The top student actually sat next to me
Chen Xiyu, clutching her eloquently written four or five-page self-criticism, headed straight for the head teacher's office the moment the bell rang. When she pushed the door open, her homeroom teacher, Yao Chunsheng, was also there. The two were conversing in low voices over their spread-out report cards. Their topic revolved around Class 3's recent academic performance and the unexpectedly prominent figure, Tan Zhao.
"Teacher Yao, how is the new student Tan doing? I saw his transcript at Qingying University. Wow, he is such a smart kid." Director Pang took a sip of tea, his tone revealing a natural preference for top students.
Chen Xiyu knocked on the door politely, "Report."
"Come in." Director Pang didn't even raise his head.
Chen Xiyu immediately put on the most sincere expression, bowed slightly, and presented the self-criticism with both hands, "Director Pang, Teacher Yao, this is my self-criticism." His attitude was so correct and his tone so sincere that he could win the "Model of Admitting Mistakes" award.
This is Chen Xiyu's way of survival - even if she is reluctant in her heart, she has to appear sincere on the surface. Relying on this "face-changing" skill, she can make teachers angry and helpless after repeatedly making trouble, and even feel a little pity for her, thinking that "this child is actually not a bad person."
Director Pang slowly put down his teacup, took the heavy stack of "confessions," flipped through a few pages, and glanced at him sharply: "Chen Xiyu, your self-review is indeed sincere and your handwriting is neat. But did the teachers ask you to write a self-review just to punish you?"
"Of course not!" Chen Xiyu stood straight and spoke loudly, but in her heart she had already begun to wail: It's over, it's over, old Pangtou's long-winded education lecture is about to begin again! She glanced quickly at the gentle and elegant teacher Yao next to her, as if for help.
Teacher Yao, a young first-time Chinese teacher, had no generational gap with his students and was easygoing. Furthermore, Chen Xiyu's Chinese language scores were among the best in the city, earning him a deep affection. Receiving Chen Xiyu's eye signal, Teacher Yao understood and immediately smoothed things over with a smile: "Director Pang's words are perfectly reasonable. Chen Xiyu, you must remember his earnest advice carefully and don't let his efforts go to waste." This timely "interruption" brought a sigh of relief to Chen Xiyu.
Teacher Yao glanced at her watch and changed the subject, "The English teacher assigned Tan Zhao to be your deskmate. I specifically checked his grades at Qingying University, and they're among the best. Chen Xiyu, you're close to the water and get the moon first. You have such a great resource right next to you. You must seize it. Ask for advice, communicate more, and focus on the right things. Improve your grades and make fewer mistakes."
Director Pang nodded repeatedly, his teacup making a soft sound on the table. "That's right! Chen Xiyu, the person sitting next to you is a talented student from Peking University or Tsinghua University. He's a real gem! You must learn from him and don't lead him astray."
A rising star in the Peking University and Tsinghua University field? Chen Xiyu was a bit bewildered. She knew Keio High School was a strong contender; her aunt, who lived there, had mentioned that her cousin, who graduated from No. 1 High School and got into Wuhan University, even claimed to be the "bottom of the class." But Tan Zhao... were his grades really that good? She had only thought he was good-looking...
Teacher Yao came to the rescue at the right time: "Class is about to start, go back first."
Chen Xiyu felt as if she had been pardoned. She almost floated out of the office and rushed back to the classroom as the bell rang - it was the physics class that gave her the most headaches.
At the podium, the physics teacher was rambling on about electromagnetic induction. Chen Xiyu had just sat down when a low voice rang out from beside her: "How was it? What took you so long? Did you get scolded?" Tan Zhao tilted his head, a look of concern in his eyes.
Chen Xiyu made a bitter face and grumbled quietly, "Don't even mention it. It's like Sun Wukong listening to Tang Monk chanting the Tightening Curse. My head is buzzing. If Teacher Yao hadn't been here, I'd probably still be listening to Old Pangtou's 'Education of Love'."
She took a breath, then suddenly remembered something. She blinked cunningly, leaned close to Tan Zhao's ear, and said mysteriously, "Hey, Tan Zhao, guess what they told me? It's about you~"
Tan Zhao's fingers holding the pen paused slightly, and his eyes moved away from the book to her face, which was close at hand and had a mischievous smile on it. "What did you say?"
Chen Xiyu deliberately dragged out her tone: "They told me—" She looked at Tan Zhao's slightly forward body and focused eyes, and suddenly burst out laughing, covering her mouth, "Hehehe, guess?"
Tan Zhao was choked by her half-sentence behavior and glared at her angrily: "Chen Xiyu, one of the most annoying things in the world is to only tell half of the story and leave people in suspense!"
"Alright, alright," Chen Xiyu said, smilingly, "They praised you as a top student and told me to cling to you and study hard! They even specifically told me," she said, with a deliberately stern face, imitating Director Pang's tone, "'Don't lead Tan Zhao astray!'"
Tan Zhao was about to retort when the physics teacher on the podium cast a sharp glance over: "Those two students back there are having a lively discussion, aren't they? Chen Xiyu, answer this question."
