Gao Liang pulled Lin Lin down the school corridor, her fingers tight in his grip.

Lin Lin followed closely, eyes darting nervously around corners—half-expecting a patrolling teacher to leap out and catch her red-handed.

Or maybe she was still rattled by the shocked whispers trailing behind them after he’d yanked her from class.

“Huh? Why’s Gao Liang dragging Lin Lin off?”

“Whoa, seriously?! What’s happening?!”

A tiny warmth bloomed in Lin Lin’s chest. *At least someone knows my name…*

*Sniffle.*

Gao Liang checked classroom after classroom. But this was high school—not university. Where’d they find privacy for two?

After searching everywhere, all they found was a dusty, abandoned storage room. A few old desks inside barely qualified it as “classroom.”

How barely?

Like whipping a British strongman with lightning. Eating hot pot with no dipping sauce. Chugging tea straight from the spout. Or your online date glancing at you and muttering, “I’m out.”

You *could* walk away… but why not give it a shot?

*Phew.*

The girl wiped the chosen desk vigorously with a tissue. Weirdly soothing. Just as she finished cleaning the chair and turned—

*Gasp!*

“You locked the door?!” she protested, flustered.

“What if a teacher comes?” Gao Liang waved it off, turning to her with earnest eyes. “Now no one will disturb us.”

*W-who wants a private moment with YOU?!*

Her cheeks burned. *Alone… with my arch-rival? So awkward…*

*…But the classroom feels scarier.*

Seeing Gao Liang already seated, Lin Lin sighed inwardly. *Can’t waste the blue capsule.* Reluctantly, she sat beside him.

“Alright, much quieter now. Let’s start,” Gao Liang said gently.

The girl beside him nodded obediently, listening quietly.

The first problem was simple—almost middle-school level—but tagged as college entrance exam material, so slightly trickier.

Gao Liang taught clearly: basics first, then solution steps, pattern analysis, finally practice problems.

But Lin Lin didn’t need any of that. The moment he finished explaining the method—

*Whoosh!* Knowledge flooded her mind. An epiphany.

Solutions to countless similar problems flashed before her eyes. She raised a hand, smirked with a thumbs-up.

“Done! I got it! Next problem!” She jabbed a finger at the exam syllabus. “Next topic!”

“You should practice two problems to reinforce it!” Gao Liang pleaded.

Lin Lin covered the page, locked eyes firmly. “I’m a genius! No practice! Keep teaching!”

“Uh…”

*Great. Teaching into the void.*

*No reinforcement = fake understanding. She’ll forget by tomorrow. Or blank on the exam.*

*But… she’s my desk mate. Promised to tutor her. Talk till I’m hoarse—I’ll finish.*

And so…

“This one’s trig functions. Recall the formulas first…”

“This is probability. Simple—analyze the stem.”

“Solid geometry. Tricky. Study the diagram first…”

…

Wait. Something’s off.

Lin Lin kept picking absurdly many problems. On harder ones, progress crawled.

Often, halfway through Gao Liang’s explanation:

“Where’d this condition come from?”

“Huh?”

*Didn’t I derive that FIRST? The very first formula?!*

*Sigh. Back to square one.*

He restarted, voice serious. “If anything’s unclear—stop me. No shame. Got it?”

“…Okay,” Lin Lin murmured, face flushed.

Then—

“Next, we…”

“Stop!”

…

“Solve for this side like this!”

“Stop-stop! *Which* side?!”

…

“Plug into the formula here…”

“Stop! *Which* formula?!”

To earn the blue capsule’s power, Lin Lin… well, this wasn’t “humbly seeking guidance.” Nor “superficial learning.” Let’s just call it… *relentless curiosity*.

Finally—

Nearly three hours later, barely halfway done.

Both collapsed onto the desk, panting face-to-face.

Gao Liang’s throat was sandpaper-dry. From talking? Or staring into her eyes?

*Saliva… gone.*

*Is this… an energy vampire?*

Catching her nervously lick her lips under his gaze, Lin Lin shyly turned away, leaving only the back of her head.

Halfway there. Today’s room hunt cost time. Next session—three more hours.

Dismissal time. She’d drained him completely.

*Time to go home. Yep!*

She took a deep breath, ready to stand—

*Click!*

A sharp sound from the door.

They froze. Footsteps faded. Lin Lin’s eyes widened.

She lunged to the door, unlocked it, shoved—

*Clang!*

Silence beyond confirmed it: locked from outside.

Lin Lin hammered the wood. “Hey! People inside! Help us!”

Only silence answered.

“Did… school end? Did the patrolling teacher lock us in?” Gao Liang stammered.

Lin Lin turned, helpless, and gave a tiny, pitiful nod.

“Your phone?”

“Left in classroom… Yours?”

“Same.”