How could this guy make a move so fast, without even waiting for the girl to grow up a bit more.

The fan in the office creaked as it spun.

Chen Zhi leaned half his body against the edge of the desk, his legs still trembling slightly. The aftereffects of finishing the five-kilometer race were hitting him; his thigh muscles were incredibly sore, and his feet felt weak.

Lin Wanwan kept her head down, her hands twisted together. She secretly peeked at Chen Zhi from the corner of her eye, her lips moving to produce a voice as quiet as a mosquito: "Chen Zhi, what should we do now? Dean Zhang's look just now felt like he wanted to swallow us alive."

"What are you afraid of? It's not like we're dating." Chen Zhi casually grabbed a newspaper from a nearby desk to fan himself.

Lin Wanwan froze for a moment, the panic in her eyes receding slightly, and she nodded: "Oh, right. I only helped you up because I saw you were about to fall. Besides, with our relationship, what's wrong with lending a hand?"

"Exactly." Chen Zhi smiled shamelessly. "Just stick to that story later, and leave the rest to me."

"Still getting your stories straight?"

Dean Zhang pushed the door open and walked in, holding a small black notebook, which he slammed heavily on the desk.

"Chen Zhi, Lin Wanwan, right? You two have a lot of nerve. This is an academic building, not a place for you to be flirting! That posture in the stairwell just now—if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed students from our school were capable of such a thing!"

Dean Zhang picked up his teacup, took a sip, and pointed right at Chen Zhi's nose: "You first. Explain what happened."

Chen Zhi raised his hand with a sincere expression: "Sir, you've really misunderstood. I just finished running five thousand meters. The whole school can testify that I won second place. When I was going downstairs just now, my leg cramped up, and I fell backward. Out of camaraderie, Lin Wanwan risked herself to save me and caught me. That wasn't a hug; she was just supporting me."

"Just supporting you?" Dean Zhang laughed out of anger. "I've been the head of discipline for over a decade, and this is the first time I've heard someone describe hugging and cuddling so innocently. Lin Wanwan, is that what you think too?"

Lin Wanwan nodded hastily, like a chick pecking at rice: "Yes, yes, Dean. Chen Zhi's face was completely pale at the time. I was afraid he'd roll down the stairs and damage his brain, so I reached out and pulled him. But he was too heavy, and his momentum caused me to crash into the wall too."

"Make it up, keep making it up." Dean Zhang sneered coldly, opening his notebook. "I've already called your parents. Kids these days won't know the school rules unless they're taught a lesson. Especially you, Chen Zhi. Your homeroom teacher, Wang Qian, praises you a lot, doesn't she? And this is how you repay her?"

Just as he was speaking, the office door was pushed open.

Wang Qian hurried in, her face showing confusion and helplessness. She first looked at Chen Zhi, who was standing up straight, then at Lin Wanwan, who had her head practically buried in her chest, and finally at Dean Zhang.

"Dean Zhang, what exactly is going on? Both of these kids usually behave quite well. Is there some misunderstanding?"

Dean Zhang pointed at Chen Zhi and said to Wang Qian: "Wang Qian, you're here just in time. Look at your students, hugging in the hallway in broad daylight. If word of this gets out, what will happen to our school's reputation? I've already called their parents, and this matter must be dealt with strictly today!"

Wang Qian walked over to Chen Zhi and asked in a low voice: "Chen Zhi, tell me the truth. What exactly did you do?"

Chen Zhi threw his hands up, looking completely innocent: "Ms. Wang, I'm really not lying. My legs are still shaking right now. If you don't believe me, feel them yourself. Lin Wanwan was really just helping me back to the classroom. We are honestly not dating."

Looking at Chen Zhi's sweat-covered forehead and pale lips, Wang Qian actually believed him for the most part. She knew this kid too well. Although his thinking could be a bit erratic at times, he wouldn't tell a lie so easily exposed about something like this.

But Dean Zhang was fuming right now, so it wasn't appropriate for her to contradict him directly. She could only sigh: "Alright, sit down first. We'll talk when your parents get here."

