Course selection was completed before admission and Saintston’s sophomore needed to choose four subjects for the final HSST. Jian Chi chose economics, psychology, advanced mathematics and chemistry respectively. He was good at science, but he chose psychology out of interest.
Different from other colleges, Saintston, which adopted a Western-style education, used HSST to replace the college entrance examination. The full acronym was High School Standardized Test, which was the high school graduation test. The final score can be applied to foreign universities, and it is also applicable within the country. Although the procedures would be more cumbersome, it was obviously more important to provide convenience for the children of these elite families to go abroad.
The highest exam ranking was 99.98%. Most first-class universities needed at least 80% as the threshold and for law that Jian Chi wanted to study, it required 98%. This was a number that was not easy to obtain.
Although it was difficult, he was not completely without assurance. Before doing anything, he would always think about it before taking action. This was always his habit.
Mr. Smith, who taught economics, was indeed an old-fashioned old man just like what Ji Huasi had said. He didn’t like to use electronic devices, but would take out a textbook to explain the changes in modern economic history.
Most of the students below were frowning bitterly, jotting down key points on their laptops. Jian Chi was not used to typing on a keyboard. His fingers were still more comfortable with paper, but one of Saintston’s rules were to complete schoolwork online.
Everything was very different. Saintston followed a Western-style teaching method, so there was no compulsory examination of Chinese, mathematics and English. It adopted a free course selection model.
Jian Chi thought it would be difficult for him to adapt, but he was surprisingly skilled and it took only a week to keep up with the courses he had fallen behind.
“Next is the time for the group experiment. Two people to form a group, 30 minutes to complete the experiment report. Just follow the steps I just mentioned,” The chemistry teacher, Yang Zheng, loudly cleared his throat, “If there is no problem, go quickly.”
Jian Chi looked at the classroom that had become restless in a moment. He sat in the same position without moving. Apart from Wei An, he had no friends in school to talk to, but Wei An didn’t choose chemistry.
Everyone didn’t seem to care about the sudden addition of a transfer student, and regarded him as a transparent person. Jian Chi was used to this feeling, he didn’t have any good friends in his original school.
“Jian Chi.”
This sound made Jian Chi place his eyes on the face of the person who came. The boy’s skin was slightly darker. When he smiled, he showed eight neat teeth. He was cheerful and straightforward, “Do you need a partner to do the experiment with?”
Of course Jian Chi wouldn’t reject his kindness. He sat aside a little and gave up his seat, “Of course, where do we start?”
The boy’s name was Zhang Yang, Jian Chi remembered his name. He wore a topaz brooch on his chest, but he did not have the arrogance of Han Fang. Instead, he was the first to notice him and greet him warmly.
“Brother Zheng likes experimenting the most,” Zhang Yang familiarly called out the teacher’s nickname, “You will never meet a teacher who loves experimenting more than him, but if there is one, you can ignore what I said.”
Jian Chi smiled, “I agree with Teacher Yang’s words that only experiments can reveal the true charm of chemistry.”
While pouring chemicals into the test tube, Zhang Yang did not forget to wink at Jian Chi, “This is the resonance between a top student and another top student. I heard that you were admitted with a score close to full marks. That’s amazing.”
“I just happened to be lucky,” Jian Chi caught onto his words after speaking. “Where did you hear that from?”
“Haven’t you read the HS section and the school forum?” Zhang Yang said, “There are often posts and discussions.”
In fact, since Jian Chi got the invitation code from HS, he kept it in his drawer. He never remembered unimportant things. He only remembered this when he heard Zhang Yang’s words.
The experiment came to an end amidst the chatter. Jian Chi lowered his head to write the report. Suddenly, there was a sound, and the classroom door was opened inappropriately. He raised his eyes and saw a man walking in under everyone’s attention.
“Wen Chuan!” Yang Zheng was so angry that his beard was shaking, and he knocked on the table to call the man’s name, “How many times is this? You are half an hour late! You missed the essence of my lecture today.”
The man known as Wen Chuan had rarely seen long hair scattered on his shoulders, a cold white complexion, and thick and cold eyebrows, like layers of light-colored paint, smudged into an unattainable image.
Just looking at his face, it was almost indistinguishable between a male or a female; only the powerful waist under the uniform reminded others of his true gender.
As if he hadn’t heard Yang Zheng’s rebuke and keeping his face calm, he took a few steps to the last position, sat down and closed his eyes.
Jian Chi hardly dared to look at Yang Zheng’s splendid face. He looked back at Wen Chuan. In fact, he was not the only one doing this.
Someone was talking in a low voice, Zhang Yang also stopped, leaned a little closer, and lowered his voice.
“Black Class. You know how the school uses the color of the brooch to distinguish the class. This guy is one of the four BCs. This is the first time you’ve seen him, right? He didn’t come to the last chemistry class,” Zhang Yang shrugged. “We have to have at least 85% attendance, but BC only needs 60%. It’s an enviable privilege and it’s not even mandatory to wear a brooch.”
