Genius Girlfriend

Duan Qiyan had always been an ambitious child.

In first grade, he set a grand goal for himself—to become the most prestigious student brigade leader in the entire school.

As everyone knew, the brigade leader wore a small badge on their arm—a white background with three red stripes, each stripe symbolizing both status and capability.

Every Monday morning, the brigade leader would stand at the school gate, checking whether every student entering the school wore their red scarf. During eye exercises between classes, the brigade leader would lead all the class leaders of their grade to inspect each classroom, recording the names of any students not performing the exercises seriously.

Every qualified brigade leader should implement the principle of "self-sacrifice for others, selflessness for the greater good," adhere to the action guideline of "from the students, to the students," and uphold the belief of "serving and protecting classmates."

Duan Qiyan deeply understood the duties and significance of the brigade leader's role. Coupled with his outstanding academic performance—earning him the title "The primary school's First God of War"—teachers of all subjects praised him endlessly. Finally, in his third-grade year, he received the brigade leader's appointment letter and badge from the grade group office.

That was the highlight of Duan Qiyan's life.

Every Monday morning, Duan Qiyan would arrive early at the school gate, standing with his hands behind his back and slightly puffing out his stomach—though he had no belly to speak of, he consciously imitated his homeroom teacher's posture.

"What a weirdo," was Tang Tingting's first impression of Duan Qiyan.

It was a cold winter day, the harsh wind cutting like steel blades against Tang Tingting's face. Bundled in thick cotton clothes, she still shivered in the cold, while Duan Qiyan stood outside the school gate as if unaffected, full of energy, running and jumping around.

Third-grade students would greet Duan Qiyan with titles like "Captain Duan," "War God Duan," "Brother Duan," or "Boss Duan," creating an atmosphere thick with cliquish vibes.

Tang Tingting also attended the same primary school. She was in the same grade as Duan Qiyan but in a different class. Proudly lifting her chin, she walked past Duan Qiyan without a glance, only to be stopped by him: "Tang Tingting from Class Two!"

The ten-year-old Tang Tingting raised her chin even higher, almost pointing it to the sky. She thought to herself, "I will never greet you!"

Unexpectedly, Duan Qiyan said, "Tang Tingting from Class Two! You're not wearing your red scarf! It's Monday flag-raising day—either buy one at the school gate or go home!"

Duan Qiyan's tone carried the authority and arrogance of someone in a high position.

Tang Tingting was stunned.

Duan Qiyan tugged at his brigade leader badge and reiterated the school rules.

The vividly colored Three Stripes Badge on his arm felt like three red arrows piercing Tang Tingting's eyes. Left with no choice, she unzipped her backpack, desperately searching for fifty cents—the price of a red scarf at the school gate store.

Unfortunately, Tang Tingting had no money.

She had forgotten to bring any.

Tang Tingting and Duan Qiyan stood facing each other in the cold wind.Time ticked by, and Tang Tingting tried to negotiate with him: "Let me in, it's freezing. I'll borrow a red scarf in class. If I can't get one, I won't go to the flag-raising ceremony."

She even condescended to call out: "Captain Duan."

But Duan Qiyan ended their friendly conversation with a roar: "No! You slacker! The school has its rules!"

Tang Tingting nearly went deaf from his volume.

She yelled back: "What's so great about having a loud voice? Stop squawking! You sound like a rooster crowing!"

The grade-level director, who had been warming himself in the security office, heard the commotion and stepped out with his insulated cup. As he approached Duan Qiyan and Tang Tingting, she thought "this is bad" and even considered turning around to run home.

The grade-level director was the fiercest teacher in the entire grade. He often dragged students to their classroom doors and loudly berated them in front of the whole class until they cried—his educational approach applied equally to boys and girls, dominating every grade in the school and bringing countless brave souls to tears.

Tang Tingting absolutely could not be caught by the grade-level director!

Because she wouldn't obediently listen to the lecture. She would definitely talk back to the director, escalating into a full-blown argument, and the consequences would be unthinkable!

At her most panicked moment, Duan Qiyan pulled fifty cents from his pocket and pressed it into Tang Tingting's palm: "You've gone pale with fear. Need money? I'll lend it to you. Go buy a red scarf."

This was the longest sentence Duan Qiyan had ever spoken to Tang Tingting.

