Chu Xin, pulling Ji Yue Xuan along, sprinted all the way, finally slipping into the teaching building just as the nine o’clock bell for class rang. She had cut it close.
Chu Xin let out a sigh of relief, glad they hadn’t been too late. Breathing slightly heavily, he turned to Ji Yue Xuan. “Come on, Yue Xuan, let’s go to class.”
Ji Yue Xuan nodded, a sweet smile gracing her lips. “Alright, Darling~ I’ll see you at noon, then. I’m really looking forward to your bento lunch~” She said no more, simply changed her shoes at her locker, then headed towards her classroom.
‘Hmph… Tina, is it?’ she mused. ‘According to my intel, Tina is an extremely dangerous individual. She’s already cost me a significant amount of time alone with Darling.’
‘It seems I’ll need to pay closer attention from now on…’
‘My plans also need to be brought forward. I must find a reason for Chu Xin to attend school with me every day from now on…’
Chu Xin nodded, a gentle smile gracing his lips as he touched the [Tears of the Void] on his left ring finger.
After changing his shoes, Chu Xin glanced at the time. It was already past nine. He needed to rush to his classroom.
His pace quickened, the benefits of his regular exercise regimen immediately apparent. He arrived at his classroom door.
Listening to the lecture inside, he took a deep breath before opening the door. Tuesday mornings were dedicated to mathematics.
The math teacher, a young woman named Ye Ting, was surprisingly strict despite her youth. She focused solely on grades, and if a student performed well, she would overlook any minor disruptions, as long as they didn’t disturb the class.
However, students admitted to Maria Academy rarely had poor academic records, so this system generally worked well.
Chu Xin pulled open the door and called out, “Report!” The previously quiet classroom collectively turned to face him, though no one spoke. Their gazes were filled with varied expressions.
Ye Ting, who had been engrossed in her lecture at the podium, paused. She frowned, but upon recognizing Chu Xin, she didn’t mention any late penalties. Instead, she spoke in her usual tone, “Chu Xin? So late? Perfect. Come up here and solve this problem. If you can’t, I’ll report your situation directly to your homeroom teacher.”
Chu Xin breathed a sigh of relief, grateful it was only this. He walked towards the podium, bag still in hand, as Ye Ting stepped aside to make way for him.
The problem on the blackboard had only been introduced today. It was a common major question type from previous years’ college entrance exams in this world, usually requiring considerable effort to solve.
Yet, for Chu Xin, it was incredibly simple. Two months had been more than enough time for him to recall all the high school material from his previous life. The hellish problem-solving sessions from before had practically ingrained the solutions into his muscle memory.
Without even needing to think, he swiftly completed all the steps, still holding his bag in one hand.
“I’m finished, Teacher Ye,” Chu Xin announced, standing beside the board.
Ye Ting stepped forward, adjusted her glasses, and after a moment, sighed. “Completely correct… You may return to your seat.”
As her words fell, a wave of gasps rippled through the room.
Chu Xin’s method of solving was one she had never encountered. She stared at his steps, lost in thought.
After a brief pause, she addressed the entire class. “Quiet down, everyone. Since the monthly and final exams are approaching, let’s discuss this problem first.”
Chu Xin thanked the teacher and returned to his seat.
Hasegawa Ten’i watched the entire scene unfold. She looked at Chu Xin, who had settled back into his seat and begun reading, and whispered, “Chu Xin… you’re still so amazing. I’m… not very good at all… As expected of our Vice Class President…”
In her mind, she replayed the recent interaction between Chu Xin and Ji Yue Xuan.
‘Calm down, calm down. Don’t think about that for now. I just need to break through Chu Xin’s defenses.’
Chu Xin looked up at Hasegawa Ten’i, who was speaking cautiously from the front. “It’s nothing, just practice. I’m not that amazing, really. And Hasegawa, could you please stop calling me ‘Vice Class President’ in such an embarrassing way?”
His tone held no reproach, yet Hasegawa still froze. “Oh, I’m sorry, Chu Xin! I didn’t mean anything by it… It’s just… could you possibly tutor me?”
Chu Xin paused. Hasegawa’s grades weren’t terrible; at the very least, they were above the passing mark, otherwise she wouldn’t have been able to enter Maria Academy. He considered for a moment. “Perhaps when there’s an opportunity.”
Perhaps it was due to the approaching monthly exam.
