Ignoring Wang Xue’s darkened expression, Pei Chen left with Liang Zhiyi directly.
As they entered the school building, the girl looked up at Pei Chen, her dimples deepening as she smiled. “Am I one of yours?”
Pei Chen: “…”
His steps faltered slightly, a subtle emotion flickering in his eyes as he spoke with a tense expression, “I meant you’re in my class. Don’t read too much into it.”
The girl suppressed the curve of her lips, nodding seriously with a playful tone:
“I understand. Everyone has their slip of the tongue now and then. Don’t worry, I definitely didn’t misunderstand.”
What she really meant: Don’t worry, I definitely misunderstood.
Pei Chen: “…”
Liang Zhiyi skipped a couple of steps ahead, her tone light and cheerful, “I just didn’t expect the class monitor to be so protective of me.”
“I’m not protecting you; I’m protecting our class.”
“Mmhmm, no need to explain. Explaining is just covering up.”
“…”
“But regardless, thank you for speaking up for me just now, class monitor.”
She hadn’t expected that Pei Chen, who usually appeared so cold and indifferent, would show such a strong side. Recalling the moment he stood protectively in front of her, Liang Zhiyi’s heart softened, warming as if something had gently heated it.
How could he be so good…
She suddenly changed the subject, “But if it weren’t for you just now, I would definitely have made Wang Xue pay today.”
At first, she had held back for the sake of the class, but in the end, Wang Xue had the nerve to go even further, blatantly bullying her. Wasn’t that obvious?
Seeing Pei Chen’s subtle expression, Liang Zhiyi lifted her chin, “What, you don’t believe me?”
The boy glanced at her coolly, “I believe you. No one could bully you.”
After all, the incident in the equipment room, where she had fiercely confronted Tong Sisi and the others, was still fresh in his memory. Liang Zhiyi had never been one to let herself be wronged.
Though he had no idea how she had managed to look so pitiful just now when he saw her.
As they walked up the stairs of the school building, Liang Zhiyi thought back to the earlier incident and was still fuming, “The main thing is, Wang Xue went too far. I feel like she was targeting our class.”
Liang Zhiyi explained the whole situation to Pei Chen. After listening, he only said, “I see.”
Then he looked at her, his tone a bit more serious, “Next time before you’re on duty, make sure you understand the cleaning area in advance. Finish within the allocated time, so we don’t have a repeat of today’s situation.”
Liang Zhiyi obediently nodded and blinked at him, “So, are you scolding me, class monitor?”
“It’s not scolding; it’s a reminder.”
Liang Zhiyi let out a soft “Oh” and began to back up the stairs one step at a time, facing him. With a sly grin, she said, “Thanks for the reminder, class monitor. I’ll humbly accept your advice.”
“Humbly accept, but stubbornly refuse to change?”
She stepped closer to him, her eyes curving into a smile, “How could that be? I always listen to the class monitor.” The girl’s soft, almost whisper-like tone added a subtle layer of flirtation to her words.
Pei Chen’s expression stiffened, and he averted his gaze, his voice rough, “Just focus on walking properly.”
“Alright.”
Liang Zhiyi cheerfully responded and turned around, obediently heading upstairs.
When they returned to the classroom, the morning reading session was already halfway over. As they took their seats, Liang Zhiyi noticed a blank slip of paper on her desk and asked Pei Chen in confusion, “What am I supposed to write on this?”
Pei Chen picked up his pen and continued writing, “Memorize and write down the last two sections of ‘Returning Home,’ and hand it in after morning reading.”
Liang Zhiyi felt a headache coming on and slumped over her desk, muttering, “Yixuxi…”
Xuan Xia, who was sitting in front of her, turned around and said, “That’s from ‘The Difficulty of Shu,’ not ‘Returning Home.'”
Liang Zhiyi rolled her eyes at him, “You think I don’t know that?”
She quickly pulled out a pen and began writing. Xuan Xia glanced between the two of them in the back row and asked, teasingly, “So, you two have made up?”
Liang Zhiyi grinned, “Of course! Our class monitor has a heart as broad as the ocean.”
Before Pei Chen could say anything, Fan Gao also turned around, looking puzzled, “What ocean? What happened?”
Xuan Xia laughed and tapped Fan Gao on the head, “Why are you so curious? Have you finished your writing assignment?”
“And you have the nerve to talk? You copied mine!”
“Bullshit! I only looked at one sentence!”
Pei Chen, annoyed by their bickering, tapped his pen on the desk, his face darkening, “You two, turn back around.”
Xuan Xia, still smiling, threw an arm around Fan Gao’s shoulder, “Alright, alright, we won’t interrupt your little world anymore.”
Pei Chen: “…”
Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of class. Everyone handed in their memorized writing. Liang Zhiyi dug into her backpack and pulled out the chestnut cakes she had bought yesterday while shopping with Pei Chen, offering them to the boys in front of her, “Hey, handsome guys up front, want some chestnut cakes?”
“Sure! I didn’t have breakfast.”
“I’ll take a piece too!”
She had brought the cakes as her breakfast, but after eating one piece herself, she shared the rest with the classmates around her.
Everyone expressed their thanks, especially the boys who had always had a soft spot for Liang Zhiyi; their smiles were as bright as blooming flowers.
