Under the instructions of their form teacher, the students in the cla.s.s lined up neatly and headed over to the field.

After the flag-raising ceremony coupled with playing the national anthem, it was the Princ.i.p.al's turn to deliver his speech for the start of a new term.

The Princ.i.p.al was an old man in his fifties with only a few strands of hair left on his head. Although he was old, he was robust and healthy. Radiating health and vigor, he was an old man of few words. After a few words of welcome, he said to the students who stood below him, "Next, the student representative will deliver a welcome speech on my behalf. Let's welcome Shen Mochen from Grade Eight Cla.s.s Two."

When Peach heard Shen Mochen's name, she immediately felt invigorated.

He was actually a student representative?

Peach stretched her neck and looked in the direction of the podium. Fortunately, the students who were newly enrolled in middle school were standing at the front of the field, and were only separated from the podium by a running track.

There were several sets of uniforms for the middle school affiliated to the No.1 High School of the city. The uniform included T-s.h.i.+rts, s.h.i.+rts and blouses, suits, vests, and sportswear. Different school uniforms were worn during the different seasons.

Today, Shen Mochen was wearing a white short-sleeved s.h.i.+rt today, with a thin gray vest on the outside. Slowly and steadily, he sauntered towards the podium with the September sunlight s.h.i.+ning on him. Although he was wearing the same school uniform as other students, he had an indescribable aura of determination, self-confidence and steadfastness.

"Dear teachers and fellow cla.s.smates, today marks the first day of the new semester…" Shen Mochen's low voice pa.s.sed through the microphone and rang out through the sound system like a gentle autumn breeze, lightly brus.h.i.+ng over everyone. There was no cadence in his speech, but it was delivered in a calm and collected tone that everyone could perceive the history and atmosphere of this century-old school.

Shen Mochen received rapturous applause when his speech ended. When he walked off the stage, Zhao Xue whispered to Peach, "This senior of ours is so handsome, there must be a lot of girls in school who like him."

Peach smiled but said nothing.

The first day of school was finally over. Before school was dismissed, the form teacher mentioned about the evening self-study sessions. It was not compulsory for first-year middle school students to attend the self-study session in the evening. Hence, he asked all the students to go back to ask for their parents' opinion on the matter. If their parents feel that it is necessary for them to attend the evening self-study sessions, the students can just approach him the next day to register.

While packing her school bag, Zhao Xue asked Peach, "Peach, do you intend to attend the evening self-study session?"

Peach thought about it before shaking her head and replying, "I haven't thought about it yet. I'll go home and ask my parents. If they want me to attend, I'll go."

"Hah… If you ask for your parents' opinion on such matters, they'll definitely want you to attend. But luckily for me, my father said that I can self-study at home." Zhao Xue packed her schoolbag with a smile and waved to Peach. "Peach, see you tomorrow!"

"Okay! Bye!" Peach bid Zhao Xue farewell before packing her school bag too. Remembering Shen Mochen's instructions in the morning, she then went downstairs and walked along the corridor to the building behind hers. This building was filled with eighth graders.

Amongst the group of eighth graders, Peach appeared especially pet.i.te in terms of height. As Shen Mochen's cla.s.s, Grade Eight Cla.s.s Two, was on the third floor, Peach climbed up the stairs without a word. The students who pa.s.sed by her after school could not help but cast her curious glances.