Chen Xiyu's heart skipped a beat, and she thought to herself, "It's over!" She stood up resignedly. Looking at the completely unfamiliar circuit diagram and problems on the projector, she had always struggled to pass the physics exam, and the fact that she hadn't paid attention to the lecture at all just now was simply adding insult to injury.
She subconsciously lowered her head and flipped through the book, not expecting Tan Zhao next to her to come to the rescue - after all, he didn't seem to be listening just now?
"Teacher, I..." She was just about to bite the bullet and say "I don't know" when a piece of draft paper was quietly pushed to her. On it were clearly written the steps to solve the problem and an eye-catching answer: 50V.
As if grasping a lifeline, Chen Xiyu immediately read out loud: "The answer is 50V!"
The physics teacher looked at her scrutinizingly and nodded: "Well, sit down. Listen carefully."
Chen Xiyu sat down, still apprehensive, not daring to be distracted again. She quietly drew a stick figure kneeling in worship on a blank space in her physics textbook, and wrote a small line next to it: "Tan Shen! Accept my humble respect! I will never forget your life-saving grace!" Then she carefully pushed the book aside.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tan Zhao lower his head to glance at the funny stick figure, and then a very light, slightly amused laugh escaped from his throat.
When the bell rang, the still-shocked Chen Xiyu immediately turned into a curious baby: "Tan Zhao! Weren't you listening to the class just now?! Why would you do that? This is unscientific!"
Tan Zhao packed up his books, his tone as calm as if he was saying that the weather was nice today: "Well, I didn't listen. But you can understand this content by reading it yourself."
Physics... I didn't attend the class... I can learn it by studying it myself...
Student Chen, who had always struggled with physics scores in the 30s and 40s, felt a sudden blackout! The combination of these words seemed like a fairy tale to her! What a strange world!
In the following days, Chen Xiyu fully experienced what the "world of academic masters" was like.
Tan Zhao was incredibly strong in math, physics, and chemistry, especially physics, where he often received full marks. Even more remarkable was his unwavering patience in answering questions, never complaining about the simplicity of a question or wasting time. Compared to the other top students in the class who carried a natural aura of "keep away from strangers," he was like a little sun.
For example, the physics unit test paper that was just distributed this time.
Chen Xiyu looked at the bright red "52" on the test paper and instantly smiled. "Wow! I finally got over 50! A historic breakthrough!" She turned around excitedly and asked, "Tan Zhao, how many points did you get?"
The little head leaned over to take a look——
An equally bright red, yet extremely dazzling "98"!
What a desperate yet hopeless number! The 52 points in my hand suddenly lost their appeal and even felt a little hot.
Sitting next to him was a glittering university bully... Was this a blessing or a curse? For the nth time, Chen Xiyu felt like a primitive man who had strayed into a rocket research and development base.
On this day, we had physical education class, and Class 3 and Class 6 (art class) were together. Class 6 was always a campus attraction, full of handsome guys, and the girls mostly had long flowing hair, delicate light makeup, and outstanding temperament.
As usual, the physical education teacher combined the two classes and shouted commands for them to do exercises: "One, two, one, stretching exercises!" He scanned the team and said, "Come on, pick two students to lead the exercises in front!" He first picked Tan Zhao, who was tall, had long legs, and performed standard movements.
When they reached the front of Class 6, a tall, slender girl with outstanding temperament raised her hand and said in a clear voice: "Teacher, let me do it!"
"Okay! What are your two names?"
"My name is Yang Xiaoxiao."
"I'm Tan Zhao."
The two walked to the front of the group, their movements smooth and precise, instantly attracting everyone's attention. Chen Xiyu looked at Yang Xiaoxiao's graceful neck and confident posture, then at Tan Zhao, who stood tall and straight like a poplar beside her, and inexplicably sighed: Indeed... a very pleasing combination.
When free time came to an end, the teams disbanded. Chen Xiyu, Jiang Hui, and a few other girls pulled out their badminton rackets, ready for a few rounds of action. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't favorable. The late autumn wind picked up, and the badminton, like a drunk, flew through the air, making it impossible to play. The girls put away their rackets in frustration and settled on a bench by the playground to share snacks and chat.
Li Zhi munched on a cookie, her gossip burning in her heart. "Xiyu, it seems like you and Tan Zhao have a really good relationship! Tell me some tips on how you got to know such a handsome guy."
Yao Nuannuan also came over, her eyes sparkling: "Yes, yes, he usually seems to be quite distant from everyone, but he talks a lot to you!"
Chen Xiyu was chewing some candy when she heard this and was taken aback. She mumbled, "Huh? Really? I feel like he's pretty friendly with everyone. He's always very welcoming to anyone who asks him questions or chats with him."
Wang Yuyao pushed her glasses and said bluntly, "On the surface, everything seems fine, but haven't you noticed? When Tan Zhao chats with other people, he's just polite and courteous, with those 'Yeah, OK, thank you' kind of words. But only with the people in the back row, and especially with you, does he joke around. His tone is different, and it feels... well, more lively."
Chen Xiyu subconsciously looked at her best friend Jiang Hui for confirmation. Jiang Hui, holding a lollipop in her mouth, thought carefully and nodded: "It seems... there is a little difference."
