She kindly pointed to her own hair, indicating to Yan Heng that there was a fallen leaf on his head.
Yan Heng gave her a cold glance, his face icy as he continued to lower his head and take a bite of the big white steamed bun in his hand.
"Pfft!" Zhu Yaya suddenly felt like laughing at this sight, leaning over the railing and bursting into giggles.
So this is someone who can actually defeat the male lead? How can he be so adorably clueless!
She pointed first at the tree, then at her own hair again.
This time, Yan Heng seemed to understand. He reached up with his left hand and felt around on his head, brushing off a fallen leaf.
Holding the leaf, he looked up and met the girl's unreserved laughter. The autumn sun was soft and fuzzy, shining on the girl's fuzzy long hair.
Yan Heng's eyelashes fluttered slightly, then lowered. He silently walked away, still biting his white steamed bun. But his left hand kept holding onto that leaf.
Watching Yan Heng leave, Zhu Yaya thought about the steamed bun in his hand. Just a steamed bun for lunch? That doesn't seem very nutritious! How did he grow so tall then?
As soon as she got home, Zhu Yaya flopped onto her bed to play on her phone. She opened the school forum and saw a new post about the argument between Xu Chun and Murong Beichen in the cafeteria at noon. It even included a photo from the scene, and Zhu Yaya was surprised to see herself in it, cheeks puffed out like a greedy little hamster.
Zhu Yaya: ???!
Fortunately, the commenters' attention was entirely focused on Xu Chun.
1st floor: Who is this girl? What class is she in? How dare she treat our Prince Chen like that?
2nd floor: She must be doing it on purpose, using this chance to get Prince Chen's attention! A green tea btch!
3rd floor: I was there. So annoying! This girl is like a disease, always clinging to our Prince Chen!
4th floor: This girl is in our class, a new transfer student. They say she lives in the West District! Super poor and shabby! And she looks at us like we're trash.
5th floor: Someone on the floors above, teach her some manners. How dare West District trash act so arrogantly!
6th floor: Hey, on the floor above, I know who you're really trying to insult!
...
526th floor: Okay, enough talk. I'm in the same class as that girl. I'll give her a big gift tomorrow morning.
527th floor: You're saying this here now, won't she see it?
528th floor: Do you think she even has a smartphone?
529th floor: Brilliant!
...
Tomorrow morning? Reading this, Zhu Yaya suddenly remembered. The novel's plot mentioned that the day after Xu Chun confronted Murong Beichen, Xu Chun was bullied by her classmates, marking the beginning of her unfortunate experience with school bullying.
"Congratulations on successfully unlocking the third mission. Please go to Class 17, Grade 11, at Scott High School at 7:50 AM tomorrow to 'eat melons' (watch the drama)."
The system's voice chimed in right on cue.
This damn system wants me dead! 7:50 in the morning? Isn't that exactly during morning self-study? Great, the homeroom teacher is going to summon me for another 'chat'!
Zhu Yaya let out a deep sigh. She got up and went to the kitchen to cut a watermelon, preparing the "melon" she needed to eat tomorrow.
Surprisingly, Zhao Jing was cooking today.
Usually, it was Zhu Jianjun who did the cooking. Zhao Jing at most heated up buns or milk in the mornings.
"Where's Zhu Jian... ahem, Dad?"
"Not back yet. Something held him up at the station. The West District is such a mess, after all," Zhao Jing said without turning her head from the stir-fry.
"Oh." Zhu Yaya opened the refrigerator and took out half a watermelon.
Hearing the noise, Zhao Jing looked back and frowned. "Eating ice-cold watermelon so late? Put it back!"
Zhu Yaya pouted. "It's for tomorrow." Having parents around is such a hassle.
When she ate the meal Zhao Jing made, Zhu Yaya finally understood why Zhu Jianjun never let Zhao Jing cook. It was... truly awful. The problem was, Zhao Jing didn't think so and kept piling food onto Zhu Yaya's plate.
