After the second class in the morning, it was time for the break, which lasted twenty minutes.
However, the school, considering the students' excessive stress, had basically canceled the break, allowing them to relax during this time.
Lin Mushi, in the front row, turned around and asked with concern, "Zhuang Zi'ang, why were you crying during math class yesterday? And why didn't you come to class in the afternoon?"
Zhuang Zi'ang answered vaguely, "I was in a bad mood, so I just wanted to do something to make myself happy!"
"You're the class monitor and the top student in our grade; you should set a good example for your classmates. What you did was too out of line," Lin Mushi said, puffing out her cheeks.
She couldn't understand how he could have changed so much after just one day of sick leave.
The old Zhuang Zi'ang would never have done something like that; even if he was in a bad mood, at most he would just do a set of practice tests to torture his brain cells.
As a good friend, Lin Mushi was afraid he would fall into depravity and indulgence, feeling a bit of 'hating iron for not becoming steel.'
Li Huangxuan guessed that Zhuang Zi'ang was likely upset about family matters and, fearing Lin Mushi would speak too harshly, interjected.
"Mushi, don't worry about it. My son had so much fun skipping class yesterday. He did things I wanted to do but didn't dare to."
Lin Mushi rolled her eyes at Li Huangxuan. "He's been led astray by you."
Li Huangxuan retorted indignantly, "What does it have to do with me? He said it himself: yesterday he met a girl even prettier than you, and they played all day."
Zhuang Zi'ang quickly tried to cover Li Huangxuan's mouth, but it was too late.
This bigmouth, why did he dare to blurt out such truths?
"Zhuang Zi'ang, you scoundrel, are you not studying properly and instead falling in love?" Lin Mushi's beautiful phoenix eyes widened as she questioned him sharply.
"No, no, I just met her yesterday," Zhuang Zi'ang denied repeatedly.
In school, most students were well-behaved. Although they had a beautiful yearning for love, very few dared to act on it.
Lin Mushi, the dignified school beauty, was used to being praised by everyone. Now, hearing that there was a girl even prettier than herself, she felt a little uncomfortable.
Li Huangxuan was a straight man who couldn't stand some of Lin Mushi's arrogant 'princess syndrome,' and always deliberately provoked her.
The two of them bickered noisily in front of Zhuang Zi'ang.
"You straight man with'straight man cancer,' you're definitely going to be single your whole life."
"Don't think that just because you're pretty, you can talk nonsense. Even if I'm single, I wouldn't choose you."
"Li Huangxuan, go to hell!"
"The fortune teller said I have a strong destiny; everyone else will die before me."
Lin Mushi suddenly reached out and pinched Li Huangxuan's arm hard, making him grimace in pain.
These girls are truly unreasonable; when they can't win an argument, they resort to physical force.
Zhuang Zi'ang watched their amusing antics, a profound sadness rising in his heart.
Such lovely classmates, but three months later, he would never see them again.
The most precious friendship would forever remain at eighteen.
Once the two quieted down, Zhuang Zi'ang spoke, "Son, you're a boy, be more generous, and be more accommodating to Mushi in the future."
Li Huangxuan reached out and touched his forehead. "Are you taking the wrong medicine? I tease her every day, and you never said anything before."
"Mushi, I apologize to you on his behalf. You know this guy always speaks without thinking," Zhuang Zi'ang's eyes showed a hint of sadness.
"Zhuang Zi'ang, I also think you're very strange. Why are you suddenly so polite?" Lin Mushi looked at him with suspicious eyes.
Still bothered by what he had said, she pressed on, "Did you really meet a girl who's even prettier than me?"
"Well, whether a girl is pretty or not is quite subjective; I can't really say," Zhuang Zi'ang answered vaguely.
"My son is handsome and has good grades, so his girlfriend must also be the prettiest. I don't think you have a chance," Li Huangxuan added fuel to the fire, deliberately provoking Lin Mushi.
Because Zhuang Zi'ang and Lin Mushi were good friends, rumors of a romance between them had always circulated in the class.
In reality, the two were completely innocent and had no feelings beyond friendship.
But now, with Li Huangxuan stirring things up, Lin Mushi had the illusion of being heartbroken.
