When Tang Yu arrived at school the next day, he felt completely groggy, his brain shrouded in a haze.
He had made up his mind to pull out all the stops for the midterm exams. The first habit he needed to fix was his chronic tardiness. But he truly had never gotten up this early before, and his internal body clock was refusing to cooperate.
Class 1 on the top floor was somewhat noisy; even from a long distance away, you could hear shouting like, “Monitor, quick, lend me your physics homework!”
Or, “And the math worksheet! We have math first period…which kind soul wants to save my life?”
Tang Yu and Bai Yuenian arrived at the classroom together. Before they even stepped through the door, Bai Yuenian was immediately targeted.
“God Yue, the math worksheet, quick!”
Bai Yuenian opened his backpack and pulled out the math sheet. But before he could even process what was happening, two people rushed up to snatch it at the same time…one from the left, one from the right. In an instant, the poor math worksheet was left missing a corner.
The classmate uttered a quick “Sorry!” and happily ran off to copy the answers.
Tang Yu saw Bai Yuenian’s brow furrow for a brief second. Yet, he said nothing, simply pulling out his English vocabulary book to start memorizing words.
Does Bai Yuenian really not care?
This nerd cared so much about the wrinkles on his test paper yesterday, and now that a piece is literally torn off, he doesn’t feel a pang of heartache?
Isn’t his temper a bit too good?!
A moment later, someone else came over to borrow the physics worksheet.
Tang Yu thought to himself: He probably won’t lend it out this time, right?
Unexpectedly, Bai Yuenian opened his backpack once more to pull out the assignment.
SLAM! Tang Yu slapped the desk with a heavy palm. The surrounding people all turned to look. He walked up to Bai Yuenian’s seat, stretched out his hand, and declared, “Why bother asking anyone else? Hand all his homework over to me…I haven’t written mine yet either!”
In reality, he had only completed his biology assignment to test his self-study results from yesterday. The main issue was that he had fallen too far behind in the other subjects; even if he wanted to do them, he wouldn’t know how.
Bai Yuenian pulled out all the worksheets without hesitation and handed them directly to Tang Yu.
Tang Yu urged, “Hey, who’s over there? Are you done copying the math sheet?”
“Finished!”
Tang Yu said, “Once you’re done, bring it right back.”
“You got it!”
After retrieving all the subject homework and returning to his seat, Tang Yu didn’t even start copying. He just let the stack sit on his desk, and nobody dared to come take them.
Wu Jianqi arrived very late. The moment he reached his seat, his first priority was also to borrow homework: “God Yue, would it be convenient to lend me the English assignment?”
Truth be told, what Bai Yuenian disliked most was getting his papers wrinkled.
However, the competition in the top-tier honors class was cutthroat, and the academic pressure was immense. Without staying up until the crack of dawn every night, it was virtually impossible to finish all the homework. Only someone like Bai Yuenian…with a problem-solving speed that practically bordered on a cheat code…could complete every subject’s assignment.
That was why every morning, people queued up to borrow homework from Bai Yuenian. The original copy would usually circulate through two or three people, and those who borrowed it afterward would copy from those two or three, keeping his original paper intact.
Today’s incident was an anomaly. Nobody expected that the moment his brow creased, Tang Yu would pick up on it.
Thinking back to how Tsundere Tang Yu had looked yesterday when exchanging test papers with him, Bai Yuenian flipped to the next page of his vocabulary list, his voice carrying an unmistakable tinge of delight: “It might not be convenient to lend.”
Wu Jianqi was stunned: “Huh?”
Bai Yuenian said, “All my homework is managed by Tang Yu now.”
Wu Jianqi: “???”
You two made up this fast? And what’s with that subtle brag in your tone? Why are you so happy to be managed by Tang Yu?!
You little lovers really know how to play!
Bai Yuenian added, “Someone borrowed the English homework yesterday afternoon. Ask around to see who copied it, and borrow it from them.”
A classmate raised a hand: “Sports Comm, over here! I have it!”
While everyone else was busily scrambling, Tang Yu stared at Bai Yuenian’s handwriting on the worksheet, feeling a strange sense of familiarity.
Bai Yuenian’s handwriting possessed beautifully sharp strokes on the left and right slashes. It looked slightly messy, but there was order within the chaos…clean and legible, precisely the kind of handwriting grading teachers adored.
Tang Yu felt as though he had seen this handwriting somewhere before. Except it hadn’t been slightly messy; it had been remarkably neat and pristine.
Today’s morning self-study period featured a pop quiz in math. Tang Yu casually guessed all the multiple-choice answers on his paper, then leaned back in his chair, lazily playing with the window curtains to pass the time.
The moment the bell rang, Xie Tianyi flashed him a hand gesture…raising his index and middle fingers to his lips. Tang Yu understood in a split second.
Although Xie Tianyi was in Class 1, he was hardly a docile, model student; in private, he indulged in both smoking and drinking.
The two met up at the restroom, picking the two innermost stalls to smoke and chat.
Xie Tianyi asked, “What happened yesterday? How come you didn’t turn on voice chat while playing?”
