The second class of the morning was followed by a twenty-minute break, which used to be for morning exercises. However, the school, considering the students' heavy workload, had essentially canceled the morning exercises, allowing the students this time to relax.

Lin Mushi, sitting in the front row, turned around and asked with concern, "Zhuang Zi'ang, why did you cry during math class yesterday? And why didn't you come to class in the afternoon?"

Zhuang Zi'ang answered vaguely, "I was in a bad mood, so I wanted to do something to make myself happy!"

"You're the class president and the top student in the grade. You should set a good example for your classmates. What you did was completely out of line," Lin Mushi said, pouting. She couldn't understand why he had changed so much after just one sick day.

The old Zhuang Zi'ang would never have done such a thing. Even if he was in a bad mood, he would at most do a set of practice tests to torture his brain cells. As a good friend, Lin Mushi was worried that he was going down a path of self-destruction. She felt a sense of helplessness, like she was watching someone she cared about make poor choices, but unable to stop them.

Li Huangxuan guessed that Zhuang Zi'ang was probably upset about his family situation and, afraid that Lin Mushi's words were too harsh, interjected, "Mushi, don't worry about it. My 'son' had a lot of fun skipping class yesterday. He did what I've always wanted to do but didn't dare."

Lin Mushi glared at Li Huangxuan. "He's been led astray by you."

Li Huangxuan retorted, "What does it have to do with me? He said it himself. He met a girl yesterday who's even prettier than you, and they hung out all day."

Zhuang Zi'ang quickly tried to cover Li Huangxuan's mouth, but it was too late. This big mouth, how could he just blurt out anything?

"Zhuang Zi'ang, you're not learning good things. Are you trying to get a girlfriend?" Lin Mushi demanded, her beautiful phoenix eyes widening.

"No, no, we just met yesterday," Zhuang Zi'ang denied repeatedly. Most students in the school were well-behaved. Although they had beautiful dreams about love, few dared to put them into action.

Lin Mushi, the school's reigning beauty, was used to being praised. Now, hearing that there was a girl even prettier than her, she felt a little uncomfortable.

Li Huangxuan, a blunt guy, couldn't stand Lin Mushi's sometimes-arrogant princess attitude and always deliberately tried to provoke her. The two bickered back and forth in front of Zhuang Zi'ang.

"You're such a hopeless straight guy. You'll be single forever."

"Don't think that just because you're pretty, you can say whatever you want. I'd rather be single than be with you."

"Li Huangxuan, go to hell!"

"The fortune teller said I have a tough life. Everyone else will die before me."

...

Lin Mushi suddenly reached out and pinched Li Huangxuan's arm hard, making him wince in pain. These girls were so unreasonable. When they couldn't win an argument, they resorted to violence.

Watching the two playfully bickering, Zhuang Zi'ang felt a surge of sadness in his heart. Such lovely classmates, but in three months, he would never see them again.

Their most precious friendship would be forever frozen at eighteen.

When the two finally quieted down, Zhuang Zi'ang spoke, "Son, you're a guy. Be more generous and give in to Mushi more in the future."

Li Huangxuan touched his forehead. "Did you take the wrong medicine? I懟 her every day, and you never said anything before."

"Mushi, I apologize on his behalf. You know he always speaks without thinking," Zhuang Zi'ang said, a hint of sadness in his eyes.

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

"Zhuang Zi'ang, I also think you're acting weird. Why are you being so polite all of a sudden?" Lin Mushi asked suspiciously. Her earlier words still rankled her, and she continued to probe, "Did you really meet a girl who's prettier than me?"

"Well, beauty is subjective, so I can't really say," Zhuang Zi'ang hedged.

"My 'son' is handsome and has good grades. His girlfriend will definitely be the prettiest too. I don't think you have much of a chance," Li Huangxuan added fuel to the fire, deliberately trying to irritate Lin Mushi.

Because of Zhuang Zi'ang and Lin Mushi's close friendship, there were always rumors circulating in the class about them. In reality, they were just good friends, with no romantic feelings between them. But now, with Li Huangxuan's meddling, Lin Mushi felt a strange sense of loss, as if she had just been dumped.