To save face, she showed a disdainful smile. "I don't believe your nonsense at all. You're clearly coveting my beauty and playing hard to get."
Lin Mushi was very confident in her looks. There was definitely no girl prettier than her in the entire East Campus.
The boys saying such things were just trying to provoke her competitive spirit; what a childish trick.
"Mushi, I advise you to be a bit more modest. There's always someone better out there!" Zhuang Zi'ang was very confident in Xiao Hudie's beauty.
"Zhuang Zi'ang, are you secretly in love with me? Are you deliberately provoking me with such words? You two are putting on a double act here." Lin Mushi stared at them, an expression of having seen through everything.
"Do you have to be so narcissistic? With my looks, many girls in school are secretly in love with me too," Zhuang Zi'ang joked along with her words.
"Zhuang Zi'ang, aren't you afraid of biting your tongue?" A sneer came from the side.
Zhuang Zi'ang looked up to see that the student who spoke was Xie Wenyong.
He was the vice-monitor of Class 9, and had always been suppressed by Zhuang Zi'ang, the class monitor, holding a grudge.
At the same time, he secretly admired Lin Mushi, but Lin Mushi always showed special favor to Zhuang Zi'ang.
So, whenever there was an opportunity, Xie Wenyong would jump out to mock Zhuang Zi'ang.
In the past, for the sake of class unity, Zhuang Zi'ang always tolerated him, but now he didn't want to tolerate it anymore and deliberately retorted.
"When we chose the class monitor, didn't everyone vote based on looks? That's why I'm the main one and you're the vice."
Lin Mushi and Li Huangxuan burst out laughing.
Zhuang Zi'ang was indeed much more handsome than Xie Wenyong, but for him to say it himself was a bit 'Versailles-like.'
Xie Wenyong retorted indignantly, "You only became class monitor because you have good grades, just a bookworm. When it comes to overall ability, can you compare to me?"
"So, you want to be class monitor?" Zhuang Zi'ang stared into his eyes.
"If you weren't so good at flattering the teachers, I would have been class monitor long ago," Xie Wenyong said angrily.
"If you want to be class monitor, go apply to Teacher Zhang. I'm not doing it anymore," Zhuang Zi'ang said calmly.
"Hmph, would you really give it up?" Xie Wenyong didn't believe him at all, thinking Zhuang Zi'ang was teasing him.
Zhuang Zi'ang said meaningfully, "Have you heard the story of Zhuangzi and the Pheasant?"
The phoenix, originating in the South Sea, flew to the North Sea.
It would not rest on any tree but the wutong, nor eat any fruit but the bamboo seed, nor drink any water but the sweetest spring.
Then a kite, having caught a rotten rat, saw the phoenix pass by, and looked up at it, saying, "Shoo!"
The class monitor position that Xie Wenyong longed for was no different from a dead rat in Zhuang Zi'ang's eyes.
"You're really good at pretending," Xie Wenyong sneered.
"Xie Wenyong, we're talking to Zhuang Zi'ang. What does it have to do with you?" Lin Mushi said, displeased.
"Mushi, you're so good to Zhuang Zi'ang, are you afraid he'll be taken away by that prettier girl?" Li Huangxuan teased again.
"Are you out of your mind? Mushi is the school beauty, how could there be a girl prettier than her?" Xie Wenyong laughed even more exaggeratedly.
At this moment, a classmate returned from the restroom and shouted to Zhuang Zi'ang, "There's a girl looking for you outside."
Hearing this, Zhuang Zi'ang looked out the window, and his breath hitched.
The girl outside the window was wearing a pure white shirt paired with a deep blue pleated skirt, and spotless canvas shoes. Most eye-catching was a blooming peach blossom tucked into her hair by her temple.
With a backward glance and a smile, she was more beautiful than the flower.
Zhuang Zi'ang suddenly stood up, pushed through the crowd, and rushed out.
The classroom instantly erupted.
"Who is that girl? She's too beautiful!"
"There's actually a girl in our school who's even prettier than Lin Mushi."
"Xie Wenyong's face is really getting slapped hard."
Lin Mushi looked at Zhuang Zi'ang's retreating figure, her expression full of extreme grievance.
Men are all big pig trotters.