WG - 23

The monthly exam was generally scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

The difficulty level of the exam wasn’t high, as it was still early in the school year, and there wasn’t much content to cover; the focus was mainly on overall review.

When Chi Zhiyu followed Xie Ye into the classroom, the morning reading bell rang just in time.

As she walked to the back door, she happened to see Li Taoran from the neighboring class standing in the corridor reading aloud with others.

“...”

Chi Zhiyu silently made her way to her seat, pulled out her chair, and sat down.

Su Le greeted her and then asked them, “Did you see it?”

Chi Zhiyu took out her Chinese textbook from her bag and casually asked, “See what?”

Su Le was puzzled, “Li Taoran is so obvious, didn’t you see him?”

Chi Zhiyu suddenly realized, “Oh, I saw him.”

“He was like that when I came over.” Su Le frowned, “What’s up with Li Taoran? Suddenly wanting to work hard?”

Chi Zhiyu raised an eyebrow, “Maybe.”

Su Le, “With the monthly exam coming up, what’s he doing?”

“Working hard, obviously.” Chi Zhiyu blinked.

“Don’t joke around. Him working hard?” Su Le didn’t believe it.

“Why are you breaking his motivation to study?” Chi Zhiyu raised an eyebrow, “Of course, with the monthly exam approaching, he should study hard.”

Upon hearing this, Su Le felt something was off and reconsidered before looking up to ask Xie Ye, “Your exam room is number five, right?”

Xie Ye nodded, “Mm.”

Su Le understood, “He’s praying in vain and can only rely on himself now.”

Chi Zhiyu raised an eyebrow, “How do you know?”

“You see, Xie Ye and he are in the same exam room.” Su Le raised an eyebrow, “No need to guess.”

Chi Zhiyu chuckled, and Su Le remembered to ask her, “You’re also in room five, right?”

Chi Zhiyu nodded, “Ah.”

“Didn’t Li Taoran ask for your help?” Su Le slightly questioned.

Chi Zhiyu blinked, “He didn’t ask me.”

Hearing this, Su Le asked, “So he asked someone else?”

Chi Zhiyu recalled what Li Taoran said, cleared her throat, “Nothing much, just asked about Xie Ye.”

Who knows what Li Taoran was thinking?

He actually wanted her to ask Xie Ye for help, saying that because he cared for her, Xie Ye would definitely agree.

She immediately found it ridiculous. Setting aside whether he cared or not, such help was impossible.

He was just dreaming.

Then she directly sent him away.

Now recalling it, she felt something was off.

Caring for her? Xie Ye?

It seemed...

Thinking about this, her gaze unconsciously turned towards Xie Ye.

He apparently hadn’t slept enough today; his eyelids were drooping, lazily leaning on the chair with a strong sense of drowsiness.

She wondered what he did last night.

Xie Ye was in a daze, casually raising his eyes when he unexpectedly met her fixed, unwavering gaze.

Unexpectedly,

Xie Ye paused.

And at the moment Chi Zhiyu locked eyes with him, she quickly snapped back to reality and hurriedly shifted her gaze, looked around, and naturally asked, “Did you play games again last night?”

Xie Ye raised an eyebrow, “Hmm?”

“Don’t hmm.” Chi Zhiyu scolded him, “Don’t you know that going to bed early and getting up early is good for your health?”

Xie Ye opened his Chinese textbook and didn’t respond.

Chi Zhiyu continued, “High school students shouldn’t be addicted to online games, you know. You can’t keep doing this.”

Hearing this, Xie Ye raised an eyebrow, “I can’t?”

“Of course not.” Chi Zhiyu glanced at him, “And we have exams today. Do you think you can manage like this?”

“How can’t I?” Xie Ye sneered lightly, “I’m afraid I’ll do too well.”

“...”

Su Le was used to his blind confidence but still remained speechless for three seconds.

After being similarly speechless, Chi Zhiyu lazily ignored him and lowered her head to continue preparing for the exam.

The morning reading session wasn’t long. After a simple review and recitation, the bell rang to signal the end of class.

Chi Zhiyu quickly packed up and prepared to go to the exam room, but as she turned around, she saw Xie Ye still slumped in his chair like a leisurely old man.

She narrowed her eyes and tugged his hand with one hand, “Let’s go, we’ll be late.”

Xie Ye stood up using her strength and let her pull him out.

