149. Choosing the Class Monitor

Chen Ruowen took a step back and glanced at the room number beside the classroom door.

302. She was in the right place.

Why was Gao Tang appearing in her class orientation room? Wasn't he supposed to be going abroad as well?

Just as Chen Ruowen was questioning reality, a soft call drifted out from inside the classroom.

"Ruowen!"

Guo Jingyuan cried out as if she had just seen her savior, but froze the moment the name left her lips.

Why had Chen Ruowen stepped back outside the classroom again?

Guo Jingyuan had known that Chen Ruowen would be in the same class as her. Ordinarily, the Clinical Medicine program at NU would not admit liberal arts students, but upon learning that Guo Jingyuan had also applied to the NU School of Medicine, Chen Ruowen had given her a mysterious, assessing look, secretly pulled strings behind the scenes, and simply informed Guo Jingyuan that they would be in the same class.

Hearing Guo Jingyuan's cry, Chen Ruowen confirmed she was indeed in the right place. She adjusted her posture and calmly walked back into the classroom.

At the rear right of the classroom sat Guo Jingyuan, the only rational female student who remained uncharmed by Gao Tang's handsome facade and refrained from crowding around him to curry favor.

Yet her current situation was hardly enviable, as half the male students in the class were clustered around her desk, leaning in close to strike up a conversation. Having suffered from severe social anxiety for nearly three years, Guo Jingyuan had improved somewhat under Chen Ruowen's recent guidance, but faced with so many enthusiastic classmates, her heart was still pounding with panic, leaving her fidgety and desperate to escape.

Guo Jingyuan's shout successfully redirected the attention of the class. Catching sight of the breathtaking figure standing at the doorway, the previously boisterous classroom instantly fell so silent that a pin drop could be heard.

Chen Ruowen wove through the crowd to the seat beside Guo Jingyuan, tapping a male student sitting there with her handbag.

"Excuse me, please move."

"……Oh, oh, oh! Sure, right away!"

The male student leaped up as if energized by adrenaline. He then watched in a daze as Chen Ruowen skillfully extracted a square handkerchief from her handbag, carefully laid it over the chair, and sat down with a completely expressionless face.

Across the room, Gao Tang, who had been closely monitoring Chen Ruowen's actions, let out a low chuckle.

In a classroom as quiet as a haunted house, that low chuckle was extraordinarily prominent. Chen Ruowen shot him an unpleased, scathing look.

Without a moment's hesitation, Gao Tang deflected the blame, looking across the sea of people at Chen Ruowen and saying, "They were just telling a joke. My reaction was a bit slow."

Chen Ruowen let out a huff and turned her gaze back to the large group of people standing in front of her.

"What are you all doing gathered here?"

The crowd froze for a second, then scattered instantly in all directions, retreating to their respective desks.

Rumor had it that Chen Ruowen had a terrible temper and that one should avoid provoking her on the very first day of school. Didn't they just see Gao Tang, who usually navigated a sea of admirers with effortless ease, instantly cave?

Yet...

Had Chen Ruowen really come to NU?

And she chose the School of Medicine, ending up in the same class as them?

The mere thought made everyone's breathing hitch, their eyes flashing with excitement. However, fearing they might anger this little princess, they didn't dare whisper among themselves. As for Guo Jingyuan, who had been the center of attention just moments ago, she was temporarily cast to the back of their minds.

Chen Ruowen possessed that kind of magic: the moment she appeared, even if she did nothing and said not a single word, she would instantly become the focal point of the entire room.

This hush persisted until Guo Jingyuan cautiously initiated a conversation with Chen Ruowen, after which the rest of the classroom slowly began to murmur in whispers.

Thus, when Qin Ming, the counselor for Class 1 of Clinical Medicine, looked out over such an orderly and well-behaved class, he nodded with profound satisfaction.

The caliber of NU students was simply top-notch!

Even without a teacher present, they could manage to maintain a quiet and friendly atmosphere all on their own.

Wonderful.

