Ning Song was indifferent to the humiliation on the forum, but Qiao Qiao was angry about it.
Ning Song thought he really was a warm-hearted person.
“You’re not as ugly as they say,” Qiao Qiao said, leaning in closer, startling Ning Song.
Staring at his face, Qiao Qiao said, “You’re very handsome, just too thin.”
Ning Song didn’t dodge, he just smiled, a faint crease forming at the corner of his mouth. He didn’t really care about whether he was considered good-looking or not; he wasn’t interested in dating anyway.
But his current situation was actually a bit dangerous.
Because it was easy for him to become an outsider.
Being too outstanding was dangerous, and being too poor was also dangerous. In any world, any school, someone like him would easily become a target for bullying and isolation.
He had seen that class oppression was even more severe at Easton Boys’ School.
He didn’t want to be played with, but he didn’t want to be bullied either.
For the wealthy and powerful young masters at Easton Boys’ School, classmates were a kind of social resource. Generally speaking, they were unwilling to spend time and energy making friends with special admission students.
There was no need, and it was a waste of time. They were born into two different worlds, and after graduation, they were destined to never have another interaction.
Luckily for him, he had met Qiao Qiao. When he arrived at Class 3, Qiao Qiao voluntarily switched seats with another classmate and sat next to him.
His seat wasn’t in the last row, nor was it in the first. It was in the middle row, near the window, but not completely next to it. About half of his desk was next to the window, so he couldn’t actually see out of it.
It was a very inconspicuous spot.
Qiao Qiao was a good talker and fairly popular. Several of his friends were willing to talk to Ning Song because of Qiao Qiao. They all had one thing in common: they were of average appearance, average height, and would blend into a crowd... and they could talk endlessly.
It felt like half of the novel’s gossip quota was going to be filled by these people.
He was happy to join in. In fact, he was also quite chatty and could easily fulfill the role of a gossipy bystander.
Qiao Qiao’s circle of friends was considered lower-middle class in their class, and both the lower-middle and upper-middle classes were relatively safe.
He wasn’t a naive little boy who didn’t know anything. He had plenty of experience. He was from an orphanage and had a limp, so he had been quite isolated in elementary and middle school, but he had managed to turn things around on his own.
He believed he was very good at dealing with people.
He observed that, as Qiao Qiao had said, Class 3 was overall a peaceful class. He didn’t see any stereotypical villains; at least, no one had openly made things difficult for him. Of course, he couldn’t say for sure what they were saying about him behind his back.
There were roughly three tiers of people in their class. It wasn’t obvious during class, but as soon as the bell rang, there was a clear division into three groups.
One group consisted of the richest and most powerful students in their class. Their parents were either CEOs or government officials. Another group consisted of students from less wealthy families.
Then there was a separate group consisting only of Pu Yu.
In Class 3, he was idolized. He was the kind of top student that teachers loved the most: he had excellent grades, an excellent family background and a handsome face.
In typical school campus novels, this kind of born-to-be male lead would have a bunch of admirers vying for his affection. In a regular high school, there would be a bunch of girls, and in an all-boys school, according to reason, there should be a bunch of boys, especially since there were a lot of gay boys at their school. But no, Pu Yu was always undisturbed.
Ning Song thought it must be because no one dared to approach him.
Pu Yu had a solitary and silent aura that kept people at a distance.
During breaks, he would sit at his desk, writing. Once, when he passed by on his way to the bathroom, Ning Song glanced over and saw a bunch of mathematical formulas.
There were a few boys nearby, staring at him while lying on their desks, their expressions almost morbidly infatuated, as if given the chance, they would devour Pu Yu whole.
Gentlemen’s Gift wasn't a typical high school novel. The characters in this novel possessed an almost obsessive, morbid kind of love and desire.
Stalking, coercion, imprisonment. If you could hear their inner thoughts, they would probably be censored.
After all, they say there’s nothing dirtier than the minds of adolescent boys.
Thankfully, this kind of morbid, fanatical love had nothing to do with him.
