SW - 8

One person inside, one outside. One standing tall, the other slightly lower—unexpectedly harmonious.

After walking a short distance, Zhao Ruying couldn’t resist turning her head back. Through the glass window, she could still see Tang Yin’s smiling eyes.

She also remembered how Tang Yin had raised an eyebrow at her just moments ago.

It was as if she were taunting her. Zhao Ruying bit her lower lip.

“Ruying, what are you doing here?” A girl came up behind her and tapped her shoulder. “Class is about to start. Aren’t you going to fetch water?”

Zhao Ruying snapped back to reality. “I’m on my way.” After a quick glance back, she hurried away from where she stood.

The bell rang just in time.

“U-uniform…” Lu Chi put down his pen, his brows furrowed slightly. “Wash it… clean and bring it b-back.”

Tang Yin squinted and responded, “Alright, Chi Chi.”

Hearing this, Lu Chi paused again, hesitating before leaving Class 14, feeling as though a weight had been lifted from his chest.

The classroom was still noisy, but he leaned back in his chair.

Frowning slightly, he casually touched his ear, a faint burning sensation traveling from his fingertips to his heart.

Just as she had said…

As soon as Lu Chi left, Tang Yin reverted to her usual aloof demeanor.

“Ooh,” Su Kexi teased with a smirk. “What’s this? I didn’t know you could be so coy. That little voice earlier—enough to melt someone’s heart.”

Tang Yin calmly replied, “That’s because I hadn’t met the right person yet.”

Su Kexi spoke seriously, “You’ve really changed. Now you’re all mushy and spouting love lines. I actually believe you’ll conquer that little pup sooner or later.”

Tang Yin spun her basketball continuously, flashing her a radiant, dazzling smile.

Not long after, the physics teacher entered the classroom with his hands clasped behind his back. His gaze immediately fell on Tang Yin at the back, feigning sternness. Everyone in the office already knew about the joke Tang Yin had pulled in the experimental class, and so did he.

Now, he couldn’t help but tease, “So, someone has finally returned, huh? Other people’s classes must be more interesting than mine…”

His melodramatic tone made the students burst into laughter, pounding their desks.

The physics teacher was truly a character, especially when it came to Tang Yin—he was utterly exasperated by her.

Tang Yin smiled silently without refuting him, her beautiful eyes curved like crescent moons, shining like stars.

Thankfully, he didn’t make things difficult for her afterward and dutifully began teaching. However, after a while, he digressed again: “Today’s lesson is on major problems. The school-wide average score for physics was only 68. Look at how much you scored. I didn’t even want to look at your papers while grading them.”

Someone retorted, “But teacher, you still came anyway.”

The physics teacher’s lips quivered. “You’re the worst batch of students I’ve ever taught. No contest!”

The class erupted into laughter. This was a line every teacher used. When the next batch came along, the script wouldn’t change.

He tapped the blackboard, finally regaining most of the students’ attention.

Two classes later was the extended break—a full twenty minutes of activity time. As soon as the bell rang, cheers erupted in the classroom, and students paired off in groups of twos and threes, heading to the small supermarket.

The small supermarket was located near the administration building. In a boarding school, the supermarket stocked various snacks and fruits, making it highly sought-after by students from middle school through high school.

Su Kexi stood up and tugged at Tang Yin. “Aren’t you going to buy anything? This is something I borrowed for you, you know.”

Tang Yin looked listless. “No, I won’t go.”

“Right, with how you look now, stepping out would be like throwing a lamb into a pack of wolves—it’s too dangerous. I’ll go buy it for you.”

With that, she dashed out of the classroom like a gust of wind.

She had barely reached the entrance of the small supermarket when she ran into a familiar face—Lü Qiuqiu.

“What about Wenyue?”

Lü Qiuqiu shook her head. “Wenyue got sick yesterday and went home. She took a few days off, and her mom came to pick her up. She probably won’t return until next week.”

“Sick?”

Lü Qiuqiu scratched her head. “I’m not entirely sure. We weren’t in the same exam room yesterday, but last night I saw her leave with her mom. She should be back next week.”

After speaking, she waved her hand. “I’ll head off first.”

Wenyue was also a transfer student, though she transferred during her second year of high school. With her simple student haircut, glasses, and slightly cheerful personality, she fit perfectly into the humanities track.

Her family lived near Third High School, but her mother worked near Second High School, working night shifts. Normally, Wenyue wouldn’t go there.

During the final exams after choosing her track in her first year of high school, Wenyue had fallen ill and was commuting to school. Coincidentally, her mom had forgotten something, so Wenyue went to deliver it—and ended up being cornered.

To a group of delinquents, a delicate, quiet girl like Wenyue appeared to be an easy target, stirring up unwanted intentions.

The greenery along the banks of Jia River was lush, with trees and flowers lining both sides and willows hanging low. Many people strolled there at night.

By coincidence, Tang Yin had just finished her afternoon exam and escaped to Second High School to settle a score, only to witness this scene. Fortunately, there weren’t many people that night—just a few delinquents relying on their reputation rather than strength. They were quickly beaten and chased away.

Afterward, Second High School complained to the principal, and Tang Yin received a warning. Had someone not intervened, it might have escalated to probation.