While speaking, he didn't even look at her.

He was still inspecting passing students.

Suddenly, the winter sunlight seemed to converge above his head. His pickiness, sharp tongue, arrogance, and tendency to act like an adult all became proof of his endurance and responsibility.

He took off his gloves, his knuckles red from the cold.

Tang Tingting tossed him a tube of chilblain cream: "Don't freeze to death."

She turned and headed straight for the school store.

The grade-level director arrived belatedly. He asked Duan Qiyan: "What's wrong with Tang Tingting from class two?"

Duan Qiyan held up the tube of chilblain cream: "She brought me medicine."

The grade-level director patted Duan Qiyan's shoulder. He brought Duan Qiyan to the security office to warm up. Although all the students in the school disliked this teacher, Duan Qiyan had a favorable impression of him.

The grade-level director even handed his plastic insulated cup to Duan Qiyan to warm his hands. He formally introduced him to the security guards: "This child is Duan Qiyan, the highest-achieving and smartest student in our grade! He gets perfect scores on every exam. He's only in third grade but already studying Math Olympics. Even the Math Olympics teacher says he's promising. On such a cold day, this child stands guard outside without complaining or slacking off, so disciplined! He's sure to become outstanding among the outstanding and bring glory to our country."

The security guards all chimed in agreement.

Duan Qiyan heard phrases like "so impressive," "truly remarkable," and "this child's parents must be the envy of all parents."

At just ten years old, Duan Qiyan had long since learned how to handle adults' praise. He nodded calmly but gripped the grade-level director's insulated cup tightly.

The grade-level director advised him: "Duan Qiyan, when you achieve great success in the future, don't forget to come back and visit your alma mater, the primary school."

Duan Qiyan agreed without hesitation.

He would make the glorious title of "The primary school's First God of War" known throughout the world!He is the next generation's Hua Luogeng, Chen Jingrun, Einstein, and Marie Curie!

Thanks to Tang Tingting's kind assistance, Duan Qiyan didn't develop chilblains this winter.

When Duan Qiyan first discovered how effective this chilblain cream was, he asked his dad to take him to the pharmacy to consult a professional. The pharmacy staff told them: "Ah, this chilblain cream is sourced from Northeast China, fourteen yuan per tube. Would you like a new one?"

Fourteen yuan!

Duan Qiyan was shocked.

He had originally thought the ointment would cost at most one yuan per tube. He had lent Tang Tingting fifty cents, which should have made them even. Never did he imagine that chilblain cream could cost fourteen yuan! Tang Tingting was truly full of surprises.

Calculating it this way, he actually owed Tang Tingting a huge debt.

As the primary school's First God of War, the renowned "Captain Duan," he had always adhered to the working principle of "not taking a single needle or thread from the masses" since taking office. His deskmate had once tried to bribe him with Pikachu dolls and Bakusō Kyōdai Let's & Go!! toy cars, but he sternly refused them all. How could he possibly fall into Tang Tingting's trap?

So Duan Qiyan explained the situation to his mom and dad.

His parents nearly laughed themselves silly, both saying he was so silly. He felt a wave of misunderstood bitterness and solemnity. Fortunately, although his parents called him silly, they actually gave him fourteen yuan to return to that Tang Tingting from Class Two.

It was a morning during the second semester of third grade. All the third-grade students were lining up at their classroom doors, waiting for their homeroom teachers to lead them to the playground for morning exercises.

Duan Qiyan seized the opportunity and strode confidently toward Tang Tingting from Class Two.

Tang Tingting was the class monitor of Class Two. She had just managed to organize the queue when Duan Qiyan appeared. She frowned tightly: "What do you want?"

Duan Qiyan handed her a yellow paper envelope with a line written on the cover: "Borrow and return, and you can borrow again."

Tang Tingting quickly stuffed the envelope into her desk drawer. The surrounding classmates asked her: "What did Duan Qiyan from Class One give you?"

Tang Tingting said seriously: "Something for the grade committee. I'm the class monitor of Class Two and the grade squadron leader, I've told you all before! You can't open your eyes during eye exercises, or I'll report you to the teacher!"

Tang Tingting's tactic of "diverting the trouble" successfully shifted her classmates' focus. Everyone began reflecting on whether they had opened their eyes during eye exercises, whether they had held the class back, or caused trouble for Tang Tingting's work. Naturally, they stopped paying attention to Duan Qiyan from Class One.

