Chapter 36: The Inaugural Class Meeting

After two days of new student registration, on August 15th, Class 5 of the first year at Nanli Affiliated High School held its first class meeting.

The class meeting was held in a designated classroom, with the class monitor having notified all students through various channels. Ten minutes before the meeting was scheduled to begin, approximately forty students, all clad in their pristine new uniforms, waited in quiet anticipation.

Since no seating arrangements had been made yet, everyone simply chose an available spot. Lin Duo, preferring to keep a low profile, selected a table in the back row, and Shen Jing’an naturally settled beside her.

The homeroom teacher, a slightly plump man appearing to be in his early thirties, entered the classroom precisely on time. He first wrote ‘Lu Yusheng’ on the blackboard, then began his self-introduction.

“Hello, students. My name is Lu Yusheng, and you can call me Teacher Lu. I will be your homeroom teacher and mathematics teacher for the next three years. I hope that our relationship will extend beyond that of teacher and student, becoming more like friends in life.”

A smattering of applause rose from the students below.

Immediately, Lu Yusheng produced an official document. “I have reviewed your records, and you are all truly outstanding,” he announced.

“However, to better maintain class order and organize affairs for now, I have provisionally appointed a group of class committee members. After a month, once you’ve all had a chance to get to know each other, I will hold a fair and impartial election for the class committee. Now, those whose names I call, please come forward.”

The first name called, naturally, was for the class monitor: a refined-looking boy with thick glasses. As instructed by the homeroom teacher, he wrote his position and name on the blackboard, then offered a brief self-introduction.

“Hello everyone, my name is Wen Jiagan. I was quite surprised to be provisionally appointed as class monitor by Teacher Lu, and I simply wish to serve my classmates to the best of my abilities!”

Next to be named was the vice-monitor, Fu Xueqin, a remarkably tall girl. Given that most students here were boarders, and inter-dormitory visits between genders were inconvenient, a female monitor was essential for relaying communications.

Following her was the Youth League Branch Secretary, a slightly shorter, somewhat bookish boy. Yet, when he spoke, he exuded a natural leadership presence, as if he had been the student council president in middle school. His name was Guo Zitao.

Then came the Sports Committee member, who, to Lin Duo’s surprise, was none other than Cai Jingyao, whom she had met before. His tall stature and handsome features caused a small stir among the girls in the audience.

Next was the Academic Committee member, a very refined, medium-built boy named Sun Shida.

Soon, seven class committee members stood ready on the stage, with only the final position, the Arts and Culture Committee member, remaining. Homeroom teacher Lu Yusheng read the name from his prepared list: “Lin Duo, please come up to the stage.”

Lin Duo had never imagined that she, who had always been completely unassociated with arts and culture and possessed no particular talents, would be appointed as the Arts and Culture Committee member. She had no idea what her homeroom teacher was thinking.

However, since her name had been called, she could only steel herself and walk onto the stage. She wrote down her name and position, then offered a simple self-introduction: “Hello everyone, my name is Lin Duo. I hope we can all become good friends in the future.”

Compared to her self-introduction when she first entered the third year of middle school a year ago, this one, though identical in content, flowed much more smoothly. A confident smile now graced Lin Duo’s face.

Similarly, the comments from the audience were both friendly and enthusiastic.

“Wow, what a cute girl!”

“Seriously, her skin is super fair, and her legs are so long! Hmm, though she’s a bit of a ‘landing strip’.”

“Small chests are a rare resource, aren’t they? Why don’t you big-chested aliens just go die already!”

“You’re the one who should die! You pedophile!”

…

“Bang, bang, bang!” The homeroom teacher clapped the podium several times, signaling for quiet. “These are the first batch of class committee members I’ve provisionally appointed, but they will be re-elected in a month’s time. All right, you committee members can return to your seats now. I’ll briefly discuss tomorrow’s military training arrangements…”

As the class meeting concluded, students gradually began to leave the classroom. Cai Jingyao, however, walked over to Lin Duo, greeting her with a smile. “Good morning, Arts and Culture Committee member!”

