Secretly Liking Him - Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Time seemed to pass incredibly quickly all of a sudden. Before Gu Xun could even process it, the first monthly exam was already upon them.

The exam room assignments were based directly on rankings; since it was the first time, they were arranged according to their entrance exam scores.

Shen Yanzhi and the group of students in the first exam room essentially just stayed in Class One and adjusted their seats. Shen Yanzhi sat directly in the very first seat near the door.

Gu Xun and Wang Xiaosong, those two “brothers in misfortune,” were both assigned to the fourth exam room—one a bit further forward, one a bit further back.

As Gu Xun packed his things and walked out of the classroom, he looked back so much he nearly twisted his neck off.

Wang Xiaosong dragged him forward: “Stop looking. There are over two hundred people between the two of you!”

At this moment, Gu Xun was being particularly pedantic: “…Bullshit! It’s not even two hundred!”

Wang Xiaosong curled his lip: “Fine, fine, a hundred-something then. Isn’t that basically two hundred?”

Gu Xun fell uncharacteristically silent. When he sat down in the seat with his name on it, looking at the number 187 on it felt especially eyesore-inducing.

Gu Xun felt quite depressed, but the atmosphere in the exam room lacked any pre-exam tension.

For no other reason than the fact that after the exams, it would be the National Day holiday. Right now, many people were talking about how they were going to play during the break.

It was a stroke of luck that they were testing before the holiday; if they tested after, most of them would probably be in trouble.

Gu Xun was totally listless before the exam started. When Wang Xiaosong asked him how he planned to spend National Day, he didn’t even have the energy to respond.

However, once the papers were handed out and he looked at the questions, his entire vibe changed instantly.

Gu Xun held the paper, his eyes rounding into circles.

Perhaps his expression was too dramatic; the proctor looked at him several times, thinking the paper was so hard it had terrified him.

The papers for this monthly exam were created by High School No. 1 itself, specifically to give a “head-on blow” to these kids who had run wild all summer. Therefore, the difficulty was much higher than usual.

But Gu Xun’s wide eyes weren’t because it was too hard, but because…

Holy crap! Why is it that with one glance, these are all the types of problems Ah Yan explained to him!

The exact same types of questions!!!

Gu Xun’s hand trembled. He really wanted to rush back to the Class One classroom and ask Shen Yanzhi if he had secretly peeked at the exam papers in the teacher’s office—otherwise, how could he be so accurate!

At noon, Gu Xun secretly asked Shen Yanzhi about this.

Shen Yanzhi looked at him strangely: “This is what we studied this month. If they don’t test this, what would they test?”

Gu Xun: “…”

That makes so much sense I have no comeback.

Gu Xun wiped his face, a look of longing appearing: “Am I about to skyrocket this time!”

Shen Yanzhi looked at him and said: “Calm down a bit.”

Gu Xun: “I haven’t even had time to be un-calm yet, and you’re already telling me to be calm…”

Seeing him look like his tail had instantly drooped, Shen Yanzhi couldn’t help but laugh and said: “You won’t go to heaven, but you should improve a lot.”

Gu Xun immediately became high-spirited again, singing a mess of lyrics: “Today is a good day… I’m gonna fly higher!”

The High School No. 1 students passing by all gave Shen Yanzhi looks of pity. They probably couldn’t understand why their “Male God” was hanging out with a “snake-spirit” (lunatic); it really ruined the aesthetic.

Shen Yanzhi just laughed, pulling Gu Xun toward the side of the road to prevent him from leaping into the traffic in his excitement.

Because it was just a monthly exam, the results came out very quickly. For the subjects tested in the morning, the grading was finished before school was out.

Many students were asking teachers about their scores. Gu Xun originally wanted to go too.

But Wang Xiaosong expressed that he was already “dead” and to “burn paper for him if there’s news.” As for Shen Yanzhi, there was no need to ask. Gu Xun went by himself, feeling a bit hollow in his heart…

It wasn’t because he was afraid of the teachers; rather, Gu Xun was truly afraid he hadn’t done well and that it would be a wasted celebration.

No matter how “pro” Shen Yanzhi was, he wasn’t a god. There were still many questions on the paper involving extra-curricular content and reviews of key points from middle school.

Gu Xun lacked extra-curricular accumulation and a solid foundation. Although he had filled the paper using a mix of logic and guessing and felt good about it, what if…

Then, when the Chinese scores came out, Gu Xun had a giant bucket of cold water splashed on him. He took the paper in his hands and looked.

Gu Xun: “…Just how terrible is my writing?”

He actually lost so many points on the essay! Out of a 60-point essay, 20 points were slashed away!

Shen Yanzhi leaned over to look, stayed silent for a moment, and said: “It is quite terrible.”

Gu Xun turned his head to glare at him. If he didn’t get an explanation today, he was going to revolt!

Shen Yanzhi said: “The handwriting is too terrible.”

Gu Xun: “…”

Gu Xun huffily glanced at Shen Yanzhi’s paper, then looked back at his own.

Gu Xun chose to swallow his pride—he had no choice but to swallow it!

Shen Yanzhi took Gu Xun’s paper to examine it carefully. He looked at the front part first, and finally focused on the essay.

Shen Yanzhi said: “Some parts aren’t written clearly; you could have avoided losing points there. As for the essay… there’s too much content that goes off-topic.”

Hearing him say this, Gu Xun leaned in to look as well.

He found that everything Shen Yanzhi said was right. Regarding the off-topic essay:

Gu Xun: “The grading teacher just can’t appreciate my ‘leaping’ way of thinking!”

