When Sheng Xia saw Zhang Sujin again at lunch on Monday, she felt a bit awkward.
First, because of Zhang Shu's "heads-up," which made her seem overly particular.
Second, because of what she'd witnessed under the stairwell in the corridor.
But Zhang Sujin simply smiled at her warmly. "Here you are?"
"Yeah..."
Even as a girl, Sheng Xia was momentarily dazed by the beauty of that smile.
As she ate, Sheng Xia wondered—what kind of person could possibly be worthy of such a stunning woman?
She pulled out her phone and searched: Junlan Group.
The company's official website listed its management team.
An entire page of directors, presidents, vice presidents... most of them shared the surname Lu, but Sheng Xia could instantly recognize Lu Youze's uncle.
After all, he was the only one with noticeably lighter hair.
The website didn’t provide much information, but it did include the detail she was curious about.
27 years old.
The age gap with Sujin-jie was still quite large. But that didn’t matter—Sujin-jie looked young for her age.
Sheng Xia glanced at Zhang Shu across the table, who was eating while watching an NBA game.
If he and Lu Youze, who were always at odds, became family...
Unimaginable.
Lost in thought, he seemed to sense her gaze and suddenly lifted his eyes, meeting hers before she could look away.
At the same time, Hou Junqi—who had never seen Sheng Xia use her phone during meals—leaned over to peek at her screen.
"Junlan Group? That's Lu Youze's family. Little Sheng Xia, why are you searching this?"
"..."
Hearing this, she noticed Zhang Shu tapping his screen—probably pausing the game—before fixing her with a questioning look.
Sheng Xia inexplicably panicked and tried to put her phone away, but the more flustered she was, the more likely accidents became. Her phone slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor.
Hou Junqi swiftly picked it up and checked it. "Not broken. Little Sheng Xia, what shady thing are you up to that’s got you so guilty?"
His words only made things worse. The moment he spoke, Zhang Shu's brows furrowed into a deep frown.
Sheng Xia looked up nervously.
Hou Junqi, belatedly realizing the tension, glanced anxiously between the two of them.
No resolution came. Neither spoke first, and the meal ended in silence.
Sheng Xia felt trapped in a cycle—she had stumbled upon another secret about him.
And this time, it wasn’t a misunderstanding.
Truly spine-chilling.
......
During evening self-study, Qi Xiulei brought two books: College Entrance Exam Guide and Admission Plans . Everyone crowded around him, chattering excitedly as they matched their scores to potential target schools and majors.
Xin Xiaohe returned from checking the books, sighing dramatically. "Ah, is Dongda University just an unattainable dream for me? No!!"
Sheng Xia was curious too, but her leg made it hard to move around.
"Xiao He, how did you pick your target school?" she asked.
Xin Xiaohe blinked, confused. "Hmm, there wasn’t really a special reason? I just thought it was good, and my scores weren’t too far off. But I was wrong—it’s way out of reach! Even if I used my best-ever score, I probably wouldn’t get in even with major adjustments... wuwuwu..."
Sheng Xia asked, "Which university do you want to go to?"
"Dongzhou University."
Sheng Xia nodded. Ah, a prestigious school.
Xin Xiaohe asked, "What about you?"
"Me..." Sheng Xia shook her head. "I don’t know."
"Huh?"
Sheng Xia pursed her lips, then asked, "Then why do you think Dongda is good?"
"Uh..." Xin Xiaohe thought for a moment. "I can’t really explain it. I guess it just seems impressive, and Dongzhou is close by. I don’t want to be too far from home."Sheng Xia said, "Then wouldn't Nanli University be more suitable? It's right next door and probably around the same tier."
"There's still a difference. Nanli leans more toward liberal arts, while Dongzhou University is stronger in science and engineering."
"That's true."
"Mm!" Xin Xiaohe added, "And although I don't want to be too far from home, I also want to go out and see the world. I can't just stay at home forever, stuck in this city, right?"
