Cheating Plan

Lunch break.

Xu Muyan had finished her homework and planned to relax for a while, adjust her state of mind, and prepare for the afternoon classes.

Wen Jing, who had nothing to do beside her, teased, "Yan Yan, doesn't Chu Bai seem like a completely different person? He's studying so actively. Looks like he's determined to work hard. Aren't you scared?"

"Stop teasing me. Just thinking about it makes me miserable." Xu Muyan rolled her eyes.

"Ha ha, your dad really is something. Who makes things this difficult for their own daughter?" Wen Jing said with a laugh.

"Exactly." Xu Muyan strongly agreed.

"But it's fine. Even if Chu Bai really wins, you can just refuse to honor the bet. What, can he force you?"

"I was definitely planning not to honor it."

Although one should keep one's word, Xu Muyan certainly would not joke around with her own happiness. Besides, she had long decided that she absolutely would not date before the college entrance exam.

"Then what are you worried about?" Wen Jing asked.

"Chu Bai is kind of self-centered and doesn't consider other people's feelings at all. If he really wins and I refuse to honor the bet, he'll definitely pester me endlessly. He might even let the other students in class know about it. Wouldn't that be utterly humiliating?"

Xu Muyan held her pretty face in both hands and complained.

"That's true." Wen Jing nodded.

At that moment, Wang Haoran returned from outside the classroom and happened to pass by the two of them.

"What are you two talking about?" Wang Haoran asked casually.

"Nothing, nothing!" Xu Muyan shook her head like a rattle drum.

"There's definitely something. Tell me?" Wang Haoran had actually already vaguely guessed it.

"Yan Yan made a bet with Chu Bai. If she loses, she'll be his girlfriend."

Since Wang Haoran had asked, Wen Jing naturally answered.

"Jing Jing, you—you—you! It was supposed to be something only the two of us knew. Why did you tell someone else?" Xu Muyan said in embarrassed anger.

"Sorry, Yan Yan."

Wen Jing apologized aloud, but muttered to herself inwardly.

I didn't reveal it. Wang Haoran overheard you complaining about it on the phone last night, so this really isn't my fault!

But it was a secret, so Wen Jing naturally would not say it out loud.

"Forget it. It's fine if he knows." Xu Muyan did not blame Wen Jing, but she still warned Wang Haoran, "You have to keep this secret. You're not allowed to tell anyone else."

"I'm not a blabbermouth. Don't worry," Wang Haoran replied.

"It's fine. Chu Bai is just cramming at the last minute, so there's no need to worry. How could a poor student suddenly become a top student?" Wen Jing comforted Xu Muyan.

"Right!" Xu Muyan nodded heavily, becoming resolute.

"In a normal exam, he definitely couldn't do it. But what if... he cheats?" Wang Haoran suddenly said.

"Th-that can't be possible, right?" Xu Muyan's heart, which had only just settled, instantly leaped back into her throat.

"I bet this was Chu Bai's plan all along. He deliberately set a trap for you. He had already planned to improve his grades through cheating." Wang Haoran guided Xu Muyan's thoughts.

"Think back. When he made that bet with you, didn't he seem extremely confident?"

"Right, right. He was very confident when he said it!" The more Xu Muyan thought about it, the more terrifying it seemed.

"Exactly. Even good students wouldn't dare guarantee that they could definitely rank within the top whatever in the class. He's a poor student, so where does that confidence come from?" Wang Haoran asked.

"Yeah, I should have realized it back then!"

After hearing this, Xu Muyan became completely convinced that Chu Bai intended to cheat.

Still, she retained a trace of hope.

"Cheating isn't that easy, is it? Even bringing cheat sheets couldn't raise his grades that much."

"Do you think cheating only means bringing cheat sheets? What if he buys the exam answers, then bribes the proctors?" Wang Haoran said.

"Ah, that's possible?" Xu Muyan looked utterly shocked.

As a top student, she had never considered cheating before. How could she know so many tricks?

Seeing Xu Muyan's worried expression, Wang Haoran felt the timing was about right. He suddenly said indifferently, "This is only my guess. Maybe he doesn't have such intentions. I have something to do, so I'm leaving."

With that, Wang Haoran turned and walked away.

"Wait."

Xu Muyan panicked and hurriedly grabbed Wang Haoran's hand.

Wang Haoran stopped and glanced at her.

Xu Muyan's cheeks reddened, and she immediately let go of his hand before saying softly:

"Can you help me?"

"Well..." Wang Haoran pretended to hesitate.

"Please? Okay?" Xu Muyan unexpectedly began acting coquettishly.

"Then I'll give it a try." Wang Haoran reluctantly agreed.

"Thank you. I'll treat you to milk tea then!" Xu Muyan stared at Wang Haoran without blinking, revealing a sweet smile.

Ding, one of the Female Leads, Xu Muyan's affection for the host has increased by 10. Current total affection: 40. (Very close)

Ding, you have influenced the direction of the plot and gained 200 Villain Points.

I actually gained affection?!

Receiving the system notifications, Wang Haoran secretly rejoiced.

Stopping Chu Bai from cheating was something he had needed to do anyway.

Helping Xu Muyan was merely incidental.

He had not expected to gain Xu Muyan's affection as well. That truly was an unexpected delight.

Several days passed in the blink of an eye.

All third-year students had their order shuffled, with examination rooms and seats assigned at random.

On Friday afternoon, the students received their examination room numbers, Exam Admission Tickets, and other items, then familiarized themselves with their exam rooms in advance.

These examination rooms had originally belonged to lower-year students, but they had now been cleared out for use as temporary exam rooms.

Outside every exam room, the schedules for each subject and the names of the subject proctors were posted.

The third-year students entered their assigned exam rooms in an orderly fashion and found the seats marked with their names and student numbers.

The proctors handed out an English listening practice paper.

Before long, English listening questions began playing over the classroom broadcast.

Chu Bai's seat was the very last one in the final examination room.

To Chu Bai, this position was practically perfect feng shui.

After using X-ray Vision, his gaze could pass through wall after wall, allowing him to see the answers on the English test papers of roughly one hundred and fifty students.

Of course, this was only an English listening practice session, so Chu Bai would not copy anyone else's answers.

What he needed to do now was determine the approximate locations of the students with good grades.

That was not difficult for Chu Bai at all.

The top students in every class were often praised at school assemblies, so their faces were far too familiar.

Among the top ten students in the entire third year, Chu Bai had already located three, one of whom was practically a regular in the schoolwide top three.

One should not underestimate students ranked in the schoolwide top ten.

Shui Ze High School's rankings carried a great deal of weight. Judging by past records, students who made it into the schoolwide top ten were almost always capable of entering the nation's most elite universities.

Xu Muyan and Wang Haoran from his class had only barely made it into the schoolwide top ten themselves.

As long as he could copy from those three, Chu Bai was certain that getting into the top ten of the class would be a sure thing.

Xu Muyan could just wait to become his girlfriend! "Ha ha."

Chu Bai was so excited that he wished he could fast-forward time to the day the exam results came out.

"Hey, you! Why aren't you listening properly? What are you looking around and grinning like an idiot for?!"

Chu Bai's strange behavior caught the attention of the exam room's proctor.