Chapter 35: The Pure and Unconventional White Lotus

Chapter 35: The Pure and Unconventional White Lotus

On the first day of school at Baichuan No. 1 High School, the entrance was bustling with activity.

Many parents carried luggage, sending their children to the dormitories.

In the past, Ye Changsheng and Ye Changyuan—members of the Ye family—were also part of this group, but this year they could finish breakfast at home and leisurely walk to school.

Although their breakfast was simply buns bought from downstairs, getting an extra half hour of sleep in the morning and washing their faces with hot water was something they couldn't have imagined before.

After escorting Ye Xiaoxiao to the principal's office, Ye Changsheng headed back to his class, leaving Ye Xiaoxiao to enter alone.

"Principal, I am Ye Xiaoxiao, here to report as a new student."

The principal's office was modestly furnished, with bookshelves lining the walls. The principal sat at his desk, with a tall and thin boy standing in front of him.

The boy was well-dressed, clearly from a family with better conditions than the Ye family.

The principal first let Ye Xiaoxiao in, then said to the boy, "Your performance in the recent math competition was excellent. You have a good chance of being recommended for admission. Go back and study hard, and keep your options open."

A clear voice responded, "Thank you, Principal. I will continue to work hard."

Ye Xiaoxiao passed by the boy and got a good look at him.

He was good-looking, with a gentle and upright demeanor. He was clearly a top student.

Moreover, in this era, students who excelled in competitions were highly valued, and with good grades, there was a great hope of being recommended for university.

"So, you are Ye Xiaoxiao," the principal said, pausing briefly. "What made you decide to transfer in your senior year? Your learning progress might be different from ours, but since you previously studied at Beijing No. 3 High School, which has excellent teaching resources, I agreed to let you join the class."

The principal adjusted his glasses, holding Ye Xiaoxiao's documents, and said earnestly, "You will join Class 9. There are only six months left until the college entrance exam. Make the most of it."

"Okay, Principal."

In truth, it didn't matter which class she joined. Ye Xiaoxiao just wanted to retain her student status and take the college entrance exam.

She was confident she could achieve a high score.

Her past struggles had not been for nothing; some knowledge had become muscle memory.

Ye Xiaoxiao didn't yet know what Class 9 of the senior year was like. She left the principal's office and headed towards the teaching building.

The teaching building, with its peeling paint and creaky wooden floors, exuded a sense of history. It had three floors, with the senior year classes on the third floor.

The corridors, classrooms, blackboards... everything was old and carried a sense of the past. Even when Ye Xiaoxiao was in elementary school, teaching was already electronic.

So, upon entering the teaching building, everything felt novel.

As she passed by Class 1 of the senior year, she saw Ye Changsheng.

Ye Changsheng asked, "How did it go? Which class are you in?"

Ye Xiaoxiao replied, "Class 9 of the senior year."

Ye Changsheng frowned. "Why would the principal put you in Class 9? It could really impact your studies."

Ye Xiaoxiao shrugged her shoulders, "I'll go check it out first. If it's too much for me, I'll talk to the principal."

Ye Changsheng nodded in agreement, "Okay, if you have any problems, come find me in Class One or go to Class Five to find Changyuan."

Ye Xiaoxiao said it was fine.

The first day of school was a mess everywhere. The bell rang three times, but the hallway was still noisy.

When Ye Xiaoxiao walked into Class Nine, there was a sudden hush.

Then, whistles and laughter broke out here and there.

"We have a new student in our class!"

"The new student looks nice."

"I wonder where she's from; I haven't seen her before..."

Ye Xiaoxiao looked around the room and actually spotted a familiar face in this class.

The village chief's daughter, Zhang Erni, was sitting in the third row from the back, but the person next to her wasn't from Baichuan Village.

Baichuan Village was very poor, and not every family could afford to send their kids to school.

Moreover, for some children, going to school was a real struggle, and they were very willing to give it up voluntarily.

Zhang Erni saw Ye Xiaoxiao, but she didn't want to acknowledge her presence.

This Ye Xiaoxiao had flirted with her brother, and she hadn't settled the matter yet, so she wasn't willing to help her out of the situation.

Ye Xiaoxiao's awkward moment didn't last long because the teacher showed up soon.

Zhang Xia was the Chinese teacher and homeroom teacher of this class, and the principal had already told her about the new student.

