In the evening, it started to rain outside.

The last class had already ended.

Gradually, boys began to return to their dormitory. The soundproofing in the boys' dorm was poor, so the entire building echoed with the raucous noise of their boisterous chatter, resembling a pack of unleashed huskies.

"Are there any girls in our class sitting in the last row?" Lu Shuxing asked, looking confused. "I'm telling you, buddy, you might be out of luck. Most of the girls in our class seem to like the boss."

"When the class was divided, those girls acted like they'd seen a ghost." Lu Shuxing glanced at the doorway, where Huo Rui leaned against their dorm door, staring down at his phone. It seemed he hadn't heard anything, so he continued, "Anyway, don't be fooled by the boss's constant scowl; he's good-looking, and there were even girls who sent him love letters. Like that one day..."

Qi Rong, who had snuck in at some point, chimed in, "That class president."

Lu Shuxing's eyes lit up in realization. "Right! Our class president, the one in the third row, third seat, with the high ponytail and pale skin."

Shen Yu hadn't really paid attention to others, and upon hearing Lu Shuxing's description, he had no memory of her, yet he unconsciously shifted his gaze toward the door.

From his seat, he could only see Huo Rui's profile. The boy leaned against the wall, phone in hand, and the light from the corridor, switched on by someone, cast a shadow over him.

Lu Shuxing kept talking, "After the class division test..."

"The boss got first place," Qi Rong added proudly.

Lu Shuxing kicked him. "Let me finish! Afterward, the class president... what was her name again? Bai something... anyway, she came to ask the boss about the questions, and it was clear she was interested in him! But the boss didn't show any pity, just pushed her away and walked off."

"Yeah, but the boss is so strong that he accidentally pushed the poor girl into the side table. She started crying right away, looking all pitiful..."

As Lu Shuxing spoke, he illustrated with gestures, fully showcasing what it meant to be a "strong guy."

Qi Rong smacked Lu Shuxing on the head to stop him. "In the end, she became one of Nian Gou's girlfriends."

"Yeah, Nian Gou! He sits behind the class president. We're all good buddies who share the same pants as the boss, known as the Four Flowers of Wenli," Lu Shuxing said.

"Who's part of your Four Flowers?" Qi Rong teased as he pulled Lu Shuxing backward by the neck.

"Are you done?" Huo Rui, who had been at the opposite door fiddling with his phone, suddenly stood at Shen Yu's door with an impatient expression. His brow furrowed slightly, radiating annoyance. "Do you think I'm invisible?"

He cast a disapproving glance at Lu Shuxing, clearly unhappy with the "Four Flowers" nickname.

"Nothing! Boss! We're just bonding with our new desk mate!" Lu Shuxing and Qi Rong chimed in unison.

Huo Rui turned to glance at Shen Yu, who was still sitting by the bed, his expression cold. He quickly looked away and returned to his phone, his mood even chillier than before. "I have something to do tonight, not going to the internet café."

"Don't! I'm done for!" Lu Shuxing immediately squatted on the floor, wailing, "Boss, you know Nian Gao's skills, and he's bringing some girlfriend along—sending off two at once like the Goddess of Mercy..."

Noticing Huo Rui's expression, Lu Shuxing quickly fell silent and turned to Shen Yu. "Desk mate, are you going out for five-man games tonight?"

Among boys, bonding usually happened through a few common activities, and gaming was a great way to do that.

Shen Yu used to play games more fiercely than anyone else, even if his skills weren't that great—he had a big appetite for the game despite being a novice. Now that he had returned to this life, aside from getting close to Huo Rui, he wanted to change himself for the better, and studying hard was part of that plan.

Of course, he wanted to do it alongside Huo Rui.

In his previous life, Huo Rui also dropped out of high school. According to those in the know, he was forced to quit school by his father, who wanted him to take over the family business, despite Huo Rui not having any interest in studying and only obtaining a diploma.

So Shen Yu found it hard to believe the claims that Huo Rui ranked first in his grade.

He gently shook his head. "I've quit gaming."

After saying this, he glanced at Lu Shuxing and Qi Rong, who looked dramatically mournful, and a smile began to play at the corners of his mouth. "Besides, I might be as inexperienced as that Nian Gao you mentioned."

