I Might Have Fallen in Love With My Childhood Sweetheart
Chapter 72 - 68: Answering the Questions

Chapter 72: Chapter 68: Answering the Questions

On Monday, the entire school was still shrouded in the gloom of the post-exam period.

Qingran still arrived quite early. As soon as she got to the classroom, she saw a few students with above-average grades gathered around Wen Shiyi’s desk comparing answers.

It wasn’t clear which answers they were comparing, but as Wen Shiyi spoke, they took notes with pens, pondering their own answers afterward. If their answers matched, they danced with joy; if not, they would hang their heads in dejected silence.

As Qingran walked over, she even heard Wen Shiyi gently reassuring them: "It’s okay, my answers might not necessarily be correct. Xie Ying’an is the top student in our grade, right? Let’s compare with him once he arrives."

The girls exchanged glances.

The one with black-framed glasses spoke up first: "Forget it, Shiyi, Xie Ying’an doesn’t like comparing answers with others at all."

The chubby girl beside her chimed in: "Yeah, last time our sports rep went to him to compare answers, he didn’t even bother to acknowledge him. The rep’s face turned red out of embarrassment."

A big man blushing and feeling utterly awkward is a sight to behold.

"Really?" Doubt was evident in Wen Shiyi’s voice: "I thought Xie Ying’an was quite enthusiastic about helping others."

"Pfft!" A muffled laugh came from behind Qingran.

Qingran turned around to see her deskmate, Zheng Chunming, covering her mouth to stifle a giggle.

Seeing Qingran turn her gaze, Zheng Chunming tried to regain her composure and lowered her hands, still struggling to hold back her laughter.

She pointed in the direction of Wen Shiyi and said to Qingran in a hushed voice: "The transfer student just described Brother An as ’enthusiastic about helping others,’ sorry, I couldn’t hold it back."

Since when was Xie Ying’an ever related to being helpful?

When Wen Shiyi was knocked out by a basketball, Zheng Chunming was right in the middle of the crowd, and she watched in astonishment as Xie Ying’an ran over at lightning speed and, at the last moment, let Su Chen take over—the shock almost made her eyes pop out.

Qingran had been Xie Ying’an’s deskmate for a while by then, but her relationship with the students sitting around her was just so-so; they merely knew each other and hardly ever spoke.

After all, Qingran felt quite pressured being the deskmate of the queen bee among the top students—she couldn’t let Xie Ying’an outperform her too badly, right?

Although, affected by the heroine of the story, her grades had already taken a bad hit lately.

Zheng Chunming had a cute appearance, the type of soft and cute girl that one would like at first sight.

Qingran smiled at Zheng Chunming and whispered, "I don’t think Xie Ying’an is the ’helpful’ type either."

Zheng Chunming was startled, seemingly not expecting the study goddess in her mind to give such a gentle smile.

Qingran had already turned her head back to read her book.

Just then, Li Ce breezed into the classroom, and Zheng Chunming grabbed him on impulse.

Li Ce looked at her, puzzled: "What’s up, Chunni?"

"Toilet paper, toilet paper." Zheng Chunming nearly spoke in a whisper, pointing at the desk in front of her: "Qingran just smiled at me, and my heart is about to melt."

Li Ce withdrew his arm, looking at Zheng Chunming as if she were crazy: "Are you sick in the head?"

It was just a smile, and yet her heart was melting, please!

Exaggerated, affected!

Because Qingran’s grades had dropped sharply recently, no one had come over to compare answers with her like before.

Xie Ying’an arrived just on time today, his front foot barely in the classroom when Old Wu followed in.

How well Class 1 did in the midterm exams could generally be gauged by Old Wu’s expression.

But today, Old Wu was quite relaxed, neither stern-faced nor beaming with smiles.

This was a bit baffling for everyone.

Even more unexpected was that Old Wu didn’t even mention the midterms; he just opened the book and started teaching.

This was simply not his style.

Qingran thought to herself, could it be that Class 1 performed so poorly that it left Old Wu in despair?

She turned to look at Xie Ying’an, who was gazing down at his book.

The long and straight eyelashes of the young boy cast a shadow over his eyelids. Without close observation, one would never notice he was actually dozing off.

Starting to doze off as soon as class begins?

This really didn’t seem like Xie Ying’an’s style.

A class period passed with the students on edge, and the moment the bell rang for recess, Old Wu grabbed his teaching materials and left the classroom.

This was even less like Old Wu’s style; when it came to exams, no matter the size, hadn’t Old Wu always used the recess to crazily instill them with motivational pep talks?

What’s up with that?

As soon as the class was over, Xie Ying’an seemed to perk up.

He couldn’t care less about Old Wu’s mood because as soon as the bell rang, led by Wen Shiyi, several girls approached Xie Ying’an.

Probably to discuss the test answers.

Qingran genuinely found this pointless; the total scores would be out by tomorrow at the latest, the exams had been going on for two days, and most of the questions were nearly forgotten – so what was the point in comparing answers?

Better to spend that time working on a few more problems.

Ruan Ruan might have eaten something bad; as soon as class was over, she ran out clutching her stomach so fast that she didn’t even bother to drag Qingran along with her.

Several girls surrounded half of the desk, the scene looking somewhat alarming.

Qingran shifted her stool to the side. Someone suddenly patted her lightly from behind; Qingran turned to look.

"Hey!" Zheng Chunming smiled at Qingran with crescent-moon eyes, pointing to the space next to her own desk, "Want to come sit here for a bit?"

Zheng Chunming’s aisle was closer to the back door and was seldom used by anyone.

Qingran hurriedly moved her stool and sat down next to her.

Maybe because he wanted to enjoy the spectacle, Li Ce, who usually ran out during breaks, astonishingly didn’t leave today and was eagerly all ears, listening to the sounds from the front.

Qingran felt that his gossipy curiosity could give Ruan Ruan a run for her money.

Just as she was thinking this, she turned her head to see Zheng Chunming also leaning forward a bit, similarly eavesdropping on the conversation from the front.

Qingran: "..."

I’m really starting to wonder, when I usually talk with Xie Ying’an, do you all do the same?

Actually, there was no need for them to prick up their ears; Xie Ying’an’s voice was cool, tinged with irritation, and he didn’t bother to suppress it—

"Keep your distance from me."

"Comparing answers? Can that really change the fact that you did poorly on the test?"

Several girls awkwardly departed, their silhouettes riddled with embarrassment and anger. The plump girl, walking along and still grumbling at Wen Shiyi: "I told you, Xie Ying’an doesn’t compare answers with anyone else."

"But..."

Wen Shiyi didn’t finish her sentence.

But on the first day after the exam, she had clearly seen Li Qingran and Xie Ying’an walking together, discussing the test answers while walking, and Xie Ying’an’s expression didn’t show the slightest impatience.

With no gossip to hear, Li Ce and Zheng Chunming simultaneously sat up a bit disappointed.

Li Ce suddenly saw Qingran seated next to their desk and was startled.

Qingran gave him an awkward smile.

The young girl’s smiling face was radiant, her red lips and white teeth shining, her skin smooth as cream.

Li Ce was stunned, his eyes sparkling with fascination.

Damn it!!! More than just melting my heart, I’d freaking give her my life.

Chunni wasn’t lying after all.

"Li Qingran." Xie Ying’an glanced at Li Ce, grabbed the collar of Qingran’s uniform, and pulled her back onto her seat.

The young man’s dark pupils held a hint of displeasure: "Don’t just smile at others for no reason."

Qingran: "..."

What?