"Tell me honestly, are you cheating?"
"No."
Ning Xiyu pointed to Ye Fan, who was sitting beside her, and said innocently, "But, I do have a deskmate who's like a cheat code."
These words were undeniably adorable.
Su Ke pursed her lips, turned her head, and winked at Luo Yumeng. "Do you smell something sour?"
"I smelled it a long time ago!"
Luo Yumeng, full of jealousy, grumbled, "Ke Ke, we shouldn't have come to be the third wheels today. We originally planned to grab some good food on North Street, but now I'm already full."
"Stop talking nonsense!"
Ning Xi's face flushed red. She grabbed the ribbons at her waist with both hands, feeling guilty. "If you keep this up, I'll just go home."
Su Ke walked over, pulled Ye Fan aside, and whispered into Ning Xi's ear, "Xiao Xi, haven't you noticed how well you and Ye Fan match? Whether it's looks, personality, or excellence, the two of you are just perfect!"
As she spoke, she nudged Ning Xi lightly with her shoulder. "This CP of yours—I ship it!"
"Are you still talking nonsense?"
Ning Xi's already flushed cheeks deepened to an even more vivid shade of crimson. Her clear eyes brimmed with shyness, threatening to spill over.
Unfortunately, all this beauty was hidden behind her mask. Otherwise, who knows how many people would be left dazed just by looking at her?
"Ahem—"
Su Ke waved at Luo Yumeng, and the two girls pulled Ning Xi aside.
Ye Fan, helpless, could only watch.
These two girls were too lively. He truly wanted to shake their heads and check if the sound of ocean waves still echoed inside.
"Xiao Xi, let's discuss something with you," Su Ke began. She sneaked a glance at Ye Fan, who was a few meters away, and lowered her voice. "In the future, when you and Ye Fan have your tutoring sessions, could you bring Yumeng and me along? We'd like to experience what it's like to 'cheat,' too."
Su Ke was well aware of Ning Xi's academic performance.
Before Ye Fan arrived, Ning Xi's grades were only slightly better than hers. But ever since Ye Fan transferred to Zhenhua, Ning Xi's performance had skyrocketed like a rocket, climbing higher and higher.
In just two short months, she had reached an unattainable level.
This cheat…
She wanted it too!!!
Luo Yumeng, who had been puzzled earlier, immediately perked up at Su Ke's suggestion. She'd been worried about her grades lately. In the last exam, she'd ranked second in the class. With the second round of exams approaching, she felt completely unprepared.
Now, hearing the word "cheat," her eyes burned with determination. She exclaimed eagerly, "Yes, yes, Xiao Xi, we're best friends, right? You can't leave us out of the good stuff!"
"Well…"
Ning Xi hesitated, glancing over at Ye Fan. After a few seconds of deliberation, she nodded slowly. "I'll try to talk to him, but if I really can't convince him, there's nothing I can do. After all, he has his own things to take care of, and his energy is limited."
"We believe in you—you can definitely do it."
"Xiao Xi, our futures are in your hands. If you can persuade Ye Fan, I'll cover all your food and drinks from now on!"
The two girls made enthusiastic promises, their eagerness overflowing.
"Just wait here."
Feeling a bit uneasy, Ning Xi walked over to Ye Fan, gently tugged at his sleeve, and blinked her bright eyes several times. "Teacher Ye, I… need to discuss something with you."
"My gut tells me it's nothing good."
Seeing the girl's playful, almost coquettish demeanor, Ye Fan felt a chill down his spine and smiled wryly. "If possible, I refuse."
"No, you can't refuse!"
Ning Xi bit her lip and said with a hint of grievance, "At least listen to me first. I haven't even said anything yet, so you can't refuse."
"If I listen, how will I refuse afterward?"
Ye Fan shrugged and glanced in the direction of the two girls, already having a good idea of what this was about. "Xiao Xi, you want me to tutor Su Ke and Luo Yumeng too, don't you?"
"Eh? How did you know?"
Ning Xi was taken aback, tilting her head and staring at Ye Fan with wide eyes, her surprise evident.
"You!"
Ye Fan tapped her smooth forehead lightly and chuckled, "Your little schemes are written all over your face. Who wouldn't notice?"
"So, will you agree or not?"
Ning Xi didn't mind Ye Fan's familiar gesture and boldly grabbed his hand with both of hers. "Ke Ke and Yumeng said they'd only join the tutoring sessions. They'd ask for help only when they had difficult questions and wouldn't bother you otherwise."
As she spoke, she stepped closer, closing the distance between them to just a foot. Tilting her delicate face upward, she pleaded, "Teacher Ye, please agree. I'm begging you."
Her coy, girlish demeanor was lethal!
"Agreeing isn't out of the question."
Ye Fan admired the girl's beauty, a smile playing on his lips. "But what's in it for me?"
"A reward?"
Hearing this, Ning Xi hesitated, lowering her head shyly. "What kind of reward do you want?"
"A shared grave."
"…"
Ning Xi was dumbfounded.
A shared grave?
What kind of reward is that?
Ye Fan's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Girlfriend, marriage, children—all too troublesome. Let's skip to the end. What do you think?"
"Grave your head, you weirdo!"
Ning Xi shot him a glare and said crisply, "Big brother, I'm not even 18 for another two months. I'm in my prime youth. Don't you think it's ridiculous to talk about sharing a grave with me now?"
"Not at all. I'm very serious."
Ye Fan shook his head slightly, his expression sincere.
Ning Xi: "…"
She had never heard of such an absurd reward!
She took a deep breath and stomped her foot. "You… you… change your condition! Please be normal, big brother!"
"Don't call me 'big brother.' Call me 'brother.'"
Ye Fan frowned at the term "big brother," clearly displeased. "That's my condition. From now on, call me 'brother,' no matter the occasion. Accept it, and I'll agree. If not, forget it."
"Huh?"
Ning Xi's lips parted slightly.
This condition wasn't exactly unreasonable.
But she had a strange feeling about it.
And nowadays, terms like "brother" and "love brother" were trendy. Calling him that might lead to misunderstandings, especially with those around her.
"If you're so reluctant, let's just drop it."
"No, we can't drop it!"
Ning Xi jolted upright, remembering the expectant looks on her two friends' faces. She made her decision, her eyes brimming with embarrassment.
"Brother."
The sweet, soft voice was like a celestial melody, cleansing all the impurities of the world.
This single word melted Ye Fan's heart. Memories from his past life flooded his mind, stirring a wave of emotions.
"Say it again."
His deep voice held excitement, joy, and nostalgia.
"Bro… Brother."
..