Yu Weiwei said with a smile, "Aren't you going to do something about your deskmate?"
Li Sitong replied coolly, "Who he eats with has nothing to do with me."
Ye Chen shook his head. "Weiwei, you're overthinking. We're in Senior Year now—how could I still be in the mood for romance? Besides, Su Xiaonuan's looks are pretty average; compared with my deskmate she's not even in the same league."
Yu Weiwei nodded. "Ye Chen, you're absolutely right—that's exactly what I think."
"They even ran a school flower election and put Su Xiaonuan on par with our Si Tong. I've always said that in looks and aura our Si Tong beats Su Xiaonuan hands-down. Most importantly, that flat-chested Su Xiaonuan can't compare with Si Tong in this department—total knockout."
Yu Weiwei cast an envious glance at Li Sitong. "No idea how hers got so big."
"Yu Weiwei, asking for another beating?"
Seeing Weiwei go too far, Li Sitong snapped angrily.
Yu Weiwei meekly slid back into her seat; if she really annoyed Li Sitong there'd be no homework to copy.
Ye Chen watched Li Sitong with interest—no wonder she's the girl I like: both are winter-melon level.
In the last class of the afternoon Wang Chao walked into the Classroom carrying his lesson plans.
The first thing he did was reshuffle the seating.
On Ye Chen's left sat Xia Yingluo, on his right Li Sitong.
Yet Ye Chen wasn't happy in the least.
Because Wang Chao had placed him in the very first seat, front row.
He lifted his eyes straight into Wang Chao's smug grin.
Ye Chen hadn't expected Old Wang to be this ruthless—sticking him, Li Sitong and Xia Yingluo right under his nose.
"Sir, I'm so tall I'll block the students behind me."
Ye Chen tried a last-ditch struggle.
"No problem, just bend over a bit. Didn't you want to be in one study group with Li Sitong and Xia Yingluo? Now the three of you can discuss lessons even more conveniently."
Old Wang grew more and more pleased with himself.
Kid, I've been through High School too.
Dreaming of secretly passing notes or dating? Think again.
Today I'll let you know the ginger gets spicier with age… Ye Chen glanced at Li Sitong, then at Xia Yingluo.
Both girls seemed delighted with the teacher's arrangement.
Xia Yingluo in particular was over the moon.
As long as she could sit next to Ye Chen, she'd be happy even on the teacher's podium.
Li Sitong didn't mind—they'd already been deskmates for three years.
The only downside was having to eat chalk dust along with Ye Chen.
Still, it made keeping an eye on him easier.
That way Ye Chen couldn't sneak off to whisper with Xia Yingluo.
After school Xia Yingluo had something at the Orphanage and left early.
Ye Chen went home alone.
The moment he opened the door Mother Ye bustled out excitedly.
"Xiao Chen's back." She even craned her neck to look outside.
"Why are you alone?"
Ye Chen glanced at Mother Ye. "Who else would I be with?"
"Where's Yingluo? Didn't she say she'd tutor you?"
Ye Chen said, "She's busy today—she's not coming."
The warmth on Mother Ye's face vanished; she walked back to the sofa expressionless.
"??"
"Mom, weren't you just welcoming me?"
"Welcoming you? Dream on. Sigh, why didn't I have a daughter? Girls are so sweet, a mother's little cotton-padded jacket."
Ye Chen was speechless.
"Mom, should I move to the Orphanage so you can swap Yingluo back?"
"Could we?"
Mother Ye's eyes lit up—she looked genuinely hopeful.
Ye Chen: "…"
Am I even your biological son?
Father Ye couldn't stand it any longer.
"All right, cut it out. How did your Mock Exam go?"
"Our colleague Old Zhang's son placed in the top ten of his class in the Mock Exam and keeps bragging to me," Father Ye said enviously.
Ye Chen shrugged. "What's so special about top ten?"
Father Ye rolled his eyes. "What rank did you get?"
"Me? Not bad—first place."
"First?"
Father Ye sprayed out the mouthful of tea he'd just drunk.
He slammed the table with a bang.
"Xiao Chen, weren't you second-last? How could you drop? Did the last-place kid transfer away?"
Ye Chen: "…"
"Dad, I mean first from the top—number one in the Whole School."
As he spoke Ye Chen put the test papers on the table.
The two old folks stared at the papers, stunned.
Math—full marks!
Physics—full marks!
English—full marks!
"It really is first place," Mother Ye said happily. She slapped her thigh. "Yingluo tutored so well. Xiao Chen, you must invite Yingluo to dinner so we can thank her properly."
Ye Chen: "…"
Yingluo had tutored him for one single day, and from start to finish Ye Chen had actually been tutoring her.
After all that effort, the credit all went to Yingluo.
The table was laden with dishes, but from inside came Mother's phone voice.
"Oh, Sister Zhang, what rank did your son get? Eighteenth? Oh, my son took first place—gave us such a shock."
"Sister Wang, about your son tutoring mine—forget it. My boy just ranked first, no need. If your son wants my son to tutor him just say so, don't be shy."
Ye Chen was speechless. "Dad, are we waiting for Mom?"
"Wait for her? The food will be ice-cold. She won't hang up until the whole factory knows you ranked first."
"Sigh, women love to brag."
Just then Father Ye's phone rang.
He answered.
"Old Ye, you called me?"
"Old Zhang, your son placed tenth, right? Guess what rank my boy took?"
… Ye Chen: "…"
Watching Mother Ye and Father Ye glow with pride, Ye Chen felt happier than ever.
Once his biggest regret had been failing to become his parents' pride; now he'd fulfilled that dream… Li Sitong stared at the stock-trading app—another daily limit-up.
Her little treasure chest had grown again—delightful!
At first she'd actually hoped Ye Chen would lose money when she asked him to buy stocks.
After all the market is risky; several of her father's finance friends had lost fortunes in the financial storm just days earlier.
Ye Chen was only a high-schooler—how could he possibly earn money?
Yet the stocks Ye Chen picked hit the daily limit-up every single day.
More than a hundred thousand yuan poured into her little chest each day—what a rush.
Li Sitong was immensely proud.
My vision is superb—who else has the guts to hand over a million yuan for someone else to invest?
Even relatives wouldn't dare, let alone classmates.
So my judgment is simply the best.
Li Sitong was deeply curious how Ye Chen's information could be so accurate.
She wondered if Ye Chen could double her little treasure chest.
"Si Tong, dinner time."
Li Sitong came to the dining room and stared at the laden table in shock.
"Dad, what's the occasion?"
Father Li smiled. "What's wrong?"
"Why aren't you out drinking today?"
Father Li said, "I think Xiao Chen was right. I used to believe earning money and giving you the best of everything was love, but he made me realize that companionship matters most."
Hearing her father's words Li Sitong felt her heart warm and her eyes moisten.
Still she muttered, "That guy Ye Chen is such a busybody."