Chapter 386: Atmosphere - Pretending to Cultivate in Kindergarten

### Chapter 386: Atmosphere Shen Xia laughed heartily upon hearing the remark and said, "The way you put it makes me think you're wearing your heart on your sleeve for sure." Jiang Qian didn't care about others' opinions; as long as she felt her actions were worthwhile, that was enough for her. After changing her clothes, Shen Xia crossed her arms and scrutinized Jiang Qian for what felt like the umpteenth time that day. Unexpectedly, she apologized, "I'm sorry for putting you through a tough time recently. My intention was just to make you back off, but who would have thought you'd be this formidable? I truly admire you." Jiang Qian had also changed into her usual attire. Glancing back at Shen Xia, she was unfazed by the hardships she'd endured recently: "Since you said I've won, when can I take over as president?" Shen Xia looked at Jiang Qian's slightly weathered hands, a result of her hard work, and replied candidly: "Tomorrow. I'll gather the student council members and announce that I'm temporarily handing over the presidency to you. I've noticed you've gotten to know them quite well, and there shouldn't be any surprises. Besides, quite a few of the male students seem to like you. I heard that some even plan to confess to you." Jiang Qian took it in stride, "Really?" With a wry smile, Shen Xia asked, "Is the guy you like capable of being our school's student council president? Didn't you say you plan to have him take over next year? In comparison, how does he fare against you?" Jiang Qian replied earnestly, "He's much better than me. I'm probably not even half as good as he is. Maybe a third... no, perhaps a quarter." Shen Xia raised her hand to interrupt, laughing, "Alright, alright, calling you lovestruck isn't wrong! Clearly, I can't ask you this, I'll have to observe for myself. But as the current president, I ought to oversee the future leader of the student council. I must tell you, the core of the student council is to serve students. You get what I mean, right? Whether it's you or the guy you like, if either of you misuses the council, I'll come back from abroad to hold you accountable." She said seriously, "Even if my background isn't as strong as yours, we're on par in some ways. Primarily, because I've grown attached to the student council over these years, I won't allow it to be harmed." Jiang Qian nodded. The two of them locked eyes for a while, and finally, Shen Xia nodded in satisfaction. Before leaving, she shared a secret with Jiang Qian: "In the past few days, a new Jiang Teacher at our school approached me, asking if I would relinquish my position if someone sought to replace me this year. I told her I wouldn't, that I'd only hand over the role to someone truly capable of being president. A bit of wisdom playfully used; I hope you won't let me down and will manage the council well after I'm gone." Jiang Qian's thoughts were confirmed—her sister had indeed been there. "Rest assured," she said, repeating what she had already promised. Shen Xia winked playfully, asking, "One last question: that Jiang Teacher must be your sister, right? You two almost look alike, plus from the questions she asked me, could it be that the guy you like, your sister also likes? Otherwise, her vigilance seems off." Jiang Qian was taken aback, but she didn't respond directly. Shen Xia, being clever herself, chuckled and waved goodbye. "You two sisters are really something else. It's been a pleasure knowing you. Farewell." These were all the things Jiang Qian had done over the past month. A little over a month had passed, and Shen Xia, now an outsider, watched from the crowd as Jiang Qian and the boy she liked competed. She heard Fang Meng announce Lin Zhengran's victory in the intelligence competition once more. Shen Xia was amazed by the boy's exceptional abilities. During the month's interaction, she had realized how strong Jiang Qian really was, having competed against her several times and always ending up losing. Yet, the formidable Jiang Qian couldn't surpass this boy. "Good choice, Jiang Qian; he's so impressive that even I'm interested." Shen Xia's phone rang—it was a call from her family, urging her to leave school. After taking the call, she shouted at the top of her lungs in the crowd, "Go, President Jiang!" and slipped away quietly. She disappeared into the lively throng. But within the competition area, Jiang Qian, Jiang Jingshi, and the others heard that vaguely familiar voice. Jiang Qian, especially, turned slightly to glance at the person who had already vanished. She knew who it was, but only responded inwardly with a "goodbye," showing no expression on her face as she continued to compete with Lin Zhengran. The subsequent two events were physical fitness and art. In both, Jiang Qian narrowly lost. To the audience, it seemed that she could almost beat Lin Zhengran every time but always fell just short. The final competition was in the realm of music. Music was Jiang Qian's forte, though this time she opted not to perform piano. Instead, she chose to sing without accompaniment. As she had mentioned at the competition's start, Jiang Qian knew that even giving her all, she might not defeat Lin Zhengran. So, after competing earnestly in the first four events, she didn’t plan to compete in the last one. She planned to express her feelings, wrapping up in the simplest of ways. Fang Meng had the two contestants draw lots, and Jiang Qian drew first. She picked up the microphone and sat by the lotus pond. Her poise was exquisite; the breeze playfully lifted her long hair, her eyelashes quivering, ripples forming on the lake's surface. With the movement of her dress, her long legs appeared graceful and alluring, and her cold eyes remained fixed on Lin Zhengran. Even before she began, the onlooking students marveled at President Jiang's looks and aura—remarkably different from typical girls. Jiang Qian sang, her voice not reaching the professional level of Jiang Xueli. However, her unique and melodious tone still moved those around, her voice full of emotion resonating profoundly with the audience. Jiang Xueli herself acknowledged the distinctiveness in the emotional delivery. The students around opened their eyes wide. Occasionally, they exchanged glances or whispered among themselves. This time, they seemed to comprehend something. "Hey, President Jiang is singing a love song, isn't it? It's so beautiful! But I've never heard it before." "Neither have I, but could it mean... President Jiang likes this Lin Zhengran?" "I got that feeling too. It wasn't obvious during the previous competitions, but with this song, it seems President Jiang has special feelings for this Sect Leader Lin." A freshman crowd member interjected, "You guys didn’t know? During military training, President Jiang gave Lin Zhengran water." "Ah? No wonder! But wasn't it rumored that Sect Leader Lin Zhengran was quite the flirt?" "Which is why President Jiang hasn’t confessed directly. She's using this way to express her feelings, showing her affection but signaling no further intentions, hoping to awaken the truth and beauty within the Sect Leader’s heart. It's truly touching." "So, it's a tragic romance? It's said they knew each other long ago, so there must be a fascinating tale of emotional entanglement between them." Listening to the murmurs, the trio in the spectator area, along with Jiang Jingshi, grew concerned. Jiang Xueli sensed things were going awry, "Hey! Doesn’t it feel like the atmosphere is a bit off here? Don’t you guys think so?" (End of this chapter)