Tang Tingting stood tall and followed her homeroom teacher, leading her classmates to the playground.

As the familiar music started, the entire school began their broadcast exercises. Tang Tingting casually glanced toward Class One's area and suddenly froze—she realized that Duan Qiyan was performing the broadcast exercises with incredible seriousness!

He was even more focused than the student demonstrating at the front.

He squatted deeply, bounced, raised his hands high, with a solemn expression as if he weren't doing broadcast exercises but competing in the World Olympic Gymnastics Championships. His sportsmanship also influenced several boys around him—that group of boys completed every broadcast exercise movement with high standards and impressive posture, just like members of a men's gymnastics team.

Indeed, Duan Qiyan's thought processes were different from ordinary people's.

But his status at the primary school had always been high.

No student could defeat him.From third grade to sixth grade, Duan Qiyan had always ranked first in his grade in every single exam without exception. He had also won awards in the Hua Luogeng Mathematics Competition, earning praise from the principal and vice-principal. Hearing of his reputation, the Olympiad class of Provincial No. 1 High School extended an olive branch to him, sincerely inviting him to participate in the 2004 selection exam for their Olympiad class.

He declared in Class 1 of sixth grade: "Even if I go to Provincial No. 1 High School, I'll still be first in my grade! Forever the primary school's First God of War!"

All the boys in the class shouted in response: "First God of War! First God of War!"

At that moment, Tang Tingting happened to be passing by outside the window of Class 1. Holding a stack of test papers, she glanced sideways at Duan Qiyan. Their eyes met—Duan Qiyan was sitting on a desk, while she, as usual, lifted her chin proudly. One boy commented: "That Tang Tingting from Class 2 is so arrogant and wild. I can't stand her attitude—she's nowhere near as good as our Brother Duan!"

Tang Tingting stopped in her tracks.

Duan Qiyan's heart tightened, and he immediately tried to smooth things over: "She is who she is, you are who you are, I am who I am..."

Before Duan Qiyan could finish, Tang Tingting pushed open the window and yelled at the boy who had been gossiping: "Who the hell are you to call me wild! How many brothers do you have, calling a classmate 'brother'? You're just a dog relying on its master's power to bully others, and you dare criticize my attitude? If you can't stand me, then gouge your own eyes out!"

Tang Tingting had a sweet appearance and loved wearing pink and light blue clothes, but when she cursed, she was extremely fierce, like a reckless thug—the most terrifying part was that her grandfather ran a martial arts school in the provincial capital. She was both the class monitor and arts commissioner of Class 2, because she often said "martial arts is also an art." Their homeroom teacher agreed with her perspective and let her monopolize power in Class 2, making her practically the ruler of her class.

Duan Qiyan thought Tang Tingting was very arrogant and irritable, almost never thinking before she acted.

Harboring mutual prejudice toward each other, they both tested into the Olympiad class of Provincial No. 1 High School, thus beginning six years as classmates.

At Provincial No. 1 High School, Duan Qiyan met his downfall.

He encountered a truly terrifying presence—a girl named Lin Zhixia. She appeared innocent and beautiful on the outside, but inside she was fierce and ruthless, consistently ranking first in their grade in every exam. When playing Go with classmates, her style was extremely aggressive—she never showed mercy, always slaughtering her opponents until not a single piece remained before she would stop.

To defeat Lin Zhixia, Duan Qiyan burned the midnight oil every night, but unfortunately his efforts yielded little results. His class ranking even dropped significantly.

Even Jin Baihui from the neighboring class could leave Duan Qiyan far behind.

Middle school life at Provincial No. 1 High School didn't bring Duan Qiyan the glory he had imagined—only endless tears of frustration.

Duan Qiyan's Dad said: "Your school's competition coach keeps telling your mom and me not to push you too hard. My dear son, ever since you started middle school, your mom and I haven't dared to pressure you, knowing you're under a lot of stress at school. Your dad never went to college, your mom attended vocational college—with your parents' educational background, if you can get into university, that would be great news for our family, understand, my good son?"

Duan Qiyan replied: "Lin Zhixia's parents don't have high educational backgrounds either."

