Chapter 10: QR Code
Although it was unlikely that he would be completely isolated, Zhai Chi was still new to the school. No matter how well he got along with the students in Class 10, he couldn’t compare to Xu Shi, who had spent more than a year building his connections. Hearing some unpleasant comments was inevitable.
So, even though Yu Jiu knew that Zhai Chi was just joking around with Yu San, he still couldn’t help but stare at him for a moment.
Zhai Chi finished his casual chatter and turned his head, meeting Yu Jiu’s slightly complicated gaze.
This time, Yu Jiu didn’t hurriedly look away. He seemed to want to say something, but in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to speak.
Zhai Chi smiled and said directly, “Is your injury better?”
Yu Jiu was startled, then nodded. “It’s already healed.”
“That’s good.”
“……”
A brief exchange of two sentences seemed to overshadow everything else that could have been said.
The second session of evening self-study arrived quickly. With the students of Class 1 being naturally disciplined, the only sounds in the classroom were the rustling of pages and the soft scratching of pens against paper.
Since the monthly exams had just ended, most students were busy reviewing their mistakes. Only a few were still curious about the new student, occasionally glancing at his seat in the front row.
While the students of Class 1 remained somewhat restrained in their curiosity, those from other classes had already begun communicating across classrooms.
On the school forum, under the academic discussion section, the rankings for all grades—first to third year—had been published, with the transfer student’s results drawing the most attention.
As always, Yu Jiu ranked first with a total score of 725 points.
In second place was Zhai Chi from Class 10 of the second-year, scoring 724 points—just one point behind.
【724? That can’t be real, right? Was there a mistake?】
【I knew the transfer student would be good, but scoring this high is kind of unbelievable.】
【That’s such a bitter comment. He came back from studying abroad, so of course he aced English. A perfect score in English already gives him a huge advantage. Why wouldn’t he be able to score this high?】
【If you’re unsure, just go check out Class 10’s classroom. His seat’s already been moved; he’s reporting to Class 1 now.】
【I knew people would start jumping out to be salty as soon as the results were released. Questioning him so indirectly? It’s just jealousy, right? You think you know better than the school and all the teachers?】
After a round of sarcastic rebuttals, the voices of doubt quickly died down.
But Zhai Chi’s monthly exam results stirred up more than just a debate over scores.
The long-standing battle over who was the school’s top heartthrob remained undecided, and now, their academic rankings provided a new topic for debate.
A-Side vs. B-Side Debate
A-Side: “Only a one-point difference? That’s way too coincidental! Looks like Zhai Chi is a real threat to Yu Jiu!”
B-Side: “One point is still a point. The transfer student is impressive, sure, but Yu Jiu is still first while he’s second.”
A-Side: “He’s second this time, but that might not be the case next time. I was in the same exam hall as Zhai Chi, and he finished the test in just half the time. He clearly wasn’t even trying his hardest.”
B-Side: “Finishing early isn’t a big deal. True academic elites use the extra time to double-check their answers.”
Neither side was willing to back down, but beyond the debate, other voices began to emerge.
【Isn’t anyone curious why Zhai Chi transferred to Class 1 at this specific time? If he’s this smart, why wasn’t he placed there from the start?】
【Maybe it’s against the rules to just assign him to Class 1 directly?】
【Oh, but allowing someone to drive a luxury car onto campus isn’t against the rules?】
Everyone had known since Zhai Chi’s first day that he had connections.
If putting him in Class 10 was meant to “convince the masses” that he was being treated fairly, then the school wouldn’t have let the person who dropped him off drive their expensive car straight onto campus.
The luxury car’s presence had already been criticized—what difference would class placement make?
Especially since Zhai Chi had the skills to back it up.
【Honestly, I don’t think the relationship between Zhai Chi and Yu Jiu is that bad.】
At the very least, it wasn’t as hostile as the forum debates made it seem.
One comment started the discussion, and soon, many others chimed in.
【I was at the school gate when they left that day. They walked out together, and it looked pretty amicable.】
【I also saw them eating together in the cafeteria.】
【OMG! Big news! I just walked past Class 1’s classroom during break and saw that Zhai Chi and Yu Jiu are sitting together! I heard Zhai Chi requested it himself! [Attached Photo]】
A thread that had initially been filled with cautious speculation suddenly exploded when someone posted solid proof.
Clicking on the image, the careful analysts instantly lost their composure.
【WTF! Could it be what I’m thinking? Did Zhai Chi transfer to Class 1 for Yu Jiu?!】
【I knew something was off during that basketball game! Zhai Chi played terribly in the second half—he was obviously holding back!】
【That was their first time meeting, right? What’s going on? Love at first sight?!】
【OMG, these two sitting together is just too much! They’re both so handsome!】
【I’m crying! We used to have one of them in our class… It’s all Xu Shi’s fault!】
Surfing in Class, Xu Shi: …
For the first time, he surfed the internet only to crash right on top of himself.