Tang Yu: “Thought you were too noisy.”
Xie Tianyi persisted: “I just knew something was off with you. You were pulling all-nighters a few days ago, so why sleep so early yesterday? Studying?”
“Adjusting my jet lag!” Tang Yu grumbled. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to drag myself out of bed today.”
Xie Tianyi: “Then why didn’t you turn on voice chat while gaming yesterday?”
Is this question never going to pass?
Tang Yu decided to just spill it: “I couldn’t! Bai Yuenian slept at my place last night.”
Over by the sinks near the restroom entrance, Wu Jianqi, who had merely dropped by to wash his hands, happened to catch Tang Yu’s last two sentences.
He chewed on the words for a moment, particularly that final implication: Tang Yu couldn’t even get out of bed today!
Wu Jianqi was utterly appalled: Do these little lovers really play this dirty?!
With only a ten-minute break between classes, Tang Yu and Xie Tianyi didn’t dare linger in the restroom. After a quick cigarette, they headed back toward the classroom.
Just as they approached the door, Bai Yuenian stepped out from the back entrance. He swiftly hooked an arm around Tang Yu’s shoulder, using the momentum to guide him in the opposite direction.
What on earth? The well-behaved, dutiful nerd is suddenly getting handsy with him?
Tang Yu shot a side eye at Bai Yuenian, grabbed the hand resting on his shoulder, and yanked hard… only to find he couldn’t pull it off?
This guy is surprisingly strong!
Ignoring Tang Yu’s gaze that looked ready to murder him, Bai Yuenian raised a long finger to his lips and let out a soft, “Shh.”
Near the classroom entrance, Xie Tianyi caught sight of Liu Ziyue sitting in Tang Yu’s seat. Startled into a quick backstep, he instantly retreated to press himself against the hallway wall: “Is Director Liu trying to become my desk mate now?”
He even tilted his head toward the corridor to shout a quick warning to Tang Yu.
However, the very next second, Liu Ziyue’s furious voice boomed from inside the classroom: “Is Tang Yu back yet?!”
Tang Yu: “!!!”
Liu Ziyue is waiting for him? Eight or nine out of ten, it’s about yesterday’s fight.
Tang Yu instantly ducked down, hiding himself against Bai Yuenian’s chest out of fear that Liu Ziyue might spot him, while frantically signaling Bai Yuenian to escort him away.
Xie Tianyi also tried to cover for them: “Director Liu, I’m the only one who came back!”
Liu Ziyue snapped: “Nonsense! Everyone said you two left together, so how could you not return together? Did he skip class again?”
Xie Tianyi: “No, no, no, definitely not that.”
“Hmph! He must be back.” Liu Ziyue stormed out of the classroom. “Nobody in the hallway move! Don’t even think about running away. Until I track down Tang Yu, every single one of you will copy the school rules ten times!”
Tang Yu: “…”
Unbelievable! He’s playing dirty because he knows I’m a soft-hearted, kind, saintly tyrant who cares about my classmates…
And so, the super-kind school tyrant poked his head out like a cat from behind Bai Yuenian’s side, leaning his body outward to greet Liu Ziyue: “Good morning, Director Liu!”
Liu Ziyue traced the voice and spotted the pair: “Bai Yuenian? Perfect. Both you and Tang Yu, come to my office right now.”
Tang Yu glanced at Bai Yuenian standing in front of him. “What does this have to do with you?”
The other boy parted his thin lips slightly: “I suppose I’m… an accessory to the crime.”
Tang Yu: “…”
Inside the office.
Liu Ziyue pulled out a competition trophy and handed it to Bai Yuenian: “Very impressive. You’ve brought honor to Shishi High School once again.”
He patted the shoulder of the school’s star student, his smile deepening the laugh lines on his face: “Keep up the good work.”
Liu Ziyue continued, “Alright! That’s all for that. Bai Yuenian, you can head back first.”
Bai Yuenian hesitated, clearly reluctant to leave, but Tang Yu waved his hand, urging him to hurry out. Left with no choice, he walked out of the office.
The moment Liu Ziyue turned to face Tang Yu, his expressions flipped instantly into a stern scowl: “What happened in that alley yesterday? Did you get into another fight? You guaranteed me yesterday that you wouldn’t fight anymore.”
Tang Yu rubbed his nose, trying to think of a way to gloss over it. But Liu Ziyue added, “Don’t bother trying to lie to me…the police have already contacted the school.”
Tang Yu: “…”
Why are the police meddling so much?
Liu Ziyue demanded: “I heard… you got into a fight over a female student from our school?”
Tang Yu offered no answer.
Liu Ziyue pushed further: “Fighting over someone? Are you in a puppy love relationship? Puppy love combined with fighting doubles your offense…do you want a formal disciplinary mark on your record?”
Based on his years of experience catching student romances, he had deduced a golden rule of puppy love: 99% of those who fought over someone were in a romantic relationship.
His words made Tang Yu’s eyes light up. Everyone in this book’s world seemed to think he and Bai Yuenian were embroiled in an ambiguous romance. Meeting a normal person for once who didn’t link him together with Bai Yuenian made Tang Yu quite pleased.
