CHAPTER 37: CHAPTER 37: RIVAL, ’BEEP’ YOU!

Su Chen watched Li Zishan’s gradually disappear from view, his expression remaining calm. Inwardly, however, he was ecstatic, secretly plotting that the day he cracked the top three in class, he would kiss Li Zishan until he’d had his fill, settle the score with her and Zhao Kaishun, and exact proper revenge on the detestable couple.

When he’d plummeted from academic star to underachiever, his family had expressed concern. He’d calmly assured them he would give his all during the National College Entrance Examination to secure admission to Pallet University and they hadn’t worried about his studies since.

He’d always been naturally bright, and now, with the Silver Spirit Divine Art coursing through him, his memory had reached photographic levels. Academic success was no longer a problem.

On his way back to the classroom, Su Chen ran into Jiang Xiaoyu, and the two walked together.

Jiang Xiaoyu was unusually excited that day, chattering incessantly about Su Chen’s brilliant performance in English class.

"Ah Bro, the power of love is truly remarkable! Ever since you started sitting next to Gu Qing, you’ve been dominating English class, earning praise from our beautiful teacher. Even I’m starting to be impressed!" Jiang Xiaoyu chuckled dryly.

"What ’power of love’? What nonsense are you spouting?" Su Chen chuckled, feigning ignorance.

"Gu Qing, of course! You definitely have a thing for her. There’s no shame in admitting it. She’s beautiful—we could fill a truck with guys from our school who are smitten with her, and that doesn’t even count the admirers from outside!" Jiang Xiaoyu grinned, baring his teeth.

"Alright, you gossipmonger!" Su Chen clapped Jiang Xiaoyu on his broad shoulder. Jiang Xiaoyu was known as the "Gossip King" in their class; whenever a girl exchanged more than a few words with a boy, he’d immediately spread rumors about them having a secret affair.

As they entered the classroom, Jiang Xiaoyu’s eyes froze. He tugged discreetly at Su Chen’s sleeve and whispered, "Brother, someone’s taken your seat. Could this be a rival trying to steal your girl?"

Su Chen glanced up—and sure enough, there was an unwelcome guest in his usual spot!

In the back row, where his seat should have been, sat a bespectacled handsome young man. He wore school dress but even that exuded the air of a young master from a prestigious family.

"Ah?! It’s Zheng Yuanda from Class 2(3), fifth on the campus ’Handsome Men List’! You’ve really stepped on a landmine this time!" Jiang Xiaoyu immediately recognized the intruder and couldn’t resist whispering a warning to Su Chen.

Zheng Yuanda was the son of Zheng Tianxiao, chairman of Zheng’s Film Company. He had enjoyed a privileged upbringing, possessing wealth beyond his years and good looks that turned heads wherever he went. Surrounded by a retinue of loyal followers, Zheng Yuanda also excelled academically, consistently ranking at the top of Class 2(3) and never falling below the top five in major exams.

Su Chen slowly walked back to his seat, his expression as calm, but his eyes flashed with a sharp glint as he mentally reviewed everything he knew about Zheng Yuanda.

Ever since meeting Gu Qing a year ago, Zheng Yuanda had become infatuated with her and immediately confessed his feelings. However, Gu Qing firmly rejected him, citing her policy of "not considering romance during high school." Undeterred, Zheng Yuanda continued to pursue her relentlessly. He frequently visited her class under the guise of "academic exchange," devising countless schemes to get closer to her and win her favor. He even hired spies within Class 2(6) to provide him with regular updates on Gu Qing’s activities.

At that moment, Zheng Yuanda was discussing a math problem with Gu Qing. In truth, he had initiated the conversation himself, using the question as a mere pretext. The entire grade was teeming with math whizzes and the performance of each Senior High Second Grade class was roughly equal.

If all else failed, he could even ask the teacher. Yet he had deliberately sought out Gu Qing, who was in a different class, to ask for help. Even a fool could see that his true intentions lay elsewhere.

Gu Qing, being as sharp as she was, couldn’t possibly be unaware of Zheng Yuanda’s real motives. However, since he had only asked for help with a problem, a direct refusal would seem cold and unreasonable. She reluctantly began explaining the solution, though her face remained impassive.

Under Zheng Yuanda’s burning gaze and the curious stares of their classmates, a faint blush of embarrassment crept across Gu Qing’s. She inwardly fretted, "Where has Su Chen gone? If he’d come back sooner, Zheng Yuanda would have left already. This is his seat, after all!"

As she casually explained the problem, she kept glancing toward the classroom door out of the corner of her eye.

When Su Chen appeared, Gu Qing’s eyes lit up involuntarily, and she thought to herself with relief, "Ah, he’s finally back! I can finally be free!"

After mentally reviewing all the information about Zheng Yuanda, Su Chen walked up to him and smiled. "Excuse me, bro, this is my seat. Would you mind moving?"

Zheng Yuanda looked up, sized Su Chen up, and asked with feigned surprise, "Oh? What’s your name?" He remained seated, showing no intention of getting up.

"Su Chen."

"Heh, so you’re Su Chen!" Zheng Yuanda’s lips curled into a faint, mocking smile.

He had heard of Su Chen before—ranked second on the Handsome Men List—but had never actually seen him. Rumor had it that Su Chen was nothing special beyond his looks, with abysmal grades and a seemingly modest family background.

Shortly after the second semester of Senior High Second Grade began, the homeroom teacher had kicked him out, only to later assign him to sit next to Gu Qing. How could such a poor student be paired with Gu Qing? What was Zhao Kaishun thinking?

Su Chen detected the disdain in Zheng Yuanda’s tone, yet he remained calm. "This is my seat. Please move."

"What’s the rush? I still have a question for Gu Qing," Zheng Yuanda replied, dismissing Su Chen as no threat. In terms of family background and academic performance, Su Chen was far inferior—practically incomparable.

His tone grew assertive, the unspoken message clear: We’re serious students discussing important matters. What’s a slacker like you doing here?

"Ask your question. I can answer it. Now, please get off my seat," Su Chen said evenly.

By now, all eyes in the classroom were fixed on Su Chen and Zheng Yuanda. The two men were clearly at odds. Though Su Chen wasn’t particularly popular, he was still one of their own. Zheng Yuanda, a student from Class 2(3), had brazenly come to Class 2(6) during break to pursue their class beauty. Psychologically, the students sided with Su Chen—after all, charity begins at home.

"Did I hear right? You said you can solve it?" Zheng Yuanda’s sneer deepened as he chuckled lightly. "Alright, if you can solve this problem, I’ll leave immediately!"

"Give me the problem to look at," Su Chen said, his gaze hardening.

"Here, it’s this one!" Zheng Yuanda showed no courtesy, grabbing an exam practice booklet and pointing to a geometry problem.

On the surface, both men appeared calm and composed, with no hint of tension in the air. To an outsider, it would have seemed like two classmates discussing a problem.

Su Chen’s eyes immediately focused on the problem. To be honest, he had always been good at math. Even though he was a bit rusty after not studying it for a while, this geometry problem—of only moderate difficulty—should be easy for him to solve.

But why would Zheng Yuanda ask Gu Qing about such a question? Was he playing dumb to trick her?

A disdainful smirk curled Su Chen’s lips as he stared at the geometry problem. His mind raced and in less than three minutes, he had already found three different ways to solve it.