Chapter 42: Chapter 42: They Use Absurd Behavior to Hide the True Meaning of Their Terms of Endearment

Monday. A good day, clear and sunny.

Shen Yuan only managed to eat four and a half steamed buns today. The reason was none other than Li Zhi taking half of one.

That stubborn girl had insisted she wasn’t buying one, but the moment she saw him eating, she just had to have half.

So stubborn.

’Couldn’t she just buy her own next time, then give me half?’

’Half a bun from a pretty girl’s hands would probably taste even better.’

’Right?’

After they got to the classroom, Li Zhi watched Shen Yuan carry his schoolbag to the innermost seat.

The pretty girl pouted.

To be honest, Li Zhi didn’t really like sitting in the middle.

Either of the side seats was fine, but in the middle, you were constantly getting bumped by your deskmate on the left, then getting bumped by your deskmate on the right. It was so annoying.

"Shen Yuan, let’s make a deal."

"What is it?" Shen Yuan was just getting comfortable in his new throne. Hearing Li Zhi’s words, he turned to look at his childhood friend.

Li Zhi bit the inside of her lower lip, but finally spoke.

"I want to sit on the inside."

"Oh."

Shen Yuan grunted. "And?"

Li Zhi pressed her lips together. ’What kind of moronic article did that moronic Kissing Association write?’ she thought.

’How could childhood friends possibly get along this well!’

’Whatever, I’ve already brought it up.’

Li Zhi said, "Can we switch seats?"

"A-yo, what’s the offer? Your terms? You’re proposing a trade, you should state your terms. Otherwise, it doesn’t seem like you’re serious."

Shen Yuan leaned against the wall, one leg crossed casually over the other.

"I’ll tutor you in math. For as long as we’ve switched, I’ll tutor you."

Hearing Li Zhi’s offer, Shen Yuan’s expression turned to one of disappointment.

"Tsk, that’s it?"

Seeing his attitude, Li Zhi took off her schoolbag and tossed it at him.

"Are you taking the deal or not!"

"I’ll take it, I’ll take it! So, are we switching desks?" Shen Yuan caught the bag steadily.

Li Zhi shook her head. "Switching desks is too much trouble. Let’s just leave it."

Hearing this, Shen Yuan plopped down onto Li Zhi’s chair.

...

"Zhizhi, morning."

He Zhiyu had just sat down at her own seat when she saw a different face look up from the seat that originally belonged to Li Zhi.

"Shen Yuan?"

He Zhiyu paused, then saw Li Zhi in the "old spot."

"You two?"

Shen Yuan chuckled. "Young Master Li wanted to sit on the inside. Begged me for a long time before I finally agreed."

"Get outta here! You looking for a beating?" The pretty girl raised her fist.

Shen Yuan was sure that if he nodded, Li Zhi would sock him without a moment’s hesitation.

"Violence doesn’t solve problems."

"But it can solve you."

’She’s got a point there.’

Shen Yuan shrugged and said to He Zhiyu, "Actually, it’s because Li Zhi was being all cute and pouty with me that I agreed."

Hearing this, He Zhiyu looked at Li Zhi in surprise.

Li Zhi sighed. "Zhiyu, you have to understand. It’s so tiring raising a child alone, especially when the child is an idiot."

With that, Li Zhi placed her hand on Shen Yuan’s head and said gently, "Isn’t that right, baby?"

Shen Yuan nodded. "Mommy, I want to eat..."

"Prosperity, democracy, civility, harmony..."

Li Zhi quickly clamped a hand over Shen Yuan’s mouth and started chanting.

He Zhiyu watched them, silently turned back around, then took out her phone and opened her notes app.

[They use absurd behavior to mask the true meaning behind their intimate nicknames, but perhaps, one is waiting for the other to take the first step.]

"Talk nonsense again and I’ll give you a socking!"

