During Zhou Tingzhao’s moments of reflection, the person who had sparked this confusion wasn’t faring well either.
Even though she had already decided to sleep, closing her eyes only brought back the image of his intense focus, his gaze filled with a determination quite unlike his usual self, thin lips tightly pressed together, exuding the kind of confidence unique to young students.
Sang Ru unconsciously tapped her fingers, her mind seemingly still replaying their conversation. So his thoughts had been quite impressive even back then…
Disorderly thoughts quietly emerged, growing feelings that seemed to flutter everywhere. Sang Ru reached for her journal and wrote down her confused emotions.
This friendship was new and unexplored. Sang Ru didn’t dare write down all her thoughts, only noting the interesting conversation between them. After all, she had a previous lesson—her first real friendship had been accidentally ruined by her careless words.
After writing for quite a while, she felt a small sense of clarity and then felt ready for sleep. However, having been curious for so long, she couldn’t feel satisfied. In her mind, images of the current Zhou Tingzhao and how he might be in the future flashed. In the end, thinking that either version would make a good friend as long as he could understand her, she also thought that if given such circumstances again, she would not only talk to him more but would also ask him more about his dreams and completely learn about his aspirations… Gradually, with these meandering thoughts, she drifted into sleep.
This sleep was extremely unsettled. In her hazy state, she felt as if she were on a small boat, rising and falling with the waves, unable to tell if it was comfortable or the irritation of disturbed sleep.
Slowly opening her eyes, before she could discern where she was, she suddenly realized she was in a bright classroom.
“Mmm…”
Sang Ru involuntarily murmured, only then realizing she was sitting at her desk, being called on to answer a question.
She turned her head to look, but before she could see clearly, a familiar voice asked her again.
A poised tone with a slight hint of challenge, a familiar voice that brought focus—it was Zhou Tingzhao.
Her hands, which initially wanted to hide her face, instead loosely gripped her pencil. Sang Ru tilted her head up to meet his questioning gaze. She felt Zhou Tingzhao pause momentarily, then softly laugh. He raised his hand for an even more challenging question.
Until Sang Ru felt her mind racing and began to think clearly, only then did Zhou Tingzhao stop. His eyes swept across the room, his voice calm and thoughtful.
“Awake now?”
Sang Ru was still dazed: “Hmm?”
“You need more practice,” Zhou Tingzhao continued to calmly explain the problem, speaking in a low voice as if containing triumph. “You dozed off during the most important part, sleepy little thing.”
Sang Ru began to feel alert again.
Wasn’t I sleeping at home? Which is the dream after all?
Zhou Tingzhao didn’t give her a chance to ponder, taking advantage of her current confusion to intensify his explanation.
He showed Sang Ru the right formula, positioning himself to allow his voice to reach just her. Amidst the quiet of the classroom, he raised his hand and began writing with clear, deliberate strokes.
During the time she had dozed off, he had been carefully solving the problem for quite a while. Now the solution was nearly complete, both elegant and precise, making it increasingly easy for her to follow his reasoning.
“How are you still taking notes while half-asleep?” Zhou Tingzhao’s attention shifted to her notebook, noticing her neat writing in his peripheral vision. The pages were filled with careful notes; Sang Ru could see it by looking down, and seeing it made her focus return completely.
She wanted to understand more than this, far more than this.
Sang Ru raised her hand to point at Zhou Tingzhao’s solution, half-squinting as she joined him in discussing the problem. At the same time, she leaned forward, trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible.
“I’ve been explaining all morning. How are you still this curious?” Zhou Tingzhao said.
“Mmm… not enough, I still need you to teach me more…”
Zhou Tingzhao’s explanation suddenly became more animated: “You’re boundlessly eager to learn, still trying to understand every concept after listening for so long. Do you want to study all day, hmm?”
“Yes… want to learn all day…” Having finally been engaged, she didn’t want to let go. In her focused state, unlike her usual competitive manner, Sang Ru was like an enthusiastic student, leaning forward attentively, nodding continuously, her questions both thoughtful and genuinely curious. “Teach me everything… Zhou Tingzhao.”
Zhou Tingzhao’s eyes brightened as he explained more passionately. His chalk moved confidently and paused meaningfully. After several such examples, he delivered one perfect solution to the most challenging problem, then remained at the board, answering questions like a helpful mentor.
“Try it yourself.”
Encouraged, Sang Ru truly became increasingly confident in her responses. As she approached understanding, she smiled broadly, thanking, questioning, and learning. Zhou Tingzhao responded by offering additional tips to help her.
“I challenge you.”
Her voice during this realization carried a determined quality. Zhou Tingzhao smiled again, writing a new problem on the board in response: “Mm, challenge accepted.”
Sang Ru said, “Then do you know why I challenge you?”
“Hmm? Why?” he indulged her.
“You’re too smart, not fair. In the future, when we have contests, you must give me a chance.” Sang Ru closed her eyes, saying words that felt meaningful, feeling as if she were dreaming, and in dreams, one could say anything.
Then she heard him seemingly holding back laughter, saying: “Alright, I’ll give you a fair chance.”
Sang Ru’s mind was becoming clearer. Suddenly remembering something, she asked again: “Then do you know why I disliked you when I first joined the class?”
This time, Zhou Tingzhao didn’t say anything, only making a light gesture to indicate she should continue.
The now fully awake person opened her eyes, looked at him directly, as if confessing: “You were always first. I tried so hard, and you wouldn’t even let me catch up a little.”
Now it was Zhou Tingzhao’s turn to be surprised. After a while, he said: “Just because of that?”
Sang Ru nodded: “Just because of that.”
Who wants to be second forever? It’s so annoying!
The next moment, she was suddenly handed a new worksheet. Zhou Tingzhao abruptly placed it on her desk, his expression somewhat serious.
Being suddenly given this challenge, Sang Ru let out a determined sigh. He leaned closer, his words clear and direct.
He said, “You didn’t even ask if I was willing to help you reach first place, and you disliked me?”
“Would you help me?”
Zhou Tingzhao fell silent, paused, then continued to watch her work.
“No.”
Sang Ru gripped her pencil tightly, thinking Zhou Tingzhao was truly difficult.
Through slightly narrowed eyes, she seemed to glimpse a white lab coat near the door.