Ning Song felt a distinct divide between himself as a protagonist and the supporting characters. They existed in the same world, yet felt like they were from two different ones. It was similar to the saying, "Only good-looking people have youthfulness." The youth of attractive people was different from that of ordinary people, and the worlds of protagonists and supporting characters were different too. It was as if there was an invisible glass pane, and he was currently sitting outside of it, living a normal and safe school life. If he hadn't time-traveled and "awakened," he would probably be like Qiao Qiao and the others, ignorant of certain things. Those obsessive, intense passions had nothing to do with him.
Pu Yu's presence only intensified this feeling.
How pleasant it must be to have someone like him who was the center of everyone's attention.
He declared that Pu Yu was the first man to make him feel safe!
The curriculum at Easton Boys' School was new to Ning Song. In addition to the usual subjects like language, math, physics, and chemistry, there were also science, art, and various elective and practical courses. Classes started at 8:20 AM and ended at 6:30 PM.
At noon, Qiao Qiao took him to familiarize himself with the cafeteria, which was packed with people. He blended into the crowd, and surprisingly, few people recognized him.
The food in the aristocratic school's cafeteria was exceptionally abundant, and most of it was free, included in the tuition.
But he was afraid of an upset stomach and didn't dare eat too much. Qiao Qiao said, "No wonder you're so thin. You should eat more. You have PE class this afternoon!"
Easton Boys' School placed great importance on students' physical fitness, with several PE classes per week.
But he didn't attend the afternoon PE class, because he hadn't chosen his courses yet. He wanted to observe the classes first before making a decision.
Their PE classes weren't divided by class but were mixed for the entire second-year grade. Students could choose which classes they wanted to take.
This aristocratic school's sports and arts facilities were far superior to those of ordinary schools. They had top-notch equipment for everything from golf and rugby to boxing, taekwondo, and fencing.
Ning Song had always been terrible at sports. Basketball, football, rugby, boxing... he couldn't even think about them. With his small frame, he'd be carried out on a stretcher.
So he chose swimming and shooting. He chose swimming because he thought it was a practical skill, and he chose shooting because he simply didn't want to physically compete with others. This suited him better.
Actually, if video gaming was considered a sport, he could have gotten a perfect score!
After choosing his classes, he went to meet the principal.
Initially, he didn't understand why the principal would personally meet with him, but after listening to their hints about Mrs. Pu, he figured it out.
Before leaving, the principal took a photo with him and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "Study hard here. With grades like yours, your future is limitless. If you have any complaints, just talk to your class officers or Mr. Jiang, and don't trouble Mrs. Pu and the others."
Ning Song nodded eagerly, looking very obedient.
After leaving the principal's office, he went to the student union building.
Considering his poor family background, the school had arranged a part-time job for him.
It was more like a disguised subsidy for poor students. They said all the special admissions students at their school had part-time jobs, usually working short shifts in the library or convenience store.
They assigned him to a part-time job at the book bar.
The Easton Boys’ School was huge, and there were many book bars, which were similar to self-study rooms, except they provided coffee and tea. He was assigned to the book bar next to the Second Tower.
He took a look at the book bar where he would be working and found it was full of people.
All the tables outside were occupied, so he figured he would be busy at his part-time job.
Leaving the book bar, he walked towards his classroom. As he passed by Class 4, he saw a boy lying past the back door, covered in his school uniform, seemingly fast asleep. A book stood on his desk, blocking the sunlight and the boy's face, revealing only a tuft of white hair glowing brightly.
So Sheng Yan was in the class next to theirs.
At that moment, the sunlight poured into the classroom, casting a golden glow. Sheng Yan's left hand was illuminated, and the red thread around his wrist caught the eye.
Ning Song returned to Class 3. It was just after class, so some people had already gone to eat.
It was only five o'clock, and he wasn't very hungry, so he planned to eat after the evening study period.
He went to the bathroom, and as soon as he closed the stall door, he heard a few boys running in, laughing and joking.