Pei Chen was working on the last question of his practice test, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Liang Zhiyi smiling sweetly at all the boys. It was clear from their expressions that they all had feelings for her.
Lowering his gaze, Pei Chen continued working on his test in silence. After a while, Liang Zhiyi extended the box towards him. “Pei Chen, want one?”
He kept writing, his eyes deep and unreadable. “No.”
The girl was already used to his cold demeanor and simply shrugged, “If you don’t want any, I’ll just eat them myself.”
Pei Chen’s dark lashes lowered, and after finishing the test, he stood up and left the classroom without a word.
Watching his retreating back, Liang Zhiyi pouted and sighed. This guy was like an ice block, always so cold.
As she looked away, she noticed her close friend Ji Fei’er sitting at her desk, beckoning her over with a mischievous smile, almost like an emperor teasing a concubine.
“…”
Liang Zhiyi couldn’t help but roll her eyes but eventually gave in and walked over to Ji Fei’er. “What is it?”
“Look at you, ignoring your friends for him. You’d stick to Pei Chen’s side if you could, wouldn’t you?”
“Of course.”
Zhiyi got up to get some water, leaving Liang Zhiyi to sit in her seat. Ji Fei’er then asked her why she took so long to clean up downstairs. Liang Zhiyi rested her chin on her hand and leisurely recounted what had happened.
After hearing the story, Ji Fei’er was so angry she slammed her hand on the desk. “The head of the Discipline Department is Wang Xue from Class Seven, right? She’s so disgusting! If I were you, I’d be furious. That’s just too much!”
“It is, but I wasn’t too upset because Pei Chen stood up for me,” Liang Zhiyi said with a contented smile.
“I didn’t expect the class monitor to come through for you like that,” Ji Fei’er said, her mind whirring. “Wait, something just occurred to me.”
“What?”
“I suddenly think Wang Xue might not be targeting our class… but targeting you specifically…”
“Huh?”
Ji Fei’er explained that back when she was in the same class as Chen Sihang in their first year, she had heard some gossip about Wang Xue and Chen Sihang. It was old news, but Liang Zhiyi, being new, might not know about it.
Leaning in close, Ji Fei’er whispered in her ear, “And it seems like Chen Sihang has a thing for you.”
The truth clicked into place, and Liang Zhiyi let out a small laugh, “So that’s why she was so hostile towards me.”
“You’re just getting caught in the crossfire.”
“…”
Out of nowhere, what did Chen Sihang have to do with her?
Liang Zhiyi pressed her red lips together, slumped over her desk, and sighed, “But if what you’re saying is true, and I like Pei Chen now, won’t I be torn to pieces? Oh no, I’m so scared…”
Ji Fei’er rolled her eyes at her friend’s dramatic display, “Get out of here, I think you’re actually enjoying all this.”
“Hehe.”
As the two friends continued chatting, someone in the class suddenly announced a shocking piece of news: “Hey everyone, I just saw the Discipline Department head from Class Seven getting scolded in the year supervisor’s office!”
“Why?!”
“I heard it’s because our class got unfairly marked down during cleaning duty today! Pei Chen went straight to the year supervisor to handle it!”
“Go, class monitor! I’ve always hated Wang Xue, acting all high and mighty like she’s got something to prove.”
Hearing this, Liang Zhiyi froze for a moment, then immediately stood up, “I’m going to check out the office.”
Ji Fei’er called out, “Hey—” but before she could finish, Liang Zhiyi had already disappeared.
Liang Zhiyi hurried to the office and peered inside. She saw Wang Xue standing there, her head hanging low as the year supervisor scolded her. Her face flushed alternately red and pale, and all her previous arrogance was nowhere to be seen.
Such blatant misuse of power was sure to be dealt with seriously.
A moment later, Wang Xue left the office. When she looked up and saw Liang Zhiyi standing by the door, her eyes reddened with anger, and she clenched her fists tightly.
Leaning against the railing, Liang Zhiyi flashed her a sweet smile and lazily said, “Hello, Minister Wang.”
Her sarcasm was on point.
Furious, Wang Xue stormed off without a word.
Liang Zhiyi let out a satisfied sigh, but then she noticed Pei Chen walking out of the office as well.
With his pale skin and cold eyes, even in the simplest school uniform, his composed and serious demeanor made him look incredibly attractive…
Liang Zhiyi approached him, her lips curving into a smile, “I didn’t think you’d actually handle it.”
She had thought he was just trying to scare Wang Xue earlier. While it was about the class’s honor, it also felt like he was standing up for her personally.
Pei Chen looked at her and said, “Don’t get too happy yet.”
“?”
“The homeroom teacher wants to see you.”
“…”
Her mood plummeted instantly.
The lively girl deflated, and after a few seconds, she took a deep breath, “…Alright, I’m mentally prepared.”
Pei Chen watched her march into the office like she was facing certain doom, his lips pressing down slightly at the corners.
Liang Zhiyi walked up to the homeroom teacher’s desk and, before the teacher could say anything, she quickly spoke up, “Teacher, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have been careless about remembering the responsibilities of our cleaning area. It was my negligence and mistake that caused the point deduction today. I deeply regret it and sincerely apologize. I’m willing to accept any punishment, no matter how tough it is!”
The teacher raised an eyebrow, slightly amused, “What, are you about to sacrifice yourself heroically for me?”
Not quite that far…