Chapter Seventy-One: Sensational Warnings

While Class Twenty-One was still celebrating their victory, Su Ruoran, sitting in the classroom of Class Three, heard the waves of cheers erupting from next door. The students chanted Zhang Wenhao's name in unison, their voices strong and brimming with excitement that could not be masked. Anyone could tell how elated they were, and Su Ruoran understood better than anyone: Zhang Wenhao had successfully defended the honor of Class Twenty-One.

Unconsciously, she turned to glance at the spot where Zhang Wenhao used to sit in Class Three. The desk and chair remained, but the boy who once stirred her heart was gone. Su Ruoran couldn’t help but laugh at herself. After all, for the next two and a half months, they would only be separated by a single floor. There was still a long road ahead for them, perhaps longer than anything she had ever experienced.

Lost in memories of Zhang Wenhao, Su Ruoran found herself distracted in class for the first time, not hearing a word the teacher said at the podium.

The last class of the morning slipped by unnoticed in her reverie. When the bell rang, she tidied her desk and walked out, waiting for Zhang Wenhao at the staircase.

At that moment, Zhang Wenhao had no desire to be the center of attention, but dozens of classmates surrounded him. Even after an entire class period, the excitement in Class Twenty-One hadn’t waned. Their jubilant procession down the stairs piqued the curiosity of the other students—had Class Twenty-One graduated early? What could possibly make them so exhilarated just before the college entrance exams?

Reaching the landing, Zhang Wenhao spotted Su Ruoran waiting at the stairwell. He quickly slipped out of the crowd, rushed to her, grabbed her hand, and ran outside, saying, “Let’s go, these people are driving me crazy.”

Su Ruoran hadn’t expected Zhang Wenhao to take her hand so openly. The moment he did, she felt as if she lost herself, following him at a run out of the building.

They walked side by side, pushing their bicycles. Although Zhang Wenhao had let go of her hand, Su Ruoran’s cheeks were still flushed. Head lowered, she asked, “So the school agreed not to dissolve Class Twenty-One?”

“Of course,” Zhang Wenhao replied with a smile. “Someone helped me find evidence that Ma Qianyong was the mastermind. Now he’s the enemy of all the teachers and leaders in the school. They have no time to bother with us anymore.”

Su Ruoran smiled faintly. “I never would have thought Teacher Ma was that kind of person. Your intuition was spot on. There were so many possibilities, but you were certain he was behind it.”

Zhang Wenhao laughed self-deprecatingly. “Sometimes you only see people’s true faces when you have nothing left,” he said. By now, they’d reached the school gate. Zhang Wenhao asked, “Is your driver picking you up again today?”

Su Ruoran looked at him in surprise. “How did you know?”

He grinned. “I used to notice you from afar. Your driver always parks far away. The car is strange—no markings, but it looks very well made. Must be expensive, right?”

“You don’t know the make, but Li Chunyang and his friends recognized it. That’s why they tried to kidnap me that day.” She smiled, glancing at Zhang Wenhao. “From now on, I’ll just take the bus home every day. That way, I won’t bring trouble to myself or anyone else.”

“Take the bus?” Zhang Wenhao asked in surprise. “Is that convenient?”

Su Ruoran laughed. “It’s fine. There’s no bus from the school gate to my house, but if I walk about ten minutes to the east intersection, I can catch one.”

Zhang Wenhao smiled, swung his leg over his bike, and said, “I’ll be your driver for that stretch. Let’s set a time—I’ll wait for you at the bus stop before school, and after school I’ll give you a ride there.”

Su Ruoran glanced at him, saw he was serious, and felt a sweet warmth in her heart. She smiled, “So generous? Then I won’t stand on ceremony.”

“Hop on,” Zhang Wenhao waved, teasing, “My mom and dad never stand on ceremony with me.”

“That’s your mom and dad,” Su Ruoran replied instinctively, then realized the implication and blushed deeply. Not daring to let Zhang Wenhao see her expression, she sat sideways on the back seat, patted his shoulder lightly, and chided, “Don’t take advantage of me in the future.”

Song Yanni was not a native of River City, nor did she have any friends or acquaintances there. She had chosen to become an intern teacher in River City primarily to leave home, free herself from her family’s influence, and test her own abilities. While her classmates scrambled for internships in top-tier cities, she chose River City—a provincial capital that ranked only in the middle.

