The Start of the Midterm Exams

Time flew by.

As the autumn breeze grew chillier, the campus was filled with an atmosphere of tension and excitement; the annual midterm exams had arrived quietly.

At dawn, the first rays of sunlight pierced through the mist, shining onto Long Aotian's desk. He was already seated, gripping a delicate fountain pen tightly in his hand.

He began to answer. The tip of his pen danced across the paper, leaving behind neat and forceful lines of text. Every question, whether simple or complex, was like a toy in his hands, dismantled and solved one by one.

Time slipped away in the tense yet orderly atmosphere. Long Aotian finally finished and turned to look out the window.

I have to say, this felt much less oppressive than the exams in my previous life. Gradually, the sound of flipping test papers began to echo through the classroom—the sound of relief as classmates finished one question after another.

First session, second session, third session, fourth session...

For Long Aotian, this midterm exam was like a leisurely stroll, devoid of any pressure or burden.

Finally, the midterm exams came to an end.

"Phew!" Long Aotian, sitting in his seat, gently rubbed his temples. He turned to look out the window and thought, I wonder how Sakura is doing. I should go check on her.

Long Aotian stood up, walked to the classroom door, and headed toward Class D.

In the hallway, students were either gathered in small groups discussing the test questions or walking alone with their heads bowed in deep thought.

Upon reaching the Class D corridor, the unusual silence—so different from other classes—was striking. Long Aotian didn't pay it much mind, however. He arrived at the entrance of Class D, scanned the room, and his gaze quickly locked onto Sakura's position.

Sakura hadn't noticed Long Aotian's arrival; she was frowning, seemingly lost in thought.

He walked to her side and watched quietly until she turned her head. When her eyes met his, a look of surprise and delight bloomed into a smile.

"Aotian, why are you here?" Sakura's voice carried a hint of disbelief and joy.

Long Aotian looked at her with a gentle gaze. "I just finished my exams and wanted to come see you."

"Are you okay? Did the exams go well?" Sakura smiled slightly, her eyes sparkling with happiness.

Long Aotian nodded lightly. "I'm fine. None of them were difficult, so it definitely went well. Why were you frowning? Was there a problem that stumped you?"

"No, I was just thinking about you. I didn't dare go to Class A to find you, so I didn't expect you to come here," Sakura whispered to Long Aotian, shaking her head.

"Oh? Long, why are you here?"

A girl's voice came from ahead.

"To see Sakura." He looked over and saw it was Kushida Kikyo.

"We didn't add each other on our phones at the library last time. Do you want to add me?"

Kushida Kikyo asked with a cute smile.

"Sure." Long Aotian took out his phone and added her. "Sakura seems to get along best with you in Class D. Has she been any trouble?"

"Not at all. Sakura is just a bit socially anxious, but she's quite cute. I really like her."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and Horikita Suzune also noticed them, but they both glanced over and quickly looked away.

In truth, most people had already left for lunch by this time, but for some reason, these two hadn't departed yet.

"Alright, Kushida, we're heading off to eat now, so we'll talk later." Long Aotian turned to Sakura and reached out to hold her hand. "Let's go, time to eat."

The hand he had just extended was suddenly swatted away by Sakura, who whispered, "There are people around."

"Hm?" Long Aotian was a bit surprised. Is the difference between how you act in the dorms versus out here really that big?

"Alright, alright."

Sakura stood up and walked out side-by-side with Long Aotian. In the hallway, Long Aotian leaned in close and said, "Let's go buy some groceries, then head to your dorm. I'll cook for you."

"Really?" Sakura beamed, though she turned to look at him in surprise. "You actually know how to cook? Why was I always the one doing it before?"

"Emmm, I was always the guest at your place, so it was only natural for you to cook, wasn't it?"

"I suppose so." Sakura nodded, her heart swelling with emotion and anticipation.

"By the way, how many points do you have left?"

Long Aotian suddenly remembered the situation with Class D and asked.

"A little over 40,000." Sakura took out her phone and opened the screen to show him.

"Not bad. Leave your points with me for now; I'll give them back to you in a few days."

"Okay." Sakura didn't question him and handed her phone to Long Aotian.

