Please, I'm Trying to Study, Your Highness! - chapter 18

The back door that Lin Hui had hurriedly closed was still swaying slightly.

Finally, the wind nudged it, and with a crisp “click,” it shut completely.

The classroom returned to silence. The last rays of the setting sun refracted onto the floor, carving out interlaced geometric patterns of light and shadow.

It seemed as if three distinctly different scents lingered in the air.

Li Na’s rapid breathing, sharpened by anger; Zhu Peng’s heavy, shame-laden gasps; and…

The unique, pleasant, faint fragrance from Lin Hui.

Xia Shiyu gracefully straightened up and walked to the window.

She carefully adjusted the immaculate collar of her school uniform in the glass, which reflected a blurred silhouette.

She made sure every crease was restored to its proper smoothness.

Perfect.

Xia Shiyu walked out of the classroom, which had just served as her impromptu stage, with steady steps.

The corridor was empty and dimly lit.

The heels of her black Mary Jane shoes tapped crisply and rhythmically against the floor-

It somehow felt like the closing notes of a drama that had just ended.

Her phone had been vibrating non-stop in her pocket since earlier.

She took it out and glanced at it.

Countless unread message badges piled up, rushing onto the screen.

All sorts of men sent their regards-

Their words were so humble, like a pack of dogs wagging their tails and begging for attention.

“Shiyu, I heard Li Yaowen from Class Eight is pestering you again? Are you okay?”

“Goddess, are you feeling down today? I ordered your favorite dessert for you.”

“Are you free for dinner tonight? I know a newly opened French restaurant.”

“…”

A few “besties” also sent group chat messages.

The content was nothing more than invitations to some newly opened salon or so-called socialite gathering, asking her to join in to kill time.

Her thumb slid across the screen, her eyes quickly scanning those bland words, full of flattery and desire.

None of them truly entered her mind.

She symbolically replied to a few conversations that looked somewhat pleasing.

To the basketball team guy, she sent a cute cat emoji:

[Feeling a bit tired today~ Thanks for caring~]

To the rich second generation whose family was in real estate, she added:

[What a pity, I already have plans tonight. Maybe next time.]

To those besties, she sent a selfie she had just taken at the perfect angle, captioned:

[Got held up at school, you guys have fun first, babes.]

As for the rest, they sank like stones into the sea, never to be answered.

After finishing these, Xia Shiyu pressed the lock screen button.

The screen went dark, reflecting her smiling face.

So boring…

Whether it was these easily obtained attentions, or those women who only knew how to fill their empty lives with luxury goods and gossip, they were all equally dull.

Their lives were like water with too much artificial sweetener-so sweet it was cloying.

Today’s drama was much more interesting.

To be honest, when that foolish Li Na stopped her in the corridor, Xia Shiyu’s expectations for the scene were almost zero.

Because every step that followed was basically predictable.

Li Na’s impotent rage, Zhu Peng’s dilemma.

If she subtly guided them a bit more, that ridiculous sense of guilt would easily defeat his loyalty to his girlfriend.

The two would have a big fight and part on bad terms.

The whole script was stale and clichéd.

Xia Shiyu couldn’t even be bothered to show any extra expression.

If she had to rate it…

At most a 3 out of 10, no higher.

But with Lin Hui’s intervention, everything changed.

First, he switched perfectly from extreme panic to extreme calm, then analyzed the situation with layered words, controlling the rhythm.

He was an actor who barged in and refused to play by the script.

He forcibly twisted the ending in a way Xia Shiyu had never anticipated.

It was precisely the boy’s appearance that added a game of “logic” and “dignity” to what was originally just a low-level emotional dispute of “jealousy” and “possession.”

Seeing Li Na’s frustrated look as she wanted to argue but had no grounds, and Zhu Peng’s mortified expression after his thoughts were exposed-

She was indeed… entertained.

So, the final rating for this scene could be raised from 3 to 9.

A few streetlights on the main campus road were already lit, casting a hazy, amber glow.

The evening breeze stirred Xia Shiyu’s smooth hair, her striking profile beautiful enough to make passing boys skip a heartbeat.

“Shiyu!”

Zhu Peng came running over, panting and calling out urgently, “Wait for me, Shiyu.”

Xia Shiyu stopped in her tracks.

Zhu Peng ran up, out of breath, sweat still on his forehead, his eager, fawning expression clear.

A glaring red mark appeared on his left cheek, the outline of five fingers distinct.

Oh?

Looks like he got quite a few slaps from his ex-girlfriend after chasing her out.

