novelraw Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Chapter 16 Little ClassmateAfter the afternoon break and exercises, the third period was physics.
The physics teacher was a fair-skinned man who looked to be in his thirties, wearing glasses. As soon as he stepped onto the podium, he noticed Qin Qing sitting in the first row of the second column.
“Hmm?”
The physics teacher adjusted his glasses and focused on Qin Qing. “Is there a new student in your class?”
This physics teacher was known for his good temper, so the students felt comfortable around him. When they heard his question, they all started responding at once.
“All right, all right, as soon as I give you a chance, you start making noise…”
The physics teacher laughed as he gently scolded them, then turned to Qin Qing.
“What’s your name?”
Qin Qing stood up. “Hello, teacher. I’m Qin Qing, and I just transferred to this class.”
“…Such false modesty,” Fang Xiaojing muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes in disdain.
Her voice was so soft that the physics teacher didn’t hear it. After Qin Qing introduced herself, the teacher clapped his hands in realization.
“So you’re the ‘little prodigy’ from the junior high department, huh?”
“…”
Qin Qing lowered her eyes, feeling a bit flustered and embarrassed.
Perhaps realizing that his comment was difficult to respond to, the physics teacher didn’t press the issue and instead shifted the topic with a pleased expression.
“I heard you got full marks in math, physics, and chemistry. That’s impressive—I’m Mr. Shen Liang, your physics teacher for Class Six. If you ever have any questions, feel free to come to my office.”
“Thank you, teacher.”
Qin Qing breathed a sigh of relief, her expression softening, and she sat down as the teacher indicated.
Shen Liang, satisfied, turned back to the podium. As he looked around, he casually noticed two empty desks in the back row.
Frowning slightly, he hesitated before smiling and speaking up.
“Wang Fengchao, lock the back door for me.”
The student called out was a chubby boy sitting in the second-to-last row. Upon hearing this, his face fell.
“Teacher Shen, I don’t dare.”
Shen Liang wasn’t angry and instead smiled good-naturedly.
“I told you to lock it, so lock it. There are plenty of witnesses—if anyone asks, just say I told you to do it.”
“…All right.”
Wang Fengchao responded with a mournful expression, got up, and went to lock the back door.
Meanwhile, Shen Liang also locked the front door. As he returned to the podium, he jokingly said to the class, “It’s summer, and the AC is on, so you should really learn to save the school’s electricity.”
The students, knowing Shen Liang’s true intentions, exchanged glances but didn’t say much.
Shen Liang didn’t mind and began teaching.
…
Over half an hour later, a group of seven or eight boys slowly made their way up the main staircase of the school building.
When they reached the fourth floor and turned the corner, they saw the front door of Class Six.
Two boys from outside the class, unable to contain their curiosity, stepped forward to take a peek at the “new girl” in Class Six.
But before they could take another step, a voice called out from behind.
“Class is still in session.”
The two boys turned back reluctantly.
“Yufeng, we just want to take a quick look. It won’t take long.”
“…”
The tall boy loosened the tie he had just fastened, his lazy smile turning into a cold, playful gaze as he glanced at the two boys.
The silent stare was more intimidating than words.
“…”
The two boys shrank back, obediently said their goodbyes, and turned to walk back to their own class with the others.
Only three remained outside the classroom.
Li Xiang, already impatient, rushed to the back door and twisted the handle a few times, only to find it locked. His excitement immediately turned into frustration.
“Damn, which jerk locked the back door?”
Though Li Xiang’s voice wasn’t loud, it wasn’t exactly quiet either. Coincidentally, it happened during a pause in the lesson, so most of the class heard it.
The chubby boy who had locked the door shivered in fear.
Qin Qing, sitting in the first row, heard the voice vaguely, and a sense of unease welled up inside her.
But before she could figure out the source of her unease, Shen Liang had already resumed his lesson with a cheerful smile.
Qin Qing’s thoughts drifted back to her studies.
Outside the classroom.
“Yufeng, should we break down the door?”
Li Xiang asked, looking irritated as he walked over.
Wen Yufeng chuckled softly, spinning the basketball in his hands, his expression indifferent.
“What did I say last time?”
“…”
Li Xiang didn’t reply immediately. He clenched his teeth, hesitating for a few seconds before changing his tone.
“…Mr. Shen.”
Wen Yufeng retracted his gaze, leaning lazily against the wall.
“I said we’d return after the game, but you gave up first.”
Li Xiang pouted, “How was I supposed to know it was physics class right now?”
“Just wait; five minutes left.”
“All right.”
Li Xiang responded weakly and leaned against the windowsill.
A few minutes later, the piercing sound of the class bell echoed through the entire building.
Li Xiang practically jumped up in excitement, looking eagerly at Wen Yufeng.
