Though the footsteps outside the classroom door were light and soft, they did not escape Fang Yu's exceptionally sharp hearing, which had picked them up long before they reached the doorway. He lifted his head at once, his gaze falling on the two figures stepping into the classroom.
"Her?" An amused, knowing smirk tugged at the corner of Fang Yu's mouth as he stared at the curvaceous, alluring figure leading the way into the room, and he couldn't help but curl his lip in faint amusement. This was the very same woman he had encountered outside Wang Zhengnan's office earlier that day. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined she would be his homeroom teacher.
He shifted his gaze to the slighter figure trailing behind the woman, and a faint, calm smile spread across his face at last. It seemed Lin Ruofei had indeed been placed in the same class as him.
"Class, I'd like to introduce you all to Lin Ruofei, who will be joining our class from today onward." Zhao Qian smiled softly, her gaze sweeping over the students below before finally locking eyes with Fang Yu. A sharp jolt of panic flared in her chest. Even so, Zhao Qian had served as a homeroom teacher for many years. For all the guilt and unease churning inside her, her expression remained perfectly composed, not a flicker of emotion betraying her.
Fang Yu gave an almost imperceptible nod, making no move to look away. After all, there was no need for words between them—they shared an unspoken understanding.
Naturally, none of the students below noticed Zhao Qian's odd reaction. All their attention was fixed, with burning intensity, on the new student Lin Ruofei. A few of the boys even couldn't resist letting out wolf whistles.
"Miss Lin Ruofei, you may find an empty seat to sit down." Zhao Qian smiled at the girl beside her, knowing full well this student had been given special attention by the school's leadership, and she dared not treat her with anything less than the utmost care.
"Thank you, teacher." Lin Ruofei gave a small, demure nod, every inch the proper young lady. Fang Yu, who had spent the past few days with her, could only stare in stunned disbelief. The girl's transformation was simply staggering.
He lifted his head slowly, only to see Lin Ruofei staring straight at him with a mischievous, knowing grin, and he quickly ducked his head again. He was doomed. From the looks of it, she was heading straight for him.
Suddenly—
"Excuse me, classmate, may I sit beside you?" Lin Ruofei appeared at Fang Yu's side, her eyes curving into two sweet crescent moons, utterly adorable.
"Sure." Feeling the playful mischief in her gaze, Fang Yu's scalp tingled with dread. He darted a subtle glance around the classroom, and when he saw the venomous, murderous glares being thrown his way by every other boy in the room, he knew he was well and truly finished. From this very moment, he had become the sworn enemy of every boy in the class.
Fang Yu was on the verge of tears, with no way to voice his frustration. It seemed Lin Ruofei had just played him for a fool.
"Thank you, classmate." Lin Ruofei nodded at him with a bright smile, her face brimming with playful amusement.
Our poor Fang Yu wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole and vanish. This girl was absolutely ruthless.
Even so, he knew he would meet force with strategy, and flood with embankment. He simply ignored the venomous glares from the boys around him, pulled out a random textbook, and began flipping through it aimlessly.
"Fang Yu, come to my office for a moment." Just as Fang Yu had flipped the book back and forth several times, Zhao Qian's voice rang out from the doorway.
"Got it." Fang Yu set down his book and rose slowly to his feet. He stared at Zhao Qian's retreating figure as she stepped out of the classroom, hesitated for a brief moment, then hurried after her.
The moment Fang Yu and their homeroom teacher were out of sight, the entire classroom erupted into a frenzy of whispered chatter.
A flicker of worry crossed Lin Ruofei's face. Yan Ting, by contrast, wore a broad, gloating smirk.