Chapter 28: A Day of Confessions and Surprises

Tuesday.

Today, He Yao wanted to live an ordinary day.

After accepting the friend request last night and seeing that Zhang Xiao had not sent any message, he naturally had no intention of initiating conversation.

The recent string of events truly did not fit his usual persona, so today he planned to return to the life that had always belonged to him—such as playing mobile games during breaks.

Of course, there were indeed some changes.

For example, quite a few classmates were currently gathered around watching him play his game.

He could vividly feel the difference between being popular and being ignored.

He was, in truth, not good at handling situations like this.

It made him begin to question whether his choices had been wrong.

In order to avoid potential trouble, had this act of “making more friends” actually created even more trouble instead?

For someone like him, sometimes “kindness” itself was a form of trouble.

At that moment, he saw Liu Xingyue walking toward him.

She carried an imposing presence, her expression serious and resolute.

The surrounding students immediately became confused, wondering what she intended to do.

Then she placed her hands on her hips and declared loudly, “He Yao! I like you! Please go out with me!”

“……”

At that instant, the entire classroom fell silent.

Even Liu Yun, who had already reached the classroom doorway, stood there with parted red lips, staring in disbelief at the girl inside.

She’s that brave?!

She’s only in her teens!

I’m almost thirty and I still can’t say something like that!

As a teacher, she should, by all logic, step forward to stop such words from being spoken.

Yet at this moment, she instinctively took half a step back, hiding herself behind the classroom door as she watched the scene unfold.

Silence spread through the room.

Liu Xingyue stood there with overwhelming momentum.

“When you took me to the infirmary when I was sick last time, I realized you weren’t the same as I had imagined—originally, I wanted to wait a little longer and confirm my feelings… but starting yesterday, there have been so many people around you…”

She placed one hand over her well-developed chest.

“I actually felt pain. So… He Yao, I like you. Please go out with me. Don’t look at others—look at me.”

Wow.

Is this the decisiveness of a magical girl?

He Yao considered his own initiative fairly strong, yet Liu Xingyue was not inferior in the slightest.

Last night she said she would think about it, and today she directly confessed.

Did she not even plan to discuss it with him first?

However, he had basically confirmed one thing—Liu Xingyue did not actually like him.

If she truly liked him, there would at least be some shyness.

She treated this as part of her job.

Only when people were working did they exhibit such forceful resolve.

“I like you too, Liu Xingyue! I’ve liked you for a long time, that’s why I… I like you!”

He responded to her “feelings” in this manner.

Rising to his feet, the students who had been gathered around him instinctively parted to form a path.

He walked up to Liu Xingyue and took her hand.

“Be my girlfriend, Liu Xingyue!”

“Okay!”

Simply unbelievable.

This was bound to become the biggest topic of gossip for the entire grade this month.

A sudden public confession, immediate dating—this kind of romantic story, this mutual affection laid bare, was exactly the sort of love teenagers dreamed of.

Liu Xingyue’s gaze shifted toward Ye Liuyun.

“Class Monitor Ye, could you switch seats with me? I want to sit with him.”

“!”

Ye Liuyun snapped out of his shock.

“But, Liu Xingyue, you’re the group leader for your row. If you switch seats with me, then the matter of group leader—”

“I don’t plan to continue,” Liu Xingyue said casually.

“The teacher wouldn’t force me to remain group leader, would she? I’ll talk to Teacher Liu later. She can just assign someone else.”

Ye Liuyun added, “But… early dating…”

“This is between the two of us. Class Monitor Ye, are you unwilling to switch?”

Having reached this point, the socially adept Ye Liuyun naturally could not refuse.

He immediately changed seats.

Within a few minutes, Liu Xingyue had moved her desk beside He Yao’s.

Only then did Liu Yun finally enter the classroom.

It was as though she had seen nothing regarding the seat exchange.

In this class, switching seats did not require teacher approval.

He Yao now began to understand why Liu Xingyue had suddenly confessed.

It was because she saw him surrounded by so many people and worried he might reveal certain secrets.

So she had decided to monitor him.

After all, as desk mates, any small movement he made would fall directly within her line of sight.

What an efficiency-driven person.

Still, he did not particularly mind.

Although early dating was not ideal, whether sixteen or seventeen years old truly counted as “early” was debatable.

Moreover, he and Liu Xingyue were, in essence, partners in cooperation.

