197 New beginnings
“You are right, ” The shop owner said. “The girl in the banner looks more beautiful and adorable.”
An Xiulan pouted. She had longer hair than before. She didn’t have the bangs that she had a year ago. She was seventeen. Her facial features were a bit more mature and sharper than before. Her cute and chubby face was no longer visible. Instead, she had a small oval mouth with big eyes. Her eyes were so big that she could say that she had owlish eyes.
She was taller than before. She loved being tall but she felt angry when she could no longer dress up as a cute short girl. She was 170cm tall now.
“Little girl, do you want something else?” The shop owner asked. “We are selling beef noodles at half price because it’s the first day of the new session at Jingyuan high. What class are you in? Are you in senior year? You look quite old though.”
An Xiulan didn’t know whether she should cry or laugh. “I’m not a senior. I’m a junior.”
“Oh, you are in eleven standard? My daughter is in the same class in a different high school. What is your stream? Did you go for science or humanities? My daughter went for science, ” The old lady said with a hint of pride in her tone.
“I’m a humanities student, ” An Xiulan informed her. “I’m not a science girl.”
“Oh, you must be average in studies then, ” The shop owner said. “My son was not good at studies ; he took humanities. My daughter is above average and so she took science. You must be below average, right? It’s okay, humanities is the saving grace of weak students like my son.”
“You know what, Auntie?” An Xiulan looked at her and placed the currency note on the table. “I’m below average. Humanities is really a saving grace for me.”
She took her bag and turned around to leave.
“Little girl, you gave me ten bucks less, ” The old woman said from behind.
“Oh sorry, Auntie, ” An Xiulan looked at the lady as if she was troubled. “I’m bad at studies and so I calculated wrongly. Pardon me, after all, I’m bad at studies, especially maths. What do humanities students like us even know?”
“It’s alright, ” The old woman said as she looked at the girl. Why did she feel as if she was answered with sarcasm?
An Xiulan gave the rest of the money and walked out of the stall. She walked to the huge banner and caressed it softly. There was mention of four beauty pageants that she had won last year. One was provincial, one was national and two were international teen beauty pageants.
“Now that I look at the banner, I must say An Xiulan you did well, ” An Xiulan said as she looked at the beautiful girl smiling proudly in the picture wearing beautiful crowns. She patted her shoulder. “You will not tell Mr Yun that you had something you were not supposed to. One more crown and then you will get a ticket to the university of your dreams.”
“Ouch, ” She winced when she felt someone pulling her long ponytail. She turned to glare at the person who dared to pull the hair of Her Highness An Xiulan.
“Two minutes until morning Assembly starts, ” Han Zixin told her with narrowed eyes. “The school gates are closed, you glutton.”
A Xiulan’s eyes widened. “The principal asked me to come early because they want to honour me in the morning assembly. I can’t be late!”
“You should have thought this before spending time somewhere else,” Han Zixin retorted. He leaned ahead and smelled the aroma of sweet rice balls. “You had rice balls. Without inviting me?”
An Xiulan cleared her throat, feeling guilty. “I’m a little short on money.”
“You owe me big time, ” Han Zixin said.
…..
“An Xiulan!” Han Zixin shouted through gritted teeth as he looked at the girl who he helped to climb down the school wall. She picked up her school bag and strutted without waiting for him. He could still see her figure hiding behind the newly built classes. She was gesturing something to her without using words.
“Don’t wave at me!” Han Zixin angrily shouted at her. “Help me! Take my bag before I jump down.”
“I’m sorry, “An Xiulan mouthed as she wore her bag and disappeared from there. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
“You think I can’t jump from here without you?” Han Zixin shouted. “Well, I can! Not even the blad principal can stop me! I, Han Zixin, am not afraid of anyone like a scaredy cat like you are!”
Since it was the beginning of a new session for Jingyuan High. Today, the opening session was to be held in the school grounds where all the new and old students were gathered.
The principal, who Han Zixin, was not afraid standing on the podium holding a microphone while he jumped fearlessly down the wall and wiped his hands. He was about to speak in the microphone when he heard a loud and angry wail of a teenager. When he looked at the source of the sound, he saw a boy standing on the wall, shouting at someone. He was flabbergasted by the scene unfolding before his eyes.
“Oh my fucking devil, “Han Zixin cursed under his breath when he saw thousands s of students looking at his way along with all the teachers.
‘Little blockhead, don’t let me find you!’
At this moment, Han Zixin felt how nice it would be if God had given half of his brain cells to An Xiulan! Yes, he was that nice friend to share half of his intelligence with an mentally retarded person. She could just tell him not to jump down. When shebwas fervently waving her head, he thought she was provoking him that she was leaving while he was stuck on the wall.
Instead of thinking of anything else, he hoped that he made a perfect landing on the ground like that of spider man.
When he looked at the red face of the principal his lips twitched. The principal looked like a bull who had just been provoked by the red flag.
“Good morning, sir, “Han Zixin greeted with a smile. He looked so innocent at this moment that no one could tell that he was the same man who caused ruckus in the school. His best friend taught him to act cute when you are stuck in a big fix.
The old students of Class 10 (K) who were now in class 11 (K) erupted in hootings and cheers. The new students of class Ten who were oblivious of the rules of school joined them too. The new students thought that since the seniors were doing this, why would they be left behind?
“I made my best friend famous, “An Xiulan grinned as she flipped her ponytail proudly.
Shen Yue flicked her forehead. “I was right that it has something to do with you.”
An Xiulan acted wronged. “Yue’er how could you blame your Xiu’er?”
“You! Stop acting cute! I will not fall for your tricks, “Shen Yue said, closing her eyes.
“If the whole of China can fall for the trick, why can’t you?” An Xiulan grinned.
“Were you the one who Big Boss Han was shouting at?” Qiao Wei asked in a whisper.
An Xiulan hihihied while scratching her head. “I got late for school. The school gates were closed. We had no other option but to jump the wall. I sneaked out when no one was noticing. I swear I wanted to help him but you have to understand that I’m a public figure and I can’t smear my reputation.”
“What public figure? You are still the same troublemaker, “Mona rolled her eyes. “Too bad, you are no longer cute but a daredevil now.”
Song Ci stomped on Mona’s feet. “If you say anything bad about her, Big boss Han and boss Lu are going to hunt you down at school.”
“Hey, my brother is not bad, “An Xiulan grew protective of her brother.
It was at the same time, she heard a new girl say, “Have you seen the tall boy in the second row ? He is the captain of the football team. Today, he showed me my class when I got lost. He is so nice. Do you think if I confess to him, he will accept my friendship?”
“This junior puppy love is banned on campus, “An Xiulan said as she showed her badge. “I’m the vice captain of the puppy love committee and ambassador of Hashtag no puppy love. Your ten marks will be cut in the upcoming monthly test for getting involved in puppy love.”
The girl looked at An Xiulan with teary eyes, “You are so mean!”
With this the girl burst into sobs.
“And you are so weak, “An Xiulan said while shaking her head. She muttered to herself, “Thinking of becoming my sister-in-law? I will show all the interested parties hell.”
Her four friends glanced at themselves and shook their heads.
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A/N: Guys, we have to complete privilege goal this month at all cost it I’m going on a break!!!!