Lin Duo had a favorable impression of this cheerful boy, so she returned a smile. “Good morning, Sports Committee member. Is there something you need?”

Cai Jingyao then pulled out a registration form from his shoulder bag. “Our first-year high school is organizing a girls’ basketball team soon. We’ll be participating in the city-wide high school girls’ basketball league in November. I was wondering if you’d be interested in signing up?”

Lin Duo did not take the form. “Do I look like someone who plays basketball?” she asked.

“You have a point,” he conceded. “Perhaps you could help me ask the other girls in the class?”

As the two chatted their way out of the classroom, Shen Jing’an trailed behind them, a look of resentment on her face. Just then, a boy’s voice called from the side: “Hey, Lin Duo! Over here!”

The one calling out was, naturally, Wang Linshu; his Class 6 had also finished their class meeting. However, when he saw the boy standing so close to Lin Duo, his expression instantly shifted, and he quickly stepped forward. “Lin Duo, who is he?”

Lin Duo quickly introduced the two. “This is Cai Jingyao, our class’s new Sports Committee member. And Cai Jingyao, this is Wang Linshu, my middle school classmate.”

Cai Jingyao extended his hand, a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes playing on his lips. “Hello there, new classmate from Class 6.”

“You too,” Wang Linshu replied, extending his own hand, yet his gaze was filled with a palpable killing intent.

Lin Duo, sensing the unusual atmosphere, blinked in confusion. “What’s wrong? Have you two met before?”

“Heh heh, no, but I feel a certain familiarity,” Cai Jingyao chuckled dryly. “I have something else to ask the homeroom teacher, so I’ll be going now.”

Only after Cai Jingyao had left did Wang Linshu’s expression soften slightly. “Um, Lin Duo, how about we go to the cafeteria together for lunch later?”

“Mmm… I’ve already promised to go with my roommate,” Lin Duo said, shaking her head apologetically. She then turned to Shen Jing’an, who was behind her. “Would you mind if he joined us for lunch?”

Shen Jing’an, recalling that this was the ill-natured boy who enjoyed tossing small bugs into girls’ clothes, quickly shook her head.

Thus, Shen Jing’an became the second person, after Cai Jingyao, to be added to Wang Linshu’s ‘Must-Kill List’.

On the way back to their dorm room, Shen Jing’an couldn’t help but remark sourly, “It’s really nice to be thin, with so many boys doting on you.”

Lin Duo, always rather oblivious in matters of affection, failed to grasp the underlying meaning of the remark. She merely smiled and playfully pinched her friend’s chubby little cheek. “You’re actually very cute just the way you are, like a porcelain doll! I’m sure plenty of boys would adore someone like you!”

“I am perfectly adorable already; it’s just that some boys don’t appreciate good taste!” Shen Jing’an still wore an expression of resentment.

Back in their dorm room, Lin Duo glanced at the alarm clock on her bedside table; it was already past eleven. Following her usual routine, she took out a chewing gum box from her drawer and swallowed a pill with hot water from the kettle.

Shen Jing’an, no longer able to suppress her curiosity, finally asked, “Hey, what is it you take every day?”

“They’re sugar pills. My blood sugar is low, and if I don’t supplement with sugar, I’ll get dizzy,” Lin Duo explained, offering her usual, consistent response.

Unexpectedly, Shen Jing’an’s eyes lit up. “Oh, so they’re sweets! I love sugary treats. Let me have two!”

Seeing Shen Jing’an pick up two pills, about to swallow them, Lin Duo quickly called out, “Hey, do you still want to lose weight?”

Unfortunately, Shen Jing’an was quicker; she had already swallowed the pills. Hearing Lin Duo’s words, a look of regret dawned on her face. “Mmm, I accidentally got greedy again… but these sugar pills are a bit special. They’re sweet, but different from what I’ve had before.”

“Alright, I’ll supervise your diet from now on, so don’t you dare sneak any snacks!”

With that, Lin Duo smoothly retrieved the chewing gum box, thinking to herself, ‘She’s a girl anyway, so eating two shouldn’t have any significant effect, right?’