We ordinary people also need to fall in love.

"The results are in."

On Tuesday afternoon, Lin Xinle walked in with the report card and posted it on the class bulletin board.

Just as Li Mubai was about to get up to look, he found that the notice board had been cordoned off.

Okay, I'm still a step behind.

He sat down again, put his pen next to his notebook, and glanced over there unconsciously, but he couldn't see anything because of the person blocking his view.

"Would you like to see your grades?"

Li Mubai turned his head and looked at Lin Xinle behind him.

He nodded.

"I just checked the top three in our class, and you're third, seventh in the school rankings, and twenty-eighth in the joint rankings."

When Li Mubai heard his ranking, the corners of his mouth curved up almost imperceptibly, but he quickly suppressed it.

"Do you know my specific grades in each subject?" he asked.

"I don't remember that." Lin Xinle shook her head. "It's all on the bulletin board. Go check it yourself when there are fewer people around."

"Okay, thank you."

It seems he'll wait until everyone leaves before checking how he did on his math, English, and Chinese exams.

"It's nothing, it's nothing."

Lin Xinle waved her hand and smiled. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she asked another question:

"By the way, Li Mubai, do you go to the library alone for evening self-study?"

Li Mubai glanced at Lin Xinle's expression, wondering why she asked that question. Did she also want to study in the library? Thinking this, he answered:

"No, there was another classmate with me."

"I see." Lin Xinle nodded thoughtfully. "Okay, thank you for clarifying."

"Um."

Li Mubai turned back, pondering to himself, "If I get second place, will I be able to compete with Xie Shu's parents?" The thought made him chuckle.

Evening self-study ends at eight o'clock, and I still openly skip it.

"How did your exam go?" Xie Shu stood under the familiar tree, waiting for him.

"Take a guess."

"Second?" She tilted her head slightly.

"Too high."

"third?"

"It's still too high."

"fourth?"

"..."

Looking at Xie Shu, who was calmly counting off, Li Mubai thought to himself, "If I pinch her cheek, will she stay this calm forever?"

"I am the seventh."

"Little Seven, I'm number one." She smiled slightly.

I felt Xie Shu was a bit too unconventional tonight...

Li Mubai didn't say anything, but simply followed her towards the library.

"How much is it for each subject?" She pushed open the office door and stepped aside to let him in first.

"Chinese 125, English 121, Math 120, Humanities 266."

"That's great, both my English and math have improved."

"You're the best teacher."

"You've worked really hard," Xie Shu said, sitting down in his chair. "But you can't get too cocky; you're still a little short of your goal."

Li Mubai immediately began to think: if it weren't for Xie Shu, would his grades have improved to this point?

Maybe not. First, there's no motivation to improve, and second, there's no one-on-one teaching like there is now.

The office was quiet for a while. Xie Shu rested her cheek on her hand and turned her head to look at the person sitting next to her.

"I'm a little sleepy, I'll lie down for a bit, wake me up at 8:30." She nudged his arm.

"Okay, you can rest now."

Xie Shu slowly leaned over the table, turned his face to the side, and looked towards the window.

Li Mubai picked up his pen and carefully began to do his homework.

He put down his pen after some time, unable to figure out the last math problem.

Looking up at her desk, Xie Shu noticed two pots of jasmine flowers by the window. She brought over the jasmine flowers she had bought earlier, and a faint fragrance filled the office.

I glanced at the digital clock in front of me; it was 8:29.

Li Mubai turned his head and glanced at Xie Shu, who was lying next to him. She showed half of her face, with stray hairs hanging down from her temples and resting on the table. Her eyelashes were closed quietly, and her breathing was steady.

He stared at her for a while, and then two more minutes passed.

Li Mubai reached out and gently brushed the stray hair that was lying on the table behind her ear, his fingertips brushing against her earlobe, the movement very light.

Take it back? Or pinch it?

His hand hovered beside her cheek. The thought, like a pebble falling into his mind, rippled and swelled. Anyway, she had poked his face, so he could just take it as revenge. Would that be alright?

It's okay to pinch her, right? Xie Shu is asleep anyway, and she's poked my face before. I'll just consider it revenge. Is that alright...?

He gradually convinced himself.

If Xie Shu wakes up, he will immediately take it back.

His fingers gently touched Xie Shu's cheek. Her skin, like his hands, was always cool. He didn't know if it was because the air conditioner was always on or if she naturally had that coolness.

He didn't pinch her in the end, but just gently stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.

"Hmm..." Xie Shu made a very soft nasal sound, and Li Mubai suddenly withdrew his hand.

She didn't wake up, but turned over to face the window, revealing her other cheek, which had a slight red mark from being pressed.

It's 8:34, time to wake her up.

Li Mubai raised his hand, but before it could land on her shoulder, she sat up on her own.

"Is it 8:30 already?" She rubbed her eyes, her voice still a little hoarse.

"Hmm." Li Mubai withdrew his hand and placed it on his lap. His heartbeat was slightly faster than before, but it quickly calmed down.

"Is there anything you don't understand in your homework?" Xie Shu asked.

"Yes." Li Mubai's gaze shifted from her. "I solved the last math problem using a formula, but the answer seems wrong."

"Let me see."

Xie Shu leaned his head slightly closer, making the guilty Li Mubai tense up a little more.

"This question requires you to read the question carefully first..."

Li Mubai nodded repeatedly, but his mind was somewhat elsewhere...

"Beep beep! The door lock is open."

Xie Zhiqiang opened the door, took off his jacket, and unbuttoned the collar.

"Xu Ting," he called out from the living room.

Xu Ting opened the study door and looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Sit here, I have something to ask you." Xie Zhiqiang sat down on the sofa and pointed to the other side of the sofa.

"What is it? To make a long story short, I need to read a book and also keep an eye on the stock market."

Xie Zhiqiang's expression was serious. He stared at Xu Ting and said in a deep voice:

"I'm asking you, did you sponsor the scholarship at No. 6 Middle School?"

"It was my donation. Is it only allowed for our CEO Xie to donate to local education, but not for me to do so with my own money?" Xu Ting's tone was tinged with sarcasm.

"Was it you who suggested that Xiaoshu go to the library every evening during self-study?"

"Yes," Xu Ting readily admitted.

"You've ruined Xiaoshu's life!" Xie Zhiqiang's voice suddenly rose a few decibels. "So you used this as a condition to force Xiaoshu to compromise and go abroad to study."

"So what? Which girl hasn't been in a relationship these days?" Xu Ting retorted. "You always get hung up on these trivial details. The most important thing for girls is to cultivate their ability to live independently from a young age."

"Independence? You just want Xiaoshu to inherit your business at the securities company," Xie Zhiqiang bluntly exposed Xu Ting's thoughts. "Anyway, I absolutely disagree!"

"Do as you please, anyway, Xiao Shu going abroad to study is a done deal."

Xu Ting left those words behind, got up, and went back to her study, leaving Xie Zhiqiang alone in the living room, deep in thought...