Chapter 103
With Lou Mi’s help, Chi Lin quickly understood the difficult concepts and finished her homework, getting ready for bed at midnight.
“You finished your homework already?” Lou Mi, feeling slightly guilty for keeping Chi Lin up late, had expected to be working until 2 or 3 am.
“I finished most of it at school,” Chi Lin said, making the bed.
Lou Mi was surprised: “Are we even in the same senior year? I spent all my time studying, even eating while memorizing textbooks, only having time for games on weekends. You finished most of it at school? Well, you are a doctor, even in a different era, intelligence is intelligence.”
“Don’t flatter me, Your Majesty.” Chi Lin sighed. “I just memorized some of the concepts for the exam, I don’t really understand them. Young people in this era are too stressed, studying so many subjects, so much information, and then competing so fiercely for university admissions. If my father hadn’t forced me to study since childhood, I wouldn’t be able to keep up.”
“Oh?” Lou Mi’s eyes lit up. She sat up on the freshly made bed. “You have a father!”
“…How else would I be here?”
“You never mentioned him before! Tell me about him!”
“He was also Your Majesty’s subject, the Prime Minister of Dayuan.”
“Your whole family is so accomplished? Well, good genes.” Lou Mi then asked, “What about your mother? What was she like?”
Chi Lin knelt beside the bed: “I never met her, she passed away shortly after I was born.”
Lou Mi hadn’t expected this: “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be, Your Majesty. Although I never met my mother, my father and sisters were very good to me. I never felt like I lacked anything.”
“You have sisters? Do they look like you?”
Chi Lin nodded: “They’re all much more beautiful than me.”
“I don’t believe it…”
Chi Lin, stroking Lou Mi’s hair, smiled: “If we had cameras in my time, I would show you their pictures, so you would know I’m not lying.”
“I didn’t say you were lying, I just can’t imagine anyone more beautiful than you, not even a goddess.”
Chi Lin chuckled: “Your Majesty, that’s an exaggeration.”
Lou Mi rolled over, resting her head on Chi Lin’s lap: “I’m serious. I’ve only seen your true form once, but I remember it clearly.”
“Your Majesty prefers my original appearance?”
“Of course!”
Chi Lin also preferred her original body. Although she was older, it was still the body her parents gave her, and leaving it in the abyss made her uneasy.
Seeing Chi Lin’s slight frown, sensing her worry, Lou Mi quickly changed the subject:
“Now that you’re here, what about your family? Where are your father and sisters now?”
“They were exiled to Yizhou by Your Majesty.”
“…”
Perhaps that wasn’t the best topic…
“Your Majesty knew Shangjing would fall, it was to protect my family that she exiled them, you don’t have to blame yourself, I understand your intentions.” Chi Lin said. “And it wasn’t a harsh exile, they were escorted by soldiers, well-provided for, and safer in Yizhou.”
“That’s good.” Lou Mi continued to smooth things over. “I was truly wise and benevolent.”
They settled down to sleep. Lou Mi asked Chi Lin to tell her stories about her past life.
Chi Lin recounted her family’s history, how her ancestors served the founding emperor of Yuan, the ups and downs of their relationship with the throne, the times of suspicion and mistrust.
She hadn’t expected their generation to have a female emperor, and a Chi daughter as Empress, their intertwined fates a story for another time.
Lou Mi, holding Chi Lin’s hand, drifted off to sleep.
An hour earlier, Wei Zhuoning finally finished her homework, her head spinning, still confused about many concepts.
Lin Xiaozhi had told her not to stay up late, to write down her questions and ask her tomorrow, a good night’s sleep was crucial for learning.
She had some water and messaged Lin Xiaozhi: “Finished your homework?”
Lin Xiaozhi replied quickly: “Do your own homework, I told you I won’t let you copy anymore.”
“I wasn’t going to copy! I was just asking!”
“Oh, you missed me.”
Wei Zhuoning scoffed, then replayed the voice message.
Lin Xiaozhi’s voice was so sweet and captivating, even her teasing sounded intelligent.
Lin Xiaozhi had asked her out for dinner after school, but Wei Zhuoning couldn’t stay out too late, she had to cook for her mother.
“If I don’t go home, my mom will have to order takeout,” Wei Zhuoning said. “It’s expensive and unhealthy, she doesn’t like it.”
Wei Zhuoning’s family situation used to be a secret, but after confessing to Lin Xiaozhi and not being judged, she now spoke freely about it.
How could Lin Xiaozhi argue with that?
