However, he didn’t move seats at all; he had already chosen this spot by the window.

Leisurely, he watched as others, under Natalie Young’s direction, bustled about moving desks and chairs. This lively scene was truly something to remember.

“Why aren’t you moving?” Just as he was relaxing, Natalie Young’s voice sounded behind him.

It turned out Natalie Young had already noticed Brian Bolton. In fact, it was hard for Brian Bolton not to be noticed—his scalp-revealing, perfectly measured haircut was dazzlingly conspicuous from afar. Among the students, he was especially eye-catching.

“I’ll just sit here, Teacher Yu,” Brian Bolton said with a smile.

Natalie Young frowned and asked, “But I noticed before that you’re not very tall. Is it suitable for you to sit in the back?”

“Teacher Yu, please believe me, there’s still plenty of room for improvement in my height,” Brian Bolton swore with a straight face.

“Pfft.” Natalie Young was amused by Brian Bolton’s joke, but quickly put on a stern face again. “The teacher still hopes you’ll reconsider. If you sit in the back, taller students might block your view.”

“Thank you for your concern, teacher. I’m perfectly fine sitting here.”

No matter what, this seat—Brian Bolton’s favorite—was his now.

And his deskmate was no longer William Lane; now it was Ethan Carter. The one Brian Bolton cared most about, Grace Lawson, had chosen a seat in the middle of the third row. When Brian Bolton looked at the blackboard, he could see her back directly.

Of course, this didn’t mean Brian Bolton would leer at her back.

He was already a man in his thirties, had seen all kinds of women, and had little interest in girls still in their “bean sprout” stage. It was just that, having the rare chance to live again, he wanted to go with the flow and enjoy things at his own pace.

Next, after the seats were assigned, Natalie Young planned to have some boys go to the academic office to fetch books.

Immediately, a group of energetic, restless boys eager to show off volunteered enthusiastically and followed Natalie Young to the office. Ethan Carter, who sat next to Brian Bolton, also ran off with them. But Brian Bolton didn’t move; instead, he leaned against the desk in the back row, thinking about how he could make a splash next.

If his memory was correct, after the books were handed out, Natalie Young would have the students introduce themselves and name their idols.

In his previous life, to show off his personality, Brian Bolton had arrogantly said, “My idols are Napoleon and Hitler!”

And that was the end of that.

Oh right, Brian Bolton remembered that after he said that, a girl in the class named Sophie Ryan casually added, “Our Dalmatian at home is named Hitler.”

It was truly embarrassing at the time.

“So, now, who is my idol?” Brian Bolton asked himself.

……

Natalie Young stood in front of the blackboard, doing her best to appear as dignified as a teacher and homeroom teacher should: “Class, what is the purpose of our studies? It’s to learn useful knowledge, and to learn how to be a good person, how to become an outstanding individual… So, have you ever thought about what kind of person you want to become? Next, to get to know each other and ourselves better, let’s talk about our idols.”

“Teacher, you go first—tell us your idol!” a girl interjected with a smile.

“All right,” Natalie Young replied crisply. “My idol is Edith Södergran. She was a Finnish poet. Her life was tragic, but her poetic talent was extraordinary. In an unfortunate era, she faded away with sorrow. But time has proven that her beauty was like a meteor in the sky… Let me recite one of her poems.”

“‘I Want to Walk Across the Solar System.’”

“Walk.”

“I want to walk across the solar system.”

“Before I discover the loose thread on my red dress.”

“I have already felt myself.”

“Hanging my heart somewhere in space.”

“Sparks fly, shaking the air.”

“Rushing toward other boundless hearts.”

Almost no one in the class knew who Edith Södergran was, but that didn’t stop everyone from immediately applauding.

Especially Brian Bolton, who clapped while echoing, “Great poem, great poem.”

After all, everyone likes to join in the praise, right?

With Teacher Natalie Young being so impressive, reciting poetry, she deserved some applause and cheers.

With Natalie Young taking the lead, the students gathered their courage, introduced themselves, and shared their idols.

“My idol is Zhang Haidi,” said a girl, holding her head high, as proud as a giraffe.

Brian Bolton tilted his head and commented to Ethan Carter, “This girl must have done well in ‘Moral Education’ as a kid.”

“My idol is Beethoven, who seized fate by the throat,” said a boy with a cocky air. His name was Greg Warren, the same as the actor who played Heshen, and he even looked similar—chubby face with a hint of a mustache.

“He’s really ambitious, going against the heavens,” Brian Bolton commented again.

“My idol is Zhang Dehua.”

“Why not Andy Lau?”

……

Soon, it was Brian Bolton’s turn.