It’s Exciting to Snatch the Supporting Male Lead and Run Away [Quick Wear] - 121

 

IETSTSMLARA | The Top Student is Flawless | 121

"This can also describe brotherhood," Lin Su offered a way out, stepping forward decisively. "If we're testing our bond, let's jump together."

The preparations needed to be adjusted, and Lin Su and Ye Huaitang stood side by side. The staff member, long inured to the displays of affection he had witnessed over the years, gave instructions with a stoic expression.

"Alright, hold on to each other," the staff member instructed.

Lin Su casually opened his arms, while Ye Huaitang found himself thrown off balance by the sudden closeness. The warmth he had tried to forget rushed back, making his fingers stiff and numb.

"You're not uncomfortable with this, right, class monitor?" Lin Su asked, easily wrapping his arms around Ye Huaitang's waist and looking down at him.

Ye Huaitang shook his head, "Not at all."

The autumn air had cooled, but the warmth between them, felt even through their clothes, was unmistakable. Ye Huaitang’s chin rested on Lin Su’s shoulder, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about his current state.

Was it just nerves from the first-time bungee jumping? But the sweat in his palms and the tension he felt now were different from before.

“Wow, is this also a couple thing?!” A girl’s voice faintly reached them.

“They’re both so handsome, and such a good match…”

“Look at how red the shou’s ears are! Hugging each other is so loving!!!”

The girls’ gazes were clearly focused on them. Ye Huaitang didn’t understand the term "shou," but he knew what "couple" meant. "We’re both guys. Why are they..."

“There’s a group of people who are attracted to the same sex in this world. They’re just shipping CPs and supporting people in that group who are in good relationships,” Lin Su said, holding Ye Huaitang’s waist and pressing his lips against his slightly flushed earlobe. “You don’t discriminate against that group, do you?”

“Of course not.” Ye Huaitang was encountering this kind of discussion for the first time. In his view, existence is justified. Such groups would surprise him, but he wouldn’t look at them with disdain. “It’s just that they misunderstood…”

He should be interested in women, not...

“It might not be a misunderstanding,” Lin Su whispered with a smile.

The reason Ye Huaitang was seen as the second male lead was due to his past involvement with Ning Qiu in the original timeline. Those who are truly straight cannot be bent, and those who are bent cannot be forced to be straight.

Ye Huaitang’s heart pounded fiercely at that moment. Before he could ask Lin Su what that meant, he heard a reminder by his ear: “Jumping.”

The sensation of weightlessness suddenly overwhelmed him. 

In that instant of helplessness, Ye Huaitang instinctively clung tightly to the person closest to him. “Ah!!!”

His scream burst out uncontrollably, echoing through the valley. The fear and confusion in that moment seemed to release all the pent-up frustration and anxiety within him.

Losing one's life can be very frightening; without that rope, leaving this beautiful world could be a matter of an instant.

The rope bounced a few times before slowly lowering them down. When Ye Huaitang landed, he felt his legs a bit weak and instinctively grasped Lin Su’s arm. It was only then that he realized Lin Su had remained silent throughout the experience, and when he looked up at Lin Su, he saw a calm expression on his face.

"Do you often do this kind of activity?" Ye Huaitang's competitive spirit flared up momentarily.

Lin Su pondered for a moment and replied, thinking about his world where he flies around without a rope, "I suppose so."

For Lin Su, bungee jumping was not really challenging. He helped Ye Huaitang sit down and asked, "So, did I let you down?"

Ye Huaitang’s fingers lightly touched his legs and said, "You jumped without telling me first. If it weren’t for my strong mental fortitude, I might have had a heart attack from the shock."

"Then you should take me for a jump when I'm not paying attention," Lin Su said with a smile.

It’s better to settle small grievances immediately to avoid accumulating old grudges, which can become overwhelming.

Ye Huaitang replied with an "uh," and his gaze drifted. "Forget it, I’ll let you off this time."

Experiencing bungee jumping once in a lifetime is enough; that feeling of abandoning the entire world is sufficient just once.

