Chapter 243: The New Transfer Student

"Thirty-six point five degrees."

Jiang Sinian let out an "Oh-ho" and jumped straight up from the sofa.

"I told you, my body is in tip-top shape, impervious to blades and spears!"

Jiang Siyu rolled her eyes at him.

"Body temperature is normal," Si Rong felt temporarily relieved, "but you two are not to go anywhere for the next two days; stay home and monitor your health."

Late at night, Si Rong leaned against the soft cushion at the head of the bed, her mind weary.

It had been a month and a half.

Jiang Cheng had been gone for a month and a half, and during this time, he had only called back once.

She didn't know how he was doing now.

That night, Si Rong had a dream.

She dreamed that Jiang Cheng was trembling all over as if he were having chills, muttering incessantly.

"Rongrong... Rongrong..."

Si Rong shouted loudly, "Jiang Cheng! I'm here!"

But it was as if Jiang Cheng couldn't hear her at all; a thick fog separated them.

No matter which direction she walked, she could not pass through the fog to find Jiang Cheng.

When she woke up, the sky outside the window was already bright.

Si Rong rubbed her aching temples, a wave of sadness in her heart.

How could she have such a terrible dream?

It was too ominous.

Jiang Cheng's health had always been excellent; he wouldn't even sneeze after taking a cold shower in winter.

He wouldn't catch a virus.

Si Rong kept comforting herself in her heart; she wanted to pick up the water glass on the table to drink, but unexpectedly, the ceramic cup she had used for years suddenly shattered.

Everything seemed to be foreshadowing something ominous.

With Jiang Cheng's return delayed, the house felt as if it were shrouded in a dark cloud; Si Rong was restless, and the New Year passed in a perfunctory and hurried manner.

Before she knew it, the New Year had passed, and soon the two children would be starting school again.

The epidemic was under control, so the school still decided to hold classes in an open space like the woods.

After the New Year, Jiang Sinian and Jiang Siyu were already fifteen years old.

Jiang Sinian's stature resembled Jiang Cheng's, and he was already one meter eighty.

He was a head taller than Si Rong.

This resulted in Si Rong having to tilt her neck back whenever she lectured him.

Tilting her neck had a benefit: it inadvertently cured her mild cervical spondylosis.

The downside was that it made it seem as if Jiang Sinian were looking down at her from a high position, making her appear to lack authority.

So Si Rong came up with a good idea, which was to stand on a stool to lecture her son, finally regaining some face.

After school started, Jiang Siyu also had something to be happy about.

What was most rare was that this time, her happiness was synchronized with her brother's.

Two transfer students had arrived in class.

At first glance, Jiang Siyu felt a sense of familiarity, as if they had once been very close.

It wasn't until the head teacher read out her name—Bai Mo.

Jiang Siyu's thoughts seemed to drift back to that Haidao with this name.

From the time they had memories, they lived on the Haidao, listening to military bugles and living an ordinary life as military dependents.

As the years passed, the tender faces of the friends she played with in childhood slowly became blurred.

But now, they seemed to slowly overlap with the delicate and beautiful young girl in front of her.

Jiang Sinian was stunned for a moment.

"Hey!" his deskmate whistled, "Jiang Sinian, are you dazed from looking at a beauty?"

Jiang Sinian stared at Bai Mo; they hadn't seen each other for many years, but it felt as if not much time had passed.

Jiang Yue's expression looked slightly lonely.

After class, Jiang Siyu ran to Bai Mo's side at the first opportunity, "Bai Mo, are you the Bai Mo from Songshan Dao?"

Bai Mo immediately smiled, her eyes curving into crescent moons, "Yes, Jiang Siyu from Songshan Dao, I am Bai Mo from Songshan Dao."

"Great! That's great!" Jiang Siyu grabbed Bai Mo's hand and couldn't help but jump up, "We can finally play together again."

"Yes."

Bai Mo looked at the thin, tall boy standing behind Jiang Siyu, "Classmate Jiang Sinian, have you forgotten me?"

She had never forgotten this brave boy, this boy who smelled like mushroom and meat filling.

Now he was much taller than her.

"I, I," the usually clever Jiang Sinian didn't know what was wrong with himself; he suddenly started stuttering. He felt nervous when his eyes met Bai Mo's, and he felt nervous when he looked at Bai Mo's mouth.

His gaze simply had nowhere to rest.

"I remember, of course I remember."

After saying this, Jiang Sinian pretended he had something to do and ran off with his deskmate.

"Welcome, Bai Mo." Jiang Yue smiled warmly; seeing a childhood playmate again was always a happy thing.

"Jiang Yue!" Of course, Bai Mo hadn't forgotten this brave girl either, and the two hugged each other.

At this moment, a clear male voice rang out abruptly.

"Uh, as a fellow transfer student, why is my popularity so poor?"

Fu Yang asked strangely, why were there no female classmates hugging him to show their welcome?

The classmates burst into laughter.

"Who told you that you aren't a beauty?"

"Exactly! Our society has already transitioned from the era of 'women hold up half the sky' to the era of 'ladies first,' so brother, stop competing."

"No way," Fu Yang spread his arms, "I want a hug too!"

"What a pervert!" some girls whispered, and Jiang Siyu nodded in agreement; this transfer student named Fu Yang seemed to have something wrong with his brain.

He even wanted a hug?

Did he think he was some kind of hot commodity?

For a boy, it was better to be a bit more gentlemanly.

She couldn't help but think of Lu Fei; that was the image of a modest gentleman in her heart.

With some heat on her cheeks, Jiang Siyu raised her arm to tuck the stray hair behind her ear.

Bai Mo said, "Siyu, this jade bracelet of yours is really beautiful!"

"Yeah, it's crystal clear; is it a Si Family heirloom passed down to you by your mother?" the classmates teased with good intentions.

Jiang Siyu shook her head, "No, it was given to me by a beautiful aunt."

"Then that aunt must be someone rich or noble," a female classmate said with envy, "My mom did give me an heirloom jade bracelet, but its color and luster are far worse than yours."

"Let me see it too!"

"It must be very valuable, because ordinary jade bracelets feel a bit cold when worn on the wrist in winter, but this one feels warm when I touch it."

"Yes, it seems to be this temperature all year round." Jiang Siyu liked it very much, so she wore it most of the time.

Her mother said that people nourish jade, and jade nourishes people; such items have spirituality, and one must wear them often to be in tune with the owner's heart.

She also said that once, a woman was in a car accident, and the jade bracelet she had worn on her wrist for eighteen years shattered, saving the woman's life.

After learning this legend, Jiang Siyu wore the jade bracelet even more often.

Over the years, the center of the jade bracelet seemed to have slowly changed color; a touch of pink in the center of the white jade was exceptionally beautiful.

Just as she was facing the sun to examine the jade bracelet on her wrist, a sudden change occurred.

The transfer student Fu Yang suddenly rushed over and grabbed her wrist, "Where did you get this jade bracelet?"

His strength was immense, and Jiang Siyu was startled by him, subconsciously trying to break free, "What does it have to do with you?"

"I'm asking you, how did this jade bracelet end up in your hands?"

The classmates immediately began to whisper.

"What's going on? Could this jade bracelet have been obtained by Jiang Siyu through some improper means?"

"Could it be stolen?"