SW - 20

In just a few days, the mid-term exams were held.

Before the results were released, during the final evening study session, homeroom teacher Lin Ru announced the upcoming autumn sports meet.

For senior three students, this was perhaps their only chance to relax. Since the second year of high school, they had no longer experienced physical education classes—almost all periods were replaced by self-study or taken over by teachers for mock exams.

Lin Ru lightly tapped the desk. “Quiet down. During the sports meet, leaving campus is strictly prohibited. If caught, there will be disciplinary action. You’re all in your final year—you know this well.”

The sports meet would last three days, during which classes were mostly suspended, though evening study sessions would still proceed as usual to ensure students didn’t lose touch with their books.

“Sign-ups will be handled by the class monitor. Although senior three doesn’t have PE classes anymore, everyone should still participate. The key is to take part.”

Since senior three no longer had a designated PE representative, the task fell to the class monitor.

The flag bearer was quickly decided—it was the tallest boy in the class, who had served in the role for two years and was used to it.

The monitor retrieved the registration forms from Lin Ru and stood at the podium to announce the events: “...Each event must have at least one participant. So, everyone, please sign up actively. Otherwise, it’ll be embarrassing if our class has no one competing.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the class erupted in jeers.

“What happened to ‘participation is key’?”

“It’s always the same speech every year. We’re almost graduating, and they’re still doing this.”

“Where’s the basic sincerity between people?”

“This mandatory participation is so fake. The school is so boring.”

Despite the complaints, quite a few boys signed up, and soon only one or two male events remained unfilled. However, most female events were still empty, looking awkwardly sparse.

Girls in science classes were always in short supply when it came to signing up.

Though there were more boys, not all could participate. Many girls were also reluctant to sign up. With already fewer girls in the class, those who refused made the numbers even lower.

Over several breaks, the monitor lamented on the podium.

Wasn’t being class monitor supposed to be easy? Yet here he was, juggling tasks left and right. Sigh.

Seeing his struggle, Zhang Mei timidly raised her hand, her face flushed as she signed up for the 50-meter sprint. Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest.

Su Kexi found it amusing and nudged Tang Yin. “Are you signing up?”

“No way.”

“True, the sports meet is just for fun. Let others compete. But are you sure you won’t try? No one’s signed up for the 800 meters in our class yet.”

Science classes originally had fewer girls. Class 14 had barely over ten girls, all delicate and long unused to physical activity.

It could be said that Tang Yin was the physically fittest girl in Class 14.

Even she herself wasn’t particularly athletic, likely only suited for sprints or relays.

A few days ago, without anyone noticing, Tang Yin had injured her foot, though it had since healed. Su Kexi remembered occasionally spotting Lu Chi’s figure outside the dormitory during those days.

Su Kexi’s eyes twinkled mischievously as she whispered, “Imagine Lu Chi watching you compete, cheering you on. How cool would that feel? Maybe he’ll even hand you water.”

Though many people handed out water during events, Lu Chi was different.

“Finally, you’ve proven somewhat useful,” Tang Yin suddenly nodded.

Su Kexi: “You ungrateful wretch! You called me ‘honey’ before, and now you’re abandoning me like this? What a heartbreaker...”

“So dramatic.”

“...”

She should’ve known better than to expect kind words from Tang Yin, despite her good intentions!

By the end of the day, all slots were finally filled.

Only then did the monitor hand over the completed registration forms with satisfaction.

The mid-term exam was a citywide joint test, so grading was extremely strict, similar to the college entrance exam. Unlike previous simple mock exams graded by their own teachers, this process took much longer.

Though sports meet registration had concluded, the event itself wouldn’t start for a few more days. Meanwhile, the mid-term exam results arrived first.

One by one, the teachers recorded scores on the answer sheets, which were then distributed by subject representatives. The classroom erupted in groans and cheers.

“I knew I should’ve chosen C for that question, but I panicked during the exam and changed it to D. It felt off from the start.”

“The ones I calculated carefully were wrong, while the ones I guessed were right. God really hates me...”

“I triple-checked my calculations, and yet everything was wrong! Forget believing in the idea that hard work pays off—it’s all toxic chicken soup!”

...

Su Kexi flipped through her own test papers. She had returned to studying seriously, and after half a month, she wondered how effective her efforts had been.

Tang Yin was still asleep, and her test papers were with Su Kexi. Flipping through them and comparing them to her own, Su Kexi felt utterly defeated.

But upon reaching the physics section of the comprehensive science exam, she couldn’t help but stifle laughter when she saw Tang Yin’s score on the last question.

She could already imagine the physics teacher harping on Tang Yin during the next class.

After the bell rang, Su Kexi slapped the test paper onto Tang Yin’s desk. “Wake up, class is starting.”

Tang Yin opened her sleepy eyes, and upon seeing the grading for the last question, she couldn’t help but cover her face in embarrassment.

She had gotten the last question wrong again.

The physics teacher was already at the podium, and his first words were, “Tang Yin, sigh.”

He shook his head in exasperation.

He truly had no patience left. Why did she always fall short by just a few points? Otherwise, she could have achieved a perfect score. What a waste. If this happened during the college entrance exam, she would regret it deeply.