Shen Yanzhi studied it a bit more and said: “In the future, buy a few books of ‘good phrases and sentences’ and read them more.”

Gu Xun: “…”

It seems it’s not just off-topic; the writing itself isn’t good either…

Gu Xun thudded his head against the desk and said in a muffled voice: “I got excited for nothing…”

Shen Yanzhi’s hand landed on his fluffy head and gave it a rub: “Not necessarily.”

Gu Xun turned his face to look at him: “Just keep coaxing me, hurry up and say a few more nice things.”

Shen Yanzhi asked him quite seriously: “Which aspect would you like to hear about?”

Gu Xun couldn’t hold it back; his face was pressed against the table as he started giggling. After a long while, he said: “That’s not the right attitude for praising someone!”

Seeing that he had regained his spirit, Shen Yanzhi laughed along: “Mhm, next time I’ll be more serious.”

The results for each subject came out one after another in rapid succession. Gu Xun’s mood rose and fell several times. Finally, looking back, he found that the most disastrous one was Chinese; everything else was actually quite decent!

In Math, Physics, and Chemistry, it could be described as a qualitative leap!

Gu Xun: “Who would’ve thought… who would’ve thought…”

Wang Xiaosong looked at his own paper, then at Gu Xun’s, and followed suit: “I wouldn’t have thought either…”

Before they could say more, a classmate over there started shouting: “The rankings are out!”

This time the whole classroom exploded. Everyone ran to the door of the teachers’ office to look at the score rankings.

Gu Xun also scurried toward the front of the list like a monkey. Thanks to his flexibility and height, he saw it in no time.

Shen Yanzhi’s name was at the very top of the list. Although it was the same black printed text, no different from anyone else’s name.

But Gu Xun felt that those three characters were practically glowing.

After staring blankly for a while, Gu Xun remembered to find his own ranking. He looked all the way down the list and finally, at the 98th spot, he saw himself.

Gu Xun’s first reaction was pure joy. An improvement of over a hundred spots! What a concept!

But in the next moment, by some strange impulse, he glanced upward.

Gu Xun blinked. He felt his name was so far away from Shen Yanzhi’s.

Someone nearby was muttering: “Why did they only post the top 150? Are they not ranking the rest?”

“I heard from my older brother that this ranking is to encourage progress. They’re afraid posting the ones further down will discourage people…”

“Oh, I see. Then the people further down won’t know?”

“Just ask the teacher!”

“Hahaha, who dares!”

The noisy sounds were in Gu Xun’s ears, but he just repeatedly looked at the long list of names between Shen Yanzhi and himself.

Wang Xiaosong squeezed next to him at some point. Having seen the rankings clearly, he excitedly slapped Gu Xun’s shoulder with great force: “Gu Xun! You did it!”

Gu Xun was startled, turning his face in shock: “Huh?!”

Wang Xiaosong: “98th place!”

Gu Xun: “Oh…”

Wang Xiaosong: “Are you stunned stupid from happiness?”

Gu Xun immediately replied: “You’re the stupid one!”

The two of them talked all the way back, only to see Shen Yanzhi walking over side-by-side with a girl.

Gu Xun looked at Shen Yanzhi first, then at the girl beside him.

It was Xu Meng, the vice monitor of Class One. On the ranking board, her name was right below Shen Yanzhi’s.

Just now, they had been called away by Min Yibo to help run errands.

Gu Xun suddenly felt an indescribable discomfort in his heart.

Shen Yanzhi walked over and asked Gu Xun: “What’s everyone crowding over there for?”

Wang Xiaosong’s mouth was faster than Gu Xun’s this time, replying slickly: “The monthly exam rankings are out! Gu Xun is 98th!”

Gu Xun really wanted to dig a hole on the spot and bury Wang Xiaosong in it. The people opposite them were the 1st and 2nd in the grade, big brother!

Is it really okay to say “ranked 98th” in such a proud tone!

Shen Yanzhi, however, smiled: “Not bad, a lot of progress.”

Gu Xun’s soul returned instantly: “It’s… it’s alright.”

Xu Meng asked: “Where are Shen Yanzhi and I?”

Gu Xun didn’t want to answer, but Wang Xiaosong said to Xu Meng with a beaming smile: “Vice Monitor, you’re 2nd, Ah Yan is 1st!”

Xu Meng immediately let out a sigh of mock disappointment, but her tone was clearly tinged with a smile. She turned to look at Shen Yanzhi: “In the end, I still couldn’t beat you.”

Shen Yanzhi just gave a faint smile and didn’t reply.

Gu Xun looked at Shen Yanzhi, then at Xu Meng, and asked: “…What were you two doing just now?”

Xu Meng turned to answer: “Teacher Min asked us to join the Student Council.”

Gu Xun: “Oh…”

Student Council, huh? That term has absolutely nothing to do with me…

A girl nearby called for Xu Meng. After Xu Meng said goodbye to them, she skipped over like a little deer, looking lively and cute.

When Gu Xun withdrew his gaze, the uncomfortable feeling in his heart grew a bit more.

Naturally, Wang Xiaosong added snidely: “Our vice monitor is quite pretty, right?”

Gu Xun replied dryly: “I didn’t notice…”

Wang Xiaosong: “If you didn’t notice, why were you staring at her?”

Gu Xun: “…I saw her ponytail swinging back and forth, and my hands felt itchy.”

Wang Xiaosong “tsk-tsk’d” twice and patted Gu Xun: “Brother, you’re hopeless.”

Shen Yanzhi glanced in Xu Meng’s direction and said coldly: “Puppy love is no good.”