“Fine…” They stood at the bus stop, Lin Xiaozhi pulling her behind the sign and holding her hand. “I guess I’ll just have to dream of you tonight.”
“Ugh, so cheesy.” Wei Zhuoning shivered.
“…You’re abandoning me and going home alone, can’t you at least say something nice to comfort me?”
Lin Xiaozhi pouted. Wei Zhuoning knew she was being manipulative, but she couldn’t resist.
Glancing around, seeing no one watching, she quickly pecked Lin Xiaozhi’s lips.
Lin Xiaozhi: “?”
Wei Zhuoning blushed: “Is that better…?”
“That was more like a mosquito bite than a kiss.”
“Lin Xiaozhi!” Wei Zhuoning pulled her hand away. “So you’re rejecting me now? Fine, I’ll never take the initiative again!”
Just then, the bus arrived, the bus to the lower district always crowded.
Lin Xiaozhi called out to her, but Wei Zhuoning ignored her and squeezed onto the bus.
The bus lurched forward, and Wei Zhuoning, in an awkward position with nowhere to hold on, struggled to maintain her balance.
Had she been too harsh earlier?
Wei Zhuoning reflected. Lin Xiaozhi was just teasing, she clearly enjoyed the kiss.
Sigh… why did she always act out around Lin Xiaozhi? When would she learn to control herself?
Had Lin Xiaozhi called out to her just now, and she hadn’t responded?
Feeling slightly guilty, Wei Zhuoning took out her phone to message Lin Xiaozhi.
Just as she opened the chat window, she heard Lin Xiaozhi’s voice behind her:
“Not even three minutes, and you already miss me?”
Wei Zhuoning turned around. When did Lin Xiaozhi get on the bus?
No wonder she had felt someone pressing against her, crowding her… good thing she hadn’t stepped on her foot.
“I didn’t…”
Just as she was about to speak, the bus swerved, and everyone lurched forward.
Wei Zhuoning, without a handhold, instinctively grabbed Lin Xiaozhi, narrowly avoiding another bus accident.
“Still saying you don’t?” Lin Xiaozhi, holding onto a handrail, pulled Wei Zhuoning closer. “How would you survive without me?”
Wei Zhuoning held onto her tightly. The bus’s air conditioning was blasting, the cold air raising goosebumps, mixed with a strange assortment of body odors.
People squeezed past them constantly, the crowded space breeding irritability.
But in Lin Xiaozhi’s arms, Wei Zhuoning felt safe and secure.
She couldn’t smell the unpleasant odors, only Lin Xiaozhi’s sweet scent.
“How could I not have you?” Wei Zhuoning, clutching Lin Xiaozhi’s shirt, looked up at her. “How could I ever be without you?”
Lin Xiaozhi’s heart melted at her sudden sweetness.
Why was she suddenly acting so cute?
***
The lower district, with its dilapidated buildings and sparse population, offered plenty of secluded spots for kissing.
Lin Xiaozhi held Wei Zhuoning close, their kiss deepening, but when Lin Xiaozhi’s hand started to wander, Wei Zhuoning stopped her.
“No, we’re in public…”
“Then stop tempting me.”
“I’m not! Okay, stop… I have to go home.”
Lin Xiaozhi reluctantly let her go.
Wei Zhuoning took a step, then turned back: “How are you getting home?”
“I’ll take a taxi.”
“It’ll be late, what about dinner?”
“It’s fine, I had a sandwich after school, I’m not hungry.” Lin Xiaozhi said. “I’ll be alone at home anyway, I can do my homework on the way.”
“Oh.” Wei Zhuoning looked at her pale hand. “Then, be careful. Don’t walk me home next time.”
“We’ll see, go on.”
Wei Zhuoning actually wanted Lin Xiaozhi to come upstairs, but she hadn’t told her mother about it.
But did it matter? It was just a classmate visiting.
But her mother wasn’t very sociable, it was better to tell her in advance.
As she hesitated, she turned around, and Lin Xiaozhi was gone.
Wei Zhuoning missed Lin Xiaozhi’s face, just her voice wasn’t enough anymore.
Was her mother asleep…?
She looked towards her mother’s bedroom; the light was still on.
A quiet video call shouldn’t be a problem.
Lin Xiaozhi: “Where are you? Asleep?”
Just as Wei Zhuoning was about to initiate the call, her mother called out:
“Zhuoning, are you asleep?”
Wei Zhuoning almost dropped her phone into the pot: “Not yet!”
“Where are you?”
“Kitchen…”
“Are you hungry?” Her mother came out of her room. “There are noodles, and I had some eggs delivered, make yourself some egg drop noodles. You’ve been losing weight, studying so hard and writing stories.”