"Hey," Dad knocked on his head, "why compare yourself to others? There's no point in comparing. Your dad drives an Alto to work while the boss drives an Audi—does your dad complain at home? Isn't that the same principle?"Duan Qiyan treated Dad like one of his own buddies, addressing him as "bro": "When we make it big someday, I'll get you a Mercedes-Benz..." Remembering the various luxury cars at Jiang Yubai's house, he added, "A Hummer, a Land Rover, a Bentley, and a Rolls-Royce—one of each!"

Instead of being the least bit touched, Dad rapped Duan Qiyan on the head: "You're burning with fever! Wastrel, spending money before you've even earned any! I don't want your cars—I like driving my Alto."

Duan Qiyan chuckled. After he and Dad patted each other on the shoulder, he took his backpack from Mom, got on his bicycle, and rode unhurriedly toward Provincial No. 1 High School.

The road from home to school was filled with Duan Qiyan's schoolmates. He overheard them saying, "The school's centennial celebration is coming up. What performance is your class preparing..."

The centennial celebration!

Duan Qiyan's mind began to buzz with ideas.

He might not be able to make the honor roll at school, but he could shine brightly at the centennial ceremony. If he successfully performed an incredibly hilarious skit, wouldn't he earn the title "Zhao Benshan of Provincial No. 1 High School"?

The more Duan Qiyan thought about it, the happier he became, and he pedaled faster.

He rushed into the classroom of Class 17, Grade 8, afraid that if he were late, Jiang Yubai might snatch the title "Zhao Benshan of Provincial No. 1 High School" from him. From his observations, Jiang Yubai was the most cunning boy in the class, and Duan Qiyan frankly disdained associating with him.

However, Jiang Yubai's contributions to the class were immense. He had provided perfect costumes and props for Class 17, Grade 8's play "Changes," and even Duan Qiyan couldn't help but marvel at them.

The outfit Jiang Yubai gave Duan Qiyan made him look exactly like a scholar from the late Qing and early Republican era. Once he put on the clothes and glasses, he strutted around the rehearsal room with an unapologetic swagger.

Director Shen Fuxuan shouted through a megaphone, "Duan Qiyan! Duan Qiyan! Come here! Build some chemistry with your stage wife!"

The whole class burst into laughter.

Being a teenager, Duan Qiyan knew exactly what those laughs meant. He stood his ground, refusing to go over, until Tang Tingting yelled at him from across the room, "What are you so shy about, Duan Qiyan? If you can act, then act! If not, give the role to someone else! Our class barely managed to borrow this rehearsal room, and time is tight!"

Lin Zhixia chimed in, "It really is tight."

Jiang Yubai cut to the chase: "If we perform poorly and don't pass the preliminary selection, we won't get to go on stage, wasting the script our classmates stayed up all night writing."

"Oh my," Lin Zhixia echoed Jiang Yubai, "would Class 18 laugh at us then?"

Jiang Yubai looked at Duan Qiyan: "Isn't it obvious?"

Provoked, Duan Qiyan dashed like the wind toward Tang Tingting and shouted at her, "Wife!"

A few boys in the corner were still snickering.Lin Zhixia snatched the megaphone from the director and loudly rallied the crowd: "Classmates, we are a team. It hasn't been easy to produce this play—every role has been carefully polished by the scriptwriting team, who stayed up late for a whole week. Our homeroom teacher trusts us, and the scriptwriting, directing, and props teams have all been working tirelessly. I hope no one makes fun of the characters in the script. The final outcome of this play is the result of all our collective efforts. Duan Qiyan's dedication is clear for all to see. Respecting every classmate isn't just for the sake of this play—it's for our own sake too."

Jiang Yubai suddenly realized that the core philosophy behind Lin Zhixia's team coordination boiled down to two points: first, everyone is equal, and second, others are oneself—a lofty state of mind that Jiang Yubai hadn't yet reached. He quietly watched Lin Zhixia, who turned her head to glance back at him, prompting him to avert his gaze.

He was wearing a Republican-era suit with a slightly tight collar. As he adjusted his tie, Duan Qiyan, standing opposite, shouted toward Tang Tingting: "Wife!"

This time, the entire class fell silent.

Tang Tingting's face flushed red. Dressed in a cheongsam, she felt trapped. Just as she was about to speak, she forgot her lines, and director Shen Fuxuan couldn't bear to watch: "Tang Tingting, you and Duan Qiyan go over the script together on the side. I'll discuss the scene with Jiang Yubai and the others."

