It was lunchtime.
Zhang Ning and Anran sat together for lunch. St. Academy had its own cafeteria, offering a wide variety of delicious dishes, so most students chose to eat there. Naturally, Anran was no exception.
However, thanks to her mysterious and overbearing desk mate, Richard Morris, Anran had become the center of attention since his appearance that morning. From the moment she stepped into the cafeteria, the gazes fixated on her never ceased, making it hard for her to enjoy her meal.
What should have been a lively and cheerful lunch was instead filled with tension. Zhang Ning's face was scrunched up with worry as she stared at Anran, her lunchbox untouched. After a long pause, she sighed and said, "Anran, you need to be careful."
An uncomfortable feeling prickled at Anran's skin from all the staring, but seeing Zhang Ning's pitiful expression, she couldn't help but chuckle. "Are you telling me to watch out for those people who bullied you because of the student council president?"
"Mm-hmm. Some of them are upperclassmen. I'm afraid they might target you too, especially after this morning…" Zhang Ning's voice trailed off, though Anran understood what she meant.
Seriously? Just because her desk mate had spoken to her a few times, she'd already earned the jealousy of so many people. To Anran, Richard was nothing but trouble, and she wanted nothing to do with him. If people found out she'd already met Richard Morris yesterday—and even had a physical encounter with him—who knows how they'd react.
"Don't worry, Ning," Anran said with a reassuring smile.
She then glanced around the cafeteria, spotting a few pairs of sneaky eyes darting in their direction. Her sharp gaze met theirs, and they quickly looked away.
"Ning, have I ever told you that my family runs a martial arts school?" Anran deliberately raised her voice.
Then, with an exaggerated grin, she added, "Heh, I can kick through three suspended wooden planks! Do you know how much force that takes?"
Under Zhang Ning's astonished gaze, Anran flashed a confident smile, as if to say: I'm no fragile little girl. Bring it on if you dare!
Zhang Ning smiled in understanding. It might not be the best solution, but perhaps it could intimidate some people for the time being.
Suddenly, the cafeteria, which had finally quieted down, erupted into murmurs. All eyes turned toward the entrance as if something unbelievable had happened. Gasps filled the air as a figure in a purple uniform walked in.
Unable to resist her curiosity, Anran looked over and froze. The person entering was none other than Jason Byron—the man who had attacked her yesterday!
But what surprised her even more was the girl walking beside Jason. It was their class monitor, Aixue!
"Anran, that's Jason Byron, from the Byron family," Zhang Ning whispered.
Anran had almost forgotten about the attack yesterday, but an inexplicable aversion to Jason lingered in her heart.
"Yeah," Anran replied absentmindedly.
She was puzzled. Since when had their class monitor, Aixue, become so close to Jason?
What Anran didn't know was that, for the students of St. Academy, befriending someone in a purple uniform was an unparalleled honor. In their eyes, the Byron family was second only to the Morris family in Rosewood, as they had served the Morris family for generations and were the closest to them.
Walking into the cafeteria with Jason Byron instantly elevated Aixue's status. She held her delicate chin high, her face slightly paler than usual, but radiating pride. For a moment, she basked in the spotlight, relishing the admiration and envy of her peers.