Chapter Sixty-Four: Doubt

In the face of the school’s reputation and the principal’s career, Song Yanni’s protests seemed utterly powerless. She knew very well that since the school had already issued the order to dissolve Class Twenty-One, she had no way to stop it. Watching the ripe fruits she had so carefully cultivated being snatched away by the school, Song Yanni could only swallow her bitterness in silence.

As she walked toward Class Twenty-One, Song Yanni felt lost, as if she had just won the lottery only to discover it was all a dream—a crushing rise and fall. The excitement and ambition she once felt were scattered in an instant, leaving her with nothing but the melancholy and helplessness of waking from a beautiful dream.

“In the end, I’m just not that lucky,” she muttered to herself, shaking her head, trying to comfort herself. “What’s meant to be will be; what’s not meant for me, I shouldn’t force.”

Stepping into Class Twenty-One, Song Yanni found every eye on her, the students desperate to learn how the school planned to handle the angry parents.

Song Yanni stood at the lectern and sighed softly. “From tomorrow on, you’ll all return to your original classes. Today is the last day of Class Twenty-One. I hope the time you’ve spent here will become a happy memory for each of you.”

This single sentence set the classroom abuzz.

To the students of Class Twenty-One, Song Yanni was someone they deeply admired. Apart from her high regard for Zhang Wenhao, she treated every other student with kindness, never judging them, always patient and tolerant—privileges these students had never enjoyed before.

Like Zhang Wenhao, they had all suffered in their previous classes, enduring the contempt of their homeroom teachers, who saw them as troublemakers. School life had been stifling, but here in Class Twenty-One, they had found themselves and received respect. Yet, just as things began to look up, everything was about to be undone.

Li Nan grumbled, “Damn it, tomorrow I’ll have to face that bastard Ma Qianyong again. This sucks!”

Zhang Wenhao had already foreseen that things would end this way. The school would never jeopardize its reputation for the sake of a class for underachievers. If they kept the class, the parents of those students would never let it go. Dissolving the class was the only way for the school to solve the problem, and the results would be immediate.

He himself didn’t want to go back to face Ma Qianyong. The thought of all the things Ma had done made him sick. Having to see him every day would be unbearable. Of course, he was no longer the struggling student he once was—perhaps Ma’s attitude toward him would improve, but that didn’t change his dislike.

The students spoke in unison, “We don’t want to go back to our old classes. We want to stay here in Class Twenty-One.”

Despite her sadness, Song Yanni felt a trace of comfort. Forcing a smile, she said, “It’s not up to me, and it’s not up to you. Think about your parents—they came to the school precisely because they didn’t want you to be treated differently. The school doesn’t want this to escalate, either. So even if you don’t want to go back, Class Twenty-One can’t continue.”

The students fell silent. Song Yanni was right—they couldn’t go against their parents’ will, nor did they have the power to challenge both the school and their families.

Song Yanni smiled gently. “In your time here, many of you have started working harder at your studies. I hope that when you return to your original classes, you’ll keep that attitude. Don’t worry about what others say, or what labels they put on you. Just do your best, so that when you look back, you’ll have no regrets.”

The atmosphere in Class Twenty-One remained heavy all day. Shortly before school ended, Zhang Wenhao received a text from Su Ruoran: “Do you want to eat together in the cafeteria?”

He replied immediately, “Sure. Wait for me in your classroom after school.”

When the last class ended, Zhang Wenhao went to the door of Class Three. As soon as Su Ruoran saw him, she hurried out. Facing him, she suddenly didn’t know what to say, feeling both nervous and shy. She recalled how, just two nights ago, they had fallen asleep together in the hospital, an intimacy that had long since surpassed the boundaries of mere classmates or friends. But what, then, was her relationship with Zhang Wenhao now?

Seeing her silent, Zhang Wenhao asked, “What’s wrong? Are you feeling down?”

“No,” Su Ruoran quickly replied, lifting her head with a smile. “How’s your arm? Is it better?”

“Much better,” Zhang Wenhao answered. “It doesn’t hurt at all now.”

“Remember to take your medicine on time, and don’t forget the ointment,” she reminded him.

Zhang Wenhao nodded and grinned. “Let’s eat before the cafeteria gets crowded.”

