"Alright, everyone settle down. For these next two periods, you'll be working on a test paper," the teacher announced as he entered the classroom. He was a middle-aged man with a receding hairline, distributing exam papers to each student.
It was an old national college entrance exam paper in mathematics.
As soon as Chu Yi received his, he flipped through it nonchalantly.
"Seems rather easy," he murmured with a faint smile.
To his surprise, every question seemed to unlock itself with just a glance. Each solution appeared clear as day in his mind—almost insultingly simple.
Meanwhile, a chorus of groans began to echo through the room.
"Ugh, another test?"
"These problems are way too hard! The types are so complicated!"
Even Xia Yuehan, seated beside him, furrowed her brows. Her expression grew serious as she delved into the complex problems.
Time ticked by, the rhythmic scratching of pens filling the silence of concentration.
The teacher occasionally glanced at his watch as he surveyed the class.
Zhang Ting, sitting nearby, noticed Chu Yi sitting idle. His paper lay untouched for the most part. She assumed he was struggling.
After hesitating for a few moments, she finally gathered the courage to whisper,
"Chu Yi, you don't know how to solve them, do you? If… if you'd like, I can secretly let you copy mine."
Her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment.
Chu Yi looked up, mildly amused by her offer.
Not know how to solve them? What a joke.
He had already mastered the entirety of the high school syllabus. These questions were no more than child's play to him. In fact, even university professors sitting for this test might find themselves outmatched.
He chuckled softly and declined with a calm smile.
"No need. I've already finished. They were rather simple."
"What?" Zhang Ting's eyes widened in shock.
Nearby, Xia Yuehan wrinkled her nose, muttering under her breath,
"Braggart."
Time slipped away unnoticed, and soon, the class was over. The teacher collected the papers one by one.
Yet as the last sheets were gathered, students began to moan in frustration.
"Those last two big questions were impossible. I couldn't do them at all!"
"Same here. I stared at them for over thirty minutes and still got nowhere!"
"Yuehan, did you finish the last two questions?" Zhang Ting asked, turning around, clearly having struggled with them herself.
Xia Yuehan nodded, then shook her head thoughtfully before replying,
"I solved the first part of each, but for the second parts... I had a faint idea, though I didn't go further."
"I think I'm in the same boat. Since we're at it, why don't we go over them together? Maybe we can crack them with combined effort."
"Plus, we can check our answers while we're at it."
Ye Fan's ears perked up. This was a golden opportunity to spend some time alone with Xia Yuehan under the guise of academic discussion.
"Sure, Ye Fan. I was just about to go through them again anyway," Xia Yuehan agreed readily.
When it came to studies, she never refused a sincere learner. She had also promised Ye Fan earlier that she'd help him make up for the academic ground he had lost over the past year.
"Perfect. Time is precious. Let's get started then," Ye Fan said, leaning slightly closer in anticipation.
But just then, Chu Yi, who had been observing quietly from behind, suddenly stepped in, a gleam of cold light flashing in his eyes.
As if he would allow Ye Fan and Xia Yuehan to grow closer so easily.
He interrupted without hesitation.
"Ye Fan, I've solved that problem already. Why go through so much trouble working it out with the class monitor?"
"If you're really curious about how to approach those questions, I'd be more than happy to walk you through the methods myself."
He smiled at Ye Fan, wearing an air of effortless generosity.
Unlike Zhang Ting's previous whispered inquiry, this time Chu Yi spoke loud enough for the whole class to hear.
The bold declaration stunned Xia Yuehan.
Was he really not bluffing? The difficulty of those questions was no joke.
She couldn't help but ask,
"Chu Yi, are you truly able to solve those last two problems?"
"Of course," he replied with serene confidence.
Then, turning his gaze to Ye Fan, he added with pointed clarity,
"Weren't you just desperate to know the answers? Now that someone capable stands before you, why not ask?"
"I—"
Ye Fan clenched his fists under the desk, seething with frustration.
Damn you, Chu Yi.
He had painstakingly found the perfect moment to deepen his bond with Xia Yuehan, only for Chu Yi to ruin it in an instant.
His hatred toward Chu Yi burned all the hotter.