Zhang Yueling, who had been sitting on the first bench of the first row, glanced restlessly around the classroom. With a faint smile, she whispered something to the students on the third bench in the middle row. A quiet exchange later, she shifted her seat and settled directly behind Lu Jiannian. Leaning slightly forward, she called out softly, "Jiannian."
He turned his head just enough to give her a brief, cool glance before shifting his gaze back to the front.
Unbothered by his coldness, Zhang Yueling leaned closer and lowered her voice. "Why didn't you ask for your seat back from Tang Rui? You just let her take it?"
Lu Jiannian's lips parted slightly, but before he could answer, the door at the front of the classroom creaked open. The finance teacher, Professor Wu Zhenhai, walked in, his presence enough to silence the faint chatter in the room.
Immediately, the class straightened and greeted in unison, "Good morning, Professor Wu!"
"Good morning," Wu Zhenhai replied, his tone stern but not unkind. He set his files on the desk and adjusted his glasses before addressing the class. "I have an announcement. At the end of this month, our school will be holding a finance competition. The winner will earn the chance to attend a seminar hosted by the top-rated finance companies in Shanghai—an invaluable opportunity to witness professionals present and to learn from them directly."
The room filled with murmurs of excitement.
"However," Professor Wu raised his voice slightly, "the participants for this competition will be chosen based on the marks you secure in the test that will take place two weeks from now. So, prepare well if you want this opportunity."
His gaze swept across the room before pausing on a particular student. "Lin Xiayo," he said sharply, "if your marks come out average again, you will have to change your major to arts instead of finance. Do not waste my time if you cannot keep up."
Lin Xiayo lowered her head, cheeks burning with humiliation. The room fell quiet again as Professor Wu began his lecture, his chalk tapping against the blackboard in steady rhythm.
Zhang Yueling sat with her chin propped on her hand, her gaze occasionally darting toward Lu Jiannian. Maybe he knew the teacher was about to arrive, she thought to herself. That's why he didn't say anything to Tang Rui earlier. Hmph. At the end of class, he'll surely teach her a lesson.
The lecture moved on, filled with formulas, case studies, and practical insights. When the bell finally rang, the students sighed in relief, stretching their arms as Professor Wu closed his notebook. But before leaving, his eyes fell on two students.
"Lu Jiannian, hand your notes to Tang Rui. She needs to catch up with the syllabus properly."
Tang Rui blinked in surprise, while several classmates turned to look curiously at her.
Professor Wu then looked directly at her. "If you have any problems in your studies, you may come to me. Or," he glanced at Lu Jiannian again, "you can ask him. He will be able to guide you."
Tang Rui forced a polite nod. "Yes, Professor."
The moment Wu Zhenhai stepped out of the classroom, Tang Rui's expression changed. She muttered under her breath, "Now I have to take help from that egoistic person…"
Her voice was low, but not low enough. Lu Jiannian, still packing away his books, heard every word clearly.
Taking a deep breath, Tang Rui schooled her expression and plastered on a smile as fake as porcelain. She turned toward him—and then her blood froze.
The ground beneath her seemed to vanish.
H-how… him?!
Her eyes widened in disbelief. Sitting there in the same seat, calm and unreadable, was the very same boy she had seen last night in the canteen—sitting opposite Chen Yuhan.
Oh no… how foolish I am? Tang Rui's thoughts spun in chaos. I badmouthed Lu Jiannian right in front of him yesterday…. How am I supposed to face him now?
Her face burned. She didn't dare reach out for his notes, not even when the teacher had instructed it. Instead, she turned back to her seat, burying her head in her arms in embarrassment.
Across from her, Lu Jiannian's lips curved into a smile. Not the cold, polite one he occasionally wore, but a deep, amused smile that none of his classmates had ever seen before. It was fleeting, almost hidden, yet it reached his eyes.
One by one, classes passed. Each time a teacher instructed Lu Jiannian to share his notes with Tang Rui, and each time, Tang Rui's heart sank deeper. She wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole. The entire day, she avoided looking at him, her lashes lowered, her posture stiff.
By the end of the day, the classroom thinned out as students packed their bags and left. Chen Yuhan, too exhausted from the endless lectures, lay sprawled across his desk, half-asleep. Lu Jiannian, however, remained upright, his hand moving swiftly across his notebook, pen scratching with quiet intensity.
