novelraw Chapter 57
Chapter 57
Chapter 57 The dinner gathering for the class was set at a well-known private restaurant in Qingcheng, famous for being difficult to get a reservation. It was clear that some classmates’ parents had helped secure four or five tables for Class 6.
The restaurant had valet attendants. The class president, Qi Miao, stood next to the valet, worried that some of the students might have trouble finding the place.
When Qi Miao saw Wen Yufeng stepping out of the driver’s seat, his back instinctively straightened, and his expression turned oddly serious.
“Hello, Yu-ge.”
The valet, who was about to take the car keys, was momentarily stunned, glancing between Qi Miao and Wen Yufeng, his eyes filled with apparent fear.
The car door on the driver’s side was still open, and Qin Qing, seated in the passenger seat, couldn’t help but smile at the scene.
Noticing the valet’s unusual expression, Wen Yufeng glanced at Qi Miao with mild annoyance.
Realizing that his previous attitude and the way he addressed Wen Yufeng might have caused a misunderstanding, Qi Miao’s face flushed, and he hurriedly explained to the valet, “We’re just classmates, classmates.”
The valet looked at the expensive SUV parked before him and said nothing. However, judging by his expression, it was clear he didn’t believe Qi Miao and was even more respectful toward Wen Yufeng.
After giving Qi Miao a brief look, Wen Yufeng didn’t bother with their reactions anymore. By then, he had already walked around to the passenger side, opened the door, and smiled at Qin Qing, making a polite gesture for her to exit.
What was meant to be a playful gesture of gentlemanly conduct appeared graceful and impeccable when performed by Wen Yufeng, despite his casual attire. His demeanor and movements were flawless.
Qin Qing couldn’t help but pause.
At that moment, she suddenly realized that Wen Yufeng, who she had always thought of as nonchalantly playful, was indeed already an adult, mature beyond his years.
Seeing the girl still staring at him dazedly, Wen Yufeng chuckled softly, his voice slightly hoarse and his eyes gleaming with amusement.
“Or should I carry you out of the car?”
Qin Qing: “…”
—The Wen Yufeng she was familiar with, the one who was playful and unruly, was back in an instant.
Qin Qing tried her best to keep a straight face, pretending not to hear his earlier remark. She quickly jumped out of the car and walked straight into the restaurant without looking back.
Behind her, Wen Yufeng leisurely followed with a satisfied grin.
Qi Miao watched the two walk from being apart to side by side, scratched his head, and muttered to himself, “…Are they being this blatant now?”
The class had reserved a private room with a sliding door connecting the inner and outer sections. Once the door was opened, everyone inside could see who entered.
Qin Qing, still a bit distracted from what had happened outside, only realized what she had overlooked when she walked into the room and felt the complex and curious gazes of the entire class.
—She was wearing a light pink long down coat over a white turtleneck sweater and pants, while the person next to her was in a navy blue coat with a black turtleneck and pants. The visual impact of their outfits was enough to render the room, filled with four or five tables, momentarily silent.
At that moment, the former subject teachers and Mr. Shen hadn’t arrived yet, so the students were still relaxed.
From somewhere in the room, a voice piped up—
“Couple’s outfits, huh—”
“…”
If it had been anyone else, the entire class would have burst into teasing laughter.
But before the small spark of unrest could ignite, Wen Yufeng, standing at the door with his hands in his coat pockets, lifted his eyes.
His handsome face held a faint smile, but his gaze swept slowly and deliberately around the room.
The silence spoke volumes.
The desire to gossip was swiftly quashed by a sense of self-preservation, and everyone collectively quieted down.
Only then did Wen Yufeng stride into the room.
Qin Qing silently followed behind him.
Before they reached the middle of the room, the door to the private room opened again.
It was class president Qi Miao, his face beaming with excitement—
“Mr. Shen is here!”
As he spoke, Mr. Shen walked in from the side.
Unlike his usual suit and tie at school, today Mr. Shen was wearing a bright red down jacket.
The students responded with enthusiastic cheers—
“Mr. Shen, you look so festive!”
“Happy New Year, Mr. Shen!”
Mr. Shen acknowledged them with a smile and exchanged a few playful remarks. Then, glancing around casually, he spotted Wen Yufeng and Qin Qing still standing.
“Aren’t those our star student and her deskmate?”
Mr. Shen smiled at the two of them.
Noticing their outfits, his eyes briefly flickered, but he quickly refocused on Qin Qing.
“Qin Qing, I heard you’re still holding the top spot in the humanities division.”
As he spoke, Mr. Shen shifted his gaze to the boy beside her, “And I hear you’ve managed to help Wen Yufeng reach new heights?”
His tone was teasing, something that others might have laughed off.
But Qin Qing didn’t.
She smiled gently, her pretty almond eyes filled with sincerity.