Jiang Yubai was the male lead of the play and its pivotal character, holding a highly important position. While Shen Fuxuan and Jiang Yubai discussed the characters, Tang Tingting and Duan Qiyan sat nearby "reviewing the script."

It was Tang Tingting's first time wearing a cheongsam, and it was also Duan Qiyan's first time seeing her in one. He had no idea where to look. He couldn't talk to Tang Tingting without looking at her, but when he did, he felt incredibly awkward! It was as if the teasing voices of their classmates echoed in his ears again.

He and Tang Tingting were purely innocent.

Besides, how terrifying Tang Tingting was!

Tang Tingting stepped onto the crossbeam of a bench, pulled a bag of spicy sticks from her backpack, ripped it open with a rustle, took a bite, and tilted her head to look at him: "Have you memorized all your lines?"

"Still one page left," Duan Qiyan replied.

Tang Tingting held the spicy sticks out to him. At first, he hesitated and refused to eat, but just as she was about to call the other classmates over, he reached out and grabbed several sticks, stuffing them into his mouth. The more he chewed, the more delicious they became.

"Be careful," Tang Tingting reminded him, "don't get any on your clothes."

He stretched his neck like a giraffe drinking water and continued eating the spicy sticks.

Tang Tingting watched him with amusement: "You're actually pretty fun. Back in elementary school, you were flying high, but after meeting Lin Zhixia in middle school, you came back down to earth."

"Are you close with Lin Zhixia?" Duan Qiyan asked her.

"Of course," Tang Tingting declared, "I'm Lin Zhixia's best female friend."

"What about male friends?"

"Obviously, it's Jiang Yubai."

Duan Qiyan said impatiently, "Why are you so fierce? My wife in the play is the gentle and virtuous type. Can't you learn from Wan Chunlei and Lin Zhixia?"

Tang Tingting sneered, "Who the hell do you think you are? I have nothing to do with you. I'm only rehearsing with you out of respect for Shen Fuxuan and Jiang Yubai, got it? And since when are Wan Chunlei and Lin Zhixia gentle and virtuous? They're not to be trifled with either. Mind your own business, you deadbeat.""You dead ghost" was a line from the script that Tang Tingting casually blurted out. But she didn't mean it flirtatiously—she simply wanted to mock Duan Qiyan.

Duan Qiyan was indeed stung by her sarcasm. Clutching the spicy sticks, he sat frozen in place, as motionless as a stone statue.

Shen Fuxuan was still arranging the scenes: "Tang Tingting, Duan Qiyan, get ready to start!"

Tang Tingting dashed over to Shen Fuxuan with a serious and responsible work attitude, while Duan Qiyan seemed to be throwing his weight around, completely ignoring Shen Fuxuan's words.

"Duan Qiyan, final notice! Get ready to start!" Shen Fuxuan issued the ultimatum.

Only then did Duan Qiyan walk to the center of the rehearsal hall. Closing his eyes, he imagined himself as an old pedant, pacing slowly until he accidentally bumped into Tang Tingting, who whispered a threat: "Bump into me one more time, and I'll twist your arm off."

Duan Qiyan felt both detached and immersed in his role.

He had discovered the pattern and, living up to expectations, perfectly portrayed the pedantic scholar. Shen Fuxuan repeatedly praised him, and he even outperformed Jiang Yubai in acting—despite Jiang Yubai often role-playing historical figures with Lin Zhixia during breaks, his acting skills turned out to be merely average. How unbelievable!

Duan Qiyan took the initiative to approach Lin Zhixia, recommending himself: "Stop role-playing with Jiang Yubai. Why not play with me and Tang Tingting instead? Our acting is far better than his!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Duan Qiyan noticed Jiang Yubai watching him from nearby. His hair stood on end. When Jiang Yubai motioned to pull him outside the classroom for a chat, Duan Qiyan immediately fled the contentious situation and never brought up the topic of "acting skills" with Lin Zhixia again.

When Tang Tingting heard about this, she remarked, "Why stir trouble between Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai? Isn't that boring?"

It was five in the afternoon, and they were walking side by side out of Provincial No. 1 High School's main gate. The crimson sunset glow set against the vast campus formed a backdrop behind them. Holding her notebook, Tang Tingting took a few steps before asking, "Why haven't you been riding your bike lately?"

