Chapter 3: The Privileges of F4

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Wen Xulai adjusted his black-rimmed glasses, clutching the lesson materials as he headed toward Class Four. Passing by Class Two, which he was in charge of, he instinctively glanced inside. Noticing someone still there, he paused in surprise.

“Song Jingbai? This isn’t a PE class period. Why haven’t you gone to the gym with everyone else?”

Seeing Song Jingbai alone in the classroom, Wen Xulai immediately sensed something was amiss. Out of concern for his student, he couldn’t just ignore it.

Song Jingbai had caused no trouble in the two months since school began, except for a fight with Huo Zhanyan yesterday.

When asked why he had fought, Song Jingbai said nothing. Wen Xulai, knowing that pressing would only backfire, chose not to pry.

Overall, Song Jingbai was a lot less troublesome than Huo Zhanyan.

After tossing some items into the trash bin at the back of the room, Song Jingbai stepped out. “Teacher, I’m just tidying up a bit. I’ll be there soon.”

Wen Xulai nodded and suddenly remembered to ask, “By the way, how are you getting along with the new student? You two are desk mates, so you probably interact quite a bit.”

Song Jingbai gave Wen Xulai a clear, sincere smile. “I’m getting along well with the new student.”

I’m certain he doesn’t want to see me.

“I like the new student too.”

He hates me.

Wen Xulai exhaled in relief, “That’s good.”

They’d only known each other a class period so far, but there would be plenty of opportunities ahead to grow closer. Leaving a good impression early was crucial.

After all, these children came to school not just to learn knowledge, but to learn how to get along with others.

Feeling reassured, Wen Xulai went on to teach Class Four, unaware that after he left, the boy who had been standing still wore an increasingly strange, even unpleasant expression.

Yet, thanks to good upbringing, no matter how turbulent his emotions, he managed to contain them—though at his tender age, he couldn’t be completely flawless.

Song Jingbai pressed his hand against the glass window, looking at his own reflection, as if through it he was watching someone else.

From the first glance, he knew Wen Xiao despised him. He had seen similar looks countless times before—only everyone else seemed to treat him like a fool.

He was like looking into a mirror, and he gave the reflection on the glass a faint smile.

* * *

Slanter School’s playground was vast, located right beside the gymnasium. After the teacher led them through some warm-up exercises, the students were allowed to disperse and play on their own.

Wen Xiao watched as his classmates scattered, many heading to the gym to fetch sports equipment. He followed them, not wanting to bake under the hot sun on the playground.

Scanning the crowd of young, inexperienced faces, he found it strange that he didn’t see the other two members of the F4 clique.

He might not have immediately noticed three of them, but there was one boy who stood out unmistakably.

Especially at the curious age of seven, this boy was bound to attract attention.

Because he was a mixed-race child.

Golden hair and blue eyes among a sea of black hair and dark eyes—how could he not stand out?

Suddenly, a basketball flew toward him—not directly at him, but near his side, bouncing off the wooden floor with a loud thud, making Wen Xiao tense up instinctively.

He didn’t look at the bouncing ball but glanced up toward the direction it came from—Huo Zhanyan.

Meeting Huo Zhanyan’s ugly glare, Huo smirked arrogantly, clutching another basketball, standing as if he owned the court. “Let’s have a competition!”

Huo Zhanyan was feeling confident. Earlier in the classroom, Wen Xiao had embarrassed him, so now during PE, he was determined to reclaim his territory.

He was sure that in this regard, Wen Xiao’s slight frame would never match up to him.

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He was determined to show everyone who the real boss of the class was!

Wen Xiao, still simmering with anger, strode over to Huo Zhanyan in just a few steps, staring straight at him but saying nothing.

Huo Zhanyan was a full head taller than Wen Xiao, but in his presence, he inexplicably felt a bit smaller.

That gaze unsettled Huo Zhanyan more than he expected.

But when he realized he was actually intimidated by this newcomer, he quickly regained a hundredfold confidence and glared back defiantly.

“Have you thought about what would happen if you hit someone?” Wen Xiao suddenly spoke.

He had been tempted to pick up the basketball and throw it back, to let Huo Zhanyan experience true “classmate friendship.”

But at the last moment, he refrained.

Huo Zhanyan was Huo Zhanyan, and he was himself.

He would never stoop to Huo Zhanyan’s level.

Not for others, but for himself.

Huo Zhanyan didn’t understand why Wen Xiao suddenly got angry. Growing impatient, he snapped, “I didn’t hit anyone!”

True enough, he had aimed at Wen Xiao’s feet and hadn’t noticed anyone else nearby.

If Wen Xiao had just stepped aside or if another student had walked over, someone could have been hurt.

Huo Zhanyan only wanted to scare him and never considered the possibility of hurting someone.

Such selfishness, thinking only of oneself—was it really innate? Ridiculous.

“I’m not competing,” Wen Xiao suddenly laughed, though it was a cold, humorless laugh. “Are you crazy? You want to compete with me just because I said so?”