However, after that incident, Wenyue and Tang Yin’s relationship improved dramatically.

Though Wenyue and Tang Yin had contrasting personalities, they surprisingly got along well.

Because of her poor health, Wenyue was a commuter student. During each extended break, she always brought delicious breakfast treats for Tang Yin and Su Kexi.

Naturally, the two were completely won over.

After parting ways with Lü Qiuqiu, Su Kexi dashed back to the classroom with a black plastic bag in hand and recounted the events to Tang Yin. “Wenyue is small and frail—she’s always been in poor health, so it’s normal for her to fall sick.”

Tang Yin straightened up. “Let’s go see her on Friday. She’s too weak.”

“Mm.” Su Kexi suddenly added, “I’m cutting my hair. Since you’re going that way anyway, let’s do it together on Friday after school.”

Tang Yin tilted her head. “You’ve been growing it out for a long time.”

Su Kexi’s expression remained calm. “Lu Yu liked long hair. Now that he’s gone, there’s no point in keeping it.”

The name Lu Yu hadn’t come up in their conversations for a long time.

Ever since he abruptly transferred to Third High School at the end of last semester without any explanation, they had deliberately avoided mentioning him.

Tang Yin knew the most about their relationship. “It’s probably for the best if you cut it.”

Su Kexi suddenly turned her head. “Are you surprised? Shocked?”

“Idiot.”

As soon as the bell rang for the last class of the morning, Tang Yin and Su Kexi bolted out of the classroom like arrows released from a bow, disappearing from the teaching building in the blink of an eye.

The teacher, still holding the chalk in position, paused for a moment before helplessly dismissing the class.

The students, who had been itching to leave, poured out of the classroom in droves.

“Hurry, hurry! If we’re late, there won’t be any meat left!”

“I wonder how much sweet-and-sour pork they’re serving today—it’s limited. Every time we get to school, it’s like being child laborers.”

Su Kexi handled Tang Yin’s lunch.

All three grades of the high school were dismissed together, while the middle school students were let out five minutes earlier, though some stragglers remained. The cafeteria was packed, but Tang Yin took a shortcut behind the cafeteria and headed straight back to the dormitory building.

The high school dormitory was located at the farthest corner of the campus, where fewer people passed by. It only took about five minutes to run back to the dorm.

A mirror hung on the balcony of the dorm room. As soon as Tang Yin entered, she rushed to the balcony. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, a slow, alluring smile spread across her face.

Closing her eyes, the scene from earlier replayed vividly in her mind.

Tang Yin reached up to touch her neck—the faint breaths had lingered there, warm and tingling, as if freshly imprinted.

That stuttering boy could be quite seductive when he wanted to be. Without making a sound, he had completely swept her off her feet.

No one else had returned to the dorm yet.

Tang Yin flung her arms wide and collapsed onto her bed, suddenly overcome by an urge to roll around. She used to be so reserved.

But ever since meeting Lu Chi, in just a single day, she had transformed into someone constantly fantasizing about another person’s physical presence—a complete lunatic.

In the afternoon, the experimental class had biology.

The biology teacher was a woman who had taught two rounds of advanced classes. Known for her fiery personality, she launched into a tirade the moment she entered the classroom.

“This biology test was so simple, yet your scores are worse than before! What are you going to do during the college entrance exam?” She turned to address the rest of the class. “Did the National Day holiday make you forget everything I taught you? There are even people in this class who scored 60 points! Is this the level of the experimental class?”

“If you have time, learn from the new student, Lu Chi. How did he manage to score full marks? And what about the rest of you?”

Although she wasn’t the one grading the papers, the high-scoring ones were collected for review. One particular paper caught her attention, and she noted the name. Only later did she learn from Teacher Wu that it belonged to the newly transferred student.

The students immediately lowered their heads, pretending to be ostriches, silently enduring the scolding.

It was best not to talk back in her class; otherwise, her sharp tongue would latch onto you, and she’d lecture nonstop for the entire period.

Ignoring them, the biology teacher continued: “Out of the entire school, only two students scored full marks on this biology test. Look at how they did it. Lu Chi, lend me your test paper.”

She glanced toward the last row.

There was no response for a long moment.

The biology teacher frowned and repeated, “Lu Chi, lend me your test paper.”

Lu Chi snapped out of his daze and explained expressionlessly: “It was b-borrowed by s-someone else.”

The biology teacher’s brows furrowed further. “Borrowed? By whom?”

Lu Chi nodded immediately.

The biology teacher felt a bit displeased. It had just been handed back, and she’d heard it was still around this morning. Did they not know she had class this afternoon? Or were they dissatisfied with her?

But considering he had scored full marks in biology, she didn’t press the matter further and gestured for him to sit down. “If all of you were like Lu Chi, there’d be no need for classes. I could retire right now.”

The classroom fell silent.

She kept talking until now, praising him excessively. He was a new transfer student, and on top of that, he stuttered—who was really that good?

Some students felt irritated and turned to look at the back row. From the front, all they could see was Lu Chi bowing his head, sitting alone in the corner, either lost in thought or doing something else entirely.

His glasses obscured most of his face, contrasting sharply with his overly pale complexion, making him look like a delicate pretty boy.

Several girls fixed their gazes on his perfect jawline.