REBIRTH

I'm looking forward to tonight

After all the test papers were distributed, Ye Guodong tapped the blackboard.

"Next, we'll arrange the seating."

"I'm a fair person, and the most important thing for a student is their grades. So, you'll choose your seats based on your scores from highest to lowest."

"Don't talk to me about height or nearsightedness. I don't buy that. If you want a good seat, work hard and earn it!"

"There will be another chance to rearrange seats after the midterm exams."

Li Yang pulled a long face. "Looks like we won't be desk mates."

"As expected," Bai Yang shrugged. "Welcome to a classroom where grades are everything!"

Everyone was pushed out of the classroom and lined up according to their scores, then filled in their names on the grid on the blackboard representing the seats.

Although Bai Yang's math score was terrible, his overall score was still in the middle. When it was his turn, there were still many vacant seats on the board.

He scanned the board, his eyes narrowed slightly, and then he stepped forward without hesitation to write his name in the seat of row seven, desk three.

A low murmur of jeers rose in the classroom.

In seat eight, desk three, was the elegant handwriting of Zhong Xilu.

Bai Yang turned his head and looked at the figure sitting by the window. She seemed a bit surprised but smiled and nodded when their eyes met.

Zhong Xilu was the first to choose a seat, yet no one dared to fill in their name next to hers.

On one hand, at this age, teenagers are restless but also shy. Facing a beauty like Zhong Xilu, they might have the courage to sneak a glance or harbor a crush, but their thin skin made them reluctant to openly display their feelings under the watchful eyes of the homeroom teacher and classmates.

On the other hand, almost the entire school knew that Zhong Xilu had a boyfriend.

He was a star student in his senior year, often seen at major school events, and whenever he appeared on the basketball court, the girls' screams almost discouraged anyone else from passing by.

Rumor had it that even the school approved of their relationship. After all, who wouldn't envy the golden couple?

So, while many at Xiangdong No. 1 High School secretly admired Zhong Xilu, very few openly pursued her throughout high school.

In his previous life, Bai Yang only learned long after graduation that Zhong Xilu's so-called boyfriend in high school was actually her brother, a shield that deceived countless lovestruck teenagers for three years.

Under the gaze of the whole class, Bai Yang casually walked to his seat. Zhong Xilu moved her books slightly and greeted him graciously, "Hello, desk mate. Please take care of me from now on."

The term "cold beauty" never applied to Zhong Xilu. From Bai Yang's memory, she was always polite to everyone, exceptionally good-tempered, and socially adept. Even the jealous girls couldn't bring themselves to dislike her after interacting with her.

Bai Yang stuffed his textbooks into his desk and then spoke, showing an exaggeratedly troubled expression, "Please take care of me too. I can already sense the difficult days ahead. The entire class's gaze is almost piercing me."

"Stop pretending." Zhong Xilu laughed lightly, "You don't seem to care at all."

Bai Yang toned down his exaggerated expression and smiled, "Alright, you've seen through me."

The barrier between strangers dissolved in their playful exchange, and despite the glances from around the classroom, their conversation flowed unhindered.

"Your name is quite unusual." Zhong Xilu wrote the character "*" on a piece of paper. "Usually, people would use this '*' for a name, wouldn't they?"

"My dad's surname is Bai, and my mom's is Yang," Bai Yang explained with a helpless smile. "Apparently, they weren't very particular when naming me."

"That's nice too," Zhong Xilu smiled, dimples appearing on her fair cheeks. "Poplar trees grow tall, and you haven't let their expectations down."

Bai Yang, nearly 1.8 meters tall, was indeed considered tall in this southern county town, though his untrained frame looked quite thin.

As they chatted, the seats were almost all filled. Li Yang, being near the bottom of the order, ended up with the seat next to the trash can. He didn't mind and flamboyantly wrote his name. Seeing Zhong Xilu beside Bai Yang, his thick eyebrows rose, and he made an exaggerated grimace.

As he passed by, he gave a thumbs-up, silently mouthing praise.

"You're amazing!"

After arranging the seats, Ye Guodong quickly appointed the class cadres. Zhong Xilu was unsurprisingly chosen as class monitor. Due to his poor performance in the baseline test, Bai Yang missed out on the role of study committee member he had in his previous life and was relegated to an ordinary student.

Classes resumed their usual routine. Bai Yang didn't take advantage of being desk mates with Zhong Xilu to chat further.

To be honest, his choice of seat wasn't because he had any particular feelings for Zhong Xilu. As a reborn individual, Bai Yang appreciated beauty but didn't feel the same infatuation normal teenagers might have towards a pretty girl.

Having spent over a decade in the world, Bai Yang's feelings about relationships were much cooler, understanding that focusing on oneself was the true path to stability.

Choosing a good-looking desk mate was purely for aesthetic pleasure.

After a few classes, Bai Yang felt dizzy. Apart from Chinese, he couldn't keep up with the other subjects, even when he tried. He thought the knowledge would resurface from his memory like water squeezed from a sponge.

It turned out that time had dried out that sponge long ago.

"I'll need to buy some junior high school textbooks and start from scratch."

Bai Yang sighed, "At the same time, I need to start preparing another path."

Reborn, Bai Yang didn't want to miss out on university life and aimed for the best universities.

When classes ended in the afternoon, Li Yang rushed over impatiently, winking at Bai Yang without saying a word.

Bai Yang knew what he meant, rolled his eyes, stood up, and greeted Zhong Xilu, "Going to eat now. See you tonight."

Zhong Xilu nodded with a smile and waved at Li Yang, "Your name is Li Yang, right? Nice to meet you."

Li Yang's face instantly turned red, and he stammered a few words before fleeing in embarrassment.

That was the typical reaction of a normal teenager when talking to Zhong Xilu.

Once they were out of the teaching building, Li Yang regained his usual demeanor and slapped Bai Yang's back hard. "You're amazing, Yang Zi! How did you dare?"

"The seat couldn't stay empty," Bai Yang said calmly. "Since someone had to sit there, why not me?"

"You... That makes sense..." Li Yang's eyes sparkled. "But usually only girls would dare sit next to Zhong Xilu, right? After all, she has a boyfriend."

"And you—"

Li Yang spoke earnestly, "You can't be fickle and let down Xiao Zhenzhen!"

Bai Yang was silent for a moment before suddenly laughing:

"Of course I won't."

His words had a deeper meaning.

"I’m looking forward to tonight."