Locking away my heart and love! Going back to 2000 to be a top student again.

How do you know so well that this is what I'm afraid of...?

These words, which were almost a confession, made Xu Su even more uncomfortable than if he had simply said, "I like you."

Fu Jun was already waiting in Teacher Wu's car.

With a long face, he asked Xi Zirong as soon as he saw her, "Master Xi, how did you do the second question?"

He went on to explain his problem-solving approach, clearly lacking confidence in himself, and had just asked Teacher Wu for advice.

Undeterred, he wanted to continue verifying with Xi Zirong.

Xi Zirong paused for a moment, then began to explain his solution steps.

Xu Su listened intently, her eyes growing brighter and brighter. At least on this question, her answer was the same as Xi Zirong's.

Yes, the test was difficult, but it wasn't just targeted at her.

She was stumped, and so were the other students. Maybe she really had a chance to win a first prize in the province? Or even a second prize would be fine.

Xi Zirong noticed her expression and looked down to ask, "Is this how you solved this problem too?"

He was also somewhat pleased. "How about we go back and compare the answers?"

Xu Su shook her head, "No, the exam is over, checking the answers won't change anything."

The most important thing now is to catch up on the lessons they missed during this period. In order to participate in the competition, they haven't been able to attend evening self-study sessions properly for more than two months.

Although evening self-study is mostly done by oneself, the knowledge learned during the day is meant to be consolidated through self-study. Xu Su thought about the upcoming midterm exams.

I'm starting to lose all confidence.

Fu Jun also became even more diligent in his studies after the semi-finals.

The school's competition classes have also begun to disband, and everything is waiting for the results of the semi-finals.

Those who rank high in the first prize will be selected for the provincial team for intensive training and will no longer need to be taught by school teachers. If they do not make it into the provincial team, they will have even less need to study competition knowledge.

We still need to return to the normal college entrance examination.

Xu Su asked Qian Jia for the class notes and began to review the key points the teacher had taught over the past two months.

After the competition class disbanded, Xi Zirong and Xu Su were no longer deskmates. Although their seats were not far apart, they were no longer as close as when they were deskmates.

Xu Su resumed her previous habit of going in and out together with Huang Feng and Qian Jia.

After their unpleasant parting last time, Xu Su and Zhou Mochen haven't seen each other again. In addition, she hasn't replied to his messages for many days because she's been preparing for the competition.

In my spare time, I would occasionally look through the messages he sent, keeping track of the time.

She always seemed to be pushing the boundaries of his tolerance. At first, they met once a week, then every two weeks, and now they haven't seen each other for a month.

Isn't the bottom line meant to be broken?

After the temperature dropped, Zhou Mochen's daily messages changed from routine care to urging her to go out and prepare winter clothes. Xu Su only brought two school uniform jackets to school, and now that it's November, the thin jackets feel drafty in the mornings and evenings.

Zhou Mochen's earnest and patient words were just like those of an old father worried that his daughter would get cold.

Xu Su was a little annoyed, but she agreed to let him go home this weekend to bring back his summer clothes and then pack his winter clothes to take back to school.

On a Wednesday at the end of October, the results of the semi-finals were released. Xi Zirong achieved a perfect score of 150, becoming the only person in the city to do so, a full 30 points higher than the second-place student from Experimental Middle School.

As soon as the results were released, the No. 1 Middle School of the city was in an uproar. In fact, it wasn't just the No. 1 Middle School; the news spread like wildfire throughout all the middle schools, big and small, in Changshi.

Gu Yunjia said that back in junior high school, Xi Zirong had always kept the second-place student in the top spot, and now that they had transferred schools, she was going to keep him in the competition.

Gu Yunjia also attended Experimental Middle School, where she was a big fan of Xi Zirong and paid special attention to his deeds.

After the gossip about the school heartthrob, Gu Yunjia, Qian Jia, and Huang Feng became very close. They got along well and, in just over two months, became good friends who appreciated each other.

During this period, Xu Su was preparing for the competition and didn't have much time to join their gossip group. Now that she finally has some free time, she spends her days following along and eating gossip.

Xu Su's results this time were also good, exceeding her expectations.

She won second prize in the N Province Mathematics Competition; fewer than ten people in the entire Chang City achieved this, and she was one of them.

However, compared to Xi Zirong's perfect score, Xu Su's brilliance was completely overshadowed. Apart from a few close friends, the teachers and students on campus were all vying to promote the name of "God Xi".

Meanwhile, Xi Zirong herself was being cornered by a first-year female student on a secluded path in the school.

During their lunch break, Xu Su, Qian Jia, and Huang Feng went to a convenience store together to buy some daily necessities.

As Xu Su walked back to her dormitory, she was suddenly pulled aside, and two people beside her furtively bent down to gesture for her to look ahead.

Xu Su didn't bend down with them. She looked in the direction the two were pointing and saw two people standing in the distance.

The tall, slender boy stood with his hands in his pockets, quietly watching the girl in front of him.

Huang Feng, as always, was well-informed. She bent over and hid behind a tree, whispering, "The school beauty of this year's first-year students, Hu Anqi."

Oh!

Xu Su nodded, "I see."

The two were too far apart for Xu Su to see Xi Zirong's expression or hear their conversation. He only saw the girl in the same school uniform trying to tug at his clothes, but he turned away to avoid her.

"Holy crap, this is so exciting!" Qian Jia exclaimed excitedly, covering her mouth. "Xi Shen is so lucky! This is a junior from elementary school, and he's personally come to ambush her."

Xu Su twitched her lips, looked away, her face expressionless, showing no interest in prying into other people's privacy.

"Let's take a detour so as not to bother them."

As soon as Xu Su spoke, the two sisters finally realized that their partners were being poached!

They all tacitly acknowledged that Xi Zirong and Xu Su were dating.

Huang Feng snapped out of her daze and was furious: "Damn it, aren't you angry? Xi Shen is being harassed by another girl! Xu Su, if I were you, I would go over there right now to assert my dominance."

Qian Jia's expression changed instantly: "This junior is no good. The news of Xi Shen dating you has spread throughout the school. What's wrong with her? Why is she trying to steal him away?"

Seeing how quickly his two friends changed their expressions, Xu Su felt a headache coming on, but also a little touched.

But she had no right to assert sovereignty, and Xu Su didn't have time to explain.

She grabbed one of them with each hand and whispered, "Let's go quickly, it's really creepy to be hiding here spying."

They didn't make much noise, but they were still noticed by the two people in the distance. Before Xu Su could help Huang Feng and Qian Jia up, Xi Zirong had already walked over.

The girl who had blocked his way followed him closely, and only then did Xu Su see the girl's face clearly.

She's a pretty young girl, no wonder she's the new school beauty. Even with tears streaming down her face, it doesn't affect her looks.

...two lines of tears?

What did Xi Zirong do to that young girl that made her cry?

Xu Su glanced at Xi Zirong and saw that he had a rare sullen face, as if he was angry.