Chapter 6: Getting to Know Each Other, Reviewing Exam Papers, Adding Friends

Chapter 6: Exam Review and Friend Requests

The boy in front of her was unusually tall, standing around 185 cm, with long legs that stretched out so much that when he sat down, they pressed against the desk's front panel below, making him tuck them back awkwardly.

He wasn’t wearing the uniform of Farros Academy but instead sported an understated but pricey streetwear outfit—a fresh, youthful aesthetic in blue-gray—paired with a pair of globally limited-edition white sneakers.

The boy had a porcelain-pale complexion, piercing azure eyes, thick lashes, and high cheekbones, giving him a strikingly handsome appearance under the sunlight. Even the pink hair, which most people would struggle to pull off, didn’t look out of place on him; instead, it added to his effortlessly cool vibe.

"My name is Jiang Yanche," the boy said with a disarming smile.

He grinned at Qi Heyin, showing off faintly visible canines. "Wanna get acquainted, Qi?"

Hearing his introduction, Qi Heyin studied him blankly for a moment before slightly narrowing her eyes.

*Jiang Yanche*... That name sounded vaguely familiar.

Ah, right—he was yet another male lead from the original novel.

Qi Heyin briefly recalled the plot. If she remembered correctly, Jiang Yanche was the only son of the Jiang family in the imperial capital, and rumors had it he also had an illegitimate half-sister.

The Jiangs were an old-money aristocratic family in Philos, with underworld roots. Their ancestors were ennobled by following the emperor in conquest during the feudal monarchy era, eventually legitimizing their status. Centuries later, the Jiangs had become the empire’s largest arms-dealing empire, with businesses spanning across the globe, with fingers in both political and military circles, at the peak of their power.

In the novel, Jiang Yanche was portrayed as a wild card—driven by passing fancies, possessing an intense desire to conquer, yet losing interest just as quickly.

He was the first among the male leads to approach the female protagonist. Using his boy-next-door act, he gained her trust, only to ghost her after she confessed her feelings, never looking back.

His merciless withdrawal left a deep scar on the female protagonist’s heart, branding him as her unshakeable 'dark obsession.'

The exact details were hazy, but Qi Heyin vaguely remembered a scene where the female protagonist sobbed her heart out alone by a fountain, lamenting to the statue of the "Wish-Granting God" that Jiang Yanche was "a gust of wind she could never hold onto."

Qi Heyin: "..."

*What an incomprehensible plot...*

She gazed silently at the free-spirited guy before her.

Though the novel’s storyline had already been completely rewritten by her, Qi Heyin still instinctively maintained a cautious attitude when facing these original Celestial Noble male leads.

Her tolerance for Shang Wenze’s mischievous nature was already an exception, granted only because of their long-standing childhood friendship.

As for the others she’d never interacted with before, Qi Heyin felt it was best not to get too close.

...Nine times out of ten, they’d be just as terrible as described in the book.

Jiang Yanche: "..."

For some reason, the girl’s dark, scrutinizing gaze made his scalp tingle, as if she were some all-knowing judge seeing right through him.

*Why was she staring at him like that? Was there something on his face?*

Jiang Yanche subconsciously touched his cheek but found nothing amiss.

After a brief silence, he mustered another smile and tentatively repeated, "...Hello?"

"Hello," Qi Heyin nodded at him, her tone indifferent, before shifting her gaze back to the textbook spread open on her desk.

Her demeanor was unmistakably distant.

But Jiang Yanche didn’t give up. He continued cheerfully, “Qi Heyin, I deliberately sat next to you. I really want to get to know you. Can I get your contact info?”

He took out his communicator, “Or are you on CONT? How about we follow each other?”

Qi Heyin gave him a puzzled glance, “No.”

Jiang Yanche: “…”

That was brutally blunt!

This was the first time in years that Jiang Yanche had been so straightforwardly turned down—and the first time anyone had dared to refuse him.

The chatter in the classroom quieted down, and for a moment, it seemed like everyone was sneaking glances their way.

His competitive streak flared up. Keeping his smile, Jiang Yanche pressed on, “Qi Heyin, no ulterior motives here—I just genuinely want to be friends. I’ve known your name for a long time. Though you’ve never met me, you probably know my father. His name is Jiang Jin, a huge fan of your mom’s work. He once visited your home… My father always told me you’re the smartest girl he’s ever met, so I’ve always been curious…”

As he spoke, he stole a glance at Qi Heyin, but her expression remained unchanged. Digging in, he doubled down, “Oh hey, funny thing—you know Brother Ze, right? I’m his friend too! He won’t shut up about you in front of us!”

—Total BS! Brother Ze, that territorial jerk, had never once mentioned her to them!

Never did he think he’d have to drag Shang Wenze into this. While mentally cursing up a storm, Jiang Yanche continued observing Qi Heyin’s reaction, only to find her still indifferent and expressionless.