Meanwhile, Dean Zhang was standing at the end of the corridor, reflecting on those two strange phone calls from earlier.

The first call was to Chen Zhi's mother, Zhang Guifang.

"Is this Chen Zhi's parent? This is Dean Zhang from the discipline office. Your son has been caught in a romance at school."

Dean Zhang had expected to hear gasps or apologies, but the other end was silent for two seconds before an excited voice replied: "Really? That brat finally figured it out? He didn't scare the little girl, did he?"

Dean Zhang was stunned. This wasn't how the script was supposed to go. He quickly emphasized: "Parent, please mind your attitude! Puppy love violates school rules! The other student is Lin Wanwan. Both sets of parents need to come to the school."

"Oh my, Wanwan? Then it's fine." Zhang Guifang's voice instantly became affectionate. "How did this kid act so fast? He couldn't even wait for the girl to grow up a bit more. Okay, okay, I'll be right there. Dean, please help me keep things steady and don't scare the kids."

When Dean Zhang hung up the phone, he felt he had more sweat on his forehead than Chen Zhi did.

The second call was to Lin Wanwan's mother, Lin Jing, and the situation wasn't much better.

"Is this Lin Wanwan's parent? Your daughter is involved in puppy love."

Lin Jing's voice was as elegant and calm as always: "Oh? Who is the other party?"

"It's Chen Zhi from her class."

"Chen Zhi, huh..." A hint of a smile actually seeped into Lin Jing's voice. "I understand. I happen to be running errands near the school. I'll be there in five minutes."

Dean Zhang looked at the two students in the office, his anger inexplicably turning into confusion. How were the reactions of these parents completely different from the hysterical ones he had encountered in the past?

Ten minutes later, the office door was pushed open.

Lin Jing walked in gracefully, wearing a cream-colored dress. Her first glance upon entering wasn't at Dean Zhang, nor at her own daughter, but directly at Chen Zhi.

"Chen Zhi, I heard from the Dean that your performance just now was quite outstanding?" Lin Jing walked up to Chen Zhi, a hint of teasing in her eyes.

Chen Zhi gave a bitter smile: "Aunt Lin, please don't make fun of me. I was completely wrecked from running the five thousand meters. I almost died in the stairwell; it was all thanks to Wanwan saving my life."

"Mom!" Lin Wanwan grabbed Lin Jing's sleeve as if she had seen a savior, whispering, "Dean Zhang insists we're dating and wants to issue a public disciplinary notice."

Dean Zhang stood up and cleared his throat: "Lin Wanwan's parent, you're here just in time. The situation just now was like this: I saw with my own eyes the two of them hugging tightly in the stairwell. This kind of behavior..."

"Dean, I'm truly sorry," Lin Jing interrupted Dean Zhang. Her tone was gentle but carried an undeniable composure. "These two kids grew up together, and our families are neighbors. I've watched Chen Zhi grow up, and I know his character. He just participated in a high-intensity race, and it's a fact that he was physically exhausted. Wanwan is an anxious child, so when she helped him, her movements might have been a bit exaggerated, causing you to misunderstand."

Dean Zhang froze: "Neighbors? Grew up together?"

"Yes." Lin Jing smiled. "Chen Zhi's mother will be here in a bit. Dean, if you are worried about this affecting their studies, there is really no need. These two kids have always maintained stable grades, and it is perfectly normal for them to help each other."

Right as she was speaking, Zhang Guifang burst into the room like a whirlwind.

"Chen Zhi! You little brat!"

Dean Zhang's spirits lifted, thinking that a sensible parent had finally arrived.

Instead, Zhang Guifang marched straight up to Chen Zhi, looked him up and down, and smacked him right on the shoulder. "If you wanted to hug Wanwan, why didn't you do it where people couldn't see you? Did you really have to do it right in the hallway? Are you an idiot?"

Dean Zhang: "???"

Standing off to the side, Wang Qian was holding back her laughter so hard that her stomach ached.