Ch89 - Two People from Different Worlds

Although he couldn’t say anything too obvious with so many people around, Lu Xingwang’s words were like a calming balm, sending gentle waves through Jian Mei’s heart. He didn’t need to say anything more—those words were enough.

Several professors were busy writing evaluations when an elderly man with a white beard slowly approached.

Seeing him, Jian Mei quickly bowed and greeted, “Hello, Teacher.”

The old man smiled slightly and responded, “Hello, Jian Mei. I’m Professor Lu Xi, a pharmacology specialist. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

At his words, Jian Mei couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed.

With a sincere bow, Jian Mei softly said, “Hello, it’s an honor to meet you.”

Professor Lu Xi stroked his beard and said, “I’ve been occupied with other matters and haven’t returned to teach at the school, so we never had a chance to meet before. But now that we’ve met, I must say, you’re quite impressive.”

Jian Mei felt that most of his success had been due to luck.

He bowed again and replied, “You’re too kind. Most of the credit goes to Yunshi. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have found that emergency refuge, and I definitely wouldn’t have been able to go into the forest to find the hostages.”

The old man spoke slowly, “Child, being able to achieve what others can’t is a form of excellence. But what’s even more valuable is recognizing when something seems impossible, yet still striving to make it happen.”

Jian Mei was momentarily stunned.

“The credit goes to Yunshi, thanks to you.” The old man left these words before he turned and left.

Jian Mei hesitated for a moment before looking at Lu Xingwang. “Teacher, what do you mean by that…?”

Lu Xingwang parted his lips and replied, “He’s praising you.”

As the two of them were talking, other students began to file out of the cabin one by one. The first thing everyone did, of course, was check their scores. When they saw that Jian Mei had ranked first again, their surprise was easy to imagine.

Nanfeng sighed, “The new generation always surpasses the old.”

Ying laughed lightly, “First place again.”

Just as they were about to congratulate Jian Mei, they saw the young man not far off, tilting his head as he conversed with the man beside him. The Crown Prince, dressed in formal court attire, stood on the left side of the mentor’s platform. The cold indoor lighting cast a pale glow on him, and his handsome profile no longer looked as indifferent as before; in fact, there was even the faintest trace of a smile.

Their height was noticeable, but it didn’t feel out of place.

Ying watched for a moment before sighing lightly, “So, is this the kind of treatment you get for ranking first?”

Nanfeng crossed his arms and remarked, “If I were the one who came in first, the Crown Prince would probably just have me sleep on the floor in the hall.”

Ying chuckled softly.

It had always been a running joke that only those who consistently ranked first could marry the Crown Prince. But after seeing this scene, they suddenly weren’t so sure. Could that joke actually become a reality?

……

After the exams, Jian Mei was given a two-day break to rest.

Since enrolling, he had mostly been caught up in extra lessons and hadn’t had much of a chance to relax. Now that the school had given him a break, he planned to invite Xiao Ban out to hang out.

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Jian Mei immediately declined. “No.”

As they were talking, several other students began to step out of their rooms. Xiwu Heng walked over to Jian Mei’s side, gazing up at him with something like longing in his eyes.

Ying leaned against the doorframe, asking, “Where are you guys going to hang out? It’s more fun with more people, right? Why not join us?”

Jian Mei sighed. “We’re not going to any big malls.”

“What’s so great about big malls?” Nanfeng shrugged. “I got bored of those places ages ago.”

For commoners, malls might feel like a luxury, but for these nobles, they were as simple as a vegetable market.

Jian Mei stayed silent.

To his surprise, Yunshi walked over. Ever since the exams, his attitude toward Jian Mei had warmed up, and he said, “Perfect. I haven’t been out in ages. Let’s go together.”

Jian Mei looked at the SA class members and felt a sense of helplessness building up in his chest. But if he turned them down now, it would seem ungrateful.

In the end, Jian Mei gave a slight nod. “Alright.”

What was supposed to be just a trip with Xiao Ban turned into a parade with the whole SA class.

When Jian Mei was almost at the meeting spot, he called Xiao Ban and briefly explained the situation. When they met up, Xiao Ban wasn’t too surprised, but he did seem a little nervous. He hesitated for a moment, looking at Jian Mei, and said, “Meimei…?”

It had been a month or two since Jian Mei and Xiao Ban last saw each other, so both of them were excited to finally reunite. Xiao Ban seemed to have grown a little taller over the months, and he looked more energetic.

Jian Mei walked over and gave him a hug.

Xiao Ban took his hand and asked, “Meimei, how have you been at school?”

Jian Mei nodded seriously. “Pretty well.”

Xiao Ban smiled, but then glanced at Jian Mei’s back, his hesitation returning.

Nanfeng, ever the lively one, stepped forward with a grin. “Hey there, I’m Nanfeng.”

Xiao Ban stiffened slightly but replied, “Hello.”

Ying also walked over, extending his hand. “Hello, I’m Ying.”

Xiao Ban quickly shook Ying’s hand.

Yunshi then came over, shook Xiao Ban’s hand, and smiled. “Nice to meet you.”

