"Alright, time's up. Everyone, hand in your textbooks and English notes," Lin Rouxi announced from the front of the classroom, her voice carrying a gentle but firm authority.
One of the students quickly stood and began collecting the materials as instructed. Once everything was gathered, Lin Rouxi began distributing the exam papers.
"You'll have one hour to complete this test," she said, her sharp eyes scanning the class. "When time is up, submit your papers—regardless of whether you've finished or not. If you finish early, you may turn it in beforehand.
But remember—cheating will not be tolerated, and anyone caught will face severe punishment."
After a glance at her wristwatch, she declared, "Time starts now."
With that, the classroom fell into silence, save for the sound of pens scribbling on paper.
Ye Chen, seated in the middle row, calmly glanced over the test.
So easy… he thought with a faint smile.
Within just ten minutes, Ye Chen had answered every question flawlessly.
He stood up, walked confidently to the front, and submitted his completed sheet before quietly returning to his seat.
His calm demeanor shocked many of his classmates, who hadn't even gotten through the first page.
Lin Rouxi looked at her watch again. Ten minutes? Her eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion.
"Ye Chen," she called out gently, "are you sure you want to turn it in now? There's still fifty minutes left. Why not review your answers?"
Ye Chen chuckled lightly. "Thank you, Teacher Lin, but I'm confident in my answers."
With that, he returned to his seat, leaned back, and closed his eyes.
He began quietly cultivating, drawing Yin energy from Zhao Yanyan who sat beside him—though not in a way she could sense.
Around them, the rest of the class exchanged doubtful glances.
"Did he just guess randomly?"
"Is he that arrogant?"
Zhao Yanyan frowned and leaned toward him. "Ye Chen… why did you turn it in so early? You know how strict Teacher Lin is. What if you get a low score?"
Ye Chen flashed a playful grin. "Relax, Yanyan darling.
I trust my answers. Now... what kind of reward will I get later if I ace it?"
Her cheeks flushed pink. "Hmph! You wish. If your score's bad, don't come crying to me!"
With a light pout, she turned back to her own exam.
Ye Chen, meanwhile, continued meditating peacefully while the rest of the class struggled through the test.
At the front, Lin Rouxi's curiosity got the better of her.
She pulled Ye Chen's paper from the stack and began scanning it. As she read, her eyes widened in disbelief.
Every answer… is correct? she thought, flipping through each page to double-check. It's identical to the official answer key! And he did all this in just ten minutes?
This was unprecedented. Not a single student in this class had ever gotten full marks before—not since Lin Rouxi started teaching here.
Her gaze drifted back to Ye Chen, who was now peacefully dozing off.
Is he really this gifted…?
Eventually, the hour came to an end. Lin Rouxi instructed everyone to turn in their papers, and the students complied, most looking defeated.
Fifteen minutes later, Lin Rouxi began reading out the scores.
"30… 41… 35… 51… 47…"
The room grew heavy with gloom. Not a single student had scored above 60.
It became clear to Ye Chen why this was called the worst-performing class.
When Zhao Yanyan's name was called, Lin Rouxi said, "Zhao Yanyan — 90 points."
A round of impressed murmurs followed.
"As expected from the class goddess!"
"She's our saving grace!"
Zhao Yanyan accepted her paper with a reserved smile, but her heart was uneasy. What if Ye Chen did badly?
Finally, Lin Rouxi called out, "Ye Chen — 100."
For a moment, the room went completely silent.
"Did… did she just say a hundred?"
"That can't be right."
Even Zhao Yanyan's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide in shock.
Ye Chen, unbothered, took the paper with a satisfied smirk. "Perfect," he muttered.
Some students couldn't believe it.
"He must have cheated! That's impossible!"
"He must've copied it from somewhere!"
Sen Tu, the class bully, was the first to raise his voice. "He's a cheater! No one finishes the test in ten minutes unless they're cheating!"
A few male students chimed in, echoing his protests. But the girls? Their eyes sparkled.
He's handsome… and smart? Some of them already felt their hearts fluttering.
Lin Rouxi slammed her ruler against the desk. CRACK!
"Silence!"
The room immediately quieted.
"Do any of you truly believe someone could cheat and still finish the entire test perfectly in ten minutes?" Her sharp gaze swept over the students.
No one responded. When she put it that way… it really didn't make sense.
Satisfied, Lin Rouxi added, "Those who scored below 50, take pages 50 to 60 from your English workbook and complete the exercises by tomorrow.
If not submitted, you won't be allowed to attend class."
A chorus of groans followed—especially from those like Sen Tu, who had scored pitifully low.
As the students dispersed, Ye Chen turned to Zhao Yanyan with a smug grin. "Yanyan~ I scored well. So… where's my reward?"
She looked away shyly. "Not here… I'll give it to you later."
"Then where exactly?" he teased.
"…The back garden. Meet me there," she mumbled, her cheeks red.
Ye Chen's imagination ran wild. Could it be… is she going to give me her body?
Just as he was about to leave, Lin Rouxi's voice rang out again.
"Ye Chen, come with me to my office."
His face fell. What timing… things were just getting good!
"I'll wait for you in the garden," Zhao Yanyan whispered before heading off.
Resigned, Ye Chen followed Lin Rouxi to the staff room.
Once inside, she sat at her desk, opened a drawer, and took out two neatly packed food containers.
"Here. I made this for you, as promised. A thank-you for healing my illness," she said softly, avoiding his gaze.
Her cheeks were tinged pink, though she tried to maintain her usual teacherly dignity.
Ye Chen's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Teacher Lin."
He opened the box to reveal a colorful, balanced meal—vegetables, tomatoes, eggs, and meat all arranged beautifully. The aroma alone was mouthwatering.
He took a bite and his eyes sparkled. "Delicious!"
Zhao Yanyan had once told him that Lin Rouxi's cooking was leagues above canteen food—and now he believed it.
Meanwhile, Lin Rouxi quietly opened her own lunchbox and began eating slowly, her movements elegant.
Though they were sharing a meal, she felt strangely nervous. Why am I feeling this way…?
Ye Chen, on the other hand, ate like he hadn't eaten in days, finishing the entire box quickly.
Lin Rouxi watched him with quiet amusement. This isn't the atmosphere I expected… it feels like I'm eating with a little brother, not a student.
After they finished, she poured him a cup of warm tea.
"Teacher Lin, thank you for the meal. I should get going—I promised Yanyan I'd meet her."
"Wait," she said quickly. "When's the next treatment session?"
"In a few days," Ye Chen replied. "Same process as before. Some massage, then acupuncture to release the last of the cold qi."
Lin Rouxi blushed faintly at the mention of massage but nodded. "Alright."
Ye Chen stood up, bowed politely, and left.
After he was gone, Lin Rouxi sat quietly, staring at the cup he had used.
She reached for her own tea and sipped it… only to realize—
Wait… this isn't my cup.
She blinked, then looked down.
"…Ah!"
"I just drank from the cup Ye Chen used…" she gasped, holding the cup like it was a precious relic.
Her face turned as red as a ripe apple.
"This is… an indirect kiss!"
The realization made her heart pound wildly in her chest. He's my student! What am I even thinking?!
Meanwhile, Ye Chen was already dashing to the back garden—completely unaware of the flustered teacher he had just unintentionally kissed through a cup.