"Xue Rui, you and Gu Muxue..."

Liu Yuan slung an arm around Xue Rui’s neck, his eyes darting toward Gu Muxue with a gossipy look on his face.

Xue Rui had been chasing Gu Muxue back in middle school, and their relationship was still this good now. Gu Muxue even called Xue Rui by his nickname.

’Did he finally succeed?’

"What do you think?" Xue Rui smiled, not giving a clear answer.

’In truth, he had won her over long ago...’

’It was just that the little miss was too proud and aloof, burying her feelings so deep that she had almost deceived herself.’

’And when he was a teenager, he had been too dense to notice at all.’

’Or perhaps, the little miss of the past had liked the way he needed her? Liked having him cling to her side?’

’Was she getting revenge on him?’

’Gu Muxue could actually hold quite a grudge, and he *had* been bullying her since they were little...’

’It wasn’t until he chose to stop chasing her after his rebirth that the little miss finally started to face her own heart.’

...

Xue Xiaying clapped her hands and shouted to the students clustered together, "Students from No. 2 Middle School’s Class 1 and Class 2, gather over here."

The students, like a flock of sparrows, scattered the moment they heard their teacher clap and call them to assemble, only to regroup into a new cluster.

Without a teacher to lead them, they couldn’t enter the school.

"We’ll talk later." Xue Rui patted Liu Yuan’s shoulder.

"Tsk~" Liu Yuan gave Xue Rui an envious look. He figured the two of them were basically a couple now.

He suddenly felt a pang of disappointment, like finding out the goddess he once had a crush on had suddenly gotten married.

The students had long since lost any sense of discipline, standing around in disorderly groups of twos and threes instead of following school regulations.

Gu Muxue very naturally came to stand beside Xue Rui.

Xue Xiaying’s brow twitched. ’That playboy, Xue Rui, has he already run over to Gu Muxue’s side?’

But when she saw that Lin Ruoxi had no reaction at all and was still obediently standing in the back row according to the formation for morning exercises, she breathed a sigh of relief.

This feeling was so strange, she thought, as if she were the one two-timing...

’No wonder, no wonder her sister-in-law was so strange, sighing while watching TV sometimes. Could it be that she knew everything all along?’

’She could suddenly empathize...’

’Xue Rui was her own family, a boy she treasured. Subconsciously, her heart wanted to defend him, but he just had to go and do something like this!’

’In her opinion, Xue Rui was very mature for his age, his personality long since set. This wasn’t a problem that could be solved with a lecture anymore...’

’She felt the school desperately needed to add a mandatory course on relationships; otherwise, it was too easy for kids to go astray.’

She and Director Wang were holding a stack of exam admission tickets, and she began handing them out to the students in her class one by one, calling out their names.

When she reached Gu Muxue, Xue Xiaying spoke up. "Gu Muxue, your handwritten notes are incredibly detailed. They were a huge help to Xiaorui. As your teacher, would it be okay if I used them? It would help future students avoid some pitfalls."

Xue Xiaying wanted to laugh. She, a teacher, was actually outdone by a student. The materials Gu Muxue had compiled were nothing short of perfect.

However, they were Gu Muxue’s property, and she had to get her permission before she could use them.

"Of course. I didn’t compile all of those materials myself; some outside tutors helped as well," Gu Muxue said with a smile.

Xue Xiaying nodded. She had looked through every subject’s notes. She felt that no matter who had compiled them, Gu Muxue had written out every single word, stroke by stroke.

’Just writing it all out must have taken so many days. How many people would be willing to do something like that?’

As a teacher, she understood better than anyone how much effort had gone into it.

’Such devotion was too precious. This girl must really like Xue Rui, right? Why else would she write it all out by hand?’

Faced with Gu Muxue’s generous attitude, she suddenly felt a sense of guilt on Xue Rui’s behalf...

"On behalf of all the future underclassmen, thank you," Xue Xiaying said with a smile.

’Xue Rui was right. Gu Muxue would agree.’

’This girl is wonderful, too. I can’t find a single fault in her.’

When Xue Rui took his admission ticket, he felt Xue Xiaying gripping it tightly. He met her gaze.

"Do well on the exam. Don’t be nervous," Xue Xiaying said with a sigh of resignation.

Lin Ruoxi had wanted to help the teacher hand out the admission tickets, but Director Wang and the principal stopped her.