“Mr. Shen, that’s all thanks to Wen Yufeng’s hard work. In fact, he scored the highest in the comprehensive humanities section during the finals, even higher than I did, so I can’t take any credit.”
The drastic change from “bottom of the class” to “first in comprehensive humanities” for Wen Yufeng had already spread throughout the second year, so the students from Class 6 weren’t too surprised by Qin Qing’s words.
Even so, the stark contrast still evoked mixed feelings in many.
Mr. Shen felt the same.
He walked over and stopped in front of Wen Yufeng.
“So, you ranked sixteenth in the humanities division for the entire grade in the finals?”
Wen Yufeng: “Thank you for your concern, Mr. Shen.”
Mr. Shen’s gaze sharpened slightly. “And you didn’t neglect anything else?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Your plans haven’t changed?”
“…”
Wen Yufeng paused.
He didn’t answer immediately. Under the puzzled and curious gazes of others, he turned to look at the girl beside him.
Their eyes met, and her confusion mirrored his.
After two seconds, Wen Yufeng lowered his gaze and let out a soft, amused sigh.
“I had my doubts, but it doesn’t matter. …I’m very clear on what kind of outcome I want.”
Before reaching that goal, I won’t waver again.
Because everything I’m doing now is so that we can reach that destination together.
“…”
Mr. Shen’s emotions were complex, but a sense of relief eventually took over.
—In the end, he had underestimated this young man’s determination.
As the other teachers gradually arrived and took their seats, the room grew lively.
It was mid-year in the second year, and the shadow of the so-called “college entrance exam” hadn’t yet loomed over them. Most students were still focused on the trivial but unforgettable joys and sorrows of youth.
So, during the meal, more chatting than eating took place. The teachers gradually made their excuses and left one by one, leaving the underage students alone in the private room.
Having just escaped the pressure of final exams and a semester of intense study, the students were reluctant to head home so soon.
Finally, one of the most energetic students made a suggestion—
“It’s still early; why go home so soon? Let’s play a game of ‘seven-up,’ and whoever loses has to do a truth or dare challenge. We’ll go table by table!”
The idea was immediately met with enthusiastic approval.
—After half a year since the class split, those with mutual or one-sided feelings were now emboldened by drinks, eager to express their emotions.
With such an opportunity, they couldn’t wait to participate.
As part of the punishment for losing truth or dare, each student had to write down a challenge on a slip of paper, mix them together, and the loser would draw one at random.
And so the game began.
But after just a few rounds at each table, someone started to protest—
“This isn’t fair! This game is basically just you science geeks crushing us humanities students! You know we suck at math—whoever suggested this is going to get beaten up!”
“Have some shame,” retorted a classmate at the same table, who had been winning continuously. “Look at Yu-ge and Qin Qing—they’re both humanities students, and they haven’t lost once…”
The room fell silent as the speaker realized who he had just used as an example, his face paling.
Several people instinctively glanced at a certain figure in the corner.
The room grew awkwardly quiet.
Under the scrutiny of his peers, Wen Yufeng, who had been deep in thought while watching Qin Qing, shifted his attention back to the game.
Qin Qing, equally bored by the game, snapped back to reality and subtly tugged on Wen Yufeng’s sleeve under the table.
Originally planning to leave early with Qin Qing, Wen Yufeng had no intention of engaging, but since she had nudged him, he reluctantly obliged.
“If you all think it’s unfair, let’s switch to something more random.”
He curled his lips into a smile, tapping the table with his long finger. “Let’s keep it simple—spin the spoon.”
The group, many of whom had been punished multiple times already, quickly agreed.
“…”
Qin Qing alone glared at the spoon placed in the middle of their table, feeling a deep sense of unease.
—After that incident at the bar with the spinning bottle, she had developed a psychological aversion to anything involving “spinning.”
Perhaps sensing her thoughts, Wen Yufeng, who was sitting beside her, leaned over her chair.
His low, raspy voice whispered close to her ear, “Scared?”
“…”
Qin Qing knew he was doing it on purpose, and she glared at him in frustration.
But a minute later, Qin Qing’s anger dissipated completely.
She beamed as she looked at the spoon, now pointing to the person on her right, and her almond-shaped eyes curved into crescents—
“Wen Yufeng, it’s your turn to pick a punishment slip!”
“…”
Having his own suggestion backfire on him in just the second round, Wen Yufeng himself wasn’t particularly bothered.
However, seeing the radiant smile on the girl’s face, he, for the first time in his life, realized that even such a boring game might have its merits.
Seeing Qin Qing’s bright, joyful expression, Wen Yufeng stood up to draw a punishment slip, unable to suppress the smile tugging at his lips.
A moment later, the punishment was revealed—
The task was simple: publicly reveal the photo kept in his wallet.
Everyone, including Qin Qing, found this punishment rather dull.
—In this day and age, who still keeps photos in their wallet?
But within seconds of thinking that, Qin Qing noticed a flash of discomfort in Wen Yufeng’s expression.