School

That morning, the atmosphere in front of the middle school gate was filled with the chatter of students. Many faces were new, but there were also some familiar ones. Among them, two brothers, Luo Tian and Luo Fan, walked side by side as they entered the school grounds.

Luo Fan walked casually, his hands tucked into the pockets of his uniform. His gaze remained indifferent, as if he didn't care about his new environment, but deep inside, he felt a slight excitement.

"Hmph, this school isn't as great as people say," he muttered under his breath, though deep down, he was quite curious.

Luo Tian, walking beside him, smiled gently. His steps were graceful, his posture upright, like a noble surveying his domain.

"Still, this is a new beginning. Didn't you want to leave behind your old habits?" Luo Tian's voice was calm, filled with warmth.

Luo Fan kept his expression unchanged, but his tone remained indifferent.

"I only came here because I had no other choice."

Deep inside, he actually wanted to start fresh, but he refused to admit it.

Luo Tian simply gave a faint smile, his eyes glinting slightly as if he could see through his younger brother's heart.

As they passed through the gate, some students began to take notice of them.

"Eh? Isn't that Luo Tian?"

"Wow, he really has a noble aura!"

"Who's that with him? He looks… unapproachable."

Luo Fan showed no reaction, his expression remained neutral. However, deep inside, he felt irritated by the comment. Why do I look like someone who's hard to talk to? he thought.

Suddenly, an old friend of theirs, Zhang Wei, waved from a distance and ran toward them.

"Yo, Luo Tian! I figured you'd be coming here!"

Luo Tian greeted him with a polite nod and a warm smile, like a prince acknowledging his people.

"It's good to see you again, Zhang Wei."

Zhang Wei then glanced to the side and saw Luo Fan. His gaze hesitated slightly before he finally gave a somewhat awkward smile.

"Oh… this… is Luo Fan, right?"

Luo Fan's expression remained unchanged.

"Hmph, it took you that long just to confirm?" His tone sounded mocking, but deep inside, he was actually pleased that Zhang Wei still remembered him.

Zhang Wei let out an awkward laugh.

"Ahaha… you're still the same, huh?"

Luo Fan averted his gaze for a moment.

"Who's still the same? I don't know what you're talking about," he said flatly, even though he knew very well that he hadn't changed much.

Before Zhang Wei could respond, a few other students started gathering around, intrigued by Luo Tian's presence.

"You must be Luo Tian! I've heard a lot about you from my friends," a male student said excitedly.

"Really? I hope it's only good things," Luo Tian replied with a refined smile, as if every word that left his mouth carried an air of nobility.

"Of course! They say you're really talented in martial arts. Ah, by the way, who's this?" The student glanced at Luo Fan.

Luo Tian turned to his younger brother before offering a gentle smile.

"Oh, this is my younger brother, Luo Fan. He may look unapproachable, but he's actually quite kind."

Luo Fan didn't react much; he simply kept his gaze straight ahead with a neutral expression.

"Don't talk as if I'm not here, Luo Tian." His voice remained calm, but if one listened closely, there was a faint trace of discomfort.

The student chuckled.

"Oh, I see. Well, nice to meet you, Luo Fan!"

"Hm." Luo Fan gave a brief nod, keeping his tone as if he didn't care, though deep inside, he felt a slight relief at being accepted so easily.

Meanwhile, a cheerful female student approached and spoke to Luo Tian.

"Luo Tian, you're really easy to talk to! I bet you'll be popular here!"

"Hahaha, I just try to be friendly," Luo Tian responded with a soft and humble smile, like a gracious prince.

The girl then turned her gaze toward Luo Fan, attempting to engage him in conversation.

"And… what about your brother?"

Luo Fan remained calm, showing no expression.

"I only came to this school by chance. There's nothing interesting for me here," he said, as if he didn't care, even though deep inside, he was a little curious about this new experience.

The girl blinked a few times before laughing.

"Haha, you're an interesting person!"

Luo Fan remained unbothered.

"I don't know what you mean," he replied flatly, though deep inside, he was slightly surprised.

Luo Tian simply smiled, looking at his brother with an unreadable expression.

Through all these interactions, without Luo Fan realizing it, his image was slowly being formed—not as someone cold or unapproachable, but as something else entirely.

——————

Luo Fan walked leisurely through the school corridor, his eyes scanning the rows of classrooms.

This school categorized students based on their academic abilities and extracurricular talents.

There were three main types of classes in the early middle school years: Class A for Academic Excellence, Class B for Special Talents, and Class C for Regular Students.

Luo Tian, with his intelligence and family reputation, was placed in Class A, where the best students gathered.

Meanwhile, Luo Fan, who rarely showed serious interest in academics but had a quick understanding, was placed in Class B—a class for students with special talents, including martial arts, sports, and music.

Su Xiaoyu, their childhood friend, was also placed in Class A alongside Luo Tian due to her high grades.

Luo Fan didn't think too much as he stepped into Class B. His gaze swept across the room. Some students were already seated, chatting casually, while others were still choosing their seats. Without much thought, Luo Fan picked a spot by the window and placed his bag down without a word.

Some classmates who had overheard Luo Tian's words earlier began observing him with slight hesitation.

"He's Luo Tian's younger brother, right?" whispered a student behind him.

"But… why doesn't he seem like Luo Tian? Shouldn't he be friendly too?"

"I don't know… His expression is so blank. Maybe he doesn't like talking to strangers?"

Luo Fan caught a few glances from the corner of his eye but didn't respond. To him, there was no reason to care. He simply gazed out the window, enjoying the fresh morning air.

A few students who initially wanted to talk to him hesitated.

They weren't sure whether Luo Fan was the type who was hard to approach or just uninterested in conversation. That uncertainty made them decide to hold back for now.

Luo Fan, who initially didn't care, started to feel something was off. Normally, even though he wasn't particularly friendly, people still tried to talk to him—either out of curiosity or to learn more about him. But this time, they seemed hesitant, as if afraid of making a mistake.

"Hm? Do I look scary?" he wondered, furrowing his brows slightly, but he quickly dismissed the thought.

He figured it was just a passing feeling and didn't want to waste time thinking about something unimportant.

Meanwhile, in Class A, Luo Tian sat calmly in the front row. His gaze occasionally flickered toward the door of Class B, which was directly across from his.

He noticed how some students in his brother's class seemed hesitant to approach Luo Fan. His smile remained gentle, but deep down, he found it a little amusing.

"It seems my words had quite an effect," he mused to himself.

He hadn't meant to make people think Luo Fan was unapproachable.

"Hm… Should I help him later?" he wondered but decided to wait and see how Luo Fan would handle the situation himself.

Luo Fan remained seated, showing no signs of wanting to start a conversation with anyone.

Yet deep inside, he felt a bit strange.

"Why does this classroom feel so quiet?"

Was it because he was Luo Tian's younger brother? Or was it something else?

He let out a soft sigh and turned his gaze toward the blackboard. Class had yet to begin.