02

 When Jiang Nian saw the message, he realized he had worried for nothing last night.

However, Jiang Nian didn't reply. He put down his phone, his eyes heavy with sleep, and took a few minutes to go back to sleep. At seven o'clock sharp, his alarm went off. Jiang Nian fumbled to turn it off, wanting to stay in bed a little longer.

Suddenly, a cold voice, like a thunderclap, exploded in Jiang Nian's ears, "Time to get up."

The voice wasn't loud, but the dormitory was too quiet, causing Jiang Nian's eyes to snap open.

The double room was a simple bunk bed with a desk underneath, but a deluxe version.

The moment Jiang Nian opened his eyes, he saw his roommate, who was usually unusually indifferent to him, standing at the head of his bed, looking at him.

His roommate's name was Tan Shisheng, a year older than him, the vice president of the student council, extremely busy every day, rarely returning to the dormitory, and even when he did, he didn't pay much attention to Jiang Nian.

He was classically handsome, with dark hair, gray-rimmed glasses, a straight nose, and thin, uncurved lips. His eyes, when looking at Jiang Nian, showed no extra emotion, as if it were just a casual reminder between roommates.

He was so tall that he could easily see Jiang Nian lying on the bed. Jiang Nian, especially since he was sensitive to heat

and preferred coolness, always wore only a short pajama top, even though the dorm had air conditioning. Jiang Nian slept very obediently, but his trousers were still rolled up, almost to his thighs. At first glance, all you could see were his warm, white, and beautifully shaped legs.

Jiang Nian didn't notice his extremely serious roommate staring at his legs. He threw back the air-conditioned blanket, slowly got up, rubbed his eyes, and greeted Tan Shisheng softly, "Good morning, you didn't sleep outside today?"

It sounded like a wife asking her husband why he wasn't home.

Tan Shisheng looked away, tapped his eye socket with his finger, and said calmly, "You're very concerned about me?"

Jiang Nian shook his head, then nodded as if remembering something.

Tan Shisheng hummed in agreement, his meaning unclear, then said, "Your substitute teacher for your early class has a bad temper, so you'd better not be late."

He then walked towards the door, as if remembering something, and turned to Jiang Nian, saying, "I don't often sleep outside."

He then left the dormitory.

Jiang Nian then noticed that Tan Shisheng was already dressed and ready, probably having gotten up early, or perhaps just taking a quick trip back to the dormitory to get something.

But… what did he mean?

Jiang Nian slowly walked down the stairs, washed up, and went to the classroom with her textbooks, arriving just in time.

Jiang Nian was in Class 5. Except for the honors class, class rankings were based on academic performance. The honors class, however, consisted purely of students with privileged backgrounds; they were half the size but received significantly higher treatment than other classes. This system was in place for every grade, and no one objected, mainly because there was nothing they could do about it.

Jiang Nian wasn't stupid, but you can't expect someone completely ignorant of this world's educational system to catch up on so much in a short time. Besides, Jiang Nian's ambitions lay elsewhere; becoming number one wouldn't help his mission. His mind was entirely focused on the mission.

Because the mission acted as a compass, giving Jiang Nian a direction when he was lost, nothing else could interfere with his choices.

Although Jiang Nian flirted with many people, he didn't explicitly state that he was pursuing anyone, giving people a vague and ambiguous impression. So when he entered the classroom, a group of boys surrounded him, taking his books, and one even offered him still-scalding hot milk. Jiang Nian thanked them while refusing the milk, saying shyly, "It's too hot; I prefer iced milk."

Actually, he was tired of milk. Someone had discovered Jiang Nian's preference for dairy products, leading him to drink milk exclusively for a period of time—all kinds of flavored milk, sweet and salty. During that time, he carried a pure milky aroma wherever he went.

But even the best milk gets cloying after a while.

The boy hesitated for a moment, the hot milk scalding his fingers until they were bright red, but he only said regretfully, "It was my oversight. I put it in the refrigerator at the back of the classroom; I'll get it for you when it's chilled."

He acted immediately, but before he left, Jiang Nian grabbed his sleeve. Everyone, including the boy, instinctively looked at Jiang Nian. Jiang Nian released his fingers and said tactfully, "Li, thank you for your kindness, but I think you must be thirsty too. You'd be better off drinking this milk, okay?"

The boy's face flushed red, and he stammered for a long time.

The others looked at him with some envy.

At this moment, an impatient male voice came from the doorway. The voice was deep and authoritative, yet very young, not like the usual teacher's. "What are you all doing here? Class is starting."