When she got her phone back, the balance displayed 10,000 points.

"I have a use for these 10,000 points later. If anyone asks you for points, just give them whatever they ask for," he said gently, reaching out to pat Sakura on the head.

"Okay~"

The two seemed to draw even closer together.

In the kitchen, Long Aotian began to busy himself. He opened the refrigerator, selected fresh ingredients, and then skillfully chopped and stir-fried; every movement appeared fluid and powerful.

Before long, the scent of a delicious meal wafted through the kitchen. Long Aotian brought plate after plate of colorful, fragrant dishes to the table. As Sakura looked at the exquisite food, an indescribable sense of being moved welled up in her heart.

"Sakura, try this piece of meat. Open wide, ah~" Long Aotian said, using his chopsticks to hold a piece of meat steadily in front of Sakura's lips.

"?" Sakura was slightly stunned, then a brilliant smile bloomed on her face as she took a bite.

"Mmm, so delicious!" She looked at Long Aotian, her eyes shimmering with a blissful glow.

Long Aotian also sat down to eat...

"Sakura, Kushida Kikyo will invite you to a celebration party later. Remember to go, then tell me about it," Long Aotian said, picking up his chopsticks to eat a few pieces of meat.

"Okay," Sakura replied, picking up a piece of meat and holding it to Long Aotian's lips.

"Are you interested in coming to Class A later?"

"I'll listen to whatever you say." After saying this, Sakura frowned as she looked at Long Aotian's chopsticks.

"?"

He was confused for a moment, then realized what was wrong. This little girl, really. Long Aotian picked up his plate and chopsticks, moved to Sakura's side, and began feeding her the meat from the plate relentlessly.

"Mmph!" With her mouth under constant attack, Sakura let out a muffled, incoherent sound.

Watching Sakura's reaction, a satisfied smile appeared on Long Aotian's face as he handed her a glass of water.

"Haa," Sakura took a sip of water, swallowed the meat in her mouth, and glared at Long Aotian.

"Cough, cough, cough."

He took a tissue to wipe Sakura's mouth, then pulled her into his arms, rubbing her delicate little hands as he fell into thought.

Ever since coming to this school, it seems I've only ever been with Sakura. I've barely seen anyone else, which has resulted in very few events occurring; I've basically been interfering with the plot lines solo.

Perhaps in a novel, my affairs might be glossed over in a day or half a month, but since arriving in this world, Long Aotian no longer cares about that.

He looked down at Sakura's face, where her clear, water-like eyes seemed veiled in a thin mist, shimmering with a shy and slightly flustered light. Two vibrant red clouds gradually bloomed on her cheeks like peach blossoms opening in the morning sun, adding a touch of charm and vitality to her face. The blush spread from the inside out until her entire face was dyed a faint crimson, making one want to reach out and touch it to feel that delicacy and warmth.

Long Aotian let go of her small hand and slowly leaned his face in.

A while later~

In the kitchen, Long Aotian skillfully picked up a dishcloth, turned on the faucet, and adjusted it to a comfortable temperature. The sound of running water intertwined with the gentle clinking of dishes, composing a simple yet heartwarming movement of life.

Before long, Long Aotian walked out of the kitchen, looked at Sakura sleeping on the bed, and reached out to pull the blanket over her.

It was only natural to be tired after a day like this. He yawned, feeling a bit sleepy himself.

He took a drink from the refrigerator, found a place to sit down, and took a sip while watching Sakura's sleeping face. It was so peaceful and serene that it felt as if the whole world had come to a standstill.

Her features appeared exceptionally soft, like a lily blooming in silence, emitting a faint, delicate fragrance.

Her breathing was soft and even, each rise and fall like a gentle movement playing a melody of tranquility in the quiet night.

The corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, as if she had encountered something wonderful in her dreams; that sweetness and satisfaction leaked out unintentionally, with a faint blush lingering on her cheeks.

Long Aotian stood up and walked to the bedside, puzzled: "Did she have a sweet dream? She's smiling so foolishly."

ps: Oh, I think I've had a realization; I sort of understand how I should be writing this now.