Ji Qianluo Didn’t Come

“Class Monitor, are you really…?”

I stammered, my mind a chaotic whirlwind, utterly unsure of what thoughts were even swirling within me.

‘No, no, what am I thinking? I’m not some pervert who desires such things!’

I shook my head vigorously, turning to Lin Shujing. “Class Monitor, you don’t need to go to such lengths, do you?”

“Oh, it’s nothing major,” she quickly replied, waving her hand dismissively as she observed my reaction. “There’s no need to be so polite.”

‘Is this truly “nothing major”? Just how open-minded is our Class Monitor?’

“If you can’t bear it when the time comes, just let me know,” she continued. “I’ll help you apply for leave. That much, at least, I can manage.”

“I see, it truly is a small matter… Pfft!”

I nodded, then suddenly registered her words, snapping my head to stare at Lin Shujing.

“You… what did you just say? Only help me apply for leave?”

Lin Shujing tilted her head, a confused expression on her face. “Was there something else? Did you expect me to escort you home as well?”

“No, no, that’s not necessary. I can manage on my own.”

‘Tears streamed in my heart. Who could possibly understand this profound sense of disappointment? Was I truly not destined to be the protagonist of a certain genre of novel?’

“Well, I can help with other things too. Just make sure to tell me, Li Qingchen, if you have an ‘episode’.”

Lin Shujing looked at me with a genuinely concerned gaze, then placed the schoolbag back into my hands.

“I’m returning this to you for now. Try not to bring it as often in the future.”

“Oh.”

I breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that I had managed to bluff my way through, one way or another.

“Well, I’ll be going now.” Lin Shujing turned, preparing to head back to the classroom.

“Wait a moment! Please don’t tell anyone else about my… condition.”

I extended my hand, calling out to Lin Shujing.

Lin Shujing turned, offering me a reassuring smile.

“Understood.”

I stood rooted to the spot, retracting my hand, and watched Lin Shujing’s retreating figure as she walked back into the classroom.

A silent wave of emotion washed over me.

Though the Class Monitor was typically strict and unyielding in her management, she was always the first to rush to a classmate’s aid when they were in trouble.

This time was no exception; even after learning I supposedly had syphilis, she hadn’t recoiled in fear or ridiculed me.

Instead, she had offered her help with genuine concern, despite the entire predicament being a fabrication on my part.

‘Rest assured, Class Monitor! Every bit of injustice you suffered from my deception, I will reclaim it all from that scoundrel Chen Shen!’

‘Ahem, I’m certainly not trying to shirk responsibility here!’

Ding dong ding dong~

Just then, the broadcast system overhead chimed to life, startling me.

I quickly clutched my schoolbag tight and sprinted towards the classroom.

By now, most of my classmates had already arrived.

I swiftly returned to my seat and placed my schoolbag down.

Chen Shen turned around, flashing me a ingratiating grin. “Sect Master, are you alright?”

I shot him a fierce glare.

“You have the audacity to ask? I was almost killed because of you! If I hadn’t been quick-witted, you wouldn’t be seeing me right now!”

Chen Shen let out a couple of mischievous chuckles. “No way, I’m sure the Sect Master would always find a solution. But, Sect Master, how did you manage to fool the Class Monitor? Teach me your ways! I want to try fooling her next time too.”

“Teach your sister! Just focus on your studies!”

‘Even if I taught you, would you even dare to use it?’

I finished putting away my schoolbag, then flipped Chen Shen the middle finger.

“And another thing, let me tell you: if you dare to bully the Class Monitor again, I’ll be coming for you.”

Chen Shen gasped in surprise. “No way! Sect Master, you only spent a short while with the Class Monitor in the hallway, and you’re already adding another ‘Mistress’ to the family?”

‘What in the world goes on in your head all day, Chen Shen? I swear, I’ll cut ties with you! And why did you add “again”? Does that mean Ji Qianluo was already implicitly designated as the first “Mistress” in your mind?’

“Go to hell with your ‘Mistress’…”

I was just about to unleash a torrent of curses on Chen Shen when our homeroom teacher walked in from outside the classroom.

They strode to the podium, tapped the desk firmly, and announced, “Students, quiet down. Morning self-study has begun.”

The scattered conversations in the classroom immediately began to die down.

I, too, turned my gaze towards the homeroom teacher, simultaneously pulling out my textbooks.

“Ah, that’s right.”

The homeroom teacher suddenly recalled something, turning to Lin Shujing. “Lin Shujing, Ji Qianluo is absent today due to illness. Please make a note of it for me.”

“Understood, Teacher Cao,” Lin Shujing responded.

‘What? Ji Qianluo took a leave of absence?’

I was startled, immediately turning my head to look at Ji Qianluo’s seat.

Indeed, Ji Qianluo’s seat was utterly empty; not even a schoolbag was present, a clear indication that she hadn’t come to school.