"So you stopped me just to drag me to the principal’s office?" May grumbled, rubbing the wrist Chen Yaoyi had touched. A trace of resentment tinged her voice.

May led Chen Yaoyi toward the administration building, leaving the courtyard behind and walking away from the classroom block.

"What else? You didn’t think I was gonna do something to you, did you?"

Chen Yaoyi wasn’t exactly a saint—but he wouldn’t lay a hand on May. His mission was for her and Zhao Xiaoluo’s sake, after all.

"N-no! Of course not! Can’t you stop having such dirty thoughts?!"

Her cheeks flushed. Stubborn to the end, she held her ground a moment longer before guiltily looking away.

May *had* imagined indecent things—she disliked Chen Yaoyi because she believed he was a pervert at heart. He’d hit on her, touched her without permission, forced the "wife" label on her, even threatened her. No wonder she was angry. She also suspected he’d pulled strings to get into this school.

And he had—but only for the job. If yesterday’s street-punk assignment had gone smoothly, Chen Yaoyi wouldn’t be here. But Zhao Xiaoluo hadn’t shown up, forcing a new approach. After company discussion, the verdict came: *"Just become the bulldozer-type trashy teacher you excel at!"* So Chen Yaoyi swapped into a suit and leather shoes, slicked back his hair, grabbed a briefcase, and reported for duty. Truth was, he was just an ordinary guy—pulling strings was already the limit of his "cheat ability."

"So why *are* you here?" May muttered, already plotting how to report this backdoor hire and get him kicked out.

"I’d rather ask *you*—how’s things with your little boyfriend?" Chen Yaoyi shot back bluntly, ignoring her question. May’s cheeks flushed slightly.

"H-he’s not my boyfriend yet…" She mumbled under her breath and quickened her pace.

*Huh. So the little miss actually gets shy?*

"The misunderstanding’s cleared," she added softly. "He said he’d make it up to me. We’re going on another date next Saturday…"

"Calling it ‘making it up’? That’s selling yourself short, sis." Chen Yaoyi caught the slip instantly, glancing at the flaxen-haired girl beside him.

"Don’t badmouth Xiaoluo!" She spun around, teeth gritted.

*Protective, huh?* Chen Yaoyi could only smile wryly. Framing a date as "compensation" was off—but knowing that kid, he’d probably blushed, scrambled for an excuse, and used it as a shield to stay connected. For May, though, it stung. She’d asked him out to deepen their bond, not out of guilt. Chen Yaoyi ignored the shadow flickering across her face and pressed on lightly: "Frankly? You haven’t been putting in the work. That earnest guy would’ve been yours ages ago."

"Don’t call Xiaoluo earnest like it’s an insult!" She stomped, trying to kick his shin—but he dodged nimbly.

May shot him a glare, grinding her teeth as she stomped in place to vent.

"How *do* you two interact anyway?" Chen Yaoyi asked, unfazed by her grumbling.

"Um…" May fell silent, then stammered.

"Don’t tell me you just watch from afar and ‘accidentally’ drop a pencil to talk to him?" Chen Yaoyi hit the nail on the head. The girl shyly turned her face away.

She *did* do exactly that. Never having liked anyone this much before, she didn’t know how to express it. She arrived early just to see him, spent classes resting her head on the desk while stealing glances at Zhao Xiaoluo’s focused profile. After class, she’d linger slightly, chat with friends—always staying within his line of sight.

Chen Yaoyi almost forgot: she was that seemingly flirty but genuinely innocent high school girl. All surface, pure heart.

"Are you still in elementary school?"

"N-none of your business!" Flustered, May hurried past him, head down, clutching her textbooks tight.

"Listen," Chen Yaoyi called after her, "keep this up, and there won’t be an ending."

He’d studied the files. Observed them before arriving. Relationships have their pace—but zero progress? Zhao Xiaoluo knew she watched him. He’d received her Valentine’s chocolate with her flustered excuse: *"Someone gave me too many… here."* So he assumed the school’s top girl was just pitying her quiet seatmate. He never knew that single piece was the only decent one she’d painstakingly made all night. Misunderstandings like this piled up. Sometimes he’d wonder, *"Could she actually like me?"*—then dismiss it. Everyone does. He thought she pitied him. Didn’t stop him from liking her. And May? Not tsundere. Just shy. Conservative. *"I like him… but confessing first is too embarrassing. What if he rejects me?"* Confession was her trump card—only played when victory was certain.

"Hey… you’re experienced, right…?"

"Obviously."

"Then you *have* to help me! Or I’ll report you for harassment and get you fired!"