The Beautiful Top Student Dodges Whenever He is Touched - Chapter 1

Late August in Zhenghong City was as scorching hot as always. Under the roasting of the sun, the black seats of the shared bicycles were simply impossible for people to sit on.

The home tutoring work Tong Ze had been doing during this period was considered pretty good. The client’s child was a little girl in the fifth grade, requiring no great effort to teach. After meeting once last month, a long-term home tutoring relationship had been confirmed.

Ignoring the seat that scorched his buttocks, he mounted the bicycle and accelerated toward Xiao An’s home.

Two hours later.

“Auntie, Xiao An has made progress this time. Next time I will supplement her with the course curriculum for Chapter 6. When the time comes, you can just contact me on WeChat to set the time. Please, no need to see me out!” Tong Ze turned his body around outside the door and said politely.

“Alright, then I’ll trouble you from now on. This child actually likes you quite a bit. Okay, then slow down on your way home.”

The door closed. Tong Ze walked to the front of the elevator and pressed the button. He lowered his head to glance at the time—eleven o’clock.

His mom was working the morning shift today and would eat at her workplace. Lunch would have to be resolved by himself.

Tong Ze had always been a person who was strict with himself. Homework that could be finished early was never dragged to the very end. He had constantly heard teachers say that the learning content of the second year of high school was greater in quantity and deeper than the first year. Therefore, after his summer vacation homework was completed, he began preparing in advance. Up until now, only the single subject of physics was left.

Coming out of the residential district, the sun high in the sky seemed capable of roasting and melting everything.

Not in a hurry to return home, Tong Ze intended to walk to the subway station.

Zhenghong City wasn’t considered large but it wasn’t small either. It was a typical city falling between the second and third tiers. The subway had only been constructed within the last two years, possessing a grand total of only seven or eight lines intersecting through the city center. His home was in the southern part of the city, slightly on the remote side. Xiao An’s home was in the northern part of the city. Under normal circumstances, he only needed to take the subway when going to Xiao An’s home to do home tutoring on weekends; at other times, he rode his own bicycle to and from school.

The moment Tong Ze entered the subway station, he felt his entire body was almost chilled to the bone. People’s heads jostled in crowds within the subway. At the same time he was lining up, he fished the earphones out from his backpack, put them on, opened his phone, and began listening to an English audio book.

The elevator doors opened. Tong Ze originally wanted to slowly follow the flow of people into the train carriage, but who knew that someone behind would give a fierce squeeze inward. Tong Ze was pushed inside in an instant. Fortunately, he grabbed the handrail in a timely manner, so he didn’t crash onto anyone else.

He didn’t like the feeling of being surrounded by people on all four sides. Unless it was truly impossible to budge, he would generally budge to a position against the edge of a corner.

A dozen or so minutes later, the broadcast voice echoed and the train doors opened. Outside, long queues lined up on both sides, and the passengers inside the train began to exit one after another. Tong Ze was listening so intently that the people had almost finished disembarking before he realized with hindsight that he had already reached his station.

He tightly gripped his phone, shifting his body sideways toward the train door. However, the time to disembark had already passed, and the passengers outside began to quickly squeeze inward.

Ruined, I’m not going to be able to get out.

Tong Ze stared at the gaps on the ground outside, thinking about how to get through, yet in an instant his vision was blocked. Entering his eyes was a lowered gray hat brim, further down was a light gray short-sleeved T-shirt, and a pair of white Nike sneakers facing right against his own feet.

Tong Ze used a mere half-second to pull his thoughts back from observing the opposing party.

Avoiding bumping into the opponent, he shifted to the left. The opponent also shifted to the left. He shifted to the right; the opponent also shifted to the right, as though intentionally doing the exact opposite against him.

Is this sincerely wanting to oppose him?

Tong Ze opened his mouth: “Hello, please make way, I’m getting off the train.”

The opponent kept his head slightly lowered, as though eyes grew on the top of his head, his voice deep: “Apologies, it seems it’s already too late.”

Right after he finished speaking, a sound echoed. Tong Ze watched with his own eyes as the subway doors slowly closed, letting out a helpless sigh.

There was no way around it. He could only get off at the next station and take it back.

Tong Ze lifted his eyes, saying once more to the gray hat brim before his eyes: “I’m getting off at the next station. This time, please make way.”

The gray hat brim, who hadn’t lifted his head all this time, finally lifted his head. Tong Ze saw a slightly aggressive… handsome face.

Xie Yi!

Speaking of Class 9’s Xie Yi, this person was the Xie Yi whose grade rankings were neck-and-neck with Tong Ze across all four major midterm and final exams throughout the entire first year of high school—that Xie Yi who was dubbed the god-tier student by the whole school, since he didn’t look like the type who loved studying at all.

