Chapter 44

Teacher Ma wrote the candidate's name, Yu Cong, on the blackboard. Yu Cong's face turned bright red as she said to Chen Wanwan in exasperation, "Wanwan, how could you do this? Don't push me out there. Everyone will definitely think I want to be class monitor."

"Don't you?" Chen Wanwan snorted.

Yu Cong stiffly replied, "Whether I want it or not is my own business!" Why did Chen Wanwan have to meddle? Clearly, Chen Wanwan wanted to be class monitor herself.

"Does anyone else oppose Lin Qiang? Be bold and state your reasons," Teacher Ma kindly encouraged the students.

One after another, students stood up to voice their opinions. Among them were Chen Wanwan's fans, as well as classmates still bitter about being disciplined by Lin Qiang last semester.

Lin Qiang nearly cried. His expression was truly spectacular as he gritted his teeth, stood up, and volunteered, "Teacher Ma, I oppose myself being class monitor too." Being class monitor was thankless hard work, and being targeted by Chen Wanwan would bring endless trouble. Since Chen Wanwan opposed him, he would recommend someone no one could possibly object to.

"I recommend Su Yan as class monitor. He's first in the entire grade, and he's calm and steady. Other than Su Yan, who is qualified to be class monitor?"

Su Yan looked at Lin Qiang blankly, appearing a little foolish.

Liang Kui snickered to himself, thinking Su Yan had been hit too hard and was completely numb. Pushed into the fire pit by his good friend—did he want to vomit blood? Did he want to roar?

Liang Kui pulled out his phone. On the screen was Su Yan—another Su Yan. This person probably would not like being class monitor.

Teacher Ma laughed. "Su Yan is the vice class monitor I selected."

Su Yan froze again, unable to understand what about him made him seem like class monitor material. In his eyes, a class monitor was a nanny, and had to be someone as nagging as Lin Qiang.

Teacher Ma stroked his chin. "How about this? Su Yan can be class monitor, and Lin Qiang can be vice class monitor. Does anyone have any objections?"

"..." The entire class fell silent. They looked at Su Yan, then at Lin Qiang, seemingly unable to voice any objections. Su Yan was first in the entire grade. Though he did not speak much, from another perspective, that meant he was dependable!

"Wouldn't Su Yan be too unsociable?" Chen Wanwan spoke up again.

Teacher Ma smiled. "One reason I chose Su Yan is precisely because he is too solitary. Su Yan is a good student, so I hope he can properly integrate into the class collective. As class monitor, there could be no more suitable role for him. Besides being quiet, Su Yan is beyond reproach."

"Su Yan, I hope you will do your best and become a good class monitor. At the same time, take your studies to an even higher level." Teacher Ma looked at Su Yan expectantly.

"..." Su Yan lowered his hand from his temple, stood up, and said, "I'll do my best."

"Good!"

"Lin Qiang, you must work hard together with Su Yan and help each other."

"I will." Lin Qiang smiled.

Teacher Ma continued announcing the other class officers. Then he read, "Youth League secretary, Chen Yan."

The entire class fell into dead silence, so quiet that even breathing could not be heard.

Su Yan abruptly said, "Congratulations, Chen Yan," breaking the silence.

Chen Yan's mind was still blank, and she reflexively replied, "Thank you."

Teacher Ma's expression was resolute, with a trace of emotion in his face. He said loudly, "Chen Yan is a girl who has worked hard in silence. Her efforts have been rewarded, and she has made great progress in one semester—everyone has seen it. Yet all of you seem to have excluded her from the group. Is that her fault, or yours? You all need to think carefully about it."

"Those who object may raise their hands."

For a long time, no one spoke in the classroom. Should they oppose Chen Yan? What reason could they use?

They had always disliked Chen Yan for one reason: Chen Yan was ugly, dirty, stupid, and gloomy.

But what did any of that have to do with being Youth League secretary?

"I want to ask Chen Yan, do you know every person in our class? Do you know everyone's name?" Chen Wanwan aggressively pointed at Chen Yan.

Everyone in the class looked at Chen Yan, studying her seriously. Then many of them froze for a moment. That girl was Chen Yan?

Who was Chen Yan? She was the dinosaur girl with an old-fashioned hairstyle and old-fashioned clothes, who only knew how to bury herself in books, was slow-witted, never spoke, and was as gloomy as a ghost. Everyone avoided her like the plague. She was a girl treated as a laughingstock.

Rumors had even spread that Chen Yan from Class Two was mentally ill.

Chen Yan actually had very fair skin. With her bangs combed up, revealing a full forehead and regular features, she was not a beauty, but once they looked clearly, Chen Yan was not a dinosaur girl. She was simply an ordinary girl.

Chen Yan had shed her old clothes. Wearing a striking short yellow down jacket, a playful plaid skirt, and cute furry boots, she stood there straight and quietly accepted everyone's gaze.

Teacher Ma watched Chen Yan quietly with a smile. He was waiting to see a person's transformation.

"Chen Yan, I believe in you!" Su Yan wrote in his notebook.

From afar, Lin Qiang winked exaggeratedly at Chen Yan and held up a thumbs-up, silently saying: Keep it up!

Work hard. Keep going.

For so many years, she had silently said those words to herself in her heart countless times. Countless times.