EVERY LIKE, VOTE, AND COMMENT HELPS!

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At school, the hallways of Huadian were once again silent as the grave and tension filled the air. It was suffocating in the classrooms, the silence broken only by the occasional sigh of frustration or the clattering of a dropped pencil, which drew sharp glares from those frantically preparing for midterm exams.

The library, a usually vibrant space, had turned into a battlefield. Chi Yang and Xu Haoran had staked out their territory by getting to school as the sun rose, and as Jiao Jiao and Zhou Xiaoyu walked through the doors, the boys beckoned them over frantically.

"What took you so long?" Xu Haoran hissed. "We've been fighting off students with a stick to save your seats!"

Jiao Jiao smiled apologetically as she pulled a paper bag from her backpack. "Sorry, Haoran, Yuyu and I picked up some breakfast before we came in, so it took us a little longer."

He snatched the bag from her with an excited smile, and they all settled at the table, sorting out their study materials.

Chi Yang nudged Jiao Jiao's elbow and said, "Can you help me with my English vocabulary later?"

"Oh!" She reached around to unzip her backpack and pulled out a thick stack of flashcards. "I forgot I made these for you! You start with these, and then we can review them later?"

He stared at her sweet smile and wide eyes dumbly before realizing she was waiting for him to take the cards from her hand. Flushing, he nodded and grasped the thick stack. As he flipped through them, he saw that each card had been hand-painted with images that matched the word on the back.

Chi Yang's heart raced. So adorable, just like her!

Silence fell, and as time began to pass, Chi Yang glanced over again at Jiao Jiao, who was deeply engrossed in her books. He was pulled out of his stupor when his phone vibrated. Turning slightly away so his back was to her, he pulled it out of his pocket.

(XuBoss): Stop slobbering over your girl and study.

(XuBoss): You want to get kicked out of Zenith and end up in class 3 with Haomei??

Chi Yang glanced over at his friend and cringed at the thought of Haomei and the sick tactics she'd used to pursue him in the past. Jiao Jiao had been his lucky star this year. She'd knocked his most aggressive pursuer out of the elite classes and into the regular stream, so they barely saw each other anymore. He only wished that Jiao Jiao had ended up in Zenith with him...

Buzz...

(XuBoss): STOP staring at her. Creep.

Chi Yang glared over at a smirking Xu Haoran with death in his eyes.

Zhou Xiaoyu said curtly, "Stop texting, it's distracting."

As she spoke, she pulled a yogurt drink from her bag. Xu Haoran did a double take, then leaned into her side and gazed up at her with puppy dog eyes. "Yuyu, do you have another? I'm starving, pleeeaassee?"

Zhou Xiaoyu shrank in her chair with disgust and said, "Stop making that face. It's freaking me out."

Chi Yang snorted under his breath and shot a text back before Zhou Xiaoyu could catch him.

(MightyYang): Who's slobbering now??

The day passed, and finally, the four companions closed their books with a satisfied sigh. Jiao Jiao was about to bid goodbye when an announcement sounded over the room. "Jing Jiao and Zhou Xiaoyu to the administrative office. Jing Jiao and Zhou Xiaoyu to the administrative office."

The girls looked at each other in confusion but waved to the boys and headed out.