CM - 24

After class, the physics teacher called Shen Tingwen aside.

Students like Shen Tingwen were worth guiding and educating well; his probability of success was the highest in the entire school, and any teacher would tend towards high-probability events.

Zhou Shuirong had just returned to class and lay down for a while to recharge, when a commotion outside disturbed her nap.

Zhao Guqing’s handmade phone case, which she made for Shen Tingwen, somehow ended up in Li Gun’s hands. Li Gun came to the science class looking for someone and was spotted by Zhu Jiayi, who stopped him and demanded to know what was going on.

Li Gun’s eyes were bloodshot, and his possessed demeanor returned. His fists were clenched tight, his lips a thin line, looking murderous.

Zhao Guqing felt it was nothing serious and suggested letting it go. Zhu Jiayi also thought it wasn’t a big deal, but she was already put in a difficult position and had to push through. She tugged Zhao Guqing’s hand as a gesture of comfort, then said to Li Gun, “Speak up, where did you get this phone case? Oh, no, I asked wrong. It should be, where did you steal it from? Didn’t you see the words written on this case?”

More and more people gathered to watch, and the noise grew louder. Zhou Shuirong covered her head with a book.

Shen Tingwen returned to see a crowd blocking the doorway, then looked at Zhou Shuirong tossing and turning, trying to sleep at her desk. He raised his hand and said, “If you want to argue, go to the sports field. Don’t yell here.”

The crowd dispersed.

Once the spectators left, only the main characters remained.

No one was holding Zhu Jiayi back anymore, and she softened, asking Li Gun, “Why don’t you speak? Is there something you can’t say?”

Li Gun said nothing, peeled off the phone case, placed it on the windowsill, and went downstairs.

Zhu Jiayi exhaled, Li Gun’s expression still fresh in her mind. She asked Zhao Guqing, “Was I out of line?”

Zhao Guqing nodded: “A little.”

“Never mind, what’s said is said, it can’t be taken back anyway.”

Zhao Guqing picked up the phone case and linked arms with her, walking back to class: “Don’t be so impulsive in the future. Don’t you always say you’re an egoist? The biggest taboo for an egoist is to commit an evil deed rather than speak an evil word. Although it doesn’t make sense, wounds caused by words are hard to heal.”

Zhu Jiayi understood: “Okay.”

The two returned to class. Zhao Guqing took out the phone case she had made by hand, with Shen Tingwen’s initials on it. When she first made it, she thought it looked good, but now she saw how poor the craftsmanship was and that the colors weren’t chosen well. She wondered why Li Gun would want such a crudely made item.

________________________________________

The last physics class before school ended. Shen Tingwen wrote a note and passed it to Zhou Shuirong.

Zhou Shuirong didn’t even look at it and threw it away directly.

Shen Tingwen passed a second one. Zhou Shuirong immediately raised her hand and said, “Teacher, Shen Tingwen keeps passing me notes; it’s affecting my studies.”

The teacher glanced at Shen Tingwen, put down her book, and said, “Bring the note here.”

Zhou Shuirong handed the note to the podium.

The teacher opened it, frowned: “Both of you, get out!”

Zhou Shuirong immediately guessed what the note said; it must have been a trap for her. Alright, Shen Tingwen, your mind works fast enough. You know you’re doomed but don’t forget to drag someone down with you.

The two stood in their familiar spot. Shen Tingwen asked her, “Aren’t you curious what I wrote?”

“What good could you write?”

Shen Tingwen had taken his book out when he left, saying, “I looked at your paper. You haven’t consolidated some of your knowledge, so you can’t remember the formulas based on those knowledge points. This class is teaching content based on these formulas. If you don’t understand the beginning parts, listening is pointless.”

“So?” Zhou Shuirong looked at him.

Shen Tingwen opened his book and placed it on the windowsill: “So I’ll teach you.”

________________________________________

The bell for the end of class rang, and Zhou Shuirong had memorized the formulas. Shen Tingwen even gave her examples, illustrating various applications on paper with careful strokes, and didn’t say any more idle words. Apart from the quasi-scumbag behavior of using breath mints, he didn’t do anything inappropriate.

Zhou Shuirong used to be invited to many home parties. Those pseudo-second-generations who rented cars to drink free alcohol would prepare many flavors of lozenges, just so their breath would be like orchids when they spoke close to girls.

Shen Tingwen truly was a cunning dog, knowing everything. He’s probably been exposed already, right?

Thinking of this, Zhou Shuirong paused, questioning herself. What was she thinking? Whether he was a virgin or not, what did it matter to her? Was she meddling too much?

Shen Tingwen didn’t teach for free. Seeing that she understood, he placed his phone on her book.

Zhou Shuirong knew that his mind, like a top, was never still, but she wasn’t stupid either. Since he was so skilled and good at teaching, why not take advantage of it: “I can add you back, but from now on, these problems I don’t understand...”

“I’ll handle all of them.”

Zhou Shuirong threw her pen in front of him: “Get it in writing.”

Shen Tingwen opened his notebook to a blank page and wrote: “Shen Tingwen will be solely responsible for all of Zhou Shuirong’s life’s difficulties. As long as she needs him, he will unconditionally be there for her.”

Zhou Shuirong finished reading it and found it strange: “Your ‘all of life’s difficulties,’ isn’t that a bit too broad?”

“Broad is bad? You’re taking such a huge advantage of me.”

Zhou Shuirong glanced at him: “Your dad doesn’t care for it.”

Shen Tingwen was eager for her to add him as a friend: “You don’t care, but I do. Hurry and add me back.”

Zhou Shuirong reluctantly agreed to his friend request. As soon as she accepted, she regretted it. She felt that in this matter, she had been completely led by the nose. This bastard, so unlucky.