Chapter Nine: Here, the Sun Shines Alone

The classroom at Sakino Academy was quite different from the typical middle school classrooms in China. Perhaps it was because it was a prestigious high school, but his classroom resembled a university lecture hall more than anything else.

However, the students didn’t fill every seat, but rather, like during a university’s final exams, each student sat with one or two empty seats between them.

“Zhang Qingqing... Liu Li... Li Yang... Hua Weiwei...” The grade director glanced at the list of exchange students in her hand, checking off each name and photograph. “And Liu... Meng... Chao?”

Liu Mengchao’s name, admittedly, was a bit harder to pronounce. The grade director struggled for quite some time before finally managing to say it, just barely getting it right.

“Let’s see which class you two are in... Liu Mengchao and Hua Weiwei, you’re both students of Class 4, Year 1. Now, follow Teacher Tooyama.”

Teacher Tooyama?

Liu Mengchao glanced at the homeroom teacher, who looked delicate and gentle, and couldn’t help but wonder if Japan’s cross-dressing trend had already infiltrated the education sector.

He followed behind the effeminate Teacher Tooyama, with Hua Weiwei clinging closely to him, her palms slick with nervous sweat.

She was just an ordinary freshman, having attended a strictly closed all-girls high school. She lacked both the independence of living alone and even found it difficult to interact with boys.

Liu Mengchao noticed her unease. Even before encountering any real danger, the pool of points in his system was steadily increasing, which, combined with the pale, anxious face behind him, made things clear.

“She really is a fragile girl...” Liu Mengchao shook his head and deliberately slowed down so Hua Weiwei could catch up. For a moment, his heart softened.

Click.

The classroom door was pushed open by Teacher Tooyama.

“Good morning, everyone,” Teacher Tooyama strode confidently into the classroom. “This semester, we’ll be joined by two exchange students from China. I hope everyone will show their best spirit and get along well with our new classmates. Now, let’s invite them to introduce themselves.”

Applause...

Did not come.

Instead, the room fell silent. Every neck craned to see the two figures standing just outside the door—Liu Mengchao and Hua Weiwei.

Stepping forward.

Liu Mengchao walked in with his head held high.

Suddenly, a wave of applause swept through the room.

“What’s going on?!” Liu Mengchao didn’t even have time to check his current points in the system. Even he was startled. Had he accidentally activated the protagonist’s aura when entering this world? That cost ten thousand reward points, and more importantly, it was the protagonist’s aura from Makoto Itou!

What Liu Mengchao didn’t know was that Bai Ya, when fabricating his identity, had specifically altered his entrance exam results. Originally, there were supposed to be five reasonably competent exchange students, but now, it had become the story of Liu Mengchao, who entered with the top score in the entire school, leading four ordinary Chinese companions to the Land of Harmony.

“So that’s Liu Mengchao? He’s actually quite handsome...” Otome Kato lowered her head, blushing as she watched Liu Mengchao stride in.

She was just an ordinary girl—her figure was average, her heart just as ordinary, prone to jealousy. If not for her basketball skills, she would have been indistinguishable in a crowd.

“My name is Liu Mengchao...”

What a stupid introduction...

Liu Mengchao almost wanted to erase himself from existence. Was this the fate of a dignified agent of the Lord God—introducing himself in front of a bunch of high schoolers?

“And then? Liu?”

What, do you want me to talk about my hobbies and aspirations? Teacher Tooyama, if you dare utter those words, I swear on my title as the Lord God’s agent, I’ll erase you!

Tooyama guessed it was probably a difference in educational culture, and Chinese students were a bit more reserved. That girl, Hua Weiwei, was still hiding behind Liu Mengchao. With this in mind, Tooyama decided it was necessary to encourage these two students from China.

“Don’t be nervous, Liu. You can share any hobbies or dreams you have. It’s okay...”

“Bai Ya! Can I erase him?!”

Ding...

