Liang Zhiyi wanted to tease Pei Chen by pretending she wanted to kiss him. After all, in a public place, someone as reserved and shy as Pei Chen would never do such a thing to her.
But who would have thought that after she finished speaking, the boy would grab her hand and pull her into the safety corridor.
The staircase was dimly lit, with no one around.
She was still in a daze when she saw Pei Chen close the door to the corridor, shutting out the sounds of people walking in the hallway. He then hooked one arm around her slender waist, while his other hand cupped the back of her head, pressing her against the wall of the stairwell.
“Pei Chen…” she called out softly, startled.
The two of them were nearly pressed together.
In the stairwell, where even a pin drop could be heard, the temperature seemed to rise suddenly.
Her heart pounded heavily at his forceful actions, and when she looked up, she met his deep, dark eyes.
Emotions surged in the boy’s eyes, completely unhidden.
Pei Chen stared directly at her, his voice husky, “Don’t want to kiss me? How do you want to kiss?”
Liang Zhiyi’s heart raced. Seeing his strained expression, she couldn’t help but curl her lips into a smile. Her eyes were alluring, and her voice was playful:
“Pei Chen, why are you in such a hurry?”
She raised her hand to hook around his neck, stood on tiptoe, and with a mischievous smile, kissed a certain spot.
The boy felt a tingling sensation in his throat as her teeth gently grazed him. His dark lashes trembled suddenly, and his Adam’s apple bobbed heavily.
“Zhizhi…”
Sometimes, he would call her by her nickname.
Liang Zhiyi felt his hand slide down, both hands gripping her waist. She chuckled softly, “Don’t be so hasty.”
She deliberately took her time, kissing slowly from his neck to his chin. After a while, she continued upward, and just as her red lips were about to touch his—
The boy leaned down, and his scorching kiss landed heavily first, sealing off her breath.
Her hair trembled as she leaned back, trapped securely between the wall and his embrace.
As expected, he couldn’t handle being teased.
His kiss was fierce, filled with a strong sense of possession.
Wanting more, he tried to explore further, but Liang Zhiyi raised her eyebrows, refusing to let him. Realizing she was being playful, Pei Chen was overwhelmed, his unsteady breath brushing against her face as he pleaded hoarsely:
“Zhizhi, open your mouth, please?”
That voice completely melted her.
Who could have imagined that the usually cool and rational Pei Chen would have such a side to him? Liang Zhiyi was so overwhelmed by the stark contrast that her entire body went weak, completely surrendering and obediently letting him take the lead.
The corridor was exceptionally quiet, with only the faint sound of lips and teeth meeting.
The heat in the air spread.
After a while, Liang Zhiyi could distinctly feel something pressing against her lower abdomen, making its presence felt rather aggressively. Her mind went blank with heat, and even though she knew this was perfectly normal, her cheeks still flushed with warmth…
After some time, muffled voices could be heard outside the door:
“Hey, where did the class monitor go? Wasn’t he just in the hallway?”
Hearing the voices, the two of them paused slightly, their foreheads touching, breaths mingling. Liang Zhiyi’s heart pounded like a drum as she met his dark, inky eyes, her eyelashes fluttering nervously.
Why did it feel like they were secretly doing something they shouldn’t…
“No idea, maybe he went downstairs to pick up something. Do you need him for something?”
“Not really, just thought I’d go find the vice monitor with you…”
The footsteps outside gradually faded away, and Liang Zhiyi let out a small sigh of relief, only to have her red lips captured again.
Why was he continuing…
This time, his kiss was a bit more gentle, more restrained.
After a while, he reluctantly pulled back.
Liang Zhiyi opened her misty eyes and looked at him, her lips curving into a playful smile as she teased, “Class Monitor, do you think anyone outside knows that instead of being busy, you were here kissing someone?”
He swallowed hard, “Who seduced who first?”
“Who told you to be so easy to lure?”
She chuckled, then added thoughtfully, “Shouldn’t you be heading back now, Class Monitor?”
He loosened his embrace, pausing before saying, “You go out first.”
“Hmm?”
He pressed his thin lips together, his ears slightly flushed, “I-I need to make a call.”
She was momentarily stunned but then nodded, “Alright, I’ll go first.”
She pushed open the door to the corridor and stepped out, her body tingling, and couldn’t help but smile at how adorable he was.
Did he really think she hadn’t noticed that?
All that coldness, like an iceberg—it was all fake. Now she finally understood the true nature of the studious boy beneath it all…
Her face flushed as she looked towards the end of the corridor and noticed that Wen Songyue was no longer there.
Liang Zhiyi had always been aware of Wen Songyue’s situation in their class.
Including how Wen had once pursued Pei Chen, only to be later humiliated—Ji Fei’er had told her all about it.
Just now, when she saw Wen Songyue making a phone call, a mischievous idea popped into her head. She decided to play with her a bit. Surely, when Wen Songyue saw her go to Pei Chen, and Pei Chen not only didn’t push her away but instead pulled her into the safety corridor, she must have been furious.