“…”
Wen Yufeng smirked faintly at him, tossed the basketball aside, and took long strides toward the classroom’s front door.
When he reached the door, he pulled out a keychain from his pocket.
Selecting one key, Wen Yufeng inserted it into the lock on the classroom door.
Zhao Zirui and Li Xiang, watching from the side, were stunned. After a couple of seconds, Li Xiang widened his eyes and looked up at Wen Yufeng—
“Yufeng, you have a key to the classroom?”
“For emergencies.”
Wen Yufeng replied nonchalantly as he turned the key one last time.
With a click, the lock disengaged.
A slight smile tugged at Wen Yufeng’s lips as he gripped the door handle with his left hand, pulling it down and then pushing it open.
The door swung wide open.
Shen Liang, who was packing up his teaching materials on the podium, was momentarily stunned, as were the students, who all turned to stare.
At the center of everyone’s gaze, Wen Yufeng leaned casually against the doorframe, a lazy smirk playing on his lips.
His voice carried a hint of nonchalant insolence.
“Mr. Shen, class is over.”
Shen Liang lowered his gaze and noticed the keychain dangling from Wen Yufeng’s fingertips, finally understanding.
He wasn’t angry but instead smiled as he leaned against his stack of books.
“Well, well, you’ve learned how to beat the system, haven’t you?”
“That’s thanks to your excellent teaching, sir.”
Wen Yufeng joked lazily. After Shen Liang walked off the podium and left, he straightened up and headed into the classroom.
At this moment, Qin Qing, sitting in the first row, stared blankly at the figure in the doorway.
She was stunned for a moment before quickly lowering her head, hiding her face.
The student sitting behind Qin Qing could only watch as the new girl practically buried herself in her desk.
The movement was so obvious, and Qin Qing’s little black dress with rose patterns stood out so much amidst the sea of white shirts, that Wen Yufeng’s gaze naturally drifted over.
From his angle, he could only see the slender, fair legs tucked under the desk and the delicate, white arms resting on it.
Her entire face was buried, leaving her features obscured, except for the pretty curve of her ears, which were tinged with a faint pink.
…She really does seem like a pretty little girl.
Wen Yufeng thought idly as he withdrew his gaze and was about to head back to his seat in the last row.
But the next moment, he froze, his steps halting abruptly.
He stopped directly in front of Qin Qing’s seat, to the right.
After a silent three seconds, Wen Yufeng’s gaze fell on the girl still hunched over her desk, unwilling to move.
A moment later, the boy’s thin lips slowly curled into a smile.
“Yufeng??”
Following behind him, Li Xiang asked in confusion.
—He also thought that the new student looked pretty, but there were so many pretty girls in the school, and he had never seen Wen Yufeng react like this before.
Li Xiang didn’t recognize the girl who was lying down, but Zhao Zirui had already figured it out. Without saying a word, he pulled Li Xiang aside and headed back to their seats through another aisle.
Wen Yufeng ignored the movements of the two behind him, unable to suppress the smile on his lips.
When he spoke again, his low, husky voice was filled with undisguised pleasure—
“Tsk, who might this be?”
“…”
Hearing the deep, magnetic voice above her, Qin Qing realized she couldn’t escape this situation.
She remained silent for a few seconds before slowly straightening her back.
Her delicate, beautiful face was flushed with a rosy hue from being pressed down. Her almond-shaped eyes, clear and bright, reflected the figure of the tall boy standing in front of her.
Her slightly pink lips were pressed together, and her gaze held a mix of innocence and slight annoyance.
Just as Qin Qing was about to address him as “Senior,” someone interrupted her.
“She’s the new transfer student in our class,” Fang Xiaojing chimed in with a smile, standing up. “Yufeng, don’t scare her.”
However, Wen Yufeng didn’t spare her a glance. His dark eyes remained fixed on Qin Qing, his gaze deep and laced with a teasing mischief.
“A new transfer? Has she introduced herself?”
Feeling completely ignored, Fang Xiaojing’s smile faltered, but she still responded.
“Of course, she introduced herself right when she arrived.”
“…Did I ask you?”
Wen Yufeng finally shifted his gaze to Fang Xiaojing, but the smile on his face faded, and his eyes were so cold that they sent a chill down her spine.
“…”
Fang Xiaojing’s expression froze, and after a moment, she awkwardly sat back down.
Wen Yufeng refocused his attention on the girl in front of him.
His slender, strong fingers pressed against Qin Qing’s desk as he leaned forward, the curve of his lips holding a faint, mocking smile—
“You’ve already introduced yourself?”
“…”
Qin Qing blinked her eyes.
She really didn’t know what this guy was up to, but with the entire class eagerly watching, she had no choice but to nod obediently.
