My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

"Are you ready?"

Shi Nian grabbed her backpack and nodded at Qiang Fei's question. The latter smiled and scanned Shi Nian's face as if searching for something. "Mama will always be here if you want to talk, okay?"

Shi Nian: ???

She looked up to find Qiang Fei's enigmatic smile, confused. What was she talking about?

However, Qiang Fei didn't give her any chance to react as she already turned around and put on her high heels. She thought that it wasn't good to force Shi Nian to talk lest it opened up the wound inside her heart. It was common to be rejected and Shi Nian had to deal with it alone for her to grow up.

Alas, adolescence, Qiang Fei sighed.

She opened the door to find Xu Binchen leaning against the wall, fiddling with the lighter. "Detective Xu." She greeted him with a smile. "I have to trouble you today."

"No problem." Xu Binchen straightened up and his gaze passed through Qiang Fei. Seeing her behave like usual, he finally heaved a sigh of relief. "Let's go."

They parted ways on the apartment gate. Qiang Fei went to her company while Xu Binchen drove Shi Nian to Sangzhe High School. Midterm had just ended during this period and Xu Binchen couldn't rest assured letting her go alone.

"It's okay to be nervous. Don't care too much if you can't integrate with your class. Everyone will part ways in the end, anyway. It's kind of useless to make friends at times like these. The most important thing you have to do is study, got it?"

The last sentence was okay. But the former half, was it okay for him to say it like that? Wouldn't elders usually tell their children to make friends and have more fun at school?

Shi Nian suppressed her thoughts and asked. [You're not busy today?]

Xu Binchen adjusted the rearview mirror and shifted the gearstick. "I took the morning off." To her dismay, he hadn't finished nagging yet. "If someone bothers you, just go directly to the principal and say my name. His name is Mo Qingshan and he's my old friend. Or else, you can directly call him. Okay, I have sent his contact info to you."

Shi Nian looked at the newest message in her phone and saw a string of numbers on it. Once again, she was struck speechless. Was it okay to behave like this? She was only going to school, not a war!

Xu Binchen looked at her dazed look, seemingly wanting to say something but held back in the end.

The drive to school didn't take longer than 20 minutes. By now, there were many students who walked along the side streets, some were still eating breakfast at the stalls, chatting and laughing, each of their faces was free of worry and fear. 

Shi Nian felt a burst of nostalgia. It had only been a few months but it felt like she hadn't seen such peaceful scenery in a lifetime.

Xu Binchen's car drove directly to the gate. The security guard approached and knocked on his window. Xu Binchen greeted them politely, stating his intention.

There weren't many people who came by cars thus this sight early in the morning evoked quite a lot of attention. Moreover, some of the students caught sight of Xu Binchen's aloof bearing and handsome temperament. 

In a blink of an eye, the school forum exploded.

[A handsome hunk arrived at our school by car! I heard from the security guard that he's bringing the newly transferred student!]

[Holy—so the rumor is true? It's already midterm and a student is really transferring here?]

[Reporting! I have seen the transfer student! It's a girl with long black hair and golden eyes! Very cute, docile and gentle!]

[Ah ah ah!!! Do you think that he's her boyfriend?]

[Upstairs commenter, watch your mouth or else Principal Mo will ban you!]

[Sisters, don't let Principal Mo hear this kind of gossip or else the forum will be shut down again QAQ it's not easy for us to retrieve it. Sincerely, from a member of the journalist club.]

[Reporting! I saw the transfer student and the handsome hunk going to the Principal's office!]

[Upstairs commenter, please elaborate!]

[Please elaborate +1]

[Please elaborate +999]

[What happened? Our strict, upright, national treasure Principal Mo finally received a bribe?]

[rolleyes.jpg do you think Principal Mo will be so easily bribed? Upstairs commenter, scram!]

[Hahaha, another brainless fan of Principal Mo. Why can't he accept bribes?]

Once this black fan came out, the army of national treasure Principal Mo's 'holy guardians' came out like a throng of bees.

[Don't speak nonsense ah! Our Principal Mo is handsome, gentle and pure! He's our Sangzhe's national treasure! We must guard his innocence properly!]

[Principal Mo is one out of a thousand! Don't speak such blasphemous words in front of him.]

[*spray holy water* May Principal Mo bless you!]

The commotion didn't subside until the first bell rang. In the end, the students argued: which class would the transfer student settle in?

On the other hand, inside the Principal's office, Shi Nian looked at the young, handsome and gentle Principal. In her mind, she had already imagined a beer belly uncle with sparse hair. Suddenly being thrown in front of such a person whose looks didn't lose to Xu Binchen, Shi Nian couldn't help staring.

"Shi Nian, right?" Even his voice sounded so nice and gentle, it made one feel relaxed and comfortable. "Nice to meet you, I am Mo Qingshan. You can just call me Principal Mo like others. I have heard of your situation from Xu Binchen so don't worry. The environment in Sangzhe is very good and the learning facility is top notch."

Xu Binchen nodded, satisfied. "Look out for her."

Mo Qingshan gave him a smiley glance. "Yes, I know."

The two men stepped aside and talked about something else in hushed voices. A few minutes later, a series of knocks came from the door and Mo Qingshan exclaimed. "Come in!"

There came a middle aged woman with an icy temperament. She nodded politely and her eyes turned to Shi Nian. "This is the transfer student?"

Mo Qingshan stepped forward and introduced both of them. "Yes, Teacher Yao, this is Shi Nian. Shi Nian, this is your homeroom teacher, Yao Xiurong."

Yao Xiurong nodded coldly and stretched out her hand. "Hello Shi Nian. I will be your homeroom teacher from here on, please take care of me."

Shi Nian looked into Yao Xiurong's eyes and grabbed the woman's hand with a smile. She had met many people before, both in this life and her past life. She had seen so much that she could easily pinpoint out the source of contempt and malice even if they hid it deeply.

But she didn't find it in Teacher Yao. Even though she sounded frosty and unapproachable, her work ethic was very professional and strict. Shi Nian liked it very much.

Yao Xiurong didn't waste anymore time and gestured for her. "Let's go. The first bell has already rang out two times."

Shi Nian nodded, turned to Xu Binchen and waved goodbye.

The corner of Xu Binchen's mouth ticked up and he waved back. "Study well. I will pick you up in the afternoon."

Shi Nian bowed politely toward Mo Qingshan and trailed behind Yao Xiurong. The woman wore a grey slim fit suit that accentuated her slender figure with her hair rolled up in a tidy bun. She looked quite young but Shi Nian couldn't ascertain her age. Throughout the way, they both maintained a tacit silence.

Yao Xiurong stopped in front of Class 1, Year 3. She turned around and said in an even tone. "I hope that you can study well in my class. If there's something you don't understand, don't hesitate to ask your classmate for help."

Shi Nian straightened up and nodded seriously.

"Don't be scared. If someone dared to bully you, just come to Teacher."

This was the second time she heard this sentence in less than an hour. Did she really look so easily bullied? Black lines filled Shi Nian's forehead but under Yao Xiurong's stare, she nodded obediently. 

Because the school didn't allow phone usage, Shi Nian switched to her board as she wrote. [I will do my best, teacher.]

The corner of Yao Xiurong's eyes softened ever so slightly and she touched Shi Nian's head. "Let's go in."

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A/N: we're finally starting the school arc. There will be many, many developments here hehehe