The system chimed a long string of notifications before Bai Ya, exhausted, finally replied, “Based on the calculations, since the gender is ambiguous, erasing him would cost about thirty thousand points... If you insist on erasing Teacher Tooyama, we’ll be down twenty thousand points from here on out.”

“Uh...”

Liu Mengchao felt a long, lingering... resentment... and frustration...

“Liu? Go on, go on...”

“My hobby is... little sisters.” Liu Mengchao’s eyes flashed coldly, a trace of murderous intent emanated from him. “My aspiration is... little sisters.”

“What? What?”

Now it wasn’t just Teacher Tooyama—even the students of Class 4, Year 1 all looked up, curiosity written across their faces. The classroom erupted in a buzz of conversation.

“Teacher, could you please introduce the next student?”

Liu Mengchao took a step back, making way for Hua Weiwei and, for the first time, took in the whole classroom.

The trio he somewhat recognized were seated in front of Kotonoha Katsura, crowding her into the farthest right corner of the classroom. The rear of the room, being a tiered lecture hall, barely caught any sunlight, and for a diligent student, the blackboard was barely visible from there.

As for Otome Kato...

Liu Mengchao glanced around and saw she wasn’t sitting next to Kotonoha Katsura, so he didn’t pay her special attention. After all, minor characters weren’t worth the effort to pursue.

“Yes, yes, Hua Weiwei did very well!” Teacher Tooyama finally breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Hua Weiwei’s words. She had thought all Chinese students would be as eccentric as Liu Mengchao, but it seemed he was merely an exception.

“Well then... let’s assign seats for our new students.” With a flourish, Teacher Tooyama adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses. “Liu, you can take Okubo Kaoru’s seat, right next to Otome Kato.”

Following Teacher Tooyama’s pointing finger, Liu Mengchao easily identified Okubo Kaoru and Otome Kato.

Okubo Kaoru wore the expression of someone abandoned by fate, whereas Otome Kato was full of hopeful anticipation. Did she really think that by having Liu Mengchao sit next to her, they would embark on a high school romance that transcended national borders, aesthetics, and... never mind... Did she really believe he’d fall in love with her?

Perhaps Liu Mengchao sensed Otome Kato’s hidden expectations, for he spoke up immediately.

“Teacher, I’d like to sit over there.”

The farthest right corner of the classroom.

Apart from the delighted Minami Obuchi—one of the trio who bullied Kotonoha Katsura—there was only the silent, downcast Kotonoha herself.

“Oh... then, Kotonoha Katsura...”

Before Tooyama could finish, Minami Obuchi excitedly cried out.

“Teacher Tooyama! I want to sit with her, because that screaming girl is just too noisy.”

Silence...

For the first time in his life, Liu Mengchao walked, under the gaze of the entire class, to the seat next to Kotonoha Katsura, taking over Minami Obuchi’s spot.

“Excuse me, could you please move?”

“Huh?!”

Minami Obuchi had never met such a man before. She stood up, stunned, unable to utter a word, as if Liu Mengchao’s very presence had puppeteered her to move mechanically aside.

“Thank you.”

He set down his bag, waved with a smile to Hua Weiwei as she headed to her new seat, then turned to his new desk mate and said with a grin, “The sunlight is really lovely here!”

Sunlight?

Those sitting nearby couldn’t help but show baffled expressions at Liu Mengchao’s words. This corner, which never got any sunlight, what’s so lovely about it?

“Um... the sunlight... really... is nice...”

The girl at the corner of his eye smiled quietly, typing a reply on her phone, only to shyly delete the message. She wanted to get closer to him, but feared it. She wished to summon her courage, yet built barriers for herself. She was just a shy, timid girl.

But, no matter what, that morning, Kotonoha Katsura smiled.

It was subtle, but she was genuinely happy.

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Stretching... Finally managed to finish this chapter in a hurry, and a classmate even helped with the cover...

Well then... In the name of Kotonoha Katsura... asking for recommendations, for favorites, for someone to keep me warm~