Forced into a Secret Marriage with the Villain, We Now Have a Child - Chapter 58

After Zhu Feifei vented her frustrations to Yu Siyi, she felt a small sense of relief. She looked at Yu Siyi, who merely offered a soft “Mhm,” appearing entirely unbothered. Zhu Feifei sighed inwardly; it was becoming increasingly clear that Yu Siyi truly didn’t dislike Jian Chun.

Standing in the back of the classroom, Jian Chun saw the two whispering. Assuming her “pursuer” message had been delivered, a surge of joy brightened her face.

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t attracted to Yu Siyi. Unless one had a complete lapse in aesthetics, it was impossible not to be moved by her. After being worn down by the future Yu Siyi’s persistence, Jian Chun had developed a genuine fondness for her. More realistically, everyone has a bit of vanity; having been with someone as perfect as Yu Siyi, Jian Chun doubted she could ever be satisfied with anyone else.

However, the “Time Travel” back and forth was unreliable. She didn’t know if she’d ever get back to the future, and she was currently certain of one thing: The teenage Yu Siyi did not love her yet.

Jian Chun knew she had to get Yu Siyi’s attention, but the competition was fierce. There were too many people—both boys and girls—who were prettier, smarter, and more devoted to Yu Siyi. Jian Chun felt she lacked a competitive edge.

As she was lost in thought, Yu Siyi’s gaze swept over. It was a cold, probing look that felt miles away. A flush crept up Jian Chun’s ears. She had never actually confessed to anyone before. If she was rejected, she’d find it normal—but what if Yu Siyi actually said yes?

Jian Chun offered an awkward, toothy grin. Yu Siyi stared for a moment, then silently turned back to her books.

Jian Chun blinked. What kind of reaction was that?

Progress and Pressure

The afternoon was dedicated to Mathematics. Usually, these sessions were a blur of exams or reviewing papers. To keep the students from falling asleep, the teacher handed out a fresh mock exam to keep their nerves high.

After class, the Math teacher called Jian Chun to the office.

“You’ve made significant progress over the last few months,” the teacher noted. “Make sure to give it your all during this week’s joint examination.”

Ms. Ke, their head teacher, was also there and added her praise. “Your Chinese scores are rising too. Just keep focusing on the basics and try to write more for the subjective questions. Memorize some essay templates…”

Compared to her previous scores, Jian Chun’s performance was a genuine surprise to the faculty. Having “returned” from the future with a more mature perspective, she had much more focus for her revisions.

Feeling a boost of confidence, Jian Chun returned to the classroom. Li Ying immediately pounced on her. “What did the teachers want? Were you in trouble?”

Jian Chun feigned a sad expression.

“Did they scold you again?” Li Ying asked, worried.

Jian Chun couldn’t keep the act up and beamed. “No! They told me to keep up the good work and not to mess up during the finals.”

“Really?!” Li Ying looked skeptical but relieved.

As Jian Chun laughed and patted Li Ying’s shoulder, she felt a pair of eyes on her. She was sensitive to being watched, but when she scanned the room, she saw nothing out of the ordinary.

The Calm Before the Storm

The students began moving desks to prepare for the two-day joint examination. Since it was a large-scale simulation of the College Entrance Exam, teachers were being reassigned to different schools for proctoring.

The classroom felt empty. Exam seat numbers were taped to the desks. Jian Chun found her name in the ninth exam hall—a mid-range placement. It was a step up from her usual “bottom of the barrel” ranking, but she still had a long way to go.

Everyone was treating this like a real high-stakes rehearsal. During evening self-study, students from other classes wandered the hallways, checking their assigned seats.

Li Ying, whose grades were lower than Jian Chun’s, was visibly anxious. “I’m so nervous. I don’t know how your brain works, Chun-jie. You just work a little and everything clicks.”

“We’ll review together whenever you have time,” Jian Chun promised.

“I don’t think there’s enough time,” Li Ying sighed. “I feel so stupid. When the teacher goes too fast, I’m lost. Even when I ask for help, I still don’t get it.”

Jian Chun sighed. This was the downside of “cram” education. If you couldn’t keep up with the pace of the fast-track classes, you fell into a cycle of falling behind until even the students in the slower tracks outperformed you.

Seeing her friend’s slump, Jian Chun squeezed her shoulder. “No way! You’re going to be a successful white-collar worker with a stable career.”

Li Ying forced a smile. “You only say that because you have Yu Siyi to tutor you.”

Mentioning Yu Siyi made Jian Chun rub her nose awkwardly. So what if she tutors me? You have to be thick-skinned to learn.

As they headed back into the room, they bumped into Yu Siyi coming out of the office. Yu Siyi turned her head, her hair swaying gracefully before settling back into place. Under the hallway lights, the bridge of her nose looked elegantly sharp, her eyes cool and detached.

She didn’t say a word. She didn’t even nod. She simply walked past.

Jian Chun felt a wave of embarrassment. She felt like posting a thread online titled: “What should I do if my future spouse gives me the cold shoulder after my indirect confession?”

She didn’t know what to do. If she were madly in love, she might have shamelessly chased after her, but she still had a shred of teenage dignity left.

“What’s wrong, Chun-jie?” Li Ying asked, noticing her hesitation.

“Nothing,” Jian Chun shook her head, staring at the empty hallway.