"By the way, there's a test tomorrow to start the new semester. It'll be on basic economics theory, which will be a review of what we learned last semester. You can go back and prepare for it."

The words had barely left his mouth when a bloodcurdling scream erupted in the classroom: "No way!"

"Exams right at the start of the semester?"

"I feel like I've gone back to high school."

"Yeah, that's way too outrageous."

Qiu Yishi felt deep sympathy for their plight. Although he had also been through it, he would never want to go through it again.

He comforted them, saying, "Alright, go back and study early. You still have a chance."

After saying that, he left gracefully, leaving behind a group of students who were utterly dejected.

When Qiao Xi was about to leave, most of her classmates had already left. Before she even reached the classroom door, she heard a voice say, "Stop."

Qiao Xi knew very well who the voice belonged to, but she pretended not to hear it and continued walking out of the classroom.

Upon seeing this, Chu Junze immediately ordered his henchmen to surround Qiao Xi. He looked displeased and scrutinized Qiao Xi from above, saying, "Qiao Xi, I told you to stop, didn't you hear me?"

Qiao Xi had no choice but to turn around and look at him helplessly, saying, "Young Master Chu, what are you saying? I have a name and surname, how was I supposed to know you were calling me?"

"You're amazing! How come I never noticed before?" Chu Junze carefully examined Qiao Xi and felt that she was different from before, but he didn't understand where she got her confidence from.

"I know what your family does. With your status, it would be very difficult for you to get a membership in the Jinghua Family, right?" Chu Junze said tentatively. "Not to mention the pen with the number 001 in your hand. Even my dad couldn't get it."

"Han Linlin couldn't even get a numbered one, so she had to use a fake one to impersonate it."

Qiao Xi understood the implication perfectly, but Chu Junze's performance also surprised her. In her eyes, he had always been a cynical... school bully, and being idle and irresponsible was his motto. But she found that he had suddenly become intelligent.

Qiao Xi asked with a smile, "So, what issue is Young Master Chu trying to clarify?"

"Let me see your pen again." Chu Junze held out his hand to her directly.

Qiao Xi showed no intention of giving it to him. "Does Young Master Chu also suspect that my pen is fake?"

Chu Junze said matter-of-factly, "I did help you, can't I even take a look?"

"No way." Qiao Xi refused decisively.

"You..." Chu Junze hadn't expected to be rejected so decisively!

Qiao Xi didn't want to get too involved with him and just wanted to get away as soon as possible. "Young Master Chu, just pretend it's fake. I don't care that much. If Han Linlin hadn't been causing trouble today, I wouldn't have taken it out."

After saying that, Qiao Xi took advantage of their inattention, found a gap, and nimbly slipped away. Before leaving, she felt she should thank Chu Junze, "Young Master Chu, thank you for today."

Chu Junze belatedly caught up and took a few steps, shouting, "Qiao Xi, you stop right there!"

In the blink of an eye, Qiao Xi had already disappeared.

Chu Junze cursed angrily, "You wretched woman, how dare you disobey me! Just you wait, I'll make you pay tomorrow!"

No sooner had they escaped their predicament than they encountered a dog blocking their path.

Qiao Xi wanted to ignore him, but he was coming for her, and he looked very worried about her. "Xiao Xi."

Ignoring her at a time like this would make her seem petty.

Qiao Xi kept a certain distance from him and politely asked, "Lu, is there something you need?"

Lu Mingxuan stepped forward, his face showing complete trust in Qiao Xi, and said to her sincerely, "Xiao Xi, others may not believe me, but I believe you."

Qiao Xi asked, puzzled, "Lu, what are you talking about?"

“How could your pen be fake? You are the heir of the Jinghua family.” Lu Mingxuan spoke with particular confidence as someone in the know, as if he were intentionally reminding Qiao Xi of his identity.

In her past life, Qiao Xi had a conflict with her maternal grandfather and uncle, so she disliked her identity as the heir of the Bai family and didn't even want to admit it. At that time, Lu Mingxuan repeatedly emphasized her heavy responsibilities and was always by her side to 'encourage' her.

Only she herself knew how moved she was by this at the time, and she never even considered what his purpose was in doing so.

Qiao Xi scoffed, "So... the heir of the Jinghua family can't be a fake?"

Lu Mingxuan immediately dropped the feigned smile on his lips. "Xiao Xi, I don't understand what you mean."

Qiao Xi shrugged helplessly and said, "I don't understand what School Heartthrob Lu is trying to say to me either."

Lu Mingxuan was speechless for a moment. He felt that his hints had been quite effective. Had she genuinely not understood, or...?

He was really angry about what she did at the stationery store, but if she was willing to apologize first or keep her previous promises, he would forgive her and continue to maintain that relationship with her as if nothing had happened.

A fawning smile appeared on Lu Mingxuan's face. He had no choice but to remind her, "Xiaoxi, have you forgotten? You said you would give me a surprise when school starts."

His reminder brought back a memory for Qiao Xi.

In her past life, the hand-drawn fountain pen with the number '001' in her hand was a surprise she gave him; it was a gift she specially prepared to give to Lu Mingxuan.

On the first day of school, the first time she saw him, she gave him the fountain pen.

However, in this life, Qiao Xi not only didn't give him a gift, but she didn't even look at him properly.

But she really didn't expect that he would actually take the initiative to ask her for it.

Qiao Xi frowned suddenly and asked with a puzzled look, "When did this happen? I have no recollection of it at all?"

Lu Mingxuan frowned slightly, but quickly smiled and continued to remind her, "Just last month, you called me specifically to say you were going to give me a surprise when school started."

Qiao Xi nodded knowingly and said to him apologetically, "I'm really sorry, I wasn't prepared."

Lu Mingxuan immediately swallowed and said, "Xiao Xi, isn't that pen the surprise you were talking about?"

Before he finished speaking, the feigned smile on Qiao Xi's face gradually turned into disgust. Where did he get the confidence to think that the pen was a surprise from her?

Whether in the past life or now, it seems she never told him that this pen was a surprise for him. Was he prescient? Or just presumptuous?

Lu Mingxuan seemed to realize that he had been a bit abrupt, but he thought that Qiao Xi probably wouldn't mind, so he didn't bother to explain anything.