“Mm-hmm.”
It had only been a week since they’d last met, but her voice was still as soft and sweet as he remembered.
Wen Yufeng’s eyes darkened, though his lazy smile remained. His voice, however, grew even deeper and huskier, “What a pity, I didn’t hear it.” He paused meaningfully. “So, shouldn’t you introduce yourself to me personally… little classmate?”
The last three words were laced with undisguised teasing and a deep, intoxicating tone, causing the girl’s fair, jade-like ears to turn red.
…Hang in there, Qin Qing.
Qin Qing silently cheered herself on, but when she spoke again, her voice was still soft—
“Qin Qing.”
Wen Yufeng’s eyes flashed, his gaze growing darker and more intense.
That voice…
He clicked his tongue lightly, straightened up, and looked away with a smile.
…She really seems like someone easy to tease.
How could he possibly resist?
After the smile faded, Wen Yufeng turned his gaze back to her.
He leaned against the edge of Qin Qing’s desk, his lips curling into a teasing smile as he looked down at the obedient, well-behaved girl—
“I’m a bit tired. Little classmate, can you give up your seat for me?”
“…”
Qin Qing was stunned for a moment, then she lifted her small face, her innocent eyes looking up at Wen Yufeng.
Her almond-shaped eyes widened slightly, resembling a startled kitten.
Wen Yufeng’s heart itched at the sight, and the deep, indescribable emotions in his eyes churned like dark ink.
But before he could speak again, an angry voice rang out from the classroom door.
—
“Wen Yufeng!”
The moment the all-too-familiar voice echoed, the students who had been eagerly watching the drama immediately lowered their heads.
After a couple of seconds, they dared to sneak a glance at the homeroom teacher striding into the classroom.
Fu Zhengnan walked briskly to Qin Qing and Fang Xiaojing’s desks, his face flushed with anger.
“Bullying a girl over and over again… If you can’t be a good student, does that mean you can’t stand seeing others do well, huh?!”
“…”
Wen Yufeng’s smile faded.
After a few seconds, he lazily straightened up, neither smiling nor angry as he looked at Fu Zhengnan.
This reaction only fueled Fu Zhengnan’s anger, and he pointed a finger at Wen Yufeng in frustration.
“A few days ago, you got into a fight with the freshmen’s instructors and ended up with a demerit and a public reprimand! I haven’t even dealt with you for that, and now you’re pushing your luck again!”
Fu Zhengnan was so furious that the veins on his forehead bulged. “Fine, if you don’t want to study—I’ll make sure to help you apply for a dismissal! That way, you won’t be able to cause any more trouble for others!”
The other students in the class listened in fear, not daring to make a sound. Only Wen Yufeng, standing at the center of the storm, remained calm as if the situation had nothing to do with him.
Even when he heard the threat of dismissal, he simply let out a dismissive laugh, his tone indifferent, “Thank you for the trouble, Mr. Fu. I’ll be sure to cooperate—”
“Teacher, you’ve misunderstood.”
Just as everyone was holding their breath, afraid to move, a gentle voice spoke up.
Both Fu Zhengnan and Wen Yufeng turned to look at the girl who had spoken.
Wen Yufeng frowned slightly and gave Qin Qing a look.
“…”
Qin Qing ignored him, her expression serious as she addressed Fu Zhengnan. “Just now, I was borrowing a textbook from Senior Wen. Last time in the office, I offered him my seat voluntarily, and…”
Her voice faltered for a moment, a hint of embarrassment flashing through her clear eyes.
“And during the training session, Senior Wen got into a conflict with the instructors because he was taking me to the school clinic after I fainted from heatstroke.”
Her words were clear and concise, leaving no room for misunderstanding.
After she finished speaking, both Fu Zhengnan and the rest of the class were left stunned for a moment before they snapped back to reality.
Though still somewhat angry, Fu Zhengnan couldn’t bring himself to raise his voice when he saw the little girl standing in front of him with such a righteous, serious expression.
He frowned and looked at Wen Yufeng—
“Is that true?”
“…”
Wen Yufeng slowly pulled his gaze away from Qin Qing.
Deep in his dark eyes, a flicker of emotion burned like a smoldering ember.
Qin Qing looked back at him earnestly, her eyes showing an unintentional hint of anxiety.
“Yes.”
After a long pause, Wen Yufeng lowered his gaze, his tone even.
He didn’t say another word.
Fu Zhengnan was taken aback.
This was the first time he had heard such a compliant response from Wen Yufeng, so much so that he wondered if he was imagining things.
Just then, another teacher poked their head in from the hallway and called out.
“Mr. Fu, could you step out for a moment?”
Fu Zhengnan glanced over and then turned back, his expression slightly softened.