Sheng Xia nodded. "Makes sense."
Schools, majors, cities—all were important factors to consider. It really was quite complicated.
Sheng Xia felt she needed to do some research.
"Sigh, I might have to prepare multiple options and look at other schools too. Heyan has many top universities, but it's so far away. I'm so afraid of the cold—I might freeze to death..." Xiaohe muttered. "For people like us, with grades that can't quite reach the top-tier schools but are too good for mid-tier ones, it's really frustrating. Ah, Zhang Shu has it easiest—no need to agonize over choices. He just has to wait for universities to fight over him after exams."
Zhang Shu...
He would definitely go to university in Heyan, wouldn't he?
Between Heqing and Haiyan—which would he choose?
As she was thinking, Yang Linyu approached hesitantly and asked, "Xiao He, which university do you want to attend?"
Xiao He glared at him. "None of your business!"
Yang Linyu: "..."
Sheng Xia watched them and shook her head helplessly.
Yang Linyu's hesitant demeanor made him seem like such a pitiful figure.
Xiao He was completely oblivious, carefree as ever.
Asking "which university do you want to attend" was probably the most subtle way to confess, wasn't it?
Just as Sheng Xia was about to start studying, she remembered something and patted Xiao He's shoulder. "Xiao He, do you know why Zhang Shu and Lu Youze... don't get along?"
"Don't get along" was putting it mildly—they were practically at each other's throats. But Sheng Xia phrased it delicately.
Xiao He was surprised by the question. Sheng Xia almost never actively sought out "gossip.Given the subtle nature of Zhang Shu and Lu Youze's relationship, Xiao He wasn't sure how best to explain.
After hesitating, Xiao He asked, "Are you asking for Zhang Shu's sake or Lu Youze's?"
"Huh?" Sheng Xia didn't understand.
Xiao He clarified, "Let me put it this way—whose perspective do you want to hear?"
Sheng Xia replied, "A third-party perspective."
Xiao He: "...Well played."
"Okay, let me think how to explain this..."
Sheng Xia: "...Is it that complicated?"
"Simply put, Lu Youze reported Zhang Shu, Hou Junqi, and Chen Mengyao." Xiao He summarized first.
Chen Mengyao was involved too?
Sheng Xia asked, "What happened?"
"It was back in freshman year. Lu Youze was in the student council at the time—very dutiful, you could say? Also a bit rigid, I don't know how to describe it. Anyway, he reported to the grade that Chen Mengyao was singing at a bar, and also reported Zhang Shu and Hou Junqi for fighting. Some say Zhang Shu and Hou Junqi beat up some local troublemakers to stand up for Chen Mengyao. Others say it had nothing to do with her—that it was some personal vendetta. There were also rumors that Hou Junqi kicked someone so hard they ended up bleeding from the head. No one knows exactly what happened—people just speculate. In the end, all three of them got disciplinary notices."
"What?" Sheng Xia was shocked.
This... whether it was rival lovers clashing or some martial arts grievances, it all sounded very... underworld-like..."That's how it was, but back then Lu Youze wasn't in the same class as Zhang Shu and Hou Junqi, so nothing happened. Later in sophomore year when they were assigned to the same class, Hou Junqi cursed his luck on the very first day... They were completely different types of people, so they just stayed at odds. Actually, Lu Youze used to attend the same after-school program at Zhang Shu's place, but he withdrew because of this."
That really was quite a tangled situation.
No wonder, at the start of the semester, Hou Junqi had asked her if Lu Youze liked tattling back in middle school.
This... with blood spilled, could it still be considered just "tattling"?
"Then, in that case, why would Chen..." Sheng Xia felt awkward asking about others' gossip, "Why would Chen Mengyao pursue Lu Youze?"
Wouldn't they be considered enemies at this point?