Xiao Ban hesitated for just a moment before reaching out and shaking his hand.

Before Xiwu Heng approached, he was wearing gloves, and he seemed a bit awkward around strangers. Xiao Ban looked at Jian Mei, who explained, “This kid just needs a little time to warm up. It’s fine.”

Only then did Xiao Ban smile and say, “Hello.”

Xiwu Heng nodded slowly.

Seeing that Xiao Ban was a little uncomfortable, Jian Mei took the initiative to walk over and ask, “So, where are we going today? Didn’t you pick a place?”

At his words, Xiao Ban relaxed slightly, forcing a smile as he replied, “It’s an amusement park, quite famous in the capital.”

Jian Mei asked, “Oh, which amusement park?”

Xiao Ban replied, “Lixia Amusement Park.”

Jian Mei hadn’t heard of it. “Where is that? Are we going there now?”

Nanfeng, leaning against a nearby pillar, chimed in, “It’s at the northernmost part of the capital, pretty far. Some of the equipment there is a little outdated, and there aren’t many attractions. If you really want to have fun, Fenghua would be a better choice, and it’s closer to us.”

Ying nodded, though a little reluctantly. “Fenghua is okay.”

Jian Mei asked, confused, “Is it?”

When Xiao Ban heard the name “Fenghua,” he seemed a bit tense. Fenghua was the best amusement park in the capital, but it was primarily for the high aristocracy and wealthy individuals. Commoners could go, but they needed to make a reservation in advance. If they used the regular entrance, they would have to wait in long lines, and the costs were exceptionally high.

Xiao Ban softly said, “Lixia is quite good, and it’s just a little over an hour by high-speed train.”

Before anyone else could respond, Jian Mei nodded. “Alright, let’s go to Lixia.”

Nanfeng was stunned. “No way.”

“Anywhere is fine to play,” Jian Mei glanced at Nanfeng and said seriously, “I’ve already decided on Lixia.”

This kid was stubborn, and no one dared to argue.

However, several of the young masters and young ladies, used to the grandeur and expense of Fenghua, now felt a rare sense of novelty at the idea of going to Lixia.

Yunshi said, “Don’t bother with the high-speed train, I’ll grab a taxi.”

Jian Mei asked, “Won’t that be expensive?”

“It’s fine.”

A small amount of money like this was nothing to them.

Yunshi casually flagged down a car, and the group climbed in. The spacious, luxurious ride felt nice—something Jian Mei and Xiao Ban had never experienced before. The others, however, seemed somewhat indifferent to the comfort.

When they arrived, the driver said, “That’ll be two gold coins.”

Yunshi raised his wrist and swiped his card.

Jian Mei and Xiao Ban exchanged a look, their expressions growing complicated. Two gold coins was the equivalent of a month’s worth of wages for some of the children working at the town mayor’s manor.

In the capital, for this group of young masters, it was just the fare for a casual taxi ride.

Ying gently poked Jian Mei. “What are you zoning out for?”

Jian Mei snapped back to attention, got out of the car with Xiao Ban, and turned around, saying, “Let’s split the fare.”

Although two gold coins wasn’t a small amount, splitting it meant he could still manage to pay his share.

The others, however, reacted as if they’d heard a joke. Split the fare? Wasn’t that a bit ridiculous?

Ying, always the most straightforward, patted Jian Mei on the shoulder and said, “Still so humorous.”

Yunshi, ever polite, walked over to Jian Mei and smiled. “No need. It’s just two gold coins.”

To them, it was as if money meant nothing.

Having spent some time in the SA class, Jian Mei had mentally prepared himself for this. But Xiao Ban was different. It was his first time interacting with these elite students, and he felt as though he had just received a shocking lesson.

The group arrived at the entrance of Lixia Amusement Park. It was a holiday, and the line was long. The park had two separate entrances: one for nobles and one for commoners.

Nanfeng pointed toward the less crowded entrance and said, “Let’s go there.”

Ying and Yunshi naturally agreed.

Jian Mei glanced over, and in his usual straightforward manner, said, “I’ll go over there, but I don’t have that privilege.”

Nanfeng replied, “You do.”

Yunshi added, “You’re a student at our school. Your registration’s already been stamped in the capital. Our school’s students have a privilege rating of B+ or higher for household registration. Since you’re in the SA class, you definitely have the privileges.”

Jian Mei hadn’t realized that simply attending a different school could bring about so many differences.

Nanfeng said, “Alright, there are so many people here. Let’s move quickly.”

Ying, too, hadn’t expected the amusement park to be so crowded, and the service was completely different from Fenghua’s. Standing under the hot sun, the surrounding commoners were especially noisy.

Just as Jian Mei was about to step forward, he suddenly paused and said, “But Xiao Ban doesn’t have it.”

Xiao Ban couldn’t swipe the household registration privilege. These words left the group in awkward silence. Xiao Ban hadn’t expected this situation either. As he stood there, looking at Jian Mei surrounded by the others, he suddenly felt that, unknowingly, he and Jian Mei had become two people from completely different worlds.