Jing Nian’an slipped around the corner of the teaching building with her schoolbag in hand, her skirt swirling past a pillar before she abruptly halted—
A young tutor wearing gold-rimmed glasses was walking straight toward her, a formulaic smile plastered on his face.
Even Jing Nian’an herself knew this was a spy her brother had arranged to keep an eye on her.
“Miss Jing,” the tutor adjusted his glasses, “Young Master Jing said that if you skip class today, he’ll freeze your black card for next month.”
Hearing this, Jing Nian’an stamped her foot in anger and turned back.
The ends of her hair swung out in an angry arc.
~
Back in the classroom, Jing Nian’an casually took a seat in the back row and pulled out a copy of Advanced Mathematics from her schoolbag.
Her fingernail traced the gilded cover as she frowned and flipped to the first page.
A faint, collective gasp rippled through the room.
The girls by the window quickly pulled out their phones, aiming their cameras at the figure in the last row who never brought textbooks.
Was she… actually studying?
Quick, take a picture! This is definitely going to be today’s hottest post!
Outside the window, the sycamore leaves rustled softly, and sunlight filtered through the gaps in the foliage.
It fell on the girl’s desk, on the tips of her hair, beside her fingertips—but carefully avoided her eyes.
It seemed even the light was treading cautiously, afraid to anger her.
In the shadows, the girl’s long, curled eyelashes cast a small shadow beneath her eyelids.
Her nose was delicate and upturned, her lips slightly pursed, exuding an air of proud elegance. Yet, as she lowered her head to read, she looked uncharacteristically well-behaved.
Her brother had said that knowledge could change one’s fate.
Starting today, she, Jing Nian’an, would begin studying hard and make everyone around her see her in a new light!
Perhaps in the future, she would stand atop a skyscraper, overlooking the entire city.
Wearing gold-rimmed glasses, looking mature and steady, with a glass of red wine in hand…
“Click—”
A sudden shutter sound shattered her daydream of becoming a powerful businesswoman.
Jing Nian’an looked up and glared in the direction of the noise.
A girl fumbled to hide her phone, looking like a little hamster caught red-handed.
—Oops, she’d forgotten to mute it.
“T-the young miss glared at me!”
The girl excitedly grabbed her deskmate’s arm, her voice hushed but unable to conceal her thrill.
“Yeah, maybe you should look up,” her deskmate said without raising her head, her tone faintly amused. “The professor is glaring at you too.”
The professor on the podium adjusted his glasses, his stern gaze sweeping over them. The girl immediately shrank back.
But soon, the elderly professor on the podium adjusted his glasses again and noticed the girl in the back row. Moved, his fingers trembled slightly.
“Class, do you see this? Even Miss Jing has started applying herself!” The professor’s voice quivered with emotion. “This is the power of knowledge!”
Finally, everyone had a legitimate reason to turn around and look.
For a moment, the “click-click” sounds of surreptitious photos grew even more brazen.
The old professor continued passionately, “Class, as long as you want to learn… it’s never too late!”
Jing Nian’an: “…”
Amidst the commotion, the young miss’s face flushed a rare shade of pink.
Her fair cheeks took on a soft blush, and even the tips of her ears turned red.
—The campus forum instantly exploded.
[Campus Forum Hot Post] The Young Miss Is Actually Studying Today! And She Blushed! Come See!
1L OP (Frontline Reporter):
Breaking news! The young miss didn’t cause any trouble today for once—she’s seriously studying advanced mathematics!
And after being praised by the professor, she blushed!!2L: ??? This photo is well edited, but please don’t do it again. I almost believed it.
3L (Window-side Witness):
It’s real! The young lady has been holding this chin-in-hand thinking pose for ten minutes. The shadow her eyelashes cast on her face is absolutely stunning… Wait, I’m not here to compliment her!
4L OP (Frontline War Correspondent):
And her blushing face is seriously super cute!!
5L:
@4L OP (Frontline War Correspondent)
You’re done for. If Sheng Ran sees this reply, your account is gone.
6L:
LOL, Sheng Ran isn’t here today. Rumor has it he got scratched by the young lady this morning and is now at the school clinic getting ointment applied.
7L:
No wonder the forum is flooded with photos of the young lady today.
8L (Modeling Club President):
Hmph, putting on an act. Just a passing fancy. (Saves picture)
9L:
So everyone, seize the chance to take a few more photos today! Sheng Ran’s not here, opportunity knocks!