"Maybe they became friends through fighting? For Lu Youze's princely status? To make Zhang Shu angry?" Xin Xiaohe speculated, "I don't know, I'm just guessing. Anyway, there are so many versions of their story circulating. I wouldn't dare make assumptions anymore—afraid Zhang Shu might call me a rumor-mongering machine again."
After hearing all this, Sheng Xia still couldn't gauge how deep their grudge ran.
But it was clear the resentment had been brewing for a long time.
She wondered what would happen if these two sat at the same dining table...
...
In the evening when Wang Lianhua came to pick her up, Sheng Xia asked her mother to make a detour to the north gate to buy the "College Entrance Exam Guide" and "Admission Plans."
Back home, before Sheng Xia could even flip through them, Wang Lianhua was already poring over the books with great interest, exclaiming, "There are so many schools to choose from?"
Sheng Xia replied, "Not many will match my scores though."
Without looking up, Wang Lianhua said, "Go study first. I'll look through these for you."
Just as Sheng Xia was about to leave, Wang Lianhua added, "I think Nanli University is excellent. One of the admissions officers in the academic affairs office used to be your father's subordinate. You could continue living at home too—how convenient."
"Nanli University's cutoff scores are very high," Sheng Xia murmured.
"They have local preference policies, don't they? You still have another semester left—don't be so pessimistic," Wang Lianhua continued flipping through the book. "I see Nanli has several other good universities too. Nanli University of Science and Technology is first-tier, right? Local universities have employment advantages... Dongzhou could be an option too—it's very close."
Sheng Xia didn't respond further.
It was obvious her mother wanted her to stay in Nanli.
Dongzhou was probably the farthest she could accept.
Xin Xiaohe's words echoed in Sheng Xia's mind: You can't stay at home forever, or in this city forever, can you?
There probably weren't many people like her—already in senior year without knowing which university they wanted to attend, or even having much concept of university life. Deciding to browse online for information, Sheng Xia first clicked on Heqing University's official website.
When the page loaded, her heart gave a little flutter—how dare she even look!
Then she thought, well, she could at least see the university he might attend in advance.
It would be something to take pride in, wouldn't it?
The homepage showed an ancient, solemn university gate, with the gilded characters "Heqing University" shining brilliantly.
Sheng Xia read everything from the university overview to department settings, student activities, even news about some teacher winning the "March 8th Red Banner Pacesetter" award.
So this was what university was like?
Seeing that the library held over seven million volumes, Sheng Xia was filled with awe.
How many books was that?
Wasn't that about the same as the municipal library?
So this was what a good university was like?Thinking about the terrifyingly high admission scores, Sheng Xia quickly clicked to exit.
Better not look too much—it’s easy to start dreaming.
……
The biweekly checkup went smoothly, and if all went well, this would be the last one.
Previously, Li Xu had always accompanied her, but this time, Sheng Mingfeng actually came in person.
The doctor said the healing progress was excellent—she had been well taken care of, with no bumps or even minor cracks. The cast could be removed on schedule, and she was advised to try walking with it daily for exercise.
Everything went smoothly, and Sheng Mingfeng arranged dinner afterward.
Sheng Xia declined. She felt that spending the entire afternoon at the hospital was already enough of a waste.
“There’s something important I need to discuss with you,” Sheng Mingfeng said.
Dinner was still arranged at their usual restaurant, with Zou Weiping also present.
As soon as the private room door opened, Zou Weiping walked over to support her. “Almost healed? I’ve been saying for ages I’d visit you, but your dad said, ‘Hah, even I can’t see her, let alone you. Sheng Xia’s busier than the Party Secretary!’”
Sheng Xia replied, “Almost there.”
Sheng Mingfeng was in a good mood today and laughed. “Of course! My daughter’s perseverance in her studies—just like me!”
Zou Weiping scoffed. “Don’t flatter yourself. You’re stubborn and rigid. Xiaxia’s so mild-tempered—how is she like you?”
