Transfer Student

"What're you looking at?"

The café barely had any customers. So excluding the two of them, there were only five inside.

Shi Fen retracted his gaze and absentmindedly replied, "huh?"

Jiang Shen had already finished her drink and began eating the large slice of bread.

"You've been glancing at the guy a few tables away from us since a few minutes ago. Don't tell me you're—"

"I'm not!"

Shi Fen interjected, turning defensive.

Jiang Shen pulled a long face and shook her head.

"I didn't mean to say gay."

"Then that's okay."

"I was going to say bi."

"..."

"So i'll take your silence as a ye—"

"No!"

Jiang Shen laughed again, her baby hairs framing her face. She didn't wear her contacts because her eyes would irritate if the temperature was too hot so she wore her glasses.

It had been a while and the transition made certain angles look weird.

"Let's change the topic."

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Have you been reading the student forums?"

Jiang Shen shook her head.

"I'm not even active on WeChat. Much less the student forum. Besides, it's full of meaningless gossip."

"Then, do you know that there's going to be a new transfer student?"

Word spread fast when it concerned the prestige of the Institute. Since their grade school days, the amount of transfer students could be counted on one hand. And somehow every one of them managed to cause a storm in school.

Take for example their friend, Cheng Muyi. He was the definition of a Prince Charming in school. With defined features and active lifestyle, he became the school's outstanding idol. Jiang Shen didn't even remember how the two of them became friends.

"Yeah, Cao Wei informed me. You know her, always updated on the latest news."

Jiang Shen wanted another serving of bread and asked a nearby employee for another plate.

"How do people eve find out about this type of news?"

Shi Fen waved his hands dismissively.

"It's the age of Internet. It's not entirely impossible not to find out about it. Besides, the school paper has connections to one of the administrators."

It was a good thing that Jiang Shen did not have much contact with social media, since personal information had become easier to leak.

"Anyways, what about the transfer student?"

"Come closer." Jiang Shen leaned her ear towards him. And then he spoke in a soft whisper, "I heard he's half."

She tilted her head in confusion.

"Half, as in, race? Or...?"

"Of course i'm talking about race! What else would half mean?"

"Okay, sorry. What's got you all riled up?"

"Just listen to me."

"I am though!" she protested as she crossed her arms. He was the one who kept dallying in telling the story.

"I heard from a friend of mine that he's a young master from an affluent family. His status is comparable to Cheng Muyi, in terms of looks and status."

"How did your friend know about this? Did he already interact with the transferee?"

Shi Fen shook his head. All the information he got was from connections. A friend from a friend from a relative from a teacher. Who knows what's true or not? But the gossip would last all summer until they confirm the news.

"No, but I reckon he'll stir up another storm like Cheng Muyi did. That guy likes to standout."

Jiang Shen wasn't really interested in those types of news.

"Well, instead of dwelling on a person you haven't even seen yet, study for the gaokao!"

Like jelly, Shi Fen collapsed on the chair and said, "Why study for the gaokao if we're all gonna fail anyway..."

Jiang Shen pulled his arm.

"Isn't that why you signed up for the summer courses?"

And as if lightning hit, Shi Fen sat straight.

"Oh right! I can kill three birds with one stone by going to summer classes. What a great idea, Shen Xiao."

"You're welcome."

"But then what about you?"

He was curious. Without him to accompany her during summer break, then how will she spend it? Since the rest of their friends are also busy studying up for the gaokao and because Jiang Shen was naturally gifted and smart, it would be a piece of cake for her to pass the examinations.

"What about me?"

"Who will you spend summer break with?"

If she had a significant other like Cheng Muyi, then she might've spend it with partner but from Shi Fen's knowledge, that person wouldn't even be able to talk to her, much less hang out with her.

"Ah... No one!"

Jiang Shen wasn't bothered at all. She had plenty of things to occupy herself with and besides, she enjoyed her alone time much more than time with friends.

"Isn't that sad?" Shi Fen blurted out.

Jiang Shen glared at him.

"It may be sad for you but not for me. If you didn't know, I actually like being alone. And if it wasn't for your constant pestering, I would've already mastered another song."

Shi Fen playfully strummed notes and said, "Correction. If it wasn't because I kept pestering you, you would've died of loneliness in your backyard. You won't even let Nanny Yue properly take care of you and insist on doing things alone."

Jiang Shen turned quiet. That struck a chord in her. Her eyes were as dark as ink and deep as a well.

Ever since her mother left and her father had been too busy trying to make their business thrive, she had learned to do everything herself from a young age. She was forced to mature and become independent.

Now that there was a nanny to take care of her, of course she no longer needed it. Her younger sister might but not her.

"And what's so wrong about being independent?"

Shi Fen observed the pretty girl in front of her. She was smart and had good conversation skills. Since she was socially active in school and never refused a favor or help, she was treated like a mother by her peers because she liked taking care of them.

But despite this, she only had a few friends she could truly rely on. Shi Fen thanked the heavens he was one of them.

"Nothing."

Shi Fen didn't want to delve into that topic and instead changed to a new one.

"So, how's it going between you and him?"

At the mention of that person, she stopped her hands from reaching for another bite from the plate. But she recollected herself and sighed.

"I don't even know."