It’s Exciting to Snatch the Supporting Male Lead and Run Away [Quick Wear] - 117

 

IETSTSMLARA | The Top Student is Flawless | 117

"Finished?" Lin Su asked.

Ye Huaitang hesitated before nodding, "Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Is your weekend always this packed?" Lin Su inquired.

"Only Saturdays. I get half a day off on Sunday afternoons," Ye Huaitang glanced at his watch, "It's quite late already. Do you want to stay over tonight?"

It was evident he hoped Lin Su would stay. After a nonstop day, talking to a friend seemed the only way to ease the fatigue, a break from always maintaining decorum in front of everyone else in the villa.

"I've been here all day. If I stay any longer, I'll practically become part of your family," Lin Su yawned, "How about we hang out next weekend?"

Ye Huaitang felt a slight pang of disappointment. Making Lin Su wait all day wasn't very considerate as a friend. "How about tomorrow? I can find some time in the afternoon... to study with you?"

Studying was out of the question. For someone like Lin Su to manage a day of studying was already remarkable.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow afternoon," Lin Su raised an eyebrow.

"Alright," Ye Huaitang agreed.

Eventually, Lin Su was driven home by the Ye family's driver. Sitting alone in his room, Ye Huaitang felt an unusual quietness in what he had once thought was an adaptable environment.

Ye Huaitang relaxed his shoulders and imitated Lin Su's usual sleeping posture, lying on the desk. Despite this, he felt as though a massive weight was pressing down on him, making it difficult to unwind.

In the car, Lin Su propped his head on his hand, gazing out the window. System 06 asked him, 【  Your not going to stay?】

【  No,】 Lin Su chuckled softly.

If he stayed, he would become Ye Huaitang's escape from the heavy pressure. Ye Huaitang might start to depend on him instead of actively breaking free from the oppressive environment on his own. 

He needed to find his own path and understand what he truly wanted, rather than relying on someone else and hanging precariously by a single thread. That kind of dependency was unhealthy for both parties.

【  Don't you like him?】 System 06 inquired, noticing its host's unusually detached approach to the situation.

【  Now isn't the time to think about that,】 Lin Su replied.

Love should be a positive force, an outpouring of affection that brings happiness to both people involved. It shouldn't be a situation where one person wholly depends on the other, leading to potential hysteria if that support is lost. Prolonged exposure to such negativity would inevitably lead to Lin Su getting tired.

He could support and encourage a future partner, but he wasn't a dumping ground for their negative emotions. Although he had previously considered a romantic interest, it was best to set those thoughts aside for now.

—

Weekends for students typically lacked variety. Although high school students had their own IDs, the age on those IDs clearly barred them from adult venues.

"Basketball or video games, your choice," Lin Su asked with a smile, holding up his test papers that scored over sixty points. "You promised, no backing out now."

Ye Huaitang had agreed to play with Lin Su if he scored over sixty, but he hadn't expected Lin Su to score exactly sixty, not a point more or less. The weather outside was still scorching, and there were no indoor basketball courts nearby. 

With a sigh, Ye Huaitang said, "Let's play games then. But how are we going to play if you only have one computer?"

"I knew you'd pick this, so I prepared another computer," Lin Su said, dragging a large box from another room. Inside were all the components of a computer, and it was clear that they were the same brand as his own.

Lin Su set up a table and began assembling the computer. Ye Huaitang watched, feeling a bit dizzy from all the parts, and worried whether Lin Su could manage. But when the computer booted up, it ran smoothly.

"With skills like that, you could study computer science in the future," Ye Huaitang said, touching the newly assembled computer.

"Who told you computer science majors do this?" Lin Su replied while installing the operating system.

"Isn't this what they learn?" Ye Huaitang asked, puzzled.

"If you ask a computer science student to fix your computer, you might get scolded," Lin Su laughed.

Computer science students typically study software. Only those who enjoy gaming and upgrading hardware tend to know about assembling computers, which has little to do with computer science.

Ye Huaitang corrected himself, "Then it seems you'll be fixing computers in the future."

"And you'll be a violinist, pianist, or artist?" Lin Su countered.

It was just a casual question, but Ye Huaitang froze. None of those...

He aimed to complete his studies and enter the family business, expanding its ventures rather than becoming a specialist in another field—a goal set by his family long ago.

"Well, I still have more job opportunities than you," Ye Huaitang said, sitting down at the computer. "You bought an entire computer just to play games with me, and I might not even play that often."

Clearly, he was changing the subject, and Lin Su didn't correct him. "As long as it makes you happy a few times, it will have fulfilled its purpose."

Despite saying he wouldn't play often, Ye Huaitang became visibly excited after several consecutive victories with Lin Su. "One last game," he said.