"I heard there's a new student in Class 3? A special admission student! What's he like?"
“What else could a special admit be like? Didn’t you see the forum?”
“I don’t understand why our school would bring in a rat from the slums.”
“Good grades, I heard he came in with all A’s.”
“Is he good-looking?”
“A bean sprout, not even as tall as Fatty.”
“Just a skeleton, a single fuck would probably break him apart!”
“He’s way too plain. But his voice is pretty good, he must sound great when he screams.”
？？！！
This danmei boys’ school is terrifying!!
“Fuck, you really aren’t picky.”
“Hah, when would it ever be our turn to have the good ones? Besides, we don’t necessarily have to fuck him. Maybe it would be fun to hear him scream when we beat him up.”
Ning Song: "..."
"Having him as a lackey isn't bad either. We can tease him whenever we want. Besides, he doesn't have any real backers."
"Should we find a chance to meet him?"
Outside, there was a burst of laughter and the sound of water. After they all left, Ning Song came out to wash his hands.
He didn't know if these boys were just talking big or were serious.
He had been pretty confident about his appearance, but now he wasn't so sure anymore!
He dried his hands and silently left the bathroom.
He ruffled his hair and no longer stood up so straight, hoping to become invisible.
The setting sun cast a golden glow over the white wattle blossoms. Just as he slumped his shoulders, he heard a familiar male voice ask, "Does your voice sound nice?"
He turned and saw Li You sitting on a half-hidden stone wall behind the flowers, smoking a cigarette and turning to look at him.
"Ah?"
Seeing his stunned face, Li You chuckled, a crease forming at the corner of his lips, as if he were shy.
Ning Song immediately understood what he was saying. His ears turned red at once, and his pale, thin cheeks warmed. He walked away silently.
Having walked a distance, he looked back at Li You and saw him holding a cigarette, smiling maliciously behind the smoke.
It was a teasing smile.
But it wasn't the kind of tease that gave special attention; it was more like he had met a kitten or puppy on the road and was teasing it casually.
You bully, just wait until the day your sweetheart tortures you so badly that you cry your heart out!
A gust of wind blew, and the sweet fragrance was dizzying.
Li You hated the white wattle in Easton Boys' School. The scent gave him a headache.
The setting sun shone brightly on the path, and the pavement gleamed blindingly. Ning Song's thin figure almost melted into it.
Li You hadn't really paid attention to whether or not his voice sounded nice.
But he couldn't forget the feeling Ning Song left in his hands for a long time. The other boy was as thin as a skeleton, but his lightness left him flustered.
Ning Song hadn’t even reached the classroom door when he saw Qiao Qiao coming back from lunch.
“I brought you a cup of milk tea!” Qiao Qiao called out.
“Thanks,” Ning Song replied, trying to get used to Qiao Qiao’s easy familiarity. Qiao Qiao looked towards the end of the path and asked, “Did you just talk to Li You?”
“No.” Ning Song didn’t mention what happened in the dorm.
“Be careful, don’t provoke him, and don’t offend him,” Qiao Qiao said.
After entering the classroom, Qiao Qiao, taking advantage of the fact that there weren’t many people around, began to introduce him to the two major “evil forces” in their school.
One was led by Li You from Class 7 of the second year, and the other by Qin Yi from Class 1 of the third year.
The reason there were two separate groups of troublemakers was mainly due to their different backgrounds.
Qin Yi came from a complex background, since his family owned Blackdragon Construction, and he was a second-generation rich kid who did whatever he pleased.
As for Li You...
“Li You is also a special admission student,” Qiao Qiao said.
This immediately caught Ning Song's interest.
“But he’s different from you,” Qiao Qiao continued. “He got in through a sports admission for boxing. He’s one of the first students in our school to know boxing. He used to fight in underground boxing matches and became pretty famous. When our school started a new boxing program, they recruited him. Before Li You came, Qin Yi was the biggest bully, always messing with people, especially the special admission students, because the principal favored him. But once Li You arrived, he was so good at fighting that no one dared to mess with him. Over time, a bunch of people started following him. But he’s not a good guy either. He’s got a lot of connections with gangsters outside of school. Rumor has it that he goes to the underground city every weekend!”
