Chapter 1, New School
“Linxue Ge?”
A clear, light voice seemed to drift from far away. The girl called a few times, seeing that the person opposite was still staring straight out the window. Just as she was about to touch his sleeve, he suddenly moved.
The boy turned his head, the sunlight spilling onto his exquisite features, blurring his expression, "What's wrong?"
"I asked you out today because there's something I want to tell you." Bai Chutang gripped the bubble tea in her hand, paused for a few seconds, then slowly said, "I'm moving."
Ji Linxue seemed to have already expected it, his face showing no surprise as he silently watched her.
"You know what happened to my family recently. My parents are gone, and Grandma was diagnosed with uremia... The family's money has been paid out, but it's still not enough. Grandma and I discussed it and decided to sell the family house first."
"Thank you for taking care of me all these years, Linxue Ge. I will always remember your kindness, and that day..." At this point, the girl's voice choked with sobs, "If only I had listened to you and not let Dad drive that day."
Watching the girl's eyes turn red from crying, Ji Linxue tightened the fist at his side, slowly letting out a breath, "It's all in the past."
Yes, it was in the past.
[When Bai Chutang was thirteen, her parents died in a car accident. The accident implicated a little girl crossing the road. Because Bai's family was primarily responsible for the accident, they needed to pay a large sum in compensation to the girl. However, misfortunes never come singly; Bai Grandma was suddenly diagnosed with uremia. To compensate the girl and pay for Grandma's treatment, they had no choice but to sell their old house where they had lived for many years and move to another city.]
A short passage in the book, yet it marked a turning point in the lives of several families.
Ji Linxue took a kraft paper bag from his backpack, placed it on the table, and pushed it towards her, "This is a small token of my regard. Live well from now on."
The girl, who had been crying breathlessly, finally stopped, looking at him blankly, "What is this?"
She opened the bag and glanced inside, instantly recoiling as if burned, "Linxue Ge! Did you steal money from home?"
She had roughly seen it; there were at least twenty thousand!
"Don't worry, use it. This is my own." Ji Linxue wasn't lying; this was the prize money he had won from various competitions over the years. Although this money was just a drop in the bucket for the Bai family's predicament, it was still a token of his goodwill.
"Just take it," Ji Linxue looked at her deeply. "...Things will get better."
Bai Chutang clutched the paper bag in her hand, watching the boy's receding back, and murmured, "Thank you... Linxue Ge, thank you."
Walking out of the bubble tea shop, Ji Linxue slowed his pace. Ahead was a crossroads where the bloodstains had long been washed away by the heavy rain a few days ago. He still remembered the anger he felt when he first heard the news, which gradually turned into calm.
It was expected, yet he was full of unwillingness.
He had arrived in this world three years ago.
He had died accidentally in his previous life, and when he opened his eyes again, he was in a body with the same name as him and looked exactly the same.
This world was very different from his original one, but Ji Linxue didn't think much of it until he met the girl next door who had just returned from school—Bai Chutang.
In his previous life, during a club activity, someone had pulled out a gaudy-covered novel and laughed, saying that the second male lead inside had the same name as him, and the female lead of the book was named Bai Chutang.
In the book, the male lead had immense power and a domineering personality. The female lead was constantly abused physically and mentally, and they only got together after many misunderstandings.
The second male lead, who shared his name, was the female lead's "spare tire." Every time the male and female leads argued, he would be affected, eventually losing his job and dying with open eyes while saving the female lead, his body exposed in the wilderness.
After confirming that this was the so-called "book world," Ji Linxue began to observe everything around Bai Chutang. Everything proceeded exactly as written in the book, without a single deviation.
The car accident more than ten days ago further confirmed this for him.
That day, he not only reminded Bai Chutang to prevent her parents from driving out but also tampered with the car, making it impossible for Bai's father to start the engine. Yet, the car accident still happened.
Bai's father and mother borrowed a car that collided at the crossroads.
However, unlike the original plot, the innocent little girl involved had become a little boy.
This also indirectly proved that the plot could be changed, even if the changes were minimal.
Ji Linxue closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, looking at the bustling street, the thought in his heart gradually solidified.
Not just for Bai Chutang, but also for the parents of this body. They had lived their lives peacefully, only to end up as white-haired parents burying their child. Their only son died, and they were heartbroken, passing away soon after.
