Chapter 37: Li, the man you can't get, Mingyang!

He already had a decent voice, plus an outstanding appearance and the bonus of a top student's halo.

Furthermore, he even added the title of a 'counterattack top student,' and in private many already called Li Mingyang top student.

After all, they've seen many top students; those are always hardworking beings, the same from childhood to adulthood, as if their brains had nothing left but study.

But he was different; before the start of senior year, he was a complete underachiever.

However, in just over nine months, Li Mingyang had gone from being the year's bottom-ranked to now ranking near the top.

Moreover, many people secretly guessed that after this final month's effort, Li Mingyang's college entrance exam score would very likely be the highest in the school.

After all, Li Mingyang still had 20 bonus points.

Even some overly enthusiastic fans felt that Li Mingyang could still likely achieve first place in the year even without those 20 bonus points!

The most outrageous guess was whether Li Mingyang would suddenly shine in the college entrance exam and seize the legendary top scorer's throne.

This is an honor their school has never had……

After all, according to past experience, the so-called college entrance exam top scorer is usually just over 700 points; when the questions are difficult, even scoring below 700 can secure the top scorer's seat.

Now Li Mingyang scored 663 on the final mock exam, and with the 20 bonus points that totals 683.

If we add the effort of this final month, gaining another ten or twenty points, contending for the top scorer's seat is not impossible.

Thus, under the accumulation of various halos, Li Mingyang standing on stage now has unknowingly become extraordinarily tall and imposing.

Even many girls in the class already had little red hearts popping up in their eyes……

As for the scenes on stage, Luo Yuan sitting downstairs naturally noticed them, which is also why he gritted his teeth in resentment.

Brother's success truly hurts!

It's fine that his grades are so much better than mine; after all this time, I've long grown used to it.

But now even the girls……

For this final evening self-study session, it had already been turned into a party format, so everyone's activities were quite free, without needing to report to the teacher.

After two songs, Li Mingyang again received enthusiastic applause, and a few especially bold individuals even whistled loudly and teasingly.

This made even Li Mingyang, whose mental age is already around thirty, unable to keep his old face from blushing.

He still somewhat admired his classmates' enthusiasm and the boldness of girls in this era.

Fortunately, all the lights in the classroom were off, the only light source being the projector screen on the podium; with the backlight, nobody could clearly see Li Mingyang's facial expression.

"Going out to the restroom, you coming?"

Even sitting in his seat, Li Mingyang could clearly feel the scorching gazes projected from all around!

Even with Li Mingyang's thick skin, he now felt somewhat restless; he wished he hadn't impulsively gone up just to show off earlier.

Next, there might be some embarrassing little scenes.

This isn't Li Mingyang being narcissistic; rather, there's a vague premonition.

Moreover, girls this age really can't hide their thoughts well, at least not in front of Li Mingyang, this old social hand.

Since his change occurred, Li Mingyang has already gone through wave after wave of testing.

And today is already the last day of high school, the final class of the entire high school period.

Plus, with a party held, the atmosphere unknowingly became lively; originally timid people, under this atmosphere, unconsciously became much bolder.

Naturally, after the atmosphere and emotions rise, bold impulses arise, leading to actions one normally wouldn't dare to take.

"Not going, you go yourself if you want."

Hearing Li Mingyang's words, Luo Yuan's face showed a focused expression; for classmates, this party is not merely a simple watch-performance.

More than that, it's a gossip-like feeling, a thrill from glimpsing the usually serious classmates' less-serious side.

It's already June; although not fully into summer yet, this season is the most comfortable—neither cold nor hot, with occasional breezes lightly brushing the corridors.

Their classroom is on the fifth floor, and the restroom is at the corner of the hallway; as they passed one classroom after another,

Although each class's activities seem somewhat different, everyone shares a common theme: to relax properly at this final evening self-study.

"Yo, this isn't our big top student, want a puff?"

Upon reaching the restroom but before entering, Li Mingyang smelled a strong tobacco odor, and at the same time heard several familiar voices.

Upon entering, sure enough, the few guys who used to sneak cigarettes at school were now openly leaning by the window, exhaling clouds.

Even the teachers who enforce discipline during the final evening self-study of high school would turn a blind eye, as long as you weren't excessive; no one would care whether you smoked.

This very well might be your last cigarette at school.

"Come on, it's been a while since I last smoked."

These guys before him were, like Li Mingyang a year ago, members of the underachievers, always relegated to the teacher's despised back row during class.

Their mutual relationship was actually pretty good.

Although not as close as with Luo Yuan, they had once been able to call each other friends.

Since Li Mingyang and Luo Yuan started studying seriously, their relationship seems to have grown distant.

But by this final class, a feeling of reluctance to part welled up, making past school events seem less important.

Luo Yuan, the older brother, is a veteran smoker; though he hasn't picked up this habit in his lifetime, at this very moment seeing the cigarette offered to him,

Li Mingyang had no intention to refuse; instead, he skillfully lit it and took a deep drag, the spicy sensation instantly filling his lungs.

It seemed only this could give Li Mingyang a sense of reality amidst this dreamlike scene.

……

"Classmate Li Mingyang, I……"

Walking out of the restroom, although Li Mingyang didn't know her, he saw a somewhat familiar-looking girl waiting for him at the restroom door.

He guessed she was probably a student from the neighboring class.

She seemed to want to say something, but upon seeing the few people beside Li Mingyang, her face instantly flushed red, and she hurriedly slipped a pink love note into his hand.

"Classmate Li Mingyang, be sure to read it."

After saying that, he darted off and vanished down the hallway.

He had thought that this was already a rare little interlude for today.

But after Li Mingyang returned to the classroom, he found that inside his desk drawer, unbeknownst when, several envelopes of various colors had appeared.