Please, I'm Trying to Study, Your Highness! - chapter 5

“Bro… Brother Hui…”

Wang Lei pleaded softly.

Tsk, a classic and clichéd bullying scene.

My fingers holding the pen paused in midair, black ink gathering at the tip into a plump dot, suspended but not falling.

The complex auxiliary lines of the geometry problem were replaced in my vision by other, more complicated things.

Trouble.

The word flashed before my eyes.

Everyone in the classroom had their attention successfully drawn by Wang Lei’s plea for help.

Curiosity, sympathy, schadenfreude, indifference…

Several gazes, each carrying different emotions, were like invisible threads, forcibly dragging me out of the safe shell built from stacks of books.

Now, I had become the clown on stage, illuminated by the spotlight, expected to entertain the audience.

Even though I had no desire to play the part at all.

Thanks to the easygoing persona I had deliberately cultivated before.

Never making enemies, occasionally cracking harmless jokes, my popularity in the class was, at best, decent.

This “decent” was a low-profile, harmless web of relationships.

Now, a corner of that web had been tugged.

If I didn’t help, or pretended to be dead like Monkey…

My brain began to analyze the situation with a cold efficiency detached from emotion.

If I chose to refuse, Li Yaowen’s attention wouldn’t shift to me, and I’d avoid direct conflict.

Wang Lei would bear the humiliation alone, might be forced to buy drinks, and could even get hit once or twice.

Because Monkey had already played dead, Wang Lei had no choice but to ask me for help.

So after this incident, Wang Lei’s trust in me would likely collapse completely.

I’d not only lose this “friend” I’d maintained to fit in,

but the vague image of the “easygoing nice guy” I’d worked hard to build in the class would also crack.

After all, if even a “nominal friend” could be openly bullied in front of you and you remain indifferent, in others’ eyes, that’s undoubtedly a sign of “no value.”

A person who’s valueless and isolated is more likely to become the next target of bullying.

From an energy-saving perspective, this is the worst long-term strategy.

Tsk, if only I’d played dead early like Monkey.

At least I’d have an excuse, like “I had headphones on and didn’t notice,” or “I was immersed in a game.”

Though flimsy, at least it wouldn’t sour relationships.

I’d clearly missed my chance.

So…

I’ll solve the problem at the lowest cost.

Even though it’ll bring unnecessary trouble later, I’ll quickly deal with this noise interrupting my studies and get things back on track.

The analysis was completed in a flash.

I had to help, but the way I helped was crucial.

My pen finally touched down, and I wrote the solution steps next to the ink dot on the test paper.

I placed the neutral black pen on the desk, making a soft “tap.”

The sound was especially noticeable in the dead-silent atmosphere.

I got up, walked around the desk, and stood in front of the fat guy, blocking him from Li Yaowen.

I was taller than Wang Lei, but still a bit shorter than this athlete.

Not to mention the obvious difference in physique, which would make others feel I was foolishly trying to stop a chariot with a mantis’s arm.

Li Yaowen hadn’t expected anyone to actually stand up. His eyes flashed with menace. “What? You want to stick up for this fatso?”

“No, no, no, I just don’t quite get it.”

I waved my hands, breaking down the whole thing with the same logic I use for solving problems.

“You want to buy a drink for Xia Shiyu, right?”

Li Yaowen frowned, didn’t say anything, but that was as good as admitting it.

“But you’re making him go buy it.”

I pointed at Wang Lei, who was trembling behind me. “And it looks like he’s paying for it too.”

Having his intentions exposed, Li Yaowen’s face flushed red.

Like someone had yanked his pants down in public, he yelled in embarrassment and anger, “So what! I’m giving him face by letting him go! What the hell are you trying to say?”

“Don’t rush.”

I kept calm and tried to soothe him.

“Look, he’s running the errand for the drink, and he’s paying for it.”

“When the drink gets to Xia Shiyu, she’ll be drinking something Wang Lei paid for and fetched. So, what does this have to do with you?”
A sincere expression appeared on my face, as if I were genuinely puzzled by this question.

“You just moved your lips, but what does that prove? Does it prove you’re good at bossing people around? Or does it prove you… didn’t bring any money?”

“Pfft-”

Somewhere in the classroom, someone couldn’t hold back and let out a short laugh.

That laugh was like a needle, stabbing hard into Li Yaowen’s pride.

“Are you fucking looking for trouble?!”

Li Yaowen was provoked. His fist, as big as a casserole, clenched suddenly, veins bulging, as if it might swing at my face the next second.

“No, I’m helping you.”

Facing that fist, which could almost cover my whole face, I spread my hands, calm and steady as an old dog.

“You want to show off in front of the girl you like, and that’s fine, but the way you do it matters.”

“It’s like playing basketball. Do you choose to break through and score yourself, earning the cheers of the crowd, or do you let the substitute go on and score while you watch from the sidelines?”

This analogy hit the only logical area in Li Yaowen’s muscle-filled brain that he could understand.

His aggressive movement paused.

“Letting others do it for you makes you look powerful, but doing it yourself shows you’re sincere.”

Noticing his anger slowly subsiding, I offered him a final way out.

“Go to the shop yourself, pick out the most expensive drink she might like, then run back all sweaty and hand it to her personally.”

“Think about that scene. That’s what’s cool, that’s what shows you ‘care’. But right now… to be honest.”

“It’s kind of cheap.”

The last two words, “cheap,” were said softly and slowly, and in Li Yaowen’s ears, strangely enough…

Damn, it kind of made sense!

In front of the girl you like, “sincerity” really is a more attractive label than “power.”

Wasn’t everything he did today just to show off?

After being talked through like this, Li Yaowen finally realized he was doing something stupid-making a wedding dress for someone else.

Not only did he fail to show he “cared,” he almost came off as a bully who wouldn’t even pay for a drink.

The muscles on Li Yaowen’s face twitched a few times.

His clenched fist relaxed.

He glared fiercely, but said nothing.

Turning around, he roughly shoved aside the desks and chairs blocking his way, the harsh crashing sounds echoing nonstop.

Under the gaze of the whole class, he stormed out the back door.

Judging by the direction he went, it was toward the shop.

Wang Lei let out a long sigh of relief, collapsing into his chair, his back soaked in cold sweat.

He looked over, his eyes full of gratitude and admiration as if he’d survived a disaster. “Hui, Brother Hui… you, you’re amazing… thank you, thank you…”

What should I say now?

Just a casual “It’s nothing”?

No, that doesn’t fit my usual persona.

I smiled, teasing in the tone he was familiar with, “So, now you know to call me Brother Hui?”

With that, the sense of distance from before was broken.

“Hehe…” Sure enough, Wang Lei showed that “Xiao Huihui is still the same Xiao Huihui” look, scratching his head sheepishly.

“I just wanted to show my respect.”

His tone became familiar again.

I turned and walked back to my seat, my eyes casually sweeping the classroom.

The glances from around me flashed with a hint of admiration, but not quite surprise.

Because everything I’d done just now matched the persona I’d shown in class for a long time.

Some people whispered quietly.

All the talk was about “Who knew Xiao Huihui was so good with words,” “He’s really loyal, daring to go head-to-head with Li Yaowen.”

My gaze fell back on the half-finished solid geometry problem. I picked up my pen again.

Good. Crisis perfectly resolved.