Teacher Wang looked at the answer and nodded in satisfaction.
"Student Ye Chen, your way of solving this problem is brilliant—even I didn't think of it. Excellent work."
Teacher Wang's words stunned the class once again.
Instantly, the Classroom buzzed with chatter.
"No way—has Ye Chen been playing the pig to eat tigers and faking being Xueza this whole time?"
"So awesome; that question was so hard I couldn't do it."
"Damn, Ye Chen's been hiding it deep."
The girls stared at Ye Chen with starry eyes.
"So handsome…"
"I thought Ye Chen relied on his looks, but he's actually a Top Student hunk!"
"Too gorgeous—I'm in love."
"Not just handsome—his aura is insane; he's unfairly hot."
"I feel like I'm about to fall in love."
"What are you thinking? The National Higher Education Entrance Examination is right around the corner; studying is the priority."
"What do you know? A treasure boy like this has to be claimed first."
"Exactly—if you don't act now, the good pigs will be taken by the cabbages; you'll be the one crying later."
…Ye Chen looked at Sun Tao with a smirk.
"Sorry, but your status as math class rep is mine from now on."
"You—" Sun Tao's face turned livid.
Teacher Wang nodded. "Well, Sun Tao, accept the bet. From today Ye Chen is our math class representative. You should learn from him."
Though reluctant, Sun Tao clenched his teeth and nodded.
"By the way, shouldn't you honor the other promise?" Ye Chen said with a grin.
"I…"
Sun Tao's face flushed crimson.
He never imagined he'd lose the bet.
"If you'd rather not, fine—everyone will just know you're a man of empty words," Ye Chen said casually.
Those words completely enraged Sun Tao.
"Fine—I'm an idiot, satisfied?"
After saying it, Sun Tao wanted to crawl into a hole.
Ye Chen patted his shoulder. "The sea of learning has no shore, Sun. Work hard; maybe one day you'll glimpse my back."
With that, Ye Chen returned to his seat in style.
Sun Tao ground his teeth, utterly helpless.
He'd never been so humiliated in his life.
Li Sitong laughed. "Ye Chen, you're quite popular—half the girls in class are smitten."
"Nothing special. As School Heartthrob and Top Student, it's daily life."
In his last life Ye Chen's grades were awful, yet his handsome face still earned him bags of love letters.
Now, crowned both School Heartthrob and Top Student, his charm was off the charts.
Li Sitong: "…"
Daily life?
She suddenly felt she didn't recognize her deskmate anymore.
A classmate's words echoed in her mind.
The good pigs get snatched by cabbages.
Should I hurry up and confess to Ye Chen?
At that moment Ye Chen glanced toward Xia Yingluo in the corner.
By chance, Xia Yingluo's clear eyes were already on him.
Their gazes met; Xia Yingluo blushed and quickly lowered her head.
Li Sitong saw it all.
"Not good—enemy spotted. Confession just got urgent."
…Ding-ling-ling!
Evening self-study finally ended.
That day Ye Chen had already finished Chinese and English.
During self-study he'd even cranked out a few problems.
No difficulty—full marks without effort.
Now he was a bona-fide Top Student.
Tsinghua and Peking University—once distant dreams—were now within easy reach.
At the bike shed Ye Chen watched Xia Yingluo ride away.
In her past-life interview she'd said that during Senior Year she worked evenings at a noodle shop to earn money.
The boss was harsh, frequently scolding and beating her and docking her pay.
Now in Senior Year, the girl juggled heavy coursework and worked past midnight.
Ye Chen couldn't imagine how she'd endured it.
Since he'd been reborn, he wouldn't let her suffer like that again.
He mounted his bike and quietly followed.
Li Sitong frowned at his receding back.
She knew that wasn't the direction of Ye Chen's home.
He was clearly tailing Xia Yingluo.
Could they be… involved?
"Si Tong, let's go—what are you spacing out for?" her best friend Chen Meng nudged her.
"You go ahead; I've got something."
Li Sitong hopped on her bike and stealthily followed Ye Chen.
Chen Meng blinked at the scene.
"Ye Chen just rode that way—are they meeting? Definitely something shady."
Half an hour later Xia Yingluo parked outside a tiny noodle shop and walked in.
Ye Chen set his bike down and peeked inside from the doorway.
As she set her bag down, a fat, pig-faced woman barked, "You little wretch, look at the time—late again!"
"Aunt Chen, I told you our teacher sometimes keeps us late."
"What's that to me? Fifty yuan off this month's pay. Get moving—see all these customers? Don't like it? Scram!"
Ye Chen frowned at the sight.
Besides waiting tables, she had to wash dishes and even haul out brine before going home.
For such gruelling work the monthly wage was five hundred yuan, whittled down to just over three hundred after endless excuses.
Ye Chen was about to storm in when someone tapped his shoulder from behind.
"Ye Chen, why aren't you heading home, sneaking peeks at girls?"
Startled, Ye Chen jumped.
Turning, he breathed easy when he saw Li Sitong.
"What are you doing here?"
Li Sitong blushed. "I—I was passing by and saw you lurking, so I followed!"
Ye Chen teased, "Really passing by? Your home's in the east; this is the west side of town."
"Can't I visit relatives?" she retorted, cheeks red.
"Fine. Your phone has a good camera—help me film Xia Yingluo working."
"Ye Chen, I didn't know you were a voyeur," Li Sitong frowned.
"Do I look like that? I want to help her," Ye Chen said.
Li Sitong, half-believing, raised her phone and filmed Xia Yingluo carrying plates.
Having skipped dinner and studied all day, Xia Yingluo felt light-headed.
Yet she had to earn her University tuition; no matter how hard, she'd endure.
She carried a bowl of noodles past a woman.
The woman was arguing on the phone with her Boyfriend, growing more agitated.
Suddenly she flung her hand, striking the bowl.
Crash—the bowl shattered and soup splashed everywhere.
Noodles and broth spilled, some splattering the woman's skirt.
"Ah!" The woman yelped theatrically as the hot soup burned her hand.
She shrieked, jabbing at Xia Yingluo, "Are you blind?"
Xia Yingluo paled slightly. "I'm sorry."
She grabbed tissues to wipe the woman.
"Don't touch me with your filthy hands!"
"Boss—where's the boss!"
the woman yelled arrogantly.
The fat boss rushed over. "Ms. Chen, what happened?"
"What kind of waitress did you hire? She drenched me in soup—this dress cost over a thousand!"
Hearing that, the boss's face chilled.
"You useless thing, can't you do anything right?" He raised his hand and slapped toward Xia Yingluo's cheek.