After the morning reading bell, students filled the corridors, all heading to their exam rooms. The crowd was somewhat congested.

Room five was downstairs, but students on the stairs were stuck halfway, moving very slowly. The close proximity was uncomfortable. Chi Zhiyu hadn’t even reached the stairs yet and was stuck on the middle landing, barely enough space to stand.

She looked at the crowd ahead and furrowed her brows.

Xie Ye stood beside her, also looking uncomfortable due to the congestion.

He turned his head to look at Chi Zhiyu, who was squeezed and couldn’t move, and shifted slightly to the side, making space for her.

Before a few seconds passed, the line ahead suddenly started moving, squeezing bodies downward.

Chi Zhiyu hadn’t even had time to move when she was forced down a step by those behind her.

Before she could steady herself, people behind her began pushing again.

Chi Zhiyu furrowed her brows more deeply and instinctively turned her head to call out, “Xie—”

Her words weren’t fully spoken when she suddenly felt her wrist being grabbed, her waist encircled by his arm, and with a gentle pull, she instantly escaped the crowded predicament.

Chi Zhiyu was momentarily stunned, realizing that she and Xie Ye had switched positions.

Xie Ye looked at the crowd ahead and calmly said, “Don’t move.”

After his words fell, Chi Zhiyu surprisingly obeyed and stood obediently by his side.

The crowd moved downward, and students around kept pushing.

Chi Zhiyu stood between the wall and Xie Ye, with Xie Ye on her side, giving her some space to move, unlike the discomfort she felt earlier.

Xie Ye didn’t let go of her hand; the warmth of his palm pressed against her wrist.

Warm and clear.

Chi Zhiyu lowered her eyes to look at his hand. After a few seconds, she raised her head to look at the crowd ahead and pursed her lips slightly.

Then,

quietly and without a sound,

she suppressed the curve of her lips.

The most congested part gradually loosened up, and the crowd’s density became somewhat relaxed.

Xie Ye led her downward. Once they reached level ground, he naturally released her hand.

“Let’s go.”

The warmth from his palm and the sensation left her wrist.

Chi Zhiyu felt it, calmly nodded, turned her head, and reminded him, “Don’t fall asleep during the exam later.”

Xie Ye slightly tightened his palm, then casually put one hand into his pocket, glanced at her, and said nothing.

“?”

“What do you mean by looking at me?” Chi Zhiyu walked down the corridor toward a classroom at the end.

“You,” Xie Ye looked at her, “are quite hypocritical.”

Chi Zhiyu: “...”

Chi Zhiyu: “?”

Xie Ye leisurely asked, “Didn’t you just say I couldn’t do it?”

“...” Chi Zhiyu found it amusing, “Just because I said you couldn’t, does that mean you really can’t?”

Xie Ye narrowed his eyes, “Of course I can.”

Chi Zhiyu shrugged indifferently, “Yes, yes, you’re very capable, alright...”

“No.” Xie Ye glanced at her, “You thought I couldn’t earlier.”

Chi Zhiyu: “...”

Why did she feel this topic was getting more and more off track?

Chi Zhiyu completely pretended not to understand, blinked, and asked, “What’s wrong with thinking you couldn’t?”

Xie Ye, after walking to the back door of the examination room, spoke with a very disciplined expression, “High school students need to correct their mistakes, got it?”

“...” Chi Zhiyu glanced at him, mimicking his tone and said “Oh”, “Then let it be wrong, I won’t change.”

Xie Ye: “...”

The two entered the examination room. The students who had already arrived noticed them and were momentarily stunned.

They hadn’t expected these two to be assigned to the same examination room.

And when they overheard their conversation as they passed by, they were dumbfounded.

“???”

Am I capable or not?

Discussing this in broad daylight... isn’t it... too stimulating?

Before they could figure it out, their gaze followed them, only to find that their seats were quite far apart.

However, when Li Taoran saw the two, he stepped over to Chi Zhiyu’s seat, “What are you two whispering about over there?”

Chi Zhiyu looked up at him, “Are you done reviewing?”

“...”

Li Taoran paused, “Little sister Chi, do you have to be so heartless?”

Chi Zhiyu blinked, “Isn’t this my way of caring for you?”

“Forget it.” Li Taoran gestured to stop her, “I don’t need this kind of care.”

Chi Zhiyu smiled, “Go review quickly; you’ll feel worse if you can’t write anything later.”