Upon arriving with dreams of making her mark as a teacher, Song Yanni quickly realized that the system was far more complex than she had imagined. She had watched too many idol dramas about passionate teachers, hoping to be an extraordinary one herself. But for over a month, she couldn’t even use her own lesson plans without approval from the official staff, and any deviation from the script meant fewer classes for her.

Fortunately, the school leadership assigned her as the homeroom teacher of the underperforming class. They thought they were saddling her with a burden no one else wanted, but unexpectedly, this trouble turned into a golden opportunity.

After the events of today, Song Yanni could finally relax, no longer worried that someone would steal the fruits of her labor.

With no friends in River City, Song Yanni planned to treat herself to lunch downtown, stroll around during her break, and buy some clothes as a reward. Just as she stepped out of the school gate, another intern teacher from the senior year called out to her.

She turned to see a young man not much older than herself, named Chen Yangpeng, also a senior-year intern teacher—he taught math, while she taught English.

Chen Yangpeng was a local, and though they’d not known each other before, he had started pursuing her soon after she arrived. He was unusually forward and thick-skinned; subtle rejections didn’t dampen his enthusiasm.

Though Song Yanni found him tiresome, she couldn’t refuse someone who greeted her with a smile. “Mr. Chen, what is it?” she asked politely.

He approached, smiling, “Ms. Song, I haven’t had the chance to congratulate you yet today.”

“Thank you,” she replied.

“Don’t be so formal! Everyone envies you. With the college entrance exams just around the corner and the dust finally settled for Class Twenty-One, you really ought to treat us all to a meal!”

Song Yanni smiled faintly. “It’s been busy lately. After the exams, I’ll definitely treat everyone.”

Chen Yangpeng glanced at his watch deliberately and said, “I heard you’re not from River City. Such a big occasion, and no one to celebrate with you—it’s too lonely. Why not today? Let me treat you to a meal to celebrate your victory in defending Class Twenty-One.”

Song Yanni had no interest in having lunch with him and quickly apologized, “Sorry, I already have plans. Next time, my treat.”

Undeterred by her refusal, Chen Yangpeng laughed, “Ms. Song, Class Twenty-One may be safe, but you might not know the school pulled a little trick today.” He lowered his voice, feigning mystery. “My cousin told me about a private meeting the school leaders held today. I think you’ll be interested in what was discussed.”

“What happened?” Song Yanni frowned. “Are the school leaders up to something again?”

He knew she couldn’t possibly know the meeting’s contents, so he smiled cryptically. “The school agreed to keep Class Twenty-One, but not necessarily for your sake. Who doesn’t know now that Class Twenty-One is the hottest ticket? Anyone with the right connections might take it from you.”

His words made Song Yanni angry. The school could easily replace her as homeroom teacher. She snapped, “They’re too much. They forced me to take over Class Twenty-One when no one else would, and now that things are looking up, they think I got lucky?”

Chen Yangpeng nodded, “If Zhang Wenhao becomes the top scorer in the province, the school’s bonus for you alone is a hundred thousand. That doesn’t include the education bureau’s rewards and all the other benefits. Who wouldn’t be tempted?”

But for Song Yanni, it wasn’t about the money—she didn’t care if the bonus was a hundred thousand or a million. What mattered was the honor. Among nearly a thousand classmates interning across the country, many came from powerful families. If she hadn’t chosen River City, she could have gotten into the best schools in the capital, but only as an intern and never as a homeroom teacher. She had never heard of an intern holding such a position, let alone one who might produce a top scorer.

She had come here alone to prove herself, and now, finally, she had the chance to achieve something that would astonish everyone. Did these damned school bureaucrats really want to take that away from her?

“What was the final decision?” she asked.

Seeing her so invested, Chen Yangpeng was secretly pleased but intentionally withheld the answer. “It’s a long story. How about I treat you to lunch and explain everything in detail?”

“Fine,” Song Yanni blurted out, “but this meal is on me!”

Chen Yangpeng inwardly congratulated himself; his alarmist hints had worked. He grinned, “Alright, your treat this time.”

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