Unrestrained, loose, occasionally dangling and careless, no matter what he achieved, it was always with an appearance of taking no effort at all.

“What a coincidence, where is the top student going, in such a rush?” Xie Yi arched his brows.

“Home.” Tong Ze didn’t intend to miss the next opportunity to get off the train again. Two minutes passed very quickly.

“Xie Yi, is this the top student from your school who always fights for first place with you?” A suddenly emerging voice sounded somewhat abrupt inside the carriage.

“Yes, from our school, the top student who ranked second in the final exam, Tong Ze.” Xie Yi turned his head and answered with a half-smile.

This addressing of top student with every single breath seemed as though he was terrified onlookers wouldn’t hear it.

Is he mocking the top student? Is a god-tier student grand and spectacular, then? Flexing what sense of superiority here.

Tong Ze was already somewhat impatient in his heart. He had always been someone whose joy and anger didn’t manifest in his expression. He truly was too lazy to start any conflict with people inside the subway, much less wanting to waste breath on this kind of matter.

He didn’t pay any more attention to this bunch of people, saying one final sentence: “The station is here, I’m getting off, thanks.”

Right as he exited the train carriage, he heard traveling from behind: “Just now truly wasn’t intentional, also, make preparations to get off in advance next time.” Immediately following was a burst of ear-piercing laughter.

The split second the train doors closed, everything inside and outside was isolated. Tong Ze gazed at the departing train, secretly settling a resolution in his heart.

He wasn’t a person who paid back an eye for an eye, but he truly loathed Xie Yi’s gaze just now, as well as that expression of seeing right through a person.

Heh, Xie Yi, next semester, just you wait!

No one prescribed that a top student must definitely be worse than a god-tier student.

I acknowledge that you are born with a high IQ. It is your capability that you can score high grades effortlessly, but this doesn’t represent that under the circumstances of dealing with exams, I can’t out-score you.

Just what on earth are you acting arrogant for!

Tong Ze had always been very clear that he himself wasn’t actually a person who cared particularly about rankings. He merely answered correctly the questions he was capable of answering correctly and obtained the scores he was capable of obtaining during major exams, just happening to land in the top two of the grade. Although he had only obtained first place once across the four major exams of his first year—which had also once caused him to have the thought of sitting in the number one position and not wanting to come down—he actually didn’t possess that strong of an obsession toward first place.

But this time, he abruptly possessed the resolution of wanting to defeat a person, which was the first time in his life. Even when a situation identical to the current one had appeared during junior high, he hadn’t thought that he must definitely fight for first place; after all, the competitors of his junior high period weren’t as arrogant and conceited as Xie Yi.

Tong Ze walked to the opposite side, intending to take the ride back to the previous station to transfer.

Exiting the subway station, he bypassed to the bicycle shed on the side to ride his bike.

The English reading material within his earphones was still diligently reciting. Tong Ze rode toward the direction of his home.

The house he and his mom rented was located within a residential district that already possessed some years of age, having lived there for six or seven years. The streetside was filled with shops hanging various signs, and narrow little alleys intersected through this main trunk street like lines forming a queue. Even if the midday was scorching hot, there were still quite a few people entering and exiting from various shops. Everywhere was overflowing with the atmosphere of the marketplace.

Tong Ze turned into a narrow alley, entering an inconspicuous residential district main gate. Straddled above the main gate were the large characters “South Alley Residential District” which had already rusted.

Going up to the fifth floor, Tong Ze pulled out his keys to open the door. No matter how deserted the house was, it couldn’t block that burst of stifling heat. Tong Ze turned on the air conditioner. The air conditioner was already somewhat old. Two months before the High School Entrance Examination last year, the inside of the room was truly too hot, and the blowing of the electric fan simply didn’t work. His mom bought a second-hand air conditioner and had the technician install it; although the cooling effect was poor, at least it was better than nothing.

Tong Ze put his backpack into the bedroom, walking to the kitchen to open the refrigerator. He hadn’t bought groceries for two or three days; there were only a few eggs, two bags of milk, plus a few tomatoes. He closed the refrigerator door again, fishing out the instant noodles inside the cupboard.

Making do to fill his belly, Tong Ze returned to his bedroom and sat before the study desk, reading books and preparing in advance.

Unchanging. Following the steps. Yet very fulfilling.

In the evening his mom returned. Unexpectedly, Tong Ze was scolded for a round, the reason being why he had to eat instant noodles at noon, not understanding how to cook some food for himself.

Heh, quite interesting, she actually still minded this.

His mom also carried the surname Tong, named Tong Qinyuan. After divorcing more than ten years ago, her temper was always unpredictable. Other things aside for the time being, regarding what her son actually ate for his own meals, nine times out of ten she wouldn’t ask about it, and even if she discovered it, she would ignore it.