After facing life and death, people often come to understand many things. Ye Huaitang used to wonder what it meant to experience life and death and how ordinary people could ever understand it. Now he has experienced it himself.

Life is short, and the scenery along the way is beautiful. If one only chases after goals and ignores the surroundings, they will end up with countless regrets. Because life is so short, one should live for oneself. Everything external should serve one’s happiness, not the other way around, where one is trapped by external things.

His parents had confined themselves and tried to confine him as well, but fortunately, he managed to break free.

Ye Huaitang looked at Lin Su’s profile and said, “I feel like you understand me even better than I imagined.”

If he hadn’t met this person, who intruded into his life in a way he couldn’t refuse, he might still be walking down his previous path.

Lin Su smiled and said, “If I didn’t understand you, how could we be friends? I’m going to buy some drinks. What would you like?”

“Just water,” Ye Huaitang replied with a smile.

Lin Su turned and went to the vendor. Ye Huaitang watched his back, his gaze turning slightly dark. He understood him, knew he was not entirely honest, but did he really understand the extent of his duplicity?

His gentleness was just a facade; underneath it was a desire, sometimes uncontrollable, deeply repressed… a possessive urge.

Lin Su accompanied Ye Huaitang through all the amusement park attractions in one go and only returned home when it was dark.

The main battleground for students was still at school, and most of the experiences there were dull and boring, except for the bottle of drink that appeared daily on Lin Su’s desk.

Ye Huaitang only occasionally glanced at the daily drink during class and then silently looked down. Until one morning, when he saw not only the bottle of drink but also a delicate cake on Lin Su’s desk, he subconsciously tightened his fingers. 

At that moment, Ye Huaitang realized that things had started to change in some way.

“This must be for Lin Su. He really has some nerve, not afraid of getting caught by the teachers,” a classmate said while glancing at it. “First, thet sent a drink, and now a cake. Impressive, class monitor?”

Ye Huaitang picked up the cake and noticed a small pink note under the cake box. Without opening it, the elegant handwriting visible on the edge indicated that it was from a girl.

He knew that Lin Su had been much more well-behaved recently and had become more approachable with classmates. Those who used to resist him could now communicate with him easily. It wasn’t just because of his grades but because of his personal charm.

Lin Su didn’t need any help from him; as long as he wanted to improve his relationships, he would be welcomed by many.

Ye Huaitang was certain that Lin Su’s next exam would amaze everyone, but he hadn’t expected someone to already have their eye on him.

“It’s nothing. Our school prohibits early relationships, so I’ll confiscate these. Everyone should focus on their studies. If there’s another time, there will be criticism,” Ye Huaitang said, taking out a bag and tossing the cake and the note into it.

He was usually easy-going and supportive of his classmates. Even though he sometimes turned a blind eye to minor matters, as a class monitor who frequently reported to teachers, he wasn’t well-liked by students. He hadn’t expected to handle this situation so decisively, without leaving any leeway.

“That girl is being too much, isn’t she? This is school, and she brought it right to the class monitor’s eyes. Doesn’t she expect to get caught?” some classmates discussed.

“What a pity for Lin Su’s first peach blossom,” a boy lamented. “The class monitor is really ruthless, like an autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves.”

“The class monitor is just doing his job,” a girl retorted, not accepting the criticism.

Lin Su arrived a bit late. Before the morning reading officially began, the classroom was a bit lively, but as soon as he stepped in, there was a brief moment of silence. The students exchanged glances, silently agreeing to keep the fact that the class monitor had confiscated Lin Su’s love letter and gifts a secret.

【There’s something fishy here.】 Lin Su said.

However, such subtle changes in expression could hardly escape Lin Su’s keen eyes.

System 06 reported the situation: 【The girl’s small cake and love letter to you were confiscated by the class monitor.】

【That’s fine then.】 Lin Su smiled.

He sat down at his desk and placed a warm bottle of milk in front of Ye Huaitang. “Milk, drink it while it’s still warm.”

