Chapter 64: How About I Tell You a Joke to Cheer You Up?

The mock exam was conducted with strict measures. To prevent students from exchanging their exam numbers in advance, the numbers were only announced on the morning of the exam day. Several classes were typically mixed and assigned at random, making it exceedingly rare for anyone to share the same examination room.

But just as she spoke, Yan Bian had already waved his hand and walked away.

The streetlamp stretched his shadow long and slender, as if it were a noise-canceling photograph—so beautiful.

She took out her phone, quickly snapped a picture, then glanced furtively around, relieved that no one saw her. Her fingertip enlarged the screen bit by bit, head bowed as she gazed at the photo. She wanted to set it as her wallpaper, but feared someone might see it. Like a secret hidden deep in a young girl's heart, she tucked the photo safely into a private album.

Tomorrow was the mock exam, and the usually clamorous dormitory was unusually quiet. Each roommate was hunched under their reading lamp, frantically memorizing and solving problems.

After washing up, Tang Yu returned to her bed, lying back and staring at the wooden board above her, unable to sleep. She took out her phone, her fingers uncontrollably tapping open that photo, staring until her eyes ached. She switched to WeChat, hesitated, then opened Yan Bian's profile.

His WeChat name, once a cool and aloof period, had become that word—mOOnqUake. The avatar was now a bright full moon.

"Legend has it the moon experiences about a thousand major moonquakes each year. The moon trembles gently, while those who gaze up from Earth remain oblivious. Just as you sit before me now, my heart beats—these heart tremors you will never know."

Seeing that word always brought the sentence to mind. It was as if his voice echoed again and again in her ears, soft numbness spreading around her heart.

Tang Yu pursed her lips. She wanted to click on his new avatar, but accidentally tapped too many times—it became a 'pat'!

She was instantly flustered, the phone landing right on her face with a dull pain.

As she anxiously searched for a way to explain, Yan Bian sent two words: "Good night."

She cradled the phone, her cheeks flushed and illuminated by the screen, fingers quickly tapping a reply: "Good night."

Fortunately, he didn't ask about the 'pat'...

—

There was no need to rise early for the mock exam. It was enough to collect the exam number at the classroom by seven o'clock.

Leaving the dormitory, the sky was just beginning to lighten. Tang Yu stood at the entrance, looking up to see a warm sun.

It was the season of blooming; the wind carried the scent of camphor trees mingled with the fragrance of gardenia.

After breakfast, she went to the classroom for her exam number—did not see Yan Bian, and without her phone, couldn't contact him.

Seeing the time was nearly up, she headed straight to the exam room, found her seat, and sat down. She took out her book to review important points before the test.

The exam started at nine. After a while, she glanced up at the classroom clock—it was already half past eight, and the room was still sparsely populated.

Only around eight-fifty did more students trickle in.

Meng Shirui entered while Tang Yu was still focused on her book. Meng Shirui tapped on Tang Yu's desk, a trace of contempt in her eyes, and said, "Don't forget."

The answer.

Meng Shirui had threatened her—to pass the answers during the mock exam. And every time, regardless of the exam, Meng Shirui's number was always right behind hers.

Tang Yu gripped her pen, opened her mouth, ready to speak.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted in the classroom.

"It's Yan Bian! Yan Bian's in our exam room!"

"He's so popular on the forum lately—so many fangirls. Damn, he really is that handsome."

The young man's pale neck was adorned with black over-ear headphones, black loose T-shirt, black casual pants, one hand in his pocket, eyes straight ahead as he walked to the seat behind Tang Yu—right next to Meng Shirui.

He kicked her chair, his gaze slightly dark, "This is my seat. Move over."

Meng Shirui instantly snapped, "Yan Bian, what are you showing off for? This is an exam, this is my seat!"

Only five minutes left before the test; the proctor frowned and strode over.

Tang Yu quickly tugged at Yan Bian's sleeve.

"What are you doing? The exam's about to start, go to your own seat!" the proctor said sternly.

Yan Bian pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and tossed it on the desk, "Teacher, this is my seat."

