Chapter 52-Part 2

The murmurs from the boys in the neighboring class kept coming, and Shen Zhi’s brows furrowed tighter and tighter. Just as he was about to erupt, the little girl standing under the national flag started reading her speech.

Actually, the script was very official and positive, but when it came out of her mouth, it had a unique, soft, and cute quality.

The boys around were still discussing; even Xia Jiangming smirked and said, “Our Ranran is just too charming. If she steps up a bit more, she’ll be a little goddess for sure.”

Suddenly, Shen Zhi, with a frown on his face, said, “Shut up, all of you.”

His voice wasn’t loud, but almost all the boys around him heard it. For a moment, the noisy lineup actually became silent.

Although Shen Zhi had suddenly gone from being last in the grade to first, nobody dared to treat him like an ordinary, good student.

Under Shen Zhi’s anger, there weren’t many who dared to court trouble.

Moreover, the two classes next door still knew a bit of the inside story; Shen Zhi and Ji Ran sat together. Since ancient times, sitting together, especially when it’s a boy and a girl, was the easiest way to spark some flames.

Moreover, both of them were so good-looking that just looking at each other’s faces could make one feel satisfied.

Although no one dared to speak anymore, they looked at each other, and they could actually see gossip in each other’s eyes.

At this moment, Ji Ran on the platform was finishing reading her speech to the last paragraph. When she said thank you to everyone and bowed to the audience, the entire playground erupted into applause once again.

The homeroom teachers of each class looked at the boys in their classes, who usually stood with poor posture and slouched, clapping their hands vigorously now, and some even whistled.

After the homeroom teachers stepped forward to stop this improper behavior, they couldn’t help but shake their heads.

Sure enough, they were still young; a beautiful girl was truly motivating.

After Ji Ran stepped down from the platform, the morning assembly was not over yet. There was still the headteacher’s report on the rewards and punishments for each class in the past week.

So she folded her speech neatly and put it in her jacket pocket, preparing to return to the classroom by herself.

Who knew that just as she reached the corner, she happened to see several boys from the flag guard standing there, forming a circle, giggling and laughing about something.

As soon as she appeared, one person pushed another boy and whispered, “Quick, quick, she’s here.”

“Go on, what are you afraid of?” Another boy also pushed the short-haired, handsome guy.

As the boys turned around, wearing a smile on his face, he shyly called out, “Senior Ji, hello.”

When the other boys heard him address her as ‘senior,’ they immediately shouted out.

Some were speechless, and some were excited.

After all, during high school, the boundaries between grades were quite clear. Different grades were in different teaching buildings, and they rarely saw each other in ordinary times.

Ji Ran was famous because she was well-known on the internet forum, and she was recognized as the school’s beauty.

The boy said, “My name is Xiao Bo, and I’m a student in Class One of the first year. I heard that you, Senior Ji, are ranked second in the second year…”

When he got to this point, he seemed particularly embarrassed, as if this was his first time striking up a conversation with a girl.

Ji Ran didn’t interrupt him, just listened quietly.

Until Xiao Bo whispered, “Senior, can I study with you?”

The boy’s voice had a hint of extreme shyness, and after he spoke, he even felt too embarrassed to raise his head.

Even Ji Ran was a bit at a loss. If it were a rude person standing in front of her today, blocking her way, Ji Ran would probably ask him to move aside.

But faced with such a shy and gentle boy, Ji Ran felt quite helpless.

Moreover, there was a group of his friends behind him, watching.

So Ji Ran cleared her throat lightly and said in a subdued voice, “Sorry, junior.”

Originally, she wanted to tell him that she already had someone to study with, but she remembered what she had just told Shen Zhi, that they shouldn’t start dating early in high school and should focus on studying.

If she said it out loud, what if one of those kids behind him had loose lips? It would be spread throughout the entire school.

So she just politely declined Xiao Bo.

Xiao Bo probably guessed that he would be rejected, but he still felt a bit at a loss. He whispered, “It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s quite cold outside, Senior, and you’re dressed so lightly. You should go back to the classroom early.”

He stepped aside to let Ji Ran leave.

Just as Ji Ran took a few steps forward, she heard a voice from behind.

“I say, Xiao Bo, why are you so shy? Haven’t you heard of the saying, ‘A valiant woman fears no suitors’? To pursue a beautiful and studious senior like Ji Ran, you have to be persistent.”

“Yeah, why don’t you tell Senior Ji that you’re also ranked second in the grade? You two, both being second in your respective grades, can help each other out and overthrow those who are above you.”

“Yeah, I think that’s a good reason.”

“Think about how popular Mr. Xiao was in the first year. Countless girls secretly admired him. Yet he’s choosing to challenge the highest difficulty.”

“I heard that Senior Ji is really hard to pursue, doesn’t even know where to start.”

A curious boy asked, “Why is that?”

The speaking boy immediately proudly presented his theory. He said, “Think about it, chasing a girl usually involves giving gifts or something, but I heard that Senior Ji comes from a super wealthy family. Can she even appreciate the usual gifts that guys give?”

Xiao Bo felt irritated by their words, pushed past the crowd, and walked away.

Everyone watched him, shaking their heads.

This kid usually wouldn’t spare a glance for the many girls who gathered at the entrance of their guard training room, yet he fell in love at first sight with Ji Ran just now.

This is probably paying off the peach blossom debt owed in the past.

Initially, Ji Ran treated this as a little incident, but little did she know that the next day, after lunch, as she leisurely strolled from outside the school to the classroom with Wen Qianxia.

She saw a letter on her desk.

Wen Qianxia immediately exclaimed, “What’s this?”

Her deskmate responded, “A boy came over just now, asking me where Ji Ran sits. After I told him, he left this.”

“Oh my, Fang Sha, you’re really bold. Helping someone pass a love letter to Ranran. Aren’t you afraid of Boss Shen taking it out on you?” Wen Qianxia made a throat-slitting gesture toward her neck.

Fang Sha frowned and said, “You didn’t see that boy. He’s really tall and handsome. He knocked on my window, and I couldn’t resist…”

“Tsk tsk, forgetting loyalty for looks,” Wen Qianxia said, shaking her head.

But then she immediately whispered, “How handsome was he?”

Fang Sha replied in a low voice, “Just a bit less than Boss Shen, but he’s definitely a handsome guy, especially tall.”

“You’ve got some nerve, daring to compare that guy with our class’s top student. Even if he doesn’t match up to Boss Shen in looks, just the fact that Boss Shen tops the class means he can never catch up.”

Wen Qianxia suddenly reprimanded her firmly.

Ji Ran and Fang Sha stared at her, stunned by her sudden change in attitude.

Until a hand reached out from the side and gently picked up the envelope on Ji Ran’s desk, Ji Ran turned to look at the young man beside her.

He looked down at Ji Ran, smiled lightly, and said, “A love letter.”

His tone was casual, but there was a sudden drop in temperature around him.