It was truly rare to meet such an unreasonable boy.

Xu You suppressed the anger in her heart, spread open the physics book on her desk that was marked up messily, and while copying problems onto the exercise book, consoled herself.

Helping that big boss in the back write homework—just write it then.

After all.

She couldn’t afford to provoke him.

Endure for a moment and calm will prevail; take a step back and the sea and sky will open wide.

Having restrained her temper, she still wanted to yell at the boy behind her:

Can’t you write your own homework yourself?

In his exercise book, the handwriting for past physics homework was different each time.

Xu You flipped through it and roughly understood that she wasn’t the first person to help him write homework.

The teacher’s review and correction marks were also very few, generally just signing a date. Clearly, they completely turned a blind eye to this despicable behavior of Xie Ci having classmates write for him.

Even the subject teachers couldn’t control him, let alone her.

In no time at all, it took Xu You only about ten minutes to finish his physics homework.

The practice problems in the book were all basic, and physics had always been Xu You’s strong suit, so writing them was very easy.

With just a few minutes left until class ended, several boys from the back rows of the classroom gradually left.

Fu Xueli stretched lazily, pressing her hand on her shoulder and rotating her arm, and said to Xu You: “You don’t need to write so seriously. Just scribble a couple of marks and it’s okay.”

Actually, she found it quite baffling.

Why did Xie Ci want Xu You to help him write homework? The teacher didn’t care whether he turned it in or not anyway.

“It’s fine, I’ve already finished.”

Xu You pressed her lips together slightly, completed the last character, and put down her pen.

She looked up at the clock hanging in the classroom.

The bell would ring soon.

Xu You closed the physics exercise book, didn’t turn around, and held it up in her hand to pass it backward.

After waiting two or three seconds, no one took it.

She turned her head.

And met Xie Ci’s half-smiling gaze.

He had no intention whatsoever of reaching out to take it.

Xu You could feel that interested gaze. She sighed silently in her heart, said nothing more, placed the exercise book on his desk, and turned around.

—

In the blink of an eye, it was Friday afternoon. After the second period in the afternoon, first and second-year students could start their weekend.

The entrance of Lin City No. 1 Middle School was blocked by many people from other schools, bustling and lively.

Xie Ci and his group had left the school gates early, a bunch of them waiting at the coffee shop next to the school.

Today was Li Jieyi from Class 4’s birthday. He usually hung out with Xie Ci and his group, and since it happened to be the weekend, they were planning to go out and have fun tonight.

The phone buzzed and vibrated on the wooden table. It rang then stopped.

Xie Ci held playing cards in his hand. Taking a moment to glance at it, he ignored it.

After a while.

Song Ci poked his back and said quietly: “Brother, at the door.”

Qiu Qingqing made a fist with her hand and stood on the coffee shop steps for a while.

Various gazes wandered over her with ill intent. Pride and strong self-esteem prevented her from stepping through that door.

Through the transparent glass window, she could even easily see Xie Ci’s profile—a cigarette in his mouth, throwing out playing cards one by one.

The phone was right beside him, but he just wouldn’t answer.

“How much longer for your girlfriend?”

After playing cards for a while, Xie Ci found it boring, threw the remaining cards on the table, and asked Li Jieyi, “Can you call her to hurry up?”

“It’s still early for dinner. Where are you thinking of going?”

Li Yijie saw he wasn’t playing anymore and also put down the cards in his hand. Just as he was about to speak, he looked up and saw someone coming from behind. The words that popped out of his mouth changed halfway, and he raised his eyebrows playfully: “Well, well, I didn’t wait for my girlfriend, but waited for your girl.”

“Xie Ci.”

A restrained female voice rang out.

Xie Ci still had half a cigarette in his mouth. His elbow propped on the table edge, he turned his head.

Qiu Qingqing was two meters away from him, eyes red-rimmed, saying word by word: “Come out with me and make things clear.”

Her choice to come in and find him was ultimately based on believing that Xie Ci treated her differently, relying on the fact that he liked her.

Xie Ci didn’t speak, and the others didn’t dare make a sound either. You look at me, I look at you.

Collective silence.

What’s going on here?

When did Ah Ci and Shen Jiayi start quarreling?

Xie Ci ran a hand through his hair, his face blank without much expression, “Go out for what?”

Qiu Qingqing: “If you don’t come out, we’ll break up.”

Xie Ci held the cigarette loosely in his mouth and smiled: “Then let’s break up.”

As soon as the words were spoken, he was splashed in the face with a cup of cold water.

His eyes only had time to close.

Water droplets slowly slid down from his black hair, eyelashes, lips, and cheeks.

The cigarette held in his lips was also doused.

Everyone gasped.

This girl has guts.

Daring to do this to Ah Ci—there probably aren’t many in No. 1 Middle School.

Fu Xueli had been playing on her phone with her head down. Disturbed by this commotion, she looked up in that direction.

Only saw Qiu Qingqing’s back as she ran out the door.

The proprietress handed Xie Ci a clean white towel.

“Not going to chase her?”

Xie Ci still had that indifferent look, removed the cigarette from his mouth, lowered his eyes, and hummed in acknowledgment.

Song Yifan knew he was suppressing his anger.

After hesitating for two seconds, he asked: “What’s going on between you and Qiu Qingqing…”

He knew Xie Ci was a player who changed girlfriends quickly. Many girls chased him, and he had many ex-girlfriends. Basically, after dating for less than a week or two, he’d get tired of them.

However, after getting together with Qiu Qingqing last month, Xie Ci seemed not to have caused any trouble.

