The results of the last exam came out very quickly. Unsurprisingly, in this campus brimming with talent, Ansheng proudly secured the very bottom.
His grade-level ranking dropped to the lower tiers, and in his class, he ranked second—from the bottom.
On the day the rankings were posted, Ansheng stared blankly at his name at the very end of the list, unexpectedly feeling a sense of peace, perhaps because he had mentally prepared himself for it long ago.
With a sigh, Ansheng glanced sideways and saw the top spot highlighted in red with a single name: Miaomiao.
"Whoa... this person is truly incredible."
Smacking his lips, Ansheng was somewhat amazed by her boundless enthusiasm for studying. He shook his head and sat back down upon his throne.
"Classmate Miaomiao is number one!"
"Classmate Miaomiao is amazing!"
Miaomiao was standing by the notice board at the entrance of the classroom when she was instantly surrounded by people from various classes and even different grade levels, making it almost impossible for her to move.
She could only manage a polite, strained smile and offer a brief word of thanks or two.
"It was just beginner's luck, everyone, please keep up the hard work!"
Miaomiao looked back at the ranking list, scanning it from top to bottom until she finally spotted the boy's name right at the very end.
She blinked, feeling inexplicably pleased.
"That'll teach you to stand me up, hmph!"
At that moment, the crowd surged closer again, and someone even started shouting:
"Classmate Miaomiao, can you tutor me in my studies?"
"Why should she tutor you?! Classmate Miaomiao, tutor me! I'll pay 200 yuan!"
"Get lost, you idiot! I'll pay 500!"
Looking at the noisy crowd, which vaguely seemed on the verge of a brawl, Miaomiao suddenly felt a bit pressured.
"Um...! Everyone, please still believe in your own abilities!"
Having said that, taking advantage of the pushing and shoving in the crowd, Miaomiao dashed quickly into the classroom and shut the door behind her, only then managing to let out a sigh of relief.
She tidied her slightly messy hair and caught sight of a lifeless Ansheng sitting in the corner. An idea suddenly popped into her head.
"Perhaps... I should tutor him?"
She had previously mentioned treating him to noodles and apologizing along the way, but due to some blockhead's oversight, that plan had completely fallen through. Still, she ought to go and show her apologies.
Thinking of his lifeless appearance, Miaomiao was certain it must be because his grades from this exam were less than ideal.
In fact, Ansheng didn't have much to worry about; that half-dead expression of his was just natural—it was always like that.
After a moment of hesitation, she made up her decision.
She would use tutoring as a way to make it up to him!
With that thought, Miaomiao walked with determined steps over to Ansheng's desk, and gently tapped the desktop with her slender fingers.
Ansheng started, snapped back to reality, and looked at Miaomiao standing before him with a dead-serious expression. Confused, he asked:
"What is it?"
"I'm going to tutor you. Wait for me after school."
Having dropped that line, Miaomiao turned around with supreme nonchalance and walked back to her seat.
Her swaying long hair left a faint, elegant fragrance lingering in the air, leaving a still-dazed Ansheng behind.
"Tutoring? For me?"
Ansheng was completely baffled. They say a woman's heart is an unfathomable abyss, but why on earth was she suddenly going to tutor him?
He cast several suspicious glances at Miaomiao up front, who was listening intently to the lecture.
Could this be a trap?
Was she trying to get back at me because I told her she had a stinky face before? Ansheng had no way of knowing.
Time flew by to the afternoon dismissal. As the bell rang, Ansheng propped his chin in his hand and stared fixedly at Miaomiao ahead of him.
Miaomiao packed her things unhurriedly, though in Ansheng's eyes, she was dragging her feet.
Only after the classroom emptied out until just the two of them remained did Miaomiao finally finish packing. She cleared her throat and turned her head.
"Umm, about the tuto—"
The moment she turned back, Miaomiao locked eyes directly with Ansheng's puzzled gaze. For some reason, she paused, instantly feeling a bit creeped out by his stare.
"About what?" Ansheng urged.
Recovering her wits, Miaomiao blushed. "An, anyway, just accept this fact! Come with me to the library!"
Miaomiao grabbed her handbag and walked straight out the door. Mumbling under his breath, Ansheng had no choice but to follow her pace.
The library at Chunhe Middle School was actually about half the size of those university libraries. It was originally established so students could come and consolidate their knowledge after classes let out—something Miaomiao had already checked out.
Yet, the moment the two of them arrived in front of the library doors, Miaomiao's expression froze.
Why wasn't it open?!
Miaomiao stepped forward, pressing her hands against the glass doors and peering inside, hoping that some staff member would let them in.
Watching Miaomiao stick her butt out as she twisted and turned this way and that, the corners of Ansheng's mouth twitched.
