Everyone was a little surprised to hear Xia Qingyu say she would abstain.
After all, when Xia Qingtian first brought up the matter, everyone had already implicitly agreed that the spot would belong to Xia Qingyu.
Even Yu Qian's nagging remarks were merely the result of a young girl's mindset and jealousy.
When Xia Qingyu actually said she was abstaining, even Yu Qian seemed taken aback.
Nie Qingkong looked at Xia Qingyu, narrowing her eyes slightly, as if trying to guess what Xia Qingyu was planning.
“Is there anyone else who wishes to abstain?” Xia Qingtian hooked the corner of her mouth, surveying the room. Seeing no one else respond, she began distributing the voting slips. “Remember, write down the student you believe has the best external appearance.”
Soon, everyone had finished writing their names, and the slips were collected.
“Alright, class monitor and organizational committee member, please come up and count the votes.” As Xia Qingtan finished speaking, students stepped onto the stage.
After the vote count, it turned out that Xia Qingyu, who had abstained, still received over half of the support votes.
Glancing at the tally marks on the blackboard, Xia Qingtian smiled and said, “Xia Qingyu already abstained, didn't she?”
“You said to write down the student with the best external appearance, didn't you? Even though Xia Qingyu abstained, it doesn't change the fact that she’s still the goddess with the best external appearance~” Shi Xingwu’s words were met with affirmation from half the male classmates.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“That’s a reason I can’t refute,” Xia Qingtian chuckled, her gaze sweeping over the names and vote counts. “Nie Qingkong has a very high number of votes. Who is Nie Qingkong?”
Hearing her name called by Xia Qingtian, Nie Qingkong finally stood up.
“He is indeed a handsome young man,” Xia Qingtian said with a smile.
“His academic performance is also excellent; he was second in this month's exam!” a girl exclaimed with starry eyes.
“Second?” Xia Qingtian, upon hearing the ranking, looked at Li Xiaozhong, appearing somewhat surprised. “And you?”
“Third,” Li Xiaozhong lips moved as he looked at Xia Qingtian.
“The eternal second place is already miserable enough. Now, he can’t even hold onto his position as the eternal second. You tell me, isn’t he super miserable? That’s why I voted for him!” Shi Xingwu was very supportive of Li Xiaozhong.
Xia Qingtian looked at the blackboard. The solitary tally mark under Li Xiaozhong’s name made her unable to help but say, “I think that one vote of yours makes him look even more miserable…”
With just that one vote, it would have been better not to vote at all.
“Huh? Does it?” Shi Xingwu scratched the back of his head, confused.
“…” Li Xiaozhong couldn’t help but support his forehead with one hand.
This was what it meant to have unfortunate friends.
With Shi Xingwu, one could always find new ways to be embarrassed.
“The top male vote-getter is Nie Qingkong. The top female vote-getter… excluding the abstaining Xia Qingyu, is… Yu Qian.” Xia Qingtian’s gaze fell on the tally mark under Yu Qian’s name. “Who is Yu Qian?”
Upon hearing her name, Yu Qian stood up, her expression somewhat complicated.
Xia Qingyu abstained, yet still received half the votes, making her own victory seem like a joke.
But what did that matter?
As long as she could be with Nie Qingkong, she could tolerate it, even if it was like this.
“I wish to abstain,” Nie Qingkong said.
Hearing Nie Qingkong’s voice, Yu Qian immediately looked at him in disbelief. How could he do this!
“That’s not allowed~” Xia Qingtian shook her head. “I already gave everyone the chance to abstain before the voting.”
“I didn’t think I would be chosen then,” Nie Qingkong said, putting on a shy and troubled expression. “I… I don’t think my appearance has much advantage. Perhaps it’s just the class giving preferential treatment to transfer students.”
Hearing Nie Qingkong say this, the girls who already had a good impression of him felt their hearts flutter even more with pink bubbles.
Nie Qingkong is so humble!
He’s completely different from those other stinky boys who, with the slightest achievement, can’t wait to brag about it to the heavens!
“That’s still not allowed~” Xia Qingtian blinked. “Even if it’s preferential treatment for a transfer student, it’s okay. Luck and popularity are all part of one’s strength. Enjoying a little privilege isn’t being sly.”
Hearing Xia Qingtian say this, Yu Qian’s cheeks flushed slightly. Nie Qingkong could only abandon his protest at this point.
The matter was settled like this. Xia Qingtian submitted the nomination, and just as the silent reading time ended, after the bell rang, the afternoon classes officially began.
Receiving the lists submitted by each class, the director merely glanced at them casually, getting a general idea.
In the afternoon, the filming crew arrived on time. Mo Jianing, dressed fashionably, reappeared at her alma mater, her heart filled with emotion.
Her high school life had been perfect, at least much happier than her university days.
If only Xia Qingtian had obediently listened to her after the college entrance exams, letting her manipulate her at will, how wonderful that would have been.
Thinking of this, Mo Jianing’s eyes behind her sunglasses clouded with unwillingness.
This selection event was her comeback; she could only win, not lose.
After meeting and greeting the school leaders, Mo Jianing met the students who would be cooperating with her for the shoot.
Today’s high school students were full of vitality, but they were not yet adept at grooming and makeup, always carrying a slight touch of rustic charm.
Mo Jianing's assistant was quite clever, deliberately arranging some girls with excellent facial features and good natural looks at positions further away from Mo Jianing during the shoot. Instead, girls with average to above-average looks, who were presentable but not exceptionally beautiful, were placed closer to Mo Jianing.
Handsome boys surrounded Mo Jianing, following the photography team with the framing and shooting work.
“Let’s take a ten-minute break,” the photographer said after finishing a portion of the shoot. “Let Jianing have her makeup touched up, and the students can have some water and rest.”
Mo Jianing accepted the touch-up from the makeup artist, her gaze scanning through the crowd before asking, “Director, why don’t I see Xia Qingyu?”
Hearing Mo Jianing mention Xia Qingyu’s name, Yu Qian, who was in the crowd, immediately looked subtly changed.
The director scanned the room and replied, “She probably has other arrangements in her class.”
Mo Jianing deliberately said, “Her image is quite good, I like it very much. If she has time, I’d still like to meet her and have her cooperate with the filming.”
“Is that so… Then… Yu Qian, go ask Xia Qingyu from your class if she can come over, and you can swap with her,” the director said to Yu Qian without thinking too much.
Hearing the director’s words, Yu Qian could hardly believe her ears. Her cheeks burned, as if she had just been slapped hard.
So, even with privileges, it wasn’t her turn?
Yu Qian didn’t know how she walked back to the classroom, but when she came to her senses, she was already standing in front of Xia Qingyu’s desk.
Looking at Xia Qingyu’s face, Yu Qian felt a surge of grievance and anger.