Her gaze shifted away from his swollen face, a barely noticeable hint of mischief flashing in her eyes.

“Zhu Peng? What happened… your face…” Her voice was full of “concern” and “worry.”

Zhu Peng, having run so fast, was still heaving for breath.

He didn’t care about the injury on his face at all, and instead loudly announced in a tone as if presenting a treasure.
“I broke up with her! Shiyu! I broke up with Li Na, completely! I told her… the one I like is you.”

Hmm? Not bad, at least he’s got some initiative.

Xia Shiyu quietly watched him, his face practically begging for praise,
her own expression still the flawless, standard smile.

She tilted her head, and in the softest, most melodious voice she could muster, spoke gently.

“Really?”

Her voice was sweet, like honey-laced poison. “So you’ve dealt with the trouble that made me angry, huh?”

“Yes! I dealt with it!” He nodded vigorously, eyes full of anticipation.

Anticipating what?
Her surprise?
Her embrace?
That from now on, they could be together openly?

Xia Shiyu took a small step back.

“Then… do you think a boy who can’t even comfort his own girlfriend, who has to slander classmates to vent his jealousy…”

As she spoke, her long, thick lashes curled enchantingly, like a naive enchantress untouched by the world.

“…is good for anything?”

Zhu Peng’s expectant expression froze.

The excitement on his face twisted into a comically grotesque mask.

He couldn’t understand, couldn’t accept what he’d just heard.

“Wh… what do you mean? Shiyu, you… what are you saying?”

“What I mean is,” Xia Shiyu kept smiling, her coquettish voice so sweet it could make knees weak, “I never have much patience for toys I’m already bored of.”

“Classmate, if you don’t want my family’s bodyguards to break your legs and throw you out of Nanhua No.1 High School, then… try not to talk to me again, okay~”

With that final jab, she turned gracefully away.

The breeze that swept past carried the scent of her hair, like a silent mockery.

She walked away with light steps, humming an unknown tune.

Her blue-and-white school uniform faded into the deeper darkness at the campus gate, as if she’d never been there at all.

Only Zhu Peng was left standing dazed under the streetlamp, the night wind chilling him to the bone.

The side of his face, still swollen from being slapped, began to throb with a delayed, piercing pain.

…

Xia Shiyu’s mood was actually not as light as the tune she was humming.

Breaking up couples was just a game she played to pass the time.

Xia Shiyu enjoyed watching those who claimed their love was unbreakable reveal the weakest, ugliest sides of their relationships under her influence.

She relished the thrill of being the “third party,” the one who could crack even the strongest bonds.

But Zhu Peng and Li Na were just too easy.

A few extra smiles, a couple bottles of water, and the guy was already restless, eager to break free from his original girlfriend.

Compared to the last time she broke up that “model couple” in senior year, this took almost half the time.

Boring.

No sense of accomplishment.

She reached the school gate.

A black Bentley was already parked by the curb.

The driver saw the young lady come out and immediately got out, respectfully opening the back door.

The car glided smoothly through the city’s evening rush.

Outside, neon lights flickered, the city ablaze.

Leaning back against the soft leather seat, Xia Shiyu’s thoughts drifted back to that slender figure with black-rimmed glasses.

If…

Last time in class, when he used that clever, rigorous logic to drive away Li Yaowen, maybe it was just a coward’s desperate rambling under extreme fear.

Once could be a coincidence.

But what about today?

Under the double attack and slander from those foolish lovers, he started out playing the panicked, tongue-tied country bumpkin.

But when cornered, unable to escape, he instantly switched to a sharp-tongued, calm “judge.”

And after they left, he seamlessly became the blushing, awkward runner in front of her.

Could that still be a coincidence?

She didn’t buy it.

His acting… was truly outstanding.

Natural, vivid, flawless.

So good that even she… had been fooled.

This was something Xia Shiyu had never encountered before.

No matter how other men disguised themselves-
their eyes, their desires, their little schemes…
She could always see right through them.

To Xia Shiyu, these people were like open books, every page filled with blatant words.

But Lin Hui…

He was a locked book, written in complex codes she couldn’t decipher.

But-

Her fingertips unconsciously tapped the window.

Outside, the city’s neon lights stretched into dazzling streaks in her eyes.

The smile at Xia Shiyu’s lips became genuine, and dangerous.

After all, the rational logic he used to fight back and the timid act he used to disguise himself were clearly two completely different systems.

One for attack, one for defense.

Did he think that switching back to defense after attacking would erase all traces?

Too naive.

No matter how well you hide, you’ll slip up eventually.

I’ve finally caught your tail, little thing~”