This humble Taoist priest wants to take the college entrance exam.

Chapter 13 Lin Mengqiu

Please forgive the young Taoist priest for never having been to school and for not having seen much of the world.

In his eyes, this ordinary classroom in the school had an impeccable environment.

The classroom was bright and clean, spacious, and the materials used for the desks and chairs were far superior to those of the rural primary school I attended for a few days in my childhood. In addition to the usual podium, blackboard, desks and chairs, it was equipped with modern multimedia equipment such as projectors and sound systems. There were wall-mounted fans around the walls, and a standing air conditioner at the front and back of the classroom.

It wasn't official class time yet, and the students in the classroom were scattered around. Chen Shi'an glanced around and counted that there were fifty-nine tables in total.

Almost every table was piled high with all kinds of books and study materials, which made the originally spacious space feel rather cramped.

However, the atmosphere wasn't too oppressive. You could see several cute succulent plants on the windowsill, and some empty chairs with plush toy cushions. Next to the [Today's Class Schedule] on the blackboard on the back wall, someone had drawn a cartoon bear chewing on a pencil, with the words [Keep it up!] written on its round belly.

Class 5 of Grade 11 is a place where the pressure of college entrance exams and the individuality of youth intertwine.

Chen Shi'an pulled his gaze away from his surroundings, and the noisy figures of young men and women came into his view.

At the same time, it also brought their exaggerated and alarming voices—

"Taoist priest!!!"

"Wang Xinlei! Kneel down and call me 'Dad' right now! I didn't lie to you about the information this time, did I?!"

Zou Xiaokun, a frontline "news person," was making a big fuss, and after the intelligence was verified, his smug attitude was just like Fan Jin after passing the imperial examination.

Unfortunately, no one paid him any attention; everyone's curiosity and eyes were all on the little Taoist priest who had just followed Teacher Liang into the classroom.

"A real Taoist priest!"

"Did they come to exorcise evil spirits from our class?!"

"Amitabha!"

You called out the wrong line!

"Don't ascend! Don't ascend! This isn't the immortal realm!"

"I am not alone!"

"Fellow Daoist, what brings you here?"

"I'm here to take you in!"

"You beast! Fellow Daoist, quickly lend me a hand and subdue this beast!"

Chen Shi'an: "..."

On their own classroom, these young men and women weren't shy at all. They gathered around Chen Shi'an, chattering and making a ruckus, as if they had seen some rare, 99% pure object.

Having dropped out of school in the mountain village for many years, this was the first time Chen Shi'an had spent time with so many people his age.

As a child, I thought all my peers were monkeys. I thought things would get better as I grew up, but instead, I went from being a clumsy monkey to an abstract one...

What are they all yelling about?

Wasn't Class 5 of Grade 11 supposed to be a top science class? Apart from the banner hanging next to the blackboard, it doesn't look like a top class at all.

Coming from the tranquil and secluded environment to this noisy and abstract classroom, Chen Shi'an was momentarily at a loss. Could this kind of abstraction be the popular way for young people to make friends these days? This humble Taoist priest is completely out of place!
In the midst of noise, quiet people stand out even more.

Out of the corner of his eye, Chen Shi'an caught a glimpse of a girl sitting by the window.

The classroom seats were all for two people sitting together, but the seat next to her was empty, and she sat alone.

She was writing on her test paper with her head down, seemingly separated from the surrounding noise by an invisible barrier, as if she were immersed in a transparent glass dome.

Her hair was a very light flaxen color, soft and smooth, covering her entire back, making her look slender. There were no hair accessories in her hair; it was simply loose, yet it was already elegant enough.

The plain blue and white school uniform, with its simple design, looked stunning on her, exuding a captivating beauty.

The noise from the classroom bounced off the walls, but she didn't even flinch. Only when the sunlight touched her test paper would she look up and gently pull the curtains aside with her long, slender fingers.

Two girls in the front row were getting up to join in the fun when they accidentally bumped into her desk. Their eyes lingered on her for two seconds before they quickly looked away—she had an aura that made people hesitant to disturb her, like the surface of a lake covered in fallen leaves in late autumn, clear yet carrying a refreshing coolness.

Disturbed, she finally raised her head and glanced in Chen Shi'an's direction.

But after that one glance, she quietly went back to working on her problems.

……

The out-of-control atmosphere in the classroom was giving Teacher Liang a headache. Seeing the rumors that "there's something evil in the classroom, and the school has invited a Taoist priest to perform a ritual" spreading more and more wildly, he helplessly reprimanded the teacher:

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

"Have you all finished your papers? You need to hand them in before evening self-study begins. I'm going to see who hasn't done them!"

"What kind of exorcism rituals are these? It's one thing for college students to believe in them, but you guys believe in them too?"

"Everyone, get back to what you were doing!"

As the homeroom teacher, Ms. Liang's words carried considerable authority, and the students from Class 5 who had gathered around Chen Shi'an dispersed, but the lively gossip atmosphere remained undiminished.

"Shi'an, come with me for a moment."

As Chen Shi'an followed Teacher Liang onto the stage, all eyes immediately fell on him.

"let me introduce."

Teacher Liang cleared her throat. "This is Chen Shi'an, who will be joining our class today. No matter who you are outside of school, you are all classmates in the classroom. You are all in your second year of high school now, and the college entrance exam is not far away, so please calm down and don't make a fuss over every little thing!"

