The New Student

"Today we have a new classmate!"

The teacher looked toward the door and nodded, then turned back to look at the class. After that, a boy walked in, a charming dimpled smile on his lips, his dark eyes sparkling behind his glasses as they swept across the room.

"I'm Lai Ping Ming, nice to meet you!"

The smile on his lips, already bright, became even more radiant, his eyes narrowing into crescents, making people like him at first sight.

"Now, please get to know your new classmate! For now, Ping Ming, please take a temporary seat at the back of the class, as we are out of desks!"

The homeroom teacher finished speaking and quickly left, making way for the teacher of the first period. Ping Ming walked down to his seat, pushed his backpack to the side, and smiled at the person next to him. The class began.

During recess, many classmates gathered around Ping Ming to chat. He was thrilled to attend the school of his dreams, solely because it was where his older brother used to study. Despite having to transfer mid-semester and living far away, he remained determined. His parents had initially insisted he attend a school near home, but constant persuasion eventually softened their hearts, and they agreed to let their youngest son study far away.

The cute girls asked him many questions. He didn't find their attention bothersome at all. After all, they would be classmates for nearly two years; if they didn't get to know each other now, they would later. His new classmates were incredibly friendly, cheerfully introducing him to everything about the school. The atmosphere was warm.

"Ping Ming, want to go play soccer outside?"

A few boys casually threw their arms around his shoulders, inviting him to join. He didn't stand on ceremony either and happily joined in. Laughter echoed across the schoolyard, catching the attention of a girl sitting quietly in the secluded principal's office. She didn't know how long she had been staring at the sun-drenched yard and the sound of laughter.

"I heard our school has very strict rules, but why did I meet a girl not wearing a uniform this morning?"

The boys, focused on the ball, only laughed and replied:

"Careful, or you might run into a ghost girl! I heard there's a white ghost in our school, always dressed in white, appearing and disappearing... Just kidding, there's no such thing! Ping Ming, the ball is coming, kick it!"

His question was drowned out by the loud shouts of the teenage boys, the giggles, and the admiring gasps of the girls nearby. All of it blended together in a bright morning after the rain.