Chapter 13

The next morning at school, Lin Shizhao didn’t dare look directly at Gu Helin, afraid he might bring up what happened the night before. The sun shone brightly, and a gentle breeze brushed against the young man’s face, kissing the earth with warmth. Autumn had arrived in City A, draping the land in a golden coat. The trees lining the streets had turned yellow, and fallen leaves covered the ground like a soft blanket. A pair of students, one tall and one short, walked side by side, becoming the most striking sight along the road. "Lin Shizhao, what's up with you today?" Gu Helin finally broke the silence, unable to hold back any longer. "Nothing." "Then why are you so quiet? You’re unusually silent today." "Oh… it's nothing." Lin Shizhao sounded unenthusiastic. She just wanted to end the conversation as soon as possible. God, this was so awkward. "Was my bed comfortable, hmm?" "What are you talking about? If you hadn’t gotten so drunk, I wouldn’t have even cared! I was just resting for a bit, and now you’re being a pervert!" Lin Shizhao covered her face in embarrassment. Gu Helin smirked. "So… you feel bad for me, huh?" "Think whatever you want. I can’t be bothered with you. Hmph!" The girl’s response carried a hint of youthful playfulness, almost like she was pouting. Gu Helin ran his fingers through his hair, pushing it back. Strands of black hair slipped between his fingers as he glanced at Lin Shizhao’s blushing face, the corners of his lips curling up. The school bell rang, and the teacher walked into the classroom carrying textbooks. She wore black-framed glasses, had her short hair tied in a low ponytail, and was dressed in a simple black outfit. "Settle down. You’ve just come back from break, so I bet you all had plenty of fun. But now it’s time to refocus—our goal is the college entrance exam," the teacher tapped the blackboard firmly. "Take out the homework I assigned last time. We won’t start a new lesson just yet; we’ll go over your assignments first." "Class monitor, check everyone’s work. If you didn’t do your homework, stand up on your own—I don’t want to have to call names." Oh no, oh no. While organizing her bag, Lin Shizhao had no idea where she had stuffed her math worksheet. And she had just been transferred to this class—what a way to embarrass herself. She felt a wave of mortification crash over her. She wanted to disappear. Slowly, she stood up, her face turning slightly red. She fidgeted with her fingers, squeezing them so hard they turned pale. "Lin Shizhao, right? You’re the only one in the class who didn’t do their homework. As a girl, don’t you feel ashamed?" The teacher’s tone was sarcastic. Teachers often assumed that pretty girls who didn’t do their homework simply didn’t like studying. Lin Shizhao opened her mouth to explain, but the teacher cut her off. "You’ll stand for the whole class. Make sure this doesn’t happen again." "Teacher, I didn’t do it either!" A familiar voice rang out beside her. Gu Helin casually shoved his worksheet into his desk’s storage compartment and stood up. "Actually, wouldn’t it be better if we stood outside instead? Standing here blocks the view for other students. That wouldn’t be fair, right?" The whole class turned to look at them, eyes filled with disbelief. What was going on? Getting punished was bad enough—why would they voluntarily step outside? Lin Shizhao didn’t get it at all. The sunlight slanted down, casting a soft glow on the girl’s face. The two of them stood together outside the classroom while the teacher continued lecturing inside. "First time getting sent out for punishment?" Gu Helin asked. "Yeah…" Lin Shizhao sounded dispirited. "It’s not a big deal. The scenery’s nice, and looking at it is good for your eyesight," Gu Helin said as he fumbled through his pocket. "You seriously have the mood to admire the view right now?" Lin Shizhao was speechless. "Stay positive. I’ll take you to watch the sunrise this weekend," Gu Helin said, pulling out a strawberry-flavored lollipop and handing it to her. "You carry lollipops with you? As a guy?" Lin Shizhao looked at him in surprise. "I didn’t use to. I do it now to cheer up my little sister." "What? Who said I was your little sister?" "If you don’t want to be my sister, we can change that title to something else," Gu Helin said with a playful smirk, tilting his head as he glanced at Lin Shizhao. Lin Shizhao suddenly realized—she had just walked right into that one.