"Shi'an, please introduce yourself to everyone briefly."

The reversal came so fast that as soon as Teacher Liang finished speaking, the class erupted in excited and surprised gasps.

"Did I hear that right? Old Liang just said that Dao-ge is here to be our classmate?"

"Little Kunkun! Your information is inaccurate again!"

"Shut up, you barking dogs! When did I ever say the Taoist priests came to exorcise evil spirits? Didn't you say that yourselves?" "Who guessed right? What were the odds just announced?"

"Nobody guessed right!"

"Damn! I missed a chance to get rich quick!"

No wonder everyone reacted so strongly; who would have thought that this Taoist priest would come to the school to enroll as a transfer student?!

"So it must be a fake Taoist priest, right? Does guessing it's a fake Taoist priest mean you win?"

People began to suspect that Chen Shi'an was a fake Taoist priest, but this suspicion didn't last long before it was shattered by Chen Shi'an's self-introduction—

"Greetings, fellow students. My name is Chen Shi'an, courtesy name Chen'an. I come from Jingchen Temple in the north of Xuanyue Mountain. I have been studying Taoist practices with my master on the mountain since I was a child. Now I am enrolled to study and take the college entrance examination. I am fortunate to be classmates with you all. I hope you will guide me in the future."

When the students entered the class, they all introduced themselves, but no one remembered what the others said. Only Chen Shi'an's self-introduction style was unique.

Not only do they have a given name and surname, but they also have a courtesy name? Who still has a courtesy name these days?

Everyone knows Xuanyue Mountain, but no one has heard of Jingchen Temple in Lingbei. The phrase "learning Taoist magic from his master on the mountain since childhood" sounds like a true Taoist priest.

Even though Chen Shi'an confirmed his identity, his classmates still didn't quite believe it.

The reason is simple: my buddy is just too young.

Looking no more than my age, he actually claimed to have 'studied Taoist magic in the mountains since childhood'.

Don't you go to school these days? You attend classes at the foot of the mountain during the day and then go back up the mountain to meditate at night? Do you even have enough time? You must be a time management master!

There simply weren't enough, so Chen Shi'an chose not to go to school.

After introducing himself, Chen Shi'an didn't say anything more, and his classmates weren't in a hurry to ask any more questions. Since they would be classmates in the future, there would be plenty of opportunities to get to know each other.

Whether he was a real Taoist or a fake one, the classmates were happy to see Chen Shi'an arrive. They would have something to brag about to their friends in other classes—he was a Taoist classmate!

As soon as Chen Shi'an finished speaking, enthusiastic applause rang out in the class.

So the next question is where this Taoist priest should sit.

Teacher Liang asked a student to bring a new desk from the academic affairs office, and then, in front of the quiet girl, she placed the new desk next to her desk.

The girl, who had been quietly working on her problem, finally showed an expression.

She raised her clear, bright eyes to look at Teacher Liang, a huge question mark seemingly floating above her head. She didn't speak, but her silence spoke volumes.

"Um... Mengqiu, Principal Lin arranged for Shi'an to sit here. Since you have better grades, please mentor him more in the future..."

"..."

Beside Teacher Liang stood a young Taoist priest waiting to be seated.

She glanced at him briefly.

Chen Shi'an remained composed and smiled naturally, nodding in acknowledgment.

She didn't say anything, looked away, and continued working on her problems.

After the tables and chairs were arranged, Chen Shi'an, wearing a blue Taoist robe, sat down and began to tidy his desk.

Perhaps it had been too long since she had sat at the same table with someone, and the unfamiliar presence that suddenly appeared beside her made her somewhat uneasy. Even though Chen Shi'an tidied the table very quietly, the sound she made still made her frown slightly.

Such slight dissatisfaction was hidden very deeply, but it could not escape Chen Shi'an's eyes.

Whether she was unhappy with the seating arrangement or with the noise he made while tidying the desk, Chen Shi'an felt he should do something, since he was the one who caused such a commotion in the class, even though it wasn't his intention.

"Excuse me, I disturbed your work," Chen Shi'an said, offering an apologetic smile.

"..."

The girl remained silent, but the slight dissatisfaction on her face visibly disappeared after hearing the apology.

It seems that communication isn't impossible after all!

"My name is Chen Shi'an. May I ask your name?"

"..."

When she didn't speak, Chen Shi'an didn't turn his head away, but just smiled and looked at her, as if they were locked in a stalemate.

"Lin Mengqiu".

She finally spoke, her tone low, but each word was enunciated clearly, ending softly without any unnecessary fluctuations.

Her voice, like her personality, was like chilled mineral water, carrying a cool, refreshing quality as it drifted through the air.

It was only then that Chen Shi'an noticed that the lively atmosphere in the class had become quiet.

"I can't believe my eyes...! The Taoist priest is sitting next to the class monitor...!"

"He's finished! Fellow Daoist, don't let him end up dead and dissipated...!"

"The market is open! The market is open!!"

What are we betting on this time?

"Let's see how long Brother Dou can sit next to the class monitor!"

"?"

Chen Shi'an had excellent hearing; he could hear even such whispers clearly.

Ha... a bunch of abstract monkeys!

(End of this chapter)