Chapter 10.2| Queer Eye

By the time the morning meeting ended, the bell for the third class had already rung. 

As the English class finished, Xipei immediately pulled Yin to the women's toilet so that Zhiyi could catch up with Yin on the way to the cafeteria. 

"Still upset?" Zhiyi fell behind Yin by half a step. 

"What?" Yin paused, then realized Zhiyi was referring to the incident from two days ago when he lied to her about not finishing the math problems. Although she had already figured out why he said that that day, she still couldn't help but snort and retort, "Am I quite petty?"

"It's my narrow-mindedness." 

Meng Yin: "..." There was no need to belittle yourself like that. 

In fact, upon hearing Xu Zhiyi confess his score, she felt relieved. He had told her that he was just an average person, but she always believed he deserved to be surrounded by flowers and applause, not because of his appearance or background, but due to his manners and down-to-earth efforts.

Throughout junior high school, Xu Zhiyi was always a member of the school's math competition team. Even though he had self-studied the entire junior high math curriculum, he never missed a competition or skipped a homework assignment. Several times, she saw Zhiyi napping in the classroom during PE class. When she asked why he didn't occasionally slack off, Xu Zhiyi looked at the chalkboard that still had notes on it and said, "Just because I enjoy doing something doesn't mean I should neglect what needs to be done, even if those things may seem insignificant."

His voice was like a clear spring, yet it carried the power to penetrate stone.

"Xu Zhiyi," Yin discreetly glanced at him, who was already walking beside her, "when did you buy 'NanZhaoJi'?" 

It wasn't until the English class was halfway through the paper explanations that she discovered a post-it note from Zhiyi tucked inside her test paper.

— Applause for your successful debut with 'NanZhaoJi'.

Yin reached under the desk and indeed found a wax paper bag. She didn't need to think twice to know that it was the assembly bell, and everyone was hurrying to the field, courtesy of Zhiyi.

Applause for your successful debut with 'NanZhaoJi'. 

In this young battlefield, I will applaud you. 

The early autumn sunlight warmed Yin'sheart, carrying a hint of fragrance.

"Last night on the way back," Zhiyi answered.

Yin inexplicably felt like she was being cajoled like a three-year-old child. 

Yin responded with an "oh" and jokingly asked, "Does the first place need a reward?"

 "What reward do you want to give to the first place?" 

Yin was not prepared for this counter-question and was caught off guard by Zhiyi's gaze, "Take the little red flower on your tail back yourself." 

He had stuck a sticky note with a praise-worthy little red flower on her English test paper. "I'll tell you after I've figured it out." Zhiyi didn't care if Yin really wanted to give encouragement. 

Meng Yin thought to herself, "I was just saying, but if I wanted to give a reward, it wouldn't be impossible."

Only a few steps away from the cafeteria, Yin's shoelaces came undone. To avoid blocking the way, she moved to the side and crouched down to tie her shoelaces. 

"Are you ready to change seats?" After tying her shoelaces and standing up, Zhiyi asked. 

It was time for the afternoon class meeting, where seats were selected based on grades. Yin suddenly remembered what Hai had told her, that Xu Zhiyi had never changed seats in three years. 

Three rows, six tables. 

"Are you planning to change seats this time?" 

"No." 

"Why not change?" 

Zhiyi touched her upper jaw with the tip of her tongue, showing a bit of laziness, "I'm used to it." 

Yin smiled knowingly, her hands clasped behind her back, 

"If none of the 11 people in front of me choose me, I won't change either." 

"It's actually the 34 people behind you," Xu Zhiyi reminded her. 

Following the "dual-rotation system" seating rule, where last time it was from top to bottom, this time it was from bottom to top. 

Yin patted her forehead with her palm, "I almost forgot, so doesn't that mean you're more at risk than me?" 

"No, no one would want to sit in my seat." 

Meng Yin: "...".

Due to the teacher delaying the class, Xiuze arrived late. He strode into the cafeteria with a confident air, not saying a word, quickly dug into several mouthfuls of rice, then scooped out a braised chicken leg from Zhiyi's bowl before he had a chance to eat it, took a big bite, and then said indignantly, "Xu Zhiyi, we agreed to live on campus together, but you left me alone here. What about our childhood pact?"

Xing Xiuze and Nie Hai, rarely united in anger, exchanged glances. "Are you two a couple?" 

Cough, cough... Xipei, who was drinking soup, choked and turned red. When she didn't know Zhiyi well, she only knew that he was considerate, warm, and clear. She didn't expect that after getting to know him in the third year of high school, it turned out to have a "say nothing shocking, never stop" attribute.

After Zhiyi's words, Xiuze and Hai glanced at each other, snorted through their noses, turned their heads away, and at the same time thought of teaming up to give Xu Zhiyi a beating.

The three of them spoke, but Yin still couldn't understand what was going on. "What's going on with you guys?"

"I'm going to be a day student from now on," Zhiyi said in response to Yin's puzzled expression. "It was approved by Mr. Wang this morning."

Although the majority of students at FHS lived on campus, the school itself did not make it compulsory. Even if students lived on campus, they could switch to being day students with the approval of the class teacher. However, very few students chose to do so. 

Yin was also surprised by Xu Zhiyi's decision to become a day student.

Xipei, still recovering from choking on soup, discreetly pinched her thigh as Zhiyi mentioned "day student," trying to cover up her almost uncontrollable smile.

"Xing Xiuze, why don't you apply to be a day student?" Yin asked, confused.

"I can't," he replied, "My dad doesn't agree."

His parents had forced him to live on campus to have more privacy for themselves. If he were to become a day student... the scenario of him getting beaten up was quite picturesque.

And actually, he was angry not because he wanted to become a day student; he was upset because Xu Zhiyi had obtained the approval for day student status in the morning and then informed him!

"Is it strange that I'm becoming a day student?" Zhiyi asked.

Yin replied, "Not really, it's just sudden."

"It's not that sudden. I've been living on campus for over two years. If I don't become a day student now, I'll miss out on the experience."

Xiuze and Hai, unable to interject, thought to themselves: it's fucking that you will miss out on the experience!