Chapter 43: Yan Yi

Chen Ziyi spoke in confusion, “How could this happen?”
Lu Yiqi shook her head. “I don’t know…”
The two fell silent for a moment, until Chen Ziyi broke it. “How about this, you don’t need to hire a tutor. I can help you with your studies. My math is pretty good, so you can ask me about anything you don’t understand.”
She winked at Lu Yiqi playfully. “Besides, I probably don’t look so boring that you’d want to fall asleep as soon as you see me, right?”
Lu Yiqi let out a laugh. “Alright, I think it’s worth a try.”
Then she returned to her seat, bursting with excitement, and shared the news with Xie Xu. “Xie Xu, Xie Xu!”
“?”
“I don’t have to find a tutor anymore! Ziyi said she’d help me with my lessons. I think, with Ziyi teaching me, I’ll definitely be able to master math!”
Xie Xu turned his head to see Lu Yiqi chattering happily, her face alight with a smile, and her eyes brimming with the brilliance of stars.
Xie Xu’s throat tightened.
He felt parched.
His deep voice reached Lu Yiqi’s ears. “Will she help you at school or at your house?”
“I haven’t thought about it.” Lu Yiqi replied, “I was planning to use the breaks at school for extra lessons, but now that you mention it, having Ziyi come to my house sounds nice too! That way, I can both play with Ziyi and study math on weekends—the best of both worlds!”

Three seconds of silence passed before Xie Xu let out a low “Oh.”
The next moment, Lu Yiqi chirped brightly, “I’ll go ask Ziyi if she’s willing right now!”
Xie Xu watched helplessly as she patted Chen Ziyi’s shoulder and the two started discussing their study plans, chattering away.
Chen Ziyi agreed readily, and Lu Yiqi said, “I’ll send you my address tonight; just come over directly this weekend.”
“Alright.”
...
But before Lu Yiqi could even look forward to the weekend, Yan Yi arrived first.
Seeing Yan Yi suddenly appear in her classroom, Lu Yiqi was stunned for a moment, then smiled at him from afar.
Yan Yi seemed to notice and smiled back.
The girls in class instantly erupted.
“Ahhhh! It’s Yan Yi, alive and in person!”
“He looks even better than he does on TV!”
“My idol is in my class now!”

“I can brag for a whole year that Yan Yi is my classmate!”
“Awei’s graveyard! Yan Yi just smiled at me! His smile is so charming!” said a girl sitting in the same row as Lu Yiqi. She was so close that she mistakenly thought Yan Yi’s smile, intended for Lu Yiqi, was meant for herself.
The excited voices could not be contained.
The homeroom teacher was helpless and finally resorted to drastic measures, picking up the megaphone on the podium. “Everyone, quiet down. I know Yan Yi joining our class is very exciting for you all, but let’s keep the enthusiasm in check. The lesson still needs to continue, right? Give your teacher a bit of respect.”
With the megaphone, the teacher’s voice finally overpowered the chatter.
The class gradually quieted.
The teacher spoke, “Two things. First, Yan Yi has returned to the country and is now attending our school. I hope everyone will cooperate and help keep this a secret. Don’t spread the news around, alright? You all know how popular Yan Yi is. This is to avoid causing him unnecessary trouble.”
Yan Yi added, “I hope everyone can keep this confidential. Thank you all.”
As soon as Yan Yi spoke, a chorus of agreement echoed through the room.
The teacher thought, “...
What can I do when the students’ words carry more weight than mine? Waiting online for urgent advice.”