"Classmates, excuse me for interrupting your self-study time this morning,"
The class teacher, Pang Shanshan, stood on the podium and politely said, "As we have a new student joining us today, I’ve come specially to introduce them to you. However, he hasn’t arrived yet but should be here soon, I guess."
"A new student, who is it?"
"It must be a transfer student, right? I wonder if it’s a guy or a girl?"
"Eh, could it be that person?"
"Ah! Such a letdown. I was fantasizing it would be a big beauty!"
As the students in the class were discussing, they suddenly saw the academic affairs director leading a new student in.
"Shan Shan, here is the new student!" said the academic affairs director.
"Pfft!" A few students couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
Pang Shanshan’s face turned red, and she felt incredibly awkward. She thought to herself, this academic affairs director really is something - when it’s just us, calling me ’Shan Shan’ isn’t a big deal, but now, in front of these sixty-plus classmates, it could cause misunderstandings, making it seem like I’m some kind of...!
The academic affairs director, apparently oblivious to the situation, turned to Leng Xuan and said, "Leng Xuan, there’s nothing more for me here. You’ll be attending classes in this room from now on. Shan Shan will arrange a seat for you later."
Leng Xuan replied, "Thank you, Director."
With a nod, the academic affairs director then left the room.
Pang Shanshan composed herself and clapped her hands to get attention, then said to the students below, "Classmates, let’s welcome our new student with a round of applause. Also, the new student will come to the podium to introduce himself."
"Clap clap clap clap clap..."
After the applause, Leng Xuan was already standing next to the class teacher. He felt a bit nervous - a nervousness more akin to excitement than the tension of being under gunfire he had experienced before. After all, it had been so many years since he last attended school. However, this excitement was clearly under his control. He smiled faintly and said calmly, "Hello everyone, my name is Leng Xuan, and I’m very pleased to become classmates with all of you in the days to come..."
While Leng Xuan was introducing himself, Li Mengjie deliberately whispered, "Eh, isn’t he the country bumpkin who’s dating Su Yurou?" She controlled her voice well, and under normal circumstances, only four or five people around her would have heard her.
But four or five people were enough. Among these, three girls were only slightly surprised, looking at Leng Xuan with renewed interest like curious babies. The other two boys’ faces changed color; one said, "Student Leng, may I ask you a question?"
The other one blurted out loudly, "I heard you’re dating the school beauty Mengzhu... is that true?"
"What? It’s him?"
"Damn, is this some kind of mistake?"
"He really is a country bumpkin. Su Yurou really has no taste, huh?"
Indeed, it was like throwing a stone into a pond, causing a thousand ripples; the chatter among the students exploded like boiling water.
Though from a distance, Leng Xuan had actually already heard Li Mengjie’s words. He felt a mild surprise and thought to himself, ’I’ve only met Yurou twice. How did it turn into dating?’ Glancing at Li Mengjie, he saw her gloating expression and the provocative look she threw at him. It became clear that the girl was retaliating for what happened last night when he saw her photo, and while he wasn’t particularly bothered, it had tarnished Yurou’s reputation, which annoyed him slightly.