Xie Chitong

"Chen Fan, you and Lin Xia share a paper," Ma Guoqiang said from the podium.

Hearing this, Chen Fan pushed the paper toward the space between them, and Lin Xia lowered her head to read it.

This kind of life was something she had never experienced in her previous existence.

Everything had changed now, and surely that miserable thirty-year-old version of herself could be avoided.

Staring at the exam paper, Lin Xia was distracted by her thoughts.

Without the constant scrutiny of teachers, she found life much easier.

Soon, the bell signaling the end of class rang.

The students in the class were curious about Lin Xia—some watched her openly, others stole glances—but not a single person approached her.

"Li Bo, come with me to the office and help move Lin Xia's books," Ma Guoqiang said as he closed his book.

A tall, thin boy stood up from the third row of the first section. Lin Xia also rose, walked to the front, and said, "Teacher, let me go too. I can help."

Ma Guoqiang smiled, "That’s fine. You two go to the administration office to collect the books. He’s the class president—if you don’t understand anything, just ask him."

With that, the three left the classroom.

Ma Guoqiang said to Li Bo, "She just transferred here and doesn’t know much. As class president, help the new student as much as you can."

"Yes, Teacher."

At the stairwell, Ma Guoqiang headed toward his office, while Lin Xia and Li Bo went downstairs.

The administration office was located in the main building, while they were currently in the academic building.

Lin Xia had never been an outgoing person, so even by the end of her previous life, she only had one or two close friends.

All her secrets were hidden beneath a faint smile.

No one can truly understand another person, nor does anyone have the patience to dig deep and dissect someone else.

Thus, even surrounded by noise, most people remain solitary.

This sense of solitude comes from within.

Lin Xia and Li Bo kept a half-step apart, walking in silence toward the main building.

They walked quietly, the atmosphere awkward and tense.

Li Bo wasn’t much of a talker either, but this new classmate seemed even more reserved than he was. Unable to bear the silence, he took the initiative to describe the school’s environment, hoping to ease the tension.

Fortunately, the walk was long enough; by the time he finished his introduction, they had arrived.

They collected the books and returned to the classroom. Just as Lin Xia sat down, a girl approached.

She wore a black down jacket over a pure white sweater, a red-and-black plaid skirt that reached her knees, black leggings, and a pair of petite flat ankle boots. Her straight bangs and thick, black hair framed her shoulders obediently.

What surprised Lin Xia were her round, large eyes—eyes that, when smiling, would surely resemble charming crescent moons.

As Lin Xia observed her, the girl stopped beside her desk and smiled, "You must be Lin Xia. I’ve heard about you from my mom. She said you just arrived and told me to look after you. Don’t walk home alone after school—wait for me and we’ll go together."

Her tone was brisk, her voice clear and pleasant.

Lin Xia smiled; she must be the Tongtong whom Xie Fanghua had mentioned.

She stood up and said, "Thank you, then."

Lin Xia was quite fond of such straightforward personalities.

Girls from families like hers might be a bit proud, but they were remarkably sincere toward others. Besides, they were only thirteen or fourteen, and friendship, once cultivated, was far more genuine and solid than the relationships one forms in the workplace later in life.

After exchanging a few more words, Xie Xitong nodded and returned to her seat.

Chen Fan was an extremely quiet boy; at least for the entire morning, he and Lin Xia hadn’t exchanged a single word.

It was worth noting that their seats were at the last row of their section—his left side was a wall, and his right was Lin Xia.

Not saying a single word all morning—he truly was an odd one.

Perhaps it was curiosity about the new student, but between classes, Xie Xitong would always come over to talk to Lin Xia, or bring a few friends to introduce them.

Watching Xie Xitong’s mature demeanor, Lin Xia felt amused. The unfamiliarity of the new environment had faded by half.

Although there was a hint of showing off, seeing such pure-hearted girls, even if they had a bit of scheming, it was nothing more than a young girl's pride and desire to impress.

Every girl has this trait—it’s just a matter of who shows it more and who shows it less.

Just like Yang Zixi in "Beijing Love Story," who pursued material things so fervently simply because she lacked a sense of security.

Which girl doesn’t have a princess dream? Which girl doesn’t yearn for a wealthy life? Only some suppress that yearning more deeply.

In the face of material things, some first choose spiritual wealth.

With Xie Xitong’s occasional banter, the morning passed quickly. Lin Xia had just finished writing the last English word when the bell rang.

She put her books in the drawer, saw Xie Xitong still bent over her desk writing, and slipped out the back door, leaning lazily on the railing and watching the stream of students pouring out of the academic building.

"Hey—!" Xie Xitong suddenly slapped Lin Xia’s shoulder from behind. Turning around, Lin Xia saw her smiling, and her mood brightened.

"Let’s go!"

"Uh, aren’t you waiting for your brother?" Lin Xia tensed inside, but tried to sound casual.

At the mention of Chen Zimo, Xie Xitong wrinkled her delicate nose, "Who wants to wait for him? That troublemaker—whenever I walk with him, there’s always a swarm of girls chattering away. So annoying."

Whether it was relief or disappointment, Lin Xia couldn’t tell.

She nodded, "Let’s go."

"Okay!" Xie Xitong hooked her arm through Lin Xia’s, chattering away.

Girls’ friendships sometimes happen this quickly—perhaps because they like the same celebrity, or share a hobby, the relationship naturally grows closer.

Lin Xia had simply interjected during their chat, "Are you talking about Liuyan’s latest work, 'If Time Can't Hear'?"

The three girls seemed electrified, as if they'd found an ally, and launched into an animated discussion.

Proud, perfect, never willing to lose—Ning Xia. Ordinary, gentle, quietly observant—Ning Jing.

Similar figures, similar faces, yet no stranger would ever mistake one for the other.

Two people with contrasting temperaments, heading in opposite directions.

The affection and rivalry among girls.

Though their appearances were alike, with a sister as radiant as the sun ahead of her, Ning Jing would always be the ugly duckling hiding in the crowd’s corner.

Not as clever as her sister, not as talented, but she had a delicate heart.

The reason for their disagreement, simply put, was that each belonged to a different camp.

Xie Xitong was a staunch supporter of Ning Xia, admiring her pride and perfection. Zhao Qian was in Ning Jing’s camp, fond of her gentleness and empathy.

Sun Xiaoxiao, meanwhile, was a classic heartthrob, uninterested in either leading lady but eager to win over both male leads.

Because the three held different positions, they argued, each hoping to persuade the others.

For Lin Xia, all these characters were her creations—regardless of who they were, they were her children, and she loved them equally.

So, facing three pairs of expectant eyes, Lin Xia found, for the first time, that this multiple-choice question was truly hard to answer.