"And this classmate, not only took someone else's seat but shouted about it. Apparently, her eyes don't work, and neither does her brain. I don't think she needs to take the exam."

The seat number on the slip matched the number on the desk.

The proctor checked—it was indeed this room, this number.

Meng Shirui was stunned, hurriedly pulling out her own exam number—number 7!

What happened? She had paid the teacher arranging the seats to be placed right behind Tang Yu!

She had assumed it would be like before, so she hadn't even checked her number, just sat behind Tang Yu.

The proctor glanced at Meng Shirui, "Your seat is in the back row. Move now."

Under the varied gazes of the students, Meng Shirui could only grit her teeth and take her pen to the back.

"Alright, everyone, remove anything unrelated to the exam. Get ready!"

At the proctor's command, students began to move.

Yan Bian tossed his headphones onto Tang Yu's desk, raising an eyebrow, "Thanks."

Tang Yu put both her book and his headphones in her bag, whispering, "What a coincidence, you're actually sitting behind me."

Yan Bian chuckled softly, "Perhaps it's fate?"

It certainly felt like fate.

Tang Yu hadn't anticipated it.

When she returned, Yan Bian's desk was empty—not even a pen. Not at all like someone about to take an exam.

"You didn't bring a pen?"

Yan Bian looked at her, "No."

Tang Yu was speechless for a while, then took one from her pencil case and handed it to him.

Yan Bian twirled it between his fingers, "So thoughtful. How about you go all the way—pass me the answers once you're done?"

Tang Yu froze, thinking she had misheard.

The exam bell rang, and she had no choice but to turn around.

The first test was Chinese.

Once Tang Yu got into her rhythm, she was fully immersed. By ten o'clock, she had finished all the major questions and started on the essay.

She glanced back—Yan Bian was sprawled across his paper, asleep.

Tang Yu: "..."

Taking advantage of the teacher's distraction, she gently nudged his head with her elbow, expecting Yan Bian to wake. Instead, he lazily shifted into a more comfortable position and continued sleeping.

Tang Yu: "..."

When she finished her essay, Yan Bian finally woke, poked her back with his pen, and asked for the multiple-choice answers.

Tang Yu spent ten minutes steeling herself, then wrote down the answers and passed them to him.

Seeing her dark expression, Yan Bian guessed she was angry. He smiled, scribbled on a slip of paper, and tossed it to the back row.

Meng Shirui stared at the slip in shock, then was filled with delight. She quickly opened it while the teacher was distracted.

Multiple-choice answers!

She sneered inwardly—she knew Tang Yu wouldn't dare defy her and would obediently pass the answers in the end. And Yan Bian—he turned out to be quite clever.

Chinese in the morning, math in the afternoon.

It was the same story.

Math was Meng Shirui's weakness; she hesitated over several multiple-choice questions, and her scratch paper was so heavily marked it tore in places.

When the answers came, she was skeptical about some choices, but Tang Yu excelled in math—even Zhou Xunwen sought her help—so she quickly copied Tang Yu's answers.

After a full day of exams, the students were exhausted, complaints sounding the moment the bell rang.

Some had already begun comparing math answers.

Tang Yu left the exam room simmering with anger, ignoring Yan Bian as she walked away.

Yan Bian, with his long strides, followed leisurely behind, "Tang Xiaoyu, stop right there."

She kept going, walking even faster.

Yan Bian seemed to laugh, reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her into an empty hallway corner. One hand braced against the wall, the other blocking her way, his tall frame surrounding her completely.

"Still angry?"

She hadn't eaten lunch with him, hadn't answered any of his WeChat messages, nor picked up his calls—she had vanished.

Tang Yu pressed her lips tightly, head down, hiding all emotion in her eyes.

"Are you mad I didn't eat with you this morning and afternoon, or that I haven't returned your pen?"

He knew perfectly well what she was angry about, yet deliberately phrased it that way!

Tang Yu's expression was terrible, she looked away, still ignoring him.

Yan Bian lowered his gaze, smiling, "So angry, huh? How about... I tell you a joke to cheer you up?"