Jiang Nian met the eyes of the person who entered through the crowd. The eyes were like those of an unknown wild beast, full of arrogance and disdain.

Jiang Nian also saw a flash of impatience and disgust in those eyes the instant they saw him.

The other boys were still angry, but they fell silent the moment they saw the newcomer. Everyone returned to their seats, and Jiang Nian's deskmate pulled him down to sit as well.

The man was wearing an upper-grade school uniform. The uniforms for each grade at Flård Academy were different for easy identification. He also wore two exquisite badges on his chest. The blue one indicated that he was a student in the honors class, and only the honors class had them. Xu Haiyuan and Fu Qing had them, and Zhong Rui from yesterday also had one. That's why Jiang Nian was talking to Zhong Rui. But the gold one… what did it represent?

Jiang Nian had never seen it before.

After standing on the podium, the man began his introduction: "My name is Lei Zhanxing. You should have heard of me. Without further ado, the previous teacher had something to do, so I'm here to maintain discipline. You can study on your own; don't make any disturbances."

Lei Zhanxing was strikingly handsome, with low-set eyes that gave him a menacing look. His gaze was also unapproachable. He was exceptionally tall, taller than anyone Jiang Nian had ever seen, and his robust physique was barely

concealed by his school uniform. After speaking, he sat down in the chair on the podium, closing his sharp eyes as if catching up on sleep. Seeing the usually arrogant rich young masters and ladies now quietly reading, Jiang Nian sensed something; Lei Zhanxing's family background was likely incredibly powerful.

Jiang Nian pretended to open his book, but secretly tore off a corner from the quirky cover of his notebook, wrote "Who is he?" followed by a cute smiley face, and then handed it to his deskmate.

Jiang Nian's deskmate was a warm-hearted guy who always took good care of her. Although he knew Jiang Nian had a bad reputation outside, with many saying she was ambitious and opportunistic, he realized after spending time with her that Jiang Nian didn't even know who the real power was—she was just a fool. Upon seeing the note, she first glanced at Lei Zhanxing to make sure he wasn't distracted, then replied at the bottom of the note: "

He's the student council president, don't mess with him."

The student council at Flode was different from ordinary schools; it truly held power and could influence the school's decisions, with the student council president holding the highest authority. Furthermore, the student council didn't just recruit from wealthy families; applicants needed to be from wealthy families and excel in academics, morality, physical education, art, and labor.

In short, joining the student council meant you could practically do whatever you wanted in the college.

Jiang Nian thought of her roommate; although he was the vice president, he wasn't arrogant at all, and upon reflection, he was actually quite approachable.

But Jiang Nian still didn't like him.

Jiang Nian read the note several times, then said "Oh" to her deskmate in a soft, low voice, and even chuckled.

He wouldn't flirt with someone who disliked him. Jiang Nian didn't have that conquering mentality, nor did she like to fawn over someone who didn't reciprocate her feelings.

Jiang Nian was like a kitten who naturally knew who pretended to dislike him and who truly hated him.

So her deskmate's worries were unnecessary.

But Lei Zhanxing noticed the small sound. His eyes snapped open, and with his long legs, he strode to Jiang Nian. Before Jiang Nian's delicate face could even recover from the smile, his large hand snatched the note from her palm.

Lei Zhanxing opened it and glanced at it. Before Jiang Nian could speak, her deskmate spoke up, saying, "President, Nian Nian didn't do it on purpose; he was just curious."

Several bolder boys, seeing that Lei Zhanxing had discovered Jiang Nian writing the note, didn't think it was a big deal, but they didn't want Lei Zhanxing to be harsh with Jiang Nian either.

Lei Zhanxing wasn't the kind of president who abused his power for personal gain, but he was exceptionally strict, intolerant of even the slightest imperfection, both to himself and others.

Therefore, Jiang Nian's action had stepped on his landmine.

The boys were worried about Jiang Nian and said one after another, "Nian Nian is usually very well-behaved and attentive in class. This was just an accident."

"Yeah, yeah, there's no need for the student council president to be angry."

Lei Zhanxing chuckled and said seriously, "Quiet."

Then, looking at Jiang Nian, who was pursing his lips and looking a little timid, Lei Zhanxing clutched the note in his hand and said in a deep voice, "Come out with me."

Jiang Nian knew he was doomed when he was caught red-handed. He gave a weak smile to his worried deskmate and the boys, then jogged after Lei Zhanxing out of the classroom, and Lei Zhanxing closed the door behind him.