"Lin Ruoxi, just perform as you usually do. Don’t be nervous," the principal said gently.

Director Wang also cheerfully handed Lin Ruoxi a bottle of mineral water. "Are you thirsty?"

’The provincial top scorer! I never thought I’d have such an achievement under my belt!’

’And the top scorer in the science stream, at that. Her value is off the charts.’

’Right now, Lin Ruoxi is my own grandmother. I have to serve her well; not a single thing can go wrong.’

"Um, I brought my own water," Lin Ruoxi said, declining Director Wang’s offer.

The teachers from other schools nearby started pointing and murmuring. They immediately made the connection to No. 2 Middle School’s Lin Ruoxi.

"Sigh, I heard No. 2 Middle School spent tens of thousands on her scholarship back then..."

The teachers from the other schools lamented, thinking to themselves how stingy their own schools were. They couldn’t even fork out that little bit of money, letting the city’s bottom-ranked high school buy away the provincial top scorer.

"I heard a private school offered a million, and Lin Ruoxi didn’t even go..."

"So the kid remembers their kindness? No. 2 Middle School really hit the jackpot."

"Based on her scores in the last few mock exams, some universities must have extended an olive branch, right?"

"Who knows? Even if they did, what’s the point? No. 2 Middle School would definitely reject them..."

Many of the teachers were whispering amongst themselves.

Director Wang glanced around with a hostile expression, terrified that someone might target Lin Ruoxi at a time like this.

Some private educational institutions were shameless and would pester high-scoring students to repeat a year. He didn’t want those people harassing Lin Ruoxi now.

The director from Yanchi Middle School came over to have a look, wanting a sneak peek at the provincial top scorer.

He smiled and began, "Lin Ruoxi?"

Director Wang frowned and stepped in front of Lin Ruoxi. "Old Li, this year’s city top scorer should be one of mine. What about you?"

He and this teacher had worked in the same unit before, and they didn’t get along.

Ever since going to a key high school, the man had acted high and mighty. Now that Director Wang had Lin Ruoxi to back him up, he could mock the other guy without reservation.

He deliberately said "city top scorer" and "should."

Director Li looked at Director Wang’s smug face and felt a headache coming on. ’This guy really knows how to put on an act.’

’Having the provincial top scorer in your hands really gives you bragging rights.’

"Did *you* teach Lin Ruoxi? Weren’t you just lucky enough to pick her up?" Director Li sneered.

"Don’t you worry about how I got her. I’m just asking, is she or isn’t she?" Director Wang wasn’t the least bit angry.

When you had enough confidence, you couldn’t be bothered to get angry.

"The one I’m mentoring this year isn’t bad either. The city’s liberal arts top scorer should be..."

Director Wang cut him off. "Is the prestige the same?"

Director Li’s brow twitched. They were both veteran teachers; he couldn’t just play dumb.

The prestige of the science stream was just too high. A science top scorer was usually amazing at liberal arts subjects too. Anyone who could become the science top scorer was an all-around champion...

’Besides, one is at the provincial level, the other is only at the city level...’

"She’d be the top scorer no matter where she went. What does that have to do with you?" Director Li bit out through clenched teeth.

He had actually accepted this fact long ago, but seeing Director Wang looking so smug and punchable made him want to argue back.

Director Wang just smiled. The other man was telling the truth. Lin Ruoxi’s achievements really had nothing to do with the school. A genius is a genius, no matter where they are.

"Lin Ruoxi, you tell him. Does it have anything to do with me or not?" Director Wang stepped aside, revealing Lin Ruoxi to Director Li’s view.

He thought to himself that after driving Lin Ruoxi to and from school for so long, she would surely say a few good words for him.

’But Lin Ruoxi is a bit dazed and doesn’t know how to lie. What if she says it has nothing to do with me?’

He was now winking frantically at Lin Ruoxi, trying to send her a signal.

Lin Ruoxi paused. ’Why are they calling me over when they’re arguing?’

’And so many people are waiting for my answer. Director Wang’s winking seems to be trying to send some kind of message.’

She thought for a moment about what Xue Rui had told her: she couldn’t let Director Wang act as her lackey for so long for nothing...

Lin Ruoxi said meekly, "Um, Xue Rui said it does."

Director Wang froze for a second. Although Xue Rui’s name had appeared out of nowhere, he was very satisfied with this answer. In his heart, he gave Xue Rui a big thumbs-up.

