"Hello..." Chu Lian was momentarily stunned by the girl's sudden greeting, but she quickly recovered and responded with a faint smile.
"Mm~" Tilting her head as she looked at her, the girl gave a gentle nod. She then walked to her seat, set down her schoolbag, and rested her cheek on one hand while observing the surrounding classmates, seemingly lost in thought.
Chu Lian could hear the rare murmurs of discussion from the students nearby. It seemed this girl was a rather controversial figure.
"I don't really like her. The moment I saw her, I felt an intense dislike for no reason. I don't know why, but dislike is dislike. It doesn't need a reason." The speaker was a delicate-looking boy not far from Chu Lian. He turned his head and spoke to another boy beside him. Though he had lowered his voice, Chu Lian could still hear him clearly, and her brows knit slightly.
"Same here. I thought I was the only one who felt that way, but it turns out you all feel the same. Looks like she really isn't the type people warm up to. Anyway, I don't want to be classmates with her. Too bad we can't just switch classes whenever we want. Otherwise, I'd ask the teacher to transfer me out." The other boy spoke a little louder this time. Not only Chu Lian, but even Cai Ya beside her heard it clearly, and her expression darkened.
"Keep it down." Seeing this, Chu Lian turned around and reminded the two boys expressionlessly.
Her sudden movement startled them. Realizing their gossip had been overheard, they felt guilty and did not dare say anything more. They obediently fell silent.
"Chu Lian, something about this is strange." The girl looked at her with eyes as clear as water, as though she had no memory of what had happened that night. She did not avoid Chu Lian's gaze.
"Mm, I know." Chu Lian understood in her heart that this girl might be quite troublesome. She had noticed that the girls whispering nearby spoke of her with admiration and delight. It even seemed as though she was more popular than Chu Lian herself. Yet the boys' comments were almost entirely instinctive aversion.
If Qu Ningmeng were unattractive or unpleasant, such treatment would not be surprising. But when her appearance was clearly outstanding and her demeanor composed and elegant, yet the reputations among boys and girls were completely opposite, it became rather thought-provoking.
"Don't worry about it. I'm used to it." Perhaps she was fully aware of her own situation. After noticing Chu Lian's reaction, Qu Ningmeng's gaze flickered slightly, signaling that Chu Lian need not interfere.
"Alright." Chu Lian nodded. Whatever the situation, it was ultimately her own matter. She had spoken up only out of courtesy toward a new transfer student. Since the girl did not want her involvement, Chu Lian had neither the time nor the inclination to meddle further.
"By the way, your name is Chu Lian, right?" Qu Ningmeng asked while Chu Lian was flipping through her book.
She did not speak, merely nodding lightly, her attention fully focused on the pages before her.
Right now, what Chu Lian needed to do was keep up with the coursework. Otherwise, failing to answer questions in exams or when called upon by teachers would be utterly embarrassing.
In this regard, as the girl gradually grew stronger, the enhancement of her spiritual sense brought about further development of her brain's potential. Studying was becoming easier and easier for her. But easier did not mean it required no effort.
She knew very well how capable she truly was. Though she had once graduated from university, what she had studied was not in this field. Much of her knowledge consisted of miscellaneous fragments, and performance-related subjects had taken up most of her time.
So she was familiar with many popular novels and literary works, especially those adapted into films, television series, or games. But when it came to academic studies, she was somewhat lacking.
Previously, when she was still in elementary school, no matter how difficult the material was, it could not be overwhelmingly complex. For her, it had not been too challenging. But after entering middle school, much of that academic memory had faded, and she had to relearn everything from the beginning. The pressure had increased considerably.
After transferring to Sudi High School, the amount she needed to learn only grew. Combined with the many matters that constantly entangled her, if she did not study diligently to supplement her knowledge, she might as well forget about succeeding in exams.
She did not want to exchange Culture Points for grades either. That would feel like denying her own effort, even if it might seem foolish.
Of course, doing things this way had its benefits. It ensured that the time she spent at school was used properly, while also allowing her to cultivate genuine knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of this world's history and culture.
Though Chu Lian carried the title of "genius literary girl," only she herself knew the true situation. If she did not wish to betray that reputation, hard work was unavoidable.
"Chu Lian..." Qu Ningmeng softly murmured her name as she watched the girl immersed in her book, then shifted her gaze elsewhere.
The boys were indeed looking at her, but their eyes carried traces of disgust and distance, as though she were something unpleasant. She paid them no mind. Their dislike was inevitable, just as she herself disliked them.
"The overall quality of the students here is unexpectedly high." Her attention focused primarily on the girls. Aside from the Chu sisters, there were Li Xiu'er, Cai Ya, Liu Yanran, Duan Yuan, Lux Lyle, and Ruriko Nana—each a beauty in her own right. Even the other girls beyond them were generally above average. It was practically a gathering of beauties, exactly the sort of place she preferred.
