Chapter 39

After a summer of hibernation, the gates of Fu No. 1 High School buzzed with activity once more.

Freshmen entering Grade 1, along with their parents who had come to drop them off for registration, gathered at the school entrance.

Li Luo and his group of five arrived at the school gate.

Ying Chanxi, wearing her school uniform, could enter directly with Ying Zhicheng.

Li Luo, however, pulled out his admission letter, handed it to the guard at the gate for inspection, and then the three of them were allowed to enter.

Inside the gate, a small square lay ahead, its center dominated by a large school emblem sculpture, surrounded by a circular pool.

Beyond the pool and sculpture stood the Grade 1 teaching building.

At this moment, a crowd of students and parents crowded around the notice board at the building's entrance, searching for their child's assigned class.

Li Luo glanced at the scene ahead, took a deep breath, and pushed his way into the crowd.

But he didn't need to scan name by name like the others; once he reached the front row, he glanced once and stepped back out.

"You found it?" Ying Chanxi stared, stunned that he had come and gone so quickly. "How did you do it so fast?"

"Lucky break—I spotted it right away." Li Luo's mind flashed the full class assignment list, then said, "I'm in Class Eight. Seems like there are quite a few familiar names."

As he spoke, a familiar voice suddenly rang out from beside him.

"Xixi? There you are."

Ying Chanxi turned at the sound, and saw Jin Yuting waving happily at her, running over.

"Tingting?" Ying Chanxi blinked in surprise. "You made the cut?"

This year's cutoff score for Fu No. 1 was 510; Jin Yuting had scored only 508, so logically she should have failed—but here she was at the school's registration site.

"Um… about that," Jin Yuting lowered her head shyly, leaning close to Ying Chanxi's ear to whisper, "My dad paid the school-choice fee. I barely got in."

Fu No. 1's school-choice fee wasn't high, but applicants had to meet requirements: not only could their score not fall more than three points below the cutoff, they also needed subject excellence.

For example, Jin Yuting had won first prize in an English competition during junior high, which barely qualified her to pay the fee—otherwise, even money wouldn't open the door.

"So that's how it is," Ying Chanxi said, surprised, then smiled and nodded. "Congratulations. Now we'll still be classmates."

"Mm-hmm," Jin Yuting nodded happily, still feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement on this first day. "I wonder which class I'll be in."

"You're in Class Eight," Li Luo said from beside her. "I saw your name."

"Huh? Really?" Jin Yuting hadn't expected Li Luo to speak to her; she instinctively avoided his gaze, her voice much quieter than during their junior high days before the exam.

"Mm." Li Luo didn't care about past tensions; he nodded. "Shao Heqi and Xu Yinghuan are in Class Eight too. All four of us are together."

"Really?" Ying Chanxi blinked, suddenly envious; she bit her lip, her regret intensifying.

Why did Fu No. 1 even have this school-choice policy?

Annoying.

"I wonder which floor Class Eight is on," Li Luo said, standing at the stairwell and looking up.

"Four classes per floor. Just count down from the fourth floor," Ying Chanxi said. "We're in Class One on the fourth floor. You're in Class Eight on the third. The fifth floor is the teachers' offices. The sixth is for various activity rooms."

"Activity rooms?"

"They're classrooms temporarily used by school clubs," Ying Chanxi explained.

"Whoa, high school actually has clubs?" Li Luo was startled—he'd never heard of such things in his previous life's regular high school.

"Of course," Ying Chanxi thought for a moment. "I know of the Literature Club, Astronomy Club, Art Club, Basketball Club, Ping-Pong Club, and I heard there's even a school band."

"So many clubs—aren't they all just for show?" Li Luo asked suddenly.

"I don't know," Ying Chanxi shook her head. "Just join one and see? Which club interests you?"

"I'm pretty good at gaming. Does the school have an esports club?"

Ying Chanxi rolled her eyes at him: "You're dreaming."

"Enough dawdling. Let's go upstairs," Lin Xiuhong said, having just finished chatting with Jin Yuting's parent. She learned the two girls were junior high classmates and now shared the same class, so she spoke very politely.

After the chat, everyone climbed the stairs toward their respective classrooms.

Ying Chanxi and Ying Zhicheng bid them farewell at the third-floor landing and headed up to Class One on the fourth floor.

Li Luo led his parents to Class Eight on the third floor.

Just before entering the classroom, Lin Xiuhong suddenly grabbed Li Luo's hand, pulled him aside, smiled warmly, and slipped a small box into his chest.

"What's this?" Li Luo stared at the tightly wrapped box, puzzled.

"Just take it. It's your back-to-school gift," Lin Xiuhong instructed. "Don't use it recklessly. Practice restraint. Studies come first."

What did she mean by "don't use it recklessly" and "practice restraint"?

Li Luo glanced down at the box, wondering if his mom had become so liberal.

Was it a Fiji Cup?

Lin Xiuhong gave him no time to think further; after handing him the gift, she led him into Class Eight.

Kong Jun had just finished processing Jin Yuting's registration; when he looked up, he spotted a familiar figure and couldn't help smiling.

Li Luo saw Kong Jun's smile and chuckled wryly, stepping forward to say politely, "Good morning, Teacher Kong. I'm here to register."

"Looks like we're quite fated to meet again," Kong Jun smiled, taking Li Luo's admission letter and tuition payment, then pointing to the student list. "Sign here."

"Teacher, do you know our Li Luo?" Lin Xiuhong asked curiously.

"During the summer, he came to school to play basketball with a student from the advanced class. We met then," Kong Jun chuckled. "Your son's interesting—I like him."

"So that's how it is," Lin Xiuhong breathed a sigh of relief, glad it wasn't trouble Li Luo had caused. She quickly added, "Then please take good care of him, Teacher Kong."

"Of course, Li Luo's mother, rest assured," Kong Jun smiled warmly.

"Since the child is settled, we'll be going now. Goodbye, Teacher," Lin Xiuhong said after exchanging a few more pleasantries, then took her leave.

Kong Jun nodded, pointing to the staircase on the other side of the building: "You can exit through this staircase—it's less crowded, and you'll get a nice view of the school along the way."

After seeing off the parents, Kong Jun smiled at Li Luo: "I noticed you play basketball well. How about becoming the PE representative?"

Hearing this, Li Luo chuckled twice: "Teacher Kong, you're underestimating me. I think I'd be better suited as class monitor."

Kong Jun heard this, but before he could speak, Li Luo heard a soft snicker from below the stage.

He turned his head and spotted a familiar figure.

Shao Heqi, sitting in the front row, noticed Li Luo's gaze and immediately lowered his head, pretending nothing had happened.

Just as Kong Jun was about to speak, a tall, elegant figure suddenly burst into the classroom.

In an instant, she drew the attention of the entire class.

"Teacher," a cool voice sounded beside Li Luo. "I'm Yan Zhusheng. Is this where I register?"