Chapter 8: The Top Scorer
The atmosphere was tense. Ruan Yu realized this boy didn't seem to welcome her arrival.
"Take today to get acquainted. You can discuss study methods or college entrance exam experiences," Shen Bing said, glancing at her watch before turning to her son. "I'm heading to the airport now. Call me if anything comes up."
The boy shrugged but didn’t respond.
Ruan Yu stood still, watching Shen Bing leave. When she turned back, the boy had resumed his handstand against the wall. With a swift motion, he flipped himself upright—effortless and light.
But what kind of exercise was this?
"Want to talk?" Ruan Yu asked.
"Whatever," he replied dismissively.
"You’re going to chat like that?"
The boy stayed silent, holding the pose for a while longer until his arms gave out. He dropped to the floor, then peeled off his school jacket and tossed it onto the bed, likely overheated.
Only then did Ruan Yu notice—this was his bedroom.
The room was spacious. To the right of the bed stood a large desk with two chairs in front of it. One chair clearly didn’t match the desk, as if it had been hastily brought in from elsewhere.
So, this would be her tutoring spot from now on.
Ruan Yu had taught students at their bedroom desks before, but that had been a seven-year-old elementary schooler. This boy, tall and broad-shouldered, looked no younger than her once he shed his uniform. Standing, he towered over her by half a head. Was it really appropriate for them to be alone in his bedroom like this?
"You’re a student at Yangshan University too?" the boy suddenly asked.
Ruan Yu snapped out of her thoughts, catching his use of the word "too."
Who else was a Yangshan University student?
Before she could ask, he continued, "Heard you were last year’s top scorer in the college entrance exam?"
"Yeah," she answered softly, not wanting to sound boastful.
"Damn, you’re impressive." He gave her a thumbs-up. "So, Miss Top Scorer, how about I test you?"
This was a power move.
That smug grin told her he’d come prepared.
"How many tutors have you had before me?" Ruan Yu asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said."
The boy splayed his fingers and waved them at her.
Five.
He really was something.
This money wouldn’t come easy.
Noticing her distraction, the boy smirked.
That roguish smile reminded her of someone.
"What? Scared?"
"No."
"Then what’s with the dazed look?"
"I was thinking—if I pass your test, you’ll have to take one of mine too."
His interest piqued. He sprang up from the floor, rolling up his sleeves as if ready for a challenge.
They moved to the desk, where Ruan Yu took a seat in the darker-colored chair.
"How do you want to test me?"
The boy pulled a sheet of paper from the desk drawer, a math problem scrawled across it.
"Solve this, and you win." He slapped the paper in front of her, radiating naive confidence.
"That’s it?"
"Tch, talk big after you’ve actually solved it—"
Before he could finish, Ruan Yu plucked a black pen from the holder, uncapped it, and began swiftly writing out the solution step by step.She didn't even read the question carefully, as if she already knew the answer just by glancing at it.
The boy was stunned.
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