Chapter 17 - The First Day of School: Classified

Feng Xuan was up early the following morning. Qing Chen was still sleeping when she got up, feeling the butterflies in her stomach. It was her first day of school and she was so excited to finally meet new people. It had been more than two weeks since she arrived in Chengshi and she was just so bored.

She went to the other bedroom and carefully chose her outfit, a white long-sleeved blouse and a green checkered skirt tied with a black belt. She cooked breakfast first before taking a bath in the other bathroom as Qing Chen was already occupying the other one.

They met in the dining area.

Qing Chen entered and found Feng Xuan sitting by the counter, a cup pressed to her lips. "First day of school?" he asked.

"Yes!" she replied with a smile and put her phone down.

Qing Chen eyed Feng Xuan, especially her exposed legs. "It's fall season. You might want to cover up a little," he told her.

"You think?" Feng Xuan looked out the glass wall and saw the soft light of the morning. It had been getting colder since she arrived. "Maybe I should just wear some boots."

"And take a coat, too," Qing Chen said and sat in his seat. He started eating. "Can you send me a copy of your class schedule?"

"Yes, of course." Immediately, Feng Xuan sent it to Qing Chen.

Qing Chen noticed that Feng Xuan did not really eat much yet again. "Nervous?"

"Anxious excited," Feng Xuan laughed. "There's just something about first days of school, you know? Like every possibility is open."

Qing Chen smiled. He remembered how it was to be a student. But he never had been this excited about getting up in the morning and sit through lectures. "I'm sure you'll do great today."

"Aw," Feng Xuan cooed. "Thank you! I also wish you a great day."

Qing Chen made a face. "My days are boring," he said. "I just do things on repeat. Every day."

"At least you have our wedding party to plan today."

"Right," he answered. "White and champagne?"

"White and champagne."

Qing Chen made a mental note to bring a proposal design home so Feng Xuan could make changes if she wanted. They both ate their breakfast and were both out of the house by fifteen minutes. Qing Chen had hired Feng Xuan her own driver.

"Well, then, I'll see you later," Qing Chen said, walking Feng Xuan to her car. He opened the door.

"I'll see you later," she replied.

"Wife," Qing Chen said in farewell and he saw Feng Xuan's lips broaden to a smile at how ridiculous it sounded.

She returned it nonetheless, "Husband."

Now, on her way to Chengshi University, she wished she had gotten Jiang Lijun's number, he was the guy whom she met on the enrollment day. She was mainly nervous about making new friends. When she started school overseas, the first few days were a little hard and she was really scared being in a foreign place and not really fluent with the language they were speaking.

But people were kind and took her under their wing. Months later, she was friends with half of her batch and spoke fluently. Somehow, she now felt more alienated in her homeland than overseas.

She took a deep breath as she saw the grand university. There were multiple buildings and theirs were near the back gate. They passed through the university and she saw the students jogging around, walking from the convenience stores, or on their way to their first classes.

"This is going to be a good day," Feng Xuan whispered to herself. When she got down the car, she immediately went to her assigned classroom. There were about ten people already inside and she felt her stomach lurch just before she stepped in.

She took a seat close to two girls who immediately caught her attention. "Hey," one of the girl's said with a near-blonde hair color. "I love your boots. Where did you get them?"

"I got them from The Kingly," she answered.

"Come sit with us," the girl said. "I am An Huan. And this is Chu Guang." Chu Guang was a girl with long raven black hair.

"I am Feng Xuan," she introduced herself with a smile and moved her bag to the seat next to them. For the next few minutes they chatted about their clothes and the latest trends. Feng Xuan found out that the two girls were already managing their own fashion store.

Then she saw a tall figure entered in a hoodie and immediately knew it was Jiang Lijun. She instantly called and waved him over.

"It's nice to see you again, rich girl," he whispered the last part.

"I am not that rich," she said. It was her father's money anyway. She introduced both girls to Jiang Lijun. "How have you been?" she asked him as he sat down.

"Great. I had been taking care of my sister the past few days and fetching her from school."

