Ye Chen glanced at the enthusiastic classmates and continued.
"What is the most beautiful youth?"
"It is going to school, leaving school, studying, striving, and working toward youthful dreams together with the girl you like!"
"It is us turning from classmates into lovers, from school uniforms into wedding dresses."
Many boys were already dreaming of the romance Ye Chen described.
"So romantic."
The girls showed envious expressions, longing to become the girl Ye Chen mentioned… Ye Chen's gaze fell on Li Sitong and Xia Yingluo.
The two girls lowered their heads, their eyes filled with shyness and happiness.
"I really want to tell her, be my girlfriend."
"Whoa!" the classmates below shouted, eager for Ye Chen's confession.
Xia Yingluo and Li Sitong's hearts instantly leapt.
They stared at Ye Chen, hoping he would say their names.
"But I can't."
Everyone was stunned—can't?
"Because the most perfect love, the most perfect confession isn't today; I don't have that qualification yet."
Ye Chen looked at the puzzled classmates.
"Here, I hope everyone can bear witness for me."
"I will wait until the college entrance exam ends. When I obtain the provincial top scorer title, we will return here, and I will formally confess to the girl I love."
"Although I don't have a diamond ring, although I don't have a luxury car, I will use the glory of the Top Scholar to crown our youth and our love."
The Playground fell silent at first, then erupted.
"Alright! We'll wait to witness it for you!"
The classmates were stirred into a feverish spirit by Ye Chen's words.
The venue roared with deafening sound and thunderous applause.
Ye Chen gave a slight nod: "Thank you all."
At this moment, Li Sitong and Xia Yingluo stood among the crowd, their eyes already watery… Lao Wang, sitting in his seat, also felt his blood boil at the scene.
This is what youth should look like.
He even wanted to shout with the classmates.
But after glancing at the Vice Principal beside him, he held back.
Wang Chao cleared his throat awkwardly and said, "That's unacceptable, Principal Wu. Rest assured, I'll go back and firmly criticize them, making them write reflections."
"Criticize? Why criticize?"
Principal Wu looked at Wang Chao in surprise.
"These three kids are outrageous, dating early, and even confessing in such a setting."
"Early dating? Lao Wang, haven't you heard? They plan to confess after winning the Top Scholar in the college entrance exam; once they graduate, it's just romance, not our concern."
The Vice Principal refuted with righteous words.
"But the content of their speech in this setting is a terrible influence."
"Terrible? I think it's great. Look how high the classmates' enthusiasm has been stirred!"
The Vice Principal continued his selective blindness.
"Early dating harms study, it must be corrected promptly."
"Lao Wang, our education should keep up with the times; we can't bind today's kids with old rules. When young people are still naive, proper guidance is enough. Look at these three kids—has early dating harmed their studies? Being in the top three of the Whole School is the best proof."
Wang Chao stared blankly at Principal Wu, seeing the latter's eyes blaze at Ye Chen.
He curled the corner of his mouth.
"Ha, you sound better than you sing. Aren't you just coveting Ye Chen's provincial top scorer?"
"Despicable!"
Suddenly, a flash of light sparked in Wang Chao's eyes.
Could this kid be doing it on purpose?
What a striving youth!
What a provincial top scorer coronation, clearly spoken for Principal Wu's ears.
If Ye Chen also confessed like Li Sitong and Xia Yingluo, Principal Wu certainly wouldn't keep this attitude.
Looking at Ye Chen on the stage.
A smile crossed Wang Chao's face.
This kid is really too crafty.
But if we truly produce a provincial top scorer, that feeling is also quite nice!
Hehehehe!
Thinking of the teacher who will soon become a Top Scholar, Lao Wang couldn't help but grin mischievously.
The flag‑raising ceremony ended, and Lao Wang returned to the Office.
Chen Tao wore a sinister smile: "Lao Wang, you're impressive. Today's flag‑raising ceremony was spectacular."
After all, confessing during the flag‑raising ceremony is practically a challenge to the school's system.
Wang Chao will likely be criticized by the school leaders, maybe even punished.
Thus, an excellent homeroom teacher could become his.
Other teachers were also very worried.
"Lao Wang, lighten up, kids these days are hard to manage."
"Exactly, it's too much. How can kids act like this now?"
Wang Chao was nonchalant: "What are you all saying? I'm fine."
Chen Tao was stunned: "Principal Wu didn't criticize you just now?"
"Criticize me? No way!" Lao Wang said with a bright smile.
"What? Principal Wu didn't ask you and your students to write reflections?" Zhao Tao was taken aback.
Wang Chao boasted: "Write reflections? Impossible! Principal Wu said today's speech under the flag was great. As for those three kids in our class, their dating impacted study, yet they made it into the top three of the Whole School—where's the logic?"
Seeing Lao Wang's Versailles‑like expression, Chen Tao's mindset collapsed.
Other teachers looked enviously.
Some even wondered, should we also encourage outstanding students to fall in love?
...Back in the classroom, Xu Liang couldn't help but say, "Ye Chen, you were amazing today."
"Haha, not bad. By the way, do you have anything else?" Seeing Xu Liang's worried look, Ye Chen asked.
"May I ask you something?"
Ye Chen asked, "Old Xu, why are you still being polite?"
"You study well, is it really because of dating?"
Xu Liang, after hearing Ye Chen's speech, felt his heart surge, wondering if he should also sprint toward the finish line and fall in love.
Ye Chen gave an awkward smile: "That depends on the person; your talent is quite strong."
Xu Liang's expression grew a bit gloomy: "Ye Chen, can you help me? I want to get into a good University."
Ye Chen was taken aback: "What's going on?"
"Well, I saw my mother on the way home from school yesterday, delivering bottled water. The water was so heavy that my mom carried it upstairs alone."
Saying that, Xu Liang's eyes reddened.
Ye Chen knew Xu Liang had lost his father young and was raised solely by his mother.
In Ye Chen's memory, Xu Liang only started pushing hard in the last period, studying furiously, and later got into a decent school.
Now Ye Chen finally understood why Xu Liang was working so hard.
"Ye Chen, I don't want my mom to work so hard. I'll definitely get into a good University and give her a better life," Xu Liang said earnestly.
Ye Chen patted his shoulder: "You silly kid, come over to my house tonight, I'll tutor you."
"Really?" Xu Liang's face lit up.
Ye Chen gave Xu Liang a light tap: "Why are you still being polite with me?"
"Xu Liang, come here, buy breakfast for us." A swaggering voice shouted.
Ye Chen frowned and looked toward the people opposite.
"Ma Chao, the class bully, relies on a bit of family money and even trained in Taekwondo, often picking on classmates."
In his past life, this kid also bullied him, but now Ye Chen's studies improved and a teacher backs him, so he doesn't dare to provoke Ma Chao, leaving Xu Liang as the victim.
Xu Liang frowned, reluctantly agreeing, "Brother Chao, I'm going right now."
Ye Chen blocked him, looking at Ma Chao: "Wait, don't you have legs? Won't you go yourself?"