Ning Song smiled. He suddenly saw Pu Yu enter, with his handsome face.
To be fair, Pu Yu wasn’t the kind of aloof young master who made people too afraid to speak. It was just that he was so quiet that people were unconsciously afraid to disturb him.
Ning Song silently chewed on his straw, sipping his milk tea. It was hawthorn and strawberry flavored, but it was too sweet.
“You’re too skinny, A-Ning,” Qiao Qiao said. “I asked for extra sugar just for you!”
There were only the three of them in the classroom, and the voices from the corridor made the classroom seem even quieter.
With Pu Yu present, even the talkative Qiao Qiao dared not speak too loudly.
Ning Song picked up a pen and began to sketch a new map.
Blackrose Campus, the game he made in the other world, was much more complex than the current online version, but his memory was limited, so he had only restored about 70-80% of it. That's why he was constantly patching and adding maps. Easton Boys' School gave him a lot of new inspiration.
He didn't plan on letting anyone find out that he was developing a game. He wanted to keep a low profile for now, until the novelty of being a transfer student wore off. And he still didn't know how to tell his new parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ning, about his programming and design skills.
Maybe in a few months, he would just say he learned these skills at Easton Boys’ School.
He scribbled in his notebook, and Qiao Qiao leaned over to take a look. Seeing his drawings that looked more like black scratches, Qiao Qiao's eyes filled with sympathy.
He probably thought Ning Song was a poor boy who was trying hard to climb up the social ladder, but was failing miserably at learning things like music, chess, and painting.
And this poor boy was so thin and frail, looking quite pitiful.
Qiao Qiao seemed to suddenly remember something and said, “By the way, do you know there’s a special newcomer’s meeting for you tonight?”
“A newcomer’s meeting?”
“Easton has a system going straight from elementary to high school, so almost everyone has been here since elementary school. If someone transfers in, we’ll have a small welcome party. It’s been a tradition for many years now, and Qin Yi’s group is organizing this one.”
As he said this, Qiao Qiao hesitated. “Don’t worry, nothing will happen to you. Actually, it can be quite fun sometimes.”
Ning Song was worried.
What did he mean by "nothing will happen to you"? Did something happen to someone else?
How come he felt this was quite an ambiguous party?
Why would he be fine?
Was it because he wasn’t handsome enough?
He really couldn’t treat this boys’ school as a normal high school. His mind had fallen in the gutter!
Ning Song sighed again, propping his chin up. The floor was so shiny that the fiery sunset was about to burn up the classroom.
Because Qiao Qiao had told him about the freshman party, he was on edge until the end of the evening study period.
As soon as the study period ended, their class monitor came over to tell him about the welcome party.
“It’s our school’s customary welcome party, so you’d better go,” the monitor said.
As a freshman, of course he didn’t dare to break the rules.
After the study period, he went to the school’s cafeteria for dinner before returning to his dormitory.
There were groves of trees in Easton Boys’ School. It was fine during the day, but as soon as night fell, they brought a damp gloominess, and the fragrance of flowers became deep and mysterious.
Halfway there, he saw a familiar figure. In the darkness, his figure was more like one from a manhua, lean, tall and stunning.
It was Pu Yu.
He was going the same way as him.
Ning Song followed silently behind him. After he passed the square, he suddenly heard someone shout, "Hey, Curly!"
Startled, he turned his head to see several tall and burly boys standing in the shadows of the wattle trees. It seemed they had been waiting for him for a long time.
***
cela’s notes:
Pú Yù is named 濮喻. The first character refers to a county in 河南 Henan Province and the second character means “metaphor.”
43 minutes for 3288 words, or 1.3 minutes for every 100 words. A decrease of 0.9 minutes.
A total of 3 hours and 34 minutes for 10242 words, or 2 minutes for every 100 words. A decrease of 0.5 minutes.
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