Chapter 9

At Shengdon Academy, there was no such thing as an entrance ceremony for new students.

Lower-ranked students weren’t worth higher-ranked students wasting time on a welcome. There were only a few newcomers, anyway, so the older student handling reception took them straight to the principal.

Shengdon Academy was enormous, and the principal’s office was right in the center. They would have to walk there.

Shi Liaoliao noticed a boy beside her frown at this.

“Can’t we drive? I just saw a student go past in a sports car.”

The older student scoffed. “Of course you can. As long as you’re B-rank or above, you can use a tank to get around if you like.”

Someone else couldn’t resist asking, “How do we move up a rank?”

As the person in charge, he still answered the fresh-faced boys’ questions, however poor his attitude.

“Make a significant contribution to the school, or take part in events and competitions. Outstanding results earn points. Check your email later for the exact point values.”

“Everything you need to know about the academy has already been sent to your personal email accounts.”

Shi Liaoliao heard the boy beside her whisper to another, “‘Significant contribution’ just means how many buildings you’ve donated or how much money you’ve given the school. The board members’ sons started out at A-rank the moment they enrolled.”

Wanwan: [Oh my God, that sounds terrifying. Is this one of those legendary aristocratic schools?]

Shi Liaoliao nodded. [Yes. That’s Shengdon Academy for you.]

She’d done her research before coming.

Fortunately, the dorm supervisor had already sent people to take their luggage back. Otherwise, hardly any of them would have managed such a long walk.

At the academic affairs office, the older student knocked, then simply gestured for them to enter.

The dean’s office was large. He clearly appreciated the local culture: the furnishings consisted of antiques, calligraphy, and paintings.

“You’re here.”

The dean set down his calligraphy brush and regarded them all with a smile.

His gaze paused briefly as it passed over Shi Liaoliao.

“Welcome to Shengdon Academy. Here, you’ll spend the four most important years of your lives.”

“Most of you come from privileged families, but at Shengdon Academy, your studies, social lives, and sporting achievements will depend on your own efforts.”

He stood, a plump man with a ruddy complexion, and looked at the group. Then he slowly turned and pointed to the framed calligraphy hanging high above them.

“As Shengdon students, remember these words.”

“They are the standard by which you should conduct yourselves from now on.”

Shi Liaoliao looked up and read aloud without thinking.

“Fuck everyone.”

Everyone: “…………”

The dean: “…It says, ‘Everyone must have principles.'”

The ‘boy’ with the excessively pretty face nodded without expression. “Oh. Got it.”

The other new students, who’d expected him to blush and hang his head in shame: “………”

Why did that feel a little annoying?

And so, on her first day…

Shi Liaoliao discovered that the other new students were excluding her.

Specifically, when the email notifications with their dorm addresses arrived, they all asked one another which number they’d been assigned, so they could go together.

No one asked Shi Liaoliao.

Of course, Shi Liaoliao herself didn’t care. She was only pretending to be a man; she wasn’t actually one. This was better than some enthusiastic new buddy inviting her for a scrub-down at the baths.

After confirming her dorm’s exact location, Shi Liaoliao opened the academy’s digital map and headed that way.

Seeing Shi Liaoliao go in the opposite direction from the group, the older student guiding the newcomers called impatiently, “Where are you going? F Zone is this way.”

The others turned at his words, their looks less than friendly.

Shi Liaoliao gave him a puzzled glance.

“I live in A Zone.”

“Impossible!” the older student blurted.

How could an honors student with no connections move straight into A Zone, which was reserved for A-rank students, on his very first day?

Shi Liaoliao wondered what was so impossible about it.

I’m a personal valet. If I don’t live with Yanzhou, are you going to wait on him for me?

Ignoring their astonished gazes, Shi Liaoliao turned and left.

She still remembered that Lu Yanzhou had told her to come find him.

Besides, Shi Liaoliao had something to give him.

The buildings in A Zone were unmistakable. As she approached and saw the cluster of lavish buildings, each in a different style, Shi Liaoliao knew she’d found it.

A-rank students could choose a small building to use as their dormitory according to their own preferences.

Compared with the four-person rooms of the F-rank dorms, no different from an ordinary school’s, the luxury was almost unbelievable.

Building Thirteen was easy to find.

Compared with the other highly distinctive buildings, Lu Yanzhou’s choice looked much simpler. White and gray predominated, and it had fewer floors, only two.

But Shi Liaoliao noticed that, apart from the house itself, its grounds were bigger than those of the other dorms. The location was excellent, too. Convenience stores, all kinds of restaurants, and even a pet shop were only a few steps away.

Shi Liaoliao stopped and was about to ring the bell…

When something soft and warm suddenly crashed into her, sending her stumbling.

“Ah… Sorry. Are you all right?”

Steadying herself, Shi Liaoliao looked to the side.

A boy half a head shorter than she was, with delicate features and the same Shengdon Academy uniform, was watching her nervously.

His face was fine-boned, his lips petal-red, his frame small and thin.

As someone with considerable experience dressing as a man, Shi Liaoliao spotted the problem almost at a glance.

“I’m fine.”

Though a little surprised inwardly, Shi Liaoliao remained perfectly calm on the surface.

Getting a clear look at Shi Liaoliao’s face, the boy visibly froze, too.

“You’re… really good-looking.”

Coming back to herself, she quickly lowered her head.

“Sorry. Please don’t mind me. It’s just… you’re only the second boy I’ve ever seen who’s this good-looking. I couldn’t help saying it. Please don’t be upset.”

“The second?”

Shi Liaoliao caught the key word.

The boy nodded. Whatever she was thinking of brought two scarlet patches to her cheeks. Both hands nervously gripped the hem of her clothes.

“Yes… You’re new, aren’t you…?”

“Do you know Lu Yanzhou?”

“You probably do. He’s the young master of Lu Group. He’s… really outstanding. The best-looking person I’ve ever seen.”

Shi Liaoliao watched the bashful ‘boy’ before her and thought that if this person had spent a year at the school without being discovered, she herself should probably be safe.

“Don’t you believe me?”

Seeing Shi Liaoliao remain silent, the ‘boy’ seemed to grow anxious and caught her sleeve in a moment of urgency.

“Or don’t you know Lu Yanzhou?”

Shi Liaoliao glanced at the sleeve in her grip and unobtrusively pulled free.

“I know him.”

Realizing the person before her wanted agreement, Shi Liaoliao nodded perfunctorily.

“Mm. You’re right.”

“Can’t imagine how handsome he looks shaking off the last drops after a piss.”

The ‘boy’: “………”

Lu Yanzhou, who’d come out to fetch his dawdling little valet: “………”