After sending Xu Ning off, Lin Zhao walked side by side with Pei Lezhi along the street.
The evening wind carried the coolness of autumn, rustling the fallen leaves of the plane trees along the roadside, swirling at their feet.
Pei Lezhi suddenly turned to Lin Zhao. “Lin Zhao, didn’t you used to look down on people without money or influence? You said hanging out with them lowered your status. What changed all of a sudden?”
Lin Zhao paused for a moment, tugging at the corner of her mouth. “Oh, I used to be an idiot. Hanging out with Xu Ning… it’s actually pretty comfortable.”
Pei Lezhi rolled her eyes and frowned. “I didn’t ask you that.”
“I meant, your personality seems to have changed. That Lin girl from before—so high and mighty, could choke someone with her words—when did you learn to speak softly?”
Lin Zhao looked up. The glow of the streetlights flickered across her face. Rarely serious, she asked, “So, do you think I’ve become better… or worse?”
“Of course better,” Pei Lezhi replied without hesitation.
Lin Zhao said nothing, lowering her gaze again.
Silence fell between them. Pei Lezhi was about to say something when suddenly Lin Zhao’s phone rang.
She slowly pulled it out. It was Lin Zhenhai calling. Her expression immediately darkened.
She stared at the phone for half a minute, finger hovering over the answer button, reluctant to press it.
Only when the ringtone was about to end automatically did she take a deep breath and answer.
“Lin Zhao! Are you dead outside or what?!” Lin Zhenhai’s furious voice came through the receiver, making Lin Zhao instinctively hold the phone away.
“Look at the time! Uncle Zhang went to the school gate to pick you up and didn’t see a trace of you! How could you guarantee anything before? And now you run off again!”
“If you don’t come back, I’ll break your legs myself!”
Lin Zhao held the phone back to her ear, hastily inventing an excuse. “I wasn’t fooling around, I went to a classmate’s house to study.”
“Study?”
Lin Zhenhai’s voice was incredulous. “Don’t try to lie to me. Stop making up excuses. Tell me exactly where you are!”
“I’m on my way back now.”
“Back for what?” Lin Zhenhai’s tone turned cold. “Why don’t you just move out? Save yourself the trouble of being in my sight—it’s annoying!”
Pei Lezhi sighed, reached over, and took the phone. Speaking sweetly, she said, “Uncle Lin, this is Lezhi.”
A brief pause came from the other side. Then Lin Zhenhai’s tone shifted completely: “Ah, Lezhi! Lin Zhao’s with you now?”
“Yes, Uncle Lin,” Pei Lezhi said sweetly, without a hint of falsehood. “I asked Lin Zhao to do homework together. She’s a bit forgetful and may have forgotten to tell you. Sorry for making you worry.”
“Oh, I see now.” Lin Zhenhai’s tone softened. “Lezhi, when did you come back? Why didn’t you tell me? I could have picked you up. And are your parents back?”
“Yes, they came back with me.”
After a few polite exchanges, they hung up.
Pei Lezhi returned the phone to Lin Zhao lightly. “Uncle Lin’s being quite strict with you now.”
Lin Zhao took the phone and stuffed it into her pocket, forcing a dry smile. She hated being controlled.
Back home, Uncle Zhang greeted her anxiously. “Miss, you’re finally back! Sir was furious just now. Next time, remember to tell us when you go out.”
Lin Zhao gave a perfunctory response, changed her shoes, and went upstairs.
Rubbing her sore shoulders, she pulled out a chair, sat down, and picked up a test paper.
When she saw the questions, her expression froze.
These problems made her eyes spin; she didn’t even know where to start.
Damn! She didn’t know any of this!
Grimacing, she tackled the paper, question by question.
Anyway, the teacher might not even check it. She could just fill in what she could and guess the rest.
By the time she finished, it was already midnight. Rubbing her tired eyes, red and bloodshot, she shoved the paper into her bag, took a quick shower, and collapsed into bed.
The alarm rang soon after; it felt like she had slept only a few minutes.
She struggled up, washed her face, grabbed her bag, and rushed out.