Liang Zhiyi’s gaze shifted slightly and she noticed Zhi Mian standing nearby, talking on the phone, her face glowing with a sweet smile.
She walked over, and after Zhi Mian finished her call, Liang Zhiyi wrapped an arm around her shoulders and teased, “Were you talking to your big brother Duan Zhuo? You look so happy.”
Zhi Mian blushed and looked shy. No one would have guessed that she had started dating right after graduation.
Her boyfriend was none other than Duan Zhuo, the instructor they had met during military training, who was also her brother with no blood relation. Zhi Mian had always secretly liked him.
On her eighteenth birthday, she had been hesitant about whether to take the bold step of confessing to Duan Zhuo. Liang Zhiyi encouraged her, saying that if she was so unsure, she should just go for it—after all, if it didn’t work out, at least she wouldn’t have any regrets.
She confessed, and Duan Zhuo accepted. They had been together ever since.
Even though Liang Zhiyi left First High School last year, she had kept in touch with Zhi Mian, and the two girls had become inseparable friends who shared everything. So, she knew all about this.
When Zhi Mian heard her teasing, she smiled shyly, “He’s out of town for a competition right now. He was just asking if the teacher appreciation banquet had started.”
The two girls chatted about the universities they wanted to attend. After a while, Liang Zhiyi glanced over and saw Pei Chen emerging from the safety corridor, his usual calm and refined demeanor restored.
He’s really good at pretending.
Pei Chen spotted her, surprised to see her in the hallway. He walked over, and she smiled, her eyes curved into crescents. “I was just chatting with Zhi Mian, waiting for you so we can go in together.”
Zhi Mian smiled and motioned for them to go ahead. As they walked on, Pei Chen noticed that Liang Zhiyi was keeping a slight distance from him. He frowned slightly, pulled her closer, and grabbed her hand, his voice low, “Hold hands.”
Liang Zhiyi couldn’t help but laugh, “Weren’t you the one who said I seduced you? I should keep my distance.”
“Once the banquet is over, you can seduce me all you want.”
“…”
Hmph, this person is clearly up to no good.
The two of them walked towards the banquet hall.
Meanwhile, inside the hall, Wen Songyue sat on a sofa, seething with anger.
Five minutes earlier, she had been shocked to see the interaction between Pei Chen and Liang Zhiyi in the corridor.
How could Pei Chen possibly be so close to a girl like that?!
Who is that girl?!
Remembering the look of utter disgust in Pei Chen’s eyes when he saw her, Wen Songyue felt inexplicably humiliated, and her anger only grew as she fumed, storming back to the hall.
She sat on the sofa, and Yang Lang timidly approached, apologizing softly, “Songyue, please don’t be angry. I thought you were serious just now…”
At this moment, she had no patience to deal with him and angrily pushed him away. “Stop bothering me, will you?”
Many students nearby heard this and looked over. Seeing Wen Songyue’s bossy attitude towards Yang Lang, they silently disdained her. Her spoiled princess demeanor was something everyone disliked.
Someone then asked where Pei Chen was, and another person chuckled:
“Do you even need to ask? Pei Chen is probably off to pick up his girlfriend, right?”
“Hey, I just saw the class monitor walking with Liang Zhiyi!”
Hearing this, Wen Songyue felt a loud crash in her mind and froze in shock.
Her mind went blank, but she tried to remain calm as she asked a nearby friend, “Are Pei Chen and that Liang Zhiyi together?”
Her friend nodded, “Yes.”
“When did they get together?”
“Probably after the college entrance exams. Pei Chen has been pursuing Liang Zhiyi for a while now.”
What???
Someone like Pei Chen chasing after someone?
Wen Songyue hadn’t fully processed this when suddenly, a commotion erupted at the entrance. When everyone turned to see, they saw Pei Chen walking in hand in hand with Liang Zhiyi, and the banquet hall burst into loud applause:
“Let’s welcome the new couple! Hahaha!”
“Congratulations, class monitor, you’ve finally won over the beauty!”
“Pei Chen! Liang Zhiyi! Pei Chen! Liang Zhiyi!”
As they walked to the front of the crowd, Pei Chen wore a helpless smile on his face, “Is all this excitement really necessary?”
“Class monitor, we’re excited on your behalf! Hahaha!”
“Class monitor, aren’t you going to formally introduce her?”
Pei Chen looked at Liang Zhiyi with warmth in his eyes and said, “Let me officially introduce my girlfriend, Liang Zhiyi.”
“Ohhhh…”
The crowd erupted into cheers, but Wen Songyue stood there, with only one word echoing in her mind—shock.
So, the girl who had gone to approach Pei Chen earlier was Liang Zhiyi?!
She had wanted to see Liang Zhiyi make a fool of herself, but instead, she had been completely played!