The classroom was well-built and soundproofed, so the students in Class 5 could only see the two outside the door through the huge glass. Only

when he was face to face with Lei Zhanxing could Jiang Nian feel the oppressive aura. Lei Zhanxing had a very large frame, and the back of his hand with its bulging veins could easily cover Jiang Nian's head.

Jiang Nian was a little scared, and he took a few steps back before looking up at Lei Zhanxing's handsome face.

Lei Zhanxing spoke up, "I know you, Jiang Nian."

"Your flirtatious thoughts are all directed at upperclassmen, but I advise you not to try these little tricks to seduce me anymore. It only disgusts me."

With that, Lei Zhanxing grabbed Jiang Nian's soft cheek, lifted his face, looked him over, and said disdainfully, "Besides, you have the kind of face I hate the most."

"That's it, go in."

Lei Zhanxing's grip was strong; even without intentional force, it left red finger marks on Jiang Nian's fair face.

Jiang Nian's head was fuzzy. He felt Lei Zhanxing was a bit crazy, but he couldn't argue back, so he could only obediently return to his seat. He was afraid that if he argued back, Lei Zhanxing would interpret it as seduction.

That wouldn't be good.

The system angrily said, "His manners are really low, and

he even made personal attacks!" Jiang Nian didn't know what was wrong with his appearance.

He felt somewhat down; to others, it seemed like he had been severely reprimanded by Lei Zhanxing. After class, when Lei Zhanxing was far away, Jiang Nian was surrounded by a large group of people, both boys and girls.

"Poor baby, did you get scolded?"

"He's always like this, don't be sad."

"Let me take you to have breakfast, forget about it."

"What did you write on the note? It shouldn't be anything, right?"

"Don't cry, Niannian, it's not worth it."

Jiang Nian wasn't very sad. He didn't even know why Lei Zhanxing had said that about him. Could it be that his bad reputation was so widespread that Lei Zhanxing automatically assumed he was a bad person the moment he saw him, so everything he did was wrong?

Thinking about it, Jiang Nian suddenly realized.

What did this mean? It meant he had successfully completed his mission.

So Jiang Nian hugged the teddy bear that a girl had forced on him, held it against his cheek, his eyebrows curving like a little moon, and said in a coquettish tone, "Thank you everyone for your concern, I'm much better now. Thanks to you all, otherwise I really wouldn't know what to do."

These words greatly comforted everyone, and they continued talking, telling funny stories to make Jiang Nian laugh.

When class resumed, Jiang Nian's drawer was stuffed with custom-made snacks and those made by his nanny. He hadn't eaten breakfast and was a little hungry, listlessly slumping on his desk. His deskmate patted his hair tenderly, assuming he was just putting on a brave face.

After the second period, during the long break, Jiang Nian usually used this time to flirt with students from other classes, and today was no exception. He carried a box of handmade raspberry cookies, opened the tin, and ate them as he walked out.

His classmates were used to it; as Jiang Nian left, a girl even reminded him, "Don't stay out too long, you'll be late."

Jiang Nian's cheeks puffed out, and he obediently nodded to the girl, looking quite endearing.

Each grade had its own building, and Jiang Nian climbed several floors to reach the entrance of the honors class for his grade. As

soon as he arrived, many people noticed him. There was no way around it; Jiang Nian always attracted attention wherever he went, especially since he was always heading towards the honors class.

Jiang Nian stood at the door, holding the box. Xu Haiyuan spotted her immediately. Jiang Nian would occasionally run over to check on him, and he wasn't sure if she would come today, especially since they had argued twice yesterday.

Xu Haiyuan thought this was normal; that's how relationships are—arguments followed by reconciliations. He forgot that Jiang Nian hadn't replied to his messages, assuming she was just being petulant.

Xu Haiyuan, who had been feeling down all morning, suddenly perked up. He felt that no matter how temperamental Jiang Nian was, she still loved him. His wife had softened so much; it wouldn't be right for him not to do something. He coughed a few times and was about to go over

when he saw Jiang Nian waving in his direction.

Xu Haiyuan had a bad feeling.

Because it was waving in his direction, not towards him.

The next second, Jiang Nian excitedly called out, "Fu Qing! Come out for a second, I've come to play with you."

These words not only shocked Xu Haiyuan but also the other students in the top class. They knew the rumors about Jiang Nian and often saw this beautiful girl, but in their eyes, Jiang Nian was quite devoted, always seeking out Xu Haiyuan. The others weren't as enthusiastic, assuming it was just exaggerated rumors.

