But Charlotte Lee had no doubt that Andrew Lane could complete the task perfectly. In literature and film, boys who are lazy yet clever and sharp are usually the ones who surprise everyone at critical moments, and Andrew Lane had already played out this cliché many times. So even if he performed at a master’s level today, Charlotte Lee wouldn’t even bat an eye. She was just surprised why Andrew Lane would accept such a helpless task as poetry recitation—

Reading those cheesy parallel sentences with such emotion and expression—no matter how you looked at it, it just didn’t seem like something Andrew Lane would do.

Lily Hughes’s golden voice was no longer a novelty. Her sweet but not cloying voice had been talked about among the freshmen for quite a while, frequently appearing at flag-raising ceremonies and art festival openings, so people had gradually gotten used to it.

But today, Andrew Lane.

“Brightstar High School, how many people at the ends of the earth are reciting your name over and over again.”

“Brightstar High School, how many people at the ends of the earth are thinking of you again and again.”

Andrew Lane’s voice was also very pleasant, though it didn’t have the depth and power of Thomas Chase, it was more friendly and lively.

This guy was actually reading quite seriously, even though he wasn’t invested at all.

Sometimes Charlotte Lee felt this was almost fate. Charles Johnson, Charlotte Lee, and Andrew Lane had been classmates from elementary school until now.

Even though she had figured out that she didn’t really like Andrew Lane, she still had an uncontrollable possessiveness toward him. Sometimes, the ambiguity and tacit understanding between her and Andrew Lane would give her confidence and courage.

The long flag-raising ceremony finally ended, and Charlotte Lee walked toward the teaching building with the group. As she passed the flag-raising platform, she secretly glanced at Thomas Chase, who was tidying up the equipment. The boy’s lowered eyes and serious, gentle look made Charlotte Lee’s heart tighten.

She wished she were that pile of equipment.

This third-rate idol drama-level thought made Charlotte Lee despise herself.

Meanwhile, Andrew Lane and a group of boys passed by, laughing and joking. Charlotte Lee keenly sensed that he seemed to be looking for someone, and she secretly laughed to herself, deliberately appearing not far from him.

“Hey, Charlotte Lee.”

As expected.

Charlotte Lee turned her head and gave a brilliant smile. “Not bad, you did really well today!”

“Oh, really.”

Today, Andrew Lane was especially reserved. He was still smiling, but it was as if his soul had left him. Charlotte Lee frowned, “What’s wrong with you, are you okay?”

Many boys around them started to grin mischievously and quickly moved away from the two of them. Charlotte Lee didn’t really mind this kind of gossip and teasing from boys, especially when the target was Andrew Lane.

“I’m fine.”

The lonely tone made Charlotte Lee freeze for a moment.

“You pighead, what are you pretending to be a melancholy pretty boy for!” Charlotte Lee snorted, but she felt a little uneasy inside. She had never seen Andrew Lane like this.

“I really am fine, how am I melancholy?” Andrew Lane turned his face and smiled at Charlotte Lee. “I just regret a little, why did I agree to Mr. Duke to do this poetry recitation.”

“Why? You did great!” After saying that, Charlotte Lee felt a bit boring herself.

“Thank you.” Andrew Lane looked dejected.

“Andrew Lane young master, you don’t seem like the type to worry about this kind of thing. Since when do you care about your image?”

“Heh.”

Andrew Lane’s absent-minded look made Charlotte Lee a little angry, and the two of them didn’t speak for a long time.

“Alright, alright, I won’t argue with you anymore. I’m going to the bathroom, you go upstairs first.” Charlotte Lee rolled her eyes at him, cutting off the conversation at the right moment, turned down the other side of the corridor with a sullen face, and didn’t look back at Andrew Lane. She wanted to hear him say, “Hey, are you mad?” But there was nothing, just silence.

After winding her way back to the door of Class Three, Charlotte Lee put on a full smile as she stepped inside.

The homeroom teacher signaled everyone to quiet down. The man with the dark face stood at the podium, his eyes as sharp as an eagle’s.

