After getting on the bus, Zhou Ran didn’t follow Zhao Nanzhuo closely, but instead sat diagonally behind him, quietly observing his figure. No matter how talented or beautiful you are, there are always moments of humility and insecurity in the face of love. She was so wonderful, but it had nothing to do with him—what could she do about it?

After two hours of travel, they arrived home. After some casual greetings from Zhou Wen, Zhao Nanzhuo had already rushed into the bathroom to shower. He came out wet, and unexpectedly ran into Qianye. Zhao Nanzhuo, shirtless, was clearly startled when he saw her there.

“You were peeping,” Zhao Nanzhuo said, feeling aggrieved.

Qianye gave him an exasperated look. “I’m not interested in you.”

Zhao Nanzhuo persisted, standing confidently in front of her with a grin, “What, do you like girls?”

Qianye rolled her eyes at him. “Childish.”

Then, the third year of middle school began. This year was especially important for Qianye. She was about to leave this school, leave these wealthy classmates behind. She wanted to find her own kind. In the next ten years, she would become better than any of them.

She was very quiet, and aside from reading novels, she had no other hobbies. While Li Zi would spend the break fixing her bangs with a mirror, Qianye would already have her hair tied in a ponytail, using every available moment to prepare for the upcoming high school entrance exams. The light filtered through the cracks in the classroom window, sweeping across the desk, and Qianye felt a deep power, lifting her beyond this place.

At lunch, when they returned home, Zhou Wen asked about Qianye’s studies, advising her not to worry about the housework if she was too busy. She also urged her to eat more and not to worry about gaining weight. Qianye wasn’t unaffected, but Zhao Nanzhuo, hearing this, raised his eyebrows and said, “Mom, why don’t you care about me a bit more?” His feet were restlessly moving under the table, and as a result, they brushed against Qianye’s leg. It was summer, and she was wearing athletic shorts. His skin brushed against her calf, and Qianye, startled, glanced at him, flustered, and lowered her head to eat. Through her ponytail, he saw the edges of her ears turn slightly red.

Zhao Nanzhuo felt a strange tingling in his heart—sweet, sour, and a little surprising. He tried to act calm and ate a few more bites.

In April, during the city’s quality inspection exam, although Qianye and Zhao Nanzhuo were at different schools, they both scored highly, with no problem getting into the city’s top school. This time, Qianye even scored two points higher than Zhao Nanzhuo, which amazed him. Their schools were worlds apart. His school had the best teachers and resources, while Qianye’s school—let’s not even talk about the teachers—had a much poorer academic atmosphere. Despite this, she still managed to outscore him. As he was moved by her intelligence and determination, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pity for her as well.

When the middle school entrance exam results came out, as expected, they both got into the city’s top school. There were many friends and relatives who came to congratulate them, and some even asked Zhao Qidong and Zhou Wen for advice on how they raised their children. Although they were usually low-key, their eyes couldn’t hide their joy and pride.