Chapter 79: Chain Reaction

Life is like a stage play; on and off the stage, we are always performing ourselves. Surprises hide in every corner of our journey, ready to bring us dramatic delight.

“Tongtong, have a bite! Just a little, it’s really delicious.” Linlin Tan held up a small piece of cake, coaxing Xu Tong to eat. But Xu Tong kept his mouth firmly shut, refusing to give in.

“Are you going to eat or not? If you won’t open your mouth, careful or I’ll fix you for good.” Seeing that gentle persuasion didn’t work, Linlin’s tomboy side emerged, and she began to threaten him.

Watching her brandish the cake, Xu Tong reluctantly opened his mouth, and Linlin seized the chance to stuff the whole piece in, making him cough and splutter.

“Here, drink some water.” Linlin produced a bottle from her bag.

Xu Tong sighed deeply. What did I do to deserve this?

Ever since last night, when he planned to play a trick on Linlin, things had taken an unexpected turn, and now they were a couple. This morning, she insisted on sitting with him, and from the very start of the day, hormones were in the air: she made him eat this and that, and there was no refusing her.

Meanwhile, Xiaolin and Yuqing Wang leaned close together at their own desks, working through practice papers and chatting about everything from astronomy to trivialities.

Their sweet moment was suddenly interrupted by a loud shout. “Xiaolin, Yuqing Wang, come to my office. Now.” The homeroom teacher, Old Yan, stormed into the classroom, face dark with anger.

“Let’s go, Yuqing. The old man is about to give us another political lecture. But we must stand firm!” Xiaolin said.

Looking at the boy she loved, Yuqing Wang felt no worry at all. She winked mischievously at Xiaolin. “Don’t worry. I have a way to make the teacher silent.”

The two of them walked out side by side, drawing the gaze of every classmate.

“They really are made for each other, a perfect pair,” a boy sighed.

“Yeah, even the way they walk is in perfect sync,” a girl remarked, as if discovering something extraordinary.

Those words made Xiaolin and Yuqing Wang, just reaching the classroom door, stumble awkwardly.

In the office, Old Yan was spinning his teacup, plotting how to break up this pair. After last night’s party, many teachers had given him knowing smiles, and even Director Liu from the Academic Office had come by, patted his shoulder, and said, “Old Yan, I’m entrusting you with an excellent student, you’re really doing a great job.” The tone made his skin crawl.

The door creaked open as the two entered quietly. Xiaolin was about to speak, but Yuqing Wang stopped him with a look, signaling that she would handle it.

“Hehe, teacher, you look great today! Oh, do you like tea? I remember my uncle has some Tieguanyin at home; I’ll bring you some tomorrow.” Yuqing Wang beamed at Old Yan.

Xiaolin, watching Yan’s stern face, could barely keep from laughing. This girl! Still calling that a healthy complexion? And now she’s offering tea—trying to bribe the teacher?

Old Yan forced a smile at Yuqing Wang’s cheerful face. “Yuqing, have a seat.” Then his expression hardened as he turned to Xiaolin. “You, come here. What did I tell you last time? After all that trouble yesterday, do you even respect me as your homeroom teacher anymore? This is senior year, and what matters most in senior year is studying...”

Xiaolin grimaced, glancing at Yuqing Wang, who was stifling her laughter nearby. Why is my treatment so different from hers?

After several minutes, Old Yan finally tired himself out and sipped his tea. Yuqing Wang seized the opportunity.

“Teacher, you’re just worried our grades will drop, right? How about we make another bet? In the next exam, I’ll get first place and Xiaolin will get second. I mean first and second in the whole school! If we can’t do it, we’ll move seats on our own, all right?”

Her suggestion left Old Yan at a loss—another bet. Was this a school or a casino?

“Your silence means you agree. If there’s nothing else, we’ll be going.” Without waiting for a reply, Yuqing Wang dragged Xiaolin out, leaving Old Yan staring after them in astonishment.

“Uh… Yuqing, first and second? Chai Yuan isn’t easy competition. And why do you get first and I get second?” Xiaolin asked as they left.

“Because I’m confident! Besides, do you have a problem with me being first?” Yuqing Wang pinched his waist with a touch of playful arrogance.

“No problem, no problem,” Xiaolin replied with a wry smile. Where was her gentle side now?

Suddenly, from downstairs, came a loud shout: “Shen Bing, Shen Bing, I love you as much as a teacher loves rice!” accompanied by the sound of drums.

Xiaolin and Yuqing Wang rushed to the window. Down below, a boy in a white jacket stood with a bouquet of roses in one hand and a megaphone in the other, calling to a classroom on the first floor. Behind him, a dozen students held up a banner that read, “Shen Bing, say yes!” while a long-haired boy played the drums. The commotion drew crowds of students from their classrooms, quickly filling the corridor with onlookers.

“Wow, another confession!” someone exclaimed.

“What’s with these days? Confessions one after another—is it Confession Day or something?”

Security soon arrived to break up the crowd, but Xiaolin didn’t see whether the confession succeeded or not. He and Yuqing Wang returned to their studies—it wouldn’t be easy to take first and second place, especially given Chai Yuan’s formidable record.

Later, just after two in the afternoon, someone noticed chalk writing on every step of the staircase: “Sun Haoran, I’m Zhao Hongyan from Senior Three, Class Four. I like you.” The same message appeared on other staircases as well, sparking another round of excitement. Thousands of steps across several buildings—this girl’s determination was truly admirable!

In the Academic Office, Director Liu had no time for tea or newspapers. He stared at the pile of reports before him, overwhelmed. In a single day, there had been five student confessions, one even involving dozens of rented cars. To punish or not? The other cases were easier, but the confessions involving Yuqing Wang, Xiaolin, and Gao Zheng gave him a headache—all top students. Yuqing Wang was even recommended by an old classmate, and then there was Gao Zheng’s background.

“You’ve really given me a tough problem. Today’s students are impossible to manage!” Director Liu tossed his pen aside and looked to the sky in defeat.

That evening, beside the girls’ dormitory, hundreds of students formed a heart shape with their flashlights—another confession. All these events had been sparked by Xiaolin’s confession to Yuqing Wang the night before. If he had failed, perhaps none of this would have happened. But he had succeeded, and with the school beauty at that, inspiring countless others to follow his lead with ever more creative and astonishing declarations of love.

Soon, some witty soul dubbed the week “Xiaolin Confession Week.” In the end, Xiaolin became a figure admired by all the younger students who followed.