Chapter 159: Volume 1, Chapter 159 – Study Well, Progress Every Day (3)

The girl before him had long, jet-black hair that fell like silk over her shoulders, her blue-and-white uniform neatly worn, her steps orderly, the skin exposed as white as porcelain, her complexion pallid, her slightly pale lips lightly pursed, her beautiful peach-blossom eyes clear and indifferent, surprise flickering in their depths.

It seemed she hadn't expected him to be here.

"You're injured." Her gaze fell on his arm, blood continuously seeping out, mixing with rain to stain his uniform jacket red; the boy's stance was unsteady, and even speaking in his usual tone, his breath remained faint.

Cheng Su clicked his tongue lightly, shoved the book in his hand into hers, then stepped forward, about to pass by her side.

After two steps he suddenly stopped, turned his head, and saw the girl gripping the hem of his jacket.

"Let go." He said, annoyed and impatient.

Jiang Zhi's expression was serious: "Come with me."

Cheng Su raised an eyebrow, watching her stubborn, focused gaze, and inexplicably followed her.

Entering a stairwell and reaching the second floor, Jiang Zhi took out a key from her bag, opened the door, and brought him inside.

Just as Cheng Su stepped into the living room, he smelled a faint, refreshing fragrance that easily soothed his agitated mood.

Jiang Zhi took out a medical kit from the room, gestured for him to sit, and said, "Apply medicine."

Cheng Su watched her open the medical kit with practiced ease and take out the medicine, couldn't help but snort, and asked skeptically, "You still know how to apply medicine?"

Jiang Zhi frowned, her face cold: "I can."

Saying that, she gave him a strange look and countered, "You're not afraid of pain, are you?"

For a boy suffering from advanced chuunibyou, this remark was undoubtedly a severe insult to himself.

Without a word, he rolled up his sleeve, exposing the arm slashed by a knife; scarlet blood wound its way down from the ferocious wound, like thin snakes against his somewhat dark skin, a sight that shocked the eye.

Jiang Zhi's fingers paused slightly, her gaze stunned for a moment.

A soft, warm orange light fell upon her exquisite, picture-perfect brows and eyes; her pale, lovely visage lowered, her raven-black long lashes veiling a faint shadow, her light pink lips slightly pursed.

Cheng Su snapped back to reality, his gaze flashing hot as he looked away, his tone harsh: "What? You don't dare anymore?"

Jiang Zhi took a small breath, then began cleaning the bloodstains from the wound.

The boy remained silent, his body only slightly trembling, not uttering a word throughout.

Only after wrapping the gauze bandage did Jiang Zhi wipe the sweat from her forehead and say, "Don't let the wound touch water for a week."

Cheng Su picked up his jacket and retorted angrily, "Don't think I'll thank you."

Jiang Zhi put away the medical kit, looked up, and saw him walking out.

She thought for a moment and said, "This is to repay you for saving me last time."

The boy's back vanished at the doorway, only a cold snort echoing back.

Jiang Zhi crossed her arms and laughed, "Just hearing that, you're clearly an old tsundere."

777: "You too."

Jiang Zhi raised her brows, "I'm a cool yet cute fairy."

777 helplessly: "……Yes, yes, yes."

The midterm exam results were posted.

Jiang Zhi waited eagerly, and only after looking at the ranking list did she finally let out a breath.

777 said reluctantly, "Host, you need to place first in the province for the middle school exam."

Jiang Zhi rested her forehead on the table, weak and listless, saying, "I'm not some genius daughter who runs with a ball; why make things so hard for me?"

Study is a sharp sword hanging over the forehead, making one breathless.

777: "There's nothing I can do; the control of the persona in this regard isn't me, but the higher-level A-level System. If the host's persona collapses, they'll be ejected from the world."

It's merely an ordinary B-level.

Jiang Zhi sat up, rubbed her sleepy eyes, opened her book, and began doing problems.

The classmate beside her saw her suddenly energized as if injected with chicken blood and jumped in surprise.

She already placed first and still works this hard—is that what a top student is like?

The homeroom teacher entered, specially praised Jiang Zhi; her score was first in the school, exceeding the second place by over twenty points.

Zhangziyi, sitting beside Cheng Su, glanced at her and rested his chin on his hand, saying, "I heard this transfer student came from the city; no wonder her grades are so good—I see her burying herself in books every day, truly a bookworm."

Cheng Su's fingers on the game controller suddenly froze; the black-and-white pixel screen was filled with falling Russian blocks, and a 'game over' prompt appeared.

He raised his eyebrows, gazing at the seat where the girl in the third row sat.

She was slender, her back ramrod straight; though wearing the same blue-and-white uniform, she gave off a different feeling—pure and otherworldly, like someone stepped out of an art collection, her temperament utterly out of place among those around her.

"She's not like us either; such a person is destined to contribute to the country," Zhangziyi said.

Cheng Su abruptly shoved the game console into his pocket, then stood up and left his seat.

Seeing this, Zhangziyi asked, "Where are you going?"

"The restroom."

Break time.

Jiang Zhi stretched her body, gazed through the window at the greenery planted outside, put down her pen, and walked out of the classroom.

All the way to the restroom, she saw a buzz-cut boy walking toward her, paused her step, and moved to the side.

But the boy blocked her path, leaning against the wall, the corner of his mouth turning up in a light smile, his eyes languid and careless.

"Congratulations, first in the school."

Jiang Zhi didn't understand why he suddenly stopped her to say that; after a moment's thought, she replied lightly, "Thank you."

After speaking, she tried to walk past him, but he had no intention of letting her go, stepped closer, and a dark, heavy aura enveloped her unease.

"Is there something else?" she couldn't help but ask.

Cheng Su said unhurriedly, "Help me tutor."

Jiang Zhi's expression stalled slightly, she asked bewilderedly, "Tutor?"

What the hell is this late-stage chuunibyou brat up to again? She can't even keep up with her own studies; where would she find time to tutor him? Is she crazy?

Cheng Su pressed his tongue to the roof of his mouth and said righteously, "Yes."

The class bell rang at that moment.

Jiang Zhi felt a faint headache, her voice holding back anger: "We'll talk after school."

Cheng Su let her off this time, one hand in his pocket, strolling away nonchalantly from in front of her.

The dismissal bell rang.

Jiang Zhi had already packed her bag; upon hearing the bell, she stood up intending to run.

She had no desire whatsoever to tutor Cheng Su—it would only waste her time and bring her grief.

Just as she stepped out of the classroom doorway, a body like a wall appeared before her, blocking her path.

"Do you want to run?"

Jiang Zhi gripped her bag strap, took a few steps, and her breathing grew a little ragged.

"I won't tutor."

Cheng Su stared at her for a moment, then after a few seconds let out a low, sullen laugh from his throat: "You just don't want to tutor me, do you?"

He noticed that the bespectacled one sitting in front of her often turned around to ask questions, and she would patiently answer; warm light fell on her brows and eyes, dispelling that cool aloofness.

Jiang Zhi listened to his snide remarks, her expression unchanged, remaining calm and aloof.

"Move aside, I'm going home."