"Hey, class monitor."
"What?"
"Look at this."Miaomiao frowned and turned back, following the direction of Ansheng's gesture. A notice board was leaning against the pillar by the entrance:
[Notice to all students and faculty members]
[The library will be closed for a week from September 2 to September 8. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused.]
Huh? Closed?
Looking at the stunned Miaomiao, Ansheng shrugged. "Looks like we might as well call it off. Everyone go back home and find your own mom..."
Hearing Ansheng chatter on to dissuade her from the idea of tutoring, Miaomiao gritted her teeth.
"No way!"
She had to repay the favor in time so they could be even; Miaomiao hated owing people favors.
Since the library was out of the question... and the classrooms would be locked...
A flash of inspiration struck her. Miaomiao suddenly remembered that they were neighbors!
"We're going to your place!"
Ansheng was dumbfounded. Why was this girl so stubborn?
"You mean... you're coming to my house to tutor me?"
"Right!"
Miaomiao's gaze was dead serious, looking nothing like she was joking, and she immediately started walking toward the school gates with hurried steps.
Ansheng clicked his tongue and scratched his head, feeling it was a huge hassle. Why did they have to go to his house? Was this tutoring really that unavoidable?
"Keep up!"
Seeing Ansheng still rooted to the spot in the distance, Miaomiao shouted loudly.
Ansheng let out a long sigh and reluctantly dragged his feet.
Ten minutes later.
The two of them stood before the door of Ansheng's apartment, 207.
Watching Ansheng take out the key to unlock the door, Miaomiao's heart was pounding.
She had blurted out that she was going to the guy's place to tutor him without thinking, and now that she thought about it... wasn't this her first time ever entering a male peer's bedroom?
The more she thought about it, the redder her face became. Miaomiao began to grow nervous, nervously curling her fingers.
*Creak*—the door opened. Ansheng switched on the light and was the first to change into indoor shoes and step inside.
Turning back to look at the dazed Miaomiao, he tilted his head and asked, "Class monitor, please come in?"
Miaomiao was startled. "Oh, oh...!" She took out her own slippers, changed into them, and walked into Ansheng's room.
The apartment wasn't very large, but it was more than enough for a single person.
Right at the entrance was the living area. A light blue sofa, just big enough for two or three people to squeeze onto, stood before her, with a square low table and a carpet placed in front of it. On the opposite wall hung a low cabinet and a large television.
Further back was a bed set up above a simple small spiral staircase, with a desk, chair, and computer placed underneath the bed.
Beyond that were the kitchen and a private bathroom.
Miaomiao sat nervously on the carpet in front of the sofa, not daring to look around.
Ansheng yawned and said to Miaomiao, "Sit for a bit, I'll go pour you a glass of water. The AC remote is on the table, help me turn it on."
"Uh... got it!"
Seeing Ansheng walk away, Miaomiao picked up the remote from the low table. While turning on the air conditioner, she couldn't help but look around the room.
Pretty much every empty spot on the cabinets had one or two anime action figures placed on it, along with some anime posters. Next to the television was a bookshelf filled almost entirely with manga volumes.
Miaomiao swallowed hard, curiously eyeing it all. "Are these... anime merchandise?"
At that moment, Ansheng came out to the living room carrying two cups. Hearing him, Miaomiao hurriedly lowered her head.
Ansheng looked with a peculiar expression at the seemingly nervous girl and couldn't help asking,
"Weren't you the one who said you wanted to come to my room? What's with the troubled look on your face?"
"I... never you mind!"
Choked up, Miaomiao glared at the calm Ansheng.
Was this guy completely immune to awkwardness? A girl entering a guy's room and all...
"You weren't imagining some cliché, trashy scenario, were you?"
Ansheng took a sip of water, accurately intercepting the thoughts running through Miaomiao's head. In fact, Miaomiao had been thinking along precisely those lines.
Seeing Miaomiao's eyes widen abruptly, Ansheng continued,
"Don't misunderstand, alright? I'm not interested in you, so you don't need to worry about any of that messy nonsense. Just explain the tutoring thing to me properly."
Miaomiao's face flushed slightly. She gave a light cough.
"I'm just tutoring you in your studies. Take out your textbooks for the subjects, and I'll help you all through the next week."
"A whole week..."
Ansheng couldn't help letting out a mournful groan, looking utterly defeated as he glanced back at Miaomiao, who had already begun unhurriedly taking out various textbooks, pens, and paper.
Just how had he offended the woman in front of him to deserve this kind of revenge...
If anyone else at school found out—Ansheng looked with extreme dismay at Miaomiao, who was the campus belle of Chunhe Middle School, tutoring him.
He'd probably be driven out of Chunhe by everyone else by the very next day.