She’s Smiling at Me!

Your back… still hurts?

Still hurts?

Hurts?

Hurts…?

In that instant—

Cao Qingyi’s cheeks turned red like the evening sky at sunset.

Seeing that, a flood of chaotic images flashed through Xia Chen’s mind—

Faces, shy like unripe fruit, yet stirring something deep within.

Amid those scattered thoughts—

Cao Qingyi’s face flushed even more.

“Xia Chen! You shameless pervert—what are you saying?!”

Sun Zhen couldn’t help but admire the boy’s nerve.

Even the class beauty and class monitor, who usually looked down on others, was someone he dared to provoke so casually.

And the moment he opened his mouth, he brought up that unbearable memory of hers.

Hearing Cao Qingyi’s almost explosive scolding,

Sun Zhen silently mourned for Xia Chen.

But unexpectedly—

Xia Chen just smiled.

Not afraid at all.

He looked at the girl’s embarrassed, angry face with a relaxed grin.

“In this day and age, showing concern gets you called a pervert.

Being a man is tough.”

Hearing such shameless words—

Cao Qingyi wanted nothing more than to punch his face.

To show him what a girl was capable of.

At that moment, Sun Zhen quickly stepped in to smooth things over.

“Hey, hey, stop arguing.

Don’t you know the latest news?”

Xia Chen had no interest in gossip like this.

But Cao Qingyi, perhaps wanting to ease the awkwardness, asked—

“What news?”

“Our class is getting a new transfer student today.”

Sun Zhen said it like it was some earth-shattering announcement.

But after he finished—

Neither Xia Chen nor Cao Qingyi reacted at all.

They simply looked at him like he was an idiot.

“How is that even good news?”

Cao Qingyi couldn’t understand his excitement.

Seeing he got no reaction from her,

Sun Zhen turned to Xia Chen.

“Don’t you think a new classmate is interesting?

What if it’s a super beautiful girl?

Wouldn’t that be amazing?”

Xia Chen glanced at him lazily, leaning on the desk.

“A super beautiful girl…

What does that have to do with you?”

What does it have to do with you?

With you?

…

Sun Zhen suddenly felt the excitement drain out of him.

Even his seat felt unstable.

Everything turned dull and meaningless.

Cao Qingyi glanced at Xia Chen.

The more she looked, the more annoyed she felt.

In the end, she turned away and focused on preparing for morning study.

Xia Chen, on the other hand, remained unaffected.

Still leaning lazily on the desk.

A book lay open in front of him—

Whether he was actually reading it, no one knew.

Feeling bored and unappreciated,

Sun Zhen sighed, convinced no one understood him.

Until morning study began.

When Lu Xi entered the classroom—

Dressed in formal attire, carrying a mature, professional aura—

The entire class quieted down.

Lu Xi instinctively looked toward the window.

When she saw Xia Chen sitting there,

She felt genuinely pleased.

As a new homeroom teacher,

This felt like a meaningful first step—

Convincing a struggling student to return to class.

Of course, if she knew what kind of job her friend had arranged for him…

She might feel the urge to turn herself in.

“Alright, everyone is here.

No one is late.

I’m very happy.”

Lu Xi smiled gently before continuing—

“Now, I have an announcement.

Starting today, a new student will be transferring into our class.

Let’s welcome them.”

The students applauded instinctively.

A polite gesture.

Xia Chen didn’t bother with such meaningless things.

Sun Zhen, however, had already forgotten everything earlier.

He clapped enthusiastically—so hard his palms turned red.

Xia Chen glanced at him.

Was he trying to roast his own hands?

Cao Qingyi claimed she didn’t care—

But still couldn’t help glancing toward the door.

Then—

A figure in uniform stepped into the classroom.

Slender.

Tall.

That was Cao Qingyi’s first impression.

Then—

Neat long hair.

Fair skin.

And… a striking figure.

Even in a school uniform, her curves were impossible to ignore.

How was that even possible?

Cao Qingyi subconsciously looked down at herself—

Flat and honest.

When she looked up again—

She saw the girl’s delicate face.

A hint of mixed-blood features.

A high nose bridge that made others pale in comparison.

And an aloof, indifferent expression—

Like a noble young lady stepping into an ordinary classroom.

“Whoa…!”

Someone behind exclaimed loudly.

Cao Qingyi instinctively thought it was Xia Chen.

But when she turned—

She saw something unexpected.

For the first time—

Xia Chen looked serious.

Slightly furrowed brows.

Narrowed eyes.

The aura he gave off didn’t belong to a teenager.

It was something she had only seen in adults—

A gaze that examined,

That carried caution.

Why was he looking like that?

Was he stunned by her beauty too?

Was he already thinking of pulling her strap as well?

At that thought,

Cao Qingyi suddenly felt a bit uneasy.

On the podium—

The girl scanned the classroom.

When her eyes landed on a certain spot,

A faint smile appeared on her face.

“Hello everyone.

My name is Tong Si.

I’m from the capital.

I hope we can study and improve together.”

Meanwhile—

Sun Zhen, sitting beside Xia Chen, was practically losing his mind.

He grabbed Xia Chen and shook him excitedly.

“Did you see that? Did you see that?!

She’s smiling at me!!”