Chapter 13 Arrogance Is For Others

The boy's expression was full of resentment.
Jonathan smiled lightly and said, "You seem quite envious of this Brandon Ou."
Without any hesitation, the boy admitted, "Envious? I'm downright jealous! If it weren't illegal, I'd have taken him out already. How can someone be so perfect?"
Jonathan chuckled, amused by the boy's candidness and lack of restraint in expressing his thoughts.
Seeing Jonathan's calm demeanor, the boy frowned and asked curiously, "Dude, after hearing all this, don't you feel a bit envious of that guy?"
"Envy him?" Jonathan chuckled and shook his head. "I don't see anything about him that's envy-worthy."
Having traveled the world and faced life-or-death situations, Jonathan's perspective had vastly broadened beyond that of his peers.
To others, Brandon might appear as a golden boy, a campus celebrity adored and idolized, but to Jonathan, he was merely ordinary.
"Even if there were thousands of Brandon Ous, they couldn't measure up to me," Jonathan thought to himself.
The boy glanced at Jonathan skeptically and took a step back. Though he said nothing, his look conveyed disbelief. He thought Jonathan was being overly arrogant.
Brandon is an exceptional figure; even notable figures like Adrian Xu and Mason Wang consider themselves lesser. Jonathan, a new transfer student, dismissing Brandon outright seemed like blind arrogance to him.
Jonathan didn't dwell on the subject. He switched the topic. "By the way, can I ask you about someone else? You mentioned Nora Gu earlier."
The boy, despite his reservations about Jonathan's arrogance, turned back around.
"Nora Gu?" he said with a grin, patting Jonathan on the shoulder. "Mister, I see you're diving right in! You just got here and already inquiring about our School Belle, huh? Got plans?"
Jonathan nodded nonchalantly, accepting the implicit confirmation. At the moment, his main interest was learning about Nora's standing in the school.
"Nora Gu is truly the goddess of the campus. Not only is she stunning, but her academic performance is stellar; she consistently ranks in the top five of our year and the top fifty of the city. She's also a talented pianist. There's no shortage of guys at our school who dream of dating her!"

"Unlike the other School Belle from a wealthy background, Nora comes from a more modest household," the boy explained. "She lives frugally and dresses simply, earning her the nickname 'Commoner's School Belle.' Many guys from ordinary backgrounds try to get close to her. She really is the most popular girl in our school!"
After finishing, the boy glanced at Jonathan teasingly, "But don't get your hopes up. Nora is known for being aloof and proud. She doesn't show any interest, even in Brandon, treating him just like any other classmate. Are you trying to get close to her? I wouldn't hold my breath."
"Reserved and proud?" Jonathan shook his head, unconcerned. "That might be how she is with others, but it won't be the same with me."
Hearing this, the boy, who initially just found Jonathan somewhat annoying, now viewed him with disdain.
He had thought Jonathan was quite a character and considered befriending him, but Jonathan's overconfidence was starting to grate on him.
Nora had maintained the same attitude toward all guys for over two years, never seen being close to any. The boy thought Jonathan's claim that Nora would treat him differently was pure fantasy.
Just then, a figure appeared at the classroom door.
She was tall and slender, with a high ponytail that added to her youthful charm.
Her features were stunningly beautiful and perfectly proportioned, and her skin was naturally flawless. Her eyebrows were delicately arched, enhancing her expressive, gem-like eyes.
As she entered, over ninety percent of the classroom's attention turned her way, filled with admiration, jealousy, and affection.
The boy sitting next to Jonathan lit up with infatuation.
"There she is, School Belle Nora has arrived!"
Nora entered with a calm expression, carrying a simple backpack, and took her seat in the middle of the front row. Her presence seemed to radiate an ethereal aura.
Jonathan's eyes briefly flickered, and after a few seconds of silence, he stood up and walked over to where Nora was seated, positioning himself beside her.
Not just the boy next to Jonathan, but other classmates turned to look, curious about what the new student was about to do.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Jonathan suddenly reached out and gently placed his hand on Nora's head, his fingers softly brushing through her hair in an intimate gesture.

In that instant, the classroom fell silent.
"My God, what did I just witness?"
The students, one by one, widened their eyes in disbelief.
Wherever Nora went in the school, she was always the center of attention, the object of countless crushes, receiving endless love letters and flowers daily. However, she never showed any interest, always remaining aloof from the commotion, like a celestial being.
Among her admirers, Brandon stood out the most. Even he, however, only managed to converse with her a bit more than others, with a bit more interaction on regular days, but never any physical contact. Others didn't even dare.
But this new student dared to not only touch her but also stroke her hair so familiarly. This was beyond simple physical contact; it was almost a violation of a goddess.
"This guy is too much!"
"Jerk, how dare he do that to our goddess!"
Some boys were filled with righteous indignation, itching to teach Jonathan a lesson. Others took a more schadenfreude approach, secretly mocking Jonathan while internally commiserating with him.
Given Nora's reserved and pristine nature, Jonathan's forward behavior was unlikely to be taken lightly. Moreover, with Brandon acting as Nora's unofficial protector, Jonathan's fate, should Brandon find out, seemed all the more grim.
Only the boy next to Jonathan gave him a thumbs-up. Despite Jonathan's earlier boastful talk, the boy couldn't help but admire his audacity to make a move on Nora.
As Nora felt the intimate gesture, her body stiffened, and anger surged through her.
She couldn't believe someone in the class would dare be so bold as to disrespect her like that.
Yet, there was something strangely familiar about the touch and the motion.
With a mix of anger and curiosity, she lifted her head to face the perpetrator's strikingly handsome face greeted her.
This face was somewhat unfamiliar to her, yet upon closer inspection, there was something vaguely familiar about it, especially the look in the boy's eyes, which evoked a sense of nostalgia.
As her confusion deepened, Jonathan flashed a mischievous grin.

"Girl, how is it that you don't recognize me after just a few years?"
Jonathan's voice was teasing and affectionate, causing Nora's eyes to tremble with shock. After a moment, her eyes lit up with joy, and she excitedly grabbed Jonathan's arm, her voice bursting with surprise.
"Jonathan Ye? Is that really you?"
Nora's reaction caused the classroom atmosphere to freeze.
Everyone had been anticipating a fiery outburst from her, ready to witness some drama. However, the unfolding scene left them with their jaws dropped.
Was this the same Nora known for her cool demeanor, who always kept a calm and distant attitude toward men?
This dramatic turn was observed by a handsome young man who had just entered the door. His expression stiffened in disbelief, his mouth agape, his eyes filled with shock.
Nora, visibly trembling with excitement, clung to Jonathan's arm as if it was the greatest treasure, continuously scanning him. Though he had changed a lot, she could still discern the familiar contours of the face she often saw in her dreams.