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nTranslator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

nIn Xue Xi’s mind, a question mark was slowly drawn out: “?”

nWhy would a provision shop have that many balloons?

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nShe did not question further, though. She simply had a nagging feeling that this provision shop was different from the rest she had seen before. Even its name was unique: Ye Lai Xiang… Provision Shop?

nShe did not speak further on this.

nShe did not even know Xiang Huai and this was only their second meeting. More importantly, she did not even know how relationships worked.

nHowever, if she did not speak, the dull pain in her heart would increase in intensity. Seeing that Xiang Huai was reading his book and did not have any intention of speaking, she fought with herself internally before asking again, “Where is Canine Teeth?”

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nCanine Teeth?

nXiang Huai cocked an eyebrow. Is she referring to Lu Chao?

nThis little kid has a unique way of giving nicknames.

nXiang Huai knocked his knuckles against the counter. “He went to buy breakfast.”

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nAt this moment, Lu Chao walked in with breakfast. “Boss, time to eat!”

nHe first paused for a moment when he saw Xue Xi, greeted her with a “Hey,” then proceeded to lay out the breakfast he’d just bought onto the table beside.

nXiang Huai stood up and, instantly, his 180-centimeter-tall stature towered over everything else making the entire room feel slightly constrained and cramped.

nHe walked to the dining table and casually asked, “Join us?”

nXue Xi blinked.

nShe felt a little ill when she woke up this morning and hence did not have much for breakfast. Moreover, the Xue family ate Western food with bread and milk in the morning. She grew up eating buns and congee at the orphanage, so she was not used to it and did not have much.

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nShe thought for a little then nodded. “Alright.”

nLu Chao watched in a daze as the young lady took a seat opposite his boss, reached for a bun, and started eating in a relaxed manner.

nSince when had anyone been this carefree and at ease in front of his boss? This little girl is not your average joe!

nXue Xi ate while surreptitiously sizing up the person opposite her.

nThe man ate fast, but was not uncouth. Instead, he was elegant even. In the time it took for her to finish one bun, he had already gobbled up three…

nXue Xi ate faster, and when she was done, the pain she felt in her heart had totally vanished. She picked up a napkin to wipe her mouth, then asked, “May I leave now?”

nXiang Huai unhurriedly looked up. His dark brown eyes were glinting with a suppressed sharpness. “You can leave anytime.”

nXue Xi paused.

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nThis man emanated a dangerous and mysterious air, making one unable to see through him nor guess his intentions. Still, for now at least, he did not seem to be ill-intentioned.

nMany thoughts had sprouted in her mind the past two days.

nShe considered making a police report.

nBut what would she tell them? This man did something to me and forced me to date him? Never mind the police, she herself would not! She might even be treated as a looney!

nAfter playing with many ideas, she finally decided on taking no action to see what this man was up to.

nEverything had been fine from yesterday afternoon, until her chest started hurting this morning. Could this mean that she had to meet him every day to “be in love and date” him?

n“I’ll come again tomorrow, okay?” she said questioningly.

nXiang Huai raised an eyebrow and his lips turned up slightly. “Up to you.”

n…

nXue Xi walked out of the shop and toward the school.

nThe classroom was in a mess. Despite being tortured by the examinations yesterday, the students who just came back from summer vacation were all still very boisterous.

n“The paper yesterday was so hard! I actually couldn’t do quite a few math questions!”

n“Isn’t the question not in the syllabus? Fan Han, did you find it hard?”

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nFan Han, who was already sitting in the first row, straightened his spine and replied in an arrogant manner, “It’s still manageable.”

n“Looks like you did pretty well. As expected, a curve wrecker is different!”

nXue Xi walked into the classroom amid the lamenting.

nThe sun’s backlight illuminated the girl’s tall stature. Her hair was cleanly tied behind her head, and on her fair-skinned face, her large and beautiful eyes were slightly misted.

nGirls who were pretty naturally attracted the eyes and attention of all others. Even Fan Han could not resist sneaking a few peeks.

nThis furtive act was caught by Xue Yao, who suppressed the disdain she felt and blabbered loudly, “Xue Xi, how were the exams for you yesterday?”

nXue Xi paused in her tracks and looked toward her cousin.

nAlthough she did not express any emotion, her apathetic attitude made the latter feel as though her thoughts were seen through. Xue Yao could not help but shift her eyes away in guilt.

nXue Xi retracted her gaze and moved for her seat, leaving only two words behind: “It’s manageable.”

nManageable?

nFan Han sneered. He raised his chin when everyone looked over and said, “The Chinese language is truly deep and profound.”

nWhen he claimed it was manageable, it was with humbleness and certainty.

nAs for someone else’s “manageable,” heh…

nEveryone could understand the underlying meaning of his words and instantly burst out laughing. “That’s true. Fan Han would claim it manageable if he can’t get full marks, but in Xue Xi’s case, manageable would be just getting a 60. Isn’t her standard for herself a little too low? Ha ha ha…”

nAdministrative building— Senior Year Mathematics Office.

nFollowing the ring of the bell, Class One’s civic tutor, Old Liu, picked up the mathematics papers and moved to leave. At this moment, the rest of his colleagues teaching other classes asked, “Old Liu, I heard that there is someone from your class who scored full marks?”

nOld Liu paused in his footsteps and smiled so widely that his wrinkles appeared. “Yes.”

nSomeone lamented, “This exam tested something out of the syllabus just to give these rascals a blow in order to make them settle down and properly start studying. That mathematics paper is very challenging. Your class’s Fan Han is truly impressive! Looks like your class is going to be the first in the level on average again, isn’t it?”

nJust as Old Liu moved to speak, Class Two’s civic tutor, Ms. Li, spoke. “Class One is indeed very smart, but it can’t be helped that there are laggards dragging the rest behind!”

nMs. Li was a woman in her thirties. She smiled. “Mr. Liu, how did the transfer student in your class fare?”

nOld Liu stopped when he heard this. “Ms. Li, I heard that the headmaster originally intended to put Xue Xi in your class?”

nMs. Li gloated when this was mentioned.

nThere were two experimental classes in the senior year: Class One and Class Two. The top hundred students in the level were randomly allocated to each class and, hence, the competition was stiff.

nWhen Xue Xi first transferred over, the Xue family only requested for her to be in an experimental class. The headmaster had originally planned to put the girl in her class. After all, the girl had issues and it was easier for a female teacher to communicate with her.

nHowever, Ms. Li had firmly rejected it and pushed the responsibility to Old Liu.

nHow could she possibly accept the yearly number one student being given to Old Liu but only the problematic young girl given to her?

nMoreover, with Xue Xi, she could pull down Class One’s average score and that will allow Class Two to be the first, right?

nMs. Li thought about this and replied, “Yes. Our class was full.”

nOld Liu’s worry when he first received Xue Xi had been instantly swept away, and he grinned. “Then I shall thank you!”

nWith that, he walked past Ms. Li while humming a tune under his breath.

nMs. Li was stunned.

nBeside her, someone else had already run to Old Liu’s desk to look at the summarized result slip. A gush ensued. “The person who scored full marks this time is actually not Fan Han?”

nAn ominous feeling rose in Ms. Li’s heart when she heard this. “Who is it?”

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