“All right, everyone get ready for class. We’ll discuss this later.”
With that, Fu Zhengnan turned and left.
The moment Fu Zhengnan disappeared through the classroom door, Qin Qing finally let out the breath she had been holding, and the serious expression she had been trying to maintain crumbled.
Her heart still racing, she weakly sat back down.
Lying on the first day of skipping grades, and in front of the entire class, no less…
Doing this too often would probably shorten her life, right?
Qin Qing frowned slightly, feeling aggrieved.
But just as she was starting to relax, a deep voice sounded beside her.
—
“Are you always this eager to help others?”
The moment Wen Yufeng spoke, Qin Qing was forced to recall how she had just admitted in front of the entire class that she knew him, and her mood sank even further.
“Senior,” she slowly lifted her face, “this is called repaying kindness, not helping others.”
Wen Yufeng let out a low chuckle. “Repaying kindness? Like how you ‘saved’ me the other day?”
“…”
Qin Qing struggled internally for a moment before murmuring, “That was a misunderstanding…”
But before she could finish, Wen Yufeng cut her off with a soft laugh.
“Well, you certainly owe me a big favor. I’ll have to repay you properly, little classmate.”
The term “little classmate,” though seemingly innocuous, carried a warmth that made her blush.
Qin Qing hesitated for a second before replying.
“My name is Qin Qing, not ‘little classmate.'”
“All right, next time I won’t call you ‘little classmate.’ I’ll think of something else.”
Wen Yufeng responded with a teasing smile.
At the front of the classroom, the next period’s chemistry teacher had already entered.
Wen Yufeng didn’t linger any longer, turning and walking toward the back of the classroom.
Qin Qing finally breathed a complete sigh of relief.
But her peace didn’t last long before the student behind her tapped her on the shoulder.
Qin Qing turned around, confused.
The student handed her a brand-new chemistry textbook.
“Yufeng asked me to give this to you.”
“…”
Qin Qing then remembered the “borrowing a book” excuse she had come up with in a moment of panic.
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she thanked the student quietly and accepted the book.
The book was brand new, and as Qin Qing flipped through it, she noticed that it seemed untouched, with not a single page turned.
Maybe the name wasn’t even written inside?
With that thought, Qin Qing naturally flipped to the first page.
Two freshly inked letters, written in a flowing script, stared back at her.
Qin Qing froze.
Two seconds later, the chemistry book snapped shut.
The blush on her cheeks spread all the way to her jade-like ears.
And in her mind, the low, husky voice she had temporarily forgotten seemed to echo once again—
“Tiantian.”
“…………”
The student sitting behind her then noticed that the new classmate had once again tried to bury herself in her desk.
From a corner of the classroom, someone lowered their gaze and let out a deeply satisfied laugh.
…
After an entire class of restless anticipation, Li Xiang finally couldn’t hold back any longer. He grabbed Zhao Zirui and headed over to Qin Qing.
The sophomore courses had already started over a week ago, and because of military training, Qin Qing had fallen behind. She was now using the new textbook Wen Yufeng had passed to her for studying.
Suddenly, two figures loomed over her desk. Qin Qing paused and looked up.
—It was two vaguely familiar boys, one of them with a brazen head of yellow-dyed hair.
Before Qin Qing could recall where she had seen them before, one of them grinned and spoke, “You’re Qin Qing, right?”
Qin Qing remained silent.
This question had been asked increasingly frequently lately.
Zhao Zirui, who was beside the boy, smacked him on the back of the head. “Can you be a little more polite?”
Li Xiang, whose curiosity was burning, didn’t bother to argue with Zhao Zirui. Instead, he immediately bent down slightly and apologized, “Sorry, Qin classmate. I’ve heard so much about you and was just excited to finally meet you in person, so I lost control of my tone.”
Qin Qing blinked her pretty almond eyes in confusion. “‘Heard so much about me’?”
“Yeah!”
Straightening up after his bow, Li Xiang’s confidence soared, and his voice grew louder.
“To have our Yufeng notice you—”
Before he could finish, a figure walked in from outside the classroom.
Broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs. The person, with hands in pockets, leaned against the door frame, his lips curving into a smirk.
His dark eyes were fixed on them, with a cold, almost chilling smile.
“………”
Li Xiang’s words were abruptly cut off, nearly choking him.
Meanwhile, the girl seated at the desk, unaware of the figure at the door, was still looking at Li Xiang with a puzzled expression, waiting for him to finish his sentence.
Caught between two intense gazes, Li Xiang’s smile stiffened as he forcibly changed his words—
“To have our Yufeng notice… and appreciate a student, it means you have boundless potential!”
“……”
Only then did the person at the door withdraw his gaze, his lips forming a slight smile as he leisurely walked into the classroom.