The next day.

As soon as Chu Bai arrived at school, he inquired Xu Muyan about Xu Zheng’s situation and urged her to ensure Xu Zheng went to the hospital for a check-up. Xu Muyan was reluctant to engage with Chu Bai, but he was persistent, like a buzzing fly, constantly asking.

Finally, she suppressed her inner annoyance and briefly explained that, with Wang Haoran’s help, Xu Zheng had already undergone surgery the previous night.

Hearing this, Chu Bai was dumbfounded. He had intended to use this opportunity to gain Xu Muyan’s favor, but it seemed that chance was now gone. In frustration, Chu Bai silently cursed Wang Haoran in his heart.

During the morning reading session, the classroom was filled with the sound of students reading aloud. Chu Bai sulked for a while but tried to adjust his mindset. Given the current situation, it seemed unlikely that he could continue to sabotage the relationship between Wang Haoran and Xu Muyan. It would be better to focus on his essay, cheat a little, and aim for a high score. That way, he could attend the same university as Xu Muyan. During the holidays, he could use his X-ray Vision to earn a lot of money. With wealth and proximity, Chu Bai believed he still had a chance to win Xu Muyan over.

As for Xu Muyan getting close to Wang Haoran before the exams, Chu Bai wasn’t worried. Many in the class knew that Xu Muyan wouldn’t date anyone before exams. As long as Wang Haoran and Xu Muyan hadn’t officially become a couple, he still had a chance.

Having made up his mind, Chu Bai picked up an essay example and began studying it. Essays were tricky to copy, and studying them would benefit him the most.

Elsewhere in the classroom, Xu Muyan was reading while occasionally glancing at Wang Haoran’s seat. It was empty. Wang Haoran hadn’t come for the morning reading session. Xu Muyan worried that he might have overslept because he returned home late the previous night. She wanted to call him but regretted not bringing her phone to school. Should she borrow a classmate’s phone to check on him?

“Yanyan, why do you keep looking at Wang Haoran’s seat?” Wen Jing’s voice suddenly interrupted Xu Muyan’s thoughts.

“I guess he didn’t come for the morning reading, maybe he overslept. I wanted to call him. Can I borrow your phone?” Xu Muyan asked.

Wen Jing took out her phone but didn’t hand it over immediately. Instead, she teased with a sly smile, “Why do you seem so concerned about Wang Haoran?”

“No, I’m not,” Xu Muyan’s eyes darted away, avoiding Wen Jing’s gaze as she hurriedly explained, “He stayed late last night because of my dad’s situation, so I’m just checking on him.”

“Is that really all?” Wen Jing looked skeptical.

“Really, just give me the phone,” Xu Muyan insisted, not wanting to discuss further, fearing her feelings might be exposed.

“I’ve known you for so long; don’t you think I can tell? You clearly like Wang Haoran!” Wen Jing stated confidently.

Xu Muyan was startled, feeling a bit flustered. She glanced around to ensure no one else was paying attention before relaxing slightly.

“Don’t say such things!”

“Judging by your reaction, you admit it. But don’t worry, I’m not one to gossip,” Wen Jing reassured her, then whispered, “Since you like Wang Haoran, why not tell him? If you like someone, you should confess!”

“That’s so embarrassing; I won’t say it,” Xu Muyan shook her head vigorously.

“What’s embarrassing about it? Give it a try; I support you!” Wen Jing encouraged.

“I won’t. Wang Haoran doesn’t seem to have that kind of interest in me. If I get rejected, I won’t be able to face anyone.”

“You’re such a coward. You’re so beautiful; any normal guy would like you,” Wen Jing encouraged.

“Really?”

“Come on, have some confidence. You’re the school belle! I think if you confess to Wang Haoran, there’s at least a 90% chance of success.”

Xu Muyan was tempted but hesitated for a moment before dismissing the thought. “It’s better not to. Right now, studying is more important. If I’m going to confess, I’ll wait until after the exams.”

“After the exams, it might be too late. Wang Haoran might pursue other pretty girls. Didn’t you hear him mention being interested in the two belles from another class? If you don’t confess now, you might regret it later!” Wen Jing said, exasperated.

Xu Muyan was swayed but couldn’t make up her mind.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the class. It was time to head to the cafeteria for breakfast. Xu Muyan remained seated, still conflicted.

After some time, she saw Wang Haoran enter through the door, pulling her out of her dilemma.

“Why didn’t you come for the morning reading? Overslept?” Xu Muyan asked with a sweet smile.

“Yeah,” Wang Haoran nodded. He had stayed up late the previous night and caught up on sleep that morning.

“Have you had breakfast?” Xu Muyan asked again.

“No.”

“Oh, you haven’t eaten either. Want me to get something for you?” Xu Muyan offered warmly.

Wang Haoran was taken aback, glancing at Xu Muyan a few times. Xu Muyan felt a bit guilty and quickly explained, “I haven’t eaten either, so I thought I’d ask if you needed anything.”

“No need, I’m not really hungry,” Wang Haoran shook his head.

“Actually…” Xu Muyan had something on her mind, but when it came to speaking, she swallowed her words.

“What do you want to say?” Wang Haoran pressed.

“Nothing, nothing at all,” Xu Muyan shook her head, smiling awkwardly.

Wang Haoran noticed Xu Muyan’s unusual behavior and could vaguely guess that Wen Jing’s encouragement had played a role. However, Xu Muyan clearly hadn’t made up her mind. In that case, he decided to add a little “catalyst.”

Instead of returning to his seat, Wang Haoran walked out of the classroom. The classroom door was near the stairs. Wang Haoran stood on the balcony of the corridor, pretending to admire the view below, but he was actually waiting for someone, or rather, a “catalyst.”

About five minutes later, the person arrived. It was a tall, stunningly beautiful girl—Qin Yunhan. Wang Haoran had seen Qin Yunhan going downstairs earlier. Her classroom wasn’t far from his, and this staircase was almost a necessary path for her to return.

Qin Yunhan noticed Wang Haoran and, as usual, smiled in greeting, which was her way of saying hello. Then, she prepared to return to her classroom.

“Qin Yunhan,” Wang Haoran suddenly called out, deliberately raising his voice. Xu Muyan, not far from the classroom door, heard it and couldn’t help but glance in Wang Haoran’s direction.

Wang Haoran pretended not to notice and focused his attention on Qin Yunhan.

“Ah, what is it?” Qin Yunhan turned back. She didn’t have any particular feelings for Wang Haoran. They hadn’t spoken much, but they had known each other for a long time, making them somewhat familiar.

“Nothing much, just saw you consulting a psychologist yesterday and wanted to ask how it went,” Wang Haoran casually started a conversation. He didn’t care about the topic; what mattered was that Xu Muyan saw him chatting with Qin Yunhan.