In mid-August, the new semester began.
It was the height of summer, cicadas shrilling endlessly outside the windows.
"This semester, three new students will be joining our class," the homeroom teacher announced solemnly as soon as he entered the classroom.
"Lu Yige," the names slipped out of her mouth in a quick whisper, "Luo Qing, Chi Yexuan, Zhou Yi."
Sure enough, the teacher immediately announced the same names.
Lu Yige smiled smugly.
Jiang Yu glanced at her. "How did you know?"
"I know everything," Lu Yige said mysteriously.
Of course she knew. This was straight from the novel: at the start of the senior year, three new students joined the science experimental class.
Among them, Luo Qing and Zhou Yi transferred in because of their outstanding grades, while Chi Yexuan—naturally—came for Jiang Nian.
Jiang Yu was still looking at her in confusion, so she added, "I saw the list when I went to the office."
After the homeroom teacher finished speaking, the three new students entered the classroom. At his signal, a strikingly beautiful girl walked up to the podium.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Luo Qing." She bowed slightly, poised and confident. "From today on, I'll be a member of Class One. I hope we can all help each other and make progress together."
Applause broke out, and Lu Yige joined in.
Luo Qing—the female second lead of Nian Nian. Formerly the class beauty of Class Two, with fair skin, long legs, and a stunning appearance. She was Chi Yexuan's true childhood sweetheart.
She was one of Lu Yige's favorite characters in the book: beautiful, generous, easygoing, diligent, from a good family, and with excellent grades. Her only flaw was probably... loving Chi Yexuan too much.
Like Jiang Yu, the second male lead, she was another childhood friend who lost to the "sudden arrival." No matter how deeply she loved or how much she gave, it was all in vain.
Love had never been about who came first—only about whether the feeling was there.
Next came Chi Yexuan. He simply said, "Chi Yexuan," in a curt tone and walked off the podium before anyone could react.
Lu Yige gave a thumbs-up. The male lead really did have personality.
Last was Zhou Yi, a shy and introverted boy. With his head lowered, he stammered, "H-hello... my name is Zhou Yi. P-please take care of me."
Warm applause followed, and Zhou Yi's face flushed bright red.
"Alright," the homeroom teacher clapped his hands. "You three can sit in the empty seats at the back for now. I'll arrange seating during evening study."
Chi Yexuan glanced at Jiang Nian, who was bent over her homework, then headed straight for the last row.
Luo Qing sat down beside him without hesitation.
A curious boy asked, "Young Master Chi, why did you transfer to our class?"
Chi Yexuan's pursuit of Jiang Nian was no secret. Anyone with eyes could guess why he transferred to Class One.
Chi Yexuan couldn't be bothered to answer. He said coldly, "What business is it of yours? I'll come if I want to, leave if I want to."
"Come on, Young Master Chi, tell us," the boy persisted, grinning foolishly.
"What else could it be for?" Luo Qing chimed in mischievously. "Obviously for me."
"For you?"
"Of course. Otherwise, why didn't he transfer earlier? The moment I got into Class One, he followed." Luo Qing nudged Chi Yexuan with her elbow. "Right?"
"Mm." Chi Yexuan, in a bad mood, gave a perfunctory grunt.
They weren't speaking loudly, but the classroom was quiet, and most students heard everything.
A girl sitting behind Jiang Nian tugged at her sleeve. "Nian Nian."
Jiang Nian turned around, glanced toward the back row, pressed her lips together, and said nothing.
As soon as class ended, Lu Yige saw Xu Lu run over. She laughed. "You're here again. Go on, dump all your math problems on me. Last period was boring to death."
"No—no," Xu Lu looked oddly awkward. "Um... um..."
"Just say it."
"Lu Yige, tonight when we change seats, sit next to me." Xu Lu blurted it out loudly with his eyes shut.
Lu Yige had just taken a sip of water and nearly choked. What was wrong with this guy? Why was he so loud—did he want the whole class to hear?
Seeing her freeze, Xu Lu lowered his voice. "I just think it'd be more convenient for us to discuss problems. Don't get the wrong idea..."
"The wrong idea? Are you planning to have me move to the front with you? You'll block other students."
"I can sit in the back. I'm already one-seventy," Xu Lu said stubbornly.
"Really?" Lu Yige looked him over. He did seem a bit taller, but still looked like a middle schooler.
"Just say yes or no."
Lu Yige cleared her throat. "First of all, do you think I can just sit wherever I want? Seats are assigned by the teacher."
Xu Lu froze. "That's true..."
Only then did Lu Yige remember the seating rule in Class One: as an exam-focused experimental class, seats were chosen by ranking.
Xu Lu, as first place, could choose any seat. Lu Yige, as second place, could choose any seat except the one Xu Lu chose.
Naturally, that included the seat next to him.
"R-right..." Lu Yige felt a little embarrassed.
"Then it's settled!" Xu Lu said excitedly.
"Wait, wait." Lu Yige flicked a glance at Jiang Yu. "I haven't agreed yet."