Sheng Mingfeng countered, “Don’t I know my own daughter? Sheng Xia might seem easygoing, but once she digs her heels in, ten oxen couldn’t pull her back—and she won’t even give you a heads-up. Stubborn to the bone!”
Sheng Xia: “……”
“Xiaxia?”
Sheng Xia looked up at her father.
Sheng Mingfeng asked, “Have you decided which university you want to apply to?”
Sheng Xia shook her head. “It depends on my scores.”
“And what does your mother think?”
“Mom probably wants me to go to Nanli University.”
“Nanli University is great—and close by,” Zou Weiping chimed in.
Years ago, Sheng Mingfeng had attended Nanli University’s part-time graduate program for career advancement, so he knew its reputation and admission standards. Even with local score concessions, Sheng Xia’s grades were still a stretch.
He clasped his hands behind his back and stroked his chin. “Confident?”
Sheng Xia sighed unconsciously. “No.”
The atmosphere stiffened. Zou Weiping broke the silence. “Let’s eat first—the food’s getting cold.”
It seemed her father had called her here to discuss schools.
Sheng Xia picked at her food listlessly and soon set down her chopsticks.
“Xiaxia, why don’t you study abroad? Just focus on language proficiency, and leave the rest to the agency,” Sheng Mingfeng said lightly.
It wasn’t a tone that invited discussion.
Sheng Xia replied, “I don’t want to go abroad. At least not now.”
The thought of being in a “foreign land” filled her with an inexplicable melancholy.
If she left, what would happen to her mother?
“This is the best choice for you,” Sheng Mingfeng said, placing his hands on her shoulders, his posture as dignified and authoritative as if he were presiding over a major meeting—kind yet imposing. “Brother Li already found an agency for you. They came to talk to me, and they have some excellent universities that suit you—ranked much higher than Nanli University, even surpassing Heqing University and Haiyan University in some cases.”
The implication was clear.
If she chose to study abroad, with the right arrangements and a good language score, she could attend schools better than Dongda or Hedu. But if she stayed for the domestic college entrance exam, she might not even make it into Nanli University.
It seemed like a choice that required no hesitation."Your English foundation isn't bad either. You can set aside other subjects for now and focus on language. Just pass the language proficiency test, though higher scores would be even better—there are scholarships available. Not that we care about that, but for you personally, it would be a tremendous morale boost. Go home and discuss it with your mom."
Sheng Mingfeng patiently persuaded, presenting facts and reasoning.
Sheng Xia remained silent.
Couldn't studying just be her own business?
Zhang Shu, why is what you said so difficult?
...
After dinner, Sheng Mingfeng personally drove Sheng Xia back to school. As she got out of the car, they happened to run into Lu Youze coming out of the bike shed.
"Xia Xia," Lu Youze called out to Sheng Xia, only then noticing Sheng Mingfeng. "Uncle Sheng," he greeted.
Sheng Mingfeng looked at Lu Youze, seemingly deep in thought. "Lu—"
"Lu Youze," he introduced himself. "Uncle, we've met before."
"Right," Sheng Mingfeng chuckled nostalgically. "You used to be a little chubby kid, and now you've grown so tall."
Lu Youze replied, "Had to grow sideways before growing upwards."
"You've become quite the handsome young man. Your father is blessed," Sheng Mingfeng praised.
Lu Youze glanced at Sheng Xia and smoothly responded, "Uncle Sheng is the most blessed of all."
Sheng Mingfeng laughed heartily.
Since Lu Youze was there, Sheng Mingfeng didn't walk Sheng Xia to her classroom and drove off instead.
Lu Youze walked beside Sheng Xia as they made their way down the corridor.
From Class 1 to Class 6, the classrooms erupted with another round of goose-like murmurs.
Sheng Xia could only quicken her pace.
Lu Youze said, "Xia Xia, I heard from my dad's assistant that you signed up with the same study abroad agency as me?"