Tong Ze knew Tong Qinyuan’s brain was packed with many matters. As for what exactly was packed inside, he hadn’t known in the past. Over the last two years, as his mind gradually matured, he somewhat understood the reason why his mom possessed such a large temper. The failed marriage was one part, while the pressures of life were the greatest factor.

Tong Qinyuan wasn’t old, thirty-six or thirty-seven, belonging to the type whose skin was naturally relatively good, looking just about the same as someone in their early thirties. Although she had been divorced, she still highly anticipated being able to encounter her Mr. Right once again. At times she would shout, scream, and lose her temper at him in a slovenly manner, while at other times her maiden heart would burst to the max as she boated on phone calls with a newly acquainted boyfriend.

Tong Ze listened to Tong Qinyuan’s scolding, watching her turn circles in the living room, rubbing his temples.

Which tendon in his mom’s body went wrong today, nagging for this long.

“Alright, alright, I get it! Mom, I’m hungry!” Tong Ze urged, “Hurry up and go make your so-called healthy dinner.”

The nag-wearied Tong Qinyuan turned around elegantly to go to the kitchen.

“Wash hands and eat, hurry up! Xiao Ze!” Tong Qinyuan called toward Tong Ze’s bedroom while holding the bowls and chopsticks.

“Understood, right away.” Tong Ze put down his pen, pressing his eyes with his palms.

Tong Qinyuan scooped two bowls of rice, asking: “Xiao Ze, school is about to start soon, right?”

“Yeah, one week left.” Tong Ze tasted a bite of the sweet and sour pork loin. The flavor was not bad.

His mom knew how to make this? Too rare.

“Is there anything you want to buy? Mom will give you money, go to the mall where Mom works to buy some clothes, learning supplies, and whatnot.” Tong Qinyuan clipped a piece of rib for him.

There were even ribs today.

Tong Ze guessed the reason why his mom’s mood was this good.

Could it be she was dating a boyfriend? Based on his understanding of Tong Qinyuan, this reason possessed the highest probability.

This could explain things perfectly. Regarding the matter of him eating instant noodles just now, she suddenly cared so much. This abrupt care was completely because her mood was too good, so good it had reached the top and overflowed.

“Asking you a question? What are you thinking about!” Tong Qinyuan asked.

“Sure, whatever! But I won’t buy much, you keep it to spend, there are plenty of places requiring money!” Tong Ze shoveled the rice within his bowl.

“Good son, just thinking about saving money for Mom. Buy what ought to be bought.” Tong Qinyuan tapped WeChat to transfer one thousand yuan to Tong Ze. The phone inside Tong Ze’s trousers pocket vibrated once.

He lifted his eyes to see that after his mom finished transferring the money, she poked at the screen for a long time again, beaming with joy.

“I’m full. The second year of high school still has one subject that hasn’t finished preparing in advance, I’m going to read books.” Tong Ze stood up, “After eating, leave the bowls there, I’ll wash them in a bit.”

Tong Qinyuan, as though failing to hear, was deeply indulged in chatting on WeChat and didn’t reply to him.

A week passed in a flash, and soon arrived the day school started.

The weather in early September was still somewhat hot, but compared to a week ago it was already much cooler.

Scattered fallen leaves were visible on the campus ground, accompanied by rustling sounds when the wind blew across.

Tong Ze was in Class 15 during his first year of high school. Last semester he heard the teacher say that the second year would divide arts and sciences. Without any suspense, he was going to choose science. He liked the sense of achievement after solving difficult science problems.

Sitting within the classroom of Class 15, Tong Ze had always been as quiet as though he didn’t exist. Of course, it was a nonexistence he thought of himself. The classmates around him all regarded him as a deity. After all, there were not many people who dared to contend against the god-tier student Xie Yi.

“Everyone quiet down.” The class teacher rolled up the textbook and tapped the lecture desk.

“Announcing to everyone today, our class has been designated as a humanities class. According to the arts and sciences division forms you filled out last semester, this semester, 21 students from our class will leave to go to other classes.”

Just as the words fell, a burst of long sighs and short groans echoed in the class. Indeniably, the friendship at sixteen or seventeen was beautiful; girls addressed each other as besties, boys addressed each other as bros. After spending a year together, more or less some emotions would be generated, but the people inside here did not include Tong Ze.

He wasn’t good at baring his heart to people; using his mom’s words, he was always accustomed to maintaining a distance from people, cold on the outside and not too hot on the inside either.

“I will announce the classes of the science students, listen carefully yourselves. Li Xue, Class 6. Zhang Ke, Class 10…”

The class teacher announced one by one, and a low-decibel buzzing sound constantly filled the classroom.

