6 Precautions

"I can solve it." A girl's voice sounded from the back.

"Go ahead." Mr Feng beckoned.

She stood up and walked slowly towards the board.

She picked up a piece of chalk and wrote quickly and neatly on the board.

Mr Feng examined the board closely. He scanned his eyes over the answer before stepping away, satisfied. "Very good. You must have learnt this at your previous school, no?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Look at Chloe, she was able to solve this equation so easily. You all should learn from her."

A few disdainful whispers snaked around the room.

"Ha, what a nerd. Teacher's pet!"

"Bet she got a scholarship and that's why she can come to such a prestigious school."

"What a show-off."

Chloe stared at the group of girls who had ridiculed her. The one in the middle was Kitty Bai who came from the Bai family. What a pity. She could have been a good ally. But her personality… tsk, tsk.

"Quiet!" Mr Feng glared. "It is not your place to speak!"

The girls instantly shut up. Chloe remained indifferent to the hostile glares of the malice-filled group.

"Chloe, you can go back to your seat."

"Yes, sir."

"Alright. I'll talk you through this equation since no one else except for Chloe seems to know how to do it." Mr Feng grunted as he turned back to the board and wrote down detailed steps to the equation.

As Mr Feng continued to explain formulas and steps relating to the current topic, the students stifled yawns while listening unenthusiastically.

Ding! Ding! Ding! The bell rang loudly. The students cheered inwardly.

"Okay, class dismissed." Mr Feng said grimly as he packed his briefcase and left the classroom.

Instantly, the classroom became noisy. Several students made their way to the back where Chloe was seated.

Chloe turned towards them. So they've come.

The three girls looked down condescendingly at Chloe.

"Amazing, Chloe, you're so smart." A girl with two braids said with an exaggerated tone. "If only I had your brains, I could be smart too."

Chloe smiled gently. "Different people have different things they are good at. I'm sure you have something you are more interested in."

"What? Did you just call me dumb? How arrogant!"

Wow, these girls. I've only just transferred here and they're so eager to make trouble.

"Please don't twists my words," Chloe replied, the previous gentle smile now a shade darker.

"Oh~ are you accusing us?" This time Kitty Bai spoke, smirking.

Chloe looked around her; everyone was engaged in their own conversations. No one bothered to stop such an obvious display of harassment.

Looks like it's the same everywhere. The elite of society adopt the idea of 'strong eat the weak', Chloe thought.

Chloe stood up, now at eye level to the girls. "That wasn't my intention." She replied calmly. "My apologies if you've taken offence. However, the word 'dumb' came out of your mouth, not mine."

"This bitch-" the girl with braids started.

"Stop bothering the transfer student." A tall boy intervened. "Are you all so bored that you have to bully a foreigner?"

Chloe felt surprised. There was someone from the social elite who was willing to help her without knowing her background?

Kitty Bai glared at the boy. "And you're taking the side of the foreigner? I thought we had an agreement."

"I have something I want to say to her."

"What? Do you know her?"

"I… yes, I do."

Kitty searched his face. He remained expressionless with no hint of lying.

"Suit yourself." Angrily, Kitty stomped out of the classroom, her two lackeys following close behind.

Once they were gone, Chloe looked at the boy, flabbergasted. "You know me?"

"Um… can we go somewhere else to talk?"

"Oh, okay." Chloe replied uncertainly.

The boy lead Chloe outside the classroom and into the hallway.

Adrian Lin, heir to the Lin Family. Great at sports but academically weak. What does he want with me? She wondered.

"Uh…Chloe?"

"Yes?"

"Can you… help me with maths?"

"What?"

"I, um… I'm really struggling in class and my parents really want me to do well. And, well, I saw that you were really good at maths and I wanted to ask for your help."

So he really did have a motive for helping me, Chloe thought.

"Sure, I'll help you." Chloe smiled brightly.

"Really? You'll really help me?" He asked eagerly.

This favour might come in handy one day.

Chloe giggled. "Of course I can help you. But why do you want me to help? Why don't you ask other people?"

"Well," he said, embarrassed. "None of us are really that good at maths, well none of us except for one person."

"Oh? Who?"

"He's name is William and he came here on a scholarship. He's not here today, though. He's sick."

"Is that so?" Chloe said, pondering. "Then when do you want to meet up? Today? Tomorrow?"

The boy smiled sheepishly. "I've got something to do today, so how about tomorrow?"

"Alright," Chloe agreed. "By the way, what's your name?"

"My name's Adrian, Adrian Lin."

…

In a dimly lighted room, a middle-aged man sat sorting through a pile of documents. He looked through each one thoroughly before moving to the next, his long sleeves making swishing sounds as he moved his arms around.

Ding dong!

Unhurriedly, the man got up to go answer the door.

"I'm back, dad." A boy of about fourteen years old entered through the door.

"Welcome home, Justin." The man said. "Come take a seat. I have something important to discuss with you."

"What is it, dad? Why do you look so serious?"

The man sighed. "Today Benjamin told me that he's considering to make Chloe his successor."

"Chloe? Why Chloe?" Justin wondered.

Secretary Pan sighed. "You can't even work this out. If not Chloe, who else will he choose? He can't choose a successor from his sons when he knows their characters all too well."

Justin sulked. "I know that much at least. But why can't he choose from his other grandchildren? Why choose Chloe?"

"Ah, my son, you don't know…" Secretary Pan rubbed his temples wearily. "Benjamin loved his late son, Tony, so very much. How could he bear to let his beloved son's daughter suffer hardship?"

Justin looked at his father, a faint hint of understanding showing in his eyes.

"Enough about that. That girl, you used to play around together when you were children, didn't you? Are you still close with her?"

Justin hesitated. "I guess so."

"That's good," Secretary Pan said. "I want you to spend some time with her. If there's anything strange or suspicious about her, you have to tell me, okay?"

Justin gave his father a weird look. "Why are you telling me to spy on Chloe? What did she do?"

Secretary Pan looked into the distance; his gaze unfathomable. "There is no reason, son. I'm just taking precautions."