Sheng Xia was taken aback. She had only just found out herself—how did he know?
Then it dawned on her. The agency had probably been recommended to Sheng Mingfeng by Lu Youze's father.
"I didn't know. Maybe," she answered truthfully.
Noticing the despondency in her tone, Lu Youze asked, "Don't you want to study abroad?"
Sheng Xia replied, "I'm not sure yet."
Lu Youze said, "When I heard about it at home earlier, I was really happy. Having someone familiar to go with would make studying abroad feel less daunting."
Since nothing was confirmed yet, Sheng Xia didn't know how to respond, and the two walked in silence.
As they neared the back door of the classroom, noisy voices came from the front. A group of people strode energetically from the connecting corridor, turning the corner and climbing the few steps to the hallway outside Class 6.
They were all familiar voices to Sheng Xia.
And they were all people familiar with Sheng Xia.
The two "groups" met in the narrow hallway and instinctively stopped, standing face-to-face in silence.
Zhang Shu was with Hou Junqi, Han Xiao, and a few others—likely just back from playing basketball. The boys were drenched in sweat, their school uniforms either slung over their shoulders or tied around their waists. Despite the early winter chill, the youths wore light clothing, brimming with energy.
A stark contrast to the sickly, lifeless atmosphere around Sheng Xia.
Zhang Shu stood tall with a sling bag across his back, gripping a basketball in one hand. His face was flushed from exercise, but his gaze was as cold as moonlight.
An invisible tension seemed to hang in the air.
Half an hour earlier, at the high school basketball court...
After a streetball match, they took a break during halftime and yielded the court to some juniors. The older boys lounged under a tree, drinking water and chatting.
Han Xiao nudged Hou Junqi's shoulder. "What's up with Shu lately?"
Wu Pengcheng chimed in, "He seems unhappy?"
Hou Junqi lowered his voice. "Love troubles!"
Han Xiao gasped. "Huh? Because of Sheng Xia?"Hou Junqi almost whispered, "Sheng Xia looked up Lu Youze's family on Baidu..."
"Oh ho!"
"What the hell?"
Zhang Shu sat to the side, glancing at his friends with a sidelong look—did they think he was deaf or blind?
But he didn’t mind. Instead, he was curious to hear what these jokers could come up with.
"Speaking of Baidu," Liu Huian suddenly pulled out his phone as if remembering something, "not that I was deliberately digging into anyone, but I overheard my mom say that the transfer student in our grade is Sheng Mingfeng’s daughter. My dad looked absolutely shocked, and I was like, who the hell is Sheng Mingfeng? I didn’t care, but then I thought—are there any other transfer students in our grade? Nope. So I looked it up too..."
He handed his phone to the guys, muttering, "At first, I wasn’t sure which 'Ming' or 'Feng' it was, but damn, the search suggestion popped up right away..."
"Holy shit!"
"No way?"
"Damn, some people really know how to keep a low profile?"
Hou Junqi glanced at Zhang Shu, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, arms resting casually on his knees, looking—somewhat—unfazed?
He called out, "Shu?"
Zhang Shu looked over.
Hou Junqi handed him the phone.
Zhang Shu skimmed the ID photo on the gray-gradient background, then scrolled down.
Hmm... A well-accomplished local official with a solid resume.
Honestly, he had guessed some of it from the hospital situation that day, but the actual position was even higher than he’d imagined.
Zhang Shu handed the phone back, expressionless.
Actually, quite a bit higher.
Just as Han Xiao had said—some people really could hide it when they kept a low profile.
The group was still reeling from the shock of "the girl my buddy likes is the daughter of a top official."
Zhang Shu stood up, dribbled the ball onto the court, and slammed a three-pointer so hard the backboard rattled.
Maybe his energy was too intense—several underclassmen quickly grabbed their balls and obediently stepped aside.
Hou Junqi and the others exchanged glances, shook their heads, and followed him back onto the court.