"No, no, no! Desk mate, you're not..."

"Lu Shuxing." Huo Rui stuffed his phone into his pocket. "Next week is the first monthly exam for the second year of high school."

"What? Why are you telling me this?!" Lu Shuxing's expression grew even more agonized, and Qi Rong looked just as distressed.

For students who struggled academically, exams were the scariest thing of all, especially monthly tests like this one that not only happened once a month but also sent results to parents' phones. Huo Rui performed well, and his parents didn't monitor him too closely, but that wasn't the case for them.

Huo Rui glanced at Lu Shuxing with a hint of indifference. "No particular reason; I just suddenly remembered."

"I'm heading home."

With that, he straightened his expression and turned to leave.

Shen Yu fished around in his pockets for a moment before finally finding the phone he hadn't managed to pull out all day. He lowered his eyes to scroll through his messages, and the smile faded from his lips. He then touched the box of candy he had eaten one piece from earlier.

"Desk mate!"

He stood at the dormitory entrance while Lu Shuxing and Qi Rong inside buried their heads in their arms, lamenting.

The corridor lights were dimly yellow, casting a dull hue over his face, yet he still looked a bit fairer than the average boy. His tone was as gentle as when he had called out "Huo Rui" in the bathroom earlier—despite it being only their second meeting, it felt like he was addressing someone he had known for a long time, infused with a warmth and an unnameable meaning.

Huo Rui's footsteps faltered slightly.

Shen Yu stepped closer and handed the box of candy to him. "This is my apology for stopping you earlier."

Huo Rui, with one hand in his pocket, sounded a bit dismissive. "No need."

He glanced at the candy in Shen Yu's palm, the only brand available in the school convenience store, the kind often passed around during class.

He had never eaten it.

Shen Yu stared at him intently, a smile gradually brightening his eyes, which he then lowered to hide. Seeing Huo Rui's refusal, he didn't press the issue and put the candy back in his pocket, then offered his phone to Huo Rui, the screen displaying his WeChat QR code.

"Can we add each other as friends? I'll bring you breakfast tomorrow morning, and you can let me know what you want later."

Huo Rui was starting to look impatient. Once Shen Yu finished speaking, he suddenly leaned in closer, wrapping his right hand around Shen Yu's neck with just enough force to make him stumble forward a couple of steps.

In a low, threatening voice, he said, "Next time, it won't just be this little bit."

It was entirely unexpected.

The distance between them suddenly shrank to just a few centimeters, and Shen Yu felt a pressure on the back of his neck, his eyes widening and his breath becoming slightly heated.

This distance... was quite dangerous.

Huo Rui frowned, seemingly oblivious to the awkwardness of the situation. After speaking, he released his grip and brushed past Shen Yu, their shoulders lightly touching.

Shen Yu couldn't help but laugh—was this how Huo Rui threatened others?

He touched his slightly warm ears, feeling a mix of confusion and amusement.

In their youth, Huo Rui was so straightforward and open; it was puzzling why the Huo Rui from his past life had developed feelings for him and held him in such high regard.

But in this life... Shen Yu had returned with the love that Huo Rui had for him in his previous life. He was selfish enough not to want to distance himself but instead sought Huo Rui out early, eager to immerse himself in his life.

Lu Shuxing peeked in through the doorway. "Boss, you're so heartless!"

"It's fine! Desk mate! Rong Rong and I want breakfast! The boss just has that nasty temper! Let's add you as a friend! We can team up for some LOL later!"

[The phrase LOL refers to the game League of Legends.]

"Yeah! I want those pancake rolls from the school convenience store!" Qi Rong chimed in immediately.

Shen Yu nodded.

After adding Lu Shuxing and Qi Rong as friends, the two of them even revealed Huo Rui's WeChat information.

Huo Rui's profile picture was of a little boy standing in the snow, his features somewhat resembling Huo Rui's own. The photo looked a bit old, likely taken when Huo Rui was a child. Compared to now, he had been much cuter back then, with a bit of baby fat on his cheeks.

Shen Yu's fingers glided over the profile picture.

Huo Rui had yet to approve the friend request.

Once Lu Shuxing and Qi Rong left, Shen Yu settled down to arrange his bedding.