’He taught her well!’

After hearing this, Director Li could already imagine the smug look on Director Wang’s face. He turned and walked away, not giving Director Wang the chance to gloat.

"Hey, don’t run away!" Director Wang’s grin nearly reached his ears.

He was in a great mood now and asked with a laugh, "What did Xue Rui say about me?"

Director Wang was very curious what Xue Rui had told Lin Ruoxi that made her help him show off like that.

Lin Ruoxi was conflicted. Xue Rui had said Director Wang was a "lackey," and she knew that wasn’t a nice word...

’If I say it, will Director Wang get angry at Xue Rui?’

From Director Wang’s perspective, Lin Ruoxi’s gaze was unfocused, and her little hands were even nervously twisting the hem of her clothes.

Lin Ruoxi’s feelings were written all over her face. He guessed that Xue Rui definitely hadn’t said anything good about him!

Lin Ruoxi glanced around. Director Wang was still waiting for her to speak.

She didn’t know what to do. She remembered that whenever she faced a difficult problem, she was supposed to ask Xue Rui for instructions.

The little girl ran to Xue Rui’s side and whispered, "Director Wang is asking me a question, but I think saying the answer would be bad for you..."

Gu Muxue’s beautiful eyes gradually lowered. ’What secrets are these two sharing now?’

Xue Rui’s brow twitched. ’Looks like the little miss is overthinking things again?’

He said casually, "What’s there to hide? Say it louder."

’It’s about me and Director Wang anyway, not about me and Lin Ruoxi.’

Gu Muxue immediately broke into a smile. Xue Rui telling Lin Ruoxi to speak up meant that he wanted her to hear it clearly.

It didn’t matter anymore whether there was something between them or not. She was happy now because Xue Rui cared about her feelings.

After getting the go-ahead, Lin Ruoxi walked over to Director Wang and said, "Xue Rui told me to get a high score, saying he couldn’t let Director Wang act as a lackey for two years for nothing..."

Lin Ruoxi’s voice wasn’t very loud, but the people around them still heard it clearly.

"PFFT!"

Someone couldn’t hold back their laughter and quickly covered their mouth.

Director Wang’s cheek twitched uncontrollably. So many people were listening!

’Although it was the truth...’

’But couldn’t she have embellished it a little?’

Xue Rui’s eyes widened as well. What did Lin Ruoxi just say? Had he really said something like that?

Lin Ruoxi had a great memory, so Xue Rui didn’t doubt her. He must have said something similar.

’This little girl is too obedient. She really just said it...’

’I really just shot myself in the foot...’

...

After the hilarious interlude, the students of No. 2 Middle School began to enter the school in an orderly fashion to check out the exam rooms, "casing the joint" for tomorrow’s college entrance exam.

Lin Ruoxi received the most special treatment, with Director Wang personally giving her a tour, as if he were escorting a visiting leader...

Xue Rui and Gu Muxue walked at the very back of the group. He glanced over from a distance, thinking to himself that getting good grades really did let you do whatever you want.

Gu Muxue sighed. "Xiaorui, how can your memory be so bad? You’ve forgotten all your classmates’ names."

"A person’s brain capacity is limited. You forget unimportant people and things after a while," Xue Rui said.

’I can’t exactly tell her that I haven’t seen them in over a decade and can’t remember them at all, can I...’

"Sigh, what would you do without me?" Gu Muxue said, holding back a laugh.

When Xue Rui said that, he sounded like an old man reminiscing. But she didn’t mind his bad memory; Xue Rui rarely forgot anything related to her.

"A fresh brain is a useful thing. You can just remember for me." Xue Rui reached out and patted Gu Muxue’s head.

The moment his hand rested on it, the little miss suddenly froze on the spot.

Xue Rui suddenly remembered: this was Gu Muxue, not Lin Ruoxi.

’But, the little miss didn’t even resist?’

He looked down at Gu Muxue’s expression. The little miss was biting her lip, her small fists clenched, but then she suddenly relaxed them...

Xue Rui figured out the problem...

’The college entrance exam is tomorrow. Is the little miss suppressing her emotions right now? Does she not want to affect my state of mind?’

’If it were any other time, she would have definitely grabbed his hand and bit it, or jumped up to pat his head in return.’

’Why is she so quiet today?’

With a ’let’s just see what happens’ mentality, he reached out and pinched the little miss’s cheek...