"You must be the new student. Take a seat in the middle of the second row. Everyone else, quiet down. The first period is self-study. Ten boys, go out and get the books."

"Okay, teacher."

Sure enough, there was an empty seat in the middle of the second row, and Ye Xiaoxiao didn't know why no one was sitting there.

But since the teacher arranged it, she had to comply.

The boys in the back row heard about getting the books and all rushed out, more than ten of them.

Ye Xiaoxiao's deskmate was a shy girl. She smiled at her, and the girl shyly lowered her head.

"My name is Ye Xiaoxiao, what's your name?"

The girl spoke haltingly, "I... I... am... Wang... Wang Ying."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "We're deskmates now, please take care of me in the future."

Wang Ying: "Okay... okay."

Just as Wang Ying finished speaking, a paper ball hit her head.

Ye Xiaoxiao looked back, and the person who threw the paper ball was none other than Zhang Erni.

"Zhang Erni, what are you doing!"

Zhang Erni yelled arrogantly, "Nothing, just a slip of my hand. Why are you yelling so loud? Trying to stick up for the little stutterer?"

"The little stutterer, huh?"

Ye Xiaoxiao glanced at her deskmate, Wang Ying, who was practically hiding under the desk, shaking slightly, too scared to say a word.

Ye Xiaoxiao realized that this was a classic case of school bullying.

No matter the era, there are always troublemakers.

Ye Xiaoxiao looked at Zhang Erni, "She has a name, and it's Wang Ying."

Zhang Erni sneered, "What’s the big deal if she has a name? I'll call her little stutterer. Little stutterer, little stutterer, little stutterer! Ha!"

"Zhang Erni, what are you yelling about! The whole class can hear you, you know. If you don’t want to study, don’t bother the rest of us."

Zhang Xia had come back at some point.

Zhang Erni immediately shut up, her face flushed with embarrassment.

After sitting down, she shot Ye Xiaoxiao a venomous glare.

"You just wait!"

Ye Xiaoxiao smiled sweetly, her dimples showing, making her look even more innocent and sweet, but before turning away, she mouthed each word slowly to Zhang Erni.

"I’m waiting for you."

Zhang Erni was seething.

The first day was mostly about registration and getting books, with no actual classes.

During class, the room was barely quiet, but the moment the bell rang, everyone in Class Nine bolted out.

Ye Xiaoxiao absentmindedly flipped through her book.

Her shy deskmate occasionally glanced at her but didn't dare to initiate a conversation.

During this time, Ye Changsheng and Ye Changyuan came to check on her once, and seeing that everything was fine, they were relieved.

As for the other classmates, even though they were very interested in the new student, it was an introverted era, and no one took the initiative to greet her.

The day could have passed pleasantly until an annoying voice rang out.

"Xiao Xiao, you really came to study at No. 1 Middle School. If Erni hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known."

Li Deshu, appearing out of nowhere, stood in front of Ye Xiaoxiao with a deliberate smile.

Zhang Erni stood beside him, fuming, "Deshu, aren't you here to see me? And she bullied me, are you going to help me get revenge?"

Li Deshu's family was wealthy, having already bought a house in the county town, and through connections, they got Li Deshu a job at the factory. It wasn't strange for him to appear here.

Ye Xiaoxiao just didn't expect him to come specifically to greet her.

What's going on... did I take Hao Yanyan's script?

Unfortunately, she didn't like this type of refined scoundrel.

Moreover, this was a scum in human skin.

Ye Xiaoxiao's face was as cold as ice, "What’s it to you?"

Li Deshu forced a smile, "How could it not be my business? After all, we’re from the same village—we’ve gotta look out for each other."

Ye Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow, pointing at Zhang Erni, "Just because we’re from the same village doesn’t mean we have to help each other, does it? Then why did she bully me today?"

Li Deshu immediately put on a stern face and scolded Zhang Erni, "Zhang Erni, it’s one thing for you to be troublesome usually, but to bully classmates at school? If Uncle Rengui (a respected elder in the village) finds out, he’ll definitely beat you."

Zhang Erni, who had never seen such a seemingly innocent and manipulative person before, and hearing Li Deshu’s scolding, ran out of the classroom crying.

"Li Deshu, you’re such a bully! I’m going to tell my mom about you!"