Chapter 9

After the math exam, there was still some time before school was dismissed. Since the teachers were busy with the exams and didn’t come to the classroom to maintain order, the class was in chaos—students were talking loudly, comparing answers, and discussing questions. The moment the math test papers were collected, the classroom exploded with noise. Without a word, Gu Helin grabbed Lin Shizhao’s hand and walked out, leaving her stunned. Naturally, the rest of the class was just as surprised. The room fell silent for a moment before erupting in teasing. "That was fast! Already holding hands?" Yu Fei said with a mischievous smile. He Junming joined in, "Lin, have you ever held a girl's hand before?" Gu Helin ignored them all and continued pulling Lin Shizhao out, grabbing a physics book on the way. "Lin, what was the answer to the last multiple-choice question?" the math class representative, Yang Hui, asked. "I don't remember," Gu Helin replied absentmindedly before exiting the classroom with Lin Shizhao. The girl’s cheeks flushed lightly as she lowered her head, her eyelashes trembling. Gu Helin led her to the sports field, finding a clean patch of grass to sit on and spreading out his physics book. "What are you doing? Everyone was watching us," Lin Shizhao asked, still standing while he lounged lazily on the grass. "Just getting some fresh air. Unless you’d rather stay and listen to them go over the answers?" Lin Shizhao didn’t reply but sat down beside him, leaving a small gap between them. A teenage boy and girl, both in their clean white school uniforms, sat side by side. The boy’s short black hair neatly framed his forehead, reaching just above his brows. Under the sunlight, his dark hair had a warm chestnut hue. The girl’s black hair was tied into a high ponytail, cascading past her fair, slender neck. She tilted her head slightly, attentively listening as Gu Helin explained key physics concepts. After going over the material, it was almost time for school to end. Teachers were also starting to leave, and the path leading to the school gate happened to be near the sports field. Suddenly, a black figure appeared in the distance. "What are you two doing? Dating, huh? You spend all day fooling around instead of studying! If I catch you again, I’m calling your parents!" The stern voice of the discipline director, Mr. Wang, rang out from afar. Without hesitation, Gu Helin grabbed Lin Shizhao’s hand and bolted toward the teaching building just as the setting sun cast a golden glow over them. "Holding hands now, huh? If I catch you again, you’d better watch out!" Director Wang’s face turned red with frustration, the muscles on his cheeks twitching as he pointed at them twice before stomping off. Gu Helin ran so fast that Lin Shizhao struggled to keep up. When they reached the stairwell, she leaned against the wall, trying to catch her breath, while he looked completely unfazed, smirking at her. "Why are you running so fast? There’s no dog chasing you." "Do you want your parents called?" "We weren’t even doing anything wrong. Why would they call our parents?" Lin Shizhao huffed, turning her head away. "We were holding hands—does that sound innocent to you? Even if I jumped into the Yellow River, I wouldn’t be able to wash myself clean." "You were the one who grabbed my hand without asking," Lin Shizhao complained. Gu Helin slowly stepped closer to her. Lin Shizhao’s back pressed against the cold wall as she clenched the pen in her hand, her palms sweating. His eyes locked onto hers, leaving her nowhere to escape. They were so close that even the air between them seemed to freeze, and she could hear both of their heartbeats. Lin Shizhao avoided his gaze, turning her head away. "You weren’t this nervous when you were surrounded at lunchtime." "What do you mean?" "Hmm? Tan Jiang seems pretty interested in you." "I don’t even know him," Lin Shizhao denied hastily. "Then why was he so close to you? What did he want?" "That’s none of your business," she snapped. Gu Helin’s expression darkened, and he didn’t press further. Tan Jiang was already causing her enough trouble, and now Gu Helin was asking unnecessary questions. Without another word, Gu Helin turned and walked away. "You don’t have to wait for me. Go ahead, I left something in the classroom," Lin Shizhao called after him. After school, Lin Shizhao still had to meet Tan Jiang. Though she was scared, she couldn’t avoid it. She didn’t return to the classroom but instead waited until Gu Helin was gone before leaving the school. By this time, the after-school rush had passed, and fewer people were around. She navigated past a nearby bun shop and convenience store, walking a few more steps before arriving at the alley they had mentioned. A few boys were gathered there, smoking and laughing among themselves. As Lin Shizhao approached, their expressions turned less friendly, and some even showed leering smiles. "You actually came. Obedient, aren’t you?" Tan Jiang smirked. "Just say what you want. I need to go home," Lin Shizhao said, trying to sound calm. "Fine, I’ll keep it simple. Next Wednesday, bring Gu Helin to a place we’ll tell you later. Just get him there, and then you can leave. If you refuse, there’s another option." As he spoke, Tan Jiang casually draped an arm over her shoulder. "What is it?" Lin Shizhao smacked his hand away. "If you don’t cooperate, then be my girlfriend. Keep me entertained." "Are you done? I’m leaving." Lin Shizhao turned on her heel and walked away. Tan Jiang didn’t stop her. Instead, he smirked wickedly and called after her, "Don’t forget to think it over."