Chapter 48 Number One

Luo Di returned to his seat and was surprised to find an extra person there. His gaze immediately locked with a short girl who had straight-cut bangs and a height just over one meter six.

Just looking at each other like that, the atmosphere was slightly awkward, as if Luo Di could no longer remember his classmate's name.

Just as Xiaoying was about to introduce herself,

Luo Di suddenly said, "Li Xiaoying."

"Um..."

"Um."

Luo Di nodded and began packing the things on the resting chair.

By the time the final group of students finished their confrontation, today's opening assessment was officially concluded.

Most of the students in the class were limping, and more than ten needed hospitalization.

The relatively uninjured students showed no signs of celebration; they were well aware that tonight's confrontation was far from passing and that they had been completely and unilaterally suppressed. They had to make changes in the coming half-year.

Luo Di was the fastest to pack his things, leaving the gymnasium at a brisk pace.

"Luo Di, wait..."

Gao Yuxuan trotted over to catch up with him, walking side by side and eagerly asking about [Zombification].

Seeing this, the class monitor frowned slightly and quickly ran to catch up. However, halfway through her run, she seemed to remember something. With a dance-like, rapid pivot, she turned her gaze toward the girl who was still standing in the resting area in a daze.

"Xiaoying! After tonight's physical test, there will be free late-night snacks in the cafeteria. Do you want to come along?"

"Okay!"

Xiaoying grabbed her schoolbag, which she hadn't even had time to zip up, and chased after them with an awkward, cross-gait running style, trailing at the very back of the group of three.

...

[The Cafeteria]

In the past, everyone went home before six o'clock, never having dinner at the school cafeteria, let alone a late-night snack.

Since Jupiter City was primarily an immigrant city composed of Chinese nationals, the entire cafeteria's style was predominantly Chinese cuisine. The moment one stepped inside, the familiar aroma of spicy chili oil filled the air.

The food windows were piled high with freshly cooked toppings, including but not limited to bamboo shoots with braised beef, braised pork ribs, minced meat sauce, stir-fried pork with green peppers, and more.

Behind the counters, the ladies were boiling elastic noodles made from premium flour in massive pots.

The toppings were unlimited and self-served, accompanied by a freshly fried, crispy egg straight out of the wok.

Although it was delicious, most students still cared about calorie intake. After all, it was already nighttime, so most of them only ordered small or medium bowls.

Luo Di was the same; in his view, eating too much at night would affect his sleep.

Both he and Gao Yuxuan ordered small bowls of pork rib noodles.

Xiaoying, who hadn't said a word the entire way, ordered a small bowl of dry-mixed noodles with minced meat sauce, timidly following behind the class monitor as they joined the table where the other three were sitting.

Suddenly... Bang!

A heavy, oversized bowl slammed down onto the table.

Everyone's attention was drawn to it, and Xiaoying realized that the class monitor had actually ordered a large bowl of noodles, piled high with beef and ribs, topped with an extra-large fried egg.

"Xiaoying, don't just stare at me, hurry up and eat~"

"Oh."

Sitting next to the class monitor, Xiaoying didn't even dare to raise her head because Luo Di was sitting right across from her.

The class monitor spoke while eating, "Right, from now on, Xiaoying will be with us. When it's time to eat, if I'm busy with class monitor duties, make sure to bring Xiaoying along."

Gao Yuxuan flashed an OK sign from across the table, while Luo Di ate his noodles without any response.

The delicious late-night noodles were quickly devoured, and the class monitor was clearly the one who enjoyed her meal the most.

It was also Xiaoying's first time realizing that the class monitor could eat so much, and for a moment, she felt a little sad.

In her view, since the class monitor could eat this much while maintaining such a great figure, according to the conservation of energy, she must spend an immense amount of time after class engaged in high-intensity remedial training.

Bang! The class monitor placed her empty bowl back onto the table, having even finished the soup inside.

Wiping the oil from the corner of her mouth, she brought up a new topic. "By the way, are you guys planning to live in the dorms? Living on campus saves commuting time and gives you free breakfast at the cafeteria."

Gao Yuxuan pushed up his glasses. "I have mild neurasthenia and prefer sleeping alone."

"And Luo Di?"

"My home isn't far; the bus ride is only twenty minutes. Besides, my mom prepares breakfast for me in advance, so there's no need to stay in the dorms."

Hearing this, the class monitor looked helpless. "Ah~ I've decided to live in the dorms. I've already discussed it with my family, and I'm going to dedicate all my energy to on-campus study and the final sprint during the last half-year.

