"Hey, hey! What on earth were you two up to?! Dragging your feet until after class started—are you telling me you were doing... unspeakable things?!"

Zhou Hao had asked this at least fifty times already. I refused to spill. Just thinking about what happened on the rooftop made my body flush with heat. That was my first kiss ever...

"Out with it, or I’m stacking another book on your arms! And this time—it’s *Five-Year Gaokao, Three-Year Simulation*! You’ll regret it! Your choice, but I’m placing it now!"

A familiar ache shot through my arms. Schools banned corporal punishment, sure—but no rule said students couldn’t be forced to stand holding books.

Zhou Hao plopped a thick textbook onto my pile. It towered so high I could barely see him anymore.

"Is this really okay? The Head Teacher said *ten minutes per book*—you’re adding ten books per *minute*?!"

I grumbled at merciless Zhou Hao. Thanks to Xiaomo’s reckless stunt, we’d lost track of time during class—*his* class—and now I was stuck in the office.

The bald homeroom teacher should’ve supervised my punishment, but a last-minute staff meeting pulled him away. Instead, he’d roped in Zhou Hao, who’d been lurking outside the office since dismissal. The guy hadn’t stopped grilling me. My silence only made him escalate.

"Listen—*Great Hero* Zhou Hao," I teased, using his nickname. Not because he was noble—he vanished in crowds, jumping between hobbies with three-minute enthusiasm. "Aren’t you starving?!"

"Obviously! I’m starving to death! So hurry up and confess so I can be free—got it?!"

"Spare me, Great Hero!!"

"Yeah, spare my darling, Great Hero!"

"Right, right—*huh?!*"

I nodded frantically, then froze. Someone new had joined us. Xiaomo stood beside me, leaning against the wall behind me. Her intense gaze made my skin prickle.

"I was planning to have lunch with my darling," she murmured just loud enough for us to hear, pouting while looking up at Zhou Hao through her lashes. Her honeyed voice landed like a critical hit on any lonely soul—and for Zhou Hao, who’d pined for her forever, it was a knockout punch. Zhou Hao crumpled like a boxer felled by a world-class strike.

"I can’t help it... The Head Teacher ordered it. A teacher’s command is law!" Zhou Hao shook his head, flustered and crimson-faced.

"Then... could you stand in for my darling until we get back? Please, *Brother* Zhou Hao~?"

"*Brother*"—a nuclear-level term for dreamers drowning in fantasy. Zhou Hao staggered under the blast. Xiaomo pressed her advantage. *KO*.

"Thanks so much~ See you next time!"

Xiaomo waved at Zhou Hao, now slumped blissfully against the office door. Seriously, was drool pooling on the floor?!

Honestly, Xiaomo was terrifying in every way. She beamed, humming a cheerful tune as we walked away.

"Anyway, Xiaomo... *classmate*—"

"*Girlfriend*. But you can call me Xiaomo. I grant you special permission to say ‘Xiaomo’!"

She bulldozed my awkward title. No way was I letting her lead me around by the nose.

"Xiaomo *classmate*—" I deliberately avoided "Xiaomo." Things were moving too fast, and this cheerful, humming girl walking slightly ahead of me? Definitely not harmless. "—it’s almost 12:30. Where do you plan to eat? We barely have time to leave campus and get back."

"I almost didn’t answer because you didn’t call me ‘Xiaomo’ or ‘Xiaomo’," she huffed, lightly punching my shoulder with a tiny fist. What was this cringey, overly youthful gesture?! "But fine—I’m in a good mood today. Though I never eat lunch at school."

"Guess I won’t know if the cafeteria food suits you, then."

I dodged her next playful swing. Her smile vanished. Cheeks puffed out, she made a weird grumbling sound.

"Oh-ho~ So Huiyuan *does* eat here often? Then I’ll rely on you to show me the ropes!"

"Sorry, I have no idea what you’re talking about—"

"You’ll teach me everything! Until I can satisfy myself even when you’re not around!"

"What nonsense are you spouting?!"

"You’ll teach me all the positions and techniques. And how to use the toys too!"

"*What* are you even saying?!"

The cafeteria wasn’t packed—mostly boarders, teachers, and club members killing time. I rarely came here, except when the Head Teacher sentenced me to a miserable lunch hour.

My family knew my schedule. If I didn’t return by lunchtime, they’d eat without me. (They usually finished before noon anyway.)

We grabbed simple trays. The food wasn’t bad—on par with fast food. I sat across from Xiaomo, deliberately avoiding her side. She was a walking spotlight, impossible to ignore. Even with few students around, rumors would spread like wildfire among our grade.

"*Darling~* Open up—"

Xiaomo held out a piece of fried tofu on her chopsticks. She was going to *feed* me?! This burst of youthful energy—what was she playing at?! I wouldn’t fall for it. Absolutely not.

"I have hands. Eat your own."

"Is that really wise, Huiyuan?" Her voice turned icy. "Did you... forget something?"

My hand froze mid-air. I lifted my gaze slowly. *She was threatening me.* Her chopsticks pressed the golden tofu against my lips.

Reluctantly, I opened my mouth. The crispy shell shattered—but I was too tense to taste anything. I swallowed it whole.

"Can we talk seriously?" I steered the conversation away from this surreal moment, watching her closely. Her usual smile vanished. For the first time, her expression was dead serious.

"You know men flock to me, right? I’m *that* popular. But lately... it’s gotten worse. I can *feel* someone following me."