A Young Woman's Heart

Chapter 165 Students of a Top-Tier High School

In classical Chinese, a private room should be called a "refined seat".

However, on this seventh floor, which is full of European style, calling it a private room might feel more modern.

This place is like one of those high-end coffee shops, with a man in a tuxedo playing classical music from the Renaissance era on a small platform in the lobby.

As Mo Xueyao stepped out of the elevator, she felt as if she had suddenly entered high society.

Everyone dining here was dressed very appropriately; many wore suits and formal wear, and even those in casual clothes didn't look like the kind of clothes you'd find in a regular shopping mall.

Even the tables and chairs in the lobby are made of solid wood; even just one set would probably cost a lot of money.

Although Mo Xueyao and the other girls weren't wearing school uniforms, they still felt like children, not adults, when they walked in.

"This way, everyone." The boy smiled and led the group into a private room inside.

The private room was very spacious, enough to seat all of them. The decoration here was more exquisite than the outside room, and there was even a small stage with a black piano and some other Western musical instruments, which seemed to be provided by the restaurant.

The second-year students at the High School Affiliated to Zhejiang University were already seated, with the other side of the seat deliberately left empty for them.

In stark contrast to Yu Kong High School, there was only one girl on the other side. She was reasonably good-looking, but compared to Mo Xueyao and the others, she paled in comparison.

This is also what the boys in Class 2 of Grade 11 are most proud of—they have the most beautiful girls in the whole school. Even Lu Chengyuan, who is obviously less attractive than others, could be the class beauty in Class 1 next door!

Moreover, Lu Chengyuan is prettier than the girl opposite her.

Thinking this, Mo Xueyao looked away. She knew that only people with little talent and substance would like to compare their looks with others, so she suppressed this little thought.

Judging people by their appearance is wrong, and after all, this is a social gathering, so we can't always be in a bad mood when we're chatting.

Nine people came from Yukong High School, and coincidentally, nine people also came from the other side.

There were eighteen people in total, sitting at this long table. Since it was a Western meal, they were serving individual portions.

This arrangement, which put everyone face-to-face, made Mo Xueyao feel like she was there for a meeting, not a meal.

Each person was served a small appetizer on a large, beautiful plate, but the portion was very small.

Mo Xueyao couldn't help but mutter to herself, "What a load of rubbish..."

"Hello everyone." The girl seemed to be the leader. She smiled and nodded to them, then stood up. "I am Liu Xinru, the captain of our school band. Since we arrived first, I have already ordered for everyone. If you need anything else, you can order more. The menu is on the small table over there."

It was a small table used to store miscellaneous items, on which sat a beautifully bound hardcover book. Mo Xueyao was closest to it, so she picked it up and opened it. Inside were various dishes with pictures and text, and the text was in Chinese, Japanese, and English.

She glanced at it briefly and then put it back.

The prices listed were daunting, and she didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble and increase her expenses further.

"Don't worry, after all, we invited you out this time," a boy next to Liu Xinru said with a smile. "So we can pay the bill in the end."

"How could I possibly accept that?" Wang Jiale said shyly, wanting to scratch her head, but in the end she lowered her hand that was halfway raised.

"Okay, we'll split the bill." Li Wanyan nodded and said calmly. Those who didn't know her well seemed taken aback by her cold tone, and the atmosphere became a little stiff for a moment. After a few minutes of silence, someone finally spoke up again.

"By the way, let's introduce ourselves. That way it'll be easier to address each other," Liu Xinru said with a smile, clearing her throat.

"Anything is fine," Mo Xueyao replied casually, resting her chin on her hand. She was currently observing the clothes worn by the people opposite her and noticed that compared to the diverse attire at Yukong High School, theirs was more uniform, consisting of clothes suitable for formal social occasions. The boys wore different styles of suits, while the only girl wore a beige business uniform. Paired with her relatively mature... or rather, more mature-looking face than girls her age, it wouldn't seem strange to mistake her for a newcomer to the company.

"Then let me introduce myself as your representative." Liu Xinru spoke like an adult, not only in her tone of voice but also in her facial expressions, which were very formulaic... just like the tellers Mo Xueyao sometimes saw when she accompanied her mother to the bank.

It's not that it's bad, it's just that the students acting like adults made her feel really strange... and it was also kind of funny.

"First of all, we are the school band of the High School Affiliated to Zhejiang University." She emphasized again, which meant that they were the only band in the whole school. Whenever the school needed a band for flag-raising ceremonies or other activities, they were the ones who played.

This is different from the Snow Band—they have many competitors, and they can't be called the school band until they win the final competition at school.

In a sense, it seems like they were born at a disadvantage.

Then, Liu Xinru began to introduce them one by one.

To be honest, these boys do have the air of intellectuals. Seven out of the eight wear glasses, and they all look like national elites from the Republican era.

Of course, many of them also carried a bit of arrogance. Although they didn't show it, Mo Xueyao could still sense it—it was as if the exchange between students from top high schools and students from ordinary high schools was a blessing for the ordinary students.

However, not everyone is like that.

"Hey, everyone's here!" Another person pushed open the door and walked in. He was wearing flashy beach pants and a beach shirt, and sunglasses. He didn't seem to feel cold at all. His rough voice seemed out of place in this elegant room.

"Xia Shini, why are you so late?" Liu Xinru said with some dissatisfaction. "Everyone has been waiting for you."

"Haha, I ran into a dog on the street today and petted it for a while."