He hadn't intended to sleep with the blanket anyway, which was why he had carelessly tossed it on the floor when he heard the noise. The school blankets were too thin or too thick, all in a uniform deep blue with the words "Wenli No. 1 High School" printed on them.

Shen Yu was a bit of a visual person, and he couldn't stand sleeping with such an ugly blanket.

Earlier that afternoon, he had asked Zhang Jianqing for permission to skip evening study hall so he could go home and pack.

The management at Wenli No. 1 High School was stricter than at Wencheng; there was no option for day students. Even if they lived nearby, they were required to stay in the dorms. Zhang Jianqing had given Shen Yu some time to prepare.

The rain outside had begun to lighten, and the sky had completely darkened. After the bell signaling evening study hall rang, Shen Yu took his phone and left the dormitory.

His phone vibrated again.

[Have you moved into your dad's old apartment?]

[Shen Yu, can you be a little more sensible?]

[You'd dare live in a place where someone died?]

[Shen Yu, have some self-respect!]

Shen Yu glanced at the messages and swiftly swiped them away.

His mother, who had been completely out of touch, went through the trouble of transferring him to another school but hadn't contacted him since. Now, she was bombarding him with messages, berating him.

The old apartment was left to him by his father and was located in a neighborhood near Wenli No. 1 High School.

If she had bothered to pay him any attention or showed a little concern, she would know he wasn't living in that old place but had rented a new apartment instead.

It was all because he had moved his belongings out of the apartment she had rented for him.

Shen Yu let out a mocking chuckle. The rain had picked up again outside, and without an umbrella, he hurried back to grab his school jacket before dashing down the six flights of stairs.

There were hardly any people outside. The teaching building was brightly lit, while rain and wind swept through, drenching the leaves and causing water droplets to fall. Shen Yu felt the rain splatter across his face.

This had to be the worst night since his rebirth.

The school jacket was no match for the sudden downpour and gusts of wind. The bus stop near the school gate was still a considerable distance away, and the dormitory was quite far from the entrance, with the path a bit chaotic. Shen Yu wasn't familiar with the area and ended up taking a roundabout route.

Fortunately, the rain began to lighten, and the streetlights flickered on.

As he passed a wall somewhere, he heard voices faintly drifting through the trees nearby.

Huo Rui leaned against the wall, his clothes soaked through, though he seemed completely unaware of it.

"Is there any point in talking to me?" His head was bowed, and his tone was cold.

"I'm your mother. If I don't talk to you, who else can I turn to?" The woman's voice opposite him was choked with tears.

Huo Rui pinched the bridge of his nose, unnaturally calm for a seventeen-year-old. "We'll talk when I get back."

"But... Rui Rui..."

Shu Hui tried to say more, but Huo Rui heard footsteps approaching. Without hesitation, he hung up the phone, pocketed it, and took a couple of steps back before effortlessly vaulting over the wall.

...

When Shen Yu approached, all he saw was a vague silhouette disappearing into the distance.

He glanced at the height of the wall, estimated his own current strength and stamina, then left, turning back once for a last look at the top of the wall.

Even though he couldn't hear the conversation due to the distance and the wind, he knew it was Huo Rui.

In his previous life, Shen Yu hadn't understood much about Huo Rui, nor did he know what Huo Rui had gone through during high school.

Now, it really felt like he was reliving his life, gradually getting to know this person, slowly integrating into his world.

...

Because he had been caught in the rain the previous night, Shen Yu woke up the next morning with a slight stuffy nose.

His rented apartment was just two stops away from the school, and there was a bus stop right at the entrance of the complex, making it convenient to get around. The rain had stopped shortly after he returned the night before, and Shen Yu had taken a taxi back to the dormitory. After showing the guard his leave note and explaining why he needed to bring in some belongings, he moved what he needed into the dorm and then returned to his rented apartment.

By the time he left again, it wasn't yet six, and only the bun shop at the entrance to the complex had opened.

Shen Yu wore his school uniform, which was a bit large for his slim frame. There weren't many sizes left in the office, and while the shirt hung loosely on him, the sleeves fit just right.

"A student, huh? Oh, from Wenli High School! You must be new around here?" The bun shop owner was chatty and enthusiastic given the early hour. "What kind of filling do you want? How many?"

