"Who is so vicious? Who wants to transfer out?" Sarah Grant's voice came from the doorway. Seeing what was happening inside, she shouted angrily, "Grace Bennett! Who allowed you to sit in the teacher's seat? Did I call you here so you could sleep? Should I set up a bed for you in the classroom?"

The homeroom teacher of Class One: "..."

Grace Bennett: "I wasn't sleeping."

"Then who pressed that mark onto your face?" Sarah Grant put her things down on the table. "What, still not getting up? I'm standing here talking, and you're just going to sit and listen?"

Grace Bennett clicked his tongue and slowly got up to stand aside.

Brian Brooks withdrew his gaze. "Teacher, I'm not transferring classes. If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now."

The homeroom teacher of Class One snapped back to her senses, but before she could say anything, he had already turned around and walked out without looking back.

Perhaps feeling awkward, half a minute later, she also hurriedly left with her lesson plan in her arms.

Only two people were left in the office.

Although Sarah Grant hadn't heard everything, she could guess most of what had happened from the situation just now.

"Look at you, what kind of image have you given our class?" She took a sip from her thermos. "Tell me, what happened to your face?"

"I fell."

"Save that for the dean," Sarah Grant asked, "You got into another fight, didn't you?"

Grace Bennett looked out the window and said nothing.

"How many times have I told you, you're a student. Stop getting into fights with those street kids outside. Can you do something appropriate for your age?"

The person in front of her stood there with a careless attitude, looking completely indifferent, as if nothing could faze him.

Sarah Grant, fuming, took another gulp of hot water. "Also, the dean just told me that yesterday you threatened a new student outside the school, and you even had a knife in your hand. What's that about?"

Grace Bennett: "If he's so good at making things up, why doesn't he write a book?"

"This one," Sarah Grant tapped a workbook on the desk, "is a math handout compiled by Director Hu."

"......"

After a moment of stalemate, Grace Bennett said flatly, "I didn't threaten him. I picked up the knife. I don't even know the guy."

"You can just pick up a knife on the street?" Sarah Grant glanced at his pocket. "Where's the knife?"

"At home, for cutting vegetables."

"......"

Sarah Grant stared at him for a while, feeling a bit relieved inside.

Having been in charge of this class for so long, she knew the students pretty well, especially Grace Bennett. Judging by his tone and expression, he probably really hadn't done anything.

But considering what happened at the flag-raising this morning, it was clear he wasn't exactly welcoming to the new student either.

"I'll believe you for now." Her expression didn't change. "The new semester has started. Do you have any study plans?"

"Memorize the multiplication table."

"Say a few more things like that and see if you can get me hospitalized from anger." Sarah Grant rolled her eyes at him, opened a drawer, and took out a brand-new study guide, placing it in front of him. "I went to the bookstore to find this for you. The problems are all basic, and the explanations are simple. Take it home, read it, and do the exercises. If you don't understand something, come to the office and ask me."

Grace Bennett stared at the book cover for a while, swallowed back the words "don't waste your money," and said, "Okay."

Just as he was about to leave, Sarah Grant called out to him again.

"Also," Sarah Grant hesitated over how to begin, "the transfer students this time are all excellent students. You should take them as role models and try not to get into conflicts with them..."

"Don't worry," Grace Bennett didn't even look back, "I'm allergic to top students. If he gets within a foot of me, I'll stay ten feet away. I'm committed to creating a harmonious and beautiful learning environment for the new students."

-

The first PE class after the start of school, Grace Bennett skipped it entirely.

The bathroom on the first floor of the science building was filled with smoke. There usually weren't any teachers around here, and Jack, who often patrolled to catch students, was in a meeting. A few boys stood in the bathroom, fearlessly gathering to smoke.

"Those idiots from the neighboring school don't dare to face us head-on, all they do is play dirty. Next time, let's find a time to meet them at the back gate."

"They're really funny, too. Of all people to block, they chose the most badass guy at Nancheng No. 7 High..."

"Thanks for the invite, I'm right here. My bro took them down one by one, beat them so bad they crapped themselves," Anna Walker looked at the guy next to him. "Right, bro?"

"Get lost."

Grace Bennett had dragged a chair over from the empty classroom next door and was now sitting there lazily with his legs crossed. His head was down, one hand controlling a game character on his phone, the other holding a cigarette. "Talk about whatever you want, just leave me out of it."

"Damn," the boy squatting on the far right stared at the ranking chart on his phone screen, "Why are there transfer students in the second semester of sophomore year? Our class got four at once, and my class ranking dropped straight from 57 to 61!"

Anna Walker mocked him, "Not much difference, still last place."

"Get lost, get lost," the guy blew smoke at Anna Walker, stood up, and said, "School's almost over, wanna go play basketball?"

Everyone responded enthusiastically. The others stubbed out their cigarettes and skillfully waved their hands to disperse the smoke.

Seeing the guy still sitting motionless on the chair, he asked, "Grace Bennett, you're not coming?"

"No, I'm playing a game."

Anna Walker immediately said, "Then I'm not going either."

The group left in a grand procession.