This was Maria Academy’s unique system: a mid-month assessment every month, even with a final exam at the end of June. This rule was ironclad and strictly enforced.
Listening to Chu Xin, Hasegawa could only nod.
‘If only I could get Chu Xin to come to my house for a study session… I’d wear something a bit more revealing then… or maybe something more proper…’ But she worried. ‘Being too proper might take too much time, and if it drags on… Chu Xin’s interest might wane.’
‘And Chu Xin is the Vice Class President now… I need to find something for Shimizuma to do, then take a day off myself… to get… Chu Xin to come to my house… Before, when I took time off, Shimizuma would always visit to check on me…’
‘What should I do…’
Having formed an idea, Hasegawa decided to give it proper thought. At the same time, she wrote in her “Wish Fulfillment Diary”: “Chu Xin will tutor me…”
****
Seeing that Hasegawa was no longer looking back, Chu Xin put away the literary work in his hand.
Last night’s “harassment” by Jiang Qianhe was beginning to show its effects.
Listening to Ye Ting’s lecture, he decided to try and doze off for a little while longer…
Perhaps it would become a habit… but Chu Xin, growing increasingly drowsy, could not fight off the sleepiness in his mind.
When he woke again, it was already after the second period of the morning. Maria Academy did not have a gymnastics break after the second class.
So, the remaining students in the classroom were chatting casually.
The others had either gone out to explore.
Shimizuma now stood before him, still watching him with her usual squinting smile.
Her slightly fleshy thighs, clad in black stockings, combined with her skirt, formed an ‘absolute territory’ that was endlessly captivating.
But Chu Xin was not in a dazed state this time. He sat up immediately, looking at Shimizuma and tentatively asked, “What’s wrong, Class President?”
Shimizuma smiled for a moment, then spoke as if deep in thought. “Ah… Good morning, Vice Class President…”
“Good… good morning,” Chu Xin replied.
He couldn’t quite figure out Shimizuma’s purpose in coming over. Hasegawa Ten’i, who sat in front of him, had already left, presumably to use the restroom.
If Chu Xin needed to use the restroom, he would have to go to the old multi-purpose building, which was rumored to have “eerie” presences. At least the toilets there still functioned normally.
To make things simpler, he consciously controlled his water intake while at school.
However… for some reason, upon waking, he felt incredibly parched.
Shimizuma looked at Chu Xin. After a long moment, she first offered him a bottle of purified water. “You must be thirsty… Chu Xin-kun. I saw… Ten’i-chan gave you one yesterday too~ So, because of this morning’s events… this is also my apology ☆~”
Although Chu Xin didn’t know how Shimizuma knew he was thirsty, he hesitated for a moment before taking it and gulping down a large mouthful.
It wasn’t plain purified water as he’d expected; it had a sweet taste.
And Shimizuma had even thoughtfully opened the cap for him.
“Thank you,” Chu Xin said to Shimizuma after putting the bottle down.
“Hehe~ No need for that~ It’s enough that Chu Xin-kun has forgiven me…” Shimizuma offered her usual healing smile, speaking with her hands clasped together.
‘Damn… I really want to protect that smile forever…’ This thought instinctively surged in Chu Xin’s mind.
But for some unknown reason, after Chu Xin had this thought, Shimizuma’s smile intensified even further.
Then, silence descended.
Chu Xin didn’t know what to say either, and class was about to start soon.
It was then that Shimizuma’s previously vacant gaze sharpened. “Oh, right… Vice Class President still doesn’t know about our work, do you? Little Tina told me, and I completely forgot…”
Chu Xin nodded, puzzled. “Yes… But, it’s not because of you, Class President, is it? After all, I forgot about it too.”
Indeed… it had already been a day, and what he had been doing was no different from before, merely transitioning from the title of “Experimental Student” to “Vice Class President.”
“Ah… Then let’s find a place, and I’ll explain it properly to you~ ☆”
She maintained her healing smile, clasping her hands together in delight. She even bounced twice on the spot in excitement, nearly allowing Chu Xin a glimpse of the treasures within her ‘mysterious territory.’
Chu Xin cleared his throat. “Class is about to start, isn’t it? Now?”
But Shimizuma, who had just been in a daze, now declared, “Alright… The Vice Class President’s duties are very important, so let’s go!”
Without waiting for Chu Xin’s reaction, she grabbed him and sprinted towards the classroom door.