Shen Yu lowered his gaze for a moment. "Two veggie buns, two red bean buns, two soy milks, and one black rice porridge."

After a brief pause, he added, "Pack them separately."

After arriving at school, he went to the school convenience store to buy the breakfast items Lu Shuxing and the others had requested.

Morning reading at Wenli started at 6:30, and it was just past six when Shen Yu arrived. He placed the breakfast on Lu Shuxing's desk before heading to the track for a run.

He needed to train his body.

It was a matter of seriousness, especially when it came to keeping up with Huo Rui in terms of physical strength.

Though he no longer saw Huo Rui as an archrival in this life, he wasn't about to let himself fall behind.

The ground on the track was still damp, and each step left a faint footprint. Perhaps due to his cold, Shen Yu felt dizzy after running just one lap.

As soon as Shen Yu stepped onto the floor where their classroom was located, he heard the sound of commotion coming from inside.

"Class monitor, isn't this a bit too much?" a girl's voice called out.

"What's wrong? Since they're here, shouldn't they hand in their homework? They seem to know how to eat breakfast but not how to turn in assignments," came the voice of Jiang Zhou, laced with heavy sarcasm.

"But you can't just rummage through someone's desk like that!" the girl replied, clearly frustrated and a bit anxious.

When Shen Yu entered the classroom, he saw Jiang Zhou bent over, searching through his desk.

Shen Yu squinted, noticing that all of Huo Rui's papers had been dumped onto the desk. He overheard Jiang Zhou muttering under his breath, "He sure knows how to copy answers."

"Class monitor?" Shen Yu's voice sounded somewhat muffled, but his tone remained calm.

The girl standing next to Jiang Zhou had a neatly tied ponytail. Her anxious expression softened when she saw Shen Yu. After all, anyone brave enough to sit next to Huo Rui surely wasn't someone to be trifled with.

But Jiang Zhou didn't seem to care.

Hearing Shen Yu's voice, Jiang Zhou straightened up. "Last night's homework needs to be collected for inspection," he said.

Shen Yu glanced around the classroom. It was still early, and not many students had arrived. A few were frantically copying their homework, but Jiang Zhou seemed intent on targeting their corner specifically.

Everyone in class knew this corner was notorious. No one usually dared to come here to collect homework. But today, the math class representative was absent, leaving the class monitor to step in and collect assignments, giving Jiang Zhou the opportunity to exploit the situation.

On Lu Shuxing and Qi Rong's desks, their breakfast—two jianbing—was already covered by their books.

[Jianbing (煎饼, jiānbǐng) is a popular Chinese street food, resembling a savory crepe. It’s made from a wheat or mung bean flour batter and filled with ingredients like eggs, scallions, and crispy wonton crackers. It’s often eaten for breakfast.]

Though their desks were usually messy, Jiang Zhou might have just piled the books together. But Shen Yu was already in a bad mood.

Rummaging through someone else's desk while they were away was a clear sign of poor character.

Shen Yu could guess the reason for this—Jiang Zhou had been provoked by something Shen Yu had said the previous day. Initially, Shen Yu had no intention of quarreling with immature high schoolers. He thought it would be best if everyone peacefully made it through the semester. After all, by the end of the second semester, students would be split into different classes based on their grades.

But Jiang Zhou had messed with Huo Rui's things, and that changed everything.

Shen Yu's expression grew cold.

Though he couldn't physically take on Huo Rui, dealing with someone like Jiang Zhou—who was shorter, weaker, and only good at mindless studying—shouldn't be an issue.

"Class monitor, you should apologize. It's really wrong to go through someone else's belongings without permission," the girl urged, sensing the tension in the air.

Jiang Zhou was starting to feel regret. He'd been too impulsive. Shen Yu's words from the previous day had distracted him throughout the evening's self-study, and he hadn't slept well all night.

Shen Yu let out a soft laugh, though it didn't reach his eyes. He pushed past Jiang Zhou, retrieved the breakfast he had brought for himself and Huo Rui from under a pile of books.

The food had cooled down.

As he began tidying up the books, he explained, "I brought the breakfast. They haven't arrived yet."

"Even if they were here," Shen Yu said, "touching someone else's belongings without permission is still called stealing."

