You are all bad women! Don't come over!

"He's Shen Mochen, oh my gosh, he's so handsome..."

"My goodness, he's even better looking than in his photos!"

"If I could go back in time, pretend I didn't know he was so handsome and then approach him, would I have a chance..."

"I heard he's the Princess's boyfriend, he definitely won't take a liking to ordinary people!"

Shen Mochen walked discreetly into the school auditorium, still causing a small commotion among the crowd, but he didn't pay attention, heading straight to his class's spot and sat beside Liu Bo.

"Why did you cut your hair?" Liu Bo asked.

"It's fine, the bangs were inconvenient anyway," Shen Mochen said.

"Couldn't see clearly?"

"Yeah, it was always somewhat of a hindrance."

Liu Bo blinked, "So you're going to keep it like this from now on?"

Shen Mochen didn't answer, just smiled at him.

"Thanks to you, I haven't been this popular in a long time. Let me tell you, yesterday a bunch of girls added me as a friend, asking about you..."

"That's great, right? If you play your cards right, you might even be able to get out of singlehood. Haven't you always wanted a girlfriend?"

Liu Bo gave Shen Mochen's shoulder a self-deprecating pat, "But they like you, who would have eyes for me? Besides, youth belongs to you handsome guys, it's got nothing to do with people like me!"

Shen Mochen tilted his head, still not sure what to say when a girl behind him tapped his shoulder and started chatting with him.

Soon, all the students of First Middle School had entered the auditorium. After some bald vice-principal rambled on with a bunch of useless nonsense, he began introducing the people on the stage.

First Middle School's celebration attracted quite a few dignitaries, including the mayor of Yu Huai City and the Director of Education from Gaotang State... Besides them, there was also Cai Yuncui, a representative of First Middle School's outstanding teachers. When others introduced her, Shen Mochen noticed her ears turning red.

Of course, the event wouldn't be complete without its best ornament, such as the Buques stationed in Yu Huai City, the captain of Team 0819, Liu Chaoyan.

Unlike the bashful Cai Yuncui, Liu Chaoyan was much more at ease, not only greeting the students of First Middle School with natural grace but also delivering a short yet impactful speech that earned her enthusiastic applause.

"Liu Chaoyan is so beautiful," Liu Bo stared at the lovely figure on stage and swallowed hard.

"Yeah, truly beautiful..."

With some excitement, Liu Bo gossiped with Shen Mochen, "She is just like a real young lady, truly deserving of being from a Family. I heard her family is one of the most grounded in Gaotang State, with the longest heritage..."

"It's the current era, not the length of time that makes something impressive!"

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Perhaps it was Shen Mochen's praise, but a girl from a Family sitting nearby expressed her dissent.

Liu Bo immediately shrank back, not daring to speak further, as he was considered bottom of the food chain at First Middle School.

Shen Mochen nudged Liu Bo and whispered, "Hey, what do you think, who's prettier, Liu Chaoyan or Catherine?"

Liu Bo froze, then his face showed a hint of fear, "What are you trying to do?"

"I'm just asking."

"You'd better not have any crazy ideas, if the Princess gets wind of this, it's no joke!"

Shen Mochen said irritably, "I'm just asking you who looks better in your eyes... Why are you acting like I'm about to cheat?"@@novelbin@@

Liu Bo grumbled, "Then why are you asking this out of the blue... it's quite alarming... But if you ask me, it's really hard to choose..."

"What's so hard about choosing? Just think about which one you like more, isn't that it?"

"Humph, it's only children who play with multiple-choice questions all day, adults say they want everything... cough cough cough, of course, I'm just joking. Don't take it seriously, the Princess will throw you into the lake to feed the turtles."

"I'm so upset, I can't believe this is how you see me... Why do you always suspect I might cheat?"

"Because you just have the look of a scumbag!"

Shen Mochen retorted angrily, "How do I look like a scumbag?"

Liu Bo confidently declared, "You're so handsome; aren't handsome guys scumbags?"

"Why should being handsome automatically mean someone's a scumbag?"

"If I were as handsome as you, I'd have a new girlfriend every week!"

"You can't project your fantasies onto others; I thought you were an honest man!"

"Pssh, like I want to be an honest man!"

The two whispered and joked quietly as the performance on stage had already begun.

Shen Mochen finally settled down and watched the stage with lackluster interest.

The opening act was a mass singing of the school anthem, which was utterly boring. Shen Mochen didn't focus on the stage but instead gazed at Liu Chaoyan's profile in the front row.

Despite her hair covering most of her face, allowing only glimpses, she still exuded an elegant air of striking independence.

"Actually, if I had to choose... I would definitely pick Teacher Cai first, then the Princess, and then Liu Chaoyan."

Liu Bo leaned in close to Shen Mochen, his lips moving.

"Why?" Shen Mochen asked.

"My family background is just too different from the other two... I feel like only Teacher Cai might consider someone like me... even though she probably wouldn't."

"So, are you saying that the class leader's family isn't as good as Liu Chaoyan's?"

Liu Bo glared, "How could that be, do you know who the class leader is? She's very likely to be one of the future Marquises of Roman!"

Shen Mochen raised an eyebrow, "So you think the class leader is more beautiful?"

"That's... really hard to say," Liu Bo scratched his head, "I just feel like the class leader is a bit more approachable."

"I think Liu Chaoyan is quite approachable too, and she's also a native of our country."

"That may be true, but it just feels like she's on a different level..."

"What level?"

"It's like... how do I put it, just look at her aura, the way she sits... she just seems like she's from a different world from us, a super high-class lady, and in front of her, I'm just some nouveau riche with no sense of manners or etiquette..."

"You are actually a nouveau riche."

"Shut up, don't point out my flaws, you're no better than me."

The two chatted and laughed, critically appraising Catherine, Cai Yuncui, and Liu Chaoyan, but they took for granted that Liu Chaoyan was the kind of young lady who only existed in legends, emerging from a thousand-year Family. Her mannerisms and demeanor met people's every expectation of an aristocrat's grace and refinement. Every gesture, whether standing or sitting, exhibited textbook-level upbringing and elegance.

The depth of her Family's heritage was clearly evident, the nobility had true class indeed.

After a while, Shen Mochen began to feel drowsy, for he had studied late into the night since there were no classes today.

What, Yin Caiyu told him to go to bed early? Could anyone actually take their girlfriend's advice so seriously?

"Wake up, wake up, it's our class's turn."

Liu Bo nudged Shen Mochen, who had dozed off with his head down, unaware of how much time had passed.