18: Chapter 18: You told me to be a top student, but why are you pushing me even harder?

In the days that followed, all the senior students were reviewing and preparing for exams day and night. It didn't really matter if everyone was a bit tired.

As the old saying goes, why sleep so much while alive? You'll have plenty of time to sleep when you're dead.

Work hard for ninety days, and you'll be liberated.

But what made Shen Weiyue feel miserable was that Zhao Qingyan, not knowing what kind of medicine she'd taken, was supervising his studies with even more intensity, acting even more perverted than Old Demon Han.

If he was even one second late, he would be greeted with: "Shen the Donkey, you actually dared to be late? With time being so tight, you still dare to waste it. Do you think you're worthy of your parents?"

If he spaced out or got sleepy in class, Zhao the Fox would knock him on the head: "Daydreaming again. You're like mud that can't be plastered onto a wall."

Even if he spent a little too long in the Restroom, she would accuse him of slacking off.

In this way, Shen Weiyue was in utter misery.

Finally, during one lunch break when he was woken up early, Director Shen, full of morning grumpiness, couldn't help but ask irritably: "Zhao the Fox, you aren't my parents, so by what right do you control me like this?"

"By what right?" Zhao Qingyan sneered. "By the right of Teacher Han asking me to supervise you, and by the fact that you yourself said you were dying to be supervised."

"That was just a joke, something I said off the cuff. It can't be taken seriously."

"A person of honor never jokes."

"I'm no ruler. I'm not even a gentleman; I'm just a petty person. I'm begging you, for God's sake, let me sleep a little longer. There are still two minutes until class starts."

"No."

Zhao Qingyan shook her head firmly.

Shen Weiyue looked at the others who were all napping, slumped over his desk, and said in a "giving up" manner: "I'm done for anyway, I'm going to sleep."

For a brief moment, he saw a flash of disappointment in Zhao Qingyan's eyes. She didn't say anything, just turned her head away and stopped paying attention to him.

Shen Weiyue was sleepy as death and didn't care about that at all; he truly fell asleep on the desk.

The result was that Zhao Qingyan ignored him for several days in a row, treating him completely like air.

When there were problems even Ning Xi couldn't understand, he would go to ask Zhao Qingyan, but she wouldn't even acknowledge him.

Director Shen was finally starting to panic.

People are just cheap. When they're being controlled, they complain about being pushed too hard. When they're left alone, they feel uncomfortable all over.

After reflecting on himself, during math class, he wrote a small note to Zhao Qingyan: "Fox, the Donkey knows he was wrong. I apologize to you. Please continue to whip me and strictly supervise my studies. As long as it helps improve my grades, anything is fine. Please, don't pity me just because I'm a delicate flower..."

He passed the note over, and Zhao Qingyan threw it back. He passed it again, and she threw it back again.

Old Demon Han saw it and called out: "Shen Weiyue, what are you doing?"

"Teacher Han, I'm asking the class monitor a question. There's a big problem I don't understand," Shen Weiyue answered without batting an eye.

Old Demon Han turned from anger to joy and nodded approvingly: "Very good, keep it up."

Shen the Donkey then used Old Demon Han's words to command the Fox: "Teacher Zhao, please!"

Zhao Qingyan huffed, took the note, and opened it. Seeing what he wrote, she rolled her eyes in disgust, but her lips curled up nonetheless.

She replied on the note: "Do you really know you were wrong?"

"I know I was wrong. I'm a donkey, after all; it's natural for a donkey to be a bit stupid. You, being the magnanimous person you are, shouldn't hold a grudge against a donkey."

"So, will you still resist when I supervise you?"

"I won't resist anymore. As long as I can make it to 985 University, I won't have any complaints even if you use a whip or drip candle wax on me."

"What's this about a whip and dripping candle wax?"

"Don't worry about the details. Those are just two of the Ten Great Tortures of the Qing Dynasty. I'm just trying to express my determination to study hard."

