C20 The First Day of School

Zhang Heng waved his hand dismissively.

"Let's leave it at that; I'm heading to bed," he said, and without further ado, he climbed into bed. Wrapping himself in the blanket, he rolled over twice.

Guo Yuan, seeing his state, chose not to interfere and said, "Okay, okay, I'll head off to sleep too."

It wasn't until the crisp sound of the door closing that Zhang Heng emerged from his cocoon of blankets.

'My little bro must have spent the whole night pondering what went wrong,' Zhang Heng mused.

He had noticed Guo Yuan's dark circles earlier but hadn't realized they were a result of worrying about him, which he found quite touching.

'This little bro is pretty decent,' Zhang Heng silently commended him.

Initially, he had taken Guo Yuan under his wing to alleviate his own awkward situation, but he hadn't expected such loyalty in return. The thought made Zhang Heng look forward to his college life even more. With these thoughts, he drifted back to sleep.

Before long, it was time to get up.

Zhang Heng opened his door to find Guo Yuan already up and about, looking exceptionally sharp.

The heap of clothes on the sofa was a clear indication of the effort Guo Yuan had put into his appearance.

To the uninformed, it might seem like there was a special occasion or a fancy gathering he was preparing for.

"Why the fancy get-up? Are you off to some special event tonight?" Zhang Heng inquired.

Guo Yuan gave himself a final once-over in the mirror.

Then, striking a pose he deemed particularly handsome, he turned to Zhang Heng.

"How do I look?"

Zhang Heng felt a wave of nausea at the sight. "What's going on? Your outfit is making me feel sick."

"Not good-looking? I think I look great. Oh, and I've already picked out your clothes for you," Guo Yuan replied.

Zhang Heng remained puzzled. Was there some peculiar custom at this school that required such attire? But judging from the attire of others the day before, that didn't seem to be the case.

"Why dress up like this?"

"Today's the first day of school, and there are bound to be lots of beautiful girls. I've got to look my best to charm a few junior sisters," Guo Yuan explained, still admiring his reflection in the mirror.

Zhang Heng was at a loss for words.

"I don't need to hit on underclasswomen," Zhang Heng declared, refusing the suggestion. He then sifted through the pile of clothes and chose a simple, clean outfit to wear.

Even though he wasn't interested in impressing younger female students, his wardrobe was limited, so he ended up wearing the clothes Guo Yuan had picked out for him.

Seeing him dressed so plainly, Guo Yuan asked in disbelief, "You're going to start the school year dressed like that?"

Zhang Heng just gave him an exasperated look.

"I've been at this school for nearly three years. Every time school starts, I wear my carefully selected outfits so I can shine," Guo Yuan explained.

"I don't share your obsession," Zhang Heng retorted.

After spending considerable time getting ready, they finally headed to their school.

True to expectations, they turned a lot of heads along the way.

Guo Yuan relished the attention, strutting with a distinctive gait, while Zhang Heng walked beside him, fighting the urge to smack him.

Guo Yuan boasted, "See? They're all mesmerized by me."

Zhang Heng didn't even want to engage with him, preferring to act as if he didn't know him and just keep walking.

But Guo Yuan wouldn't give him the chance, grabbing his arm.

"What's the matter? Am I too dazzling, making you feel down?" Guo Yuan asked, full of himself.

"Look at what you're wearing. You look like a rooster. I can't even bring myself to talk to you," Zhang Heng commented with disgust.

"What are you talking about? I'm pretty well-known around here. You wouldn't believe how many girls are crazy about me," Guo Yuan claimed.

Zhang Heng took a closer look at him.

Truth be told, Guo Yuan wasn't bad-looking at all; in fact, he was quite handsome, so it was normal for him to be popular among the female students. If he dressed more modestly, he'd probably attract even more admirers.

But his outfit today was far too flashy, stealing the spotlight.

"You usually dress well. Why go out looking like an iron rooster today?" Zhang Heng said, stepping in front of him and speaking softly.

Reflecting inwardly, he mused, "Sure, you look nice, but it's a shame you're a fool."

Guo Yuan grew even more animated upon hearing Zhang Heng's words.

"You don't appreciate what's good for you. On the first day, you have to stand out. If everyone dresses in a standard way, who's going to notice me? You need to dress uniquely to catch people's attention right away."

Zhang Heng just couldn't grasp his strategy and simply nodded in response.

Then, he hurried off, eager to put some distance between them.

It was embarrassing to be seen with him, and he was reluctant to acknowledge their acquaintance.

On the first day of school, their initial task was to check the bulletin board for their class assignments before finding their respective classrooms.

So, Zhang Heng made his way to the bulletin board.

Many students were gathered there, checking for their classes.

As Zhang Heng tried to make his way through the crowd, Guo Yuan caught up to him from behind.

He tapped Zhang Heng on the shoulder and said, "Head to Class A."

Zhang Heng was somewhat puzzled by this but nodded anyway, asking, "Did you check for me?"

Guo Yuan replied with confidence, "Do I need to check for you? You're in Class A regardless."

Seeing his assured demeanor, Zhang Heng realized Guo Yuan must have had a hand in the matter. But it was of no consequence. Being in Class A meant receiving a quality education, which was fine by him.

However, Zhang Heng didn't quite grasp the significance of being in Class A.

He followed Guo Yuan, striding forward into the new territory.

This building seemed different from the one he'd seen the day before, its exterior fresher and more modern. He continued following Guo Yuan's lead.

The sound of lively chatter reached his ears before he saw anyone.

It reminded him of the buzz of excitement that always accompanied the start of school, so Zhang Heng didn't give it much thought.

Along the way, Guo Yuan mentioned to Zhang Heng, "The students in Class A are far superior to those in Class D. I hope you find the knowledge you're seeking at this school. My class is just one floor above yours. Normally, training isn't separated by class, so hopefully, we'll end up with the same teacher."