When I returned to the dorm, Bucktooth and the Luo twins hadn't gone for their afternoon nap yet; they were chatting together. As soon as they saw me, they all curiously asked what the homeroom teacher wanted from me.
They didn't know that Linda was my nominal wife, so of course I wouldn't tell them she was purposely messing with me. I just said casually, "Nothing much. That lazy woman made me go to her dorm to wash dishes and brew her coffee."
Naturally, none of them believed that. They laughed and cursed, "The homeroom teacher asked you to wash dishes? Stop blowing smoke. Probably giving you extra tutoring, huh?"
I grinned. "Believe what you want. See this? Because I washed her dishes so well, she rewarded me with two big apples."
The Luo twins laughed so hard they nearly fell over, tears streaming down their faces. "Andrew, you're full of it." Still, they admitted Linda treated me really well—tutoring me in her spare time and even giving me fruit. No one else in class got that kind of treatment.
I had ranked first in the class on the last mock exam, even a bit higher than class rep Harper. So to them, it made sense that Linda treated me differently. They didn't think anything suspicious of it.
For several days, I stayed alert, waiting for Zheng Zhantao to make his move. He had publicly vowed to drive me out of Second High within a month. As a senior figure among the juniors, his word carried weight—if he didn't follow through, he'd be a laughingstock. So I knew if he said he'd come for me, he would.
But to my surprise, the days passed in calm. Not only did Zheng Zhantao stay away, even his lackey "Turkey" Song Dongyang hadn't appeared. What were they up to?
On Thursday at noon, the two-day monthly exams finally ended. I went to lunch with Bucktooth and the others. While we were eating, Luo said, "Maybe Zheng was just bluffing. Maybe he didn't really mean it."
I shook my head as I spooned rice into my mouth. "No way. Zheng's nickname is 'the smiling tiger.' Don't let that cheerful grin fool you—he's vengeful. If he said he's coming for me, he is. This feels like the calm before the storm. Zheng isn't impulsive like John; he prefers to scheme behind the scenes. He's definitely plotting something."
Bucktooth was startled. "So what do we do?"
We were clearly outmatched. I only had Bucktooth and the Luo twins, no match for Zheng's crew. I hesitated, then said, "Just stay alert these next few days. Help me keep an eye out. Until we know what he's planning, there's not much we can do."
Classes went on as usual in the afternoon. That night, the first period was homeroom. Linda walked into the classroom dressed to impress—an off-shoulder blouse, A-line skirt, crystal-heeled sandals, looking stunning. She carried the freshly printed exam results.
With her entrance, all the boys' eyes lit up. Many of the girls looked at her with envy. Linda was the kind of woman who looked breathtaking every time, no matter how often you saw her.
She smiled on stage and said, "The monthly exam results are out. Overall, you all did well. Your student ranks will be adjusted accordingly. First, let's announce our top student—"
Hearing that, I glanced at Harper sitting in front of me. She turned to look back at me, her eyes flashing with a competitive glint. Yesterday, she'd told me she was in top form and confident she'd beat me.
"The top student is still Andrew. Total score: 722. Ranked third in the entire grade. Not only did he maintain first place in class, but he broke into the top three school-wide."
Gasps of surprise filled the room. My friends clapped proudly. Harper looked dumbfounded, staring at me in disbelief.
Linda continued, "Second place goes to Harper. Score: 720. Also in the top five school-wide. Keep it up!"
Though Harper had improved a lot, she didn't seem happy. She glared at me. "Damn it, Andrew. Don't get cocky. I'll beat you next time."
I couldn't help but smile awkwardly. I thought, *I wasn't even showing off! If I knew you cared this much about being first, I would've intentionally answered a few questions wrong.*
After announcing the results, Linda added, "We're going on a school trip this Saturday to Qingyun Mountain. Please be prepared."
That mountain was a famous tourist spot in our province. No one expected a trip so soon after the semester began. The class erupted in cheers.
After reminding everyone about precautions, Linda ended the class.
The summer heat was rising by the day. I stood with Bucktooth, the Luo twins, and Anqi on the balcony, watching the sports field below while chatting about what to pack for the trip.
Just then, I saw Linda walking out from the lower floor toward the teachers' office building. Right at the stairs, that bald, pot-bellied director David appeared, coming down the steps. He greeted Linda and the two began talking.
Though I couldn't hear from that distance, Linda looked angry. Eventually, she turned and left in a huff, while David smirked behind her back.
I frowned. That old pervert David was still chasing Linda. Still causing her trouble.
Bucktooth hadn't noticed my expression. He suddenly leaned over and whispered, "Andrew, you told us to keep an eye on Zheng Zhantao. I spent 100 yuan and got some info from one of his guys."
We all turned toward him. "What did you find out?"
He whispered, "Remember your rooftop duel with John last Friday? You beat him badly. Zheng is using that incident to deal with you."
I frowned. "What's he doing?"
"He's not going to confront you himself. I heard he secretly told John's dad—Director David—that you injured his son. David found out today and went nuts. Zheng's plan is to get David to expel you."
We all gasped. Anqi cursed, "That bastard Zheng! So sinister—trying to kill with a borrowed knife!"
John had kept his mouth shut, even though I beat him bloody. I respected that. But Zheng ratted me out. What a true 'smiling tiger'—calculated and vicious.
Bucktooth looked at me. "What now? David's infamous for being protective of his son. Now that he knows, he'll definitely come after you."
I recalled the conversation between David and Linda just now. I had a hunch—David wasn't coming for me directly. He was pressuring Linda instead, using me as leverage.
"Zheng wants to borrow David's hand to deal with me? Hmph. Then let's deal with David first."
My friends stared at me, stunned. "You're not gonna beat up David, are you?"
I narrowed my eyes at David and female teacher Li Chunping, who were walking out of the office building. "Of course not. Zheng didn't resort to violence, and neither will we. But if we get dirt on David, he won't be able to touch me."
They were baffled. "But how do we get dirt on him?"
"I already know something."
"What?!"
I told them what Harper and I had accidentally seen once—David and Li Chunping messing around in the women's restroom behind the cafeteria. "David's wife is notoriously fierce. If we get proof of that affair, it'll be like putting a magical binding ring on him—he won't dare act rashly."
The Luo twins exchanged looks. "But how do we get that evidence?"
Just then, David and Li Chunping walked shoulder to shoulder across the sports field toward the school gate.
I smirked. "Opportunity's knocking. Let's follow them quietly."
There was still one self-study session left that evening, but I couldn't worry about that now. Getting leverage on David was the priority. Otherwise, once he made a move, I'd be doomed. With two fights on my record, he could easily find an excuse to expel me.