Urban System in America
Chapter 33: Rekindling Friendship

Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Rekindling Friendship

Everything seemed normal.

Until the professor started asking questions. That, in itself, wasn’t unusual.

However, things took a turn when he suddenly called Rex out.

"Hey, Mr. Rex, can you tell everyone the answer to this question?"

Everyone turned to look at him.

Hearing the question, murmurs spread through the classroom.

"Where is this question from?"

"Why don’t I remember reading it?"

"Of course, you wouldn’t remember it. Have you ever paid attention in class?"

"Oh? Then do you know the answer?"

"Ahem, ahem..."

"Is this really something we studied?"

Flipping through their books, a few students near Rex responded, "Well, yeah, it’s in the syllabus, but it’s just some unimportant, marginal topic."

"Then isn’t the professor deliberately making things difficult for him?"

"What do you think?"

Rex’s brows furrowed slightly, but he quickly relaxed. Seeing the slight smirk on the professor’s face, he knew this bastard was doing it on purpose.

Everyone knew he had been absent from previous classes. Obviously, there was no way he could answer the question.

Steadying himself, he stood up and calmly spoke,

"I don’t know. I... I haven’t covered this yet," he said, frowning.

"Oh, how shocking! The ever-so-confident Rex doesn’t know the answer. And here I thought you were gifted."

"Of course, you wouldn’t know the answer. To know it, you’d have to attend class."

A few students chuckled but quickly suppressed it when they caught the look in the professor’s eyes.

Rex clenched his fists but kept his expression neutral.

The professor leaned against the desk, arms crossed.

"This is what happens when you neglect your studies. Perhaps you thought your looks or arrogance would get you through university? Let me remind you, Mr. Rex, that intelligence, not empty confidence, is what matters here."

Rex clenched his fists harder, but he didn’t retaliate. That would only give the professor an excuse to act against him.

Seeing Rex remain silent, Professor Clement felt a twinge of disappointment. If Rex had argued back, he could have reported him.

"Anyway, take a seat. Maybe next time, you’ll come prepared. If, of course, you even bother to show up."

Rex sat down, exhaling deeply as he controlled his anger.

This wasn’t the time to retaliate, yet. Especially remembering the information he had gathered before being thrown into the system space.

He knew that if he dug around, he would definitely find something on the professor.

So, he simply smirked, letting Clement have his moment. Soon, it would be his turn.

The rest of the classes passed without trouble, and soon it was time for the lunch break.

As Rex was about to stand up, a few students approached him. He remembered that his previous self had a good relationship with them.

One of them, a boy, spoke first.

"Hey, man! You didn’t forget us, did you?"

Rex chuckled. "Hmm, how are you? I don’t remember ever seeing you," he said, feigning ignorance.

Acting as if thinking hard, he suddenly snapped his fingers. "Oh! Are you Henry?"

The group burst into laughter and turned to look at the named boy.

"Hey, hey, this joke isn’t even funny! You’re hurting my delicate feelings," the boy clutched his heart dramatically, his expression exaggeratedly pained.

Everyone laughed harder.

Rex stepped back in mock fear. "Hey, man! Stay away from me, I’m not gay, I only like beautiful women!"

His even more exaggerated reaction sent them into fits of laughter, some clutching their stomachs.

The boy, Bruce, scowled playfully.

Rex grinned and stepped forward. "Of course, I remember you all. I took a break, not lost my memory."

Bruce rolled his eyes but smirked. "Alright, enough joking. Let’s go eat together. It’s been a long time since we last did."

Rex considered it for a second before nodding. He needed to reintegrate into the class, and this was a good opportunity to smooth out relationships.

They made their way to the cafeteria, grabbing their trays and settling at a table near the windows. As soon as they sat down, the conversation started flowing naturally.

"So, where have you been?" Mark, another classmate, asked. "You kinda disappeared for a while."

Rex shrugged casually. "Had some stuff to take care of. Just been busy."

"Well, good to have you back, man," Daniel said, nudging him playfully. "You used to be one of us. It was weird not having you around."

As they ate, the tension from earlier faded. Laughter erupted as they exchanged stories, teasing each other over past incidents. The bond they once shared reignited effortlessly, as if no time had passed.

Then, as they were chatting heartily, a figure approached.

The entire table fell silent.

Rex’s expression changed slightly.

She was dressed head-to-toe in high-end luxury brands, her designer bag placed carefully in front of her, as if ensuring everyone could see it.

The moment she entered, it was as if the atmosphere shifted. Heads turned, not just because of her looks, but because of the sheer presence she exuded.

Everything about her screamed luxury, from her clothes to her shoes, even the faint scent of expensive perfume lingering in the air.

She was tall and poised, with a slim waist, medium-length brown hair, and a beautiful face.

Her makeup was slightly thick, giving her the look of a nouveau riche beauty.

One of the boys, Adrian, immediately stood up and took her hand—though she subtly tried to pull away.

Clearing his throat, he introduced her.

"This is Blair, my girlfriend. She’s studying journalism."

The boys exchanged looks of envy and greeted her one by one.

She returned their greetings with an air of practiced indifference, or at least, that’s how it seemed to Rex.

Finally, it was his turn.

Rex followed suit, offering a simple "Hello."

Blair’s eyes flickered with a hint of surprise when she saw him, but as soon as she noticed his ordinary clothes, her expression turned condescending again.

She scoffed, muttering just loud enough for everyone to hear,

"Hmph! Being handsome without money or status is nothing."

Rex didn’t react. He remained seated, completely unfazed.

He simply chuckled, leaning back in his chair.

To him, people like her were predictable. He had seen plenty of them in his past life, people who judged worth based on labels and wealth, never looking beyond surface-level appearances.

He smirked slightly but said nothing.

(End of Chapter)