The Gaze of Classmates

Ning Ran’s live stream had a ten-minute warm-up period, so the number of viewers was not small. Among them, those attracted by the mention of Jiang Zhe, especially the students from their own school, made up at least two-thirds of the audience.

After all, Jiang Zhe’s face was famous far and wide, which was why even stolen photos of him were sold at high prices. Now, as Ning Ran sternly educated the students who had bullied Jiang Zhe and decisively threw them out of Fenghua High, it only fueled rumors about a possible relationship between the two.

Suddenly, Fenghua High was swept up in a wave of gossip. While the focus remained on Ning Ran and Jiang Zhe, it also extended to Lin Moshu, the jilted fiancé. Because of this, when Jiang Zhe casually made his way to the classroom after finishing breakfast at the cafeteria, the moment he opened the door, he instantly became the center of attention for all the students. Their unblinking stares were filled with curiosity and gossip.

Among the gazes directed at him, shock was the least of it; envy, pity, and suspicion were more prevalent. Jiang Zhe, of course, had no intention of explaining himself. He maintained his original pace as he lingered at the classroom door, unembarrassed by the stares, his composure as calm as if facing a field of pumpkins.

His beautiful eyes held a sense of tranquility, and his long eyelashes fluttered like fans. He raised a hand to remove the black baseball cap from his head, revealing his soft, messy short hair. The pure black color accentuated his fair skin, and his red lips were so enticing that they begged for a second glance. What a handsome young man!

Simply standing there, he was already a sight to behold, captivating anyone who looked at him. Some even secretly pulled out their phones to take pictures. However, Jiang Zhe didn’t think much of his own attractiveness. He raised a hand to tug at his hair, thinking it was a bit too long and effeminate. When he had the time, he would definitely get a more masculine haircut.

As these thoughts raced through his mind, Jiang Zhe quietly averted his gaze from the classroom. Seeing the students chatting and playing, he realized that the seats were not assigned randomly. Without further hesitation, he found his seat according to his student number. When checking his class schedule, Jiang Zhe didn’t forget to look up his student number, which was now proving useful.

Returning to his high school life in Grade 10, Jiang Zhe didn’t feel overwhelmed. Besides his own excellent academic abilities, the original body’s poor grades meant that no one expected much from him, allowing Jiang Zhe to perform as he pleased. However, Jiang Zhe wasn’t one to slack off. Since he had decided to improve his grades, he had to make a significant impact.

For instance, he aimed to get good grades on the midterm exams, changing the perception of him as a lazy student. ‘Jiang Zhe, are you okay?’

As Jiang Zhe was flipping through the blank pages of a book on his desk, a soft feminine voice suddenly came from the seat in front of him. The tentative inquiry carried a hint of bashfulness, a mix of youthful crush and cautious inquiry. Jiang Zhe raised an eyebrow. He didn’t feel anything was amiss. After watching Ning Ran’s live stream, his mood was excellent, filled with a sense of satisfaction.

Thinking of Ning Ran, that fluffy cat claiming her territory and including him, it was far from the stern declaration of ‘impossible’ she had made yesterday, even offering money to emphasize her point. The contrast was both ridiculous and endearing. Jiang Zhe couldn’t help but smile, his eyes lighting up with amusement. His subtle smile was enough to captivate the girl in the seat in front of him, who was now staring at him in awe, as if she were witnessing a god descending from heaven.

‘Why is Jiang Zhe so handsome!!!’

Even if he was just a pretty face with no real substance, Liu Jinglin felt that she wouldn’t mind. Liu Jinglin’s unabashed stare was met with a nudge from her neighbor, who used her elbow to signal her to come to her senses and not be blinded by his looks.

No matter how handsome Jiang Zhe was, he was already taken by Ning Ran, that proud and privileged girl. Challenging Ning Ran for a man was a sure path to disaster!

Unfortunately, even after being brought back to reality, Liu Jinglin didn’t back down. Instead, her head was spun by his good looks, and despite not receiving a response from Jiang Zhe, she continued, ”You don’t have to be afraid. Ning Ran can’t just cover up everything. I’ll protect you!”

This remark caused her desk mate to roll her eyes, deciding not to intervene further. Liu Jinglin was determined to dig her own grave, and no one could pull her back. Jiang Zhe was a man you couldn’t afford to get involved with; anyone who got close would surely perish. It was better to keep a safe distance and just admire him from afar.

But after Liu Jinglin had spoken, Jiang Zhe’s smile quickly faded. His dark eyes flashed with a hint of mockery as he looked at the young woman in front of him, her features delicate, her expression hopeful. She seemed to be trying to use these words to impress him and gain his favor. Jiang Zhe decided not to remain silent any longer. With a polite smile, he replied, ‘Thank you, but Ning Ran and I are just friends. There’s no bullying or mistreatment involved.’

Unlike Ning Ran’s direct approach, Jiang Zhe had to be more diplomatic. He couldn’t afford to be reckless and damage his reputation further. In his current position, he was at the very bottom of the social hierarchy, with no powerful allies to back him up. He had to be more adaptable and flexible.

This wasn’t the first time Jiang Zhe had shown such wisdom. He knew how to bend with the wind, which was why he had started a small business with just his allowance and grown it into a company that even his family couldn’t ignore. The hard work he put into it was a story for another time. But being adaptable didn’t mean being a pushover; it just meant changing his tactics.

‘Although Ning Ran chased away those troublemakers without expecting anything in return, we’re just close friends,’ Jiang Zhe emphasized ‘for me,’ ‘without expecting anything,’ and ‘close friends,’ making his simple statement seem oddly uncomfortable. After this, Liu Jinglin was left speechless, unable to say anything more. Jiang Zhe was the one directly involved, and he had already clarified that he and Ning Ran were merely friends, not some tyrannical schoolgirl stealing a boy. What else could anyone say?

But Jiang Zhe wasn’t done. He maintained his smile, ‘I hope this student won’t spread rumors so casually in the future. Saying ‘covering everything’ is too extreme. School is a place to learn and grow, and we should all focus on studying to become pillars of society, repaying our country for its nurturing.’

After delivering this serious message, Jiang Zhe turned his attention back to his new textbooks, trying to glean any notes from the blank pages, but to no avail. Liu Jinglin, her eyes red from being scolded by Jiang Zhe, couldn’t bear to look at him anymore. She slumped over her desk in disappointment, feeling that she had made a terrible mistake by letting jealousy of Ning Ran cloud her judgment. A serious student like Jiang Zhe wouldn’t appreciate gossip. She wished she could turn back the clock five minutes and stop herself from speaking so harshly. Even a simple greeting would have been better than leaving Jiang Zhe with such a bad impression of her.