Chapter 44: After Class, She Came Into My Arms (42)

On this day, Wen City No. 1 High School was holding its first exam of the new semester. The results of this exam would directly determine the class placements.

Asi arrived early, backpack slung over her shoulder, and entered the examination hall. All around her were unfamiliar faces. She searched for a while before finally finding her assigned seat.

Just as she sat down, someone tapped her shoulder. Turning around, she saw a boy she didn’t recognize. He was shy, flashing a smile that revealed two small canine teeth.

"Hello, classmate. I’m Song Jincheng from Class Four. We’re quite fated—it seems we’re seated front and back!"

Asi didn’t remember his name, only his two little canine teeth.

The boy with the canine teeth was friendly, extending his hand as if to shake hers. Asi tilted her head, clasping her own hands together and gave a polite smile.

"Hello."

She had no intention of shaking hands. But her smile, with its two round dimples, was enough to make the canine-toothed boy’s heart flutter for a moment.

"Um… can we be friends?" he ventured.

"No," she replied.

A shadow fell over them.

Both Asi and the boy looked up to see Lu Yu standing before them. He looked fierce, his notorious reputation at school amplifying his presence, and the canine-toothed boy shrank back, lowering his head, not daring to meet his gaze.

Lu Yu let out a low, mocking laugh. This weakling was hardly worth his attention.

Even so, he stood behind Asi, possessively wrapping a half-embrace around her shoulder.

“We’re in the same exam room,” he said.

Asi blinked. “Mm.”

“You’re a good student.”

“Not really.”

Lu Yu clicked his tongue. “You know this exam’s results determine the class placements, right?”

Asi nodded.

“Let me copy your answers.”

“No.”

Asi was always well-behaved, and from Lu Yu’s observations, the girl seemed to treat him especially well, so surely his feelings weren’t unrequited. He had straightened up, expecting her soft, gentle agreement.

He hadn’t anticipated a refusal.

He found it hard to accept, his brows knitting together. In a cold tone, he asked, “Why won’t you let me copy?”

“Cheating is wrong.”

“That’s just an excuse. You just don’t want to be in the same class as me.”

“No, cheating is wrong.”

The girl lifted her gaze, looking at Lu Yu with honest sincerity.

Lu Yu was silent.

He bottled up his frustration and sat behind her.

When the exam papers were handed out, he glanced at his sheet. What on earth was all this? He put down his pen and studied the girl’s silhouette in front of him.

Unwilling to give up, he tore a small scrap from his scratch paper and tossed it forward.

Asi was busy writing on her exam sheet when something suddenly flew her way. She caught it quickly.

Unfolding it, she read: “Let me copy, please.”

Her heart began to race, gripping the note tightly as if she were a thief, terrified the proctor would see. She tried to ignore it, but the notes kept coming, relentless.

Annoyed, she grabbed a random scrap, scribbled: “I don’t know either,” and passed it back.

Not long after, she heard the boy behind her let out a disgruntled grunt.

Liar. She just doesn’t want to be in his class.

Lu Yu’s expression soured; seated diagonally behind Asi, he could see her hand moving rapidly, pen flying across the page without hesitation. Her practiced speed marked her as a top student.

Yet she wouldn’t let him copy.

She was such a traitor!

Asi was such a traitor!