Zhang Shu played aggressively and chaotically, each shot slamming into the backboard with a loud "bang," not caring whether it went in, as if venting.
Wu Pengcheng, for the nth time, ran far to retrieve the ball, wiping sweat as he complained, "Dude, can you take it easy?"
Zhang Shu didn’t hold back, so the others had no choice but to humor him.
Another three-pointer smashed into the backboard and flew off, rolling past several courts, almost reaching the academic building.
This time, Zhang Shu went to retrieve it himself.
The guys didn’t see him return—instead, they spotted him standing by the chain-link fence, ball tucked under his arm, staring quietly into the distance.
Hou Junqi and Han Xiao jogged over, following Zhang Shu’s gaze.
Parked on the school path not far away was an Audi, and standing beside it was the man they’d just looked up on Baidu—Sheng Mingfeng.
Along with Sheng Xia and Lu Youze.
They were chatting and laughing, perfectly harmonious.
Han Xiao murmured, "Shu..."
Zhang Shu remained expressionless, tucking the ball under his arm. "I’m done," he said flatly.
......
Right now, it was truly a case of "what you fear most comes to pass."
Hou Junqi tried to break the inexplicable tension, whispering, "They live in the same neighborhood, maybe they just ran into each other..."
Zhang Shu reacted, shooting him a sidelong glance.
Who didn’t know Sheng Xia had gone for a follow-up today? What kind of "running into each other" was that?
Han Xiao pinched Hou Junqi’s arm. "Shut the hell up if you don’t know how to talk."
Wasn’t that just emphasizing how "well-matched" they were? Idiot.Sheng Xia couldn't understand the devouring look in Zhang Shu's eyes. Not wanting to walk into trouble, she entered the classroom through the back door on crutches, struggling to make her way through the aisle cluttered with book boxes until she reached her seat.
This path would have been much easier if she had taken the corridor and entered through the front door.
But she didn't.
Outside the door, Zhang Shu watched as the two of them entered the classroom one after the other, with Lu Youze guarding Sheng Xia like a sentinel. He curled one corner of his lips in a scoff, tossed the ball to Han Xiao, and walked into the classroom.
The group scattered like startled birds, all casting sympathetic glances at Hou Junqi.
Sheng Xia had barely sat down when she felt the chair beside her being yanked abruptly. A tall, lanky boy plopped down heavily. Then, for some reason, silence fell. After about a minute, Zhang Shu suddenly turned around, his hand landing casually yet heavily on the back of her chair.
Sheng Xia was stunned and turned to look at him.
From this angle, it almost seemed like he was encircling her. His gaze was sharp and direct, eyes crackling with sparks.
Wh-what are you doing?
"Focus on your studies. At this point, you shouldn’t be filling your head with nonsense," Zhang Shu said.
His voice was low, as if deliberately restrained, audible only to the two of them.
His tone was heavy, each word pressing down on Sheng Xia like a weight.
She murmured, "Wh-what are you talking about?"
Why was he suddenly acting crazy?
Zhang Shu’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed whatever he was about to say, looking utterly exasperated.
With a loud "thud," he grabbed his satchel and slammed it onto Sheng Xia’s desk.
Startled, Sheng Xia instinctively jerked back against her chair, forgetting his arm was still draped there. Whether it was reflex or something else, he suddenly tightened his grip around her shoulders as she leaned back.
Instantly, both of them froze.
Even through the fabric of her clothes, he could feel how slender and soft her arms were—as if a little more pressure would snap them. A jolt of electricity seemed to shoot through Zhang Shu’s entire arm.
Meanwhile, Sheng Xia’s face flushed crimson in an instant, looking even hotter than his own post-exercise glow.
"Y-you—you…"
Zhang Shu snapped out of it and abruptly let go, his gaze flickering away, though his words remained sharp. "What ‘you’? Can’t even sit properly?"