She looked at the girl in front of her—pure and beautiful, with exceptional looks and an aura of nobility without arrogance.
Thinking back to Pei Chen’s comment about “south oranges turning bitter in the north” and his evaluation of Liang Zhiyi as “once you’ve seen the vast ocean,” now that she was standing right in front of her, Wen Songyue felt like a lesser version of herself, thoroughly humiliated.
A group of teachers arrived together, and the students stood up to greet them. Principal Jiang also made an appearance.
Principal Jiang smiled and said, “Both of your classes did exceptionally well this year. I came over to congratulate you all.”
“You’re too kind, Principal…”
Principal Jiang laughed with everyone before saying, “I’m here today to give special recognition to one of our outstanding students, Pei Chen. Some of you might not know this, but Pei Chen was the top scorer in the entire province on the college entrance exam. Our school’s reputation has been greatly enhanced by this achievement!”
The students who heard this were shocked and excited: “Whoa! Class monitor, you’re incredible!!!”
Wen Songyue was stunned upon hearing this.
Is Pei Chen really that impressive…
Principal Jiang, filled with pride, continued, “I’ve always admired Pei Chen. He led the school team to victory in the inter-school basketball championship, and now he’s achieved the top score in the entire province. With two first-place titles under his belt, Pei Chen, you truly are outstanding.”
Principal Jiang hugged Pei Chen, and the boy smiled, “Thank you, Principal.”
The students cheered for Pei Chen, and he took the opportunity to express his gratitude to all the teachers and classmates who had supported him, “Class 9 has always been a united and loving class. Serving as class monitor for the past two and a half years has been an invaluable memory for me.”
“Class monitor, you’ve hit the jackpot with both academics and love!”
“Hey, shouldn’t we have a vote to see who in our class has the best taste?”
“Is that even necessary—”
Everyone shouted in unison, “It’s obviously Liang Zhiyi!”
They urged Liang Zhiyi to give a “victory speech,” and even the teachers smiled encouragingly. The girl looked up at Pei Chen, her eyes shining with a smile as she began to speak:
“I’m especially happy that Pei Chen did so well on the exams. As his girlfriend, I’m incredibly proud.”
Then she glanced over at Wen Songyue, her gaze steady as she continued, “Some people might have different opinions about Pei Chen for various reasons, but I believe that a person’s excellence doesn’t depend on their privileged background or family connections. To me, Pei Chen is outstanding simply because he’s Pei Chen.”
She smiled, “And besides, before looking down on others, it’s best to take care of yourself first—only then will others not look down on you.”
Many people caught the underlying meaning in Liang Zhiyi’s words and applauded in approval, leaving Wen Songyue’s face frozen in place.
After a few more words, Principal Jiang took his leave, and everyone invited the teachers to join their tables. At that moment, Wen Songyue could no longer bear to stay. Humiliated and angry, she turned and left, with Yang Lang cluelessly chasing after her.
The teacher appreciation banquet officially began. The students toasted the teachers, reminiscing about the funny and embarrassing moments from their high school days, filling the room with laughter and joy.
The homeroom teacher of Class 9 raised a glass, smiling, “Don’t think I didn’t know that you guys were calling me ‘Abbot’ behind my back! You thought you could keep that from me? But if thinking about me being a monk helped you all study harder, then I’m happy to take on the role!”
Everyone burst into laughter, “Abbot, we love you so much…”
Finally, the teacher addressed the students:
“Kids, I’m so glad we could spend these past two and a half years together. No matter where you go in the future, please remember that Class 9 will always be your home.”
Everyone raised their glasses, and many had tears in their eyes.
Although everyone once wished for the college entrance exams to come quickly, now that the exams were over, it also meant graduation, which in turn meant parting ways.
Time once gone never returns. These three years of high school, whether filled with sweetness or bitterness, laughter or tears, will ultimately become memories to be cherished.
But the road ahead is wide, and rather than dwelling on the sadness of separation, it’s more important to look forward to the future.
After all, the present and the future are in our hands.
…
The celebration went on for a long time, and by around ten o’clock, the teacher appreciation banquet was nearing its end.
Liang Zhiyi took photos with her favorite teachers and classmates to commemorate the night. After a while, she heard someone calling her name. She turned around and saw Sang Xunling.
Sang Xunling approached her with a look of guilt and said:
“Zhi, I owe you an apology. I used to dislike you because I liked Pei Chen. My friends also said a lot of hurtful things about you. But now that I know you and Pei Chen truly care for each other, I want to wish you both the best.”
Ever since Pei Chen publicly confessed his feelings for Liang Zhiyi last year, Sang Xunling knew she had no chance and gradually let go of her feelings for him. Seeing Liang Zhiyi and Pei Chen together now, she no longer felt any jealousy.
Liang Zhiyi, who had never really held a grudge, smiled and said, “It’s okay, it’s all in the past.”
The two of them exchanged a smile, finally letting go of any lingering resentment.