“My eyes are already blurry from reading; I need to rest for a bit.”

After saying that, Li Taoran started looking at her mysteriously again.

Chi Zhiyu noticed, and before he could speak, she preemptively said, “Don’t think about any crooked ideas.”

“...”

Li Taoran coughed, “No, I just want to ask something.”

“If you want to ask, ask yourself,” Chi Zhiyu tilted her head, “He’s right there.”

Li Taoran decisively gave up and ultimately decided to rely on himself honestly.

The subjects for the morning exams were scheduled according to the college entrance exam timetable.

The next day, they would take the science and arts exams, which coincidentally fell on the freshman return day.

Previously, the new freshmen came early for pre-school education and military training.

Now that the freshmen had finished training, they followed the holiday regulations.

They were dismissed on Friday to go home and would officially return to school on Sunday afternoon.

When Chi Zhiyu finished her physics exam, the freshmen were just entering the school gate one by one.

After handing in her test paper and leaving the examination room, it was still early. She gave Xie Ye and Li Taoran an early heads-up, “I’m going to the dance studio first. Call me when you’re ready to eat.”

After speaking, she turned and headed towards the moral education building. As she passed the freshman teaching building, she happened to see the young man giving a speech in the hall.

Opposite the young man stood a few others, laughing loudly like some sort of social gang.

Chi Zhiyu watched from afar without paying much attention, thinking she could slowly walk past without disturbing them.

Unexpectedly, the young man suddenly turned around and met Chi Zhiyu’s face.

Coincidentally, Chi Zhiyu also got a clear look at his appearance and was momentarily stunned.

The young man regained his composure first, looked at Chi Zhiyu, and raised an eyebrow, “What a coincidence, it’s the beautiful senior sister.”

“...”

Chi Zhiyu awkwardly laughed, “Hehe, what a coincidence.”

This person happened to meet her in the dessert shop last time.

It had been almost half a month since she last saw him. This guy was really persistent; he still remembered her.

“Since we’ve met by chance, how about I treat you, senior sister, to some ice cream?” The young man smiled and asked.

Chi Zhiyu met his gaze and heard his words.

She paused.

“No need.” Chi Zhiyu smiled at him, “You can have it yourself.”

“How can I eat it alone? Beautiful senior sister gave me a gift last time; how could I forget?” The young man grinned.

Hearing the word “gift,” Chi Zhiyu already knew what his intention was.

She silently sighed.

It really was bad luck meeting him again.

“Beautiful sister, how can we eat alone? And since we’ve met, come on, no need for us to specially search for you.” One of the friends beside the young man jokingly asked.

The young man echoed, “Exactly, it’s just an ice cream. What’s there to be afraid of, senior sister?”

The same atmosphere, teasing laughter.

The leading young man sneered and leaned closer to her, “Our senior sister wouldn’t be afraid, she even threw shoes at people.”

“...”

Chi Zhiyu didn’t respond, silently retreating her steps backward.

“Hold on, senior sister.” The young man noticed and smiled at her, asking, “Where are you going? I’m waiting for you to have ice cream.”

Seeing him persistently entangle.

Chi Zhiyu looked at him and suddenly said, “Junior brother, you’re being too petty.”

The young man was taken aback and frowned, “What?”

“Just throwing an ice cream, I haven’t even thrown anything else yet,” Chi Zhiyu raised her eyes to glance at him, sneered, “You should consider it a bargain.”

“...”

The young man was stunned for a few seconds, not expecting such a reaction. After realizing what she meant, he directly reached out to grab her.

Seeing this, Chi Zhiyu was about to dodge.

“What are you doing?”

Li Taoran appeared from behind unexpectedly.

After coming out of the teaching building and passing by here, he saw this scene and frowned.

Hearing Li Taoran’s voice, Chi Zhiyu paused her actions and turned to look.

Although the exam had just finished, Xie Ye still looked like he hadn’t woken up, with a detached and drowsy expression, walking casually.

Upon hearing Li Taoran’s voice, Xie Ye lifted his eyes and met her gaze.

Chi Zhiyu paused.

Xie Ye stood in place, glanced at her evasive movements and alert expression, then shifted his gaze to the hand in front of her that intended to grab her.

Without considering any reasons,

Xie Ye raised his eyes, looked at the young man opposite, and spoke in a calm and indifferent tone.

“If you dare touch her, give it a try.”