Huo Zhanyan didn’t expect Wen Xiao to refuse him, and instinctively grabbed his wrist. “If not that, whatever—we can compete in anything!”

Wen Xiao frowned tightly as Huo Zhanyan’s grip pulled at him. He wondered what kind of upbringing this boy had, that he was so strong—probably born with this terrible character just like his innate selfishness.

He had even thought Huo Zhanyan might cry, but now it was clear he had imagined things.

“All right, we’ll compete,” Wen Xiao nodded.

Huo Zhanyan was stunned and scratched his head in confusion. He hadn’t expected Wen Xiao to be so compliant, and before he could gloat, Wen Xiao continued.

“Whoever disappears from the other’s sight first loses.”

Wen Xiao’s smile vanished. His young body was unusually weary; he just wanted to find a place to rest properly.

“Playing basketball? You’re not worthy.”

A sport so dependent on teamwork was definitely not suitable for Huo Zhanyan.

But then Wen Xiao recalled that even in high school, he had never seen Huo Zhanyan play basketball. At least he had some self-awareness.

“Huo Zhanyan, if you want to win, you’d better get lost—far away.”

“You...” Huo Zhanyan’s face turned purple with anger.

“Hey! What are those two doing over there?” The PE teacher blew his whistle and quickly approached, separating the two boys.

One was Huo Zhanyan, who had bullied classmates before during PE; the other was Wen Xiao, the new student the homeroom teacher had specifically asked to watch over, as he had recently recovered from an illness and was to avoid strenuous exercise.

The teacher’s mind immediately took sides.

He had been looking for this student and didn’t expect him to be targeted by Huo Zhanyan again.

Nearby, a classmate whispered to the teacher, “Just now Huo Zhanyan threw a basketball at the new student...”

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After receiving a glare from Huo Zhanyan, the little girl quickly ran off in fear.

Some students had already backed away when they saw the ball flying toward Wen Xiao, so they hadn’t caught what the two were saying.

The PE teacher’s face darkened as he stared daggers at Huo Zhanyan. “Is the basketball for throwing at classmates?”

“I didn’t mean to hit him,” Huo Zhanyan protested. He only wanted to scare him.

“You were throwing the basketball at a classmate and say you didn’t mean to hit him? No way. I’ll have to report this to your homeroom teacher...”

Huo Zhanyan gritted his teeth. It would just mean his parents getting called to discipline him. At home, no one really controlled him.

Noticing Wen Xiao had already left, Huo Zhanyan wanted to follow but was held back by the PE teacher, who said he needed to attend a psychological health session.

If this were his family’s servants, he would have fired them all by now!

Wen Xiao felt refreshed after shaking off Huo Zhanyan, though he regretted not having taken revenge in kind to teach him a lesson.

First, he didn’t want to become like Huo Zhanyan. If he wanted revenge, he had his own way.

Secondly... he didn’t want his parents to be called.

Ahead, he saw Song Jingbai, who had just changed into sportswear in the locker room.

Gone was the proper school uniform, replaced by a white short-sleeved shirt. This Song Jingbai looked more like a child from an ordinary family.

The kind of good child parents dream of, the model student teachers admire, the good classmate everyone likes—always radiating youthful vitality and sunshine.

As if he would continue like this into middle school, then high school, and finally into his ideal university.

But because he was part of the F4, that normal life was impossible.

No one knew Song Jingbai’s other side—the undercurrent beneath the gentle, calm lake that could swallow anyone whole at any moment.

His hair was still damp from washing his face, a few droplets clinging precariously.

He looked at Wen Xiao with a warm smile but didn’t move closer. “The next class is history. The teacher values punctuality, so don’t be late.”

History classes in elementary school sounded bizarre, but at Slanter School, which adhered to international elite education standards, it was nothing unusual.

By the time Wen Xiao snapped out of his thoughts, Song Jingbai had already pushed the door open and left. Wen Xiao didn’t understand why he said those things.

If Song Jingbai weren’t part of the F4, Wen Xiao felt he might genuinely enjoy being friends with him.

Because Song Jingbai seemed to naturally understand what people needed, and being with him never felt unpleasant.

But precisely because he always knew what others needed most, he also understood what they feared losing. Wen Xiao instinctively wanted to keep his distance from such a person.

That ability might be innate, just like Huo Zhanyan’s selfishness and lack of empathy.

Wen Xiao thought this as he headed upstairs.

Slanter School’s gym was huge, housing not just tennis and basketball courts but also a swimming pool, a fencing hall, and an archery range.

Not quite sure where he was going, Wen Xiao wandered down a corridor and emerged onto the second-floor terrace. Opening the door, he was greeted by a bright sight.

Before him was an outdoor swimming pool, alongside shaded umbrellas and resting mats and chairs. Though with the weather cooling into late autumn, the mats had soft blankets laid over them.

Despite the chill, someone was swimming.

The pool water steamed slightly, indicating it was heated.

Yet Wen Xiao looked left and right and saw no one.