Xu Shi’s face was already dark when he saw the forum debunking rumors about Yu Jiu and Zhai Chi having a bad relationship. Now, he was even getting roasted by his own classmates.
What the hell did Zhai Chi transferring to Class 1 have to do with him?
He was already feeling stung by the slap in the face!
He had thought Zhai Chi was an ally he had brought in, only for him to be snatched away mid-game by the opponent.
So what was he then? Just a matchmaking tool for the two of them?
Damn it!
Staring at the phone screen showing a candid photo of Yu Jiu and Zhai Chi sitting side by side, Xu Shi felt his anger flare.
After glaring at it for a while, he slammed his phone into the desk cubby with a bang. But after a moment’s thought, he pulled open the drawer and picked it up again.
The forum debate had no effect on the two people involved.
During the self-study session, Yu Jiu was focused on analyzing the mistakes he had made in the monthly exam, maintaining a minimum distance of ten centimeters from Zhai Chi.
Zhai Chi neither got too close nor spoke to disturb him. Instead, during the break after the second evening self-study session, he got into an animated conversation with Yu San—mostly about Yu Jiu.
“The first time I met Jiu-ge was in my first year of high school. Back then, I had just broken up with a boyfriend. That scumbag—he acted all gentle and considerate while chasing me, but he was a total flirt, treating everyone ambiguously. There was this one time at a party when an Omega got drunk, and his pheromones nearly drowned him. Instead of giving the guy an inhibitor, that bastard was all ‘kind enough’ to offer to take him home. Like, who the hell could put up with that? I dumped him the next day!”
Yu San was narrating passionately. In his excitement, his glasses slipped down his nose, and he pushed them back up, his emotions calming slightly.
He was actually quite cute. If he weren’t so loud and boisterous all the time, he’d definitely be more adored.
Zhai Chi, who had never met such a fiery Omega before, listened with great interest.
Yu San continued, “But that scumbag was shameless—he had the nerve to keep pestering me, even blocking my way to school. I mean, I’m just a delicate little Omega—how could I possibly fight off an Alpha? Then, right at that moment, Jiu-ge showed up. He walked into the alley where I was being cornered and kicked that bastard flying. You wouldn’t believe it—he looked just like Superman from the Justice League… Oh, you’ve seen Justice League, right?”
Zhai Chi nodded. “Yeah, I’ve seen it.”
Listening to someone else’s account of Yu Jiu, he found it amusing, yet his eyes gleamed slightly.
Yu Jiu, who seemed to be solving problems but was actually eavesdropping, twitched at the description.
He really didn’t want to be compared to that caped superhero flying around in a tight suit.
No thanks.
Zhai Chi glanced at Yu Jiu, then back at Yu San. He found it impossible to associate this hot-tempered Omega with the word “delicate.” Smiling, he asked, “And then?”
“And then Jiu-ge beat that scumbag to a pulp! It was so satisfying!”
Yu San vividly recounted the heroic scene of Yu Jiu saving him. “From that day on, Jiu-ge became my number one male god—no idol could compare!”
Zhai Chi was surprised. “You’re into idols too?”
Yu San replied, “Of course! You gotta have some goals in life.”
Zhai Chi thought to himself: Well, that’s certainly a unique goal.
“Oh, right, I even took a picture that day. You—”
“Class is starting. Stop chatting.” Yu Jiu, without turning his head, cut him off.
Yu San shrugged helplessly at Zhai Chi and shut his mouth.
Zhai Chi also turned back around, half-jokingly remarking, “Seems like life at this school is quite eventful.”
Yu Jiu replied, “It’s alright.”
Compared to foreign elite schools, where apart from classes, students engaged in high-end group activities, the small social circles in regular high schools could indeed be considered lively.
After a brief pause, Zhai Chi said, “I remember… you never used to fight.”
Not just outside school—Yu Jiu had always followed the rules, even on campus. Zhai Chi, once the school’s most troublesome student, had dragged Yu Jiu along in all his rule-breaking antics, but he had never managed to corrupt him.
Though that was all back in elementary school.
Yu Jiu also paused before saying, “Everyone has a rebellious phase.”
Five years of separation, precisely the most youthful, reckless, and vibrant years of their lives.
But Zhai Chi had missed all of it.
The only version of Yu Jiu he saw now was the one who had grown up—mature, reserved, and unreadable.
After a moment of silence, Zhai Chi glanced at the classroom door, then reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and opened WeChat to display a QR code. He nudged his seatmate with his elbow.
Yu Jiu felt the nudge through his school uniform and looked down in confusion.
“Mind scanning this?” Zhai Chi asked.
Yu Jiu didn’t move.
He never used his phone during class.
Zhai Chi added, “Don’t worry, it’s not a payment code.”
Yu Jiu: “…”
Yeah, he could see that.
Staring at the WeChat QR code on Zhai Chi’s screen, Yu Jiu hesitated for a moment before pulling out his phone and scanning it without a word.
A friend request notification quickly popped up.
Zhai Chi’s eyes brightened as he swiftly hit “Accept.”