"Hello everyone, I am your counselor, Qin Ming. Barring any unexpected changes, I will be overseeing your academic and personal matters for the next four years of university. Your guidance and cooperation will be much appreciated."

Much like regular majors, the medical programs at NU lasted only four years, unlike the five-year programs found at other universities.

"Let's start with roll call."

A university counselor was a uniquely positioned and highly crucial role. A dedicated counselor could make you feel the same tight supervision you experienced with a high school homeroom teacher, while an irresponsible one might show up on the first day of orientation and vanish entirely for the next four years.

It remained to be seen which category this Qin Ming fell into.

After roll call came the main event. For any newly formed class, the paramount task was electing a monitor—a position that often directly dictated the class's culture, atmosphere, and even the allocation of scholarship quotas.

Normally, plenty of people would fight tooth and nail for such a position, but today, with a heavyweight deity sitting in the classroom, the class monitor seat suddenly became a rather hot potato.

Consequently, upon hearing that they were electing a monitor, sixty percent of the class turned their gazes toward Chen Ruowen, while the remaining forty percent looked at Gao Tang.

Qin Ming was a man, so his first instinct was to look at Chen Ruowen. However, he was also an educator, so after a brief moment of reflection, he shifted his gaze to Gao Tang.

That student Chen possessed such an icy demeanor. If she were appointed class monitor, would Class 1 of Clinical Medicine end up completely fractured within four years?

Tasks like holding meetings, submitting paperwork, and collecting data... Qin Ming strongly doubted whether the notoriously short-tempered and impatient Chen Ruowen would be willing to handle such chores. On the other hand, Gao Tang kept a constant smile on his face and seemed much more approachable.

"Student Gao Tang, what are your thoughts?"

Gao Tang looked at Chen Ruowen and smiled subtly. "Ruowen and I are close friends. We share everything."

A chorus of varied, knowing "Oh~~~~" sounds echoed across the classroom.

That statement was loaded with subtext, making it difficult for anyone not to let their imagination run wild. Recalling Gao Tang's overwhelming survival instinct when facing Chen Ruowen just minutes earlier, all thirty-seven students in the class—excluding Chen Ruowen, Gao Tang, and Guo Jingyuan—felt they had instantly uncovered a sensational piece of juicy gossip.

"Such a thick skin."

Chen Ruowen let out a soft huff. Meeting Teacher Qin's inquiring look, her tone was utterly decisive, leaving no room for negotiation.

"Not running. Not interested."

Qin Ming found himself in a difficult spot.

The most popular candidate, Chen Ruowen, had zero interest in the position—that was a minor issue. The real problem was: if someone else became class monitor, who on earth could possibly keep this formidable deity in check? Gao Tang? But looking at Chen Ruowen's reaction after Gao Tang spoke just now... she certainly didn't look like someone who would grant him any face.

At that moment, Chen Ruowen cast another glance to her right, patted Guo Jingyuan on the shoulder, and flashed an inscrutable smile.

"You'll do it."

Guo Jingyuan froze, terrified witless, and began frantically waving her hands.

"No, no, no. I—I—I definitely can't do it."

Are you kidding me? She got anxious just seeing a crowd of people; make her class monitor? Having to interact with so many people daily and running around all over the place would scare her to death.

"I say you can, so you can." Chen Ruowen raised an eyebrow. "Do you doubt my judgment?"

She wouldn't dare, she wouldn't dare...

Having silenced Guo Jingyuan, Chen Ruowen turned to Qin Ming with a thoroughly serious expression.

"Student Guo Jingyuan has served as class monitor from the first grade of elementary school all the way through junior high. She is experienced and will definitely excel."

Chen Ruowen scanned the classroom once more, as if silently inquiring whether anyone dared to object. Predictably, not a single soul raised an objection.

Even if someone secretly disagreed, they wouldn't dare utter a peep at a time like this...

Chen Ruowen nodded with satisfaction and leaned back in her chair.

"Settled, then. Let's move on to the next agenda item."