He generously admitted it: “It was because of a girl.”
Liu Ziyue: “So it was! …What have I told you before? Puppy love is the single biggest distraction to your studies. At seventeen or eighteen, your minds aren’t mature yet; romance at this age rarely yields any real results. What is written in the Shishi High rules? You’ve copied them plenty of times, haven’t you? Puppy love warrants disciplinary action! Who is that girl? Which class is she in? I’ll go talk to her homeroom teacher to get the full picture.”
Tang Yu said, “It’s no one! She has already transferred schools, and we weren’t in a relationship either.”
Liu Ziyue refused to buy it: “Keep being stubborn! You think using a transfer as a brush off will stop me from investigating? Refusing to admit your mistake willingly will make the punishment far worse than a simple disciplinary mark.”
Tang Yu: “…”
Forget it. No matter what he says, Liu Ziyue won’t believe him anyway.
Besides, the girl had already transferred, so even if Liu Ziyue wanted to investigate, he wouldn’t be able to find her!
If he revealed the girl’s identity, Liu Ziyue might probe even further, digging into her private family matters. He hadn’t said anything when Liu Ziyue asked yesterday, and he certainly wouldn’t now.
At worst, he would just take another disciplinary mark. It wasn’t a big deal…it wasn’t like he didn’t already have plenty of them.
Just as he was thinking this…
“Director Liu, the reason Tang Yu got into a fight yesterday was actually because of me.” At the office door, Bai Yuenian had walked back in.
“Right.” Liu Ziyue listened with half an ear, not paying close attention at first. “Look at Bai Yuenian here…why can’t you learn a thing or two from him? Taking the initiative to admit his mistakes, whereas you—”
As he spoke, he suddenly realized something was off: “Huh? You fought because of Bai Yuenian?”
Liu Ziyue looked at Bai Yuenian, then looked back at Tang Yu. Plugging this into his personal puppy love theory, he asked in utter confusion: “Are the two of you… in a puppy love relationship?”
Tang Yu: “…”
I see now. Turns out the most abnormal one in this book’s world is actually you… Brother Ziyue!
Bai Yuenian’s intervention spared Tang Yu from a disciplinary mark, but Tang Yu was still furious.
The moment they stepped out of the office, Tang Yu slammed Bai Yuenian against the wall: “Didn’t you leave already?! If you left, don’t come back!”
The moment the words left his mouth, Tang Yu froze. Why did he sound like an aggrieved husband throwing a tantrum at his partner?
Bai Yuenian looked down at the fair, smooth arm locked against his collarbone: “I… I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to explain what happened yesterday.”
Tang Yu fumed in embarrassment: “Even so, you couldn’t just go telling people I like you!”
Just now, Bai Yuenian had claimed that the fight started because he got into an argument with some street delinquents at a shady internet cafe.
The delinquents had lost face in front of him, so yesterday they specifically intended to teach him a lesson.
Supposedly, the delinquents thought Tang Yu was into Bai Yuenian, so they trapped Bai Yuenian to lure Tang Yu over.
Hearing that Bai Yuenian had been cornered, Liu Ziyue’s focus shifted instantly, completely forgetting about issuing any disciplinary marks.
Bai Yuenian’s explanation was logically sound: it kept the girl’s secrets safe while preventing Tang Yu from being punished.
Furthermore, he had clarified to Liu Ziyue that the claim about Tang Yu liking him was merely a misunderstanding by the delinquents.
It could be considered a perfect solution.
However… however… he was still pissed off!
“You top students sure spin lies fast, huh? Showing off your brains, are you? If… if you ever dare to act reckless like that again, you are so dead!”
The flush on Tang Yu’s face had spread all the way to his earlobes, yet he was trying his hardest to act tough. In Bai Yuenian’s eyes, he looked no different from a newly weaned kitten baring its tiny teeth for milk.
With starlight reflecting in his deep eyes, Bai Yuenian looked at Tang Yu from a distance closer than ever before, readily accepting his fault: “Sorry. Won’t happen next time.”
Around the hallway corner, Wu Jianqi happened to be heading over to hand the sports meet registration forms for next week to Zhou Fangmin.
He caught Tang Yu’s final words, and combined with Tang Yu’s beet-red face, he couldn’t help thinking: Act reckless? Wait, did the top student force Tang Yu into doing something extreme last night that he couldn’t handle? Is that why he’s so mad?!
Who would’ve thought that a top student who looks like he lives by monastic rules would have such heavy tastes?
You really can’t judge a book by its cover!
He covered his mouth in shock. Did I just find out way too much confidential information?
Their little lovers’ play style really is wild!
At the same time, Liu Ziyue was temporarily taking over Class 2’s physics lesson for the week.
With two minutes left before class started, he walked out of his office holding his textbook, only to spot Tang Yu holding Bai Yuenian hostage, his face flushed red with a fierce expression as if he were about to beat someone up.
Having previously suspected they were in a puppy love relationship, Liu Ziyue no longer harbored any doubts.
Looks like their relationship really is terrible after all!