As the bell rang, he returned to reality.
Long Aotian was sitting by the window, watching the teacher walk in through the door.
The homeroom teacher, Mashima Tomoya, strode into the classroom. His sharp, authoritative gaze seemed to see right through every student. As he approached, the atmosphere in the room quietly grew tense and heavy.
When Mashima Tomoya reached the podium at the front of the classroom, he stopped and looked over the students in their seats. He took a white marker from the pen holder, then turned to the whiteboard and wrote a few words. His arm swept across it with a faint scratching sound, and clear lines of text appeared on the board.
Class A: 940 cp Class B: 650 cp Class C: 490 cp Class D: 0 cp
Mashima cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. He looked around the room and smiled. "After a month of hard work, Class A has achieved some impressive results. Keep it up!"
Meanwhile, Class D had erupted into chaos...
"You were late 98 times and used your phones in class 391 times. At this school, your class's performance affects your points. This month, you scored zero." Chabashira Sae smiled faintly and applauded. "Still, I have to admire how you managed to waste all your points in just one month. Even among past Class D students, that's a first."
"Getting your points back is simple enough. If you outperform Class C in next month's midterm exams, you'll receive 100 points—that's 10,000 points." Chabashira turned and pinned the exam results to the whiteboard. Her expression stern, she continued, "If you fail next month's exams, you'll be expelled."
Sakura Airi looked up at the whiteboard, a little surprised. Just like Long told me.
I wonder how things are going with Sakura. Next up is the study group arc. Long Aotian planned out his next move.
Events were now unfolding just like the plot. The only uncertainty was when Class D's study group would begin. Luckily, he'd prepared in advance and made sure Sakura Airi would fail this exam. She'd probably be invited when the time came. He'd send her a message first.
[Long: Come to your dorm after school. We need to talk.]
[Sakura: Okay]
Time flew by~
Ding-dong~
The doorbell rang~
The lock clicked open, and Sakura Airi's face lit up with a radiant smile, warm as the spring sunshine. Without hesitation, she reached out and grabbed Long Aotian by the arm, her grip full of excitement and just a hint of bashfulness and dependence.
Long Aotian let her pull him into the dorm and sat on the bed, about to speak, when Sakura Airi held a finger to his lips.
Sakura Airi slowly leaned closer and sat on Long Aotian's lap, then whispered, "Kiss~"
Mmph!
A little while later...
Long Aotian gently pushed Sakura Airi away and lightly knocked her on the head with his fist. "I have something to talk to you about."
"Aw." Sakura Airi covered her head with both hands, looking aggrieved. "Isn't this important?"
Ahem, ahem!
This was what I meant earlier when I said things had gotten weird. Their relationship had progressed way too quickly over the past half month. At first, Sakura Airi had been rather shy and reserved, but she'd grown bolder and bolder. It felt like she'd become a different person.
He tapped Sakura Airi on the forehead and said sternly, "I won't be tutoring you for the next few days. Do you remember how I told you to fail the exam last time?"
"I remember. I got 38 afterward, and my overall score was still fourth from the bottom in the class." She leaned against Long Aotian, looking aggrieved again. "Why aren't you tutoring me anymore?"
"Because someone in your class is going to hold a study group soon. With your grades, I think you'll be invited. When you all meet up to start studying, send me a message." He took Sakura Airi's face in both hands and added, "You don't need to cook. We'll eat in the cafeteria later, and we'll meet that upperclassman while we're there."
"Okay~" Sakura Airi pursed her lips and asked, "Which upperclassman?"
"That's the interesting part. You'll find out later." He let go and rubbed her reddened cheeks, then stood up. "Come on, let's go eat. We shouldn't keep that upperclassman waiting."
"Okay~" She stopped Long Aotian as he was about to leave and smiled. "Wait a moment."
They arrived at the cafeteria~
Long Aotian looked around, searching for the upperclassman. Sakura Airi stood behind him with her head lowered.
Long Aotian glanced back at Sakura Airi. She's still so socially anxious. But she acts so differently in the dorm.
After searching for a while, Long Aotian's eyes suddenly lit up. There he was! No wonder he hadn't spotted him sooner—he was sitting in a corner of the cafeteria.
Long Aotian walked over and sat beside the upperclassman. "Did you bring it?"
"I did." The upperclassman took out the midterm exam papers from previous years and handed them over. After hesitating for a moment, he added, "About that matter, junior..."
"Good." After glancing over the papers, Long Aotian stood up. "Don't worry, senior. I'll delete the video, and we won't have anything to do with each other after this."
"That's good."
The upperclassman slowly breathed a sigh of relief, as if all his stress had vanished in that moment.
"Come on, let's get some food." Long Aotian patted Sakura Airi on the head.
"Okay."
Sitting beside Long Aotian, Sakura Airi took a bite of her food and asked curiously, "Aotian, what's the deal with that video and that upperclassman?"
Long Aotian then told Sakura Airi the whole story.
It had started with the cafeteria incident the previous time. Over the past half month, Long Aotian had kept thinking about what happened that day, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he got. So he hacked into the school's surveillance system to investigate the missing food.
He hadn't known what he'd find until he looked—and then he was stunned. There had been two culprits! After identifying their faces in the footage, he found their information in the school's student records, which included photos.
Then he realized he could use the upcoming midterm exams to his advantage.
"Pfft." Sakura Airi quickly covered her mouth with both hands, trying to stifle her laughter. "Aotian, you really hold a grudge."
"Ahem, ahem." He took out a tissue, took Sakura Airi's hand, and wiped it clean. Then he glanced at the exam papers. "It's not that bad. By the way, take these back later. Photograph every page and send them to me."
"To me?" Sakura Airi quickly pulled her hand back, picked up her chopsticks, and took a bite of meat. "What are these papers for?"
"These are probably the questions for this midterm. There's an eighty-something percent chance that the second- and third-year midterms will be the same as in previous years. So this year's might be the same too." He took a few bites of food and looked at Sakura Airi. "But don't get your hopes up. This is a one-time opportunity. Nothing like this will happen again, so you still need to study."
"There's a reason I'm having you join the study group. I want you to keep an eye on them so I can put my next plan into action."
"Hm?" Sakura Airi looked up at Long Aotian, puzzled. "What plan?"
"Can't reveal the secret just yet."
Long Aotian leaned toward Sakura Airi's ear and whispered.
A faint blush spread across Sakura Airi's face. She lowered her head and glared at Long Aotian.
"Ahem, ahem." Long Aotian noticed her glare and quickly changed the subject. "How many points do you have left?"
"Umm... a little over 70,000 points."
That much? So Sakura Airi had never been caught up in the points-borrowing incident. What a miracle.
Long Aotian wasn't surprised that Sakura Airi still had over 70,000 points. After all, the things he'd brought her last month would've been enough to keep her going for half a month.
"Use them slowly. Do you remember what to do next?"
"I do." Sakura Airi nodded, then turned to Long Aotian with a smile. "Your dorm?"
Before you continue