Duan Qiyan answered truthfully, "Remember that kneeling scene I had in the 'Changes' drama troupe? On performance day, I knelt too hard and injured my knee. I can't ride for two weeks, so I'm taking the bus instead."

Not a hint of pain could be detected in his carefree tone.

But Tang Tingting froze.

She recalled how in elementary school, Duan Qiyan would stand guard at the school gate—no matter how biting the wind, he never slacked off, his hands red and raw from the cold without a single complaint. And in seventh grade, when he lost a bet to Jiang Yubai, he accepted the consequences honorably, never backing out even when humiliated.

This time, for the school anniversary performance of "Changes," he had knelt countless times without ever complaining to the scriptwriters, never uttering a word of hardship during rehearsals or after exiting the stage. Yet here he was, unable to even ride his bicycle.

Tang Tingting's eyes reddened. But she shielded them with her notebook, and with the sunset light spilling over her, no one noticed her secret—no one guessed her inner turmoil.

Feigning nonchalance, she asked him, "That serious? How bad is the injury? Did you go to the hospital?"

"Seriously?" Duan Qiyan retorted. "Why go to the hospital for such a minor injury?"

Tang Tingting inexplicably flared up. "Fine, don't go then!"

She left Duan Qiyan behind and strode alone toward the bus stop.

Duan Qiyan stood rooted in place, baffled.

Tang Tingting's words and actions often left him utterly perplexed—as the class's arts coordinator, she appeared sweet only around Lin Zhixia; to others, she came across as fierce and rough. Yet if you claimed Tang Tingting lacked tenderness or sensitivity, her tear ducts betrayed her—she'd sob uncontrollably during class movie screenings like "Cats & Dogs" or "The Chorus."

In short, Tang Tingting was shrouded in layers of mystery.

As Duan Qiyan pondered this, Jiang Yubai passed behind him and called out, "Duan Qiyan."

Duan Qiyan startled. "Huh?"

Jiang Yubai studied his expression for a moment before stating, "Your face is as red as your ears." Then he asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Duan Qiyan replied, "Female classmates."Before he finished speaking, his stomach growled loudly. He hadn't eaten enough during lunch at the school cafeteria, so naturally he got hungry quickly in the afternoon. Jiang Yubai took a strawberry bread from his backpack and handed it to him: "This is all I have, try it."

As soon as Duan Qiyan unwrapped the packaging and took a bite, he felt it was the most delicious bread he'd ever tasted. He devoured it ravenously, his mouth filled with the fragrance of strawberry. He immediately asked: "Was this originally for Lin Zhixia?"

Jiang Yubai shoved his hands in his pockets: "Since you ate it, it was meant for you."

Wow, quite suave!

Duan Qiyan fell silent.

Jiang Yubai continued: "When we were leaving school earlier, I was walking behind you and Tang Tingting, and I happened to hear your conversation..."

"You were eavesdropping!" Duan Qiyan pointed his index finger at him.

Jiang Yubai grasped his index finger and gently bent it back toward himself: "Knee problems aren't minor issues. You should go to the hospital, or tell me your symptoms and send me photos via QQ. I'll have my family doctor take a look and bring you some medicine tomorrow."

But Duan Qiyan said: "Alright, alright, don't be so concerned about me. We're not that close."

"This isn't about being close or not," Jiang Yubai analyzed for him. "I'm part of the 'Transformation' acting group, and I worked on the script all day. When the final draft was settled, I was the first reviewer, responsible for arranging props and costumes. I didn't add cotton padding to your pants - that was an oversight on my part. Now I'm just being wise after the event, trying to make up for my responsibility. Don't feel pressured."

Duan Qiyan was completely taken in by Jiang Yubai's explanation.

That evening, Duan Qiyan used his family's digital camera to take photos of his knees and sent them to Jiang Yubai via QQ. To his surprise, Jiang Yubai actually brought a doctor to conduct an on-site consultation, making his parents so nervous they thought he had some terminal illness. Fortunately, the doctor said it was nothing serious and just needed some spray medication.

The next afternoon, Jiang Yubai indeed brought Duan Qiyan two boxes of medicine.

