8 Guide

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Li Shuangjie stepped into the director’s office, which was surprisingly crowded. Zhang Guodong looked at her with some astonishment. “Xu Shan said you could be persuaded to give the speech—I thought she was just boasting. But you actually came! How strange. Last Friday, you swore you wouldn’t participate, didn’t you?”

Li Shuangjie turned around. “So, should I leave?”

“No, no! The speech draft is right here.”

As she took the draft, Zhang Guodong finally believed she was truly willing to go on stage. He asked, “There are still ten minutes before class ends. Can you memorize it all? If not, just partially improvise... Pei Chuyuan can speak without a script; you can just stand beside him and say nothing.”

Li Shuangjie raised a hand. “My ears aren’t feeling well.”

“What’s wrong?” Zhang Guodong asked with concern.

“I heard crap.”

She crossed her arms. “So you’re suggesting that the top student in this grade should just stand there like a statue, a mascot, and let some other guy steal the spotlight, right?”

Li Shuangjie could be uncompetitive, but “when I’m on stage, no one is allowed to steal my thunder!”

Zhang Guodong was stunned, speechless.

Everyone else also inhaled sharply.

This girl was too arrogant.

Li Shuangjie paid no mind to the others. Time was short, so she went into the hallway to memorize the speech. It was indeed lengthy. She ordered Zheng Lanyu to obediently hold the papers while she admired the handsome, deep-featured face of the mixed-race boy, reciting. Whenever she got bored, she’d slap him playfully on the ears.

Zheng Lanyu glanced at the densely packed paragraphs.

“So much—won’t you run out of time to memorize it all?”

Li Shuangjie tapped her head. “Trust it.”

Her lips moved rhythmically, like wind fluttering through a letter.

Zheng Lanyu uttered an “oh,” shifting his gaze from the black-and-white text to Li Shuangjie’s face. Her long lashes veiled her dark, luminous eyes, which trembled frame by frame, as if countless streams of information flowed within.

She exuded a beauty of pure rationality.

Unconsciously, Zheng Lanyu became entranced.

—Until the bell rang.

Li Shuangjie suddenly closed her eyes tightly.

A victorious smile appeared on her lips.

“I’ve memorized it.”

She strode briskly toward the playground, the wind lifting the hem of her uniform. Zheng Lanyu followed behind. Li Shuangjie was always the kind to stride forward with purpose, and most of the time, all you could do was follow her—though that alone was enough, as many rushed to trail behind her.

You wouldn’t even get a chance to be at the front.

Zheng Lanyu watched her ascend the stage, take the microphone, and speak before Pei Chuyuan. Li Shuangjie was as prepared as she seemed. From childhood to now, she was used to being surrounded by all kinds of gazes. An outstanding woman always had to endure much criticism.

But today, a special look appeared—even as the speech neared its end, Zheng Lanyu remained vigilant, holding the script high. The flagpole was too far from their group, even standing in the front row, it was useless. How could Li Shuangjie see clearly? But she could see the blond, blue-eyed innocent young man worrying for her.

Loyal and unwavering.

A bond of life and death.

Well, she thought, even if he was pretending, he was a high-class pretender, a deluxe model. What Li Shuangjie didn’t know was that as she looked toward that golden figure, another silent gaze was quietly watching her.

From the nearby, otherworldly student council president.

Pei Chuyuan remained outwardly calm.

But inside, he was consumed by a sense of crisis.

He believed he understood Li Shuangjie better than any other classmate. From the day they entered high school, he had silently monitored—no, cared for—her. How could he not notice her unusual behavior? When had she interacted with any boy besides Song Encheng?

And Zheng Lanyu, who had transferred just a week ago, had become not only Li Shuangjie’s deskmate but also the recipient of her slaps. Either role was enough to make Pei Chuyuan jealous.

Why was he the one sitting closest to Li Shuangjie, able to glance at her dark eyes, long lashes, and the clear joints of her hand holding a pen as she focused on problems during class or after?

Why was he the one getting slapped, yet acting so reluctant about it?

If it were him—

He would be licking Li Shuangjie’s hand.

Pei Chuyuan was nearly drowned in envy. Maintaining a composed smile and measured words, he inwardly wanted to strangle Zheng Lanyu, that damned little foreign fox, that American fox! Hmph, what’s so special about foreign boys? Li Shuangjie would get bored with him soon enough!

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By then, Zheng Lanyu would be left abandoned in some dark corner, no longer able to enjoy even a shred of Li Shuangjie’s attention! And Pei Chuyuan himself would seize the chance, fighting and scheming to play the role she favored most. Did she like obedient? Or foolish?

No matter. Pei Chuyuan was willing to be anything.

So, when the speech ended, he couldn’t help but curl the corner of his mouth into a slight smile, eyes narrowing confidently.

Li Shuangjie thought he was mocking her.

When returning the microphone, she glanced at him.

“Don’t get too cocky.”

She calmly declared war. “I wasn’t going to say this, but since we’re on stage together, I might as well make it clear. I’ve never tolerated other boys scoring better than me. Although you haven’t surpassed me yet—only by eight or nine points—I’m ringing the alarm and officially treating you as my rival. Please take the next midterm seriously and try to add some excitement to my boring study life.”

Pei Chuyuan frowned. “I…”

She raised her hand—not to apologize, but to signal he still had much to practice.

Pei Chuyuan watched her retreating back, feeling helpless. He didn’t want to be her enemy; he wanted to be her lover. He really was... casting seductive glances at a blind person. Well, at least Li Shuangjie noticed him. She even spoke to him.

She had officially considered him a rival.

She cared that much.

Pei Chuyuan found reason to secretly rejoice.