Xiaoying, what about you?"

"I—I haven't decided yet. I'll go back tonight and discuss it with my family..."

The class monitor immediately threw her arm around Xiaoying. "Live there, live there! As long as you decide to stay in the dorms, I'll go talk to Xiao Ruan immediately and have him assign us to the same room. That way, we can eat together in the morning and walk to the classroom together. Having a companion will make campus life so much richer."

"Okay." Upon hearing that she could room with the class monitor, Xiaoying agreed immediately, even though she hadn't discussed it with her family yet.

[The Next Day]

The very first class in the morning was the head teacher's physical education class.

However, this PE class was unexpectedly held indoors, focusing mainly on reporting yesterday's results and arranging the upcoming nighttime courses.

Ruan Zhijun was still wearing his military uniform, but his micro-expressions revealed a hidden joy.

"First of all, I want to congratulate you all. Our class's average score has improved once again, rising to second place in the grade. In last night's assessment, two students deserve individual commendation.

Student Wu Wen broke both the sprint and long-distance school records, ultimately finishing fourth in the grade.

Following late-night discussions and evaluations by the teachers, Student Luo Di's comprehensive score has been awarded [First in the Grade]."

The classroom immediately erupted into enthusiastic applause.

With a smile on her face, the class monitor also gave a thumbs-up to Luo Di, who was sitting by the window.

"Additionally, including the two students mentioned above, along with Gao Yuxuan, Xu Dianjun, and Li Xiaoying, your scores have placed you in the top fifty of the grade.

Your night classes will be scheduled in the elite group to receive special training."

Sitting in the front row, Xiaoying could hardly believe it. Her ranking was usually around the middle of the grade, and she never expected such a massive improvement. In her mind, this progress was inseparable from the encouragement the class monitor gave her last night.

When she turned around to look at the class monitor, the other person had already formed a hand-heart gesture in advance.

"The rest of the students who didn't make it into the elite group shouldn't be discouraged either; I will provide you with the most suitable training... Oh, right! Luo Di, Wu Wen, you two go to the principal's office right now. It's good news."

The class monitor sprang up like a coiled spring, standing right at the classroom door and waving eagerly to signal Luo Di.

"You're really so slow~ Is the principal going to look annoyed waiting for you or something?"

Luo Di didn't respond, walking quietly down the teaching building corridor.

The teaching building and the administrative building where the principal's office was located could be reached directly via a connected circular skybridge.

As the two of them passed the classroom area, ensuring their conversation wouldn't disturb other classes, Luo Di, who had remained silent the entire way, suddenly spoke up.

"Class monitor, is something on your mind?"

"Huh? Why do you say that?"

"I just feel it's a bit strange that you suddenly became so close to Xiaoying. After all, the two of you barely had any interaction before."

"Well, did you and I have any interaction half a year ago? I just realized last night that Xiaoying is very talented, and besides, she's very cute, isn't she? She has a round face, and starting tonight, Xiaoying and I are going to sleep in the same room.

Right, Xiaoying seems to have a bit of a crush on you. What do you think?"

Luo Di paused, glanced at the class monitor beside him, and then looked ahead, continuing to walk.

Unexpectedly, the class monitor quickened her pace to overtake him. Just like during the winter break in the stairwell, she placed her hands behind her back, offering a nearly undeniable hint.

One second,

Two seconds,

Three seconds,

Just when it seemed like a stone had been tossed into a bottomless well,

Unbeknownst to them, the well seemed to have filled with water, and the falling stone splashed against the surface, sending a response.

A rough yet warm hand gently brushed against his.

The two of them walked across the skybridge, entered the [Administrative Building] area, and climbed the nearly deserted stairs step by step toward the principal's office on the top floor.

When they were just one floor away from the top,

Step!

As Luo Di stepped onto the landing at the corner, his vision suddenly warped and began to spin. He stumbled and nearly fell over.

Had the class monitor not grabbed him tightly, he probably would have banged his head against the handrail.

"Luo Di, are you alright? Didn't you eat breakfast? Low blood sugar?"

"I ate noodles at home... I don't know what happened, a wave of dizziness just hit me. Are you okay?"

"Of course I am~ Otherwise, how could I have caught you? Should we go check in at the school infirmary together after seeing the principal?"

"Yeah." Luo Di still cared deeply about his physical condition; under no circumstances could anything go wrong before graduation exams.

On the top floor,

As the two of them reached the door of the principal's office, they heard voices coming from inside. Due to the soundproofing materials, the specific contents were unclear, but it sounded like an unpleasant conversation—or even an argument.