He tilted his head, a mocking smile tugging at his lips. "Tell me, class monitor, did your teacher teach you this 'skill' of stealing?"

Just as he finished speaking, he sneezed again, his head feeling even dizzier.

Jiang Zhou, being shorter than Shen Yu, felt a bit like he was being looked down upon—literally and figuratively. He knew he was in the wrong, but if he apologized now, it would be admitting to being a "thief." And besides, why should he apologize to someone like Shen Yu, who had only just arrived and was already sitting in this part of the classroom—a clear signal he wasn't interested in studying properly?

The girl tugged at Jiang Zhou's sleeve, trying to calm him down.

Shen Yu pressed, "Class—monitor—" deliberately emphasizing each word.

And then he sneezed again.

"Hey, when did you get back last night? Why are you sick now? Shouldn't you go to the infirmary and get some medicine?" Lu Shuxing yawned, having just overheard Shen Yu's sneezing.

"Your desk mate is sick too? Did you both catch the same cold?" Qi Rong asked, walking in behind Huo Rui, who had a tissue stuck to his nose. Hearing Lu Shuxing's question, Huo Rui glanced at Shen Yu.

His gaze then fell on his own desk, sweeping over the nervous Jiang Zhou and the girl standing beside him.

"Oh, come on! I can smell my jianbing from here! Who the hell hid them under a pile of books?" Lu Shuxing shouted, climbing back into his seat through the window.

Jiang Zhou opened his mouth to say something but quickly closed it.

"Can you smell with your eyes?" Qi Rong teased. "Who's the jerk who dug out those old test papers of Huo Rui's? Planning to slip in a love letter or something?"

Jiang Zhou instinctively wanted to retort but stayed quiet.

Huo Rui's gaze settled on Jiang Zhou, uncertain. "Class monitor?" he asked. They hadn't been in this class for long, so he didn't recognize everyone yet.

Jiang Zhou lifted his chin defiantly. "What? Yeah, I went through your desk! I was looking for the math homework. What's so precious that it can't be touched?"

Huo Rui let out a soft laugh, though his expression darkened.

Shen Yu quietly moved two steps towards the door, peering out to see if any teachers were around. Only a few students were trickling in for morning study; no teachers had arrived yet.

In the next moment, Jiang Zhou found his face pressed against Shen Yu's desk, courtesy of Huo Rui's firm grip on the back of his head. His face ended up uncomfortably close to Shen Yu's vegetable-filled buns, practically touching the food through the bag.

"Did you do it on purpose?" Huo Rui asked softly, his tone calm and unreadable.

Lu Shuxing and Qi Rong exchanged glances and quickly blocked the scene from view.

Huo Rui's strength left Jiang Zhou helpless, unable to move. The strong smell of the vegetable buns filled his nostrils. Even though there was a plastic bag between them, he couldn't shake the feeling that the buns were sticking to his face.

"Let me go, Huo Rui! I'm warning you—if you don't let me go, I'll report this to the teacher!"

"Seriously, dude? Who still tattles to the teacher in this day and age?" Lu Shuxing teased, taking a bite of his jianbing.

The other students, sensing the tension, quickly turned back to their own work, pretending they hadn't seen anything.

The girl who had been standing next to Jiang Zhou was pulled aside by Qi Rong. "Yan Gou isn't up yet. He said he'd buy you breakfast when he gets here. Why don't you head back to your seat for now?"

The girl, Bai Hui, was the class president. She glanced worriedly in Huo Rui's direction but eventually nodded.

"What are you going to tell the teacher?" Huo Rui kicked a chair toward Jiang Zhou's legs, hitting him squarely in the knees. Jiang Zhou yelped in pain.

"Are you going to say Huo Rui hit you? Or—Huo Rui just hit you out of nowhere?"

Jiang Zhou had never experienced pain like this before. Back in his first year of high school, he had always been the top student in his class, even though he ranked just outside the top ten in the grade. It was still something he took pride in. But when he found out he'd be in the same class as Huo Rui and his group in the second year, it crushed him. He always thought highly of himself, coming from a modest background and relying on his academic performance to stand out. But in the second-year entrance exams, Huo Rui had beaten him—not just by a little, but by a significant margin. Seeing Huo Rui's name above his on the leaderboard was one thing, but now feeling this physical superiority only intensified the jealousy he'd been harboring, especially after being called out by Shen Yu, a mere transfer student, the previous day.