The two walked side by side, close together, chatting and laughing intimately. Su Ruoran couldn’t help but show a maiden’s shy delight, which startled the classmates who saw them together. The way Su Ruoran acted—so gentle and affectionate—left no doubt in anyone’s mind.

But neither Zhang Wenhao nor Su Ruoran paid any attention to the surprised glances. Once inside, Zhang Wenhao chose a quieter corner and said, “Wait here for me. What do you want to eat? I’ll get it for you.”

Su Ruoran thought for a moment, then smiled. “You said I had poor taste last time, so I won’t choose. Just buy more of whatever you want to eat, and bring me a small bowl of rice.”

“A small bowl?” Zhang Wenhao was surprised. “Is that enough?”

Su Ruoran laughed. “Girls want to stay in shape. Besides, it’s not good to eat too much at dinner.”

“I can’t do that,” Zhang Wenhao replied. “My appetite’s doubled lately.” Then he said, “Wait here, I’ll go get the food.”

The cafeteria food was nothing special. Zhang Wenhao picked two meat dishes and one vegetable, plus half a jin of rice. The two of them shared the same tray, making their relationship seem even closer in others’ eyes.

Their affectionate conversation while eating made it all but certain to onlookers—they must be in love.

The gossip around them didn’t bother the pair. As they ate, Zhang Wenhao asked, “By the way, does your mother not live in Jiangcheng?”

Su Ruoran nodded. “Both my parents are in Yanjing. I live in Jiangcheng by myself.”

“So she’s gone back now?”

“Not yet,” Su Ruoran smiled. “She said she’d stay with me a few more days—maybe leave this weekend.”

Zhang Wenhao was curious about her family situation but didn’t want to pry. Just then, Su Ruoran looked up at him and smiled. “You’ll be back in Class Three tomorrow, right?”

He nodded. “Class Twenty-One is gone. We’re all going back where we came from.”

“That’s nice,” she smiled, a hint of excitement on her face. “Now, I can see you just by turning around, instead of having to climb a floor.”

Zhang Wenhao felt a warmth in his heart. “That means I’m even luckier—I won’t even have to turn around to see the back of your head.”

Su Ruoran laughed and teased, “What’s so nice about the back of my head?” She made a show of disdain, but inside, her heart melted like sugar.

Then, cheeks flushed, Su Ruoran said softly, “When you come back, don’t clash with Mr. Ma anymore. Your grades are so good now—he’s probably been hoping for your return. I’m sure he won’t make things difficult for you.”

Hearing this, Zhang Wenhao frowned and asked, “Ruoran, when something happens because of a person, isn’t the one who stands to benefit most the prime suspect?”

Su Ruoran was stunned for a moment. “You’re not suggesting Mr. Ma was behind the trouble with the parents, are you?”

Zhang Wenhao nodded seriously. “I’m beginning to suspect just that.”

“That seems unlikely,” Su Ruoran replied. “He’s always looked down on underachievers. He was the one who suggested separating us into a different class. Why would he reverse himself and undermine his own plan?”

“That depends on what he stands to gain,” Zhang Wenhao said. “Think about it. Originally, he wanted us out of Class Three because our poor grades were a threat to his interests. But after the last mock exam, I scored higher than you and took first place in the entire grade. That made me a real threat to him.”

He continued, “He’s always pinned his hopes on you, wanting you to be the top scorer in the college entrance exam. If I get in the way, he loses everything. The homeroom teacher of the top scorer gets a bonus—tens of thousands, maybe a hundred thousand yuan. Plus, there are raises, promotions, and career benefits. With so much at stake, do you think a man as shrewd and calculating as him would just watch me ruin his plans?”

Su Ruoran was amazed. “So you believe Mr. Ma orchestrated all this? When you put it that way, it does make sense.”

Zhang Wenhao nodded. “He knew he couldn’t get me back the normal way—we had a falling out, and I left on my own. So he came up with this underhanded plan: incite the parents to protest, force the school to dissolve the class, and leave me no choice but to return.”

“So what will you do?” Su Ruoran asked. “Will you refuse to go back?”

Zhang Wenhao neither confirmed nor denied. “It’s just a suspicion for now. I’ll try to find proof. If I can confirm Ma Qianyong was behind it all, I’d rather stay home and study for the exams on my own than ever return to his class.”