If the World Had No Daylight - Chapter 9

By the time Bai Tian’s appearances at a certain adult products specialty store had become routine, the earth-shaking storm at school had gradually faded into nothing more than lingering aftereffects.

Ye Wan had long since returned to school and continued playing the role of the perfect honor student, as if those hidden undercurrents had never affected her in the slightest.

Bai Tian still felt nothing but disdain for this. As usual, she did not have any unnecessary interactions with Ye Wan at school. It was not that she deliberately had to pretend they were not close, but rather that she did not like this version of Ye Wan. Yet she also could not simply keep out of sight and out of mind. So all she could do was avoid too much contact.

Strangely enough, Ye Wan in private was actually even less likable. Those young-lady flaws she usually restrained were often exposed completely at those times. Whether it was the way she spoke sharply and unpleasantly, or the way she acted like someone who stretched out her hand for clothes and opened her mouth for food, she was like a spoiled little girl.

But Bai Tian felt much more at ease getting along with this kind of Ye Wan.

Only people with flaws could be considered human. Otherwise, what difference was there between them and machines?

Glancing at the person beside her who was explaining a problem to a girl, Bai Tian yawned, took out her phone, and started playing Tetris.

The classroom’s back door faced their seats directly. Someone called from the doorway, “Class Monitor, someone’s looking for you.”

Bai Tian turned back and glanced over, meeting a face that was not unfamiliar.

The girl with a ponytail stood somewhat uneasily at the doorway, waiting for Ye Wan to walk over and stand in front of her. The two of them quietly said something, then left the classroom doorway together.

One moment of distraction, and the perfect layout on Bai Tian’s phone screen turned into Game Over.

Somewhat irritated, Bai Tian closed the game, stood up, stuck her hands into her pockets, and walked out of the classroom.

The little fatty darting around in the aisle rushed over and grabbed her, saying excitedly, “Boss, Boss, Class C got a transfer student! She’s seriously gorgeous, holy crap.”

Bai Tian nodded without much interest and prepared to leave the classroom, only to be dragged back again.

“Seriously, you’ve definitely never seen someone this good-looking before! I’ll take you to have a look. Come on, come on.” Liu Ran was always most enthusiastic about fresh excitement like this, to the point that even someone like Bai Tian, who paid no attention to what happened outside her own window, could always learn gossip at the first possible moment.

But in truth, Bai Tian herself did not know what she wanted to do outside the classroom. Maybe the room simply felt too stuffy, and she wanted some air. Since she was going out anyway, it made no difference where she went. Thinking this, she let Liu Ran drag her to the door of Class C.

Class C was downstairs from them, right beside the stairwell. People came and went there every day, and at this moment, even more people were gathered there.

The crowd who liked watching excitement had no idea how to hide themselves. They clustered in front of someone else’s classroom door, blocking the hallway. Bai Tian glanced from a distance and immediately wanted to turn back. What kind of joke was this? There was no way she was going to a crowded place like that.

Liu Ran insisted on dragging her over for a look before he would give up. Bai Tian and he pulled and tugged at each other near the stairwell, both exerting their strength. This little fatty really was strong. Bai Tian’s frame was small, and she could not beat him in brute force at all. But from childhood, she had been flipping woks back and forth, so her arm strength was also quite good. For a while, neither of them could overpower the other.

Not far away, someone carrying a bucket of water ran over quickly. There were too many people, and he did not see Bai Tian. Just as he was about to crash into her and spill dirty water all over her, someone with quick eyes and hands pulled Bai Tian aside, brushing past the bucket.

“That was close.”

A clear, refreshing voice sounded behind Bai Tian. That hand was wrapped around her waist and did not let go even after the person carrying the bucket had gone far away.

Bai Tian’s entire body tensed. It took her great effort to suppress the urge to give the other person an over-the-shoulder throw. She tugged at that hand and said, “You can let go of me now.”

“Oh, sorry. Are you okay?”

Bai Tian really did not want to respond to such nonsense, but the other person had helped her after all, so she could only say thank you.

That person let go of her. Bai Tian turned around and first saw Liu Ran’s dumb, slack-jawed face.

“What are you looking at? Let’s go. Back to class.”

The words “back to class” coming from Bai Tian’s mouth were truly unbelievable, but Liu Ran did not notice that at all. He looked at the person beside Bai Tian and stammered out, “You… aren’t you that new… transfer student…”

Only then did Bai Tian raise her head and look over. Then she froze slightly.

Liu Ran was right. This person really was very good-looking.

She had a tall, slender figure, neat and clean shoulder-length short hair, fair and delicate skin, and eyes that were large, round, and lively. Most importantly, there was an indescribable air about her. It made even that old-fashioned school uniform look like a new fashion piece.

The other person looked at Bai Tian, revealed a bright smile, and said, “Hello. My name is Zhao Yuelan. I’m the transfer student who just arrived today.”

Bai Tian came back to herself and nodded. “Hello.”

Then she grabbed the dazed Liu Ran and walked back.

Even after they reached the classroom door, Liu Ran still looked as if his soul had left his body. Excitedly, he said to Bai Tian, “Boss, did you see her? I swear, in my whole life, I’ve only ever seen one beauty that stunning.”

Bai Tian did not really want to bother with him.

How many years of life have you even lived? Yet you’re acting like you’ve never seen the world.

Besides, there were plenty of good-looking people. Their class had one too.

Though she thought this, Bai Tian still had to admit that the new girl was indeed rarely outstanding.

With that kind of air, people would believe it even if someone said she was a celebrity from television.

The class bell had been ringing for ages before Ye Wan finally arrived late.

Bai Tian propped her head up in her seat. Seeing Ye Wan come back and sit down, for some reason, she suddenly said, “That girl… is she okay?”