"If you're not agreeing, then don't. Why did you even look at him?" Xu Lu shot back.
"Did I? I don't think I did..." Lu Yige thought ruefully that Xu Lu's eyesight was impressively sharp—for someone who wore glasses.
She said seriously, "I just think if I sit with you, I won't be able to focus in class. I'll probably be doing math all day, which would hurt my overall grades."
"That's true..." Xu Lu scratched his head. "Other subjects are important too. Sitting with you would definitely affect my grades."
"Never mind! I won't sit with you!" Xu Lu figured it out and ran back to his seat.
Lu Yige watched him with a smile. How could someone be this pure-hearted?
"Even if you don't sit with him, you don't pay attention in class anyway," Jiang Yu said calmly, eyes on his book.
Lu Yige glared at him. Jiang Yu, must you be so brutally honest?
"So you actually want to sit with me," Jiang Yu lifted his gaze from the book.
Lu Yige: "..."
Xu Lu returned to his seat just as Jiang Nian suddenly stood up and walked toward the back row.
"Where are you going?" Xu Lu muttered, but didn't bother stopping her. He picked up a fresh test paper and started working.
Jiang Nian steeled herself, but when she stood in front of Chi Yexuan, her presence still faltered.
She placed the watch Chi Yexuan had given her on his desk. "I don't want it anymore. I'm giving it back."
He had been a little pleased to see her approach, but his expression darkened immediately. "If you don't want it, then fine."
He tossed the watch to Luo Qing. "Here."
Luo Qing didn't take it. She looked at him and said, "Why should I take something someone else doesn't want? I only want gifts you give me sincerely."
"Fine. I'll make it up to you next time." Chi Yexuan grabbed the watch and threw it into the trash.
Jiang Nian stood there, head lowered, lips pressed together, her eyes red.
"Tsk." Watching the scene, Lu Yige sighed, then said to Jiang Yu, "You shouldn't be here."
The male lead, female lead, and female second lead were all present. Male second lead—your cue. Hurry up. Lu Yige tried to signal him with her eyes.
"Then where should I be?" Jiang Yu asked.
"You should go comfort—"
"I should only be by your side," Jiang Yu cut her off.
Lu Yige: "..."
As expected, the normal Jiang Yu from those days in Shanghai had been the abnormal one.
"I mean, Jiang Nian looks upset. Don't you want to go comfort her?"
"I promised you I'd keep my distance from her."
Lu Yige sighed helplessly. She really hadn't meant that, really hadn't!
Besides, who was he fooling? Just days before school started, he had gone out to see Jiang Nian—she wasn't blind.
"Go on, I approve." Lu Yige handed him a tissue.
After hesitating for a moment, Jiang Yu still walked over.
That was more like it. Male lead, female lead, male second lead, female second lead—all together. How harmonious.
As Lu Yige watched them, she suddenly noticed a sneaky figure at the back door.
Ah yes—the purple-highlighted hair, the defiant expression. It was Ye Chen, the non-mainstream delinquent, without a doubt.
Ye Chen looked over and met Lu Yige's gaze.
He narrowed his eyes and crooked a finger at her. "You. Come here."
"Me?" Lu Yige pointed at herself.
Ye Chen tilted his chin, signaling her to come out.
The moment she stepped out of the classroom, Ye Chen pinned her against the wall with one hand and said, "Pretty girl, did you miss me?"
Lu Yige rolled her eyes internally. No wonder he and Chi Yexuan were best buddies—same flirting tactics, exactly alike.
"Ye Chen, don't mess with me," Lu Yige warned.
"Miss Lu of the Lu family. Long time no see." Ye Chen smiled and twirled a strand of her hair around his finger.
They were standing right at the classroom entrance. Quite a few people inside looked over, whispering among themselves.
Ye Chen's smile deepened as he leaned in closer, deliberately intimate.
Lu Yige frowned. "I said don't provoke me, or I'll expose your secret."
Ye Chen scoffed. "What secret could I possibly have?"
"That girl named Luo Qing—you like her."
His expression stiffened for a moment, then he quickly recovered. "What nonsense are you talking about? Don't tell me you're jealous."
"Seven years. You've liked her for seven years."
Ye Chen's gaze turned cold. "Don't talk nonsense."
"You grew up together. You like her, but she likes Chi Yexuan. You didn't want to make things awkward, so you chose to say nothing."
"You've changed girlfriend after girlfriend, but you never really liked any of them." Lu Yige spat out, "Scumbag."
"You came here just to see her—"
"Stop." Ye Chen interrupted her.
"I told you not to mess with me. Let go of me." Lu Yige said flatly.
Ye Chen released her. After a long silence, he finally asked, "How do you know all this?"
"Because I'm smart." Lu Yige blinked. "As long as you don't provoke me, I won't say anything."
Ye Chen said nothing and left Class One.
Watching his retreating figure, Lu Yige felt immensely satisfied.
After all, she had the script in hand. You ordinary mortals? You can't flirt with me.
***
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