Chen Xiyu's chewing slowed down, and that inexplicable feeling in her heart resurfaced. Her gaze drifted unconsciously to the nearby basketball court. Through the green wire mesh, she happened to see Tan Zhao's clean three-pointer go in, eliciting a small gasp from the sidelines. Among the crowd watching from the sidelines, Yang Xiaoxiao stood out. She held a bottle of water, her posture natural and generous, her smile bright as she gazed at the court.
Chen Xiyu's heart seemed to be gently bumped by something, and then she felt relieved: Look, this is a man and a woman, a match made in heaven. She shook her head, put aside the strange feeling, and said half-jokingly:
"Maybe it's because I was the first person Tan Zhao met when he transferred here, and we were desk mates, so we had more contact. Yes, that must be the case!" She seemed to be convincing herself.
Yao Nuannuan didn't give up, and whispered: "But I just feel that the way Tan Zhao looks at you is different from the way he looks at others..."
Chen Xiyu was amused and reached out to pinch Yao Nuannuan's chubby cheeks: "Classmate Yao Nuannuan, taking anything will only hurt you! Wake up!"
The whistle sounded, signaling the end of physical education class. Chen Xiyu and Jiang Hui stood up and prepared to return to the classroom. After taking a few steps, they heard a burst of jeering from the boys on the basketball court. She instinctively turned around and saw Yang Xiaoxiao gracefully approach Tan Zhao, who had just finished playing, and hand him a bottle of water and a fresh white towel.
Tan Zhao seemed stunned for a moment, then politely waved his hand, not accepting it. Yang Xiaoxiao's smile remained perfect, but her outstretched hand paused in the air for a moment before she retracted it.
The strange feeling Chen Xiyu had just suppressed surfaced again, like a tiny thorn prick, making her feel a little depressed. She quickly comforted herself: It's normal for good friends to get a little emotional when they get close to others! If her Huihui got too close to someone else one day, she would definitely feel a little jealous. Yes, that must be it, she considered Tan Zhao a good friend!
Back in the classroom, there was only one Chinese class left before school was over. Tan Zhao came back a few minutes later, his hair wet and sticking to his smooth forehead, and his face and hands were also clearly wet. As soon as he sat down, he smiled mischievously and deliberately shook the water droplets from his hands in Chen Xiyu's direction.
"Ouch! Tan Zhao, what are you doing? You're so dirty!" Chen Xiyu shrank back in disgust.
Tan Zhao looked innocent: "It's not sweat, I just washed my face in the bathroom."
"Huh," Chen Xiyu teased him deliberately, "Doesn't the towel handed to you by a beautiful lady absorb water? Why do you have to get yourself soaked?"
When Tan Zhao heard the words "beautiful lady", the smile on his face faded a little. Then, like a cat whose tail was stepped on, he glared at her angrily: "Confiscate it!"
He paused, lowered his voice, and said with a subtle explanation: "I originally wanted to find you to come back together after playing ball, who knew..." He didn't finish the rest of his words, but the meaning was very clear.
Chen Xiyu let out a "huh," feeling a bit surprised. She hadn't expected Tan Zhao, who was always so friendly and friendly to everyone, like someone with "central air conditioning," to reject Yang Xiaoxiao's advances so bluntly, and even have a bit of a... temper? Without giving it much thought, she casually pulled a few tissues from the table and handed them over.
Tan Zhao took it and wiped his face and hands slowly.
"Chenghui, ten yuan each." Chen Xiyu immediately put on a profiteer's face and spread out his hands with a smile, "I used five in total, fifty yuan each. Cash, WeChat, and Alipay are accepted."
Tan Zhao paused in wiping his hands, then looked up at the face before him, which was filled with the expression "extortion." He felt both angry and amused. "Chen Xiyu, you profiteer! Are you taking advantage of me?"
In Chinese class, Teacher Yao was analyzing the text at the podium. Chen Xiyu looked at Tan Zhao, who was diligently taking notes, and for some reason, lowered her voice again and said, "Hey, honestly, Yang Xiaoxiao is quite pretty and has a great temperament. I heard from Wang Yuyao that she studied dance and has won many awards."
She paused, then added quietly in a tone that said, "Brother, I understand you," "Frankly speaking, the two of you standing together, that picture, wow, is quite pleasing to the eye. You look quite a good match, huh?"
As soon as the words fell from his lips, Chen Xiyu felt the air around her suddenly chill several degrees. Tan Zhao's fingers tightened around the pen, his knuckles turning slightly white. He didn't look at her, but gritted his teeth, his words filled with an unprecedented "murderous intent": "Chen Xiyu, try saying one more piece of nonsense? Believe it or not, next time in physics class, I'll be the first to raise my hand and recommend you answer a question."
Chen Xiyu instantly became timid. She covered her mouth with her hands, blinked her big eyes, and begged for mercy pitifully: "No, no, no! Talking about the male idol! Talking about the university bully! I was wrong! I know I was wrong! Please forgive me!" The fear of being called on to answer questions in the physics class instantly overcame her gossipy thoughts.
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