"I'm sorry! Huo Rui, I'm sorry!" Jiang Zhou's tears started to fall from the pain.

Huo Rui didn't seem fazed by the apology. His expression remained indifferent as he released his grip. "The buns are ruined," he said flatly.

"I'll buy more! However many you want, I'll buy them!"

"Nah," Lu Shuxing interjected with a roll of his eyes. "Next thing we know, you'll say we bullied you. Some backbone you've got, crying over this."

At the door, Shen Yu sneezed again.

"The buns don't matter," Huo Rui said, "but those papers—put them back exactly how you found them."

Jiang Zhou wanted to refuse, but he could barely stand after being hit in the knees. The words of protest died in his throat.

A moment later, Huo Rui picked up the crushed buns, tossed them into the trash, and walked out without looking back.

Footnote:

年狗 (nián gǒu) and 盐狗 (yán gǒu) are not names of people. They are slang terms used in gaming contexts.

年狗 (nián gǒu, Year Dog) generally refers to a player who is inexperienced or performs poorly, often translated as “newbie” or “noob.”*

盐狗 (yán gǒu, Salt Dog) denotes a player who exhibits a salty attitude, often becoming upset or frustrated after losses. This term can also be translated as “salty player.”*

Nian Gao and Yan Gao are the same person. In Chapter 5, it is mentioned that Bai Hui, the class president, is Nian Gao’s girlfriend. However, in Chapter 6, Nian Gao is referred to as Yan Gao.

As soon as Huo Rui left, the classroom erupted in chatter.

"Is Jiang Zhou out of his mind?"

"Huo Rui is way too aggressive... We're still classmates, after all."

"But it was Jiang Zhou's fault, to be fair. Huo Rui's always had a temper."

"Keep your voice down. If Jiang Zhou hears, who knows what he'll do next..."

The bell signaling the start of morning reading rang, gradually drowning out the idle gossip.

Jiang Zhou, visibly shaken, hurried back to Huo Rui's desk. Without looking up, he shoved all the papers haphazardly into the desk compartment and then slunk back to his own seat without so much as a glance at the books on Shen Yu's desk.

The homeroom teacher, Zhang Jianqing, oversaw morning reading. As soon as Shen Yu spotted his figure at the stairwell, he quickly slipped back into the classroom.

Meanwhile, Lu Shuxing and Qi Rong were still lounging together, munching on their breakfast and chatting. "Jiang Zhou really thinks too highly of himself, doesn't he?"

"Forget Jiang Zhou! This jianbing from the school cafeteria is getting worse by the day. Look at this—barely any sauce! It's such a lazy effort!" Lu Shuxing wasn't paying attention to Qi Rong's complaints, frustrating him to no end.

Shen Yu gave them a heads-up, "The homeroom teacher's here."

But his warning went largely ignored as Lu Shuxing flashed an "OK" sign and continued whispering with Qi Rong, neither concerned about Huo Rui's earlier altercation.

Zhang Jianqing entered the classroom right on time, trailed by a few latecomers. "Late again? Didn't you hear the bell? Can't get out of bed in the morning, huh? Do you need the whole morning to sleep?"

The boys behind him shook their heads fervently.

With a stern expression, Zhang Jianqing gestured for them to return to their seats, his eyes scanning the room. "I could hear your ruckus all the way downstairs! The other classes are already deep into their morning reading, but you lot are just making noise! And during the placement exam, you guys ranked dead last in English! Still got the nerve to be chatting?"

"Let's see how well you do on next week's monthly exam!"

He rubbed his nearly bald head.

"Teacher, can we not bring that up?" someone muttered.

"Are we going to be tested on first-year or second-year material?" another asked.

"Don't ask me that! You should know what you've been studying!" Zhang Jianqing snapped, banging the podium for emphasis before his gaze settled on Shen Yu, who was seated in the back row.

Shen Yu sat upright, his uniform neatly worn, eyes focused on his book. Pleased, Zhang Jianqing nodded in approval. "Even transfer students can't slack off! These exams are meant to assess your academic progress! Your scores will be sent directly to your parents!"