After using it for a few days, Duan Qiyan's injury healed remarkably fast. In less than a week, he had fully recovered, once again roughhousing with boys in the hallway, putting arms around shoulders, bouncing and running around, thoroughly enjoying himself.

He specifically told Tang Tingting: "I'm better now!"

Tang Tingting sidestepped him: "Good for you then."

As Tang Tingting walked forward, Duan Qiyan stepped backward: "Hey, were you crying that day?"

A sense of foreboding rose in Tang Tingting's heart. She asked him: "Which day?"

Duan Qiyan said honestly: "The day I told you about my knee injury - injured on duty!"

Tang Tingting's expression changed dramatically as she furiously cursed at him: "Cry my ass! Which eye saw me crying! Get out of the way! Don't block me from delivering homework to the teacher's office!"

She's really fierce, Duan Qiyan thought.

Duan Qiyan quickly ran away.

After that, he and Tang Tingting had little interaction. Although they were classmates, they might go from morning till night without exchanging a single word. Days passed one by one, classmates grew up day by day. The year they advanced from middle school to high school, Jiang Yubai transferred away. The year they moved from tenth to eleventh grade, Lin Zhixia skipped grades and went to university.

The class was no longer the familiar class they knew. Laughter became increasingly scarce, competition pressure gradually intensified, and during breaks, at least half the students in the classroom were immersed in solving problems.

Tang Tingting wanted to go outside for some fresh air.She stood in the corridor, leaning against the railing with a test paper in her hand. Gazing up at the sky, the piercing blue made her squint slightly as tears traced the corners of her eyes—all due to eye strain and the eye drops she had just applied.

Duan Qiyan stopped in front of her.

"Are you crying?" he asked.

Tang Tingting snapped impatiently, "Crying? As if."

Duan Qiyan insisted, "You really are crying."

Tang Tingting pressed her lips together and said nothing. She flung the test paper aside and turned to walk back to the classroom. Duan Qiyan caught a glimpse of the glaring red "71" on her paper. It was this week's physics exam, notoriously difficult—Duan Qiyan himself had only scored 73.

After a moment of thought, Duan Qiyan returned to his seat and began correcting the paper from the first question, jotting down the simplest solutions. For problems he didn't understand, he consulted Shen Fuxuan or went to the teachers' office. After half a day of effort, he tossed a draft paper filled with the most straightforward approaches onto Tang Tingting's desk.

"A gift for you!" Duan Qiyan declared.

Just as Tang Tingting was about to tear it up, Duan Qiyan rushed over to stop her. "Damn it, you slacker, at least take a look before shredding it!"

Tang Tingting saw it clearly. She withdrew her hands and muttered, "Thanks."

"No need," Duan Qiyan said. "Lin Zhixia is gone now—you have to rely on yourself. You can ask Shen Fuxuan or the teachers for help. I already talked to Shen Fuxuan, and he's willing to explain problems to you. I'm good at math and chemistry, so if you don't understand those subjects, you can come to me."

Tang Tingting mumbled something under her breath.

Duan Qiyan asked, "What did you say? Speak up!"

Tang Tingting looked up at him. "Big bro, my math and chemistry scores are both higher than yours."

"What? Seriously?" Duan Qiyan was so ashamed he wished he could vanish into the ground. It was even more embarrassing than the time in middle school when he shouted "Your Majesty Jiang Yubai" three times in a row. But Tang Tingting suddenly laughed. "Just kidding! I tricked you. You're so easy to fool."

Duan Qiyan felt as if he had been resurrected from the dead.

He turned away haughtily and left.

Tang Tingting stared blankly at his retreating figure.

She remembered his advice: "Lin Zhixia is gone now—you have to rely on yourself."

Through her own efforts, Tang Tingting was admitted to Tsinghua University. Actually, she had originally applied to Peking University's math program, but her scores fell short, forcing her to miss out on joining Duan Qiyan and the others. Too proud to admit it, she publicly claimed she had never considered Peking University at all.

Tang Tingting also said she chose the other school because it had more male students—the more guys around, the higher her chances of finding a boyfriend. She wanted to have a proper romance in college, to soak her youth in an ocean of love.

Duan Qiyan was furious with her.

He lectured her on the street: "If all you think about is dating, you're a complete slacker. What's with all this obsession with love? It's boring."

"Idiot," Tang Tingting retorted.