“Everyone, please sit properly. I’ll take a few minutes before class to say a few words. Last time, at the small class meeting before school started, we didn’t say much—just assigned seats and handed out textbooks, and it ended in a rush. I didn’t even get to introduce myself, but you all know by now, my surname is Walter, I teach history. My cell phone number and home phone will be written on the notice board after class, and my office is on the fifth floor in the history department.

“Whether you chose to study liberal arts on your own or were forced into it—it doesn’t matter. What matters is that we have a new opportunity to start over. I hope everyone can work hard and get through the last two years of high school together. This will require the united effort of our whole class.”

Charlotte Lee smiled slightly. She also wanted to know whether she chose this herself or was forced into it, or if those two things were actually the same.

“Our school has a total of five liberal arts classes, two at the main campus, which are Class Seven and our Class Three; three at the branch campus, Classes Thirteen, Seventeen, and Twenty. The reason I mention this is so everyone is clear about the situation. You could say that the only class that can keep up with us is Class Seven. That’s always been the case with the two liberal arts classes in Brightstar High School’s history. Of course, I’m not trying to put pressure on you. We’re all part of a team, and when everyone can improve their grades, the class will naturally do well.

There are few liberal arts students at the main campus, so the transfer students without student status are all assigned to our Class Seven and Class Three. Of course, I’ve always treated transfer students the same as regular students from the main and branch campuses, and my requirements are strict as well…” Before he finished, Lucas Walter was called out by someone outside the door.

There was a bit of a stir in the class.

“Damn, what is this black-faced Bao Gong trying to say? Going around in circles, my head’s about to explode.”

It’s simple, really, just two points: first, don’t let our grades fall behind Class Seven; second, transfer students without student status better behave or else. Charlotte Lee thought to herself, a faint smile appearing at the corner of her mouth as she looked down at her history book on her lap.

“Everyone, quiet down.” Lucas Walter didn’t continue the previous topic. “We’ve just formed a new class, so we might not know everyone’s abilities yet, but we still need to set up the class committee. My idea is, I’ll appoint the class officers based on the information from your first-year files, and after a while, when everyone gets to know each other, we’ll have a new democratic election. Does anyone have any objections to this method?”

It was very quiet below; no one answered.

“Alright, I’ll read out the list now.”

Charlotte Lee looked up, suddenly feeling a little uneasy.

“First, the class monitor, I’ve chosen Charlotte Lee.” As expected.

Lucas Walter’s gaze stopped near her, and Charlotte Lee had to stand up and say politely, “Hello everyone, I’m Charlotte Lee from Class Two. Please work with me and take care of me in the future.”

The classmates gave polite applause, accompanied by a bit of whispering.

“Then, the study committee member will be, uh, this one, Ray Cindy.”

Charlotte Lee turned, and a girl sitting diagonally behind her stood up, expressionless, with even, dark skin, plain features, a thin figure, and an uncomfortably cold voice.

“Hello everyone, my name is Ray Cindy, from Class One, but that doesn’t mean my grades are necessarily good.” As she said this, she suddenly broke into a bright smile, and her whole aura changed. Charlotte Lee felt the tense atmosphere in the class suddenly relax, but that smile made her vaguely uncomfortable.

“I just hope that as the study committee member, I can help everyone adapt to the new class as soon as possible, and quickly find good study methods in the new subjects. I’ll do my best.”

The applause was much more enthusiastic than what Charlotte Lee received, and Charlotte Lee’s face turned slightly red.

As Ray Cindy sat down, her smiling gaze landed directly on Charlotte Lee’s face. Charlotte Lee was sharp-eyed, but this time, no matter what, she couldn’t turn her head to meet that smile.

At lunchtime, the cafeteria was packed. Charlotte Lee and Jennifer Lewis carried their trays, unable to find a seat.

“What do we do, this is so annoying. There are even more freshmen this year than our year, and they added seven more branch campus classes.”

Aren’t you a transfer student yourself? You’re not even as good as the students who got into the branch campus by exam. Charlotte Lee thought to herself, shrugging and making a helpless face to show she agreed with Jennifer Lewis.

“Hey, Charlotte Lee!”

Charlotte Lee turned around and saw Charles Johnson, Andrew Lane, and a big group of Andrew Lane’s buddies.

It was Charles Johnson who called her; Andrew Lane looked absent-minded the whole time.

“We’re almost done eating, you two can sit here.”