"You said that fifteen minutes ago," Lin Su chuckled.

"This time for real. One more win and I'll stop," Ye Huaitang insisted, gripping the mouse. "Are you in?"

"I'm in," Lin Su replied, inviting him to another game.

If he didn't play with him, Ye Huaitang might start a game on his own, and as a novice who had just learned how to join matches, victory would be far out of reach.

As the new week began, Lin Su's new hair color garnered quite a bit of surprise and even admiration from his classmates. 

However, his unconventional attire made them think he was going through some phase rather than turning over a new leaf.

"I have to admit, Lin Su actually looks pretty handsome."

"Being handsome doesn't pay the bills. Without his dad, he'd be just another delinquent."

"But he does have a rich dad. Not everyone gets that lucky. Envy won't change that."

Gossip was an occasional distraction, but study time, though seemingly slow, passed quickly. 

The midterm exams were just over a month after the monthly exams, and students busied themselves with organizing their desks and preparing the exam venues. It took only half a day for the atmosphere to shift into full-on battle mode.

In Class 1, most students clung to the adage "sharpening one's sword before the battle," whether it was memorizing texts or solving practice problems, all to ensure they didn't lose their top spots to students from other classes. 

Amidst this anxious environment, Ning Qiu and Ye Huaitang appeared quite composed. Lin Su, while adopting the facade of a diligent student, often showed signs of confusion when tackling new material, making Ye Huaitang skeptical about his sudden academic improvement.

That previous score of sixty had been a pleasant surprise, but as the curriculum advanced, maintaining that score became increasingly unlikely. 

Despite Lin Su's apparent transformation, Ji Heng remained a disruptive presence, occasionally bothering Ning Qiu. "So, you're the top student from Anyang First High. How do you think you compare to our top student?" he asked.

Though Ye Huaitang, sitting in front, didn't hear Ji Heng's taunt, Lin Su did. 

Ji Heng's curiosity likely mirrored that of other students—if the top student from Anyang outperformed their own, it would feel like their school had lost. People naturally take pride in their institutions, and no one wanted to see their school outshined. Consequently, the pressure on Ye Huaitang mounted.

"It's not about which of us is better representing our school's strength," Ning Qiu replied, focusing on his writing.

"But doesn't it reflect on the school's teaching quality?" Ji Heng teased, leaning on the desk and nudging Ning Qiu's pen, causing his neat handwriting to become messy.

Ning Qiu paused. "Then why hasn't the teaching quality here bumped you from the bottom of the class to the top fifty?" he retorted.

"That's because I don't study. If I did, no one else would come in first," Ji Heng clicked his tongue dismissively.

Ning Qiu tilted his head at him, then turned back silently, a gesture that Ji Heng interpreted as pure disdain.

"You think I can't do it, don't you?" Ji Heng sat up straighter.

"I didn't say anything," Ning Qiu replied.

"You said it with your actions," Ji Heng gritted his teeth.

Ning Qiu gave an innocent look. "You misunderstood. I just look like this, really."

Ji Heng, unable to out-argue Ning Qiu and unwilling to resort to violence over such a minor issue, turned to Lin Su instead. "Brother, what do you think?"

"I think actions speak louder than words. In the face of facts, anyone would have to bow their proud head," Lin Su said.

Ji Heng felt increasingly outnumbered but couldn't back down from his boast. "Not this time, but next time, I'll show you how easy it is for me to take the top spot."

Ning Qiu nodded. "Okay."

Ji Heng felt trapped by his own words, but as a man of his word, he couldn't backtrack. 

Midterm exams were arranged by grades, meaning poor students couldn't easily copy answers. In Lin Su's exam room, most students had already left within the last half hour.

Lin Su checked his exam paper one last time, packed up his belongings, and left under the invigilator's resigned gaze. Due to this timing, every exam ended with Lin Su waiting under the shade for Ye Huaitang.

"Class monitor, what was your answer to the last big question in the physics exam?" a classmate asked as they approached Ye Huaitang.

Discussing answers after exams is always a mix of anxiety and anticipation for students—what if they got it right?

Ye Huaitang replied, "0.24N."

The classmate hesitated. "Oh, I see."

This hesitation indicated a different answer, and their interest in discussing answers immediately dwindled to zero. 

Ye Huaitang smiled and bid them farewell, then walked a few steps to Lin Su. "How did it go? This exam was a bit difficult."

"I did what I could. For the rest, there was nothing I could do but sit there," Lin Su said. "If I improve this time, would you give me a reward?"

"What do you want?" Ye Huaitang asked.

"Clear up your weekend and let's go out and have fun," Lin Su suggested.

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