A Warm Marriage After Rebirth

"Principal Marshall, this student of yours is quite impressive! I’ll present her with the award myself in a bit!" the main person in charge of the event praised.

Quentin Marshall’s expression was a bit strained. The girl wasn’t even from his school, but he didn’t expose the truth, deciding to treat it as a fortunate misunderstanding that could bring some glory to Sanford First High School. "In that case, thank you, Director Lowell!"

Seraphina Sterling finally relaxed. ’First place is mine! My application to skip a grade is definitely going to be approved!’

"You know kung fu?" Having been too careless, Simon could only settle for second. The two of them stood on the mountaintop, watching the others slowly make their way up.

"A little," Seraphina Sterling said, controlling her breathing and doing some stretches to avoid waking up sore all over the next day.

Simon’s spirits revived. "Let’s spar! You only won the climb by a fluke! If I’d gotten serious, the win would definitely have been mine!"

But Seraphina Sterling ignored him. "Whether it was a fluke or you weren’t giving it your all, the fact remains: I’m number one, and you’re number two."

Simon was so furious he could spit blood! ’My undefeated record, ruined by this girl! No way. I have to get my honor back!’

Simon unfastened a diamond bracelet from his wrist. It was a platinum band with a large letter ’C’ in the center, inside of which was set a massive diamond that sparkled brilliantly, dazzling in the sunlight. "If you beat me, it’s yours!"

Seraphina Sterling glanced at the brilliant diamond, then turned away without a shred of interest. "It seems you really don’t understand Apex at all, Simon. Your diamond might be expensive, but it has no real value."

"I think you’re the one who doesn’t recognize quality! This diamond alone is worth two hundred thousand! And you have the nerve to say it has no value?" A hint of anger crept into Simon’s voice.

"Apexians of status and taste prefer jade. In Apex, we have a saying: ’jade nourishes its wearer.’ It’s believed that wearing jade over many years improves one’s health and slows aging. Some elders even believe that jade worn against the skin can ward off disaster and protect you from harm. In ten, twenty, or even thirty years, your diamond will still be just a diamond. Our jade pieces, on the other hand, can increase in value indefinitely. They can even be passed down for generations as family heirlooms."

As she spoke, Seraphina Sterling revealed the milky-white Jade Bracelet on her arm. It was smooth and lustrous, with a texture as fine as cream, a perfect complement to her fair skin. The simple bracelet, resting just above her wrist, created an indescribable sense of harmony.

A glint appeared in Simon’s eyes. "It seems I need to learn more about Apex’s jade culture."

’He finally took the bait.’ A faint smile touched Seraphina Sterling’s lips. "Apex has five thousand years of history. We have more than just jade. We also have exquisite porcelain and pottery, uniquely elegant calligraphy, the beautiful music of the guqin, and a time-honored tea culture. It’s not something you can learn in a day."

"It seems you know a lot about these things. I’d bet that out of all the Apexian students here, not a single one understands their own traditions as well as you do. Where did you learn all this?" In just a few exchanges, Simon had already sensed that Seraphina Sterling was different.

"I have a work-study job at Apex Collections. You pick things up when you’re around it all the time. If you’re interested, you’re welcome to visit the store. I can even give you a tour for free." Seraphina Sterling said just enough and no more. Sometimes, saying too much was a mistake, especially with someone as perceptive as Simon.

The hiking event didn’t end until evening, when Director Lowell gave a brief speech for the awards ceremony. The team prize, unsurprisingly, went to the foreign exchange students led by Simon, while the first-place individual award was won by Seraphina Sterling.