Chapter 6 “Fahai Has Set Out on His Campaign. Not a Blade of Grass Will Survive.”

Monday morning, the school held its usual flag-raising ceremony.

After the ceremony came the morning assembly.

First up was the principal’s speech.

The principal of No.1 High was Feng Maocai. The bald patch in the middle of his head gleamed under the sunlight.

Thick glasses, white shirt, black trousers, belt pulled up to his chest—the classic look of a middle-aged man in a high position.

“Don’t look down on our principal just because he doesn’t look impressive. Even the director of the city education bureau isn’t as well-connected as him,” Qian Jiayun whispered to Luo Yi. “Our school’s results are good, so the principal’s status rises with the tide.”

Luo Yi forced herself to pay attention to Principal Feng’s speech. It was the usual tired topics.

For high school students, life’s dreams were often limited to getting into a good university.

It seemed that as long as you got into a good university, the rest of your life would naturally be smooth sailing.

The students’ ears had long grown calluses from these words. Everyone stood there, bones aching with fatigue.

After the lengthy speech finally ended, everyone thought the assembly was over. Then Principal Feng added, “Next, please welcome Teacher Fang Dahai, Director of the Moral Education Office, to speak.”

Luo Yi instantly straightened up. The classmates around her also perked up.

To them, Fang Dahai speaking meant two things: someone was about to be punished, and there would be fresh gossip to listen to.

It added a bit of interest to their dull study life.

As long as their own names weren’t on the list, of course. None of their business.

“Good morning, students. It’s April now, the season when grass grows and orioles fly.”

“Spring is here, and some students’ hearts just can’t be reined in. There’s a phrase for it—restless and itching to move. Yes, that’s exactly some of you.”

Fang Dahai’s exaggerated tone drew a wave of laughter from below.

Then his voice turned serious. “I will now announce the disciplinary decisions.”

Luo Yi heard someone from the neighboring class whispering, “It’s those two from Class 9, right? Last week I saw Class 9’s homeroom teacher scolding a boy and a girl at the door at night.”

Fang Dahai cleared his throat and announced loudly, “Upon investigation, Zhang Feiyu and Meng Xiaodi of Class 9, Grade 10, have seriously violated school rules and regulations. To educate them and serve as a warning to others, it has been decided to give both of them a warning.”

As soon as the words fell, the crowd started discussing.

Some were surprised: “It was them?”

Some weren’t surprised at all: “They’ve been together since junior high. Finally got caught.”

And some had no idea: “Who are those two?”

Luo Yi’s gaze swept past Classes 7 and 8. Sure enough, she saw the girl who had been caught that night standing in the ranks with her head hanging dejectedly.

Being publicly criticized in front of the whole school was something even a slightly thin-skinned girl couldn’t take.

If it were her, she would probably want to dig a hole right now, crawl in, and bury herself so she never had to see anyone again.

Fang Dahai continued, “Let me emphasize again: fighting, going to internet cafes, and overly close relationships between boys and girls are high-voltage lines that must not be touched. Some students should not have any lucky thoughts or try to test the rules. If you have that idea, I advise you to drop it.”

“Once discovered, there are no exceptions.”

“When Fahai goes on the warpath, not a blade of grass survives,” Qian Jiayun muttered a little ditty. “Our school hasn’t had fights for years, and not many people go to internet cafes either, so preventing overly close relationships between boys and girls is Fahai’s top priority.”

Even a school like No.1 High couldn’t completely stamp this out.

Adolescence was the stage of sexual awakening. Feeling attraction toward the opposite sex was human nature. Yet the college entrance exam tried its hardest to strangle that vague nature in the cradle.

Chinese parents and teachers often hoped that before the age of eighteen, children would be machines without any of the seven emotions or six desires, their heads filled only with the word “study.”

Once they crossed the hurdle of the college entrance exam, the seal would automatically be lifted.

When the time came, the country would assign partners, and they would immediately get married and have children. As if no one needed to be taught—everyone would just know how by instinct.

The morning assembly finally ended. Luo Yi was thirsty, so she picked up her thermos and went to get hot water.

She walked through the corridor toward the water room. A few students from other classes were scattered along the corridor getting some air.

Along the way, Luo Yi caught bits of gossip.

“Meng Xiaodi told me that night Fahai also caught Ye Xiaoyang and his girlfriend, but this morning they only announced her.”

“Ye Xiaoyang? No way.”

“Absolutely true. They were caught together, right there in the little woods.”

“Talk about ‘no exceptions’—they still go easy on the ones with good grades.”

“Who can help it? He’s the top of the grade. If you don’t like it, just hold it in.”

“Holy shit, who’s his girlfriend?”

“Don’t know her.”

Luo Yi: “…”

How had this rumor gotten more and more outrageous?

Her and Ye Xiaoyang, boyfriend and girlfriend? Just thinking about it was impossible.

Luo Yi had no interest in clarifying the rumor for the gossip-loving crowd. Anyway, these people didn’t know her. Better to stay out of trouble.

She arrived at the water room. There was a line.

As luck would have it, the person right in front of her was the male lead of the rumor—Ye Xiaoyang.

Ye Xiaoyang had come with his deskmate Zhou Jiahang. They were holding several cups, probably helping the classmates around them fetch water while they were at it.

The two were talking and didn’t notice the girl who had appeared behind them.

Luo Yi overheard a bit. They seemed to be discussing some European football league. She didn’t understand.

The line for water moved forward slowly like a long, wriggling dragon.

Just as it was about to be Ye Xiaoyang’s turn, the line suddenly stalled.

