Don't underestimate the poor and elderly; I was thrilled to refuse the class beauty's adva

The back door of the classroom was pushed open, and Zhang Yifan and Zong Wen returned from the cafeteria.

Lin Wanqing heard the commotion behind her, heard Zong Wen still talking to Guo Hao, and heard someone call Zhang Yifan's name and greet him.

Her shoulders tensed up involuntarily for a moment, then she forced herself to relax.

She opened her textbook to cover her face, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Zhang Yifan brush past the corner of her desk without stopping or hesitating.

She lowered her head, tore the page that had been punctured by the pen tip from the notebook, crumpled it into a ball, and stuffed it deep into the desk drawer.

Then she turned to a new page, picked up her pen, and continued working on the problems.

During evening self-study, Zhang Yifan's phone vibrated in his pocket.

He took it out and glanced at it while Fu Kai turned around to write a problem on the blackboard.

Shen Zhiyi: Did you finish the last big physics problem today?

Zhang Yifan typed with his head down: I got it right. The key point for the third question is to use the conservation of momentum, not the conservation of energy.

Shen Zhiyi replied instantly: I know, I just wanted to confirm.

A little while later, another message came: How many physics multiple-choice questions did you get wrong?

Zhang Yifan: All correct.

Shen Zhiyi: Me too.

Looking at the text message, Zhang Yifan could almost picture Shen Zhiyi's expression when she said "Me too."

Just like every time she saw her name next to his on the list, she slightly raised her chin, a barely perceptible smile playing on her lips, but deliberately put on an indifferent expression.

The corners of his mouth had just turned up, and before he could think of a reply, Zong Wen's head popped up like a radar.

Zhang Yifan slammed his phone down on the table with a loud thud, so fast that the students in the front row all turned around to look.

"Another school beauty?" Zong Wen lowered his voice, his eyes shining like two searchlights. "How many times do you two post a day? One in the morning, one at noon, and one in the evening, more punctual than the evening news."

"Discussing our studies."

"What are you hiding during the discussion and learning?"

"I didn't hide it."

"If you weren't hiding it, why were you holding onto your phone?"

"Do the problems."

Zhang Yifan silenced his phone, put it back in his pocket, picked up his pen, and opened the science exam paper right under Zong Wen's nose.

Zong Wen stared at him for several seconds, then sighed in a tone of someone who had been through it all:

"Yifan, you're a good person in every way, except you're too boring."

If a girl initiates a message to you, is it enough for you to just reply with "Me too" and that's it?

You should say something like, "You're so amazing!" or "Let's do some practice problems together sometime." You need to continue the conversation.

"You're so amazing! Let's do some problems together sometime. And then?"

"Then she'll reply 'Okay,' and you'll go out to do homework together, and while you're doing homework, you'll go get bubble tea, and while you're getting bubble tea... hehe~"

"Have you finished your homework?"

Zong Wen obediently opened his workbook, muttering as he looked for a pen, "I'm telling you seriously, you're just clueless."

Zhang Yifan ignored him.

He turned to the next page of the science exam paper, then glanced down at his pocket.

The screen was dark, with no new messages, but his fingers tapped lightly twice on the edge of the table.

The school bell rang.

Peng Kaifei packed his schoolbag much faster than usual. He practically stuffed everything on the table into his schoolbag and got up to leave without even zipping it up properly.

He didn't want to stay in the classroom for another minute, didn't want to see those faces that used to be respectful to him but now wouldn't even bother to greet him, and didn't want to hear any whispers about the cafeteria, the disciplinary committee, or his father.

He walked down the corridor with his head down, his steps quick and chaotic, until he was blocked by three boys at the stairwell.

The leader was a former sports student from Class 8, who was half a head taller than Peng Kaifei. Peng Kaifei had previously publicly called him a poor bastard because of the training ground issue, and Peng Kaifei had also had Tiger block him at the school gate once.

They didn't actually lay a hand on him that time, but they cornered him in an alley and took all his money.

Peng Kaifei remembered him; his name was Liu Zheng.

Peng Kaifei took a step back and his back hit the wall.

Liu Zheng took a step forward, looked down at him, and without making a move, simply smiled, revealing a set of neat white teeth: "Oh, isn't this Young Master Peng? Why aren't you watching where you're going today?"

Peng Kaifei stood up straight against the wall, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, but he didn't say anything.

He gripped the strap of his schoolbag tightly, his gaze passing over Liu Zheng's shoulder, trying to find a way to get through.

But the other two boys had already blocked the stairwell from the left and right.

Zhang Yifan saw this scene as he walked up the stairs around the corner.

Peng Kaifei was pressed against the wall, surrounded by three boys. Liu Zheng had one hand in his pocket and the other hand raised, it was unclear whether he wanted to pat Peng Kaifei's face or his shoulder.

Then Peng Kaifei saw Zhang Yifan.

Their eyes met for less than a second in the dimly lit stairwell.

Peng Kaifei's eyes held fear, humiliation, and a subconscious urge to call for help from someone—but that person was Zhang Yifan.

It was Zhang Yifan, the one who had been publicly humiliated countless times, blocked by Tiger Brother, and pelted with money.

What right does he have to ask him for help?

Peng Kaifei's lips moved, but no sound came out.

Zhang Yifan paused for a moment.

Liu Zheng followed Peng Kaifei's gaze and looked back. He saw it was Zhang Yifan and nodded to him.

Zhang Yifan didn't say anything, nor did he step forward.

He shifted his gaze from Peng Kaifei and continued walking upstairs, his footsteps echoing slowly in the stairwell.

A muffled thud came from behind me, I couldn't tell if it was a fist hitting me or my back slamming into the wall, followed by a suppressed groan.

Then came Liu Zheng's low voice, "This punch is for the beatings I took before," followed by more muffled sounds, like several bags of potatoes being kicked to the ground one after another.

Zhang Yifan did not turn around.

When he reached the corner of the stairs, he took out his phone from his pocket and glanced at the last message Shen Zhiyi had sent half an hour earlier.

He didn't see it in time.

"There's another provincial joint exam this week, dare you compete again?"

He typed, head down: "What's there to be afraid of? What's the bet?"

This time, Shen Zhiyi did not reply immediately.

Zhang Yifan waited a few seconds, put his phone back in his pocket, and continued walking upstairs.

When I reached the corner on the third floor, my pocket jolted.

"Same as always, the loser grants the other party one request."

"Okay, you wait."

After posting this message, Zhang Yifan stuffed his phone back into his pocket, a smile still lingering on his lips.

Zongwen caught up from behind, panting, and grabbed his shoulder: "Huff huff huff... Why are you walking so fast? What are you laughing at? Who texted you? Was it the school beauty again?"

"About the provincial joint examination."

"Provincial joint exam? You two didn't make a bet about the provincial joint exam, did you?"

"Um."

"What are we betting on?"

"If you lose, you have to grant the other person one request."

Zong Wen paused for a moment, then quickened his pace to catch up, his tone carrying an air of certainty that said, "I've seen through everything."

"Isn't this just a challenge 2.0 between you two? Last time you made a bet on terms, and this time you're making another bet on terms. You might as well just bet on terms for the rest of your lives."

Zhang Yifan ignored him.