Chapter 9: Schoolyard Crushes and Competitions

Huh?

Lily never expected anyone to say that, but once someone started, her classmates in the room jumped in one by one, fueling the chaos.

They didn’t care or need to understand what the word ‘like’ really meant—they just knew it was fun and unusual.

“Wow! So the class monitor likes Lin Zheng Ran! No wonder she didn’t write his name earlier!”

“Oh, so that’s it!”

“Together! Together! Together!”

“Marry him! Marry him! Marry him!”

Lily’s face turned bright red from the shouts; she didn’t know where to put her hands or feet and just squeezed her eyes shut, yelling, “Stop making things up! Who said I like Lin Zheng Ran? I never said that! If you keep this up, I’ll tell the teacher!”

“Marry him! Marry him!” The class chanted in unison, drowning out Lily’s protests in the classroom.

Lily glanced at Lin Zheng Ran, then slumped back to her seat, burying her head on her desk and covering her ears tightly, pretending it wasn’t happening.

Lin Zheng Ran didn’t mind at all because he knew that arguing with fools would only make you one too.

What did these seven-year-olds know anyway? Explaining more would just play into their hands.

He just made a token gesture, balled up a big piece of paper, and threw it at the first person causing trouble, saying flatly, “Are you sick or what?”

The class quickly quieted down because everyone knew Lily wouldn’t do much to them, but if you messed with Lin Zheng Ran, he’d actually drag you out for a fight.

Plus, with his good grades, teachers always sided with him.

Soon, the teacher arrived and scolded them, putting an end to the matter in Class Two: “What were you all arguing about? The director’s office is right next door—do you want to stand instead of sit for class?”

But after class, Lily surprisingly sought out Lin Zheng Ran and, on the way home when no one was around, pulled him aside to a corner.

Lin Zheng Ran looked puzzled.

“Lin Zheng Ran!” Lily said, struggling with her words, “Don’t take what happened in class seriously. I don’t like you. I just didn’t write your name because I was afraid you’d tell everyone about the big yellow dog incident that day. Don’t get the wrong idea!”

She stared at him and explained, “But today, I didn’t note your name when you slept, so that counts as helping you out. We’re even now, so you can’t tell anyone about that day, okay?”

Lin Zheng Ran figured there had to be a reason for all this, but getting a rejection out of nowhere was still odd: “Oh, so that’s it. Have you been avoiding me lately because of this?”

She didn’t think he’d noticed and awkwardly bit her lip, saying, “Yeah, yeah, I was worried that if I ran into you, you’d make fun of me in front of others. After all, boys are all the same—just bullies to girls.”

Halfway through, she glanced aside and whispered, “Though… I see you’re not quite like them…”

Lin Zheng Ran felt a bit exasperated: “Is there anything else?”

She hadn’t expected him to brush it off so easily and shook her head, her twin ponytails swinging at her waist.

“Nothing. Just that.”

“Don’t worry, I don’t go around sharing people’s business. From now on, if I sleep, you can note it on the board like usual. We’re square. I’m out.”

With that, he turned and left the alley without looking back. Lily watched him go, muttering to herself, “Does he ever get tired of acting so cool, like some grown-up?”

From a distance, Lin Zheng Ran glanced back and glared at her. Lily quickly clasped her hands behind her back, looked away, and whistled innocently as if nothing happened.

Later, though most forgot about it, a few still brought it up now and then.

Every time Lily enforced discipline,

the mischievous boys would revisit the old joke: “Class monitor, don’t write my name on the board. I’m tight with Lin Zheng Ran.”

Each time, Lily gritted her teeth in anger and shot back, “What does your relationship with him have to do with me? I told you, we’re not involved! I’ll put your name at the top and make sure the teacher punishes you first!”

This ridiculous rumor dragged on into the next year and didn’t fully fade until the second semester of second grade.

As summer approached, final exams loomed.

The school announced that, following some directive, they’d hold a sports competition before exams.

They said it was to warm up for the middle school entrance exams.

That’s just how things went in their small town school—ideas popped up randomly.

As the frontrunner for Class Two in second grade, Lin Zheng Ran dominated the sports event, and the system’s rewards made him unbeatable among his peers.

This battle, as the system hinted, was like facing a top expert, propelling Lin Zheng Ran to a new major level.

Level twenty.

[In today’s martial showdown, you claimed first place, mastering expert techniques. Your fame now echoes through the martial world. Your spiritual cultivation has reached twenty, unlocking a new exclusive skill. This match grants you +1 strength, +3 charm, and +2 stamina.]

The system’s narration reflected reality to some extent.

This victory truly boosted Lin Zheng Ran’s popularity in the school.

Lots of girls in other classes heard about the handsome, smart, and incredibly athletic boy from Class Two!

Lily stood on the sidelines, staring blankly as Lin Zheng Ran won.

A boy nearby teased her: “Class monitor, your Lin Zheng Ran is amazing! But it looks like girls from other classes are eyeing him—you’re in trouble.”

Lily snapped back, “Say that again and I’ll shut you up for good! I told you, we’re not together! Not at all!” But she kept watching the victorious Lin Zheng Ran, biting her lip.

“Why should I care if others look at him? It’s annoying,” she said, her eyes fixed on his handsome face, a strange flicker in her lively gaze as her voice softened: “So annoying.”

In the neighboring Class Three,

the well-behaved Heqing sat in the audience, quietly cheering for Lin Zheng Ran instead of her own classmates.

Each time he won, she smiled happily, thinking how impressive he always was, from back then to now.

But just then, she caught a rumor that everyone seemed to be discussing.

“Did you see Lin Zheng Ran from Class Two? I heard he’s got something special with their class monitor. They’re like boyfriend and girlfriend!”

Heqing’s happy expression suddenly turned panicked as she looked their way.

She listened as they kept talking.

“Oh, I know all about it! Haha, it’s common knowledge. Their class monitor is Lily, right? She’s a bit fierce but kinda cute. Apparently, they’ve been like that since last semester!”

Heqing clasped her hands together, feeling suddenly unhappy as she watched Lin Zheng Ran on the field, looking quite upset.

She thought it couldn’t be true—Lin Zheng Ran had never mentioned anything like that to her. It had to be a lie. She needed to ask him.

“I have to ask and get to the bottom of it.”