There was a girl in front of him, standing there trying to twist open her cup lid. The lid seemed a bit tight and wouldn’t budge no matter what.

The girl sent a distress signal to Ye Xiaoyang: “I can’t open my cup.”

Her voice was extremely soft and sweet, as if you could pinch water out of it.

Luo Yi couldn’t help peeking through the gaps between people.

This girl was tall and graceful, with pretty features. Her ponytail was tied low, giving her a gentle and refined air. Standing next to Ye Xiaoyang, whether in height or looks, they matched quite well.

To be honest, this was the prettiest girl Luo Yi had seen so far at No.1 High.

Zhou Jiahang’s eyes held a teasing look, as if waiting to watch a good show—clearly he knew this girl.

The girl held her cup and stood in front of Ye Xiaoyang, a pair of watery eyes staring straight at him, as if waiting for him to offer help on his own.

Luo Yi thought, he should help her open it, right? Who could refuse a request like that?

Besides, Ye Xiaoyang’s character should be pretty good… right?

Ye Xiaoyang didn’t take the cup.

He glanced at the girl and said coldly, “Then stand to the side and open it. I’m getting water first.”

With that, he unceremoniously stepped forward, twisted open the lids of the cups one by one, and started filling them with water, completely ignoring the girl whose face had turned the color of a cucumber.

Zhou Jiahang gave the girl a helpless shrug, telling her with his eyes that he couldn’t help her either.

The girl stamped her foot in anger and, like Popeye after eating spinach, twisted the lid open on the spot.

After filling the water, Ye Xiaoyang was about to leave when he noticed a familiar, petite figure.

Luo Yi was holding her cup and looking at him at a loss, like a rabbit clutching a carrot. She was simply shocked—Ye Xiaoyang was this kind of person? It felt like she was meeting him for the first time.

“You can’t open yours either?” Ye Xiaoyang raised an eyebrow and asked.

Luo Yi hurriedly shook her head and said quickly, “I can, I can.”

To prove she could open the lid, she decided to demonstrate on the spot.

Luo Yi fumbled around trying to twist the lid.

Maybe because a little water had leaked earlier, the rim was a bit slippery. No matter how hard she tried, the lid didn’t move an inch.

Luo Yi: “…”

This was awkward.

She wanted to shake the water droplets off her hands and try again, but Ye Xiaoyang had already reached out and taken her cup.

He held the body of the cup steady with one hand and gripped the lid with the other. With a light twist, the cup opened.

“Pretty tight,” he said as he handed the cup back to Luo Yi. She couldn’t tell if he was being serious or sarcastic.

She didn’t have the habit of screwing the lid on very tightly, which was why a little water had seeped out.

As Ye Xiaoyang was about to leave, he still didn’t forget to say to Luo Yi, “Next time eat a bit more. Not every time will someone help you open it.”

Luo Yi looked at him with a wronged expression, thinking she hadn’t asked him to open it in the first place. He was the one who stuck his nose in.

The girl beside them looked even worse, as if she had eaten dirt. Seeing Ye Xiaoyang go out of his way for someone else made her so angry she was practically jumping.

She was filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred toward Luo Yi.

Just as Luo Yi was about to get water, the girl suddenly shoved her aside and said impatiently, “Can you please wait in line? I was here first.”

Her arrogant attitude was completely different from just a moment ago.

Earlier, when Ye Xiaoyang had cut in front of her and filled so many bottles of water, she hadn’t dared say a single word. Now she was bullying Luo Yi.

It seemed not every classmate was friendly.

Was it really because she was a new transfer student and an invisible nobody?

Luo Yi didn’t like arguing with people. She actively took a step back and let the other girl get water first.

While filling her water, the girl couldn’t help glancing at Luo Yi again, still too angry to let it go.

“Which class are you in? How come I’ve never seen you before?” she asked.

“I just transferred,” Luo Yi replied, not wanting to say more.

“Oh, a newcomer.” Thinking of this, the girl seemed to regain some confidence. She tightened the lid and said, “Then you might not know—the girls who like him can line up from here all the way to there.”

Who “him” was needed no explanation.

She raised a finger and pointed toward the school gate.

That distance… was a bit terrifying.

The implication was clear: if you want to chase Ye Xiaoyang, please take a number and wait in line obediently.

Luo Yi’s gaze swept across her face once and she said, “Thanks for the reminder. But I don’t want to be publicly criticized in front of the whole school.”

The subtext was that she had no interest in dating.

Don’t go around acting like the official wife, treating every girl who looks at him like a seductive consort trying to bewitch the emperor. Not everyone is eyeing that piece of meat you fancy.

The girl felt like she had punched cotton—completely pointless.

Luo Yi watched her walk upstairs and realized she was from a regular class.

On the other side, Zhou Jiahang felt Ye Xiaoyang had been really abnormal today.

He couldn’t figure out why Ye Xiaoyang had refused Qin Zixi’s small request to open a cup lid.

“I’ve run into her three times in a row in the water room,” Ye Xiaoyang’s answer was simple.

Once or twice could be coincidence. Three times in a row definitely wasn’t.

He wasn’t stupid. Clearly she had timed it deliberately—so the stuck lid was definitely part of her plan too.

Ye Xiaoyang was a confident and proud person. He didn’t like being calculated against.

On the contrary, he liked keeping things firmly in the palm of his hand.

Like an eagle circling its airspace—aside from the prey it had chosen, any other animal that stepped in would be driven out.

And eagles, well, their favorite little animal to eat was the innocent and harmless little white rabbit.