Chapter 38: My Duty |
Liu Zhiyue didn’t have a strong impression of Zhou Shiyan.
She was part of the top students’ circle—the overachievers—and unlike him and Zhao Xuanwen, who sat in the back of the classroom, her seat was in the second row at the very center.
The prime spot for model students.
There seemed to be an unspoken rule that top students received preferential treatment from teachers.
Take today’s tardiness, for instance. If it had been anyone else, the teacher would have scolded them harshly. But Zhou Shiyan had been met with nothing but kind words.
After receiving the teacher’s permission, she bowed slightly, walked to her seat, and sat down.
Her posture was impeccable. Perhaps from running, she brushed a strand of hair away from her face before pulling out her books. She placed them on her desk, arranging her pencil case neatly in the center.
Like a chef perfecting a dish, her desk was meticulously organized.
The lesson began.
The math teacher—a middle-aged man with a thermos cup perpetually filled with tea leaves—was an unassuming figure. His thinning hair and slightly disheveled appearance were offset by his habit of leisurely wandering the halls.
In class, his deep, monotone voice often lulled students to the brink of sleep. When that happened, he’d slap the blackboard eraser against the desk to recapture everyone’s attention, only to follow it up with a dull, obligatory joke.
Every time, he would laugh heartily at his own joke before finishing it.
Despite his quirks, he was a decent person.
Liu Zhiyue yawned unconsciously.
The lesson’s content was almost insultingly easy for him, and the teacher’s hypnotic voice only made it harder to stay awake.
Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of class. The teacher left, and the classroom erupted into the usual chatter.
Zhao Xuanwen poked Liu Zhiyue in the stomach with a book.
“Want to go to the bathroom?”
“What’s wrong with you? We’re not even going to the same place!”
He scowled, feeling like she was up to no good.
“Ehehe!”
Giggling behind her hand, Zhao Xuanwen stood up.
“Fine, but after I’m done, I’ll get you something tasty!”
“That sounds disgusting…”
“Stop thinking about it that way!”
Hands on her hips, Zhao Xuanwen grinned mischievously.
“How about some crispy noodles?”
“Don’t buy me snacks—I’m on a diet.”
“Huh?”
Her smile vanished, replaced by an expression of utter disbelief.
“You’re… dieting?!”
“Is there a problem?”
Zhao Xuanwen leaned forward, placing her hand on his forehead as if checking for a fever.
“You don’t feel hot…”
“Quit messing around!”
Liu Zhiyue brushed her hand away, annoyed.
“Aren’t you going to the bathroom? Hurry up.”
“I’m not messing around!”
Instead of leaving, Zhao Xuanwen plopped back into her seat, her expression suddenly serious.
Her gaze was tinged with worry as she looked at him.
Hearing Liu Zhiyue talk about dieting, Zhao Xuanwen wrinkled her nose.
“It’s so weird hearing the word ‘diet’ come out of your mouth…”
“…”
Liu Zhiyue decided to ignore her. It was his tried-and-true method of dealing with Zhao Xuanwen.
But she wasn’t one to give up easily.
“Did someone hurt your feelings? Did a girl you like call you fat?”
“…”
Liu Zhiyue remained silent, refusing to take the bait.
Zhao Xuanwen pouted at his lack of response, grabbed some tissues, and strode toward the classroom door.
Passing by the window, she caught his gaze and let out an exaggerated hmph! before turning away.
What an idiot… she muttered to herself before disappearing down the hallway.
Liu Zhiyue turned his attention to the window, letting his mind wander.
The upcoming finals loomed large, and before the semester ended, the school would require payment for next term’s tuition.
He couldn’t help but worry.
Can Dad’s modest salary cover both my and Xiazhi’s tuition fees?
His chest tightened at the thought.
A sudden tap on his back broke his train of thought.
Surprised, Liu Zhiyue turned around, expecting to see Zhao Xuanwen back already.
Instead, he found himself face-to-face with a small, delicate-looking girl.
Her expression was cool and detached.
“Zhou Shiyan?” he asked, puzzled.
He couldn’t fathom why she, of all people, would approach him.
Standing beside him, Zhou Shiyan wasn’t much taller even though he was seated. If Liu Zhiyue stood up, she’d have to tilt her head back to look at him.
“Do you need something?”
“I’m giving you my notes,” she replied curtly, holding out a blue-and-white notebook.
“Notes?”
Still confused, Liu Zhiyue took the notebook and flipped through it casually.
The pages were filled with detailed summaries of key points from the past week’s classes. Comparing it to Zhao Xuanwen’s chaotic scrawls, the difference was night and day.
Looking back at Zhou Shiyan, he asked, “These are yours?”
“Mm. Copy them quickly and return them to me.”
“…”
“I don’t really need to take notes like this…” Liu Zhiyue admitted reluctantly. To him, jotting down so much seemed unnecessary. He’d rather skim the textbook a few times.
But Zhou Shiyan’s unwavering gaze stopped him short.
“I’m the math class representative. It’s my duty to help my classmates learn.”
“Still… I don’t think it’s necessary…”
“I saw your last mock exam. Out of 150 points, you only scored 96. You didn’t even cross the 100-point line.”
“True…”
Liu Zhiyue hesitated.
Should I tell her the test was too easy and I deliberately got questions wrong to maintain an average ranking?
No, she’d definitely think he was bragging.
Guess I can’t stay under the radar anymore…
“If you have any questions or come across challenging topics, you can always ask me,” Zhou Shiyan added, her tone serious.
After a brief pause, she continued, “You can ask about other subjects too.”
Liu Zhiyue blinked in surprise.
She was just the math class representative, not the class president. Her dedication to her role was impressive—almost excessive.
Most class leaders wouldn’t bother going this far.
Since she had already gone out of her way, it felt rude to refuse.
Placing the notebook on his desk, Liu Zhiyue nodded.
“Thanks. I’ll copy them as quickly as I can and return them.”
“Good,” Zhou Shiyan replied softly before turning to leave.
As she turned, she came face-to-face with someone standing far too close.
Startled, she instinctively stepped back, nearly losing her balance.
Liu Zhiyue reacted quickly, steadying her with a hand on her back to prevent her from falling.
Standing before her was Zhao Xuanwen, her expression unreadable.
“What are you doing in my seat?”