One morning, after dealing with the mess caused by Zheng Lanyu skipping class and handling the speech under the national flag, the class monitor Li returned to class feeling triumphant. Zhao Ze and his little clique hurried over to flatter her, saying her aura completely overshadowed Pei Chuyuan, like a stopwatch measuring everything.

“Really?” she raised an eyebrow. “Is that true?”

“Of course! Shuangjie, Shuangjie, we like you!”

Li Shuangjie eyed him slowly.

“But this morning’s matter isn’t over yet.”

“What matter?” Zhao Ze’s eyes flicked cunningly. He pretended casual as he brought it up. “During Chinese class, we were going to skip to play basketball and even invited your deskmate along. But when buying water, we saw the discipline officers coming, so we had to run.”

He even bumped Zheng Lanyu’s shoulder with a grin. “Sorry for getting you punished on our behalf.”

“...You don’t mind, do you?”

You don’t mind, right?

I... do mind.

Zheng Lanyu pursed his lips, unable to argue.

“See?” Li Shuangjie tilted her head, smiling.

Her fingers twined around a strand of hair. “Did you see? He went along with them without hesitation and didn’t even realize he was being played. I told you their excuse was this, and you didn’t believe me. Do you believe me now?”

Zheng Lanyu said, “I thought at the time…”

“Forget it.” Li Shuangjie was tired of fools.

“Zhao Ze.” She reached out and grabbed his collar across the desk. She sat while he stood, but that didn’t mean he dared look down on her. She pulled him up to nose level, fixing him with a snake-like gaze before lazily speaking. “You’re scheming against my people, aren’t you?”

As soon as she finished speaking,

the classroom fell silent as if gripped by a chill.

It was over.

Accounts would be settled after autumn.

An overwhelming pressure burst from Li Shuangjie’s presence. What was that? A hundred-thousand-year soul ring? Zhao Ze’s shoulders trembled uncontrollably, beyond his control. He felt like a fierce lioness was staring him down, her cold teeth brushing his throat.

No, his gaze dropped.

It was Li Shuangjie’s fingertip.

Her hard nails repeatedly scraped the fragile skin.

“Zhao Ze, Zhao Ze, you think I only know how to slap you and won’t get back at you? Gathering the boys at the back to cause trouble in class all day long... I’m stripping you of your position. You must hate me now, right?”

“N-no... I dare not...”

“So you hate Zheng Lanyu, huh?”

“I…”

“You think I’m stupid and know nothing? You thought you couldn’t beat me with those tricks before, but now you can?”

Her voice lowered. “This is in class. I’m giving you face, but this is a warning. Next time it happens again...”

“No, no, I won’t, I won’t.”

Li Shuangjie let go of him just as a muffled sound came.

Zhao Ze’s legs went weak, and he collapsed to the floor.

Spineless.

Li Shuangjie disdainfully looked away.

The class bell rang. Zhao Ze hurried back to his seat. This was English class, and Miss Zhang was about to dictate a test. Li Shuangjie just pulled out her dictation notebook from the mess on her desk when she suddenly lost patience and threw it at Zheng Lanyu beside her.

“Stop looking at me with those watery eyes, okay?”

It was really not Li Shuangjie’s fault.

Zheng Lanyu was so touched he almost cried.

“Class monitor...” His pale nose reddened. “Thank you for standing up for me. You’re the first person to defend me…” He wiped his tears fiercely. “From now on, you are my very best friend, Zheng Lanyu. I promise I will…”

“Damn it!” Li Shuangjie snapped.

“Don’t bite the hand that feeds you!”

“Who wants to be friends with you? What’s your status and what’s mine? We’re master and dog!”

She snatched back her dictation book and flipped it open quickly, writing the date herself. “I said long ago I’m not helping you, I’m helping myself! You’re a foreign devil, if you don’t take dictation, I still have to! Don’t drag me down!”

Their quarrel caught Miss Miao’s attention. The young English teacher loved to stir things up. She waved her hand. “Don’t we have a dictation prodigy in class?” Referring to this American transfer student. “Zheng Lanyu, come up and read the dictation!”

Zheng Lanyu was flattered, shyly stepping up and showing off. A girl complained, “So nice! If you read the dictation aloud, we don’t have to write it!”

Another girl answered, “Even if he does write, it’s like he’s got a cheat code. He’s American anyway.”

“Right... what was the last sentence again?”

“I didn’t catch it. Li Shuangjie, did you hear it?”

Li Shuangjie slowly turned her head.

“I could have heard it clearly.”

“...Ah, never mind!”

The two girls laughed and stuck out their tongues.

Fortunately, Zheng Lanyu returned. He repeated the hardest part, and the surrounding classmates immediately lowered their heads, furiously writing. Li Shuangjie got up to hand in her dictation book, but Zheng Lanyu conscientiously helped the girls around him submit theirs too. Showing some self-awareness, Li Shuangjie softened her expression.

Zheng Lanyu then dared to ask, “Do you have a grudge against Zhao Ze? I heard you just say…”

“You probably don’t know.” A girl from the back row jumped in. “Before Li Shuangjie, the class monitor was Zhao Ze!”

“Wasn’t he the sports commissioner?” Zheng Lanyu was surprised.

Li Shuangjie’s voice grew deep. “Back then…”

Heh heh.

A distant memory.

Time rewound to after Li Shuangjie’s first slap on Zhao Ze.

The scandal over the adult comics had caused a great rift between them.

A week later, homeroom teacher Zhou Li held class officer elections. Li Shuangjie, thanks to her outstanding performance at the school sports meet and her mother’s athletic career, was pushed by Zhou Li and the other teachers into the sports commissioner role. Zhao Ze, holding sway over most of the boys in class, was elected class monitor with twenty-five votes in favor, four abstentions, and one opposition.

Worth noting—

That one opposing vote—

Was cast by Li Shuangjie.