Tang Rui sat frozen in her seat, as though glued to the chair, unwilling to move or draw attention.
Then Zhang Yueling rose from her place and marched toward her, arms crossed. Her voice was sharp and cold."Don't you dare sit here again. This is Jiannian's seat. I won't tolerate you taking it. Next time, it'll cost you heavily."
Tang Rui's lashes flickered, but she didn't respond. She wasn't in the mood for Zhang Yueling's petty jealousy.
But before she could even react, a sudden thud echoed through the room.
Lu Jiannian had slammed his books onto his desk with such force that the sound rattled through the quiet classroom. Even Tang Rui, who had tried to ignore Yueling's gibbering, jumped to her feet in fright.
His expression was stormy as he rose to his full height. His voice, usually calm and restrained, cut through the air like a blade."There is no need for you to fight for my seat, Yueling!" His tone was sharp enough to make her flinch.
The entire room seemed to still.
"If I wanted that seat, I would've asked for it myself," he continued coldly. "And another thing—I never claimed that seat as mine. The first day, I walked in early, found it empty, and sat there. After that, no one else sat in it, so it remained open. But it was never mine to begin with."
Zhang Yueling's lips trembled, and she opened her mouth to argue, but his glare silenced her.
Without another word, he picked up his notebook and walked toward Tang Rui's desk. Stopping before her, he extended the notebook with his usual steady hand."These are the notes for all subjects. Take them."
Tang Rui looked up at him, startled. For a moment, her pride warred with her embarrassment, but under the weight of his gaze, she slowly accepted the notebook."Thank you," she whispered, her voice so low it barely reached him.
He gave no reply, simply turned and began to walk out. But halfway to the door, he stopped. Slowly, he pivoted back, his gaze locking on Zhang Yueling.
"And one more thing," he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous calm. "Stop spreading false news that you're my girlfriend. Otherwise—" his eyes hardened, "I won't be polite next time."
The color drained from Zhang Yueling's face.
Lu Jiannian turned away again, his figure tall and imposing as he left the classroom, leaving behind a silence so heavy no one dared to break it.
Chen Yuhan, who had been sprawled lazily on his desk, nearly jumped out of his skin at the sharp crack of Lu Jiannian's voice. His best friend had always been calm, indifferent, untouchable even when provoked—but this was the first time he had seen him yell.
He blinked rapidly, staring at the scene in disbelief.What's going on with him today?
Not only had Jiannian lashed out at Zhang Yueling, but he had also—out of nowhere—clarified something he had ignored for years."She's not my girlfriend."
Chen Yuhan's mind reeled. Jiannian had never bothered to clear up the rumors before. Why suddenly now, and in front of everyone?
Before Yueling could even recover from the blow, Chen Yuhan pushed himself up from his seat, his usual casual smile returning to his lips though his heart still raced with unease. He walked toward Tang Rui, ignoring the way her shoulders stiffened under the attention.
"Come on," he said lightly, brushing aside the heavy silence that lingered. "It's lunch break. Let's go eat together." His eyes shifted to Lin Xiayo. "You too. Don't sit here sulking on empty stomachs."
Then, his voice turned sharper as he looked at Zhang Yueling, who was still frozen in place. "And you—stop creating unnecessary conflicts. If you can't manage that, then don't bother coming near us."
Tang Rui's lips parted in surprise. She glanced at Lin Xiayo, who looked just as taken aback. The both of them hesitated, but Yuhan had already taken a few steps forward, waiting expectantly. With no other choice, they followed him out of the classroom.
Behind them, Zhang Yueling remained rooted to the floor.
Her ears still rang with Jiannian's harsh words, her pride shattered in front of the entire class. Her fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. Why? Why today? Why for her?
She wanted to scream, to storm after Tang Rui and tear her confidence apart. But she couldn't.
Her father's warning echoed in her mind—"You may do whatever you like in Hua Ming, but don't you dare meddle with Lu Jiannian or Chen Yuhan."
And now, with both boys shielding that new girl, Zhang Yueling had no choice but to grit her teeth and sit back down. For the first time in years, she felt powerless.