Chapter 43

Zinnia was led to the podium by William to give a self-introduction. She said, "Hi, everyone, I am Zinnia. Nice to meet you."

The students in the class were mostly part of a close-knit group, having grown up together. It was rare for someone like Zinnia to suddenly join their ranks.

From the back of the room, Ethan started clapping enthusiastically. He said, "Alright, let's give a warm welcome to Zinnia. From now on, she is one of us."

Maisie clapped loudly. She shouted, "Yes, welcome! You’re such a sweet angel!" Her perfectly made-up face glowed with excitement.

Zinnia had been feeling a bit nervous, but Maisie’s enthusiasm made her want to laugh and hide her face at the same time.

William scanned the room with a faint smile. His gaze finally landed on a quiet girl with glasses sitting in the third row. He said, “Zinnia, welcome to our class. The seating is open, why don’t you sit next to Lydia in the third row?”

Maisie whined dramatically from her seat, "William, come on! I wanted to sit with Zinnia!" She complained to herself, ‘Why did William pick a seat so quickly?’

"Work on your grades first, then we’ll talk about switching seats, okay?" William replied with his usual gentle smile, his tone as warm as ever.

"You're so heartless," Maisie pouted dramatically, covering her face like she’d been wronged.

William turned to Zinnia, then Lydia. "Zinnia, Lydia, is that okay for you?" he asked kindly.

Hearing her name, Lydia lowered her book and peeked at Zinnia. Nervously fiddling with the corner of her book, she gave a small nod. "It's fine, Mr. Baker," she murmured.

"Sure," Zinnia replied, her gaze shifting to the third-row seat. She thought, ‘It is on the left, next to the wall, and my potential desk mate seems quiet and reserved. I won’t have to deal with people too much. Ethan sits in front of me. He is tall enough to block the teacher’s view. I can tuck myself away by the wall and maybe even sneak a nap. Perfect.’ Satisfied, Zinnia headed to her seat.

With Zinnia joining, the class had twenty-four students, but there were only five girls, including her.

Lydia tilted her head to look at Zinnia and stood up hesitantly. "Zinnia, do you want the inside or outside seat?" she asked, biting her lip nervously. She was currently sitting outside.

"I'll take the inside," Zinnia decided without hesitation. She thought, ‘I’m not exactly a star student, so the inside seat works for me.’

Lydia said, "Sure, I'll move." She felt a wave of relief as she thought, ‘This new classmate doesn’t seem difficult to get along with.’ She shifted her position, making room for Zinnia.

Zinnia walked in with her backpack and settled into her seat.

William said to the two girls, "Alright, this period is for self-study. Next period, we'll start lessons, so get ready."

Looking at Zinnia and Lydia, William thought, ‘Zinnia’s so laid-back, and Lydia’s got social anxiety. I wonder if they’ll get along sitting together.’

Ethan turned around with a grin. He said, "Zinnia, I'm sitting right in front of you. If you need anything, just tell me. You're Isaac's sister, so you're my sis too. Don't be shy."

"Okay," Zinnia replied, her mood lifting at a free period. She gave Ethan a small smile.

Ethan froze for a second, his ears turning red.

Brian, sitting next to Ethan, turned around with a curious look. He asked, "So, Zinnia, what's your story with the Shaw family?"

The moment Zinnia entered the school, the incident at the gate with Betty had already made its way onto the campus forum.

Hearing Brian's question, Zinnia blinked, momentarily distracted from figuring out where to hang her bear charm. She looked up, her expression blank.

"What kind of question is that?" Ethan said to Brian, nudging Brian's arm, clearly annoyed.

Brian replied, "Relax, Ethan, I'm just asking. If we don't know Zinnia's story, how are we supposed to have her back? Have you seen what people are saying on the forum?"

Brian glanced at Zinnia. Zinnia was delicate and angelic. Her crystal-clear eyes made her look like a little angel. Brian couldn’t figure out how someone like Zinnia had managed to make Betty cry.

"I have nothing to do with the Shaw family," Zinnia said after a brief pause, her tone resolute as if she wanted to cut all ties with them.

Brian raised an eyebrow at her response. He thought, ‘Nothing to do? She should at least make her lie convincing. Her face is practically a mirror image of the Shaws. Anyone can see something is going on. No wonder the school forum is buzzing with speculation. Some people even wonder if Zinnia might be the Shaw family’s biological daughter rather than just their foster child.’

Brian asked, "Do you know Betty? People are saying you're the Shaw family's foster kid, and she's your sister." As he spoke, he studied Zinnia as if trying to uncover the secrets hidden within her small frame.

The photo Brian had shown Ethan was one taken on the first day of school. It showed Betty with reddened eyes glaring at Zinnia, as if Zinnia had done something unforgivable.

Online rumors were swirling. Some claimed that Zinnia, as the Shaw family's foster daughter, dared to bully Betty, the biological daughter. Others speculated that Zinnia might be an illegitimate child of the Shaw family, with the "foster daughter" label being a more palatable cover.

Some even said the Shaw family didn’t care about Zinnia. Betty had her brother escort her to school, but Zinnia came alone.

The International Class frowned as they read the online rumors. They couldn’t believe someone like Zinnia would fit such descriptions as foster daughter or illegitimate child.

Still, the Shaw family had never clarified Zinnia’s identity, leaving the International Class unsure of how to defend her. Without knowing her exact background, they felt stuck.

Zinnia herself was oblivious to the online drama, but the International Class students were well-versed in the school rumors. They had been scrolling through the posts nonstop.

Looking at the photos circulating online, the students couldn’t help but feel Zinnia was perfectly aligned with their vibe. They thought, ‘She made Betty cry? That is legendary!’

They kept pestering Brian to dig up more info about Zinnia. The more they knew, the better they could defend her.

Even though Zinnia had just joined their class, the International Class had already decided she was one of them. The fact that Zinnia clashed with Betty only solidified her place in their group.

Ethan frowned deeply as he read the posts on the school forum. He immediately called Isaac. Someone was clearly out to get Zinnia, and he wasn’t going to let it slide.

Chapter 44