Chapter 57: Morning Greetings and Exam Jitters

“Good morning, Senior.”

Stepping onto the bus, I greeted Mo Yuyan beside me, then continued to pull Huang Beifeng along, finding a place for us to sit.

Upon hearing my voice, Mo Yuyan briefly shifted her gaze from her phone to me, responding with a faint ‘Good morning.’ Immediately after, her attention returned to the device in her hand.

I was a little curious what Senior was constantly looking at. However, I was pleased that I had initiated a greeting with her for the first time in days.

This exchange, brief as it was, marked only our third interaction. The first had been for directions, the second when she had helped me out of trouble, and now this, a simple greeting.

A touch of awkwardness lingered. I still wasn’t sure how best to strike up a conversation, feeling a slight trepidation. Senior’s aura was simply too commanding.

‘Hmph, Mu Rong Luo Ye, you’re a boy, after all. Why let yourself be so easily intimidated?’

Though I indulged in a satisfying self-reprimand mentally, my body remained stubbornly honest. I knew I could easily turn slightly, catching a glimpse of Senior’s phone screen from the corner of my eye. Yet, it remained a mere thought, never once attempted.

Firstly, it would be quite impolite. Secondly, if Senior were to notice, what impression would she form of me? With that thought, I decided against it.

It would be better to console Huang Beifeng, even if she wouldn’t truly listen.

As the silver-haired loli turned to murmur to her companion, Mo Yuyan’s peripheral vision had, in fact, remained fixed on Mu Rong Luo Ye. He, however, had simply failed to notice.

She clearly perceived Mu Rong Luo Ye’s subtle intentions—that desire to look, coupled with hesitation, a hint of timidity, and the eventual redirection of his attention. Such an adorable creature, she would not let slip away.

One matter, however, continued to puzzle her. Her investigations within that class had confirmed the student was indeed named Mu Rong Luo Ye, and she had initially perceived him as female.

Yet, the senior she had spoken to earlier had referred to him as Mu Rong Xin Xue, which was clearly a female name. This discrepancy left her deeply perplexed.

Did both names refer to the same person, or had the senior simply misremembered?

Though she wished to resolve this puzzle immediately, the current circumstances offered no time to delve into it.

For now, simply finding opportunities to improve their relationship would suffice. Other matters could wait for later, especially since certain individuals were growing increasingly impatient, their activities becoming more frequent.

****

Pulling the still-despondent Huang Beifeng from the bus, I turned back to offer Mo Yuyan a smiling farewell. She, in turn, offered an equally detached acknowledgement.

Turning, I led Huang Beifeng into the campus. As we walked, I couldn’t quite place why, but perhaps it was Huang Beifeng’s unchanging morning demeanor that drew curious glances from passing students.

Still, I had long grown accustomed to such attention since middle school. Now, it mattered little.

As usual, the first period was Meng Yue’s class. After this lesson and a subsequent self-study period, the monthly exams would begin.

Even now, Huang Beifeng remained in her state of dejection. She simply stared blankly at Meng Yue, who stood at the podium, announcing exam numbers, room assignments, and other important instructions.

Even when Meng Yue called out Huang Beifeng’s name and announced her exam number, she remained utterly unresponsive.

Having grown accustomed to this, I simply noted it down for her. Soon, I would have to guide her to her examination room.

Fortunately, we shared the same exam room. This meant I wouldn’t have to make two trips later.

After noting down my own and Huang Beifeng’s exam details, Meng Yue continued her monotonous speech from the podium, repeating the same instructions she had delivered countless times before.

It was all the usual: reminders about exam rules, strict adherence to discipline, and warnings against cheating. She even added that if one truly intended to cheat, they should at least employ sophisticated methods, as being easily caught was utterly disgraceful.

However, this was, after all, a top-tier class. Cheating, surely, wouldn’t be an issue here.

Having announced everything, Meng Yue turned and exited the classroom.

As the grade director, she still had to oversee the subsequent preparations for the monthly exams. As for this period and the upcoming self-study session, they were left to us for independent review.

After class.

Noticing Huang Beifeng’s unusual state, Tang Xiao Rou approached with a touch of concern. “Mu Rong Luo Ye, is Huang Beifeng alright? She’s been like this since she entered the classroom.”

“She’s fine,” I said. “She’s always like this; you’ll get used to it.”

I offered a reassuring smile and explanation, and the worry slowly faded from Tang Xiao Rou’s face.

Yet, while her concern vanished, a hint of nervousness remained visible.

“You seem a bit nervous,” I observed.

“Yes,” she replied, “I’m still worried I won’t do well on the exam.”

“That’s perfectly normal,” I said. “Everyone feels this way to some extent. To say one isn’t nervous at all would be impossible.”

My words were true, yet as they settled, Tang Xiao Rou cast a suspicious glance my way. “But Mu Rong Luo Ye, you don’t seem nervous at all.”

‘Ah, well, how to explain this?’

“Just take a few deep breaths,” I offered. “Calm yourself down, and try not to think about the exam. That should help.”

She nodded slightly at me, then pondered my advice carefully. Returning to her seat, she began to follow my instructions.

It seemed I had successfully bluffed my way through, though the method itself was genuinely good and effective, so perhaps it wasn’t a bluff after all.

Though I couldn’t quite pinpoint why, I felt no tension whatsoever regarding the exams. Perhaps it was simply confidence in my own abilities, a solid foundation, which was a rather pleasant feeling.

With ample time remaining, I pulled out a book, intending to leisurely pass the minutes. Just then, I sensed a sudden presence beside me.

A voice scoffed, “Still have the energy to comfort others, huh? Don’t mess up your own exam when it counts.”

“Don’t worry,” I retorted, “no matter how badly I mess up, I won’t end up below a certain someone.”

There was no need to guess who had uttered such an impudent remark; it was clearly Fang Kehan. Since she had initiated the verbal sparring, I naturally responded in kind.