It made Song Yifan almost think he was going to turn over a new leaf.

Didn’t expect today’s scene.

“Is it about what happened last night…?” Li Jieyi asked with a smile, sneakily pursuing the topic.

Xie Ci was too lazy to respond and put another cigarette in his mouth.

Last night they went singing, and Qiu Qingqing came too. She sat beside Xie Ci the whole time, not talking to anyone. Seeing her unwilling to “go along with their depravity” appearance, everyone tactfully didn’t disturb her.

After all, a famous three-good student in the grade, and pretty too. Just too proud.

Later in the singing, some people drank a bit and started playing Truth or Dare. A group of people got into it. In one round of Dare, Xie Ci lost and kissed a girl.

Anyway, they were all used to fooling around—no one took it to heart.

However, unexpectedly, Qiu Qingqing’s face immediately darkened, and she slammed the door and left on the spot.

Today she’s asking for a breakup.

Fu Xueli looked completely dismissive, “Break up then. It’s not like Ah Ci lacks girls.”

As she was saying this, Li Yijie’s girlfriend Tu Youyou finally arrived with a group of her friends.

There were probably two or three junior girls, all a bit shy.

Seeing a group of second-year big shots sitting there, they called out in unison: “Hello, seniors!”

“Hello, juniors.”

Some people, seeing pretty young girls, became improper.

Xie Ci only smoked half the cigarette before extinguishing it and casually tossing it into a nearby trash can. He picked up his phone from the table and said to the group: “Let’s go.”

—

Traffic flowed beside them, and the sky darkened. Lights in this city gradually lit up one after another, with the fragrance of roses and gardenias floating in the air.

On Friday evening, the streets were noisy.

Xu You carried bags in both hands, filled with daily necessities and small snacks she’d just bought at the supermarket.

Not long after school let out in the afternoon, she was dragged out of school by Chen Xiao to go shopping at Walmart. The two conveniently ate dinner outside.

Her stomach felt a bit bloated now, so she planned to walk back to school and digest while walking.

“There are so many people today.” Chen Xiao held Xu You’s arm, walking along the roadside while saying: “Finally on break. When I get back to the dorm, I’m going to catch up on the series I didn’t finish watching.”

Xu You’s gaze circled her face, “The monthly exam is coming up soon. Aren’t you going to review?”

“What’s there to review? My parents don’t care about my grades anyway.”

Chen Xiao pursed her lips, lowered her head to reply to text messages, and didn’t notice a black SUV slowly stopping beside them.

A series of urgent horn honks sounded.

Xu You’s footsteps paused. She instinctively turned her head toward the sound source.

The black glass of the SUV’s front and rear windows slowly lowered.

Fu Xueli leaned on the car window edge, leaning out half her body, waving at them with a beaming smile: “What a coincidence, little friend! Where are you and your friend going? We’ll give you a ride.”

Chen Xiao’s mouth had already opened into a small O shape.

Isn’t this, isn’t this…

That group from Class 9…

Xie Ci had one hand on the steering wheel, elbow resting on the window edge, looking straight over here.

The evening breeze blew, carrying summer night warmth.

Xu You came back to her senses.

She responded: “No need to trouble you, thank you.”

“Don’t say that.” Fu Xueli made a motion as if to push open the car door and get out.

Xu You took two steps back, lifted the things in her hands, and said seriously: “They’re not heavy. My friend and I just finished eating. We’re taking a walk to digest.”

Actually, she was afraid of Xie Ci driving.

He was a minor, right? Driving without a license on the road was really dangerous.

Her long hair was loosely tied behind her head. Wearing a white school uniform short-sleeved shirt, standing not far from the streetlight, her temperament gentle and soft.

Inside the car.

Li Jieyi sat in the passenger seat, tilted his head back to look at Xu You, and casually asked: “Who’s that person? Seems like I haven’t seen her at school. Do you know her?”

Xie Ci glanced in the rearview mirror then withdrew his gaze, looking ahead, his fingers tapping the steering wheel intermittently, “Yeah, from our class. Fu Xueli’s deskmate.”

“Does she have a boyfriend?” Li Jieyi asked curiously.

Fu Xueli exploded when she heard this, glaring at him: “She’s a good student. Give it a rest.”

The meaning was very clear.

Telling him not to pursue Xu You.

“What’s wrong with good students? Ask Ah Ci—how many good students has he been with?” Li Jieyi had an ambiguous expression on his face.

Fu Xueli rolled her eyes, “She’s different from those green tea bitches who act one way and are another. She’s especially pure. If you dare to pursue my deskmate, I’ll get people to come after you, believe it or not?”

Seeing her protective mother hen posture, Song Yifan sitting nearby didn’t understand.

“Is Xu You your long-lost sister or something? She just transferred a few days ago and you’re already using the word ‘pure.’ How long have you two even been together, Big Pear? Your relationship is already this good?”

“No.” Fu Xueli said solemnly, “I just especially like people who study well and are also especially good people.”

“Besides.” She turned to look at Song Yifan and said: “Don’t you think she’s especially cute? Her temper is super good too. I don’t think any of you are worthy of such a good girl.”

Really.

Xu You carried a kind of gentle, peaceful quality that she felt she probably would never possess in this lifetime.

Very likable.

A brief silence.

Xie Ci scoffed, tilted his head, and his gaze swept out the window again.

After Xu You said goodbye to Fu Xueli, she had already walked away with the girl beside her.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance, stepped on the gas pedal, and the car shot forward a great distance.