voice from the phone call just a few days ago.
If she heard Rong Xianning’s voice again, she’d certainly recognize it. But the boy she’d taken in was mute.
All these coincidences hadn’t led her to consider that the boy she’d rescued might, in fact, be the future superstar—Rong Xianning, standing at the pinnacle of fame.
[Do you have a photo of him?]
The other party quickly sent over a picture.
In the photo, the boy appeared frail and thin. Though it was only a side profile, Shen You’an immediately recognized him as the pitiful stray puppy from her home.
Talk about a twist of fate—life really knows how to weave its tales and bind people together through sheer coincidence.