Now he was completely stumped. He had already played the family background card, his father’s personal connection with her mother, and even his own friendship with Shang Wenze—yet she remained completely unmoved.

So Brother Ze’s childhood friend was this type…

Any normal person would be falling over themselves to get close to the Jiang family!

After a brief silence, Jiang Yanche suddenly narrowed his eyes and snapped, voice dropping dangerously, “Hey, woman, give me your contact code.”

Qi Heyin: “…”

There’s the real you.

She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, the boy instantly switched expressions again. His bright blue eyes blinked rapidly as he put on puppy-dog eyes and begged, “Please!”

Qi Heyin: “?”

…What kind of mood swings were these?

The class bell rang.

The students ended their chatter and quickly returned to their seats. The instructor walked in carrying a thick stack of test papers and had a few students distribute them.

Qi Heyin glanced at the syllabus—this core course was called "Advanced Mimic Data Analysis," likely a subject combining probability theory and applied statistics related to Mimic-linked knowledge.

The papers being handed out were the final exams from last semester’s intermediate-level course. Clearly, the first lesson of this term would be reviewing this test.

Qi Heyin hadn’t taken last semester’s exam. She raised her hand and requested a blank copy from the teacher, then carefully sized up the challenge to gauge the difficulty level of the course.

About five minutes later, she’d sized it up.

Perhaps because last semester’s course was still intermediate-level, the test was overall quite simple.

Qi Heyin looked up and listened attentively to the teacher’s explanations.

One had to admit—Farrow Academy earned its stripes as the empire’s top institution. The instructor’s teaching was excellent, with crystal-clear explanations that flowed naturally, occasionally throwing in extra insights. When explaining more complex issues, they cut right to the heart of it.

…No wonder the students were top-notch.

Musing to herself, Qi Heyin glanced behind her and noticed that barely any students were paying attention to the lecture, apart from a few scholarship students.

Especially some of the students from wealthy families in the back rows—though they sat obediently in their seats, they were clearly checked out, gossiping and cracking jokes with each other.

Qi Heyin went quiet. Before the official start of the semester, she had consulted the homeroom teacher to understand the class makeup and learned that many students from wealthy families in the class were outstanding, ranking at the top and just as capable as the scholarship students.

So, the students from wealthy families currently screwing around likely fell into two categories: those who genuinely didn’t care about grades, and the rest who... simply had everything handed to them. Just like how her parents had once hired private tutors for her at home.

Once again, she felt that class divide.

The shuffling sounds beside her interrupted Qi Heyin’s mixed feelings.

She turned her head and saw Jiang Yanche staring at his test paper with clear frustration.

Speaking of which, which category did this guy belong to...

Qi Heyin silently glanced over and immediately spotted the glaring "20" on his otherwise pristine paper.

Qi Heyin: "?"

Remember, this was a test out of 300 points. She had just calculated that even if someone randomly picked "A" for every multiple-choice question, they’d still score at least 50!

And this guy didn’t seem inattentive—he was listening carefully to the teacher’s explanations while taking notes.

The realization made her uneasy...

Jiang Yanche was racking his brains over the problems when he suddenly sensed a piercing stare from beside him. Puzzled, he turned his head and met the girl’s conflicted, hesitant expression.

Jiang Yanche: "?"

He raised an eyebrow, casually set down his pen, and asked with fake casualness, "Qi Heyin, have you changed your mind? Willing to add me now?"

Qi Heyin looked at the scratch paper on his desk... he'd messed up again.

"Here," she pointed at the scribbled notes and said earnestly, "You forgot to multiply by a coefficient."

Jiang Yanche: "...Oh."

"You’re serious about this," Qi Heyin remarked.

Regardless, she respected those who actually tried and treated knowledge with respect.

Jiang Yanche’s face tightened a bit: "...Oh. So, can you add me now?"

After a brief silence, Qi Heyin pulled out her phone and said hesitantly, "Fine. If you have questions later... you can ask me."

She had just added that scholarship student earlier, too.

Jiang Yanche’s eyes widened. After a moment of disbelief, a flash of understanding and excitement crossed his face.

Right—how could he have almost forgotten? This girl was once known as the city's famous genius!

Earlier, he’d seen her happily discussing problems with others... So, if he wanted to get closer to her, using schoolwork as an in would work, wouldn’t it?

The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became.

"Jiang Yanche: I got her contact!"

Trying to contain his excitement, he quickly reported the news in the "Brothers Without Brother Ze" group chat.

His little childhood friend was really helpful.

Putting away his communicator, Jiang Yanche stole another glance at Qi Heyin.

The girl’s expression remained as calm and detached as ever.

But this time, there seemed to be something almost like... pity in her gaze?