"I'm not an idiot," Duan Qiyan declared.

Shen Fuxuan stood by, quietly observing their argument. Only after Tang Tingting left did he speak up: "Do you really not get it, or are you pretending not to?"

Duan Qiyan shot back, "Are you really playing dumb, or just acting dumb?"

Shen Fuxuan sounded like a street fortune-teller: "Truth and falsehood are but fleeting clouds."

Duan Qiyan slowed his pace. Back then, he still wanted to stay in Beijing.After many twists and turns, he ultimately gave up on striving for success in Beijing and returned to the provincial capital where he was born and raised, settling into an ordinary life.

He became a math competition teacher at Provincial No. 1 High School.

Returning to Provincial No. 1 High School as a teacher gave Duan Qiyan a profound sense of "destiny coming full circle."

He devoted himself wholeheartedly to mentoring every student, his phone filled with parents' contact information. Only then did he realize how challenging the tasks he once thought adults should effortlessly handle actually were—cooking, washing dishes, cleaning, and shuttling children around. Though he wasn't married and had no children of his own, he could easily imagine it.

Not long after Jiang Yubai and Lin Zhixia got married, Duan Qiyan also saved up to buy a diamond ring. As the new generation competition teacher at Provincial No. 1 High School, he brought Tang Tingting back to the campus.

On the rooftop of their high school teaching building, Duan Qiyan shoved the ring box into Tang Tingting's arms. The familiar shame and anxiety surged through him in waves, and he turned to sprint away, but Tang Tingting stopped him: "If you run away now, we're through!"

Duan Qiyan strode back toward her in large steps.

"So?" he asked. "Is the ring big enough? Will it look impressive when you wear it out?"

Tang Tingting said, "Who wears something like this to work? I check circuits every day. This diamond is so sparkly it's blinding me."

She hooked her arm around his neck: "How much did this ring cost?"

"Over a hundred thousand," Duan Qiyan said.

Tang Tingting planted a fierce kiss on his cheek: "Thanks, Brother Duan."

Duan Qiyan said, "No need to be polite. It's nothing."

"How much is left in your savings?" Tang Tingting asked again.

A cold wind blew past, and Duan Qiyan sniffled: "Still over forty thousand."

After putting on the ring, Tang Tingting held his hand and led him downstairs: "Husband, I want to upgrade to a bigger house. How about this—we'll put your current apartment on the market. It's in a good location, easy to rent out. Meanwhile, I'll work with my parents and use my own savings to buy a place outright and add your name to the deed. Sound good?"

"Adding my name doesn't matter much," Duan Qiyan calculated. "Let's not rent out the place I'm living in now. That way, if we ever have a big fight, I'll have somewhere to go."

Tang Tingting stared at him in surprise.

He looked back at her.

Tang Tingting said, "I would never kick you out."

Duan Qiyan ruffled her hair roughly.

Tang Tingting felt a surge of restless energy. She dragged Duan Qiyan back to his apartment, and that very night they shared intimate moments. The benefits of Duan Qiyan's years of consistent physical exercise were fully displayed, making Tang Tingting feel both tender and protective toward him, overflowing with affection.

Afterward, Tang Tingting sat at the head of the bed drinking water while Duan Qiyan burrowed under the covers refusing to come out. Tang Tingting comforted him: "Hey, since I accepted your proposal, I'll definitely take responsibility for you. Don't worry, husband."

But Duan Qiyan said, "You're full of empty promises."

"Not at all," Tang Tingting patted his back. "I've always been honest with you since we were kids, and I even let you take advantage. Remember that chilblain cream from back then?"

Perhaps this was a romance sparked by a tube of chilblain cream, Duan Qiyan thought to himself.

He suddenly felt a spontaneous impulse.On Monday afternoon, Duan Qiyan had no classes and had already finished grading assignments. He boarded a bus alone and headed to the Normal University Affiliated Elementary School. It had been over ten years since he last visited his alma mater. Now with a stable job and approaching marriage—having established both career and family—he wanted to take a look at his former school. He stood at the entrance of the elementary school for a long while. The reputation of the "First War God" had long faded, replaced by the clear sound of students reading aloud from the classrooms. An elderly security guard with pure white hair waved at him from the guard booth.

He broke into a smile, took two steps back, then turned away from the school entrance and strode firmly toward the path ahead.