Xiao Ye had a delicate, palm-sized face, a smooth forehead, and milk-white skin. Her arched, willow-leaf eyebrows framed a straight, petite nose, soft pink lips, and a sharp chin, all softened by a hint of lingering baby fat.
What was most striking were her obsidian eyes—clear and bright as a child's—yet tilted upward at the corners, lending her a subtle, captivating allure.
To this day, this was the only person Yao Na'er had ever seen who could blend two such contradictory qualities so flawlessly.
Huang Li, meanwhile, possessed a classic oval face, along with a similarly smooth forehead, fair skin, and arched eyebrows. A pair of gorgeous, light-brown almond eyes caught and scattered the sunlight, complemented by a high bridge of the nose, thin lips, and a dainty chin.
Both girls carried a faint aura of aloofness and a touch of rebelliousness. When they kept a straight face, they looked like trouble—hardly the law-abiding type. Only after spending time with them did one discover their inner goofballs.
"Seriously, you two barely even look like students, let alone 'model students'!"
"Get lost! If you want to die, just say so, why take the long way around?" Xiao Ye couldn't help snapping.
"Hehehe!" Yao Na'er scratched the back of her head, offering a dopey smile. The next second, however, reality hit her, and her smile instantly froze.
"Wait a minute! You guys might not get expelled, but I totally will! My grades are so mediocre the principal wouldn't even blink twice if I vanished! I'm done for!! I can feel the Grim Reaper waving at me, I'm so dead!!"
"Relax," Huang Li interrupted calmly, cutting through Yao Na'er's exaggerated act. "If he kicks you out, we'll dare drop our own withdrawal applications right on his desk."
Xiao Ye pulled a physics textbook from the towering pile on her desk and drawled sarcastically, "Oh, please! Would the principal care about a withdrawal application from someone like me who doesn't even look like a student?"
Huang Li paused for a fraction of a second, caught on immediately, and mimicked Xiao Ye's tone: "That's right! How could two 'delinquents' like us possibly pressure the principal?"
Yao Na'er instantly pressed her palms together, resting her forehead against the desk. "I was wrong! You guys look like model students! Total top academic stars! I'm really, really sorry!"
The two girls exchanged a glance, a triumphant amusement dancing across their faces.
Xiao Ye ruffled Yao Na'er's hair, lifting the physics book in her hand. "Alright, take a break. Old Ban's class is next."
"Okay," Yao Na'er obediently slumped over her desk.
***
Ding-ding-dong-ding.
The potbellied head teacher stepped into the classroom to the sound of the bell.
"Class is in session!"
"Rise!"
"Good morning, teacher!"
***
Class time flies for those who understand the material—like Xiao Ye and Huang Li. But for hopeless academic slackers who couldn't make heads or tails of it, time dragged on endlessly—like for Yao Na'er.
During the final self-study period, Yao Na'er slumped across her desk, glancing between the two fiercely studying girls in front of her and the empty seat beside her. *Damn it! There isn't even anyone to talk to!*
Ding-ding-dong-dang.
The moment the bell rang, Yao Na'er—who had been lying limp like a puddle of water—was instantly revived. She banged excitedly on her desk. "Let's go, let's go! Let's go see Brother Yi!"
"Not going!"
"No time!"
Two icy-cold refusals rang out one after the other.
Yao Na'er whined, softening her voice. "Oh, come on~ Don't be like that! Keep a girl company and go take a look~"
Xiao Ye's pen paused, her train of calculation nearly derailing. *There's a string of curse words in my heart, I just don't know if I should say them out loud!*
Huang Li set down her pen, closed her book, and made her disgust transparent. "Take that voice back right now! Good thing I haven't eaten, you almost made me throw up!"
"Sister Li, what do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what I said. Did you fail Chinese or something?"
"So what if I'm bad at Chinese!"
Huang Li arched an eyebrow. "Are you sure Chinese is the *only* subject you're bad at?"
"You... I..." Yao Na'er was left utterly speechless. She turned to look tearfully at Xiao Ye, who was hard at work. "Lord Xiao, she's bullying me!"
Xiao Ye straightened up, twirled the pen in her hand, set it down, and turned around. She blinked her clear, obsidian eyes and looked at Yao Na'er with total innocence. "My Lizi was only stating facts. How is that bullying you?"