He doesn’t like to talk.
I can speak enough for both of us.

— Su Zai Zai Fairy’s Diary

Su Zai Zai instinctively clenched her fists, then relaxed them.

She slowly walked over to stand beside Zhang Lu Rang.

As soon as she was in place, Class 9’s homeroom teacher, Teacher Wang, got straight to the point.

“You two seem to be getting quite close lately.”

Su Zai Zai was still thinking about how to respond when Zhang Lu Rang answered directly.

“Mm.”

“…” What a pig teammate.

Hearing this, Class 1’s homeroom teacher, Teacher Chen, frowned. “You’re both so young. The class reassignment exams are in two months. Every minute and second of high school is crucial—don’t waste your energy on this kind of thing.”

Su Zai Zai licked her lips and explained, “Teacher, it’s not what you think.”

Zhang Lu Rang seemed a bit dazed.

After a while, as if realizing something, his gaze became unnatural, and the tips of his ears turned red.

Teacher Wang clearly didn’t believe her. “Regardless of what it is, you two should keep your distance. It doesn’t look good in school.”

Su Zai Zai blinked and earnestly repeated, “But it really isn’t.”

Teacher Chen sighed and softened his tone. “Zai Zai, you have an English recitation competition coming up, and Zhang Lu Rang has a physics knowledge competition. You’re both old enough to understand what’s more important.”

Zhang Lu Rang suddenly spoke. “I don’t need to prepare to take first place.”

Su Zai Zai suddenly found it amusing.

She curved her lips and added, “Me too.”

Teacher Wang: “You two…”

“And besides, we really aren’t involved in anything,” Su Zai Zai decided to explain again. “If boys and girls can’t even be friends, why doesn’t Z High just turn into an all-boys or all-girls school?”

“…”

Su Zai Zai earnestly suggested, “Teacher, if you think my idea is viable, you should report it to the school. Otherwise, please stop fixating on just the two of us.”

“Su Zai Zai!” Teacher Wang was furious and pointed at her. “You can go home tomorrow! Come back when you’ve figured things out!”

At that, Zhang Lu Rang stepped forward, blocking Su Zai Zai behind him.

His eyes were ice-cold, sharp and fierce.

He spoke in a steady, forceful tone, emphasizing each word: “She already said there’s nothing going on.”

Su Zai Zai peeked out from behind him.

“Teacher, I don’t mind going home, but you’ll have to ask my parents first. If they say I should go home, I will.”

Neither of them could be swayed, leaving the teachers with no choice but to let them go for now.

As they left the office, Su Zai Zai lowered her voice and giggled. “Lu Rang, you were so cool just now!”

Zhang Lu Rang: “…”

“You weren’t even a bit delicate like usual.”

“…”

“Alright, go back now. I’ll message you later, don’t be scared.”

“…Mm.”

---

The evening self-study session ended.

After packing up her bag, Su Zai Zai was about to leave with Jiang Jia when a classmate called out to her.

“Su Zai Zai! Someone’s looking for you!”

She instinctively looked toward the front door.

It was that fierce-looking girl…

Zhang Lu Rang’s front-desk deskmate.

Su Zai Zai told Jiang Jia to head back first, then walked over to the girl, puzzled. “You were looking for me?”

After what happened last time, Ye Zhenxin assumed Su Zai Zai was easy to bully.

She approached aggressively and snapped, “The teachers already caught you two, so can you stop bothering him now? Your grades are so bad, how do you even have the nerve?”

Su Zai Zai: “…”

After thinking for a moment, she asked softly, “You were the one who told the teachers?”

Ye Zhenxin’s expression stiffened instantly, but she forced herself to stay firm. “So what if I did? I told the truth, I didn’t make anything up.”

Su Zai Zai chuckled. “Wow, you’re really stupid.”

Ye Zhenxin: “…”

“What do you even gain from telling me? You’re so dumb, it’s unbearable,” Su Zai Zai sighed in exasperation. “Do you like Zhang Lu Rang?”

“…”

“If you like him, why are you coming to his ‘rival in love’ to seek attention?”

Ye Zhenxin’s face turned red. “W-What nonsense are you talking about!”

“Just give up and go to bed. You’re not as pretty as me, your figure isn’t better than mine, your personality isn’t as good as mine, and you’re not as proactive. Maybe your grades are better, but you’re dumb as a rock. Just stop thinking about it.”

“You—”

“By the way, I’ll definitely tell Zhang Lu Rang that you were the one who ratted us out.”

“…”

“But thanks, honestly. Because of you, the guy you secretly like ended up protecting me.”

Su Zai Zai saw her eyes well up with tears instantly.

She softened her tone and said gently, “Go ahead and cry. Once you’re done, turn over a new leaf and be a better person.”

Then she walked away, turning a corner and heading downstairs.

She had already wasted so much time.

She still needed to go back to the dorm and flirt with her beautiful boy.

---

After showering, Su Zai Zai stood by her bed, drying her hair while looking at her phone.

