Why is it that just when I finally make up my mind to give up, there's a hint that you might like me?

Oh, it must be fate playing tricks on me.

You are God's favorite, and I am not.

—'Little Monster's Diary.'

Yang Chunzi simply pulled out Zhou Siyue's chair and sat in his spot, then pulled out Zhou Siyue's Chinese textbook, flipping through it while deleting, adding, and recording on a blank piece of paper.

Her hair was down, long black strands flowing behind her, as a fresh breeze wafted in.

A few unruly strands fell in front of her, scattered on Zhou Siyue's desk, which was piled with various books. Occasionally, after playing ball during lunch break, he would come back smelling of sweat and, if tired, would nap on the desk for a bit.

It was strange; she couldn't stand other people's sweat, but she didn't find his unpleasant. It wasn't sticky or greasy, but a very clean scent.

Ding Xian said 'oh' and turned back, refocusing her attention on the blackboard bulletin.

She had created blackboard bulletins in Yanping for three years, becoming highly proficient in composition and knowing the most efficient ways to win awards.

What she drew was indeed good. Propaganda committee member Zhang Chi, holding a bag of potato chips, walked around the classroom three times, nodding frequently and said, "Ding Xian, you're good, this is the most..."

Zhang Chi couldn't think of a word to describe it.

How to put it... Although it was quite ordinary, it clearly looked like something that could win an award. Her drawing style, brushwork, and experience were all very seasoned.

In the end, Zhang Chi didn't come up with any special adjectives, just gave her a thumbs up: "Very impressive."

Since coming here, Ding Xian hadn't heard such straightforward praise in a long time, and she couldn't help but blush.

Just as she lowered her head, she heard someone dribbling a ball returning to the doorway.

And familiar voices were talking.

"Damn, the basketball game is coming up soon. Those guys from Class Eight, I'll beat them every time I see them. Did my block just now look like Kobe's??" Song Ziqi said excitedly.

Immediately followed by a lazy chuckle, "Like an idiot."

"Damn it." Song Ziqi pushed Zhou Siyue, then said, "The school team tryouts are in a few days, are you going?"

"No."

Song Ziqi clicked his tongue regretfully, feeling it was such a waste. He had this height, this skill, this ball control, and jumping ability.

"You're right, is your math competition starting soon?"

"Mm."

Song Ziqi patted his shoulder like an elder, "That's true, studies are important. Where are you going to hang out this weekend?"

The voice paused for a moment before saying, "You guys go have fun, I have something to do."

The words fell.

Two figures turned into the classroom doorway. Zhou Siyue, holding the ball, glanced at his seat and stopped moving at the entrance. Ding Xian thought he would get angry, but he didn't.

He didn't even frown.

Ding Xian suddenly gave a self-deprecating smile.

Song Ziqi followed from behind, walked past him, and skillfully greeted Yang Chunzi with a half-joking tone:

"Goddess, what are you doing?"

Yang Chunzi didn't even lift her head. "Working on the blackboard bulletin."

Only then did Song Ziqi turn back, looking at the colorful blackboard, and exclaimed in surprise, "Little Monster, you drew this?"

Ding Xian: "Otherwise, did you draw it?"

Song Ziqi let out a 'yo-ho' sound, "I've noticed your temper has gotten bad ever since you became deskmates with our Siyue."

Ding Xian instinctively glanced at Zhou Siyue.

He had already gone to the window to catch a breeze, covered in sweat. The hair on his nape was damp against his neck, and a large patch on his back was wet. He leaned against the railing, half-bowed, admiring the lush green campus scenery outside the window.

Ding Xian noticed he was deliberately avoiding something.

The moment he entered and saw Yang Chunzi sitting in his spot, he tossed the basketball into the basket beside the trash can and went to the window.

"Song Ziqi, get out here, you bastard!"

Kong Shadi appeared at the doorway, backpack on her back, hands on her hips. With a loud yell, the remaining students in the class all looked at her, and even Young Master Zhou, who was at the window enjoying the breeze, couldn't help but glance back.

Ding Xian winked at her.

Kong Shadi noticed Yang Chunzi was also there, so she tugged at her clothes, gave a light cough, and said, "Song Ziqi, come out."

Song Ziqi looked bewildered: "What's wrong, grand-aunt?"

Kong Shadi, with a forced smile, gritted her teeth and said, "Come out for a moment, be good."

Song Ziqi became even more scared, saying with a trembling voice, "What are you going to do..."

Kong Shadi completely lost her patience. She darted forward and pulled him out. Song Ziqi was standing next to Ding Xian, studying the blackboard bulletin. Kong Shadi's furious charge startled him, and he instinctively shrank towards Ding Xian, dodging and yelling, "Can't you learn from Yang Chunzi? Can't you talk things through properly? Why are you getting physical!"

That comment instantly hit a nerve with Kong Shadi. Haven't you heard that one mountain cannot accommodate two tigers?

Two beautiful girls were bound to clash.

Kong Shadi immediately exploded, reaching out directly, attempting to go around Ding Xian to grab Song Ziqi's collar, while Song Ziqi kept dodging behind Ding Xian.

Ding Xian's heart hammered.

