Chapter 31 The Girl Who Pushed from Behind Is Caught Red-Handed by Lu Yuanqiu!

“The same as always: thirty exam rooms in total, and seats are assigned according to last semester’s final grades.”

At this, Liu Wei braced herself against the lectern, leaning forward, her expression fierce as a judge presiding over the underworld.

Her hawk-like gaze swept the back rows of the classroom before she spoke sternly, “This is the first major exam of your final year. Treat it with the seriousness it deserves. There will be a parent-teacher meeting after the exam—those of you sitting in the back, don’t let me embarrass your parents in front of everyone, understood?”

“Tch.” Lu Yuanqiu scoffed.

Liu Wei’s eyes snapped to him like a hunting specter. “Lu Yuanqiu, do you have a problem?”

Lu Yuanqiu put on an obedient smile. “No, ma’am.”

She sneered. “Don’t act like you don’t care. Last semester at the parent meeting, your father was so angry he snatched my stick and chased you out of the classroom to give you a beating—remember that?”

The whole class burst into laughter.

Lu Yuanqiu was a bit dazed; he genuinely didn’t recall that incident, but it was exactly the kind of thing his old man would do.

Liu Wei slapped the desk. “Quiet.”

With the weight of someone imparting life’s lessons, she said, “Lu Yuanqiu, try to apply yourself. Even if it’s not for the sake of boosting our class average, at least spare your father the embarrassment at the meeting. If you manage not to rank in the bottom ten this time, you’ll have my admiration.”

She gave him a thumbs-up.

With that, the woman in her thirties strode out, leaving behind four icy words: “Begin morning reading!”

No sooner had she left than Liu Buxing beside him began to bellow, “Abandon! To give up, to forsake! Abandon! To give up, to forsake!”

His twin brother, Liu Buneng, raised his volume too: “With long sighs to mask my tears! Lamenting the hardships of the people!”

Lu Yuanqiu turned, bewildered. “What’s gotten into you two? The teacher scolds me, and now you two are all fired up?”

The twins ignored him; after all, their enthusiasm would only last three minutes. If they didn’t take advantage of it now, it would be gone in a flash.

Lu Yuanqiu looked away, noticing that Bai Qingxia was quietly covering her ears, reciting vocabulary under her breath.

The swelling chorus of early reading soon filled the classroom, but no matter how loud it got, it never disturbed Zheng Yifeng’s sleep.

That Monday night.

News that Bai Qingxia would be the girl holding the placard for Class 28 at the sports meet spread through the girls’ dormitory like wildfire.

Compared to the boys, Bai Qingxia’s reputation among the girls was even more pronounced.

For boys, it was always the high-profile, outgoing, dazzling girls who drew their attention. Someone as quiet as Bai Qingxia—many of them hadn’t even heard her name, much less seen her in person.

But girls were different.

Gossip was their lifeblood; whether someone was extroverted or reserved, no detail escaped their notice.

A girl as striking and eccentric as Bai Qingxia was inevitably a favorite topic.

Tuesday afternoon. Physical education class.

“Lu Yuanqiu, how many events are you in for the sports meet?” asked Zhang Bowen, the P.E. monitor, notebook in hand, looking up at the boy who stood a whole head taller than him.

Lu Yuanqiu replied with a look of utter resignation, “Five.”

Zhang Bowen was taken aback. “Five? Which ones?”

“High jump, long jump, shot put, eight hundred meters, three thousand meters.”

All these had been chosen for him by their homeroom teacher, Liu Wei, who declared, “If you’re struggling academically, you should contribute to the class in other ways. Who else could do it? You’re tall, you’ve got the muscles—I’ve decided, you’re in for five events!”

When she’d said that, Lu Yuanqiu’s mouth had dropped open wide enough to fit a goose egg.

He’d immediately poked his desk mate’s soft cheek and protested, “Why didn’t you sign her up for anything?”

The double-standard woman’s face softened instantly, “Qingxia needs to study—how could she have time to train?”

Lu Yuanqiu was speechless.

Zhang Bowen gave Lu Yuanqiu a sympathetic look. “Alright, I’ve got you down. Go warm up for the high jump.”

Lu Yuanqiu followed his gesture and headed toward the high jump area, where the equipment was already set up.

Only then did Bai Qingxia, sitting on the steps, put down her book and lift her gaze to watch him walk away.

Soon, the athletic young man’s turn came. Lu Yuanqiu crouched down, accelerated, and leapt as he reached the bar, clearing a height that even stunned the P.E. teacher, Wang Ping.

Such was the benefit of being reborn: he was much stronger, and his improved jumping ability had already shone through in last week’s dunk.

But just as he was enjoying the moment, his work pants caught on the pole.

“Damn it!”

On the steps, Bai Qingxia’s heart clenched as she nearly stood up, but then she stifled a laugh, quickly covering her mouth with her book.

Lu Yuanqiu landed upside down on the foam mat, legs sticking straight up, his pocket hooked on the bar.

“Ha! Lu Yuanqiu, you big oaf!” Zhong Jincheng burst out laughing.

Lu Yuanqiu shouted, “What the hell are you laughing at? Hurry up and get your old man down from here!”

A few boys rushed over to help, rescuing him from his predicament.

Wang Ping, the P.E. teacher, chuckled. “Lu Yuanqiu, you’ve got real spring in your legs—looks like you could handle another half-meter with no trouble.”

Lu Yuanqiu curled his lip as he eyed his torn pants. “Just a second, let me take these off.”

Zhong Jincheng shouted, “Everyone, come quick! Lu Yuanqiu’s taking his pants off!”

Hu Caiwei’s eyes were drawn to him, while Bai Qingxia, from her perch on the steps, covered her eyes with her book.

“Bet you didn’t expect this—I’ve got gym shorts on underneath.”

Lu Yuanqiu grinned shamelessly as he pulled off his pants, revealing his big shorts.

Zhong Jincheng lost interest immediately.

Without hesitation, Lu Yuanqiu tossed the ripped trousers into a trash bin under a tree.

Feeling a gaze from above, he glanced at the girl on the steps and waggled his hips playfully before laughing and walking away.

Bai Qingxia shyly hid her cheeks behind her book.

After Lu Yuanqiu left, she lowered the book, her eyes wandering to the trash bin, her beautiful gaze thoughtful.

As class was about to end, Lu Yuanqiu and Zheng Yifeng headed for the basketball court, ball in hand.

“I’m exhausted. Did you sign up for any events?” asked Lu Yuanqiu.

“One. The hundred meters,” replied Zheng Yifeng.

“By choice?”

“Voluntold.”

Lu Yuanqiu was satisfied, dribbling as he walked. Suddenly, he paused. Looking up, he saw a girl sneaking up behind Bai Qingxia, who was sitting on the steps reading, unaware of the hands poised to shove her.

“Damn you!” Lu Yuanqiu bellowed, hurling his basketball at the girl. The ball struck her squarely on the shoulder, sending her sprawling.

Before Zheng Yifeng could react, Lu Yuanqiu was already tearing up the steps like a hunting leopard.