The Return of the God Level Assassin

1118  GRADUATION

LUO YAN sat in his seat, feeling a bit bored and sleepy as the principal began the opening remarks of the graduation ceremony. He glanced around at his classmates, all in their school uniforms, and stifled a yawn.

The principal's speech about their journey and the future ahead seemed to drag on, and Luo Yan found it hard to pay attention. His mind wandered to the Arcadia Cup's final tournament that would happen next week. Thinking of it made him feel less sleepy. He shifted in his seat, wishing the speeches would end soon so they could move on to the more exciting parts of the ceremony.

He glanced back to the area where family members of the graduating students were seated, and he immediately saw his father and brothers sitting at the forefront. Yu Jiao's mother was sitting beside Luo Ren.

A student could actually only bring two family members at most. Of course, his father would be one of the two, which meant that between Luo Ren and Luo Jin, only one of them could go. Both his brothers wanted to go, so how could one of them give in?

To solve this, Luo Ren suggested a brilliant idea. And that was for him to go together with Yu Jiao's mother. When Luo Ren asked, Aunt Xiuying, of course, agreed without second thoughts.

That was a kind of genius move on Luo Ren's part. Not only did it solve the problem of their family, it was also sending some kind of underlying message. That Luo Ren was part of Yu Jiao's family. Or at least, trying to be.

His older brother really be moving like some schemer. He was just glad that Luo Ren was not some evil mastermind. If he was, then Luo Yan would be the first one to make sure that he and Yu Jiao would not end up together.

Luo Yan brought his attention back to the stage. Thankfully, the principal had finished the opening remarks, and it was now time for the presentation of awards to recognize outstanding students, such as those who brought honor to the school through academics, sports, or the arts.

Those had nothing to do with him, though. Even if he was constantly in the top 10 of his class, he never participated in any academic competition. Since he no longer had to work hard like his life depended on it, he decided to just take it easy in this life. You know, just do enough to make sure his grade would stay high. There's no need to mention arts and sports.

As the ceremony progressed, the person presenting the awards stepped forward and announced, "Next, I'd like to recognize a student whose creativity has truly shone this year. Please join me in congratulating Yu Jiao for her outstanding achievement in winning the National High School Design Contest, a prestigious contest among high school students in the country!"

Yu Jiao, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, timidly stood up, her gaze fixed on the ground. Despite her shyness, she managed a small smile as she made her way to the stage to accept her award. While walking, she turned her head to where her mother was, then she made a quick glance to where Luo Yan was sitting.

Luo Yan, of course, raise his hand in a fighting gesture to cheer the other on.

The presenter praised her innovative approach and dedication to her craft. Yu Jiao's expression was obviously filled with a mix of pride and nervousness. Knowing her, she's probably grateful for the recognition yet feeling overwhelmed by the attention.

Luo Yan clapped enthusiastically, but he felt like someone at the back was clapping even harder. He didn't have to look back to know who it was.

He was very happy for Yu Jiao. The contest she won lasted for a year. It started with hundreds of students submitting their designs. Then, the top 100 were chosen, followed by the top 50, the top 25, and finally the top 10. Each time there was an elimination round, the remaining students had to submit a new design. The winner was finally announced last month.

He actually didn't know Yu Jiao even joined this contest. She only told him about it when she had already won. With the other's personality, she was probably not confident that she would even win. That's why Luo Yan was glad that she did. He hoped that this win could boost her confidence.

After all the awards were given, the student representative of the graduating class was called on stage to give a speech.

Luo Yan watched as the representative, a confident and well-spoken girl named Li Wei, took the microphone. She began by thanking the teachers and parents for their support over the years. She shared some memorable moments from their time in high school and talked about the challenges they had overcome together. Her words were heartfelt and sincere, and she encouraged her classmates to face the future with courage and optimism. As she finished, the audience erupted in applause.

With that done, the most important part of the ceremony was finally here: the giving of diplomas. The principal returned to the podium, calling each graduate's name one by one. Luo Yan watched as each student walked across the stage, accepting their diploma with a handshake and a brief word of congratulations. He saw his classmates beaming with pride, their families cheering and snapping photos from the audience.

The graduates held their diplomas tightly, a mix of relief and excitement on their faces. He could understand, since this moment marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.

When his name was finally called, he stood up and made his way to the stage. As he walked, he could see his father and brothers clapping enthusiastically with big smiles on their handsome faces. All three also quickly raised their phones, most likely to take pictures and video.

Luo Yan could only smile while waving at the three.

Reaching the stage and accepting his diploma, one thought lingered in his mind: Was Shen Ji Yun already outside school, waiting for him?

Happy graduation, Yan Yan and Jiao Jiao! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ*

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