The First Orange

Tang City sat by the sea, and with the sea breeze, June wasn't yet hot and oppressive.

In a classroom with neatly arranged desks and chairs, over thirty people hunched over, quietly calculating fruit fly chromosomes, answering questions against the clock for just one more point.

Among the bobbing black heads, one figure sat upright, twirling a gel pen with slender, fair fingers, the other hand resting under her chin as she gazed at the magnolia tree outside the window.

Her palm-sized face was clean and fair, paired with slightly slanted, phoenix-like eyes that held a hint of boredom. A delicate nose and rosy lips complemented her sparkling gaze, making her face as radiant as the sun outside. But her entire demeanor was cool and distant, carrying even a faint trace of wickedness, making others afraid to approach.

When Shen Qiancheng entered the exam hall, everyone looked over—her beauty was certainly one reason, but more importantly, behind her stood the Shen Corporation, which controlled the entire province's pharmaceutical industry.

People living in Tang City had all seen Shen Qiancheng's face to some degree, but she wasn't known for gentleness or kindness—rather, for her fierceness.

Having someone like her in the same exam hall meant one could only pray that the young Miss Shen wouldn't throw a tantrum today.

The scratching of pens in the cramped classroom was truly irritating.

"Fifteen minutes remaining. Please mind the time and check that you have filled in your answer sheet."

As the announcement ended, the feared Shen Qiancheng stopped fiddling with her pen and raised her hand to signal the proctor.

The proctor, who had been bored enough to count the words in the exam rules, noticed a student raising their hand and approached seriously. Upon seeing Shen Qiancheng, his expression changed, and he became even more solemn: "What's the matter, classmate?"

Shen Qiancheng straightened up, a faint smile on her lips while her eyes remained aloof and distant. She pinched her answer sheet with her slender, delicate index finger.

The proctor took a deep breath. What did this mean? He had heard of students going mad and tearing up answer sheets to swallow them...

And with Shen Qiancheng, it was quite possible she would make him swallow the sheet instead...

"This candidate, please remain calm..."

Shen Qiancheng's exquisitely pretty face showed a hint of confusion as she gently placed the answer sheet down. The proctor sighed in relief and said sternly, "If..."

But before he could finish, Shen Qiancheng asked in a tone that was more statement than question: "Teacher, are we really not allowed to submit early?"

The A3-sized answer sheet was filled with neat answers, even the genetics question had been completed to the brim.

The proctor frowned and said, "There are rules against early submission. Please check again."

Shen Qiancheng received the expected answer and said in disappointment, her voice soft: "I've checked it three times already."

The proctor was at a loss for words, thinking Shen Qiancheng was just toying with him, so he walked away with a stern face.

"This exam has ended. Please put down your pens immediately. Continuing to write will be treated as a violation. Now, please organize your answer sheets and other materials..."

Shen Qiancheng obediently waited for the proctor to collect her materials from the desk, then stood up to leave. The afternoon exam was geography, which she hadn't registered for during the college entrance exam, so after finishing biology, she was completely done.

She flexed her wrist and basked in the scrutiny of those around her—some envious, some jealous, some even fearful...

Shen Qiancheng casually flashed a chilling smile and walked out of the classroom as if no one else were there.

She wasn't stupid; disrupting the exam order was a criminal offense under the criminal law. She didn't want to end up in jail and let certain people gloat.

The bright sunlight hit her face, and Shen Qiancheng sighed. Since biology and history were back-to-back, she hadn't even eaten by twelve-thirty, and now she just wanted to go to Embracing a Hundred Rivers for a meal.

But someone was not about to let her go. A girl with a blunt fringe and a high ponytail blocked her path. Her face was flushed crimson, her thick fringe hiding most of her face. She bit her lower lip hard, wearing a stubborn, unyielding expression—exactly the look Shen Qiancheng hated most.

Lin Senyu had found out that Shen Qiancheng had chosen chemistry, biology, and history for the exam, and since the morning's last subject was history, this was her last chance to see Shen Qiancheng.

She hadn't expected to be this scared upon meeting her. The harm Shen Qiancheng had done to her was like a chasm cutting across her heart.

"Shen... classmate..." The words she had rehearsed lingered at her lips but got stuck the moment she tried to speak.

Shen Qiancheng acted as if she hadn't seen the living person in front of her, turned, and walked straight toward the school gate without looking aside.

"Miss Shen... I..."

Lin Senyu's face grew even redder. When had she ever been treated with such disregard? Forgetting momentarily why she was there, she grabbed Shen Qiancheng's sleeve, as if she had gained the upper hand.

"Shen Qiancheng, I'm talking to you."

Lin Senyu yanked Shen Qiancheng around. The latter's delicate brows furrowed, her eyes filled with disgust as she looked at Lin Senyu. The chill in her gaze sent a flood of images through Lin Senyu's mind, and a fear rose from the soles of her feet, instinctual and physical.

Lin Senyu's heart raced. She pressed a hand to her chest to steady herself, barely daring to meet Shen Qiancheng's eyes, and said: "I'm sorry, Shen classmate. I shouldn't have bullied Anran. I..."

Shen Qiancheng's gaze fell on Lin Senyu's hand gripping her sleeve. She lowered her head and let out a soft laugh, then slowly raised her head: "My transferring to No.1 High doesn't mean I'm like you all. Haven't you ever wondered why I transferred?"

Why transfer... Lin Senyu froze. Shen Qiancheng was the sole heir to the Shen Corporation, the princess of the Shen family, one above all others. Rumor had it she attended the best aristocratic international school in the province, yet a month before the college entrance exams, she had suddenly transferred to No.1 High...

