Choosing a Seat

Why had all of them sat down around her?

"Jiang Nian, how's your foot?"

Song Jici turned to Jiang Nian with concern.

"It looked like you twisted it a little this morning. You wouldn't go to the infirmary because you were rushing to the ceremony. Is it any better now?"

Tan Xuguang, sitting in front of her, also turned around to speak to her.

"We're heading out for field training tomorrow. This really isn't a good time to get injured and ask for leave. Even if it doesn't feel serious, you should still go to the infirmary."

The military training for new students at Pluto Academy was slightly different from that at other schools. It consisted of seven days of outdoor training designed to develop the students' all-around abilities.

During the first three days, the students would undertake a field march through a mountain range bordering an army base, hiking from the foot of the mountains to the University Military Training Base. Over the remaining four days, they would take part in standard military exercises, such as shooting.

Naturally, the training came with various targets. Anyone who failed to meet them would lose their eligibility for honors and awards and be required to repeat the new-student field march the following year, until they passed. Anyone who still hadn't passed by their third year of high school would not receive a diploma.

Beyond academic performance, Pluto Academy was also extremely strict about physical education.

Thinking of the seven days of hellish training ahead, she glanced at the top of her foot, which still ached faintly where Fu Zhenzhen had stepped on it, and nodded in despair.

"All right. I'll go to the infirmary this afternoon."

Seeing her look as though she had lost all will to live, Song Jici chuckled.

"Want to come over for dinner today? My mom hasn't seen you in ages either."

"Sure. Sorry for the trouble I'll be putting your mom to today."

The moment Fu Zhenzhen entered the classroom, she saw Jiang Nian chatting happily with the gang of four. And Song Jici was actually sitting beside Jiang Nian!

Why should she get to sit with him?

Fu Zhenzhen bit her lip in jealous resentment. That should have been her seat!

She closed her eyes briefly, then composed her expression and walked over to Song Jici with a look of delighted surprise.

"Ji Ci, what a coincidence! We're actually in the same class!"

Then she greeted Shen Hui and the others one by one as they looked over at her.

As the heir to the Song family, Song Jici would possess immeasurable wealth and power in the future. His three friends-Wen Jincheng, Shen Hui, and Tan Xuguang-were not to be underestimated either.

In that case, they could all become fish in her pond of admirers. As long as she landed even one of them, she would be set for the rest of her life.

At the thought, Fu Zhenzhen's smile grew even sweeter, and she extended an invitation to Song Jici.

"Ji Ci, you're the only person I know here. Could you sit beside me? I'm a little scared all on my own..."

As she spoke, she tugged at the hem of Song Jici's shirt, pleading with him.

"Please? Pretty please?"

Seeing Fu Zhenzhen's pitiful expression, Song Jici felt deeply conflicted.

Emotionally, he was very grateful to this girl who had once saved him.

Even though Jiang Nian's thoughts had revealed that there might be something questionable about the incident, Fu Zhenzhen had, after all, genuinely risked her safety to save him.

Rationally, however, he decided to keep sitting with Jiang Nian for now so he could learn more about the future from her.

"I already promised my mom I'd take good care of Jiang Nian. Sorry."

Fu Zhenzhen was terribly disappointed by Song Jici's answer. She had to settle for the next best thing and take the seat across the aisle from him. At least it was the closest seat available.

They maintained a superficial peace until a girl stepped through the classroom door.

Warm sunlight fell across her face. Her skin was so fair it seemed almost translucent, and her eyes curved as she offered gentle smiles to those she passed. Unlike Jiang Nian's lively cuteness, hers was a different, more delicate beauty-the very picture of a campus goddess.

[Wow, this must be Tong Chuhe, the second female lead. No wonder she's the beauty of the cast. She's so gorgeous, waaah.]

Hearing Jiang Nian's thoughts again, the gang of four perked up with interest. They all looked toward Tong Chuhe, who had just entered, welcoming yet another key figure.

That voice, however, stopped Tong Chuhe in her tracks. She paused to study the people in the classroom, her gaze settling on those prominent figures.

[Aaaaaah! The gorgeous girl looked at me! How could someone this beautiful only be the second female lead? What a criminal waste!]

[What a shame. According to the plot, everyone was supposed to misunderstand and ostracize me, and she'd be the only one willing to sit with me. But now Song Jici is sitting beside me, and the seat next to Fu Zhenzhen is empty. She won't sit with Fu Zhenzhen, will she? Noooo! My gorgeous girl, waaah!]

Jiang Nian was terribly worried. Although missing the chance to sit with the beautiful girl made her a little sad, she was even less willing to see Fu Zhenzhen and Tong Chuhe sitting together.

After hearing Jiang Nian's fervent fangirling, the corners of all four boys' mouths twitched. What a hopeless admirer of pretty faces!

Tong Chuhe, meanwhile, didn't know whether to laugh or cry at all those squeals. Few people praised her looks with such enthusiasm.

She knew who Song Jici was. He was the Song family's heir, after all, and her father had praised him several times.

In that case... was this voice coming from the baby-faced girl with sparkling eyes beside Song Jici?

That girl seemed to be named Jiang Nian. But Jiang Nian hadn't appeared to open her mouth at all.

Tong Chuhe stared at Jiang Nian for quite a while.

[Eek, she's looking at me. I'm shy!]

As that thought crossed her mind, Jiang Nian saw Tong Chuhe's beautiful eyes fixed on her and raised a hand to cover her blushing face.

She really was so gorgeous!

Amused by Jiang Nian's reaction, Tong Chuhe smiled.

She also began to form a suspicion: she seemed to be able to hear this girl's thoughts.

Smiling at Jiang Nian, she glanced around at the empty seats, looking for somewhere to sit. Then she spotted a girl staring at her expressionlessly, with a trace of wariness in her eyes and what seemed to be a hint of disdain.

This girl...

She glanced at the girl's name badge-Fu Zhenzhen.

So this was the Fu Zhenzhen that Jiang Nian had just been shouting she shouldn't sit with? Why couldn't she sit with her? What was so special about Fu Zhenzhen?

Tong Chuhe studied Fu Zhenzhen a little longer, but Jiang Nian misunderstood, thinking she really wanted to become Fu Zhenzhen's deskmate.

[No way, no way. Is the second female lead really going to sit with Fu Zhenzhen? Waaah, my Chuhe! She was only supposed to end up in prison because of the female lead much later in the story. Now that these two are getting close ahead of schedule, will she score herself an early prison stay too?!]

Hearing Jiang Nian's thoughts, Tong Chuhe found them utterly unbelievable. No matter how she looked at it, she couldn't imagine herself going to prison because of Fu Zhenzhen.

[What do I do, what do I do? If I ask Song Jici to move now, will he beat me up? Compared with some stinky, all-hard-edges guy, I really would rather sit with a gorgeous girl.]

Song Jici: What?

Look me in the eye and say that again.

Tong Chuhe glanced at Jiang Nian, who looked so anxious she was practically ready to leap out of her seat, then at Fu Zhenzhen, whose eyes held a hint of wariness.

Screeech-

She pulled out the chair and sat down beside Fu Zhenzhen, giving her a friendly smile.

So you're the female lead?

Let's see what you're made of.