He had to change all of this.
The Bai family moved out overnight. When Ji's parents discovered it, the house next door was already empty.
At the dinner table, Ji's mother said with some regret, "Why did such a terrible thing happen to good people? I don't know how Grandma will live with Chutang and Churui from now on. If I had known they were leaving, I should have given them some money..."
Ji's father put his arm around her shoulder and comforted her, "Life and death are destined, and wealth is up to heaven. They have a fortunate appearance; they will definitely get better in the future."
Ji's mother nodded, "I hope so."
As she spoke, she seemed to suddenly remember something, "It's all my fault for being busy lately; I almost forgot about this. Linxue, have you decided on your school choice?"
Ji Linxue had just finished his junior high school entrance exam recently. As he was the top student in the entire city, he had many options. Ji's mother was unsure whether he would choose City No. 1 Middle School or Xinya Middle School.
The boy across the table put down his chopsticks, wiped his lips with a napkin, and said in a clear, cold voice, "I plan to go to Deyin."
"Deyin?" Ji's mother looked up in surprise, her voice full of confusion, "Isn't Deyin in S City?"
Deyin, full name Deyin International Middle School, is a nationally renowned private aristocratic school.
The school covers a vast area, has strong faculty, and complete facilities. Most of the students who attend are wealthy or noble.
However, the school admits a small number of academically excellent students each year; regardless of family background, as long as their grades are good enough, they can enter Deyin tuition-free.
Although Ji's father and mother were not entirely in favor, they knew their son was strong-willed and would not easily change a goal he had set, so they let him go.
The summer vacation passed, and the weather remained hot. Ji Linxue declined his parents' offer to send him off and embarked on the high-speed rail to S City alone.
It was already two in the afternoon when he arrived in S City. There was a subway station near Deyin. Following the crowd to the exit, he was greeted by a cluster of Neo-classical English-style buildings, composed primarily of gray, white, and brick-red, appearing dignified, heavy, steady, and neat.
The school also had a natural lake inside, surrounded by green trees, with beautiful scenery.
Today was the reporting day for first-year high school students. Second-year and third-year students were already attending classes. Many students like him were coming to report, all heading in one direction.
However, after asking for directions, Ji Linxue turned his steps and walked in the opposite direction.
Half an hour later, he stood at the office door, looked at the sign that read "Dean's Office," and gently knocked on the door.
The Dean of Students, surnamed Li, led Ji Linxue out after completing the enrollment procedures, quietly observing this new student,
"You are the only student who skipped a grade this year. The school leaders all have high hopes for you; you must not disappoint everyone's expectations. I'll take you to the classroom now."
Upon reaching the Grade 2 teaching building, Director Li said, "There are ten classes in Grade 2. You can go to Class 6."
Ji Linxue looked up, his eyes clear, "Director, I want to go to Class 1."
Director Li thought he was worried about his grades, "All our classes at Deyin are parallel classes; the teaching quality is similar."
Ji Linxue smiled, "Thank you, Director. I know, but I still want to go to Class 1."
Since there wasn't much difference between Class 1 and Class 6, Director Li agreed, seeing how stubborn he was, but he still felt a little confused. Why did Ji Linxue insist on going to Class 1? Did he know someone there?
Class 1 was full of troublemakers, a gathering place for the young masters and princesses of wealthy families, all with terribly bad tempers that even the teachers couldn't manage.
The school typically placed students from humble backgrounds in Class 6; this was already an unspoken rule within Deyin.
Let's see, he could always change classes later.
The homeroom teacher for Class 1 was a seemingly dull and honest middle-aged man named Chen. Seeing that Ji Linxue still had his suitcase, he said, "You can leave your suitcase in the office. Class is about to start, I'll take you to see the class."
Ji Linxue nodded and followed Teacher Chen, walking through corridors. The sign for Grade 2 Class 1 was close by. Ji Linxue pursed his lips, his hands at his sides slightly sweaty.
He didn't know if his decision was correct, but there was no other path left.
The male lead's family had immense power, with accumulated foundations from generations of ancestors. In his previous life, he was just an ordinary university student.
To start a company and go against the male lead would not only take a long time but also have a very low success rate.
It was better to start from the source, to completely nip the budding melodrama in the bud before anything could happen.
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