The milk was obviously pure. Ye Huaitang touched the warm bottle and asked, “Why?”

“It helps you grow taller,” Lin Su said, pulling out his reading material for the morning.

Ye Huaitang’s fingers stroked the bottle, but his gaze was fixed on the lowered brows of the person beside him. 

In the past, his demeanor had been somewhat gloomy, and his red hair made him look quite intimidating. 

But later, as his hair was dyed black, that gloomy aura seemed to drift further away from him day by day.

His eyes were standard phoenix eyes with long lashes. When he looked down, his lips would slightly press together, giving off a serious and reliable impression. 

Even though he still wore his old skeleton shirt, there was a unique charm to him.

Unknowingly, he had changed from what Ye Huaitang remembered. When gold shines, it attracts many admirers. It’s no wonder someone would take notice of how good-looking he had become.

Ye Huaitang said, “I’m not short.”

“You’re shorter than me,” Lin Su replied with a smile. “You should drink milk obediently until you grow as tall as I am.”

How wonderful it would be if this special treatment were only for him. He discovered this “gold” first; why should it be taken away by someone else? 

Wouldn’t it be better if it belonged to him alone?

“Height isn’t directly related to nutrition; it’s determined by genetics,” Ye Huaitang said as he opened the bottle. “According to you, I’d have to drink milk for my entire life.”

“Well, I’ve taken on the responsibility of providing you with milk for your whole life.” Lin Su leaned closer, pressing his hand against the wall beside Ye Huaitang, and suddenly smiled as Ye Huaitang looked surprised. “How’s that? Am I domineering enough?”

Ye Huaitang’s heart raced. If he remained serious any longer, his heart might just leap out of his chest.

“Promises can’t be broken,” Ye Huaitang said with a smile.

He liked him, though he didn’t know exactly when it began—was it when they first became friends? That rainy day? Or when they were together during the bungee jump?

He remembered every moment clearly. He couldn’t pinpoint exactly when his feelings started, but he knew he had fallen for a guy, someone who belonged to the same-gender attraction group, though he wasn’t sure which group this person belonged to.

“I won’t go back on my word,” Lin Su said as he began his morning reading.

The lively reading voices around them helped Ye Huaitang’s rapidly beating heart calm down. He decided that, for now, this situation was actually quite good.

The monthly exam after the mid-term exam arrived as scheduled. There was no significant difference in process compared to the mid-term exam, except for the name.

Ji Heng was still assigned to the last examination room, while Lin Su had moved on to a more advanced room.

“Good luck, work hard. If you improve by a hundred places this time, I’ll give you a reward,” Ye Huaitang encouraged Lin Su with a gentle expression.

Ji Heng was about to head to the final examination room. Looking at the harmonious atmosphere there, he felt a bit annoyed and casually grabbed Ning Qiu, who was about to sneak away. 

“These are all top students. Why is the class monitor so gentle and approachable, while you’re so mean?”

Ning Qiu, caught by the back of his neck, didn’t have enough strength to break free and could only turn to look at Ji Heng. “Are you bullying me at school?”

Ji Heng paused for a moment before letting go. “Don’t put labels on me. Am I really that malicious?”

“Thanks for cooperating,” Ning Qiu was about to run again, only to be pulled back. He couldn’t help but think he really had a heart for tolerating others, otherwise he would have resorted to school bullying a long time ago. “What do you want, exactly?”

“Since the class monitor has given Lin Su kind encouragement as his mentor, shouldn’t you give me some encouragement too?” Ji Heng asked, looking down.

Ning Qiu glanced over at Ye Huaitang, thinking to himself that the two of them were a perfect match for mutual encouragement—going to school together every day, leaving together, one bringing milk, the other explaining problems, organizing a large number of similar question banks, and putting in their utmost effort. 

If this were purely a platonic male friendship, he’d write his name backward.

“Hmm, good luck. You’re not just bragging about surpassing me, are you?” Ning Qiu asked earnestly.

Ji Heng felt like he was really acting like an idiot who had just shot himself in the foot: “How could that be? Just wait and see.”