"That's so sweet," Feng Xuan said.

"How about you?"

"Oh, I've been busy." It was only day three of her being a wife but it somehow felt like a month already, in a good way. She debated, then, if she should tell Jiang Lijun about her marriage. But she did not think he would appreciate the news seeing as they were not close.

"You're all well, I hope."

"Aside from major blush moments, I'm fine," she said.

Shortly, their professor entered the classroom and greeted them a good morning. She was dressed in a long dress that reached her ankles. As she was scanning the list of her students, her lips turned into a straight line. Finally, she lifted her eyes and called out. "Feng Xuan?"

Feng Xuan did not speak at first. Why was she called? There was no way she was first on the student list. Was it a recitation time already?

"Feng Xuan."

She raised her hand. "Here, ma'am."

Then the professor looked at her above the rim of her glasses. It made Feng Xuan felt like she was in kindergarten all over again when she brought a mud pie to her teacher's table. "Come with me."

Jiang Lijun gave her a confused look and she returned it to him, shrugging her shoulders. What was it about?! her mind was screaming.

The professor spoke once more. "Now."

Feng Xuan pulled her bag to her shoulders. She was aware of the looks the other students gave her. She wanted to tell them she was not sure either why she was in trouble on the first day of school!

As she was following the professor on the long empty hallway, she asked herself, what did I do wrong? Was there something wrong with my payments? My enrollment? She gasped in her mind. Am I getting expelled?

Feng Xuan couldn't bear the thought of tarnishing her perfect school records. Just the thought of having the expelled word written on her transcript made her want to throw up.

They reached the end of the hall and they entered the office and head straight to the dean. "She's in my class," the professor said begrudgingly.

I am not liking this any more than you do, Feng Xuan wanted to say but she did not really know what was going on.

"What are we going to do?" the professor asked the dean.

The dean looked young but the hair on his head would say otherwise. His tiny eyes were shielded with glasses. "Feng Xuan."

Feng Xuan stood straighter.

"Can you please sit down? Would you like coffee? Tea? Or water?"

Feng Xuan shook her head as she sat. "I just want to know what is going on. It's the first day of school and I am already in the dean's office. What did I do?"

"The issue here is not academically related. I have reviewed your file this morning after I received news that brought you here. You have attended a prestigious univerisity overseas and finished with flying colors. Really impressive, I should say. However..."

Feng Xuan raised her eyebrows at the cliffhanger.

The dean leaned forward, clasping his fingers together. "Did you get married recently?"

Feng Xuan sighed. This was about Qing Chen then.

"News reached us this morning that your husband..."

Feng Xuan's blood started boiling. "Yes? What about my husband?"

"You do admit that you are married."

"Yes, I am married," she answered, clearly getting to the level of being annoyed. "Can you please just get to the point?"

"We looked up for marriage contract in the public records but unfortunately it was under classified. Why is that?"

My marriage is under classified? What? "I'm not so sure either."

"Is it because you are hiding to whom you are married?"

Feng Xuan's eyebrows furrowed. Why were these people sticking their noses where it did not belong? "How is that any of your business?"

The dean remained calm. "Because it involves the school's reputation. We received a call this morning advising us that Feng Xuan married an old man who is rich and nearly dying just for the sake of the money. I can't imagine the damage it will do for the school when this gets leaked to the press, considering that you are a daughter of one of the known developers of this land."

Feng Xuan suddenly felt so bared. Like they had stripped off her clothes. She had just came back from overseas and now her name was getting dragged into some hole and this balding man knew who her father was and was prying to know who her husband was.

And what? Married an old rich dying man? Where did that come from?

"So tell me, missus," the dean said, "how are we supposed to fix this? The news probably spread like wildfire already."

Feng Xuan was sure her face was already red, not from shame, not from embarrassment. But because of anger. Still, she smiled at the dean even though she just wanted to give the table a quick slam of her hand. "What is it that you want to happen?"

The dean looked at the professor from behind Feng Xuan who nodded. "We would like to speak with your husband."