"Congratulations on successfully completing your second gossip mission. Reward: three years of lifespan, twenty thousand RMB."
It was Li Zeyan's voice!
Zhu Yaya: ...This system really knows how to do it.
Her heart leaping with joy, Zhu Yaya hugged the empty fruit box, humming a cheerful tune, intending to return to her original seat to continue her commendable practice of actively responding to the clean plate campaign and cherishing food by finishing the last piece of braised pork rib. However, she unexpectedly saw someone picking up her tray, about to clear it away.
Zhu Yaya: ((٩(//̀Д/́/)۶))
She could hear the faint, pitiful cry of that last piece of braised pork rib.
"Warrior!!! Have mercy!!!"
Once again, she broke her own sprinting record, successfully snatched back her tray, and saved the final rib.
Zhu Yaya let out a sigh of relief and looked up at the "food-snatcher." She froze. Why was it him again!
It was that youth named "Yan Heng," wearing a white apron, his thick eyelashes lowered, casting a lovely shadow under his eyes as he gazed down at her with an inscrutable look.
Zhu Yaya only reached his shoulder.
She could only tilt her little head back and flash Yan Heng a bright smile, revealing two small dimples: "Sorry, classmate, what are you doing? I haven't finished my ribs yet!"
"Clearing trays." Succinct and to the point.
The boy's voice was surprisingly pleasant, carrying a hint of slightly husky depth, yet still retaining a youthful clarity.
"Then, could you please wait a moment? It won't take long." After saying this with a beaming smile, Zhu Yaya swiftly clamped the braised pork rib with her chopsticks, stuffed it into her mouth, puffed out her cheeks, and mumbled, "Okay, thank you."
Yan Heng: ...
He extended his left hand to take the tray. His fingers were slender and long, forming a stark contrast to Zhu Yaya's slightly plump little hand.
What does a guy need such pretty hands for!
Zhu Yaya thought resentfully, turning as green-eyed as a lemon, withdrew her hand, put it behind her back, and left the cafeteria.
These few encounters had made Zhu Yaya intensely curious about Yan Heng.
During the lunch break, Zhu Yaya pulled Xu Baoying close, and the two of them put their heads together, whispering.
"Yingying, do you know Yan Heng from Class 17, Grade 2?" Zhu Yaya lowered her voice.
"I know him all too well." Xu Baoying, a BL (Boys' Love) enthusiast, rubbed her hands together excitedly.
Seeing Xu Baoying's reaction, Zhu Yaya knew her friend's thoughts had gone in a different direction.
She shot Xu Baoying a look: "I'm asking seriously."
Xu Baoying showed visible disappointment: "Sigh, why are you suddenly asking about him?"
"I saw him in Class 17, Grade 2 last time, and today I saw him clearing trays in the cafeteria."
Xu Baoying looked mysterious: "Oh, he's working part-time at the cafeteria. He's no simple character. Even Murong Beichen doesn't dare provoke him. You'd better stay away from him."
"Oh?" Zhu Yaya's curiosity grew even stronger.
"You know our school's classes are ranked by academic performance, right? That big shot was the top scorer in our city's high school entrance exam. He got into our school with a score only ten points shy of perfect in math. He's a key focus for the school, scoops up all the scholarships, and has his tuition fully waived."
"So amazing! Then why did he end up in Class 17?" Zhu Yaya asked curiously.
Xu Baoying cleared her throat and continued in a low voice, "He went voluntarily. On the school forum, his background was maliciously dug up long ago. Apparently, Yan Heng's family is very poor, living in the West District. His dad is a small-time hoodlum, and his mom has mental health issues. Both his parents are orphans with no other relatives. He's the only breadwinner in the family. He has to work odd jobs every day to earn money, even at night. So, he can only sleep during daytime classes. The homeroom teacher of Class 1, Grade 2 is rigid-minded and a bit snobbish, always putting him down. The big shot got fed up and transferred to Class 17. The Class 17 homeroom teacher was overjoyed, getting the bonus for free. You know, the homeroom teacher gets a bonus if a student from their class gets first place."
"Then why do they say even Murong Beichen doesn't dare provoke him?" Zhu Yaya pressed.
"He always has a stern face, doesn't talk to others, and is poor, so naturally, people don't treat him well. Lots of people have tried to pick fights with him. Once, some thugs from a vocational school brought a whole group to cause trouble for him. He single-handedly beat them all up bare-handed."
Zhu Yaya recalled Yan Heng's physique: "No way, he's tall but looks very slim. Doesn't seem like the fighting type."
"At first, I didn't believe it either, but later our Young Master Chen challenged him to a fight and got beaten down too."
Zhu Yaya exclaimed in surprise: "He beat up Rainbow, damn it, Murong Beichen?"
Is the novel's male lead that weak? And he's supposed to be the school bully?
"Yep!"
"Didn't the Murong family send someone?" Zhu Yaya stroked her chin.
"Of course they did," Xu Baoying shot Zhu Yaya a look, "but, for some reason, the whole thing was eventually dropped. So, now no one in school dares to mess with him. Plus, his mom has mental health issues, so he must have inherited it. No one dares get close to him. What if he suddenly has an episode and kills someone?"
"Really?"
Zhu Yaya frowned, deep in thought. He even dared to beat up the male lead, so why wasn't there a character named "Yan Heng" in the novel's plot?
"Then, I wanted to ask one more thing..." Zhu Yaya turned her head, wanting to ask Xu Baoying further, but found her friend with her eyes closed, lying motionless on the desk.
Zhu Yaya: ???
Weren't you just talking to me? How did you fall asleep so fast?
Oh no! Zhu Yaya suddenly sensed an ominous aura. By the time she tried to lie down and pretend to sleep, it was already too late.
"What did you want to ask? How about we go to the office for a chat." The voice of their homeroom teacher, Chang Wen, sounded beside her ear.
Zhu Yaya stiffened: "I wouldn't want to trouble you. I'd better go stand in the hallway, get some air, cool down, and reflect on my actions!"
"Quite high ideological awareness! Go ahead!" Chang Wen gave Zhu Yaya a meaningful look.
Yes, ma'am.
Before leaving, Zhu Yaya vented her anger by pinching Xu Baoying's thigh. You didn't warn me the teacher was coming, and I got caught!
Xu Baoying played dead, ignoring her.
Standing outside in the hallway with nothing to do, Zhu Yaya looked around idly. Seizing the moment when no one was around, she sidled over to the corridor railing and leaned over to look outside.
It was already October, with crisp autumn air and clear skies. Golden leaves drifted down leisurely with the wind, covering the ground.
It has to be said, no wonder it's the prestigious high school where the male and female leads are—the environment is really nice!
Bored, Zhu Yaya fixed her gaze on a single autumn leaf clinging precariously to a branch. It clung helplessly to the twig but ultimately broke free, twirling several times in mid-air before slowly drifting down, floating and floating, until it landed on someone's head.
Zhu Yaya: ??? It's Yan Heng!
She saw this handsome youth, wearing a white shirt with a few grease stains, walking across the leaf-covered ground while chewing on a plain white steamed bun. A fallen leaf had drifted onto his head.
This scene was surprisingly picturesque, of course, if you first mentally blocked out that big white steamed bun.
Yan Heng was highly alert and soon sensed someone's gaze upon him. Looking up, he spotted Zhu Yaya.
Zhu Yaya had no time to hide, offering an awkward yet polite smile.
Yan Heng furrowed his handsome brows.