Jian Chi was not surprised by the school’s undisguised class division. Compared to this, he was more concerned about the bloody smell on Wen Chuan’s body when he passed by him. If it wasn’t an illusion, it should be a blood.
Zhang Yang continued to speak in his ear, Jian Chi’s gaze involuntarily looked back and what surprised him was that Wen Chuan was not sleeping now, but was leaning on his arm and greeting him with those icy cold eyes. For a moment, Jian Chi had the illusion of being stared at by some kind of cold-blooded animal, and the cold air penetrated into his arms along his cuffs.
The eye contact lasted for three seconds and Jian Chi hesitated for a second, then finally chose to bow his head politely and withdraw his gaze to prevent the atmosphere from getting embarrassing to the greatest extent.
“Hey, are you listening to me?” Zhang Yang asked.
Jian Chi nodded, “You said just now that Wen Chuan is always alone and is the most mysterious of all BCs.”
Zhang Yang was very satisfied with this, then shared the gossip in his stomach even more diligently, “Reportedly – I mean I heard, he seems to be an illegitimate child recognized by the Fu family. He was transferred last semester and he had not changed his surname, otherwise how can anyone still be in the sophomore of high school at the age of 20? Do you know Fu Zhenhao? His name is on the top five of the Forbes list. That is having real wealth. Living twenty years, then being told you have a wealthy father, that’s good luck.”
“He’s already twenty?” Jian Chi said, “No wonder he doesn’t look the same.” But he couldn’t tell exactly what was different.
“He’s a weirdo,” Zhang Yang said. “Even if you’re going to provoke Shao Hang, don’t provoke him.”
Jian Chi heard an unfamiliar name, but didn’t ask, after all, it had nothing to do with him. The conclusion of completing the experimental report at this moment was more important than anything else.
The bell rang after class, and during the lunch break, Zhang Yang invited him to eat in the cafeteria and Jian Chi agreed.
The cafeteria had a total of six floors. Only the first floor was open to special enrollment. The second and third floors were for YC and RC, and the fourth floor was for PCs. Of course, the remaining two floors were BC’s exclusive dining hall. Jian Chi wondered why the four people needed two floors of space until Zhang Yang told him that BC’s recipes were customized by worldwide top chefs. They had dishes and cuisines from dozens of countries such as Japan, France, and Spain, all the ingredients were shipped in the sky and placed on the table. The degree of luxury was proportional to the price.
“The price of the YC cafeteria is already ridiculously expensive, I still prefer to eat on the first floor.” Zhang Yang was surprisingly frugal and generous. “If you want to try the YC cafeteria in the future, I can take you there.”
Jian Chi rubbed the meal card in his hand, his eyes still on the flashing number he just deducted, and said solemnly: “I should add another sentence, the cafeteria on the first floor is also ridiculously expensive.”
Zhang Yang couldn’t help laughing, and there was no contempt in his smile, “Yes, there’s one word for the whole school, outrageous.”
There were no YCs like Zhang Yang in the cafeteria on this floor. They were all special recruits with white brooches. Jian Chi noticed that a few special students wore two brooches on their chests, either red or yellow on the top, and white on the bottom.
Zhang Yang noticed his gaze, looked over and let out a contemptuous sneer from his nose.
“You must never go near those who wear two brooches,” he said. “They are not good people and will fool you to the bone.”
“What do you mean?” Jian Chi asked.
“They sell their own body to those nasty high-class people.”
Zhang Yang’s explanation was concise and to the point, as if saying one more sentence would make his mouth dirty.
Jian Chi suddenly understood, and he couldn’t hide the turbulence in his heart. Although he had a rough understanding of the complicated orientations in the boys’ school long before he came here, this situation was not within the scope of his understanding, “Is this allowed by the school?”
“This is not included in the school rules, nor is it within the scope of the school’s control. As long as you do a good job on the surface, no one will care about how you play in private.” Zhang Yang stuffed a few mouthfuls of fried pork into his mouth and said vaguely, ” It’s like the grey area of the law, the unwritten rule.”
Jian Chi chewed on his rice slowly. The unusual rules of Saintston streaked by his mind, showing the absurd campus world. In the end, he forgot to savor this expensive meal.
Suddenly, there was a commotion outside. He raised his head and this movement also attracted Zhang Yang’s attention.
“What happened outside?” Zhang Yang muttered. His eyes suddenly froze at a certain point and his mouth slowly opened into an O-shape, “My God, does that special enrollment want to die?”
Jian Chi looked at the point where Zhang Yang’s eyes stayed and a familiar face emerged from the crowd surging outside the cafeteria.
Since the beginning of the school year, this was the second time he had seen Bai Xiyu – his hand was raised high and there was an undissipated panic on his face. The boy in front of him was a head taller, with maverick red hair. Even if they were separated by a distance, he could see his handsome and unruly facial features. He had a slap print on half of his face.
“He dared to fight Shao Hang, he’s finished.” Zhang Yang exclaimed.
Jian Chi heard the name from Zhang Yang’s mouth again. The boy named Shao Hang was wearing a brooch made of black diamonds and black pearls on his chest. A quiet light passed through the sun and formed two extremes with his arrogant brooch.