Fortunately, Hippo’s mouth was far tighter than Xu Wanrou’s—probably because besides me, he had no real friends in class to spill secrets to. *Sigh*. The loneliness of a single, useless otaku.

Anyway, Hippo stayed perfectly well-behaved over the next few school days. Aside from his oversized nostrils constantly sniffing near me like a dog’s, he made no other outrageous moves.

Xu Wanrou still dropped by to chat occasionally. Every lunch break, she’d drag me and her best friend Gu Yanting to the cafeteria. Poor Hippo could only crouch alone in a corner, eating by himself. But he never complained. He seemed to have his own plans.

---

The first monthly exam of senior year arrived in the blink of an eye. With my focus vastly improved, I felt great after the test—and my grades proved it. I’d jumped from the middle of the class pack to the upper tier, climbing over ten spots. Even the homeroom teacher praised me publicly.

---

Once exam results were out, evening self-study sessions officially resumed. From now on, I’d have to grab dinner at the school canteen or the small eateries by the gate. Our school’s evening sessions were fairly relaxed: students focused on homework or discussed problems while the teacher at the podium merely kept order.

Midway through one session, He Wei dashed off to the bathroom. A petite, adorable girl quickly slipped into his seat. “Um… Wu Tong? Sorry to bother you, but I don’t understand this physics problem…”

I never expected Chen Jiayi to approach me first. Flustered, I turned around. “Y-you’re sure you want to ask *me*? I’m no genius.”

“No modesty!” She spread out a test paper. “Your physics score made the top ten this time! It’s this question—my friend and I can’t figure it out. Can you help?”

Probably because I’m a guy, my science grades always beat my humanities ones. I explained the problem quickly: “It’s a steady magnetic field. Use vector analysis—plug these values into Maxwell’s equations, compute the double integral over the closed curve’s area, then take the partial derivative of the unit magnetic flux…” I paused. “The calculation’s heavy, but the method’s clear, right?”

Chen Jiayi stared at the paper a moment longer, then brightened. “Oh! It’s so simple when you explain it! Wu Tong, you’re not just skilled in martial arts—you’re brilliant at studies too!”

My little angel. Just a few words sent my heart soaring into space. *Sigh*. If only that Qin bastard hadn’t gotten his claws into her…

But Chen Jiayi hadn’t just come for homework help. She glanced around cautiously, confirming no eavesdroppers, then lowered her voice. “Wu Tong… you saved me that day, and I never properly thanked you. It’s just… my boyfriend’s extremely jealous. He forbade me from contacting you again.”

Truth was, I’d still occasionally overhear Chen Jiayi chatting with her friends. Nothing new there—they’d argued after the thug incident, but he’d smoothed things over with gifts and sweet words. After all, their secret relationship had lasted nearly half a year. One fight wouldn’t end it.

Just imagining that Qin bastard kissing and groping my angel where I couldn’t see made my heart plunge into icy depths. But I buried the feeling, keeping my tone light. “I just happened to pass by. We’re classmates—I couldn’t let thugs hurt you. It was nothing. Really.”

“Wu Tong, you’re so noble!”

“Average, average. Third best under heaven…”

After a few more casual exchanges, Chen Jiayi scanned the room again, her voice dropping even lower. “Wu Tong… all the girls are dying to know—are you dating Xu Wanrou?”

Classmates had asked me this too. Xu Wanrou’s “ice queen” reputation ran deep; she rarely smiled at boys. Suddenly growing close to me—even sharing lunches—naturally sparked rumors.

Others’ misunderstandings were fine. But not my angel’s. “Wanrou and I are just friends. Seriously.”

“Ohhh—” She drew out the syllable teasingly. “But she’s a certified beauty—tall, great figure… you’d better treasure her!”

*My angel… did you even hear my explanation?!*

Just then, Chen Jiayi twitched her cute nose, a trace of confusion flickering in her eyes. She leaned closer to sniff my shoulder.

Remembering Hippo’s dog-like sniffs, dread coiled in my gut. I subtly shifted away, feigning puzzlement. “Chen Jiayi? Do I smell strange?”

She shook her head flustered. “No! Not strange at all—it’s a lovely scent. Do you wear perfume?”

“No…”

“Right… it’s not perfume. More like… a girl’s natural fragrance.”

*My angel, do you have a dog’s nose too, like that fat hippo?*

“By the way, Wu Tong—which university are you applying to after Gaokao?”

“Depends on mock exam scores. My target’s Donghai University’s Geomatics Department. If my grades fall short, I’ll take Southeast Geological University. Either way, I’ll join my parents’ company after graduation.”

Yep. My parents had mapped out my life. Barring surprises, I’d graduate from a geomatics program, slide into their state-owned enterprise via connections. Low pay, constant travel—but in this era, it was one of the last true “iron rice bowls.” The rest? Marriage. Kids. If I was still single and useless by then, my parents would arrange blind dates. But arranged matches never felt like high school sweethearts… Marrying Jiayi would make my life complete.

Unaware of my thoughts, Chen Jiayi shared her plans: “I’m not sure yet. Dad wants me in Donghai University’s Finance Department, but my grades might not cut it. He’s a professor there, but he has no pull—can’t get me in through connections.”

First time hearing about her family. Curiosity sparked. “Your dad’s a professor? Amazing!”

“*Sigh*. It sounds impressive, but he’s in Math—no national projects or corporate grants. Just a fixed salary. Mom often complains…” She trailed off. “Anyway… I always feel so safe talking to you, Wu Tong. Like I can tell you anything.”

*“Safe”? Is that a compliment or an insult for a guy?*

As I pondered this, He Wei chose that exact moment to return from the bathroom. Chen Jiayi sprang up gracefully, flashing me a parting smile. “Thanks, Wu Tong! I’ll come back with more questions next time!”

*My angel’s still so adorable… If only that Qin bastard didn’t exist.*

---

Hippo hadn’t even warmed his seat when a tall girl strode over. She issued a cold command: “I need to discuss problems with Tongtong. Move elsewhere.”

I’ll never know Hippo’s inner monologue—but he wisely retreated to the bathroom again.

Xu Wanrou placed a fresh physics test on my desk. “Tongtong, this is today’s homework. I’ve been stuck on this problem…”

*Huh? This looks familiar…* I scanned it for ten seconds, then answered smoothly: “Steady magnetic field. Vector analysis. Plug these values into Maxwell’s equations, compute the double integral over the closed curve’s area, then take the partial derivative of the unit magnetic flux…”

Xu Wanrou grasped it instantly. “Ohhh! So *that’s* how! Tongtong, you’re amazing! How can a girl be so good at science?”

I’d stopped correcting her long ago. Let others think it’s a joke.