Chapter 51: PREFECT.
The large hall buzzed with restless chatter, sneakers squeaking on polished floors, the occasional cough echoing louder than it should have. Students filled every row, some half-asleep, others whispering theories about why they were dragged here again. And then, like clockwork, the double doors at the front opened.
Headmaster Jian strutted up to the stage with all the self-importance of a royal peacock. He adjusted his mic, gave it the obligatory tap-tap, and then leaned forward with a grin that screamed mischief more than leadership.
"So, hello my cute little troublemakers!"
A few chuckles, a few groans. Classic Jian.
But just as the students were ready to tune him out, his grin dropped like a dead fly. His tone dipped.
"But lately, you people don't feel all that cute anymore... Somehow, you—"
Click.Jiayi, standing off to the side like a statue with arms crossed, shot him a single, pointed glare. It was enough to remind him—he wasn't an internet troll; he was a headmaster. The man coughed, cleared his throat, and attempted to recover with forced enthusiasm.
"Ahem, yes—today's results are out!" He waved a sheet of paper dramatically like it was a winning lottery ticket. "Our top student of this term, with perfect scores and discipline points, is—"
His eyes found Xu Lingwei in the crowd.
"Xu Lingwei! The model student!"
A smattering of polite claps followed. Xu Lingwei, standing near the back, didn't even flinch. His arms were crossed, expression blank, as if the praise bounced off his skin like water on wax.