“Tong Ze, Class 9.” In an instant, the decibels grew louder. Students always seemed to love paying attention to figures with prominent flashing points in the school, such as handsome boys and beautiful girls, and further such as god-tier students and top students. Just happened, Tong Ze occupied both.

“Holy crap, Tong Ze, in the same class as Xie Yi!” Who knows who shouted a sentence.

“Isn’t this incompatible as fire and water?” Someone followed up to create a stir again.

“One mountain cannot tolerate two tigers, ah no, one school cannot tolerate two tigers, what’s more this is actually in one class.”

Tong Ze let out a slight smile.

Convinced, what ghost of a description is this.

“Quick, look, Qi Yue, look at the school Tieba forum, the post about the god-tier student and top student being divided into the same class, the reply count has broken a thousand, this one!”

Tong Ze looked toward the two girls diagonally opposite his desk who were currently whispering into each other’s ears. Sometimes he truly quite admired these people’s gossip capability. Fortunately, he possessed no feeling toward becoming the center of this kind of topic.

“Alright, alright, today is the first day school starts, the second year of high school is especially important. The teacher will only guide you up to here. Next, entering the new class, you cannot relax either. I won’t say more nonsense, pack up your things and go report to the new class.”

After the class teacher finished instructions, the students of the science classes stood up one after another, driving the tables and chairs to produce clinking and clanking noises.

At the exact same moment, Class 9.

“Damn, Boss, Tong Ze is coming to our class—that top student who always stands in sharp opposition against you, the Tieba forum has exploded.” Xu Jie turned his head to say to Xie Yi.

“Who? Who did you just say?” Xie Yi picked his ear.

“Tong Ze.” Xu Jie repeated once.

“Tong Ze?” Xie Yi turned his pen with various tricks in his hand, saying with indifference: “Him! If he comes he comes, and even ‘standing in sharp opposition,’ this word you used, begging for a beating.”

“No, Brother Yi, don’t take it as nothing. Tong Ze is a super top student, acknowledged by the whole school!” Xu Jie was like an old hag, “With this temper of yours, in case he surpasses you next time, I’m afraid the two of you will fight, harming the innocent.”

“In your eyes I’m just this wild and savage? Who still trends fighting nowadays, use brains, need to battle with wits and courage, understand?” Xie Yi extended his long leg across his deskmate and kicked Xu Jie’s chair once, “Hurry up and listen to the class teacher speak, it’s not easy for her as a young lady up there being so long-winded, turn back again and watch out I snap your chair leg.”

The bootlicker Xu Jie folded his hands in prayer: “I know you possess a knife-like mouth but a tofu heart, I won’t hold a grudge.”

After finishing speaking about the new regulations and notes for the new semester, the class teacher began speaking about the class division situation. This time there were sixteen people divided into Class 9. When hearing the Old Class read out Tong Ze’s name, Xie Yi’s heart gave a thud, recalling that chance encounter on the subway a week ago.

In reality, that day when he was lining up outside, he had already seen Tong Ze through the window. Waiting until he stepped into the carriage door, seeing Tong Ze’s appearance of being anxious to get off the train yet unable to squeeze out, he particularly wanted to tease him, intentionally blocking Tong Ze and not letting him get off the train.

Regarding Tong Ze’s entry into the class, although Xie Yi appeared indifferent on the surface, his inner mind still generated no small amount of ripples.

It wasn’t that narrow roads make enemies meet as others believed. Speaking of meeting a match in an opponent was instead more appropriate.

Grades had consistently been neck-and-neck, sitting behind and ahead of each other on the examination field, yet for a year they had almost never spoken. Tong Ze was cold, detached, and silent, his entire body permeating a shred of mystery, which had triggered Xie Yi’s curiosity more than once.

Only, behind the curiosity, he also possessed a bit of faint displeasure toward Tong Ze.

As for why he was displeased, the only reason Xie Yi could think of was probably Tong Ze’s type of persona as a top student who super loved burying his head in bitter study. Meanwhile, he himself hadn’t liked studying much since childhood. All his good grades were forced out by his mom’s various class enrollments and various competition continuous rolling. When rolled to the highest realm, testing first place also became an inevitability.

Precisely because of this, he would consistently be bound with this kind of title as a god-tier student, being placed with high hopes by his parents and even all the relatives around him. Even if he performed poorly in an exam just once, it became a sin, tsk.

Xie Yi’s back leaned against the chair, his legs consistently extending outside due to being too long, giving people an impression of being dangling and careless.

He cast a glance at his phone, having just heard the Old Class say the new classmates would come over right away, and the next period would also distribute books for class.

Heh, perhaps, Tong Ze’s arrival will become the unique interesting matter within this dry and dull high school life.

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