Ye Wan paused, then shook her head. “Not really.”

As for how she was not okay, Ye Wan clearly had no intention of continuing.

This matter was too sensitive. As an outsider, Bai Tian was not in a position to ask more, and she knew that very well.

But there was an inexplicable emotion pulling her into paying attention to this matter—or rather, paying attention to that person.

The way that girl looked at Ye Wan…

Bai Tian turned her head and looked at the textbook on her desk, forcing away the messy thoughts in her heart.

“If circumstances allow, do you want to persuade her to transfer schools?” Bai Tian said this unconsciously, then after a long while, rejected the idea herself. “No, that won’t work either. Suddenly transferring would make people speculate even more easily.”

Ye Wan looked at her, smiled, and said, “Don’t pay too much attention to this matter. It has nothing to do with you in the first place. There’s no need to get involved.”

Bai Tian paused, pressed her lips together, and said nothing more.

Keenly sensing the change in her mood, Ye Wan thought for a moment and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

After saying that, Bai Tian lay down on the desk, looking as if she were preparing to sleep.

This meant she no longer wanted to continue the conversation. Ye Wan looked at her for a long while, not understanding why. Only when the English teacher came in did she withdraw her gaze.

The day passed without another word.

By mid-November, the impact of the second monthly exam had completely disappeared, and the incident that had happened at school finally became an old matter that people would not even remember over meals and casual conversation.

Principal Ye had dealt with the mess without disaster, and he was still the principal of No. 7 Middle School.

But some things had still quietly changed.

The students had put on thick clothes, preparing to welcome another winter, as well as the imminent midterm exam.

Bai Tian remained completely out of place with the class atmosphere. Everyone had long since gotten used to her idle, aimless appearance. Even if some felt dissatisfied, they could not “sink willingly into depravity” the way she did.

After all, they still had to keep challenging themselves and improving.

It was said that the new transfer student had blended in very quickly. This was actually not easy. Because the people at No. 7 Middle School carried a certain pride. They were used to letting strength speak for itself, and toward someone like this—outstanding in appearance but seemingly not outstanding in grades—they did not overly worship her.

But Zhao Yuelan was an exception.

The reason she had entered Class C was because she had previously been studying abroad. Her grades could not be judged according to domestic standards, and she was still unfamiliar with the domestic education model.

So in reality, she was not someone with poor grades. On the contrary, she was very intelligent, had high emotional intelligence, and was especially outstanding in sports. She was highly popular among both boys and girls.

Even many students from Class A quietly went to the gym during lunch break to watch her play basketball. The people on the school basketball team also quickly became familiar with her, calling each other brothers and hanging around together all day, playing and joking.

All of this gossip was poured into Bai Tian’s ears word for word by Liu Ran every day at lunch.

Forced to accept a whole basket of useless information, Bai Tian considered countless times whether she should mix two sleeping pills into Liu Ran’s meal so that he would thoroughly shut that rambling mouth of his.

Liu Ran remained completely unaware. While eating a stuffed pancake, he secretly stuffed plain milk into Bai Tian’s desk. There were only a few people in the classroom, and he sat in the seat in front of Bai Tian’s desk as casually as if he were in his own home.

“Tell me, how did someone like that not end up in our class? I heard Old Baldy Li thinks very highly of her. It’d be great if she could transfer into our class.”

Bai Tian sneered, looked at him, and slowly asked, “You like her?”

Liu Ran choked on a mouthful of bacon so badly he nearly died. He drank a large gulp of yogurt, his face flushed red, and hurriedly said, “What nonsense are you saying! I… I don’t!”

Sima Zhao’s intentions were obvious to all.

Bai Tian was too lazy to expose him. She took the plain milk from inside her desk and stuffed it into her schoolbag.

“Didn’t they say you’re not allowed to take it away?” Liu Ran looked at her and asked instinctively.

Bai Tian shouldered her schoolbag and stood up, pushing her chair back in. She looked at Liu Ran with disdain and tossed her head. “If that kind of lousy rule worked on me, would I still be Bai Tian?”

Liu Ran admired her so much he practically prostrated himself. Enviously watching her walk away with such carefree grace, he called out, “Boss, my mom’s birthday is tonight. Remember to come eat!”

Without turning back, Bai Tian waved her hand to show that she knew.

Very familiar with the route, she avoided places with many people and took a detour to the back of the gymnasium, preparing to climb over the wall from the new foothold she had found.

Old Baldy Li was far too cunning. Every time, he managed to eliminate the places she had scouted out in advance, forcing her to spend another week searching all around the school for a spot.

Bai Tian threw her bag onto her back and hummed an out-of-tune little melody as she cut through the small grove, arriving outside the back wall of the gymnasium.

After confirming once that the place where she had left her mark was safe, Bai Tian lifted her schoolbag and measured the distance. Then, with one forceful swing, she threw it up. It landed precisely on top of the wall.

She took a few steps back, preparing to sprint forward, when a voice suddenly sounded behind her.

“Classmate, are you trying to climb over the wall?”

Bai Tian had not expected anyone to be here. Her heartbeat sped up for several seconds. She turned around and discovered a face still fresh in her memory.

She paused, withdrew her gaze, then jogged forward and rushed toward the wall.

That person looked at her and hurriedly said, “Don’t go up…”

Bai Tian climbed onto the top of the wall, turned back to look at the person below, and said coldly, “None of your business.”

After saying this, she withdrew her gaze and turned to look outside the wall.

Then, completely unprepared, she met a pair of eyes that were not unfamiliar at all.

Zhao Yuelan’s unfinished second half of the sentence finally came belatedly:

“…There are school security guards patrolling outside.”

Bai Tian: “……”