Did you wash your hands?

"Didn't wash it? Why?"

The students from the High School Affiliated to Zhejiang University seemed to feel embarrassed and turned their heads away, except for two boys who seemed to be on good terms with him who couldn't help but laugh out loud.

This is finally starting to feel like a student social gathering.

It all seemed too formal before.

It was like a group of children playing house.

Or perhaps it's just Mo Xueyao's personality that makes her so disapproving.

In fact, Mo Zhuyou and Wang Jiale, who were around her, did not feel uncomfortable at all.

The boy in beach clothes, who seemed to be out of season with everyone else, ran out to wash his hands again and quickly returned to the room, sitting in the front seat—exactly the same seat the boss sits in during a company meeting in a TV drama.

"Everyone, please don't be so formal. Let's just relax and be casual," Mr. Xue said with a smile. "Let's all introduce ourselves."

"I'll do it! I'll do it!" Hua Yinyin immediately stood up. "Let me introduce myself! I'll be the representative!"

Mo Xueyao clearly saw that the boys' eyes had given her the impression of a 'foolish pretty face'.

Even though Hua Yinyin is indeed very beautiful, they seem to have lost interest in her.

This actually made Mo Xueyao look at them with more respect. It seemed they did have some substance, unlike most boys who were so superficial.

"We are the Snow Music Band. There are actually only five members. The others came together for a social event. First of all, I am the band leader, Hua Yinyin! I am responsible for playing the pipa. And this is our keyboardist, Mo Xueyao. We are both of mixed Chinese and Russian descent, but her appearance is more obvious!"

The atmosphere became more lively because of Hua Yinyin, but there were still quite a few people on the other side who continued to act aloof. The boy in the floral shirt was more interesting.

But what is his name?

"You scared me to death?"

Mo Xueyao didn't quite hear clearly just now.

After everyone had been introduced, she finally asked, "Um, may I ask what your name is?"

"Me? Xia Shini."

"what?"

"Haha, Xia as in summer, Shi as in official career, Ni as in nun, my name, it'll scare you to death if I tell you, is Xia Shi Ni -- that's how I usually introduce myself to others, but it gets boring after a while, so I'll just give a normal introduction now..." Xia Shi Ni was obviously a talkative guy. Mo Xueyao only asked one question, but he rattled off a whole bunch of things in one breath.

Mo Xueyao had almost finished the cold appetizers before the meal when the door was finally pushed open. Several uniformed waiters walked in, smiling as they placed bowls of soup in front of each person.

"This is creamy clam chowder. It's a good appetizer to enjoy before the meal," the waiter explained, then tiptoed out and closed the door behind him.

Dining at this kind of Western restaurant seems to emphasize a particular aspect.

Mo Xueyao took a sip and felt that the taste of cream and clams cooked together was really unbearable.

It's not as good as my mother's tomato and egg drop soup.

There weren't many clams inside, and she only managed to eat three or four pieces of meat after finishing the soup.

When she put down her bowl, she noticed that the student opposite her had only taken a few sips with a spoon and had not finished drinking.

"Tsk." She frowned and clicked her tongue, finding this so-called table manners utterly boring.

However, among them, only Hua Yinyin and she actually finished the soup in one go...

……

Chapter 166 (Slightly Understood)

Students in top-tier high schools are just ordinary people.

In fact, as you continue to talk to them, you'll find that they are not much different from the students around you.

If there's anything to it, it's that everyone is quite confident, some even to the point of being arrogant.

Although they may use humility to disguise their arrogance, it is still easy to see through them at a glance.

This is completely different from Mr. Xue.

Let's say we talk about music.

Mr. Xue was genuinely eager to learn, while they used those humble words to show off their own abilities.

Yes, even high school students are immature in Mo Xueyao's eyes. Perhaps it's because they spend too much time studying, so they are not as worldly-wise as their peers.

It would be quite endearing if they knew absolutely nothing, but they happen to know a little bit, giving off a half-baked vibe.

A typical example of someone with absolutely no emotional intelligence is Xia Shini, who was wearing a floral shirt, but Mo Xueyao didn't dislike him at all.

"What kind of things do you usually test on?" that's what he asked.

"Just the content from the textbook?" Wang Jiale seemed a little disgusted with him. "What's wrong?"

"Haha, I heard that the exam papers for top-tier high schools and regular high schools are different, so I wanted to ask." He picked at his ear and laughed loudly, "Who's the top student here?"

Mo Xueyao glanced at Li Wanyan subconsciously, then looked at Mr. Xue.

Their grades were neck and neck, sometimes Mr. Xue ranked slightly higher, and sometimes Li Wanyan ranked slightly higher, depending on their performance in each exam.

In comparison, Mo Xueyao, who is always third in her class, ranks several places lower than them in the whole school.

"Xiaoxue or Wanyan, perhaps?" Hua Yinyin muttered, tilting her head.

"Oh—where do you rank in the whole school?" Xia Shini leaned over. His words were so direct that they didn't offend anyone. On the contrary, his frankness made everyone willing to chat with him a bit more.

"Around the top three," Mr. Xue replied with a smile, speaking the absolute truth.

"If we were in a top high school, we'd probably be around 30th to 50th in the whole grade... Hehe, that's about right, we usually rank in the 40s in the whole school." Xia Shini excitedly patted Mr. Xue on the shoulder, "Then we're on the same side! At the same level, haha!"

"Yes," Mr. Xue smiled. "Is there anything you particularly like?"