Right after PE class ended, Ye Chen was summoned to the Office by Teacher Wang.
Only Old Wang was in the Office.
"Ye Chen, do you know why I called you here?" Wang Chao asked, sipping his goji-berry tea.
"Sir, don't worry—I won't get cocky."
Ye Chen figured Old Wang just wanted to knock some sense into him so he wouldn't grow arrogant.
"I didn't call you here because of you; it's about Li Sitong and Xia Yingluo."
"Ah!"
Ye Chen froze for a second.
"Do you know why Li Sitong and Xia Yingluo dropped out of the top ten this exam?"
Ye Chen shook his head.
Wang Chao handed the test papers to Ye Chen.
Ye Chen glanced: the last two big questions were left blank by both of them.
He could clearly see that on many basic questions they shouldn't have missed, the two had somehow erred in perfect unison.
Setting aside the rest, those two big questions were ones he'd explained to them just last night—there was no way they couldn't solve them.
Instantly Ye Chen understood why their scores were low.
Teacher Wang looked at him: "See the reason now? Li Sitong and Xia Yingluo bombed the exam on purpose so you'd rank first."
Ye Chen gave a bitter smile.
"These two silly girls."
Just to let him take first place, they'd deliberately missed questions they knew how to answer.
They'd even left the final ten-point problem completely blank.
Ye Chen had faith in himself, but Li Sitong and Xia Yingluo didn't know that.
They were helping him in their own quiet way.
He had to admit, it warmed his heart.
Wang Chao sighed. "I've heard a few things about the three of you. Ye Chen, you know we're in Senior Year of High School now. These two girls treat you so well—do you have the heart to ruin them?"
Ye Chen shook his head.
"Good. Then you know what to do?"
Ye Chen nodded. "Sir, I'll work even harder to cherish and protect them, and live up to their care."
Pfft—
Wang Chao sprayed a mouthful of goji-berry tea.
After all that lecturing, Ye Chen had missed the point entirely.
Wang Chao slapped the desk. "I mean it's Senior Year now—focus on studying, all three of you. Especially Xia Yingluo. You and Li Sitong come from decent families; Yingluo's different. She has no other way out—only University. Understand?"
Ye Chen nodded. "I understand."
Wang Chao went on, "Yingluo has always relied on herself. Only by getting into a good University and landing a good job can she have a future. To be blunt, she can't afford romance—get it?"
Ye Chen said nothing.
"What, you don't agree?"
Ye Chen answered seriously, "Sir, I think mutual affection doesn't have to drag grades down. Youth comes only once—miss it and it's gone. Teacher Wang, I promise: next Mock Exam, the three of us will take the Whole School's top three spots."
Wang Chao was stunned.
He felt the person talking to him wasn't a student at all, but a middle-aged man weathered by life.
"Fine, you said it. If you can't deliver, don't blame me for handling it my way."
Ye Chen smiled. "Rest assured, Teacher Wang, I know you mean well for us—I won't let you down."
With that, Ye Chen left.
Watching his departing figure, Wang Chao sat in a daze.
"This kid's something else."
Because he'd been called to the Office, the Cafeteria was nearly empty when Ye Chen arrived.
He grabbed some food, picked a random table, and sat to eat.
Girls walking by kept glancing at him.
"Wow, that's Ye Chen from Class Five—so handsome."
"Not only handsome, he's a Top Student."
"They say he's amazing at Basketball."
"More than that—he's supposedly a warm guy too."
…Ye Chen paid no attention to their chatter.
He was used to it.
Just then a girl walked over holding a tray.
She was very pretty, in a light-blue checkered dress, long hair over her shoulders, giving a gentle, charming vibe.
"Is anyone sitting here?" the girl asked with a soft smile.
Ye Chen nodded. "Nope, it's free."
After sitting, the girl introduced herself: "I'm from Class 2, Grade 12—Su Xiaonuan."
"Oh."
Ye Chen responded and kept eating with his head down.
He had no intention of chatting up girls.
Su Xiaonuan looked at the boy, a flicker of intrigue in her eyes.
Especially his cool detachment made her even more interested.
"Don't you want to introduce yourself?"
Out of courtesy Ye Chen raised his head. "Class 5, Grade 12—Ye Chen."
"Class Five, Ye Chen—first place in this Mock Exam!"
Ye Chen kept eating. "Mm."
"How sad—first place was always mine. First time bumped to second; not used to it."
Ye Chen looked up. "You'll get used to it."
Su Xiaonuan: "…"
Facing this Top Student beauty, Ye Chen showed zero interest.
He only occasionally glanced up and answered briefly.
Yet the cooler he acted, the more Su Xiaonuan felt drawn to him.
Since primary school she'd never lacked boys chasing her.
This was the first time a guy treated her with such calm indifference.
Su Xiaonuan declared, "Hmph, next exam I'll definitely beat you."
Beat me?
Ye Chen glanced at her. "Oh."
"Don't you have anything to say to your rival?"
Su Xiaonuan was upset by his reaction.
Ye Chen lifted his gaze. "Sorry, I've never seen you as a rival—you're not at that level."
Su Xiaonuan felt his tone icy, leaving her no face at all.
She was irritated and even began doubting herself.
She'd always believed she was the goddess of Jiangzhou No. 1 Middle School.
Countless boys had chased and fawned over her; this was her first time taking the initiative.
Yet the boy before her spurned her, even mocked her.
It gave her a crushing sense of defeat.
Ye Chen finished the food in his bowl and picked up his tray.
"I'm done—see you."
Without giving her a chance to speak, he turned and left.
Watching Ye Chen's back, Su Xiaonuan was stunned.
Her pretty face wore mostly shock.
"Am I not pretty?"
"Why does he dislike me so much?"
Ye Chen admitted Su Xiaonuan was indeed beautiful.
But just because other guys fawn over you doesn't mean everyone will.
Pretty looks—so what?
Li Sitong and Xia Yingluo were stunners, even prettier than her.
Apart from them, any other girl, no matter how lovely, was just a passer-by.
In the Classroom, Yu Weiwei spotted Ye Chen and teased, "Quite the romance, Ye—saw you dining with the Class 2 school flower. Popular with the ladies, huh? Already hooked the beauty of Class Two."
Hearing that, Li Sitong's pen paused; her eyes dimmed and her mood sank.
Though Ye Chen and Xia Yingluo were close, it hadn't bothered her.
But hearing he was with another girl stirred an indescribable discomfort inside her.