"You two, flirt and quarrel, but don't do it by my chair! Can't you see the chair shaking?!"

"Shadi..."

"I'm going to fall over."

This small sound didn't attract the attention of the furious Kong Shadi. All her attention was now on Song Ziqi. "You come out with me!"

Just as Ding Xian thought she was about to fall to the ground.

Suddenly, Ding Xian felt a force from somewhere on her back, pushing her whole body inwards.

So her entire face was pushed inwards, firmly pressed against the blackboard, specifically the spot where a large basketball had just been drawn with red chalk, accurately held in place by a hand.

"Song Ziqi, stop messing around."

From behind, someone uttered a calm remark.

The world finally fell silent.

The two finally stopped.

Then, they both stared at her for three seconds, before bursting into a fit of laughter—

"Hahahahahahahahaha!"

Kong Shadi seemed to have had her 'laughter acupoint' poked, unable to control herself. She laughed and gasped, while also apologizing to her, "I'm sorry, Xianxian, I can't control it..."

The boy behind her, hands in his pockets, was also laughing so hard his shoulders shook. He suddenly looked at her and said, "No kidding, you look much better than usual."

Kong Shadi quickly took a small mirror from her bag and handed it to her, "Really, it's like you've put on makeup."

Ding Xian in the mirror looked like she had secretly put on her mother's blush. Her lips, cheeks, and the tip of her nose were all covered in pink chalk dust, a little comical, like a clown. But honestly, she did look much more vibrant than usual.

She couldn't help but curl the corners of her mouth.

Zhou Siyue, with his hands in his pockets, glanced up and down, then scoffed, "Didn't you?"

Ding Xian subconsciously retorted, "Bullshit!"

The setting sun slanted in, casting faint golden rays on the boy's broad back. Zhou Siyue smiled as he looked at her. For some reason, she actually felt that the two of them were flirting at this moment, especially since he didn't talk back at all, letting her scold him.

Kong Shadi pretended to be disgusted, giving Zhou Siyue an ambiguous look. "Tsk tsk, you two..."

But Young Master Zhou simply said, "Kong Shadi, is something wrong with your eyes?"

"Ding Xian, are you done drawing?"

A gentle voice interjected, and all four stopped laughing. Kong Shadi glanced at Ding Xian, giving her a meaningful look, but Ding Xian didn't understand, responding blankly, "Almost done."

She glanced at Zhou Siyue.

Someone had gone back to the window to catch the breeze.

Kong Shadi dragged Song Ziqi out, leaving only her, Zhou Siyue, and Yang Chunzi in the classroom.

Propaganda committee member Zhang Chi had already disappeared.

She didn't know why.

Why did Ding Xian feel an awkward atmosphere spreading between the two of them?

Zhou Siyue wasn't the kind of aloof boy who didn't talk to any girls. He wasn't very proactive in speaking with girls, but when he clicked with someone, he could chat as pleasantly as a spring breeze.

For example, with Kong Shadi, sometimes when Kong Shadi argued with Song Ziqi, if he heard it from behind, he would occasionally chime in with a joke.

If others asked him math problems, he would answer each one. He was a very honest person, not like He Xingwen, who would pretend to understand when explaining problems and then be self-righteous even when wrong.

If Zhou Siyue didn't know something, he would directly tell people he didn't know either.

He rarely deliberately avoided a girl like this.

Yang Chunzi also didn't proactively strike up a conversation with him. After finishing, she put his Chinese textbook back, stood up, and went to the back to copy the notes from the board. The two of them didn't exchange a single word throughout.

The two most dazzling people in the class were not saying a word.

When Ding Xian returned after washing her face, Zhou Siyue hadn't left yet. His backpack was slung over one shoulder, and he leaned against the corridor wall, one hand slightly bent and resting on the wall.

Ding Xian was startled: "You haven't left yet?"

He scratched his eyebrow and said, "Are you done? If you're done, let's walk together."

'T-together?'

'It's almost a month since school started, when have we ever walked together?'

'Young man, you're acting strange today.'

'Could it be that you want to use me to annoy Yang Chunzi?'

Ding Xian took out her bag. Xia Sihan came over to find Yang Chunzi, and was leaning against the doorway chatting with Zhou Siyue.

The campus heartthrob had a new hairstyle today, a buzz cut, which looked much more appealing than his previous shamatte style.

Ding Xian walked over: "O-okay... I'm done."

Zhou Siyue finished his casual chat with the campus heartthrob, straightened up, and slung his bag over his shoulder. The backpack swayed on his broad back. Without looking back, he turned and went down the stairs: "'Let's go."

He had long legs and walked extremely fast.

Before they even left the school gate, Ding Xian's short legs had fallen far behind. Under the dim, slanting sun, she saw a tall, big boy walking briskly, but after only a few steps, he stopped again.

His fluffy hair glowed in the scattered, colorful afterglow, his handsome features twisted into an impatient expression:

"Are you a snail?"

The small figure behind him didn't quicken her pace because of his words, but rather calmly maintained her own stride.

"Have you ever seen such an elegant snail?"

'Anyway, starting tomorrow, I won't like you anymore.'

'From now on, I'm going to be an elegant snail in front of you.'