The afternoon sunlight filtered through the classroom windows, dyeing the entire room a warm orange.
Most students had already rushed out of the classroom the moment the bell rang, leaving only a few scattered figures still in their seats.
As for Su Wanli, she was currently sitting expressionlessly in her seat, tapping her fingertips intermittently on the thick stack of scripts on her desk.
‘…Damn Meng Wange.’
‘It’s all her fault for secretly watching my reaction during math class just now, causing me to lose face in front of the whole class…’
‘And what kind of nonsense did that math teacher say?!’
‘What does she mean by “kept flirting with the little girl next to you”?’
‘For that statement to be valid, both parties have to be looking at each other, right?!’
‘And I didn’t even notice Meng Wange watching me just now, nor did I have any chance to flirt with her!’
Only now realizing this, Su Wanli angrily snapped the pen in her hand in two, then turned her head and glared with cold eyes at the brown-haired girl beside her who was carefully organizing her schoolbag.
As the culprit who had caused Su Wanli to lose face, Meng Wange, however, acted as if nothing had happened. She was humming an unknown melodious tune while sorting thick textbooks into her schoolbag, her movements elegant and composed, her expression calm, as if the teacher hadn’t just called on her in class at all.
‘This is… the psychological quality Meng Wange possesses as the Main Heroine?’
‘But that makes sense. If it were me—not paying attention in class, then being called on and immediately writing three different solutions covering the entire blackboard with correct answers—I’d be proud too…’
Just as Su Wanli was silently badmouthing Meng Wange in her heart, Meng Wange suddenly noticed Su Wanli’s gaze. She turned her head lightly, and her clear, calm pupils met Su Wanli’s gaze directly.
“How can I help you, Miss Su?”
Meng Wange’s mood indeed seemed very happy, her voice sounding much lighter.
“It seems you’ve been staring at me for a while. Is there something you want to say to me?”
“Huh? W-Who was watching you? Don’t flatter yourself! I have nothing to say to you! No, how dare you even talk to me!”
Su Wanli, like a cat with its tail stepped on, sprang up from her chair and rolled the script on her desk into a tube, pointing it straight at Meng Wange’s nose—
“It’s all your fault for staring at me for no reason in class! You caused us both to be mocked by the math teacher and lose face in front of the whole class! And after that, you didn’t even admit your mistake or show any sign of reflection!”
“…Didn’t admit my mistake or show any sign of reflection…”
Meng Wange gently rubbed her chin, repeated Su Wanli’s words, then tilted her head slightly toward Su Wanli, showing a confused expression.
“But the content Teacher Zhang was covering was all within my knowledge. I just reasonably used that time to do what I wanted.”
“That’s a lame excuse! Students should listen carefully in class!”
Forgetting whether such words suited her character, Su Wanli angrily put one hand on her hip and stepped forward, using the other hand to tap Meng Wange’s head with the script.
“And what exactly were you trying to do just now? Drag me down with you to lose face?”
Meng Wange gently caught the script Su Wanli had swung down, used her other hand to straighten her slightly messy hair, and curved the corners of her mouth toward Su Wanli.
“Sorry, I simply wanted to observe your expression and try to gain satisfaction from it.”
“After all, wouldn’t anyone hope that the work they poured their heart into would be acknowledged by the person they admire?”
“You only ever think about yourself, you selfish person… And who is your adm… ad-admired person?!”
Hearing this, Su Wanli couldn’t help but gasp, and the script in her hand began to tremble.
“Y-You, what did you just say? I’m your… what?”
“Hmm? Was my expression not clear enough before? Miss Su is naturally the person I admire.”
Completely unaware of how shocking her words were, Meng Wange narrowed her eyes slightly and continued to elaborate.
“From the very first day we met, I have been following in your footsteps, trying to contribute my strength along the path you walk. Isn’t that the greatest proof?”
‘…I-Is that so? So what Meng Wange just said was this kind of admiration—just a feeling of following a leader with charisma, not an ambiguous kind of admiration…’
‘But is that true? I don’t even think I have any leadership qualities, let alone from the very first day we met…’
‘So it really is some kind of pretty flattery, isn’t it? Damn, I almost got fooled by her again…’
Having easily seen through the heroine’s “cunning scheme” in just a few seconds, Su Wanli immediately regained her composure and let out a disdainful snort at Meng Wange.
“Heh, if that’s really what you think, then so much the better.”
“Pity, from your behavior just now, I can’t see any respect for me. Not only did you not admit your mistake, but you even dared to talk back.”
“…Sorry, I was just too happy just now. As I said, if the script I wrote could earn your approval, it would be my greatest honor.”
Although she was apologizing, Meng Wange’s face showed no sign of regret. Instead, she joined Su Wanli in holding the other end of the script, her fingertips gently slipping between Su Wanli’s fingers.
“That’s why, when you were reading the script just now, I couldn’t take my eyes off your face for even a moment.”
“In my eyes, no matter what emotions this story stirred in you, it was a great reward for me.”
Gulp.
Feeling the soft pressure of Meng Wange’s fingers between hers and the light tickling friction between palm and back of hand, Su Wanli couldn’t help but swallow.
“Meng Wange, you…”
“So, Miss Su, do you understand?”
Meng Wange said as she slowly leaned her body toward Su Wanli.
“For me, you are the most important, the most…”
“Ah! Boss Su! Boss Meng! We’ve already discussed the script with Teacher Ge Xiaohua!”
Just as Meng Wange was about to say something, Xiao Fen suddenly entered through the back door of the classroom with two others. She waved at the two of them at the far end of the classroom and said loudly—
“We don’t have to attend the next two classes! We can go directly to the empty classroom on the fifth floor for rehearsal!”
“Eh? What’s wrong? Why are both your faces so red? Did I accidentally interrupt something good?”
Su Wanli silently distanced herself from Meng Wange, then took a deep breath and shot a vicious glare at Xiao Fen.
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