The New Transfer Student

Lin Ling returned to the classroom and slumped languidly onto his desk. There was still some time before class began. As a seasoned corporate s*ave, one had to learn the art of strategic slacking. This was a lesson Lin Ling had gleaned from his professional life, a method to at least ease his burden.

His eyelids grew heavier and heavier; he wasn’t sure how much time had passed. Just as Lin Ling was about to drift off, a sharp ‘bang’ echoed, sounding like a teacher rapping on the blackboard.

That single sound jolted the drowsy Lin Ling awake. After glancing around, his gaze settled on the female teacher at the podium.

The teacher’s name was Liang Rumeng, the homeroom teacher of the original protagonist and a Chinese language instructor. Her role in the original novel was not extensive, portraying her as a dedicated and responsible educator.

Fortunately, this book didn’t feature the cliché of a teacher-student romance, so Lin Ling could, for now, lower his guard around her.

‘Why do I feel like I’m on guard against everyone today?’

Rubbing his throbbing temples, Lin Ling truly felt a surge of paranoia. He decided to stop overthinking; the teacher wouldn’t be lecturing anything important at this hour anyway, so he might as well continue to slack off.

Just as Lin Ling settled back down, intending to resume his nap, the female voice from the front of the classroom abruptly interrupted him.

“Class, today we have a new student transferring to Class Three. I believe you all know her.”

With that, Liang Rumeng gestured towards the door. A graceful figure in white understood the cue, walking elegantly step by step to the podium. The white-haired girl cleared her throat, a charming smile gracing her face.

“Hello, everyone. My name is Chen Sishi. I hope you’ll all take good care of me in Class Three.”

The girl’s voice was as warm as spring, yet upon hearing it, Lin Ling felt as though he had plunged into an icy abyss.

A bone-chilling cold shot straight to the crown of his head, making him feel terrifyingly frigid all over. Lin Ling dared not look up, remaining motionless as he lay there, as if afraid that any movement would draw someone’s attention.

Yet, things rarely go as planned. Chen Sishi’s gaze landed precisely on Lin Ling. Upon seeing the boy she had yearned for, a faint, sickly flush suddenly bloomed on Chen Sishi’s cheeks, only to vanish just as quickly.

As Chen Sishi looked at Lin Ling, another gaze was fixed intently on the silver-haired girl.

As if sensing something, Chen Sishi averted her gaze, meeting Qin Ruoxue’s sharp eyes. After a brief, silent confrontation, Qin Ruoxue relented, silently shifting her attention to Lin Ling.

Lin Ling was utterly paralyzed, daring not to move a muscle. He felt his forehead was now entirely covered in sweat. But even as the cold perspiration soaked large patches of the young man’s shirt, he remained as rigid as a block of wood.

After Chen Sishi finished her self-introduction, the classroom erupted into a cacophony of chatter.

“Silence!”

Seeing the situation, Liang Rumeng bellowed, her authoritative and furious voice possessing immense penetrative power. With just one shout, the surroundings fell silent.

But the quiet didn’t last long. The scattered voices, like an unquenchable flame, ignited once more.

“Chen Sishi? Isn’t she a top student from Class One? How did she end up here with us?”

“Maybe she got caught up in the rat race with those overachievers.”

“Hey, hey, hey, Chen Sishi is really beautiful! She’s definitely school beauty material.”

“Give it a rest. I still think our class monitor is prettier.”

“You don’t like white hair? Heretic! You’re a heretic!”

Liang Rumeng, quite exasperated, clutched her head. If this continued, they would surely ruin the class’s atmosphere. She cast an apologetic glance at Chen Sishi beside her, about to say something.

“It’s alright, Teacher.”

Chen Sishi spoke first. Liang Rumeng could only nod helplessly, pointing to the empty desk behind Lin Ling.

“You can sit there for now. I’ll rearrange the seats in a couple of days.”

GazIng at the spot Liang Rumeng indicated, a faint, almost imperceptible, sickly smile played on Chen Sishi’s lips.

“Then… thank you, Teacher.”

Watching the girl gracefully return to her seat, Liang Rumeng sharply rapped on the blackboard.

“Qin Ruoxue, lead them in morning reading.”

Qin Ruoxue, who had been intently staring at Chen Sishi, jumped in surprise. She quickly wiped the hostility from her face, grabbed a Chinese textbook, and walked to the podium.

“Please turn your Chinese textbooks to page 13…”

****

After Lin Ling felt the seat behind him shift, he had the distinct sensation of being targeted by a venomous snake.

The warm summer breeze drifting through the window carried a faint, sweet scent of the girl, but Lin Ling found this aroma profoundly dangerous, as if it held a captivating, seductive allure.

Lin Ling, still motionless with his head on the desk, suddenly felt a poke on his back. It was like a bolt of lightning had struck him, and his heart pounded wildly. His body stiffened in his seat, utterly unable to move.

On this hot summer day, his hands and feet were icy cold. Fine beads of sweat dampened Lin Ling’s back, and then he heard the girl’s voice.

“Lin Ling? What’s wrong? You look really uncomfortable.”

The girl’s voice was very soft, almost impossible to hear amidst the chorus of students reading aloud. But Lin Ling’s seat was directly in front of hers, and he felt as though the sound was echoing right beside his ear.

Instantly, goosebumps erupted all over Lin Ling’s body. He dared not respond, feeling that if he uttered even a single wrong word, he would follow in the original protagonist’s ill-fated footsteps.

“Hey? Moshi moshi? Lin Ling, you seem a little different these past couple of days.”

Hearing this, Lin Ling shot upright. Qin Ruoxue, at the podium, gave Lin Ling a peculiar glance, but seeing nothing amiss, she continued reading the text.

“Ah, haha, is that so?”

Lin Ling wiped the sweat from his forehead, trying his best to speak to the girl in a normal tone.

“I just get the feeling that the current Lin Ling is keeping everyone at a distance.”

Chen Sishi’s words startled Lin Ling.

‘She couldn’t possibly know I’m a transmigrator, could she?’

He knew Chen Sishi was a yandere, and yanderes desired not just physical possession of the one they loved, but spiritual possession as well.

The thought of Chen Sishi’s expression upon realizing he was a transmigrator who had replaced the original Lin Ling sent a chill down his spine. That would definitely be a murderous look, wouldn’t it? Definitely!

He suddenly felt that he would have been better off dying in that car accident. What kind of life was this he was living now?

Forcibly calming himself, Lin Ling managed to conjure a faint smile.

“Is… is that so?”

“Perhaps it’s just my imagination.”

Chen Sishi gazed at Lin Ling’s back with even greater infatuation. She felt her heart quicken incessantly, and an unnatural flush spread across her face.

“Ah, haha, I really like the current Lin Ling. You seem much more mature than before.”

Licking her parched lips, Chen Sishi leaned forward onto her desk, extending her small head as much as possible. As the scent of the young man wafted into her nostrils, the unnatural flush on her face grew increasingly pronounced.