Chapter 01: Encounter | When Flowers Fall On Campus by Jibei Ruishi

Jia Qiuyue walked through the noisy hallway, with a heavy backpack slung over her shoulders, 

She made it to the No. 46 High School for the first time today.

She made her way to the class she was assigned to and stood at the classroom door, gazing hesitantly at the noisy classroom filled with unfamiliar faces. A man with glasses, slightly graying hair, and a book in his hand approached her with a warm smile.

Jia Qiuyue looked up at the man. He greeted her,

“Hello, I’m the math teacher here, and also the homeroom teacher. You can call me Mr. Wu.”

Jia Qiuyue gave a slight nod, her voice quiet but polite,

“Hello, Teacher!”

Mr. Wu walked into the classroom, clapped his hands sharply on the desk, and called out firmly,

“Quiet down, everyone! Why is the whole class so excited today?”

Yan Mingxuan stood up, grinning mischievously, and quipped,

“Teacher, the guy next to me said your name is Wu Jian—so you must know how to fence!”

Wordplay: The joke is a pun: “Wu Jian” (吴健) sounds like “wǔ jiàn” (武剑), which means "martial sword" or “fencing.” The student plays on the teacher’s name to make a cheeky joke.

The whole class burst into laughter, the room echoing with amusement.

Mr. Wu raised his voice over the noise, trying to maintain control,

“Quiet! We have a new student joining us today. Her name is Jia Qiuyue, and from now on, she’s part of Class 5 of Senior Year 3.”

Jia Qiuyue walked to the front of the class, her cheeks slightly flushed as she began her self-introduction with a composed gentle tone,

“Hello everyone! My name is Jia Qiuyue, I’m 17 years old, and my exam score was around 701. Please take care of me from now on.”

The class buzzed with interest and hushed whispers. He Jiancheng leaned toward the student next to him and murmured with a mix of curiosity and disbelief,

“Bro, I’m telling you, that girl’s got a sweet look and great grades. Why would someone like her come to our school?”

Meanwhile, Tang Kaiji kept staring at Jia Qiuyue, his gaze unusually focused. He Jiancheng noticed and nudged him with a smirk,

“I’ve never seen you pay attention in class like this before. Now suddenly you’re super focused? You didn’t even answer me when I talked to you.”

Tang Kaiji turned slowly, eyes still on Jia Qiuyue, and responded with quiet seriousness,

“What do you know? I’m serious now. I’ve gotta focus in class and get into college.”

He Jiancheng sighed dramatically and muttered under his breath,

“Ai… I think you’re crushing on her already.”

Tang Kaiji shot him a sharp look— with a tight-lipped smile 

as he challenged,

“What did you just say?”

Seeing Tang’s expression darken, He Jiancheng quickly turned to the blackboard, stammering,

“I said… isn’t our first period math today?”

Tang Kaiji arched an eyebrow and asked,

“Really? Are you sure that’s what you just said?”

He Jiancheng nodded rapidly,

“Yes... that’s definitely what I said.”

Tang Kaiji dropped his teasing expression, returning to his serious tone,

“Yep, first period is math.”

Jia Qiuyue stepped down from the podium and walked to her seat. Her deskmate, Fan Jiade, sat motionless, looking completely disinterested. Jia Qiuyue greeted him with a soft smile as she sat down,

“Hello”

Fan Jiade completely ignored her.

Jia Qiuyue gently asked,

“Can I ask your name?”

Fan Jiade didn’t even glance at her, replying,

“It’s on the book. Look for yourself.”

Jia Qiuyue blinked, slightly startled, and gently picked up his textbook. She found his name, and as her eyes rested on it, her cheeks reddened with surprise and something else she couldn’t quite name.

The name "Fan Jiade" (范嘉德), meaning "excellence" and "virtue," sounds strikingly noble and princely contrasting sharply with his aloof nature.

Fan Jiade noticed and asked curtly,

“Finished reading?”

Jia Qiuyue, face still flushed, replied,

“Yes”

She handed the book back to him, 

From the front of the classroom, Mr. Wu’s voice rang out,

“Fan Jiade! If you’re not going to study, fine—but don’t distract the person next to you. Got that?”

Fan Jiade shouted back in a slightly annoyed tone,

“Got it, Old Wu.”