But now?

Did she switch to someone else after failing to seduce Xu Haiyuan?

Fu Qing also hadn't expected Jiang Nian to come to him. He thought Jiang Nian was just making empty promises yesterday, but it turned out to be true. He didn't care about the others' expressions, immediately stood up, ran to Jiang Nian's side, and the two chatted and laughed as they walked down the corridor.

The others glanced at Xu Haiyuan, who was sitting normally in his seat. They assumed he didn't care, thinking it was normal for Jiang Nian to switch targets; after all, unrequited feelings don't last long. But why did she choose Xu Haiyuan's good friend?

And Xu Haiyuan… Xu Haiyuan was furious.

He believed he was only angry that Jiang Nian chose Fu Qing to spite him. The two had no prior contact, and their sudden hanging out together today was something Xu Haiyuan couldn't think of, except that Jiang Nian was still angry with him after their argument. "

Good for you, Jiang Nian," Xu Haiyuan thought, gritting his teeth in hatred.

He wouldn't fall for it so easily. Although Xu Haiyuan had never been in a relationship and didn't want to, he had witnessed many sordid things in his family. Jiang Nian's methods were incredibly naive, even laughable. This tactic of feigning retreat was useless against Xu Haiyuan. He had only played along with Jiang Nian before; it was impossible for him to swallow his pride and apologize in person.

Besides, it wasn't his fault. The more

Xu Haiyuan thought about it, the more he felt Jiang Nian was too calculating. He disliked this kind of person. His grip tightened, tearing a hole in a thick book.

Hearing the tearing sound, Xu Haiyuan snapped back to reality. He rubbed his forehead, took a deep breath, and looked towards the door, but saw nothing.

Jiang Nian and Fu Qing were nowhere to be seen!

The thought of the two of them sweetly snuggled together made Xu Haiyuan unbearable. He even hated his good brother for having no self-respect, rushing to Jiang Nian's aid with a mere flick of the wrist. He would be discarded by Jiang Nian sooner or later!

It's a wonder he's his good brother, Fu Qing. Doesn't he know that one shouldn't covet a friend's wife?

Although Xu Haiyuan didn't intend to marry Jiang Nian—her family background was too poor, and his parents wouldn't approve—but! But! What if? What if he and Jiang Nian got married?

What would his parents think of him then? His wife and his friend had a past relationship?

No, Jiang Nian doesn't like Fu Qing at all. She only approached him because of him; there's no way they could have an affair.

Heh, Xu Haiyuan figured it out and wasn't in a hurry anymore. He figured if he didn't change and continued to ignore Jiang Nian, she would be the one who got anxious first.

Xu Haiyuan was just waiting for Jiang Nian to run over to him with teary eyes, hug him, and say she was wrong and would listen to him from now on. Then

he would reluctantly agree.

Meanwhile, Jiang Nian and Fu Qing arrived at the end of the corridor, where a large patch of roses was planted, lush and beautiful. Jiang Nian stood there, more beautiful than the flowers.

Fu Qing was mesmerized.

Jiang Nian was still eating breakfast. If she didn't eat now, class would start soon. Seeing Fu Qing staring at her, she assumed he wanted some too. Jiang Nian thought for a moment, then took out a cookie and held it to Fu Qing's lips, smiling, "Brother, have you had breakfast? Have a bite, don't go hungry."

Fu Qing had a regular schedule, waking up at six every morning to wash up and then eat breakfast. He wasn't hungry at all, but he didn't refuse, feeling incredibly sweet inside. He had long wanted to be this close to Jiang Nian. He opened his mouth and took the cookie from her hand.

Fu Qing didn't like sweet things, but watching Jiang Nian take another one and put it in her small mouth, he felt like he wasn't eating a cookie, but biting Jiang Nian's soft, delicious lips.

Cherry blossom-like lips, so sweet…

If he kissed Jiang Nian, how would she react? She would definitely be shy.

That would be his first kiss, and it must be Jiang Nian's first kiss too.

Jiang Nian's reputation wasn't good, but no one had actually seen him dating anyone.

Fu Qing used to hesitate to pursue Jiang Nian because of Xu Haiyuan, but recently he realized that Jiang Nian wasn't desperate for Xu Haiyuan. With her position so precarious, why wouldn't he try to win her over?

What does a good brother matter in front of one's wife?

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