Zhou Siyue had been thinking for the past few days what had triggered this girl. After much thought, it seemed to be since that afternoon they did duty together. He stated quite sincerely, "Alright, it was my fault for giving you the cold shoulder these past few days. I apologize. At most, I'll do the duty by myself from now on, okay?"

"Also, even though I'm saying this, I still don't think I did anything wrong. You said you were afraid of what people would say, but you're close to Liu Xiaofeng, aren't you afraid of people talking about you with him? That point doesn't hold up." He pursed his lips, which regained their color, then with both hands in his pockets, he said, "However, since I'm the one who asked to be deskmates with you, it's only right that I accommodate you. I can occasionally allow you to throw a tantrum, but enough is enough. Look, Kong Shadi doesn't throw tantrums with Song Ziqi every day. Don't go too far."

Ding Xian: "Why should I have to be like Kong Shadi?"

Zhou Siyue glanced at her sideways, a warning in his tone: "You're going too far."

Girls back then were most afraid of being compared. 'Look at so-and-so, why aren't you like that?' Once words like that were spoken, it usually led to a major battle.

"Is Kong Shadi pretty?"

Ding Xian asked an irrelevant question.

Zhou Siyue was stunned by the question. "What?"

"Is Kong Shadi prettier, or You Keke?"

Zhou Siyue: "Who is You Keke?"

"...Didn't you read the love letter?"

Zhou Siyue instantly bristled: "You still have the nerve to bring that up?"

Ding Xian: "That was an accident!"

Zhou Siyue raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"

The situation was once again in his hands. When chatting with him, he always held the initiative.

Ding Xian explained the whole story to him again.

Zhou Siyue tapped her forehead, warning her, "Next time you put such random junk under my desk, I'll tell the class teacher about you skipping class last time."

"It was only half a class. Do you really need to remember it for so long?"

'And did I even want to put it there?'

Zhou Siyue stopped bothering with her and called Jiang Chen. From the second floor, a bald head poked out, startling Ding Xian. "Doesn't he cherish his hairstyle the most? Why did he shave his head bald?"

"Old Jiang shaved it for him. Said his previous hair was an eyesore, so he dragged him to Master Zhang at the intersection and had it shaved. See that?" Zhou Siyue tilted his head up slightly with his chin. "All the windows on the second floor are sealed shut."

"What happened?"

"Old Jiang was afraid he'd jump out the window."

"..."

Jiang Chen ran down from upstairs and handed a small robot in his hand to Zhou Siyue, then looked at Ding Xian suspiciously. "How are you two together?"

Zhou Siyue took it, looking down at the little gadget in his hand without raising his head. "None of your business. You didn't break it, did you?"

Jiang Chen: "How would I dare? I haven't touched it since the competition."

After saying that, seeing Ding Xian staring at him, he glared back fiercely: "What are you looking at?"

Ding Xian couldn't help but say, "He looks like a gourd..."

After she said that, even Zhou Siyue, who was looking down and inspecting the robot, couldn't help but glance up. "You know what, that description is quite fitting."

The two burst into laughter, bending over. Jiang Chen's face darkened, he took a breath, and playfully scolded, "You stinky brat, still holding a grudge."

The initial prejudices and biases seemed to have been blown away by the wind.

The two walked back.

Ding Xian looked at the exquisitely crafted small robot in Zhou Siyue's hand. "When did you go to participate in the competition?"

Zhou Siyue didn't quite understand, raising the robot in his hand. "This?"

"Mm."

Zhou Siyue smiled: "Last weekend, I think."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"What's there to say? You wouldn't understand anyway."

Ding Xian: "I could have gone to cheer you on."

Zhou Siyue snorted with a laugh, teasing her, "Now you're not afraid of what people will say?"

"..."

"These are all things kids play with. I don't really play with them anymore."

Back at the entrance of the Zhou Family home, Zhou Siyue suddenly said to her, "Which four test papers haven't you done?"

"Huh?"

Seeing her bewildered, Zhou Siyue impatiently urged, "Which four?"

Ding Xian quickly reported: "Two math, two English."

Soon, Zhou Siyue returned carrying the four test papers. One hand was in his pocket, and with the other, he shoved the papers into her arms. "Don't copy all the math, it's not your level."

"..."

"Let's go, I'll walk you home."

The young man started walking first, his broad back in front of her. The streetlights enveloped him, making him look dashing and clear-cut.

Ding Xian held the still warm test papers, staying rooted for two seconds. Her heart felt as if it had been filled with a bucket of honey. 'Who cares!' she suddenly grinned, then took quick steps to chase after him, light as a swallow, like a happy little sparrow.

In the quiet alley, the girl's sweet voice drifted, "Zhou Siyue, why don't you just help me write those three essays tonight?"

"Why don't I just eat your dinner for you too?"

Zhou Siyue said lazily.

...

The first week back from National Day, Liu Jiang rearranged the seats. Holding a piece of paper, he announced the latest seating chart from the podium.

All the students of Class Three uniformly crowded to the back of the classroom.

Before the announcement, Liu Jiang gave a preliminary warning.

"Because I don't know you well enough yet, these seats are arranged according to your initial exam scores. We'll change seats once every semester, and next time it won't be based on scores. I will arrange the most suitable deskmates for each of you based on your individual performance. Now, students whose names are called, please take your assigned seats."

The students held their breath in anticipation.

Ding Xian nervously glanced at Zhou Siyue.

The latter looked at her with an indifferent expression.

"First group, first desk: Yang Chunzi, He Xingwen."

The ranking order could be seen sequentially. Everyone was a bit surprised that He Xingwen, the top student, actually didn't score higher than Yang Chunzi.

"First group, second desk: Chen Wang, Jiang Shan."

"..."

"First group, sixth desk: Zhou Siyue, Ding Xian."

"..."

"Second group, sixth desk: Song Ziqi, Deng Wanwan."

Instantly, Ding Xian and Kong Shadi's faces darkened simultaneously.