Sheng Xia felt utterly wronged, thinking this guy was completely unreasonable.
Why was he suddenly being so mean? It was terrifying.
Seeing the girl’s wide-eyed, fearful expression—angry but not daring to speak up—Zhang Shu sighed almost imperceptibly. His voice softened slightly as he jerked his chin toward his satchel. "Open it."
Still shaken, Sheng Xia obediently unzipped the bag.
"Take it out," he ordered.
Suspicious, she glanced at him but still pulled out the contents inside.
It was a stack of notebooks—more than ten of them.
She shot him a questioning look.
"Flip through them," Zhang Shu said.
Sheng Xia finally understood what it meant to be "compelled by unseen forces." Despite not knowing what he was up to, despite feeling utterly aggrieved, she still followed his commands.
He truly was like some capricious deity, his voice so cold it could plunge the surroundings into winter overnight.
Her hands were practically trembling.
[Mathematics] Zhang Shu, Class 20, Grade 10.
[Mathematics] Zhang Shu, Class 6, Grade 11.
[Physics] Zhang Shu, Class 20, Grade 10.
……
……
One by one, these were all his notes and mistake compilations since his first year of high school.
At the very bottom was a folder containing his monthly and final exam papers for each subject.
Sheng Xia looked at him in astonishment.
Zhang Shu spoke coolly, "If you’ve given up on seeking enlightenment and want to return to secular life, that’s your business. But since I’ve already started helping, I’ll see it through—consider this my final act of goodwill."
Though she didn’t fully grasp what he meant, she still mustered a grateful smile. "Thank you, Zhang Shu."Zhang Shu withdrew his hand from the back of her chair, turning to sit properly again with a light scoff. "You should be thanking me—after all, this isn't something you can just Baidu."
Sheng Xia: "..."
She seemed to vaguely grasp a clue—was he still upset about her searching for information on Lu Youze's family?
It appeared the conflict between him and Lu Youze ran deep.
But hadn't he said Chen Mengyao wasn't his ex? Then why had he fought over her? And why such strong hostility toward Lu Youze?
Or was it that, unable to win her over, he had said those things in front of others just to save face and console himself?
She had originally considered whether to help him and Lu Youze reconcile, but now it seemed she had overestimated herself. This was beyond her capability.
Unable to untangle the complexities, she pushed aside the faint discomfort in her chest and shook her head helplessly.
Unexpectedly, the boy beside her caught the motion. His questioning voice came from her side: "What, did I say something wrong?"
"Huh?" Sheng Xia was both confused and flustered, instinctively replying, "N-no, you're right."
Zhang Shu: "Before finals, you must make time to go through the past two years' exam papers. Do the wrong questions at least three times."
"Eh?" Sheng Xia brightened. "The monthly and term exams from Affiliated High's first and second years?"
Zhang Shu remained gruff: "What else? The garbage papers from your No. 2 High?"
Sheng Xia: "..." He really was too harsh.
A faint ache settled in her chest—first, because he was taking out his frustration with his romantic rival on her, and second...
Second, because of the fact that they were romantic rivals.
Her eyes seemed to shimmer with unshed tears, making her look pitiful. Zhang Shu froze, forcing himself to suppress his temper and resisting the urge to ruffle her hair. He turned away again, delivering instructions in a cool but detailed tone: "Start by reviewing the notes, beginning with first year. Compare them with your own to fill in gaps. Ask me if anything's unclear. Don't worry about the mistake notebook for now. I'll get you blank copies of the old exams in a couple of days."
"Mm," she replied, then hesitated. It couldn't be easy to obtain those, could it? After so long, even the teachers might not have them. "Where will you find them?"
Zhang Shu sneered. "Definitely not Baidu."
Sheng Xia: "..."
Hou Junqi, sitting in the front row, listened silently, trembling with secondhand dread.
Good lord, someone's jealousy is shaking the heavens. Save me.
OpenNovel