Chapter 7

Zhang Yunyi: “…”

Xu Shishi: “…”

Both of them fell silent.

Shen Mingrui, however, was unfazed by their lack of enthusiasm. He animatedly analyzed, “This isn’t just an ordinary jelly—it’s heart-shaped! Think about it, nowadays, no one writes love letters anymore; they give food instead. In this heat, chocolate would melt, but jelly? Jelly is perfect!”

Getting no response, he picked up the jelly and started interrogating the people around him. “Was it you? Ren Simin, was it you?”

“…Get lost!” Ren Simin nearly gagged.

Shen Mingrui went around asking, but no one claimed it. He then turned to the classmates who hadn’t gone back to the dorms during the lunch break. “Did anyone see who put this here?”

A yawning classmate shook their head. “No idea. But maybe it was just put on the wrong desk?”

Shen Mingrui refused to accept that possibility. He returned to his seat, staring at the jelly, then kicked Zhang Yunyi’s chair. Taking advantage of the fact that the teacher hadn’t arrived yet, he whispered, “Big Sis, this honorable and arduous task is now yours…”

Before Zhang Yunyi could even respond, he shook his head again and muttered to himself, “No, no. She might get embarrassed.”

Xu Shishi still couldn’t believe it. “How could anyone have a crush on you?”

It wasn’t that Shen Mingrui was ugly—if he wasn’t always clowning around, he could probably deceive a few people with his looks. But the problem was, he was a total goofball, friendly with everyone. The word “crush” being associated with him was just… cringe.

Shen Mingrui ran a hand through his hair. “Can’t help it. I’m just that popular.”

Zhang Yunyi burst into laughter. “So, what are you going to do about it?”

This question stumped Shen Mingrui. He thought for a moment and then hesitated. “Dating is probably out of the question. I don’t even have enough money for myself, let alone two people.”

He had actually been plotting ways to negotiate a higher allowance from his parents. Dating wasn’t just about talking—it meant buying food and drinks, giving gifts… After doing the mental math, his enthusiasm immediately cooled. “I’m not that easy. Just because someone has a crush on me doesn’t mean I’ll fall for them.”

A few desks away, Chen Kuo could hear the commotion. He glanced over.

Zhang Yunyi was laughing brightly.

He looked away again, flipping open his textbook. His right hand played with a pen, twirling it skillfully between his fingers.

Maybe it was the nap, or maybe it was the coffee, but Zhang Yunyi felt completely awake during the first class. The knowledge she had learned was all floating somewhere in her brain—she was sure it was only “temporarily deleted.” As long as she worked hard enough, she’d retrieve it again.

The bell rang.

Zhang Yunyi had been waiting for this moment. The biology teacher had just stepped out when she immediately got up and lightly walked over to Fei Shijie’s desk. “Fei Shijie, how much was that coffee? I’ll pay you back now.”

“I think it was six yuan.” Fei Shijie straightened his posture.

He knew full well that no matter how delusional he got, a pretty girl like her would never be into him. But still, he instinctively sat up properly.

Just as Zhang Yunyi was about to take out money from her pocket, Fei Shijie added, “No need. Kuo-ge paid for it.”

She looked at Chen Kuo, surprised.

Chen Kuo had been reading, but upon hearing his name, his thoughts momentarily drifted from the sea of textbook problems. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a pale, slender hand resting on the desk, its thin skin revealing faint veins underneath.

He lifted his gaze and met Zhang Yunyi’s bright, watery eyes.

Zhang Yunyi had already reached for her money but suddenly had an idea and withdrew her hand. “I don’t have small change. How about this, class rep—I’ll pay you back before evening self-study!”

Human relationships were like this—distant at first, but with enough connection points, they slowly formed a line.

She smiled warmly at him.

If he said, “Sure,” then she’d have a reason to chat with him again later.

If he said, “No need,” then the next time they ran into each other at the convenience store, she could treat him instead.

No need to rush—slow and steady was the way to go.

Chen Kuo had originally wanted to say, “No need.” He wasn’t particularly warm-hearted toward his classmates, but if he happened to be in a good mood at the convenience store, he might offer to buy someone a drink.

Then he suddenly remembered that bottle of water he had already finished.

So, he didn’t refuse. He simply nodded.

“Thanks, class rep~”

Zhang Yunyi cheerfully floated back to her seat.

Fei Shijie turned to look at her, then at Chen Kuo.

Something felt off… but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

“What are you staring at?” Chen Kuo frowned, uncomfortable with Fei Shijie’s gaze.

Fei Shijie grinned. “Just admiring my son.”

This remark naturally earned Chen Kuo an elbow jab, and the two of them began a playful “fight”—punches and kicks exchanged in a lighthearted manner. It was just one of the ways to spend the ten-minute break between classes.

A cup of coffee barely got Zhang Yunyi through two periods of biology. Thinking about the upcoming physics class, she went to the restroom to splash some water on her face, but the despair didn’t fade. Anyone who knew her would see she was in class, but anyone who didn’t might have thought she was enduring some kind of extreme test of endurance.

Zhang Yunyi, oh Zhang Yunyi, your name should be “Misery.”

