"So, you really aren't going?" Jiang Shuyi stole a glance at Wen Yao beside her.

Wen Yao was working on problems, specifically classic self-enrollment exercises.

To Jiang Shuyi, this paper looked incredibly boring.

Feeling a bit shy, Jiang Shuyi invited, "Actually, if you go with me, you won't have to wait in line, and you can enjoy any rides you want..."

— Song Jinxi wanted to come with me too, but I didn't give her the chance.

Jiang Shuyi added in her mind.

"I don't have time." Wen Yao quickly finished a problem and checked her answer.

It was obvious she got it right, so she confidently turned the page and added, "I'll be studying at home this weekend."

— Impressive, no wonder she's a top student.

But seeing Wen Yao's attitude, which prioritized studying over her, Jiang Shuyi couldn't help but show a disappointed expression.

"You really love studying, huh? Does studying make you happy?" Jiang Shuyi looked at her with a hint of grievance.

"Mm." Wen Yao replied coldly, leaving it unclear whether she was being dismissive or serious.

Jiang Shuyi: "..."

Jiang Shuyi felt a bit suffocated, this kind of happiness was something she would never experience in her life.

Wen Yao wrote a few more words, her eyes inadvertently glancing at Jiang Shuyi's hand. "You should change that band-aid today."

She said this out of the blue.

With that comment, Jiang Shuyi hesitated. "...I think this band-aid is pretty good, I can use it for a few more days."

Wen Yao frowned in disagreement.

These two band-aids were nothing special, not waterproof, and could be bought for five yuan a bag or ten yuan a box outside, averaging less than fifty cents each.

Wen Yao really couldn't see how they were of such quality that they could be used for several days.

"I don't think it's very hygienic."

"Is that so..." Jiang Shuyi said helplessly.

"Isn't it better to go to the infirmary and get a new one?" Wen Yao replied blandly, "They're all the same anyway."

Jiang Shuyi turned her head, puffing up her cheeks in silence.

—How are they the same?

—They're completely different, okay!

—The one you put on me isn't the same as the one I would get myself!

She looked at the band-aid.

In fact, for an eighteen-year-old Alpha like her with excellent self-repair capabilities, a scratch from a cat would heal in less than half a day.

Spitting on it would be excessive protection for the wound, let alone putting on a band-aid.

Right now, the band-aid on her hand was at most just a...

What was it?

Jiang Shuyi sat at her desk, staring at the band-aid on her hand, deep in thought, in the end she gave up on pondering.

Anyway, she thought the band-aid on her hand was great, perfect even.

In short, she didn't want to get rid of it.

---

During evening self-study, Jiang Shuyi was asking Wen Yao about the exercises.

She didn't notice that the homeroom teacher had slowly approached from behind her.

"Jiang Shuyi." Li Roujia stretched her neck to look at the book in front of Jiang Shuyi.

Jiang Shuyi stiffly lifted her head, "...Teacher Li?"

Li Roujia pointed at Jiang Shuyi's desk. "Come to my office for a moment, the other students can continue studying."

The other students in the class immediately buried their curious heads in their books.

Jiang Shuyi followed Li Roujia out, feeling a bit anxious, unsure of what she had done wrong.

---

In the office.

Jiang Shuyi looked awkwardly at the floor.

Indeed, no matter how old she got, she felt a sense of fear when talking to a teacher in the office.

Whenever she was called to the office, it usually meant something bad.

Li Roujia glanced at Jiang Shuyi, her tone calm. "Which school do you plan to go to in the future? Have you filled out your application form?"

"I haven't decided yet..." Jiang Shuyi felt she didn't have a clear goal.

She would go wherever she could, not thinking too much about anything.

That was her principle of action.

"You play the piano quite well. Have you considered going to a music academy?" Li Roujia began to make suggestions.

"...I haven't considered it."

Jiang Shuyi could play the piano.

However, she didn't think that just playing the piano could compare her to those students who seriously trained every day to get into music academies.

"Really? You should think about it, I think you're very suited for this path. Your performance at the last cultural and entertainment event was quite good." Li Roujia praised.

"Thank you, teacher."

Jiang Shuyi knew it wasn't the right time to discuss her aspirations, the reason the teacher called her here was definitely not to talk about her goals or to praise her performance at the last event.

Sure enough, after a while, Li Roujia cleared her throat and got to the point.

"Recently, I've heard some rumors."

She looked at Jiang Shuyi calmly. "They say you're influencing Wen Yao's studies."

Li Roujia took off her glasses and pressed the corners of her eyes. "Is that true?"

Hearing this, Jiang Shuyi immediately looked up at Li Roujia, her expression one of disbelief.

She wanted to argue that Wen Yao, that Omega, was not someone like her who could be influenced...

But she suddenly remembered yesterday, when Wen Yao was upset that she hadn't come home by eleven, and felt a bit guilty. "I don't think so..."

"Is that so?" Li Roujia sighed. "Do you remember this morning?"

"When I came to the classroom, I heard you talking to Wen Yao."

"We're about to have our midterm exams, yet you're still inviting her to the amusement park."

"You call that not influencing her?"

— But she didn't agree to go with me either.

Jiang Shuyi thought defiantly in her mind, keeping her head down.

Li Roujia shook her head, looking at Jiang Shuyi with a bit of disappointment. "I also heard from others that you drag her to lunch every day."

"Clearly, she's not interested, yet you still follow her around."

Li Roujia listed Jiang Shuyi's "crimes" one by one.

"I don't want to manage where every student sits in class, but you two really aren't suited to sit together, you'll distract Wen Yao."

"After self-study, you and Zhou Jingtang should switch seats back."

"Teacher Li, I—"

Jiang Shuyi immediately stood up straight, looking at Teacher Li with some resistance.

"Jiang Shuyi." Li Roujia sighed.

"Don't think I have any prejudice against you, but you entered our class as an art special enrollment student, you know what that means..."

"Yes, your family is quite well-off."

"Other students have to work ten times harder to achieve what you were given by your parents from birth."

"Your parents have given you many paths to take, even if your academic performance has some issues, you can still go abroad to get a degree and inherit your parents' company. Plus, you do have talent in the arts, so you can pursue that path."

"You can play freely, go to amusement parks, skip classes, but other students don't have that time."

"They are in a very critical period right now. Do you know how early Wen Yao comes to school every morning?"

"Yes, you have the time, but can you afford to waste others' time?"

Jiang Shuyi couldn't find a word to refute.

She realized that Li Roujia spoke calmly and objectively, laying out facts that everyone already knew.

But these facts, by their very existence, could easily pin her down, almost piercing her heart with each word.

Li Roujia sighed. "I know that besides this, you also talk to her and ask her questions after class."

"You know that studying is a good thing, I don't oppose it... but right now, other students' time is very precious."

Teacher Li sighed again.

Jiang Shuyi felt like her throat was truly choked up, and she couldn't utter a single word.

"Tomorrow, I want to see you switch your seat back with Zhou Jingtang."

Li Roujia carefully instructed Jiang Shuyi again.

"And I don't want to hear any more students say that you're disturbing Wen Yao and influencing her studies."

"Do you understand?"

Jiang Shuyi nodded, feeling uncomfortable.

The bell rang, signaling the end of evening self-study.

"Now is a critical period for the third year, I hope you don't act too self-centered like in the first and second years."

"Make sure to do well, Jiang Shuyi." Li Roujia patted her shoulder.

Jiang Shuyi nodded silently and returned to the classroom.

---

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆Charvinovel ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