"Here, eat more! I feel like you've lost a lot of weight lately. You young girls are always going on about dieting. This is the time when you're growing! What's the point of dieting for no reason? I once saw a girl at the hospital, about your age. Didn't eat properly, got stomach problems, was in terrible pain... blah blah blah..." Zhao Jing started her nagging again.
Zhu Yaya had a bit of a headache. How can she talk so much? Her previous mother never talked this much. Even though she thought that, Zhu Yaya still obediently, with a look of grim determination, finished all the food Zhao Jing had given her.
"Go back to your room and do your homework. Remember to drink milk before bed. Leave the dishes for Dad to clean up. He should be back any minute now." Zhao Jing stopped Zhu Yaya's hand as she tried to clear the table.
"...Okay."
Zhu Jianjun's family status really is the lowest.
Thanks to Zhu Jianjun, Zhu Yaya had also developed the habit of morning runs. However, today she deliberately ran a bit longer.
Zhu Jianjun was a bit puzzled. "Aren't you going to school yet? Won't you be late?"
"Don't worry." Zhu Yaya looked perfectly calm and unhurried.
Because Zhu Yaya had always excelled academically, Zhu Jianjun and Zhao Jing didn't micromanage her much in that regard. Seeing their daughter so composed and confident, they didn't pay it much mind, only reminding her to be careful on her way to and from school.
And so, Zhu Yaya calmly stepped into school right as the morning reading bell rang. However, she wasn't nearly as calm going upstairs, tiptoeing carefully, afraid of being caught by any passing teacher.
She stealthily infiltrated the chaotic Class 17, Grade 11. She really wanted to channel the spirit of the dean of discipline, standing majestically at the front door and scolding them: "Your class is the noisiest in the whole building!" But, after scanning the demonic chaos that was Class 17, she silently hugged herself and slipped in through the back door.
Early in the morning, amidst all this chaos, the guy in the last row was still sleeping soundly, making Zhu Yaya click her tongue in amazement.
In the whole of Class 17, the only person she was somewhat familiar with was Yan Heng, sitting alone by the window.
Even though Xu Baoying had made Yan Heng sound terrifying, his silly image of munching on a white steamed bun with a leaf on his head had successfully reshaped Zhu Yaya's perception of him. Besides, they were both nobodies, so who was afraid of whom!
She slowly inched toward Yan Heng's seat. Yan Heng sleeping actually made him fit in quite well with the classmates in the back of Class 17.
Squatting on the floor always makes your legs sore. Zhu Yaya looked at Yan Heng, and seeing he hadn't moved at all, she carefully and slowly, bit by bit, shifted her rear end onto the empty seat next to Yan Heng.
Successfully seated!
Zhu Yaya secretly rejoiced in her heart. Wanting to see if she had disturbed Yan Heng, she turned her head and saw Yan Heng, with his head resting on his arm, his narrow eyes open, staring straight at her without blinking.
Zhu Yaya: !!! I'm done for!
Zhu Yaya once again flashed an awkward yet polite smile, her two little dimples faintly visible. "Good morning, Boss Yan."
Yan Heng's eyes narrowed dangerously.
Zhu Yaya shivered, her hairs standing on end. A boss is a boss indeed. Just as Zhu Yaya was about to say she'd leave right away, Boss Yan gave a very haughty "hmph" and turned his head to the other side to continue sleeping.
That "hmph" was kind of cute!
Zhu Yaya rubbed her nose. So, this meant he was allowing her to sit here, right?
Wait, that's not right. He wasn't the male lead, the second male lead, or the villain—he was just like her, a background character. Why should she be afraid of him! Zhu Yaya finally realized.
"You're actually the first girl who dares to get close to Boss Yan." A male classmate sitting in front of Yan Heng had woken up at some point and turned around, smiling as he chimed in. He was a skinny, slightly built boy with glasses, dressed with a certain affluent meticulousness.