The happiest moment of the day turned out to be in the cafeteria.

She suddenly recalled that in her previous life, she had eaten a lot at this exact time too. She had a delicious and affordable rice bowl and then dragged Dai Jia to the small convenience store to buy snacks. Even Dai Jia got influenced and bought two packs of crispy instant noodles.

The weather was beautiful today. The hallway outside the classroom was bathed in the soft golden glow of the sunset.

Nature truly is the greatest artist. The scene was breathtaking.

Chen Kuo was carrying a stack of test papers for the class committee as he walked back from the teacher’s office. Along the long hallway, a girl was leaning over the railing, revealing a glimpse of her slender, fair waist. Her chin rested on her arm as she gazed lazily into the distance. The rosy sunset reflected on her profile.

He quietly averted his eyes, carried the thick stack of papers into the classroom, and placed them on the podium.

By evening, the temperature had dropped a few degrees.

Lights gradually lit up in the windows of the teaching building. The sounds of students laughing and chatting filled the air, and the school radio played a song that echoed through the campus. Zhang Yunyi’s emo phase ended. She returned to her seat, propped her face in her hands, and wore a serious expression, as if she were contemplating some great universal mystery.

Her gaze wandered aimlessly.

A few seconds later, it drifted back to Chen Kuo’s back. She suddenly remembered—she still owed him six yuan. Quickly, she rummaged through her pocket and found a crumpled five-yuan bill. She carefully smoothed it out and then fished a one-yuan coin from her pencil case.

She took a few steps forward but then turned back, reaching into her desk. Her hand landed on a snack.

“Class rep!”

Chen Kuo was engrossed in his mobile racing game when the sudden call made his fingers freeze. He messed up his maneuver and slowly looked up. Since he was sitting while Zhang Yunyi was standing, from his angle, she seemed to be glowing against the light.

“For the coffee,” Zhang Yunyi said.

She even presented the six yuan with the same formality as if she were delivering documents to a superior’s office.

Chen Kuo nodded casually. “Alright.”

He lowered his eyes, intending to continue his game, though he knew this round was pretty much lost. He didn’t even notice when Zhang Yunyi left. But when the bell rang and he finally exited the game, his eyes fell on the five-yuan bill—and the small crispy shark snack placed on top of it.

“…”

Almost instinctively, Chen Kuo turned his head and looked at Zhang Yunyi.

She was happily chatting with Xu Shishi, laughing so hard that she doubled over.

“Where did this come from?”

Today was Fei Shijie’s turn on cleaning duty. He had just returned after taking out the trash, washing his hands at least five times with a disgusted frown. When he caught sight of the crispy shark snack on Chen Kuo’s desk, he found it rather odd.

Some students would bring him drinks or small gifts when they needed a favor, but he rarely accepted them.

Anyone who knew him even slightly was aware—Chen Kuo didn’t like snacks.

Chen Kuo didn’t answer and instead said, “You can have it if you want.”

Fei Shijie immediately refused. “That’s literally my least favorite snack.”

Just as he finished speaking, the teacher walked in. The classroom quieted down in an instant. Since Chen Kuo’s seat was in a prominent spot, the snack on his otherwise tidy desk stood out even more. Before the teacher’s gaze could land on it, he swiftly grabbed it and stuffed it into his sweatpants pocket, a hint of helplessness flashing across his brows.

The test papers were passed down from the front. Zhang Yunyi picked up her pen, wrote her name, and then got stuck.

She read the questions one by one. If someone could hear her thoughts at that moment, she was definitely screaming internally:

What kind of earthly suffering is this?!

…

Worse was yet to come.

This type of test relied entirely on the students’ integrity—it was open-book or closed-book depending on their own conscience. But Zhang Yunyi had no conscience. She occasionally flipped through her textbook, tugging at her ponytail in frustration until her hair tie came off. By the end of evening self-study, she was utterly drained and dragged herself to the restroom.

She hoped no one noticed her; otherwise, they might start suspecting she had some kind of bladder problem.

Seriously, who runs to the restroom every period? It was like she was clocking in for a job at the bathroom.

By nighttime, the hallways near the restroom were dimly lit since there were no classrooms on either side. She had only taken a few steps when she heard a familiar male voice. That was when she realized—the boy walking just ahead of her was none other than “Boss” Chen Kuo.

“What’s up with Teacher Jiang?” A voice with a chuckle asked. “Did he mess up the test papers? The questions were so easy, no challenge at all. Total waste of time.”

Zhang Yunyi: “?”

Chen Kuo didn’t seem very interested but still responded, “Maybe he knows we haven’t adjusted back to study mode yet.”

Zhang Yunyi: “??”

HAHAHAHAHA!

I’LL FIGHT YOU GUYS! I’M ABOUT TO LOSE IT!!

“What’s wrong?”

Chen Kuo had one hand in his pocket and happened to feel the crispy shark snack. His shoulder stiffened slightly. “Nothing.”

At most, he was just a little curious—what kind of favor was she trying to ask from him?

Was she planning to skip morning self-study or evening self-study?

She was in her final year of high school. If she was going to make an excuse, she better have a good one.

Not like before—just blushing and saying, “I don’t feel well.”