To save face, she smiled disdainfully. "I don't believe your nonsense. You're clearly infatuated with me and are just playing hard to get."

Lin Mushi was very confident in her looks. There was definitely no girl prettier than her in the entire East Campus. The boys were just saying these things to provoke her competitive spirit, such a childish trick.

"Mushi, I advise you to be more humble. There's always someone better out there!" Zhuang Zi'ang was very confident in Little Butterfly's looks.

"Zhuang Zi'ang, are you in love with me? You're just saying these things to provoke me. You two are in cahoots," Lin Mushi said, staring at the two of them with a look that suggested she had seen through their act.

"Are you that narcissistic? With my looks, there are plenty of girls at school who have a crush on me," Zhuang Zi'ang joked along with her.

"Zhuang Zi'ang, aren't you afraid you'll trip over your own tongue?" a sarcastic voice interjected from the side.

Zhuang Zi'ang looked up and saw that the speaker was Xie Wenyong. He was the vice class president of Class 9 and had always been overshadowed by Zhuang Zi'ang, the class president. He was also secretly in love with Lin Mushi, but Lin Mushi always favored Zhuang Zi'ang. So, from time to time, Xie Wenyong would try to put Zhuang Zi'ang down.

In the past, for the sake of class unity, Zhuang Zi'ang always tolerated it. But now, he didn't feel like holding back anymore, so he retorted, "When we elected the class president, didn't everyone vote based on looks? That's why I'm the president and you're the vice president."

Lin Mushi and Li Huangxuan burst out laughing. Zhuang Zi'ang was indeed much more handsome than Xie Wenyong, but it was a bit much for him to say it himself.

Xie Wenyong retorted, "You only became class president because of your good grades. You're just a bookworm. In terms of overall ability, how can you compare to me?"

"So, you want to be class president?" Zhuang Zi'ang asked, looking him in the eye.

"If you weren't so good at sucking up to the teachers, I would have been class president long ago," Xie Wenyong said angrily.

"If you want to be class president, go apply to Mr. Zhang. I quit," Zhuang Zi'ang said casually.

"Tch, do you really think you can just give it up?" Xie Wenyong didn't believe him, thinking Zhuang Zi'ang was just teasing him.

Zhuang Zi'ang said meaningfully, "Have you heard the story of Hui Shi being the prime minister of Liang?"

A phoenix-like bird set out from the Southern Sea to fly to the Northern Sea.

It would not perch on any tree but the phoenix tree, nor eat any fruit but that of the bamboo, nor drink from any spring but the sweetest.

Now a kite, having got a rotten mouse, and seeing the phoenix-like bird pass by, looked up and screeched at it.

The position of class president, which Xie Wenyong coveted, was no different from a rotten mouse in Zhuang Zi'ang's eyes.

"You're really full of yourself," Xie Wenyong sneered.

"Xie Wenyong, what does our conversation with Zhuang Zi'ang have to do with you?" Lin Mushi said, displeased.

"Mushi, you're so nice to Zhuang Zi'ang. Are you afraid he'll be snatched away by that prettier girl?" Li Huangxuan teased again.

"Are you crazy? Mushi is the school beauty. How could there be a girl prettier than her?" Xie Wenyong laughed even more boisterously.

Just then, a student came back from the restroom and called out to Zhuang Zi'ang, "There's a girl outside looking for you."

Zhuang Zi'ang looked out the window, and his breath caught in his throat.

The girl outside the window was wearing a pure white blouse paired with a navy blue pleated skirt and spotless white canvas shoes. What caught everyone's attention the most was the blooming peach blossom tucked behind her ear.

Her smile was more beautiful than the flower.

Zhuang Zi'ang stood up abruptly and rushed out, parting the crowd.

The classroom instantly erupted in a buzz of conversation.

"Who is that girl? She's so pretty!"

"There really is a girl in our school prettier than Lin Mushi."

"Xie Wenyong just got slapped in the face, hard."

...

Lin Mushi stared at Zhuang Zi'ang's retreating figure, her expression filled with grievance.

Men are all pigs.