And what did Shen Qiancheng mean by that? What did she mean by 'why transfer'?

Seeing Lin Senyu's stunned expression, Shen Qiancheng subtly shook off Lin Senyu's hand and rubbed where she had been grabbed: "Whether you bully Anran or Wang Ran is none of my business."

Caught in the grip of immense unease, Lin Senyu looked at the girl before her. It was clearly a gentle face, but in her eyes it now seemed like that of a demon.

Over the past month, although it wasn't Shen Qiancheng's hands that had done the work, under her silent approval, Lin Senyu had lived a miserable existence—beaten, locked in toilets, cursed, isolated. She had become the scorned rat of No.1 High, everyone shouting for her downfall.

She had thought she could avoid it by studying at home, but those hooligans appeared near her house, even moving in across the street as her neighbors. When they greeted her, she had to cover for them in front of her mother, claiming they were friends.

She didn't dare tell her parents, afraid that what she had done to Anran would be exposed, and even more afraid that if her parents stepped in, she would no longer be the only one suffering.

She dreaded that even if she got into university, Shen Qiancheng's people would infiltrate her life like a haunting shadow... She couldn't bear that kind of terrifying life, so she had come, pitifully, to beg Shen Qiancheng.

Shen Qiancheng had pitied that poor Anran, so surely she would pity her too.

Lin Senyu's shoulders slumped. She didn't dare touch Shen Qiancheng's clothes, hugging herself instead as tears poured down: "Miss Shen, please let me go. I won't dare do it again. I beg you to spare me. I'll do anything."

Lin Senyu's display pleased Shen Qiancheng. The corners of her lips twitched upward as she swept a strand of hair from her face and said dismissively: "What does your bullying have to do with me? If you want to apologize, shouldn't you go find that 'Ran' or whatever?"

Lin Senyu's crying and wailing drew attention, causing some slow-moving examinees to pause and see what was happening. Their curious glances retracted the moment they caught sight of Shen Qiancheng.

Shen Qiancheng patted Lin Senyu's shoulder and leaned close to her ear, whispering: "You're utterly stupid. Let me tell you: the porridge you dumped on her head that day splashed onto me."

With that, Shen Qiancheng waved her hand as if declaring a job well done: "Alright, crying is so ugly. Smile."

Lin Senyu's heart skipped a beat. She had said that line before—to Anran, kneeling on the bathroom floor.

"Miss Shen, I didn't mean to..."

And that was what Anran had said to her many times. How had she replied to Anran then?

Shen Qiancheng waved at the students looking on, as if greeting acquaintances.

"I don't accept apologies like that."

On the verge of collapse, Lin Senyu grabbed at the hem of Shen Qiancheng's skirt. Her thick fringe shifted, revealing her forehead, which bore a hideous scar.

Shen Qiancheng never ate in the cafeteria, so how could porridge have splashed on her?

Lin Senyu's eyes went vacant. Since Anran had found release by jumping off a building, what about her...

The Shen family's car was parked at the entrance of the exam site, shrouded in the shadow of the crabapple trees.

Shen Qiancheng noticed the eye-catching red and frowned slightly.

She had planned to go to Embracing a Hundred Rivers for a gathering and had long since told the driver she didn't need a ride today.

Shen Qiancheng lost all interest in toying with Lin Senyu and, as if nothing had happened, walked straight to the car.

The driver eagerly opened the door and explained: "Chief Shi specifically sent me to pick up the young lady."

In the back seat, Shen Qiancheng picked up her phone and saw six missed calls on the screen, five of them from Shi Jianren—her biological father.

Hmph.

Shen Qiancheng unlocked the phone and called one of the numbers.

"Mm, got it. I'll be there soon."

She hung up and asked the driver to turn down the air conditioning, adding casually, "To Embracing a Hundred Rivers."

Embracing a Hundred Rivers was a well-known club in Tang City, a place of wine and flesh, of painted men and women.

The driver replied, "Yes, Miss."

The car started, and Shen Qiancheng didn't notice the crowd gathered around something inside the exam site.

The driver drove skillfully, very smoothly. Along the way, Shen Qiancheng didn't look at her phone again, and somehow dozed off.

When she opened her eyes again, the car had already pulled over to the side of the road.

The driver, seeing Shen Qiancheng awake, immediately got out and opened her door: "Mind your step, Miss."

Shen Qiancheng looked up at the antique-style building across the street, clearly not Embracing a Hundred Rivers.

"Chief Shi wants to see me?" Shen Qiancheng's tone was flat, revealing no emotion. The driver simply closed the door and lowered his head: "It was arranged by Chief Shi."

Shen Qiancheng nodded. No wonder he had called five times. Her phone buzzed again; she unlocked it and checked. Ah, now it was nine calls.

And a message.

"Behave yourself." It looked like a desperate attempt to reach her after failing to connect.

Shen Qiancheng grew curious. What sort of ghost or demon warranted such attention from Shi Jianren—nine calls and a message?

Stretching her gaze, she saw a six-story building standing amid tall skyscrapers, incongruous with the modern architecture around it. The characters on the sign were bold and flamboyant, much like Shi Jianren's pretentious tastes—just the place he would pick.

It was merely a feast at Hong Gate. Once done, she could head over to Embracing a Hundred Rivers.

Shen Qiancheng put on her sunglasses, took out her phone, and sent a message to someone.

"Change of plans. See you in half an hour."