“Alright, I’ll be watching. I’m off now. If I’m late later, you wouldn’t want to prevent me from taking the exam and then surpass me, would you?” Ning Qiu asked sweetly.

Ji Heng released his grip on Ning Qiu’s collar. “How could I be that despicable?”

Damn, why didn’t he think of that approach?

But by the time he came to his senses, Ning Qiu had already disappeared without a trace.

The two-day exam ended, and with it came a chance to relax, specifically marked by Ji Heng inviting Lin Su to stay up all night gaming. 

Naturally, Lin Su invited Ye Huaitang to join as well.

Ji Heng was quite skilled, and Lin Su was naturally proficient, but Ye Huaitang struggled a bit to keep up with the pace.

Ji Heng, who had a quick temper, shouted after Lin Su had been dragged down a few times, “Your buddy’s skills aren’t up to par!”

“Well, let’s duo queue then, and you go solo,” Lin Su quickly threw his brother under the bus, catching Ji Heng off guard.

“Brother, are you sure this isn’t some fake macho guy you’re bringing along?” Ji Heng glanced at Ye Huaitang’s character and said, “You know, esports doesn’t involve romance, right? You can’t be playing for love…”

“That’s the class monitor,” Lin Su said calmly.

Ji Heng fell silent and turned off his mic. It would have been fine if he didn’t know the person, but this class monitor was clearly on good terms with his brother, which made it awkward to say such things in front of someone he knew.

The three of them continued to play in silence. After a while, Ji Heng turned on his mic again, “Actually, class monitor, your skills are pretty good.”

No sooner had he spoken than Ye Huaitang was shot down from a distance.

Ji Heng slapped his own face through the screen. Damn, what luck!

Lin Su quickly found the shooter’s position, turned them into a box, and helped Ye Huaitang back up. The three of them continued playing silently, leaving the previous topic behind.

Lin Su had initially thought Ji Heng would remain silent, but when Ji Heng’s usual skillful play was disrupted by a long-distance shot that turned him into a box, he couldn’t help but react.

“This firepower must have come from some good gear. Brother, take him out and avenge me!” Ji Heng switched to the spectator view.

Of course, Lin Su was going to get revenge, but the moment he aimed and pulled the trigger, the opponent dodged it directly.

It was tricky, he encountered a skilled player.

The shooter’s position could be identified, so Lin Su quickly changed his position. When he located the opponent again and took the shot, the bullets ricocheted back at him.

Really smart. Lin Su moved again, crawling forward until he was sure of the opponent’s approximate location. He then threw a grenade, and the kill notification appeared.

[Mu Linsen killed Qiu Ning.]

The red text was especially eye-catching, and a message appeared on the public screen: “How did you know I was there? Are you hacking?”

“Qiu Ning, why not call him Ning Qiu?” Ji Heng said triumphantly, “Dared to ambush me, got flattened, and turned into a box. Serves you right.”

Lin Su continued playing with the username that had eight "Ji" characters, and he couldn't ignore it now. It was noteworthy because in the original world line, the character’s name was Qiu Ning.

It sounded like a girl’s name, but according to the character’s logic: making others think it's a female player sometimes leads to more leniency. Since there was no romantic involvement, why not use this benefit?

“Maybe it’s a girl,” Lin Su said.

Ji Heng snorted, “Do you think I’m the kind of person who doesn’t take revenge just because the opponent might be a girl?”

“You’re not,” Lin Su said.

Ji Heng felt quite pleased: “Exactly.”

“You’re ruthless and merciless, whether it’s a girl or a guy, you’ll get your revenge,” Lin Su added, “No wonder you’re my brother.”

At first, it sounded like praise, but Ji Heng couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off: “Are you sure you’re complimenting me?”

“Otherwise?” Lin Su countered.

Ji Heng couldn’t quite figure it out, so he decided to take it as a compliment: “I’ll add that Qiu Ning later. This girl is too sneaky.”

“And then?” Lin Su asked.

Ji Heng sneered, “Put her in our queue, make her a tool for our team.”

