Yilin didn't know how Hexia had spent all these years, only having a general idea from what Cindy had mentioned. Now, with Hexia's parents gone and her sister having passed away years ago, she was truly alone. The thought of Tilan, who used to be so lovable, possibly living an extremely difficult life made her heart ache.
The scene she had just witnessed confirmed some of her suspicions.
Hexia had always been somewhat timid and prone to tears since childhood. She gradually became more confident as everyone got to know her. However, it was easy to imagine her retreating back into her shell after her family underwent such drastic changes.
In the Federation, the lower one's status, the more malice one had to face. If a child from a wealthy family wore a beautiful, fancy dress, they would receive nothing but praise. But a child from a poor family might be criticized, accused of pretending to be refined, criticized for having a "princess complex," or even bluntly told that their clothes were fake imitations. After all, we're all similar people, so what makes you so different?
Being different has its price. At best, you're excluded from the circle; at worst, you're ridiculed and oppressed by others.
Yilin stood up from her seat, and this action immediately surprised many people, who turned their heads to look at her.
"What happened?" Cindy also came over to the girl's side.
Seeing her classmates gather around, Hexia was just about to try and explain when she suddenly felt Yilin's supportive hand on her shoulder.
"Let me handle this."
She took the personal terminal from Hexia's hands and carefully read through the message, frowning deeply as several curious classmates gathered around her.
"The more I read, the angrier I get!" Cindy, who was usually quite even-tempered, couldn't help but get angry.
"What happened that day, Tilan? Can you tell me?" Yilin knew Hexia was definitely not the materialistic type, but she couldn't stand by as her childhood friend was slandered like this.
Jones and a group of boys were slightly tipsy. Although they were not yet 20 and couldn't drink hard liquor, the Federation allowed them to drink low-alcohol beverages like beer.
On the girls' side, since Lina's mood was gradually improving, everyone else also became more lively. They talked about their own things, and some discussed plans to travel during the vacation.
"What you don't know is that Lina is going to study down south in the future," a girl who was close to Lina spoke.
The South was less affected by acid rain compared to the North, resulting in its generally better development and a much more beautiful environment. Traveling or studying there was considered quite desirable.
"I didn't even know which school Lina will be going to," another person said.
"Wenliu Yi Academy, it's ranked 16th in South Third District, affiliated with Black Conch Group. After graduation, it's quite easy to intern and work at this company."
Black Conch Group was one of the medium-sized enterprises within Jade Skirt, with about 500,000 employees, famous for producing waterproof materials. Continue reading stories on мѵʟ
"That's impressive, Black Conch Group, huh? I've heard of them. Their products have always been in high demand because of the impact of acid rain on Jade Skirt."
"That strong?" others asked curiously, only to be met with a few female students rolling their eyes.
"Please, stop judging with old mindsets. Our Lina is really capable. She got in on her own, not like some who put on airs but amount to nothing when it matters." They were Lina's friends, naturally defending her. As for Hexia, please, they hardly knew her.
Then someone started boasting about the prowess of 'Black Conch Group', saying it was one of the top 300 companies in Jade Skirt. A flurry of envy and congratulations arose, putting Lina in high spirits.
Indeed, looking around, there were hardly a few classmates who were impressive, just like kids playing house. She shook her head slightly, feeling that getting to know social elites like Senqueerde early on was the sensible thing to do. With the help of this well-informed elf man, she easily secured her admission slot in Wenliu Yi Academy. In comparison, none of her current classmates knew the admission rules or specifics about southern colleges.