His eyes drifted to Shen Yu's desk mate, but of course, Huo Rui was nowhere to be found. Zhang Jianqing moved on, rubbing his head again. "Alright, read louder! Your English teacher says there's a pop quiz during the first period."

The class groaned in unison.

"What are you groaning about? It's just English! A few words, that's all. Get on with it and make sure I can hear you over the next class! Wake up!" His voice cracked from shouting too much.

As he cleared his throat, Huo Rui casually slipped in through the back door. Zhang Jianqing closed his eyes, pretending not to see him, and left the classroom. As soon as he did, a figure from the second row darted out—Jiang Zhou, following after the teacher.

Seeing this, the class buzzed with whispers again.

Huo Rui entered the classroom, bringing in the cold morning air, and casually tossed a loaf of bread onto Shen Yu's desk.

Shen Yu recognized the bread from the school convenience store the day before.

He looked up at Huo Rui, whose hair was disheveled, his face cold, and the tip of his nose slightly red from the chilly air. Noticing Shen Yu's gaze, Huo Rui pulled out a chair, sat down, and leaned back, closing his eyes to rest.

"It's to make up for the buns," Huo Rui said in a low, indifferent voice.

Shen Yu smirked slightly, chuckling, "Thanks, but I'll take it as you buying it just for me."

Huo Rui shot him a glance but said nothing. He simply opened the bag and stuffed one of Shen Yu's two buns into his mouth. The buns were cold, filled with sweet red bean paste, and Huo Rui squinted slightly as he ate.

No one knew that Huo Rui had a sweet tooth—no one but himself.

Shen Yu watched him for a moment before suddenly reaching out and grabbing Huo Rui's right wrist, his expression serious. "The buns are cold, and you're already sick, aren't you?"

Shen Yu's eyes were slightly reddened from sneezing earlier, and his nose was even redder than Huo Rui's. His voice was nasally, and his hand, when it touched Huo Rui's wrist, felt cool.

He shoved the bread into Huo Rui's arms. "The buns are too cold. You shouldn't eat them. Split the bread with me instead."

Huo Rui turned his head slightly, licking his upper teeth, the taste of the red bean still lingering in his mouth. He glanced down at Shen Yu's hand, which was gripping his wrist—pale and defined by slender bones.

He pulled his hand free from Shen Yu's grip.

But Shen Yu kept staring at him.

Growing irritated under the gaze, Huo Rui tossed the bun back onto the desk, broke the loaf of bread in half, and threw one half back onto Shen Yu's desk. Clearly, if he didn't do something, Shen Yu would keep staring.

Only then did Shen Yu finally look away, seemingly satisfied. "Huo Rui," he murmured.

Huo Rui clicked his tongue in annoyance but didn't meet his gaze, finishing the bread in just a few bites.

Shen Yu didn't say anything else, just chuckled quietly to himself as he focused on his half of the bread. After waking up early and with the cold still lingering, his energy was nearly spent. Even the bland bread tasted good now.

But the real reason for his contentment was that this was the first thing Huo Rui had given him since he had returned to this life.

Shen Yu lowered his eyes.

In his previous life, Huo Rui had bought him many things. But Huo Rui, in his stubbornness, never wanted anyone to know, especially Shen Yu. On every special occasion, he would send gifts anonymously. Shen Yu had always thought some creepy stranger was sending them and never dared to open anything without a name on it. It wasn't until he was lying on his deathbed that Huo Rui finally confessed the truth. If it hadn't been for that car accident, would Huo Rui have hidden his feelings forever?

"Shen Yu, if you wake up, you must remember to open those gifts."

"If you don't remember, that's okay."

"If you don't care, that's okay too. But you must wake up."

Shen Yu felt a slight sting in his nose, a bittersweet ache welling up inside him.

Halfway through the morning reading session, Zhang Jianqing returned with a dark expression. He entered the classroom through the back door and tapped Huo Rui on the shoulder, who was leaning on his desk, resting with his eyes closed.

Groggy, Huo Rui stood up, glanced lazily at Zhang Jianqing, and let out a low chuckle before following him out of the classroom.

Neither Huo Rui nor Jiang Zhou returned by the end of the session.

When the class ended, the classroom became noisy again. On the school forum, a thread titled "#Huo Rui beat someone up for his desk mate#" was rapidly gaining attention.