Lin Su: “…”

Ye Huaitang turned off his own microphone and then said to Lin Su privately, saying, “Your friend is interesting.”

What he said was so odd that it looked like there was something off with his brain.

“He’s only like this with those he’s close to,” Lin Su said.

If you’re not close enough, like how he was with the original character at first, he’d be cold and unyielding.

People have many faces, and having different sides in front of different people is perfectly normal.

Ye Huaitang lowered his gaze and said, “He’s quite cute too.”

He wanted to possess this person but didn’t want to restrict him like his parents did, confining everything about him. 

That feeling of being bound is uncomfortable, something he understands from experience. But, as their bloodline, he could allow him to have true friends, yet he didn’t want his energy to be overly monopolized by those friends.

After a match ended, Ji Heng seemed to have encountered a setback with adding people: “I was still rejected. The reason is that I’m too bad. Hmph, woman! I must add her!”

Then there was no more news from him. On Lin Su’s side, a friend request notification appeared, from someone named: Qiu Ning.

Lin Su clicked to accept, and a rapid message came through: “How did you find my location?”

Lin Su typed back: “I deduced your most likely location based on your shooting position. If you think I’m hacking, come play a game together.”

Ji Heng’s frustrated message came through: “Guess what, brother? That person added me and then blocked me right away.”

Lin Su started a team and invited him: “Are you coming or not?”

“Coming. Why wouldn’t I come? If I run into that woman again, even if I have to go down with her, I won’t let her off.” Ji Heng joined the team.

 Lin Su gave Ye Huaitang a wink and then invited Ning Qiu into the group.

Ye Huaitang stared at the screen, lost in thought, as he heard Ji Heng’s gritted teeth: “Oh, isn’t this the person who blocked me earlier? How did they get in? Did they add you as a friend, brother?”

Lin Su didn’t answer, but Qiu Ning’s username quietly typed out: “Are you students?”

“From the way you’re talking, are you an old auntie or something?” Ji Heng replied.

Qiu Ning continued typing: “Yes, that’s right. Do you have a problem with that?”

“I have no problem. Tell me, where am I bad?” Ji Heng asked, sounding defiant.

Qiu Ning: “Wasn’t getting headshot by me a sign of being bad?”

“I was distracted, it was a mistake. Let’s have a match and see who gets more kills,” Ji Heng challenged.

Qiu Ning: “Let’s do it.”

At this moment, Ning Qiu, sitting in front of the computer, looked at the username [Ji Ji Ji Ji Ji Ji Ji Ji] and listened to the familiar voice. He had pretty much confirmed who this person was.

“Such a stupid name, ‘Ji Ji Ji Ji Ji Ji.’ How clueless.” Ning Qiu prepared for battle. He was unable to beat that bully at school, he was determined to make sure that bully understood why the flowers were blooming brightly online.

The game started, and both of them charged forward, leaving behind their once-close teammates. 

The kill notifications kept popping up: you take down one, and they take down two. The kill counts continued to climb, but neither of them managed to pull ahead of the other. 

Ji Heng was thoroughly enjoying himself: “Old Auntie’s skills are really impressive.”

In that moment, Ning Qiu, being called “Auntie,” wanted nothing more than to blow himself up with a grenade and take Ji Heng down with him. 

You’re the old auntie, and your whole family is an old auntie

Ye Huaitang adjusted his equipment slowly and, after turning off the mic, asked: “Is ‘Qiu Ning’ actually ‘Ning Qiu’?”

Lin Su wasn’t surprised he figured it out, but he didn’t hold back on the praise: “Class monitor is smarter than Ji Heng, even though they’ve been deskmates.”

“How did you figure it out?” Ye Huaitang asked.

“I’ve seen him play before, so I could confirm his skill,” Lin Su said. “Why?”

“You should’ve told me earlier,” Ye Huaitang said, glancing at him.

“Brothers are meant to be tricked,” Lin Su replied with a grin. “Don’t you think it’s interesting to see them like this?”