“Okay…” Wei Zhuoning had to pretend to be hungry, or she wouldn’t be able to explain why she was hiding in the kitchen.
The video call didn’t happen, but she ended up eating a bowl of noodles.
As she ate in the living room, her mother stayed with her, reviewing her AI administration certification materials.
Wei Zhuoning, messaging Lin Xiaozhi, said to her mother:
“Mom, I have a new deskmate.”
“Oh? Who is it?”
“My old deskmate, the class president.”
“They switched back?”
“Yeah…”
“That’s good, isn’t it? You always said she was a good student, top of the class since middle school, right?”
“Yes…”
“Good-natured, pretty, and rich, she sounds perfect.”
“…”
Had she ever praised Lin Xiaozhi like that?
And good-natured? She was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Well, she hadn’t known her that well before.
But now that she was mentioned, Wei Zhuoning decided to say a few more good things about her, to create a good impression before bringing her home.
“She’s really nice, she always helps me with my studies.”
“Yes, you’ve told me before.”
“And she shares a lot of study materials with me.”
“Really? Study materials are expensive these days.” Her mother looked at her, smiling. “And high school is so competitive now, she’s willing to share with you?”
Wei Zhuoning nodded enthusiastically: “Yes, yes, she’s so good to me.”
Her mother smiled at her.
Wei Zhuoning excitedly took out her phone: “See, these are the materials she shared. Online courses and some exclusive content.”
“Oh?”
Wei Zhuoning projected a video onto the wall.
“This math tutorial, it’s by a famous teacher.”
Wei Zhuoning and her mother watched the video, impressed by the young, stylish teacher.
As the teacher was explaining a problem, a female student in uniform walked up to the podium, and they started chatting.
Her mother: “?”
Wei Zhuoning also found it strange. Weren’t they supposed to be studying?
The chatting was just the beginning.
They started kissing.
Wei Zhuoning: “?!”
The teacher leaned against the podium, and the student…
Her mother: “…”
Wei Zhuoning almost crushed her phone, her hands a blur as she frantically closed the video.
What had just happened?
Wei Zhuoning’s mind went blank.
What had she just seen, what had she and her mother just witnessed?
Lin Xiaozhi?!
Her mother didn’t say a word, completely silent, as if she had vanished.
Wei Zhuoning was speechless, mortified, wishing she were never born.
Thankfully, her mother didn’t say anything and quietly returned to her room.
Wei Zhuoning sat alone in the living room, replaying the scene in her mind. Okay…
Her plan to introduce Lin Xiaozhi to her mother would have to be postponed.
The next day at school, Chi Lin and Wei Zhuoning confronted Lin Xiaozhi.
Lin Xiaozhi, after hearing their stories, was stunned.
“Did you two coordinate this? Opening those videos in front of other people? What were you thinking?”
Wei Zhuoning was furious: “I should be asking you that! Why would you send me those things?! I haven’t been able to look my mom in the eye since last night! She probably thinks you’re some kind of pervert! And you’re laughing?! Lin Xiaozhi, you have no heart! No, you do, and it’s probably filled with porn!”
Lin Xiaozhi, doubled over with laughter, was a rare sight. Chi Lin sighed:
“I really don’t need those materials. If you want to ‘study,’ do it privately with Zhuoning, leave me out of it.”
Wei Zhuoning: “Lin, do you think I’m that kind of person?!”
Chi Lin: “Yes.”
Wei Zhuoning: “…”
“By the way,” Chi Lin said, “do you have any plans for summer break? My sister invited you to join us for a trip to the beach.”
“Sister? Sister Lou?!” Wei Zhuoning’s eyes lit up, instantly forgetting her earlier complaints. “A trip to the beach? Did she really say that?”
“Here we go again.” Lin Xiaozhi rolled her eyes, knowing Wei Zhuoning’s weakness for Lou Mi. “Whose girlfriend are you, anyway?”
“Shhh, be quiet.” Wei Zhuoning turned to Chi Lin with a sweet smile. “Where are you going? For how long? Do we need to prepare anything?”
Chi Lin glanced at Lin Xiaozhi, who was now glaring at her:
“About four or five days, N City Coast. If you two can come, we’ll book the hotel and flights now.”
Wei Zhuoning blushed: “You don’t have to book for us, we can do it ourselves… Just the two of us?”
“Yes, and two of our teammates, too many people would be difficult to manage.”
That morning, while having breakfast with Lou Mi, they had seen an advertisement for N City Coast. Lou Mi had mentioned wanting to go there for years.