"Misleading title. I clicked in expecting some juicy gossip, but it turns out it was just someone provoking him?"

"Is this clickbait? Seriously, hasn't Huo Rui hit enough people already?"

"Daily question: Did Huo Rui fight with his desk mate today?"

"But do you guys know why Huo Rui lets that person be his desk mate? Did they know each other before?"

"To the person above: I was in the same class as Huo Rui in our first year. He didn't have a desk mate at the start, and no one dared to bring it up either. He had a reputation since middle school for being a tough guy. Nobody dared sit next to him!"

"Now I kinda regret not trying. Huo Rui seems to get along really well with his desk mate."

"Stop dreaming. That guy's like a bootlicker. He was buying breakfast for Huo Rui's lackeys this morning. It's only the second day, and he's already sucking up. I guess the 'god' likes people like that—everyone just fawns over him!"

"Did you forget the forum requires real names?"

"Oh, I see it now. Turns out it's one of Huo Rui's classmates."

"Who's this person?" Lu Shuxing clicked on the profile and scrolled through. "Zhang Wenli? Is he in our class?"

Qi Rong leaned over and glanced in the direction of the seat behind Jiang Zhou. "He's probably one of Jiang Zhou's roommates."

"Keyboard warrior, huh? Bold online but didn't dare step up when it mattered."

Qi Rong slapped him on the back of the head. "Stop using idioms incorrectly."

Lu Shuxing chuckled, deleted the post, and muttered to himself. As a forum admin, deleting things like this was a small joy that most people wouldn't understand.

"Hey, desk mate! I transferred the breakfast money to your WeChat." Lu Shuxing waved his phone at Shen Yu, who was sitting in the back.

They had gone out of their way to smooth things over with Shen Yu. After all, it wasn't every day Huo Rui had a desk mate, and they didn't want his rough attitude scaring Shen Yu away. Not everyone could handle Huo Rui, as Lu Shuxing, Qi Rong, and Nian Gou had learned.

Shen Yu, with his head resting on his arms, was feeling increasingly drowsy. His nose was stuffy, and his head felt heavier than it had in the morning. Hearing Lu Shuxing call out, he lifted his head, sniffled, and murmured a vague acknowledgment.

In truth, he hadn't really caught what Lu Shuxing was saying.

Seeing that Shen Yu responded, Lu Shuxing settled back into his seat, resuming his mobile game with Qi Rong.

Shen Yu rested his head back down, feeling miserable from the cold.

A short while later, the English teacher entered the classroom, her high heels clicking rhythmically against the floor. Jiang Zhou followed behind her, eyes red and looking pitiful.

"What's Jiang Zhou trying to prove with that look...?"

"Who knows? He had no reason to flip someone else's desk. If it were anyone else, would they just have to swallow their pride?"

"How can he even think about reporting it?"

"Huo Rui still hasn't come back. He can't really be getting scolded, can he?"

"That seems unlikely. The bald guy probably wouldn't dare to reprimand him."

"..."

The English teacher, Ms. Li, adjusted her big waves of hair and glanced back at Jiang Zhou, signaling for him to return to his seat. She tapped her lesson plan on the podium and said, "Alright, class monitor, come up here to collect the quiz papers. We'll have a short in-class quiz, and anyone who fails will have to come to my office after lunch to retake it!"

A chorus of groans erupted in the classroom.

Ms. Li was a very competent teacher and was not as lenient as Zhang Jianqing. Hearing the complaints, she remained cold and unsympathetic. "If I hear one more complaint, anyone who doesn't get a perfect score will have to copy all the vocabulary from Unit Two!"

The classroom fell silent immediately.

She scanned the room. "No sleeping in my class!"

She walked directly to Shen Yu's desk and tapped on it. "Stay awake during class."

Her tone was initially gentle, especially towards the new student.

Shen Yu looked up, his face turning an unnatural shade of red.

Ms. Li paused for a moment, and gradually, whispers began to circulate among the students. She glanced at the front row and continued, "Class monitor, sit at the podium. No cheating! I know exactly how many of you can handle this. If I catch anyone cheating, it won't just be copying vocabulary!"

After shouting at them, she tapped Shen Yu's desk again. "Get up, and come with me to the office."