10L:
With all of you acting like this, won’t Sheng Ran go crazy when he comes back and sees the forum?
11L:
@10L He’s probably already on his way to crazy right now.
Meanwhile, inside the school clinic.
The scent of disinfectant mixed with a hint of blood.
Sheng Ran leaned back on the examination bed, the school nurse having just finished applying medicine to the scrape on his cheekbone.
He hissed as the cotton swab pressed against the wound, his tongue pushing against his numb cheek.
—That slap from the girl this morning, her nails had left a bloody scratch.
No wonder it felt burning.
At this moment, the young man coldly scrolled through his phone. The forum was flooded with photos of Jing Nian’an.
—Her looking down at a book.
—Her glaring up at someone.
—Her blushing face.
Crunch.
The plastic water bottle in Sheng Ran’s hand instantly deformed.
Chen Yang watched as the bottle cap flew off, hit the wall, and bounced back.
“Aren’t you a forum moderator?”
Sheng Ran suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse. “Ban all these people for me.”
“Now.”
Sheng Ran’s thumb slid across the screen over the girl’s flushed cheek, his nail scraping hard against the ID of the sneak photographer.
“Especially this one called ‘Frontline War Correspondent.'”
“We need a reason, though…” Chen Yang mumbled, shrinking his neck.
“Last time you banned the Modeling Club President’s account, they complained to the Student Council…”
Sheng Ran impatiently kicked him. “Just ban them. Why so much nonsense?”
Chen Yang dodged, silently glanced at his phone, then at Sheng Ran’s death glare fixed on the photo, and suddenly understood.
“Ran-ge, are you… jealous they can take pictures of the young lady?”
Sheng Ran’s head snapped up, his gaze murderous.
Chen Yang immediately raised his hands in surrender. “Ban, ban, ban! I’ll ban them right now!”
He lowered his head to operate, muttering under his breath. “Can’t take pictures yourself, so you won’t let others… what kind of person is that.”
Sheng Ran: “…Chen Yang, do you have a death wish?”
Chen Yang instantly shut his mouth, fingers flying across the screen.
…………
50L: ??? What’s going on??? Why is the post locked???
51L:
No need to think. It’s definitely that guy at the school clinic who saw it and is now throwing a powerless tantrum (doge)
52L:
LOL, is he jealous we get to see the young lady sleeping?
53L:
@52L Shh—the OP’s account is already gone. Be careful he comes after you!
*54L (Moderator – Chen Yang):
[System Notice] This post has been closed due to violation of forum rules.(Additional new announcement: 【Strictly Prohibited: Taking Private Photos of Other Students】)
～
Unaware of the heated discussions on the forum, Jing Nian’an propped her chin on her hand, her head nodding off bit by bit.
On the paper before her was the derivation formula for Lagrange’s Mean Value Theorem.
As she wrote, the young girl fantasized about her future glory as a business tycoon—
striding confidently in high heels at board meetings, making even her brother look at her with newfound respect…
“If the function y = f(x) satisfies… zzzzzz”
The latter half of the formula turned into a wavy line.
The young miss rested her head on the open copy of Advanced Mathematics and fell soundly asleep.
【Campus Forum Hot Post】
《Live Broadcast! Quick, Look! Will Be Deleted Soon!!! The Young Miss Has Finally Fallen Asleep in Class!!!》
1L OP (Frontline War Correspondent 2.0):
Folks! OP is back in action!
Just a moment ago, she was frowning and taking notes, her face as serious as if she were applying to join the Party. But now—take a look!
2L:
OP, are you trying to get yourself killed? Back with another account? Aren’t you afraid Sheng Ran will track you down? (sweating)
3L:
The kid has been studying for 20 minutes already. It’s time for a break. (hands clasped in prayer)
4L:
20 minutes! That’s the second most effort she’s ever put into anything in her life—the first being the full-armed swing she used to slap Sheng Ran this morning.
5L: (Student Council – Discipline Inspection Department)
Why are you all so focused on this drama queen sleeping? Don’t you have anything better to do? Study!
6L:
Department Head, stop talking… your favorites folder isn’t private!
7L (The One and Only Little Princess of the Ming Family):
@(Student Council – Discipline Inspection Department)
Holy crap, Ming Jiashu, you’re really sneaky! You stole my photo!
…
27L (President of the Literature Club):
I suggest the school magazine use this photo for the cover: On the Sleep Quality of Contemporary Students
*28L:
President, you… (well done)