The autumn morning was chilly. She wrapped her uniform jacket tightly and hurried toward school.
Just as she reached the school building, homeroom teacher Zhou caught her. Zhou, looking exhausted with dark circles under her eyes, frowned. “Lin Zhao, come to my office.”
Lin Zhao’s heart skipped; something felt wrong, but she followed.
Zhou sat at her desk, fingers drumming, serious. “Did you finish the test I assigned yesterday?”
“Yes,” Lin Zhao replied softly.
“Let me see it.”
Lin Zhao pulled the paper from her bag and handed it over.
Zhou’s expression was calm at first, but as she flipped through, her brows knitted tighter, her face darkening.
Finally, she threw the paper on the desk.
“What is this?!” Zhou pointed. “Half of the answers are wrong! Your work is a mess! What have you been doing at school?”
Lin Zhao lowered her head. Even after all these years, she still feared teachers most.
“With grades like this, if your father hadn’t donated a building, you wouldn’t even be in Class One!”
“Do you know how much you’ve dragged down the class average? In other classes, you could do as you please, no one would care!”
“But in Class One, you must prioritize studying. Don’t waste your time with nonsense, understand?”
“Yes.”
“That’s better.” Zhou’s expression softened slightly. “This weekend, complete five more test papers. Bring them on Monday for me to check.”
“What?” Lin Zhao couldn’t believe it. Two papers nearly exhausted her, and now five more?
“Do you have a problem with that?” Zhou asked.
Lin Zhao gritted her teeth. “No, no problem. I’ll do it.”
“Good.” Zhou waved her off. “Go ahead.”
Lin Zhao returned to the classroom, and her first glance was at Gu Zhuoxiao’s seat—empty.
She raised an eyebrow. Not surprised; in the alley yesterday, she had beaten him bloody. There was no way he would dare show up today.
She placed her bag down and saw Xu Ning buried in her own work.
Leaning her elbow on the desk, Lin Zhao leaned toward Xu Ning. “Deskmate, what are you doing?”
Xu Ning flinched, leaving a long ink streak on her scratch paper.
Through her glasses, her eyes carried a hint of exasperation, silently saying, “Are you blind?” Lin Zhao couldn’t help but touch her nose.
“I need a favor… can you—” Lin Zhao began, but was immediately cut off by Xu Ning’s firm response.
“No.”
Lin Zhao froze. “I haven’t even said what it is, and you refuse?”
“Nothing is allowed.” Xu Ning didn’t lift her head.
Lin Zhao poked Xu Ning’s arm, teasing. “Hey, what’s your problem? I walked you home yesterday for your safety, and this is how you treat your savior? Not even willing to listen?”
Xu Ning paused mid-pen stroke, frowning. “You insisted on walking me home. I didn’t ask for it.”
“Fine, I insisted. But you didn’t refuse either. Not refusing means you agreed. Now I’m asking for a little reward. Fair, right?”
Finally, Xu Ning could no longer resist. She turned to glare at Lin Zhao. “That’s nonsense.”
Lin Zhao grinned mischievously. “I love nonsense. I love to push people. If you don’t listen today, I’ll bother you. In class, after class, even outside your house—every day, until you finally listen.”
Xu Ning sighed and resignedly set her pen down. “Fine. What is it?”
Lin Zhao beamed like a child getting candy, placing the criticized test paper between them.
“I want you to explain these questions to me.”
Xu Ning glanced at the paper. “Which ones?”
“All of them,” Lin Zhao said boldly, circling the whole page.
Xu Ning froze, then couldn’t help but mutter, “Did you raise a pig in your head? How can you not know a single question?”
Immediately, she regretted saying it.
Lin Zhao’s smile faded, but she lightly chuckled. “Can’t help it. I’m a bit slow. Teach me, maybe I’ll finally get it.”
Xu Ning quietly picked up the paper, flipping to the first page. A quick glance was enough—almost everything Lin Zhao had written was wrong.
She began explaining patiently, often giving multiple methods for one question, careful that Lin Zhao understood.
Whenever Lin Zhao got stuck, Xu Ning would pause, guiding her step by step.