After class, Tang Yin headed to the experimental class.

As soon as Tang Ming saw her, he instinctively vacated his seat and ran over to Lu Ye, whispering and gossiping together.

Lu Ye initially seemed indifferent, but suddenly remembered something and quietly said to Tang Ming, “Just last week, the day after the school ended evening study early, Lu Chi got up unusually early.”

There were five boys’ dorms in the experimental class, one of which was shared with Class 14. He and Lu Chi were roommates.

“It’s normal for top students to wake up early,” Tang Ming didn’t find anything unusual about it.

There was another early riser in their dorm who always arrived at the classroom early to claim an extra ten minutes of study time. Even the homeroom teacher had praised him once.

Lu Ye smacked Tang Ming lightly. “That’s not what I meant. On that day, Lu Chi actually arrived at the classroom later than usual. When I asked him about it, he didn’t answer. Later, I found out why—Tang Yin had injured her foot.”

Though Lu Ye hadn’t noticed any signs of injury, perhaps she was just too strong...

In the corner.

Tang Yin spread her test paper on the desk, sitting on the chair, and called softly, “Bookworm.”

Lu Chi glanced casually at the last question—it wasn’t difficult.

At least he had scored full marks.

Last time, she had gotten the last question wrong, and this time, she had made the same mistake again.

Seeing the look of superiority in his gaze, Tang Yin shrugged matter-of-factly. “I don’t know how to do it.”

Lu Chi: “...”

He sighed and reluctantly pointed his pen at a spot on the paper, saying faintly, “It’s... here.”

Tang Yin scrutinized it several times. Yes, she had indeed erred there, but when she wrote it, she had thought it correct.

After a while, she moved to Lu Chi’s desk, where his test paper lay, neatly displaying the comprehensive science exam.

Tang Yin’s eyes lit up as she reached out to pull it toward her. Lu Chi didn’t stop her, slightly lifting his arm that had been resting on it.

The steps were simple yet precise.

She stared at it for a few seconds, her bright eyes sparkling. “I don’t understand.”

Lu Chi remained silent.

He took back the paper, circled a few places with his pen, and pushed it back to her. “You can take it... back.”

Tang Yin waited until he finished speaking, then unceremoniously tucked the paper into her arms.

Right as the bell rang, within seconds, she disappeared from the classroom along with the test paper.

It took Lu Chi a long while to react.

By the time the next class began, the physics teacher had failed to retrieve his test paper this time.

________________________________________

The next day.

Tang Yin was napping on her desk, her hair tied into a bun atop her head.

Suddenly, a knock sounded on the window.

Su Kexi saw the expressionless Lu Chi outside and nearly popped her eyes out. She hurriedly nudged Tang Yin. “Hey, your Lu Chi is here looking for you.”

Tang Yin sat up groggily, glancing over to see Lu Chi.

Before she could fully process the situation, her cheeks flushed red, accentuated by her current hairstyle, making her appear especially lively.

Lu Chi covered his lips with his hand, coughed lightly, and turned his head away shyly.

Tang Yin directly opened the window. “What’s up? Did you miss me?”

A faint blush crept onto Lu Chi’s ears as he placed something on the windowsill and walked away from the back door of Class 14 without uttering a word.

Tang Yin curiously picked it up.

What could make Lu Chi come to deliver it personally?

Su Kexi turned her head and immediately spotted it. Leaning over, she asked, “A diary?”

“Lu Chi’s,” Tang Yin replied.

Su Kexi’s eyes widened. “Whoa, what stage have you two reached? Lu Chi came to deliver his diary? Is he willing to let you read it now?”

She had only gone to the restroom for a moment, and now the world felt surreal. Was she dreaming? Pinching herself, she realized it hurt.

Or had studying too hard lately caused hallucinations?

Tang Yin instinctively denied it. “Impossible.”

Given Lu Chi’s personality, even if he kept a diary, he wouldn’t share something so private with her. Moreover, this seemed rather thin—she wondered what it really contained.

The bell rang, and the surroundings quieted down.

Only then did Tang Yin open the notebook. Su Kexi leaned in, watching her every move.

Upon seeing the contents written inside, she suddenly exclaimed, “Whoa, impressive! Hahaha, this century’s best love letter has been born... Tang Yin, go sing ‘Conquered’ hahaha...”

Su Kexi giggled mischievously. “How could you possibly outdo him? This is a top student’s unique way of wooing. Oh my, is our little Tang Yin’s heart fluttering?”

Tang Yin propped her face with one hand, flipping through the pages. Her fingertips grazed the paper, and she couldn’t help but laugh, unable to suppress the sudden surge of joy welling up inside her. Her eyes shimmered like spring water.

To think he would give her this—it was quite ingenious of him.

Lu Chi was earnestly adorable.

Each page was meticulously filled with physics problems.

Flipping further, she found categorized sections. Each problem extended into similar ones, accompanied by detailed solutions and clear, easy-to-understand annotations.

From related theorems, diagrams, to formulas...

All were connected to the question she had gotten wrong in the mid-term exam.