The Sickly Villain Only Wants to Survive

36

[I'm not sure how exams are conducted in other schools, but I believe it's important to share this information first. For major exams, students are assigned a seat number, and they sit according to the designated desk number. Candidate information is placed on each desk, so students from the same class might not necessarily sit near their classmates. In some cases, a student might be seated with candidates from other classes, which means they will need to find the classroom where their assigned desk is located.]

[The exams are usually held in classrooms, which are transformed into examination halls. At my school, the classrooms are used as well, but the partition walls separating them are opened up, turning the entire building block into a large and spacious exam hall.]

After solving the math problems that had been on his mind all day, Zhu Tong slept well that night. The sudden change in environment didn't affect his sleep at all.

Returning to school the next day, he expected to hear some "idle chatter."

However, it wasn't malicious speculation. Very few people seemed to pay attention to what Zhou Sui had said on the sports field last night.

During morning self-study, while he was sitting in his seat and reciting the lesson, he occasionally noticed someone glancing at him from the front of the classroom.

"... Did you see the photos in the group? They actually announced it on the sports field yesterday! I'm so mad; why didn't I leave the teaching building later? My spicy hotpot is ruined!"

"Didn't they say it was just a joke? If it were serious, there's no way they'd be so blatant about it. Old Yang was even catching couples on the sports field yesterday!"

"The point isn't whether they're actually together; it's their attitude! One dares to speak, and the other dares to acknowledge it—doesn't that make it official?"

"Now that you mention it, Shao Ming really treats Zhu Tong differently; his bike's backseat has become Zhu Tong's exclusive seat."

"Right? I could ship them for a hundred years just for that!"

"Come on; after you saw the photos last night, it didn't stop you from continuing to queue for spicy hotpot."

"Hahahaha."

A girl overhearing their conversation let out a cruel laugh.

The girl who claimed she could ship them for a hundred years: "..."

The girl speaking was quite far from Zhu Tong and the others, so he couldn't hear exactly what they were saying, but he could roughly guess.

He turned to look at Shao Ming, wondering if it would be better to explain the situation.

However, Shao Ming was immersed in his studies, seemingly unaffected, looking genuinely "unconcerned." So Zhu Tong dropped the thought of explaining.

During breakfast at a dumpling shop outside the school, one person ate slowly while the other wolfed down his food.

Luo Su finished his bowl of dumplings in record time, put down his bowl and chopsticks, and looked at the two people across from him. "So, when did you two start your secret romance?"

Zhu Tong: "..."

He turned to look at Shao Ming.

Shao Ming replied without a moment's hesitation, "Yesterday at noon."

Luo Su: "??"

That was when he had been stood up for their reservation!

Feeling crushed, Luo Su said, "Ming-ge, I'm no longer your best buddy."