"Because of the efforts of those two, they basically won this round easily. It was quite interesting, but..." Ye Huaitang said softly, "I'm also your brother; why didn’t you mess with me?"

Lin Su's fingers danced quickly over the keys, but his response was very straightforward: "You're different from him."

How is he different from him? Ye Huaitang wanted to ask this question but ultimately swallowed it.

Early romance between men and women might be criticized, but relationships between men and men are taboo. Even though social attitudes have become more open, men being together still attracts strange looks from others.

If he could be with him, he wouldn’t care about others' opinions. But what if Lin Su only sees him as a brother? 

If a confession would ruin their current relationship, making it impossible to even be friends, he couldn't bear that consequence.

Things must come to a conclusion: either this person likes him, or he sees him only as a brother and would eventually fall in love with a woman.

The former would be ideal, but if it's the latter, they won’t even have the opportunity to sit together like this.

"What are you trying to say?" Lin Su looked at him and asked.

Ye Huaitang shook his head and said, "It's nothing. I'm a bit tired. Let's take a break after this round."

"Yeah, let him stay up all night by himself," Lin Su said with a smile.

Even though they were the best of friends, the atmosphere at home felt a bit strange, starting from the morning when Lin Su handed Ye Huaitang a cup of milk. The slight touch of their fingers almost made the warm milk spill along with the cup.

Lin Su barely managed to catch it and looked at Ye Huaitang in surprise, asking, "Is it hot?"

"No," Ye Huaitang replied as he took the cup, "Sorry."

He unconsciously avoided Lin Su, but his gaze kept following him. Whenever Lin Su looked over, he would sit up straight as if he had never been caught sneaking glances.

【Host, the class monitor has secretly looked at you fifteen times in ten minutes.】System 06 said, 【According to system data analysis, he likes you. What do you think?】

【I’ll tell him when he confesses that I see him only as a pure brotherly friend, with no other intentions.】 Lin Su replied calmly.

System 06's mechanical voice was flat: 【Host, please do not tease the system.】

【I’ll choose a good day to confess to him.】 Lin Su said with a smile.

If even the system could detect the unusual behavior, how could Lin Su not notice? It's just that a confession needs both sincerity and preparation.

A hasty confession without any atmosphere would not leave a pleasant memory.

The weekend ended, and the results of the monthly exams were quickly announced. It was normal for Ye Huaitang to regain first place, but what shocked all the students and teachers was that Lin Su, previously at the bottom of the class, achieved a score of 725, placing third in the grade.

"Did the answers get leaked?" a student said.

"But we had surveillance during the exam. Can't the school verify that?"

"Isn't it a bit exaggerated for him to suddenly jump to third place in the grade, even though he seems to be performing well recently?"

"Hard to believe. Could he have found out the answers somehow?"

There were many such doubts. Even Ji Heng, upon seeing the result, instinctively wondered if his friend might have obtained the answers through some hacking skills. Could he have stolen the school's answers? But if it were that easy to be caught, would he be so foolish?

Lin Su's entrance into the school drew the attention of everyone in the second year. The students were full of hesitation and shock.

"Is that him?"

"What's going on exactly?"

"No. 1 Middle School wouldn't let a poor student sit in the first place just for money, right?"

"Who knows? Ji Heng's family is even wealthier; they donated an entire building and he's still at the bottom of the list."

Ye Huaitang was initially puzzled, but when he saw Lin Su's results, he was almost left speechless. He knew that the person beside him would never stoop to cheating. If he was good, he was good; if not, he wasn't. 

But this result was simply too extraordinary.

Even if it were his true score, achieving such a dramatic improvement in such a short time would still create a sense of disbelief among others.

Ye Huaitang smiled and said, "Well done."

Lin Su didn't care about the curious glances from his classmates and directly took his seat, saying, "The class monitor taught me well."

Taking a gradual approach is usually easier for people to accept, but since he was planning to confess, keeping those around him constantly stressed wasn't the behavior of a good partner.