"It seems transferring here was worth it. Although my purpose was to come for her, with so many beautiful girls around, life will surely be full of sunshine. It's just a pity... why must there be those men? Seeing them is enough to make me disgusted." Qu Ningmeng's expression did not change. She silently analyzed the class while contemplating her own matters.
"The way she looks at me... it's strange." Though the girl was adept at hiding herself, Chu Lian was someone equally skilled at concealment.
Except when she was among girls she liked or those close to her, whenever she was not genuinely expressing emotion, no one could tell what thoughts lay beneath her outwardly cute or alluring appearance.
Thus she immediately sensed something amiss. The way Qu Ningmeng looked at her carried a hint of aggression. It was as though she regarded her both as a rival and as someone she wished to obtain.
Perhaps they were of the same kind, and thus could glimpse fragments of each other's thoughts. Their attitudes toward blending into the world differed. The other girl seemed more inclined to isolate herself from it.
Yet regardless, two somewhat similar girls had now truly taken notice of one another. Perhaps their clash had already begun.
Ring ring~ Just as Chu Lian was lost in her own thoughts, the bell signaling the end of morning self-study rang out. Ning Zhiyuan, who had been seated at the podium, gathered her materials. After casting a somewhat worried glance at Qu Ningmeng, she turned and left.
"The principal said she is a very troublesome person. It seems that is indeed the case. I hope you can stay well by Chu Lian's side. With her protecting you, there should be no problem." As a teacher, there was only so much she could intervene in such matters. It would have to be handled by the students themselves.
After she left, the atmosphere in the classroom gradually became lively again. Chu Chu immediately hopped over to Chu Lian, threw her arms around her neck, and exclaimed loudly, "Big Sis, I've come up with a brilliant idea!"
"Hm? What did you think of?" Not only Chu Lian but even Cai Ya beside her turned their attention toward Chu Chu, curious about what she was about to say.
"I was thinking..." Chu Chu did not intend to keep them in suspense. Just as she was about to reveal her idea, a sudden commotion broke out nearby.
"Why can't you transfer to another class? Don't you realize we find you disgusting just by looking at you?" It was the new transfer student again. A circle of boys surrounded her, each wearing expressions of undisguised loathing as they glared at the girl seated among them.
"Why should I leave? It seems I haven't done anything wrong." Unlike the attitude she showed in front of Chu Lian and Ning Zhiyuan, the girl's face was now filled with disdain and a cold sneer. The boys did not like her, and she did not like them either.
"But sitting near you makes me feel restless. I want to get away from you immediately. I don't even want to see your face. Do you know what that feels like?" The one speaking was a sturdily built student. The churning disgust in his heart loosened his tongue, and he did not bother to consider that others were still present.
"I do. It's only slightly less than the disgust I feel toward you. I think you should leave instead. The air is thick with your male adolescent hormones. It's a stench that makes me nauseous the moment I breathe it in." The girl did not back down, as though unaware that she was currently surrounded by five boys.
The incident drew the attention of the entire class. The girls had already stood up and were walking toward her. The other boys, aside from Bai Tiange who remained silent, wore the same expressions as those surrounding her and even moved to block the girls from approaching.
"You!" Perhaps her words had been too vicious, or perhaps the boys' hatred had already reached an uncontrollable level. Her remark was like a fuse, igniting the anger within their hearts. Several of them could no longer restrain themselves and swung their fists at her.
"That's enough!" Chu Lian slapped the desk lightly, her body rising into the air before landing atop Qu Ningmeng's desk. She pulled the stunned girl into her arms and glared at the boys, anger evident in her eyes.
"Ah, Chu Lian..." Her sudden appearance seemed to snap the boys out of their frenzy. Looking at their own raised fists and recalling what had just happened, their faces turned pale in an instant.
Although they felt an inexplicable and intense aversion toward Qu Ningmeng, they had never imagined they would actually strike her. If Chu Lian had not appeared in time to shield the petite and seemingly fragile girl, that punch would have certainly caused harm. At that point, matters would have become truly troublesome.
"We're sorry..." Their apology was, of course, not directed at Qu Ningmeng. In truth, even with Chu Lian present, their disgust toward her had not vanished. They had only regained clarity because of Chu Lian's intervention and no longer dared to act.
"Apologize!" Chu Lian did not relent. She insisted that they apologize to Qu Ningmeng, her tone firm and uncompromising.
"I..." The boys looked at one another, yet none of them had any intention of speaking. They could only fall into silence.
"I saw it. White, you know~" Just as Chu Lian was about to say something more, the petite girl suddenly leaned close to her ear and whispered softly.
Chu Lian's face flushed instantly. Her bright eyes turned toward the girl, utterly bewildered as to what she meant.