Shen Yuan leaned closer to Li Zhi and asked, "Wanna play slaps? I’ll give you a chance to hit me."

Li Zhi’s brow furrowed.

"You creep! Get lost!"

A big question mark appeared over Shen Yuan’s little head.

’Wait, that’s creepy too?’

At first, Shen Yuan was actually pretty happy about switching seats.

But soon enough, he wasn’t happy anymore.

The first class was Chemistry.

When the chemistry tests were handed back, Shen Yuan was in Li Zhi’s seat, so naturally, he had to find Li Zhi’s test paper.

And then he saw a test with a three-digit score.

"Holy crap..."

Just as Shen Yuan was marveling at Li Zhi’s score, he heard a disgusted sound from Li Zhi next to him.

Shen Yuan leaned over to look.

An 82.

’That’s already pretty good. No need to sound so disgusted, right, Young Master Li?’

"Feeling satisfied?"

Shen Yuan shook his head.

Li Zhi didn’t say anything more. After handing the test paper to Shen Yuan, she started listening to the lecture.

The second period was also a review of the test, and Eldest Female Cousin seemed to be in a good mood today.

Maybe it was because her Douyin followers had increased.

Mondays were for going over tests.

Check your score, look at your mistakes, and see if you’d made any progress over the week.

There were no exercises during the long break.

Flag-raising ceremony.

This made the boys of Class 15 upset for a while.

Without seeing the "big sister’s" graceful style, they felt like they couldn’t get energized for the rest of the day.

Before the final Chinese language tests were handed back, Shen Yuan was still very happy.

English, needless to say, was a stable 146.

For the comprehensive science exam, his scores for physics, chemistry, and biology were 82, 85, and 85, respectively.

points!

Chinese language... as long as he got a stable 110 or higher in Chinese, he, Shen Yuan, could hit 600 points no matter what, successfully evolving to the next stage and shedding his dog status.

It couldn’t be so unlucky that he’d get exactly 110 in Chinese, leaving him stuck at 599, right?

If it really turned out that way, Shen Yuan would probably just have to accept it.

If he was short by just one point, there was nothing he could say.

’It’s just that, from the looks of it, 620 points is still a bit far off.’

But one thing was obvious: the Chinese tests couldn’t possibly be handed back so soon.

The exams were just taken on Sunday. Even if Sister Lan pulled an all-nighter, she might not be able to finish grading them all.

Just the sixty essays from Class 15 alone were enough to put Sister Lan through a period of torture.

Moreover, she’d be constantly jumping back and forth between enjoyment and torture.

While waiting for the Chinese test, Shen Yuan found himself getting anxious.

"Young Master Li, do you think I can beat that girl with the surname Tong this time?"

Li Zhi looked at Shen Yuan and smiled faintly. "Absolutely not. Her math is already better than yours to begin with. She can completely make up for her weakness in English with her math, and even surpass you. Besides, her physics score has probably already overtaken yours."

Shen Yuan slumped dejectedly onto his desk.

This was too depressing.

He didn’t beat her last time, and he probably didn’t beat her this time either.

"No, I have to study! Dammit, I have to study!"

Nearby, the girl who was originally Li Zhi’s deskmate was numb.

’What the hell? I thought with the Painful Sacrifice staying in her original seat, I could relax a little. Now here comes another grinder.’

’Even though Shen Yuan’s scores are low, he still studies!’

’Who’s to say Shen Yuan’s scores won’t go up later?’

’If Shen Yuan’s scores go up, doesn’t that mean his studying now is productive work?’

’So while Shen Yuan is doing productive work, I’m just here chatting, thinking about what to have for a late-night snack.’

’According to the theory of academic relativity, when others are improving and I’m staying in the same place, it means I’m falling behind.’

Dammit!

’No, no, I have to study!’

Watching her former deskmate start studying, the corners of Li Zhi’s mouth lifted slightly.

’How wonderful, this feeling of watching others struggle in the ocean of grades.’