During class, however, he noticed that Teacher Liu’s gaze lingered on the two of them.

—We’ve been found out.

But that was hardly surprising.

It was said that teachers could often tell at a glance which students in a class were secretly dating.

From the podium, any subtle anomaly stood out immediately.

Did he and Liu Xingyue really look like a couple?

After class—

“He Yao, Liu Xingyue, come to the office.”

“……”

The entire class fell silent.

It was obvious.

After just one lesson, Liu Yun already understood the situation.

He Yao glanced at Liu Xingyue.

She shrugged, stood up, and followed Liu Yun.

Naturally, he followed as well.

What surprised him, however, was that Liu Yun did not actually take them to the main staff office.

Each teacher at the school had a small private room for resting.

It was not spacious—about five square meters.

Inside was a bed, a desk, and a chair.

Some teachers installed water dispensers, though Liu Yun clearly had not.

“Sit.”

She pointed to the bed and then sat down in the chair herself.

Liu Xingyue and He Yao sat side by side.

“You both know why I called you here.”

Neither spoke.

Liu Yun sighed.

“Logically, as your homeroom teacher, I should stop this. But after teaching for so many years, I know that at your age, the more you’re forbidden from dating, the more rebellious you become. Rather than opposing each other and sneaking around, it’s better to be honest.”

He Yao looked surprised.

“Teacher Liu, you mean…”

“He Yao, I know your family is wealthy. If you are truly sincere, then you must restrain yourselves. You should understand what I mean by restraint. You’re sixteen or seventeen—I don’t intend to give you another biology lecture.”

Her gaze shifted to Liu Xingyue.

“Do you truly like him?”

“Yes.”

Liu Xingyue met her eyes directly.

It was hard to imagine that the three people in this small room were all magical girls.

If a monster suddenly appeared and they all transformed together, that would be quite comedic.

But at present…

None of them fully understood each other’s identities.

“…A girl in love?” Liu Yun murmured.

Then she looked at He Yao.

“Even if your family has money, if I hear any unpleasant rumors, I will make you understand a teacher’s authority, He Yao.”

Oh?

No wonder she was close to Lin Han.

Teacher Liu was also someone with a strong sense of justice?

He smiled.

“I will.”

“Very well. You may leave first. There are some things I need to say to Liu Xingyue alone.”

He Yao waved casually and left the room.

He could guess what she would say—nothing more than warnings not to give herself away too easily, and reminders for girls to protect themselves.

But since he and Liu Xingyue were merely in a transactional partnership, what did it matter?

It was almost time for P.E. class.

After that, he planned to visit Lin Han and ask about his progress with Teacher Liu.

Teacher Liu was a good woman.

If Lin Han didn’t seize the opportunity, and she ended up with another man, he would have nowhere to cry.

—

“Please teach me!”

Liu Xingyue stared blankly at Liu Yun, who was nearly prostrating herself in desperation.

Liu Yun continued, “Teacher knows you’re a good girl, so I’m not worried about you! But how? How do you confess so confidently like that?!”

“Ah? Huh? Teacher?”

Liu Xingyue was rarely so utterly thrown off.

“To be honest! I’m almost thirty, but my dating experience is zero! For the past two years I’ve barely dared to go home during New Year! Every time I return, my family looks at me with disdain. If this continues, I’ll be abandoned by everyone!”

She poured out her sorrow.

Liu Xingyue did not particularly wish to listen.

“But Teacher, there should be plenty of people who like you, right? I heard a male teacher confessed to you before and even invited you on dates. Couldn’t you choose someone suitable?”

“Being with someone you don’t like is like serving a prison sentence!”

“So Teacher has someone she likes?”

Liu Yun blushed.

“Y-Yes… there is someone.”

“Who?”

“Lin… Lin Han…”

Liu Xingyue’s expression changed.

“You mean our physics teacher who spends all day modifying motorcycles in the lab with He Yao?”

“Yes! You know him!”

“That won’t work, will it?” Liu Xingyue said earnestly.

“No matter how you think about it, Lin Han doesn’t seem like a suitable partner. I heard from He Yao that his salary all goes into motorcycle modifications, and he eats instant noodles every day. As a friend he might be interesting, but as a romantic partner… it doesn’t seem viable. Teacher, what were you thinking?”

“!”

To hear such logical reasoning from her own student—

Liu Yun flustered.

“But… but liking someone… Lin Han is a good person…”

That much, at least, I believe.