Chi Lin had asked, “Why didn’t you go?”
“What’s the point of going alone? The beach is romantic, going alone is just sad.”
Chi Lin had looked at her with wide eyes: “I’ll go with you, Your Majesty.”
Lou Mi: “You have your college entrance exams coming up, you don’t have time.”
“There’s summer break before the exams, I can’t study 24/7. And we’ll be busy with the new season in August, we won’t have time then. Your Majesty, just think of it as a pre-battle vacation, you’ve wanted to go for years, just do it, don’t wait.” Chi Lin said sweetly, “I’ll be with you.”
Lou Mi’s heart melted. As she left that morning, she hugged Chi Lin tightly at the door, showering her with kisses, reluctant to leave.
Chi Lin reviewed her textbooks in the car. As she neared the school, Lou Mi sent a crying emoji.
Chi Lin: “Your Majesty, what’s wrong?”
“Xie Buyu and Fu Tu found out about the N City trip, and now they want to come too.”
Chi Lin: “Then let them come? The more the merrier.”
Lou Mi sent six dots.
Chi Lin: “?”
Lou Mi resigned herself to fate: “Fine, then you should invite your little classmates too. Xiao Lin and Xiao Wei, ask them if they want to come.”
Lou Mi planned to show these kids the adult world, to teach them that there was a vast difference between high school and adulthood, not something easily crossed.
Chi Lin’s only friends in this era were Wei Zhuoning and Lin Xiaozhi, who had often helped her, even if sometimes their help was more trouble than it was worth.
—
Before the final exams, Lin Xiaozhi revived the study group.
She and Chi Lin led the group, with Sha Xinyu, the class representative, assisting, once again pushing Class 6 forward.
This time, they weren’t just focusing on English; they were determined to improve their average scores in all subjects.
Chi Lin studied late every night, then went home and asked Lou Mi for autographed photos.
“Why do you need my photos?”
“My classmates said if they have your autographed photos, they’ll pass all their exams.”
Lou Mi couldn’t refuse, but something felt wrong: “Chi Lin, you’re just giving my photos away like that?”
Chi Lin blushed: “No, Your Majesty, I refused many times, but…”
Lou Mi, suppressing a smile, pinched her cheek.
“You’re usually so clever, learning everything so quickly, why are you so easily flustered when it comes to me? Fine, you can have as many autographed photos as you want, but I have one condition.”
Chi Lin’s mind immediately went to inappropriate places, her voice barely a whisper: “What condition?”
“What are you thinking about?” Lou Mi playfully tapped her head, took out her phone, pulled Chi Lin closer, and, before she could protest, took several selfies.
She connected her phone to the printer and printed twenty copies.
“Here, I’ll sign on the left, you sign on the right. I won’t give my photos away individually, but if it’s a photo of us together, showing our love, then I don’t mind.”
Chi Lin nodded and carefully signed her name with a brush: “Your Majesty is truly brilliant.”
“Come on, more compliments, I love it when you praise me.”
With Lin Xiaozhi and Chi Lin leading the way, Class 6 was energized, studying late into the night, attentive in class, surrounding the teachers after class, their clothes often askew from the enthusiastic students clinging to them, demanding answers to their questions.
Ms. Qi, seeing their enthusiasm, bought them energy drinks.
“Studying is important, but don’t overwork yourselves. Class president, make sure everyone gets some exercise.”
Lin Xiaozhi, following her instructions, took them to the playground for some running and stretching, then dragged Wei Zhuoning to a secluded spot for some kissing.
After weeks of intense studying, the final exams were finally over.
Class 6, with the highest average score among all the regular classes, entered the blissful summer break.
Ms. Qi, seeing their scores, couldn’t believe her eyes. Was this really Class 6? Was she dreaming?
The other homeroom teachers congratulated her: “Well done, Ms. Qi, your class really surprised us this time, what’s your secret? Share it with us!”
Ms. Qi looked out the door and saw Chi Lin handing out autographed photos in the hallway.
The excited students’ cheers attracted the attention of the disciplinary director, who scolded them:
“No shouting in the hallway!”
“Old Ghost is coming!”
“Scatter!”
The disciplinary director jumped up and down: “Who are you calling Old Ghost?!”
Ms. Qi chuckled: “Our Class 6’s energy is unmatched.”
She realized that Chi Lin was the key to Class 6’s transformation.
She had turned a class filled with teenage angst and apathy into the top class in the grade.
Whatever the story behind it, Ms. Qi knew that Chi Lin was an extraordinary person.
They were lucky to have her.
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