Zhao Qingyan noted it down secretly, didn't ask further, and returned to her proud demeanor.

She finally started explaining problems to him. Shen Weiyue's exam paper was placed in the middle of their boundary line, and their heads were unconsciously very close together. Ning Xi, in the back row, curled her lips at the sight.

It was all her own fault for not knowing how to do that problem; Shen Weiyue, the good student, had been snatched back by Zhao Qingyan.

This scene was seen by others as something shocking and incredible.

Nearly a month had passed, and this guy, Cultural Reference, not only hadn't been killed by the icy School Beauty, but was actually living like a fish in water by her side.

Especially in the previous math quiz, this guy's grades shot up straight—the improvement was huge, making Old Demon Han's face split from smiling so much.

And besides, setting aside the grades, Shen Weiyue had the School Beauty as a deskmate on his left and the little beauty Ning Xi in the row behind him—it was quite a pleasant sight to behold.

Damn it, why does he get all the benefits? Is it because his hammer is big?

Ye Lingtao had been resentful about this for a long time. Being brothers is like this: you fear your brother living a hard life, but you also fear your brother getting ahead.

Shen Weiyue's grades were improving visibly, and he was already feeling the crisis.

So, when evening self-study ended, he bought two starch sausages and shoved them hard into Shen Weiyue's mouth, saying viciously: "Damn it, I'm so jealous of you!"

"Mm... whut?" Shen Weiyue mumbled with the sausage in his mouth.

"We all thought you wouldn't last long as a deskmate beside School Beauty Zhao. Who would have thought you not only survived but also got guidance and improved your grades? This is completely unbearable!"

"Oh, jealous? I traded my freedom for it."

Shen Weiyue happily ate the sausage, grabbed the cola from his hand, took a gulp, and said, "If you have the guts, you can apply to switch with me."

"Don't look down on me, I'm full of guts!" Ye Lingtao argued, his face turning red.

"Then go tell Zhao Qingyan."

"I... I don't dare. Sigh, forget it. You even have a time limit for using the Restroom. You can endure what ordinary people can't, so your grade improvement is well-deserved."

Ye Lingtao walked along, feeling envious, and said sourly: "You're going to surpass me and get into 985 University..."

"What are you whining about? If you're a man, work hard with me. It's the last seventy-some days; how about I supervise you?" Shen Weiyue grinned menacingly.

"Forget it, forget it. I can't handle your life-risking methods. I'll stick to my own pace for review." Ye Lingtao cheered himself up and said confidently, "Yue-san, let's fight together at the peak of 985 University!"

"Alright, let's go for it!"

The two of them, blood boiling, high-fived to pledge, and then turned a corner to part ways at the fork in the road.

Ye Lingtao walked ten meters before realizing his cola had been swiped by Shen Weiyue, and he couldn't help but curse loudly.

"Shen Weiyue, damn you."

...

Shen Weiyue was happily drinking his "happy water," and when he walked to the alley outside the residential building, he saw a woman under the streetlamp holding onto the wall, looking uncomfortable.

That person was wearing a sleeveless knit top in a small Chanel-style, with a silver silk long skirt underneath, appearing elegant and intellectual.

Walking closer, he realized it was Liang Yuting.

"Teacher Liang, are you not feeling well?"

Liang Yuting frowned, but upon hearing Shen Weiyue's voice, she felt a sense of relief and said weakly: "I suddenly felt dizzy and weak. I guess I'm just too tired."

Shen Weiyue stepped closer and saw her pale complexion. Feeling like she was sick, he said: "Teacher Liang, your face is so pale. Do you want me to take you to the hospital?"

"No need, I'll be fine after I go back and sleep." Liang Yuting shook her head to refuse.

"Oh, then are you still able to walk? It's so late, it's not safe for you to be here alone." Shen Weiyue asked again.

"I should be able to after resting for a while."

"Alright, then I'll wait here with you for a while."

Shen Weiyue's words warmed Liang Yuting's heart. This student was really quite nice and very reassuring.