"That's true..." With that mixed-race face, Ethan Clark was one of the most talked-about students when he first started school, but Jack Harris still found it amazing. "I was really scared just now. When I saw Ryan Cooper wearing the armband, I thought you were done for."

Ethan Clark leaned on the handrail, catching his breath. "Is it that serious?"

"How is it not? Breaking the rules on the first day and running into someone like Ryan Cooper, the cold and aloof big shot, as the hall monitor—when he grabbed you, I thought he was going to execute you on the spot."

They were almost there. Ethan Clark turned back and shushed him, then quickly walked into the classroom.

Coincidentally, the class monitor was taking attendance. Ethan Clark tried hard to hold back his heavy breathing, stood at the door, his hair curled up from running, "Teacher..."

The homeroom teacher, David Wright, was a young male teacher who taught Chinese. He could get along well with students, but when strict, he showed no mercy. Luckily, Ethan Clark had always been the model student—never late, never skipped class, never caused trouble, good grades, and well-liked. Mr. Wright didn't make things hard for him. "Come in."

But Jack Harris wasn't so lucky.

David Wright had a teasing smile on his face. "Isn't this our Class 8's regular latecomer?"

"Mr. Wright," Jack Harris rubbed his buzz cut, "I was only two steps behind Ethan Clark."

"Right, I think that's a good standard." David Wright put his hands behind his back. "From today on, you're only allowed to be two steps behind your deskmate every day. Otherwise, you'll have to stand for morning self-study."

"Huh?" Jack Harris's face wrinkled like a bitter melon, and the rest of Class 8 burst out laughing.

"What are you 'huh'-ing about? Come in." David Wright said, then started lecturing the other students. "Usually, a little mischief is fine, but during the opening ceremony, you'd better behave. If the dean catches you, I won't bail you out. Public punishment or not, at least you'll get famous before high school. Then your junior high won't have been for nothing."

Everyone was snickering, except Ethan Clark, who was still out of breath, dazedly trying to stuff his backpack into the desk, but it wouldn't fit. Only then did he notice something in the drawer. He reached in and pulled out a delicate sapphire-blue gift box.

Weird. He looked at it carefully.

"Who gave you that? So lucky, getting a gift on the first day of school." Jack Harris leaned on the desk, teasing in a low voice, "Good-looking people have it easy."

"It's not like that." Ethan Clark glanced up at David Wright, then started unwrapping the gift box. Inside was a delicate white fountain pen and a bottle of ink, with a card on top. He didn't touch the pen, just opened the card and read it alone, then put it back in the drawer.

Nosy Jack Harris came over. "Which class is she from? That pen doesn't look cheap."

Ethan Clark pursed his lips, as if thinking.

"After the opening ceremony, we probably won't just go straight home, right?"

"Probably not, we'll have to come back to the classroom. Why?"

"I want to go to Class 11 and return this."

Everyone in the class stood up, getting ready to head to the gym. Jack Harris couldn't understand why Ethan Clark would honestly return the gift. "Seriously, Lele, you're really going to give it back? The girl will be heartbroken."

Ethan Clark was a bit hungry. He unzipped his backpack, took out a rice bun, tore it open, and took a big bite, mumbling, "If I don't return it, she might assume I agreed, but I didn't. That's not right. Besides, I'm only in ninth grade, I can't date."

Jack Harris looked incredulous. "Wow, where did you come from, goody two-shoes? That guy in the next class had three girlfriends just last semester. Fine, anyway, you'll never understand how it feels for a girl to get dumped."

Dumped.

Ethan Clark really couldn't relate, but weighing the seriousness of being dumped versus being deceived, he stuck to his decision.

"I'll talk to her properly." Ethan Clark quickly chewed his bread, stood up with the others, and a medicine box fell out of his backpack—brand new. He bent down to pick it up, tried to put it in his pocket, but the school pants pocket was too small. He couldn't fit it in. So he tried to tear open the packaging, but the plastic was just too tough.

"Come on, let's go." Jack Harris tugged at him.

"Oh, okay."

All the students poured into the gym in a mighty stream. As soon as they entered, they realized there were no trash cans. Ethan Clark quickly finished the last bite, folded the wrapper, and stuffed it into his pocket.

Peiya was one of the most well-known schools in the area. Compared to the neighboring Jingjian, which focused solely on grades, this school had a more Western style. Many students went abroad for further studies, and there was even a saying that "only half of Peiya's seniors take the college entrance exam." Plus, the school was rich, could afford to expand, and the middle and high school divisions had never been separated.

With such a huge student body, the annual opening ceremony was naturally a big event on campus. No matter how free and easy things were usually, this was the one day you couldn't mess up.

The high school students went in first, sitting in the gym stands by class. The proctor stood at the front, directing: "Ninth grade, Classes 6 to 11, sit in the center."

"Huh?"

"Why is it the blue classes again?"

"Ugh, we have to sit on the floor again."