Known as the Rising Star in the Mathematics World

Shen Nian's ultimate goal was simply to surpass Xia Yanchun in grades, which was no easy feat.

Xia Yanchun was the top student in Cinan No. 2 High School, excelling in every subject. Even Shen Nian's strongest subject, math, wasn't that much higher than hers.

Trying to overtake Xia Yanchun was like fighting a final boss.

As for Lan Fukai? He genuinely didn’t even register on Shen Nian’s radar. If he had to pick someone to surpass next, his sights were set on Li Shiyan and Chen Dong.

"Come on, I believe in you. Even if others look down on you, you’ve got to prove them wrong."

Shen Nian still couldn’t resist pushing his luck. "If I do, do I get a reward?"

"Reward? How about I reward you with a punch?" Xia Yanchun waved her tiny fist.

"Fine, fine, I’m leaving. You’d better watch yourself—don’t lock your door tonight."

"What for?"

"I’m gonna sneak attack you. Heh heh heh."

"Try it and you’re dead."

......

There was still a bit of sticky white residue on the floor—Shen Nian, that idiot, had dropped some of his ice cream. Unbelievable.

Xia Yanchun wiped it up with a tissue and sat back at her desk, only then noticing that Shen Nian had left his vocabulary book behind.

This guy really treated her place like his own home, even daring to joke about a "night raid." Did he need a beating?

Xia Yanchun knew it was all talk, though. There’d been a time when Shen Nian’s bravado was even wilder, as if he had no concept of consequences.

Hair ties were scattered all over the desk. Xia Yanchun sighed and picked them up one by one, placing them back into a small box.

She wasn’t oblivious to the symbolism of hair ties—some couples in class openly wore matching ones on their wrists, declaring their relationship status for all to see.

Shen Nian had asked her for a hair tie but never wore it. What did he even want it for? To turn it into a slingshot?

His thought process was downright alien.

The next day, Monday, light rain.

Shen Nian bought breakfast and walked while eating, umbrella in hand. Xia Yanchun walked ahead, carefully watching her steps to avoid the "landmines" on the sidewalk.

She pulled out yesterday’s vocabulary book from her backpack and handed it back to him without warning.

"Whoa, you scared me. Thought you were handing me a love letter."

"Not even close. You’re not that good-looking." Xia Yanchun scoffed, then smirked. "Oh—so you’ve been fantasizing about me giving you a love letter? You—"

Damn, she reversed it on him. Xia Yanchun had skills.

"Tch, whatever. Talking nonsense."

Shen Nian wasn’t bothered. He caught up and walked beside her, his umbrella covering half of her as raindrops dripped from the edge.

Xia Yanchun elbowed him and folded her own umbrella.

Shen Nian slowed his pace and fell behind her.

Xia Yanchun: "......Do you have to be like this?"

What a weirdo.

The weather in Cinan was always unpredictable. Just days ago, it had been scorching hot, but now a light autumn rain brought a cool breeze. The classroom air conditioner wasn’t even on.

Chen Dong arrived earlier than Shen Nian. When he saw him, he turned and said,

"Just checked your weekly test scores. We got the same."

"Like that’s hard?"

Chen Dong was fifth in class, so matching his score meant Shen Nian had done well. He checked his English test—already at 92.

A few careless mistakes cost him points, but without them, he could’ve scored even higher.

Studying—hell yeah!

Shen Nian had fully embraced the grind.

"Not bad, you dog. You might look like a mutt, but at least you’re putting in effort now."

"Insulting me? Watch it." Shen Nian laughed. "You thought those study pics I sent were fake?"

"Alright, you win."

"By the way, when did you start dating?"

"Not dating, just… flirting." Chen Dong grinned.

You do your grind, I’ll do my flirting. You send me study pics to annoy me, I’ll send you flirty pics to annoy you back. That’s what real bros do.

"Flirting but not dating? Careful, or you’ll get stabbed."

"She’s my childhood friend. Why would she stab me?"

"Oh wow, pulling the ‘childhood friend’ card?" Shen Nian sneered. "You’re a real champ if you can fall for someone you grew up with. I’d feel too awkward."

"That’s why you’re lame. Childhood friends are basically pre-wifed."

Behind them, Xia Yanchun peeked over a stack of books, eavesdropping on the boys’ conversation.

"Childhood friends are pre-wifed"? Chen Dong was just as much of a weirdo as Shen Nian.

Then again, birds of a feather flock together.

"That’s a hot take. Disgusting." Shen Nian disagreed. Childhood friends were natural rivals, not romantic prospects.

Chen Dong waved him off. "You wouldn’t get it. You don’t have one."

Shen Nian just smiled and didn’t argue.

Ma Mingfan had been listening the whole time but couldn’t contribute—eighteen years single, never even held a girl’s hand.

Damn it, why weren’t there any cute girls in this class?

Outside, the light rain continued. The flag-raising ceremony was canceled. The window was open, letting the autumn wind carry droplets inside, dampening Shen Nian’s neighbor’s desk.

Wait—

Autumn wind… carrying… autumn rain?

That sounded like some melancholic literature. And sure enough, someone smelled it coming.

"Mind if I sit here?" Chen Qiuyu smiled faintly, pulling out the chair next to Shen Nian.

Shen Nian gave her a puzzled look but nodded.

Then Chen Qiuyu proceeded to cosplay as a brooding heroine—holding a tiny novel, hair loose, left hand propping up her round chin, face tinged with sorrow.

What now? Who pissed her off this time?

"You good? Credit card maxed out?"

"Pfft—no! I’m fine!"

"Did you fail math again? Another 59?" Shen Nian figured he should steer the conversation somewhere less dramatic.

We STEM kids bond over grades.

At that, Chen Qiuyu stiffened, stammering as she stood up.

Her wound had been ruthlessly exposed. A wave of sadness surged from her heart, chilling her to the bone. Her sorrow was genuine.

In human terms: he hit a nerve.

"I improved too."

"How much?"

"62."

"……?"

A whole three-point improvement? Impressive. A rising star in the math world—or maybe a gorilla.

"You’re still kinda bad, though. I got full marks."

"Who asked?"

Chen Qiuyu fought back tears, her brain overtaken by literary anguish.

"Words cut deeper than winter!"

"Good thing it’s still September."

"......"

Fine. Words cut deeper than September. She’d never seek poetic vibes near Shen Nian again.

Chen Qiuyu had arrived in high spirits but left in despair.

Yan Xi reminds you: Due to Tomato’s request for 3 million+ daily visits overloading the servers, we recommend switching to other sources for now.