Ji Heng sat in his seat, intending to ask, but was overshadowed by his own report card, which was still in the bottom ranks, leaving him immobile like the monkey trapped under the Five Fingers Mountain.

Ning Qiu looked at the report card and said, "521st place. Wow, that's impressive. You didn’t exceed me in either positive or negative rankings."

"Well, my 1 at the end of the score did exceed you, didn’t it? Zero decimal place surpassing," Ji Heng retorted, trying to resist with a forced laugh.

Ning Qiu couldn't help but poke Ji Heng’s cheek with his finger. "Hmm, it’s not so thick."

His sudden action was unexpected. If any other boy dared to poke Ji Heng, he would have thrown him over his shoulder, but seeing the little academic prodigy poke him, he found it oddly endearing, like a small, soft animal.

Damn, he must be out of his mind.

However, with this first impression, when Ji Heng looked at Ning Qiu again, everything seemed to remind him of something. His slightly chubby cheeks, His smaller hand like a tiny paw, and even his eyes, which looked up with a sparkling, black, and watery gaze.

"Stop acting cute," Ji Heng said, annoyed.

Ning Qiu looked at him incredulously. "Who’s acting cute?!"

You’re the one acting cute, and your whole family is acting cute.

"Better learn from your brother. He's about to surpass me," Ning Qiu said with a snort. "When we all get into good universities, you'll be left behind."

"Strict teaching is the fault of the teacher..." Ji Heng said. "Didn’t you see how seriously Ye Huaitang taught? Have you ever taught me seriously? Just saying."

If the three of them got into good universities together, leaving him behind alone, it would be pretty miserable.

They had agreed to be academic underachievers together, but he secretly turned into a top student. Damn it.

Ning Qiu fell silent, and Ji Heng quietly asked, "Aren't you suspicious that his results might be inflated?"

"Whether there's any issue or not, the school will provide an explanation. Wild guesses won’t help. It's better to prepare for the next exam," Ning Qiu said, having regained first place, clearly unwilling to concede.

They needed to analyze where things went wrong, especially with someone like Ye Huaitang in first place and Lin Su now eyeing third place.

It’s like there’s a wolf in front and a tiger behind, his situation was truly precarious.

Ji Heng was feeling satisfied until he heard someone nearby sigh, "Why is my life so hard?"

Ji Heng: "……"

Top students have a way of thinking that academic underachievers just can’t understand.

During class, the homeroom teacher looked at Lin Su with a complex expression and said, "This time, our class's overall performance has improved, with every subject ranking first in the grade. There are two students who made significant progress: one is Ji Heng, who improved from 835th to 521st place—a jump of over 300 positions, which shows he must have put in a lot of effort outside of class. The other is our student Lin Su, whose results are very noteworthy. We hope you continue to make progress in the future."

Her statement clearly affirmed that Lin Su’s results were not the result of cheating. Many students were still doubtful, and the homeroom teacher continued, "I know many of you have doubts. Initially, we were also skeptical of Lin Su’s significant progress. However, this exam was monitored, and we reviewed all the footage and Lin Su’s rough work. We found no evidence of cheating or any possibility of it. We apologize to Lin Su for our previous doubts."

With concrete evidence presented, the matter was settled, and Lin Su stood up and said, "It's okay. The school clarifying the facts has eliminated a lot of doubts."

Many students looked embarrassed, and the homeroom teacher felt a mix of emotions. She asked, "Lin Su, your improvement is significant. Can you share the secret to your progress with your classmates?"

Lin Su glanced at Ye Huaitang and smiled, "Perhaps it's due to sitting next to the class monitor in this lucky spot."

Some students couldn’t help but laugh, and the homeroom teacher also chuckled before saying, "Be serious, don’t fool around."

Lin Su shrugged and said, "Actually, there’s no special secret. It’s just that the class monitor shared all his methods with me. I did a lot of exercises, corrected my mistakes, and reinforced them with similar problems. I studied until eleven o'clock every night after class. The credit for this result goes largely to the class monitor. Thank you."

His response was very practical, devoid of official encouragement or empty praise, and it touched many students deeply.

