Advanced math was a subject that gave college students a serious headache, and the final exam was especially brutal. Even students who usually performed well would still feel an instinctive panic, terrified of slipping up and failing the course.
Noah arrived at the exam room early. There were already a few other students scattered around, chattering nervously—some complaining, some praying. The tense atmosphere made even him feel uneasy.
Soon his roommates showed up too. Spotting Noah, they crowded over and took the seats on either side of him, giving off the clear vibe that they weren't leaving unless he helped.
"Noah, you're really going to let us die like this? We're all counting on you, man," Caleb said bluntly.
"My sister's proctoring. If she catches you, aren't you afraid she'll skin me alive?"
"It'll be fine. Professor Miller is so good to you. Worst case, we'll make it up to you big time after the exam."
"My sister said seating is by student number this time. I can't help you guys." Noah spread his hands, showing he was powerless.
Miles immediately jumped in. "I'm sitting close. I can see. Once I've got it, I'll pass it on."
"You guys… Fine, fine. I'll spread my paper out a bit. Take whatever you can see."
"Perfect. Thanks a ton, Noah."
The three of them scattered back to their seats. Noah spun the ballpoint pen in his fingers, feeling anxious.
More than ten minutes later, Evelyn and another female professor walked in carrying stacks of exam papers. The classroom gradually fell silent.
"Sit according to your student numbers. Leave the even rows empty." The other professor gave the instructions, then lowered her head to count the papers with Evelyn.
The students adjusted their seats and waited for the bell.
Noah looked back. His three roommates were staring at him with complete trust, as if they had pinned all their hopes on him, which only added to the pressure.
The papers were handed out. Time ticked by, and with the loud ringing of the bell, the exam began.
He hadn't expected Evelyn to sit at the very back of the classroom. He couldn't monitor her movements, and his already clumsy little actions became even more awkward from the nerves.
He finished the multiple-choice questions one by one, spreading his paper wide and sliding it farther and farther to the right on the desk.
Miles sat in the position right behind and to the side. Even though there was a row between them, he might be able to see. If not… there was nothing Noah could do.
At a time like this, Noah wasn't even sure whether getting caught by Evelyn would be better or worse.
If it were the other female professor, she might enforce the rules strictly and give him a zero. But no matter how stern his sister was, she would still cover for him—at least she wouldn't actually make him retake the class.
Once the multiple-choice section was done, more than half his paper was spread across the empty seat beside him. He was about to continue when he suddenly felt the edge of the paper being folded up. Looking up, he saw Evelyn standing right beside him, staring down with an icy, indifferent expression full of stern warning.
Noah scratched his head, pretending to be innocent and clueless. Evelyn ignored it, shot him a glare, and returned to her proctoring seat at the back. He didn't dare spread his paper out again and could only obediently keep working.
At this point he couldn't worry about his roommates anymore. He could only hope they had seen enough answers earlier.
Noah continued answering. The clock hands advanced. Not long after he finished the last major question, the bell rang.
Pencils down. Papers collected.
Noah left the classroom with the crowd. On the way back to the residence hall, students were noisily discussing the exam that had just ended. Two hands landed on his shoulders—Caleb on one side, Miles on the other.
"That was so close just now. Good thing Professor Miller went easy."
"I think she did it for Noah's sake. Otherwise she would've zeroed us out right away."
"It was you," Caleb pointed at Miles on Noah's other side, his tone reproachful. "Miles, you practically leaned your whole body out. Of course you got spotted."
"But I couldn't see clearly! If not for me, you guys wouldn't have seen anything either."
Caleb and Ryan had nothing to say in response. They had indeed benefited and couldn't blame him too much. But looking at Noah now, they knew they had dragged him into it.
"As long as you guys pass, it's fine," Noah said lightly.
"Don't worry, Noah. We'll definitely buy you that skin we promised."
"So… Professor Miller won't come after us later, right?" Caleb asked, still a little uneasy.
Noah shook his head. "She won't. I'll cover for you guys."
"Wow, Noah, you're the best. Seriously, I'm gonna cry."
"Anyway, I probably won't survive tonight, so I might as well cover for you one last time."
Noah spoke with righteous determination, like a fearless warrior ready to die. He delivered the joke with calm, heroic resolve, making the ridiculous words sound serious and tragic.
"We'll help collect your body, bro."
"Just remember to delete my browser history for me."
They kept cracking silly, pointless jokes until they reached the fork between the student residence halls and the faculty housing building. Noah waved goodbye to the three guys and headed off alone in the other direction, like an outsider separating from the group.
Evelyn still had to grade papers and wouldn't be back for a while. She had already instructed him beforehand to stay in the residence hall and not go out.
He could only sit idly at the desk, staring out the window in a daze, eventually dozing off.
When he woke up, the sun had already set in the west. Golden sunset light spread across the sky like brocade, coloring the tall academic buildings. Scattered figures moved around campus as the end-of-class bell rang and faded.
The sound of the door opening came from outside. Someone entered the apartment, then the room door opened too. A takeout box was placed beside his hand.
"Eat first, or explain yourself to me first, Nate?" Evelyn sat down next to Noah, gazing at him.
"I… I didn't do anything. I accidentally spread the paper out like that."
"Nate, you practically put your entire exam on someone else's desk. And you still want to make excuses?"
"That was… okay, fine." Noah lost his nerve, lowering his head and simply confessing to take the punishment. "Whatever you want to do is fine, Eve. Just don't blame my roommates. I was the one who wanted to help them."
"You're quite loyal, Nate." Evelyn pinched both sides of his face with her hands, applying pressure so his speech came out muffled. "Did you think I wouldn't have the heart to let you fail, so you felt safe acting out?"
"I didn't."
"I just finished grading our class's papers. Good news and bad news—which do you want first?"
"Good news."
"Your good roommates all passed. No failing for them."
Noah breathed a sigh of relief, then asked, "What's the bad news?"
"The bad news is you did terribly, Nate. I'm going to spank you now. Lie down properly." As she spoke she patted her own thigh. This time Noah didn't struggle much and obediently draped himself across her lap.
"I didn't fail, did I?" Noah asked timidly. Then a fierce slap landed hard on his backside.
"You're aiming for just passing now? You want to make me furious, Nate."
"I'm sorry, Eve… Go easy."