The three of them shared a warm, harmonious atmosphere.
"Si Tong, are you free tomorrow?"
Suddenly, a voice shattered the cozy mood.
Ye Chen turned around; Wu Bin was standing in front of Li Sitong, his face flushed.
Wu Bin looked nervous, especially under Li Sitong's clear gaze—he seemed at a complete loss.
He even stammered a little.
"Si Tong, I remember you like plays. I… I have two tickets—would you like to go with me?"
"No."
Before Li Sitong could answer, Ye Chen rejected him first.
Asking Si Tong out right in front of me—so openly.
Does he think I'm invisible?
Since his rebirth, Ye Chen hadn't even asked Li Sitong out; this guy wanted the privilege of the first date.
Ye Chen couldn't possibly allow it.
"You—"
Wu Bin's face darkened; he shouted in shame and anger, "Ye Chen, I'm asking Li Sitong—what's it to you? Who are you to her?"
"I'm Li Sitong's deskmate."
Ye Chen answered with perfect righteousness.
Wu Bin: "…"
Just as he was about to retort, Li Sitong shook her head. "Wu Bin, thank you, but I already have plans. I can't go with you—sorry."
Li Sitong politely declined.
Wu Bin knew she simply didn't want to go out with him.
The polite refusal was just to save his face.
"It's fine."
Having understood her feelings, Wu Bin didn't press further.
Out of the corner of his eye he glared at Ye Chen, flames of rage flickering.
This bastard had ruined his plans again.
Just you wait… Two days later, the final Mock Exam finally arrived.
It was the last practice test before the National Higher Education Entrance Examination.
Lao Wang stood on the podium, looking over the Class Five students below.
He had waited for this day a long time.
Last time, although Class Five set a record, many people dismissed it.
They figured Class Five had just lucked into the questions, so plenty remained unconvinced.
But this time he would prove Class Five's true strength to everyone.
Let them know that this year's Outstanding Class Teacher award was rightfully Wang Chao's.
For this exam, all classes were completely shuffled.
Ye Chen and Xia Yingluo ended up in the same room.
Li Sitong was assigned to a different room.
That depressed Li Sitong greatly… This exam happened to be proctored by Class Two's head teacher, Mr. Chen.
The moment he entered, he noticed the strikingly handsome boy and beautiful girl.
With their celestial looks, they stood out wherever they went.
Not to mention, they were the school's famous Top Students, ranking first and second for two exams straight.
To Mr. Chen, it was precisely these two who had helped Wang Chao snatch his Outstanding Class Teacher award.
Without them, how could Wang Chao act so arrogant in front of him?
Thus, Mr. Chen's expression toward them was complicated.
A touch of resentment, yet also deep regret.
Why weren't they in his Class Two?
It felt like a pig spotting cabbages in someone else's yard—visible but out of reach, able only to drool.
Just then Mr. Chen sensed an ingratiating gaze on him.
It was Wang Yang from his own class, grinning foolishly at him.
Wang Yang's grades were solid—consistently top three in class and top five school-wide.
Seeing his own teacher proctor delighted Wang Yang.
After all, a familiar proctor made for a calmer mind.
Mr. Chen nodded at him, then looked back at Ye Chen and Xia Yingluo.
It wasn't that Mr. Chen disliked Wang Yang; it was just that the "two cabbages" of Class Five looked ever more vibrant.
The more he watched, the more pleasing they became… The exam began; papers were handed out, and Mr. Chen settled into proctoring.
In the Classroom, the scratch-scratch of writing filled the air.
Everyone took this last Mock Exam seriously.
A poor result now could directly dent confidence for the National Higher Education Entrance Examination.
Mr. Chen, afraid to disturb them, sat at the front and hardly walked around.
Half an hour later, Mr. Chen's brows suddenly knitted.
The whole class was answering earnestly—except one student who was propping his cheek in a daze.
Mr. Chen stared at Ye Chen, dumbstruck. Could he have finished?
It had only been thirty minutes!
Unlikely.
Though he knew Ye Chen was a Top Student, finishing the paper in half an hour was simply monstrous.
He kept watching.
Sure enough, Ye Chen had tossed his pen aside, leaned on the desk, cupped his chin, and was staring straight at Xia Yingluo.
Mr. Chen frowned.
He wanted to intervene but found no justification.
The boy wasn't making noise or disturbing anyone—just quietly gazing at a girl; no exam rule was broken.
He suddenly recalled Wang Chao's words.
"Our Ye Chen—other people's relationships drag grades down; his pull them up!"
Good grades mean you can openly flirt during the exam right in front of the proctor?
Does he think I'm air?
What's more, he noticed Xia Yingluo was also flying through her paper.
While others were only halfway, she had already reached the last few questions.
At about forty-five minutes, Xia Yingluo set down her pen as well.
Then she leaned on the desk and looked at Ye Chen.
Ye Chen, chin in hand, gazed at Xia Yingluo.
In front of Mr. Chen, the two enacted a wordless romance of longing glances.
Ye Chen looked at Xia Yingluo; Xia Yingluo, cheeks faintly red, looked back at Ye Chen.
Mr. Chen felt as though he'd bitten into a sour lemon.
The two simply stared at each other, occasionally sneaking silly smiles.
Mr. Chen: "I shouldn't have proctored this room."
Though neither said a word, Mr. Chen felt force-fed a mouthful of dog food.
Ah, the youth that can never return—why wasn't my youth this romantic?
Mr. Chen silently wept: "What sin did I commit to deserve watching these lovebirds flaunt their affection?"
What depressed him more was that the whole room echoed with the scratch-scratch of pens.
Everyone else was busy answering; no one even glanced at Xia Yingluo and Ye Chen.
In other words, he was the sole audience.
Unable to bear it any longer, Mr. Chen coughed and stepped down from the podium.
Seeing the teacher approach, Xia Yingluo hurriedly lowered her head and pretended to study her paper.
Ye Chen also withdrew his gaze; after all, respect to the teacher was due.
Mr. Chen circled the room and finally stopped in front of Ye Chen.
Suddenly he felt a spark of anticipation.
Could being in the same room make the young couple too excited?
Would their minds wander and ruin their papers!
Then… both of them would bomb the exam together?
Mr. Chen looked expectantly at Ye Chen's paper.