"Very good." The homeroom teacher applauded, and the entire classroom’s applause continued. 

"I hope you can maintain this effort and bring more glory to the class next time."

The suspicion about Lin Su’s results being due to cheating was laid to rest, and the school issued a notice. Even though some students found it hard to believe, it was the truth.

Because of this incident, Lin Su gained prominence throughout the school. Many underachievers came to seek his advice, but upon learning about his study hours, they all backed off. 

Meanwhile, Ye Huaitang’s problem sets were requested to be copied numerous times by teachers, with just the addition of a note stating it belonged to the student who went from last place to third in the grade.

While this was a positive development, Lin Su’s improved academic performance made many people forget his previous misdeeds.

"Is Lin Su here? Can you call him for me?" A girl’s voice came from the doorway.

A classmate from Lin Su’s class leaned in and shouted, "Lin Su, someone’s looking for you. It’s a beautiful girl!"

It was the break after the second period, and with around half an hour of free time, everyone was gossiping. Even the top students weren’t immune. Someone teased, "Wow, that’s the class beauty from Class 3. Lucky you!"

"She might just be here to ask about studying. Don’t jump to conclusions," Lin Su said as he stood up. "Besides, the class monitor is right here with me. Are you trying to set me up?"

The classmate was momentarily at a loss for words but, seeing Lin Su heading out, joked, "Saying you don’t want it, but your body is quite honest, don’t you think, class monitor…?"

His gaze shifted and met Ye Huaitang’s somewhat cold stare. Startled and thinking he might be mistaken, he was already on his way out when Ye Huaitang stood up and said with a smile, "Early romance affects studying."

Lin Su was called out of the classroom and saw that the girl who came was indeed very pretty. "What’s the matter?"

"Can you come with me? I have something important to discuss with you," the girl said, nervously clutching the hem of her shirt.

"Whatever you have to say, you can say it here," Lin Su replied.

The girl hesitated, glancing at the curious eyes peeking through the window and door. "Can we go somewhere else?"

"If you don’t tell me, I’ll go in first," Lin Su said, lowering his head.

He turned to leave, and the girl quickly grabbed his sleeve. "The cake I gave you last time—you haven’t replied yet."

"What cake?" Lin Su asked, confused.

His obliviousness led to some boys teasing, "Cake? It must be a love letter. She clearly likes you."

The girl blushed and tugged on Lin Su’s sleeve. "Can we talk somewhere else?"

Surrounded by so many onlookers, she was feeling overwhelmed.

Lin Su pondered for a moment and said, "Alright, follow me."

Finding a spot in the school’s surveillance blind spots wasn’t difficult. There were plenty of such corners next to the abandoned teaching building. 

Once they arrived at a secluded spot, Lin Su stopped and said, “Alright, no one’s here. What’s up?”

The girl bit her lipstick-coated lip nervously and looked up. “I... I... Was the cake I gave you last time good?”

Lin Su clicked his tongue, leaned against a nearby wall, and took out a cigarette. After lighting it and shielding the flame from the wind, he said, “I don’t know what cake you’re talking about. Maybe you gave it to the wrong person.”

His demeanor was quite cold, and his smoking manner was far from the image of a good student, looking more like someone from the streets but still a bit different.

The girl was slightly taken aback. “I know your seat position. I... I like you.”

“I don’t like you,” Lin Su exhaled a ring of smoke and said. “I didn’t even know you before that.”

"I can pursue you, and we can get to know each other slowly," the girl said, her initial shyness fading. "Can you give me a chance to pursue you?"

The girl was beautiful, and even though she had the same bangs as other girls, her features and clothing were much more refined. With such a serious confession, most boys would find it hard to refuse.

Ye Huaitang, who had followed, felt a bit self-deprecating upon witnessing the scene. Despite being a stranger, this girl could so casually express her feelings, while he, due to his gender, had to think carefully before speaking his own heart. It was truly ironic.

"You’re very brave, but sorry, I won’t come to like you," Lin Su rejected her.

...

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