C18 18

The classroom fell into a hush. Many eyes drifted toward Ming Qingcheng. There was an unspoken sense that this girl seemed more fitting of the name "Qingcheng." The girl spoke with a detached tone, "I'm Jiang Yining." Han Shuangjiang waited a few seconds for Yining to continue, but when she did not, he simply shrugged. "All right, let's remember to foster good relationships and learn from one another. Now, Ms. Jiang, you can take a seat over..." His eyes scanned the classroom, searching for an open spot for her, but then someone raised their hand. Han Shuangjiang paused. "Class president, what's the issue?" Zhou Minghai stood up. "Mr. Han, I speak for the entire Major Work Class when I say we reject this 'new student' joining our ranks." Han Shuangjiang tapped his index finger on the podium. "Your reason?" Zhou Minghai shot a quick glance at Jiang Yining, puffed out his chest, and declared, "Our class is the Major Work Class. We can't have someone who bought their way in dragging us down." "Is that all?" Zhou Minghai was taken aback by Han Shuangjiang's response and nodded dumbly. "That's all." "Very well, I respect your viewpoint." Han Shuangjiang tapped the desk and nodded at Zhou Minghai. "Take your seat." Not just Zhou Minghai, but the entire class was perplexed by Han Shuangjiang's reaction. What was he implying? Did he agree with expelling Jiang Yining from the Major Work Class? Han Shuangjiang offered a reassuring smile. "Ms. Jiang's placement test was proctored and graded by me. It was also my decision to place her in the Major Work Class. Rest assured." With that, a peculiar tension filled the room. Hadn't the rumors painted the Ming family's adopted daughter as an uneducated country girl? Could her academic performance actually be strong? The real question was that the placement test was not particularly challenging, and anyone from the Major Work Class could easily score full marks. Did she earn Han Shuangjiang's approval just like that? All eyes were fixed on Jiang Yining's strikingly beautiful face, sparking a flurry of speculation. Was this adopted daughter genuinely talented, or did she captivate Han Shuangjiang with her looks? "Ms. Jiang, please take the seat in the fifth row," Han Shuangjiang said, pointing to an unoccupied chair.

Jiang Yining nodded and made her way to the indicated seat. Just then, another student in the class raised their hand. Han Shuangjiang felt a sudden impulse to facepalm. "Mr. Lyi, what's your question?" A sweet-voiced girl stood up. "Could Ms. Jiang sit next to me? She hasn't received her textbooks yet, and it's not very convenient for her to be surrounded by boys." Ming Qingcheng's grip tightened on the pages of her book. Some of the boys began to tease. "What's inconvenient about it? We can look after our new classmate just fine." "Exactly." "Okay then," Han Shuangjiang said, having not considered the issue. "Ms. Jiang, please take the seat next to Mr. Lyi." Jiang Yining shifted direction and took the vacant seat beside the girl, and the lesson commenced. Ming Qingcheng stole a glance in their direction, a surge of anxiety rising within her. Jiang Yining had actually joined the Major Work Class. What was Han Shuangjiang implying? Had she truly earned her place? Even more alarming was Lyi Beiqing offering her a seat beside him. Lyi Beiqing was Lyi Beiting's younger sister, and Lyi Beiting, along with Third Master Mu, had recently supported Jiang Yining. Ming Qingcheng could not stop her mind from racing. Was it possible, as Ming Chengkang had predicted, that Third Master Mu had taken an interest in that rustic girl? Had Jiang Yining's arrival in the Major Work Class been influenced by Third Master Mu? "Have all the boys in our class gone blind? They actually think that country girl is pretty," Zhao Xuexian, sitting behind Ming Qingcheng, grumbled under her breath, visibly irritated. "And what's with Lyi Beiqing?" Ming Qingcheng turned her head slightly, offering a smile. "There's a quiz coming up when school officially starts. You might want to pay attention to the lecture. You wouldn't want to get scolded by my aunt for slipping grades, would you?" Zhao Xuexian grew even more frustrated. She could not figure out what the deal was with Jiang Yining. The thought of not surpassing a simple country girl was too horrifying for Zhao Xuexian to even contemplate.

​