From the top bunk, Jiang Jia peeked out and whispered, “Did you crush a delicate flower today?”

“Wrong phrasing,” Su Zai Zai corrected. “It should be ‘the flower crushed my hand.’”

“…”

She lifted her chin proudly. “I’m the flower.”

A moment later, she sighed and muttered, “I hate making things difficult for other girls, but she was just too annoying.”

“What did she do?” Jiang Jia asked curiously.

Su Zai Zai huffed, “She snitched.”

“You got called to the teacher today because of her?”

“Yep.”

“Damn, what’s wrong with that girl?”

From the next bed over, Xiao Xiao turned her head and asked, “What are you guys talking about?”

The two fell silent. “Nothing.”

The dorm quieted down.

Su Zai Zai opened her chat with Zhang Lu Rang.

Su Zai Zai: Lu Rang.

Since she had given him a heads-up earlier, he replied quickly.

Zhang Lu Rang: Mm.

Su Zai Zai thought for a moment.

Su Zai Zai: The teachers might call our parents. [😭][😭]

Zhang Lu Rang: ……

Su Zai Zai was just about to type “Don’t be scared.”

Before she could send it, another message popped up on the other end:

“Why are you crying?”

Su Zai Zai: “……”

She stared at the two crying emojis she had just sent, remaining silent for a long time.

After hesitating for a while, she slowly typed: “That was just an emoji…”

But in the end, she deleted the message.

With a sigh, Su Zai Zai steeled herself and replied: “Nothing.”

If she clarified, the handsome guy would lose face.

It would make him look stupid.

Su Zai Zai: “Are you afraid of being called in by the teachers?”

Su Zai Zai: “Actually, there’s nothing to be scared of. We’re totally innocent!”

Zhang Lurang: “Mm.”

Su Zai Zai couldn’t tell his emotions from that single-word reply.

After thinking for a moment, she cautiously suggested: “Maybe we should keep our distance at school?”

Su Zai Zai: “As long as the teachers don’t notice, it’s fine.”

Su Zai Zai: “Like having a secret affair.”

Zhang Lurang: “……”

His fingers hovered over the screen for a few moments, but he had no idea how to respond.

A few seconds later—

Su Zai Zai: “Secretly building our relationship…”

Su Zai Zai: “Friendship, of course.”

Zhang Lurang: “……”

Su Zai Zai shamelessly added: “I’m too lazy to explain, but you should understand me.”

Zhang Lurang decided to ignore her: “Study.”

Su Zai Zai: “Let me tell you something, Lurang.”

Zhang Lurang: “Mm.”

Su Zai Zai: “Your front desk seatmate came to find me today. She told me she’s the one who reported us to the teachers.”

Su Zai Zai: “So I’m telling you now.”

Then, Su Zai Zai started rambling nonsense: “You can’t always be too nice.”

Su Zai Zai: “Sometimes, you need to be a little cold to people like that.”

Su Zai Zai: “Of course, I’m different.”

Su Zai Zai: “I’m the one who spoils you, Big Boss Zai. So, of course, you should be good to me.”

Su Zai Zai: “One must have a conscience, you know.”

Zhang Lurang: “……Got it.”

---

The Next Day, After Morning Reading

Ye Zhenxin hesitated for a long time before turning around and asking, “Yesterday…”

Zhang Lurang kept his head down, showing no reaction.

She took a deep breath and asked in one go: “Did Su Zai Zai say anything to you?”

Seeing that he remained silent, Ye Zhenxin grew anxious.

“I did it for your own good. How good can students from the regular class really be? Su Zai Zai couldn’t even make it into the top 100 in the midterm rankings. I just don’t want her to drag you down.”

At her words, Zhang Lurang finally looked up. He spoke, his tone both impatient and serious:

“If you don’t count her science scores, she’s ranked in the top 20 of the entire grade.”

Ye Zhenxin was immediately left speechless.

After saying that, he lowered his head and continued working on his problems.

Unwilling to give up, she muttered, “But even I can rank in the top 20.”

Last night, Ye Zhenxin had thought about it for a long time.

Based on Su Zai Zai’s personality, she figured Zhang Lurang must prefer girls who take the initiative.

So even though he wasn’t responding, she kept trying to force a conversation.

One minute later.

Zhang Lurang’s expression darkened. He nudged Zhou Xuyin, who was sitting beside him.

“Switch seats with me.”

---

Su Zai Zai was sitting at her desk when Huang Yuanjuan suddenly walked over, curiosity written all over her face.

“Zai Zai, are you and Zhang Lurang from the advanced class together?”

Su Zai Zai was momentarily stunned. “No.”

“But yesterday, when the teacher called you to the office, the students sitting by the window saw you and Zhang Lurang walking out together…”

Hearing this, a girl sitting in front of Su Zai Zai also turned around.

“I heard Zhang Lurang is super aloof. Isn’t it boring being with him?”

Su Zai Zai suddenly didn’t feel like talking.

After a moment of silence—

She couldn’t help but answer, “Not boring at all. Not even a little.”

How great he was—

She knew it all too well.