Jiang Wanyan was the top student at A High, firmly holding first place in her grade. But due to health issues, she had to repeat a year.
In her new class, Jiang Wanyan had planned to quietly work through practice problems and breeze through this extra year of senior year. But then the homeroom teacher waved a hand and said, "Jiang Wanyan, sit next to Zhou Chenxu and help him with his studies while you're at it!"
The noisy class fell silent in an instant.
Who was Zhou Chenxu?
The undisputed school bully. Rumor had it his fists were quicker than his words. He always wore a cold expression, and a single look from him was enough to make people give him a wide berth.
Zhou Chenxu was catching up on sleep when Jiang Wanyan reached out and patted his shoulder.
Woken from his nap, he scowled. "Bookworm, this had better be important."
Jiang Wanyan pulled out the pristine physics textbook he had been using as a pillow under his chin. "Sorry, that's my book."
Of course, something this trivial wasn't worth sacrificing his sleep over. Just as Zhou Chenxu was about to lose his temper, Jiang Wanyan suddenly let out a startled cry.
The students around them immediately turned to stare at Zhou Chenxu in shock.
Zhou Chenxu: "?"
He hadn't hit anyone!
Realizing she'd overreacted, Jiang Wanyan gave the class an apologetic look, then lowered her head and murmured to the deskmate beside her, "Zhou Chenxu, you drooled on my book."
Zhou Chenxu: "..."
The next moment, Jiang Wanyan curled her lips into a smile. "Sorry, I was mistaken."
*
Zhou Chenxu really wanted to scare her off. But whenever he got angry, Jiang Wanyan would speak to him in a soft voice, like a little rabbit. Her pitiful, innocent look left him helpless.
One day, Jiang Wanyan told Zhou Chenxu to do an English practice test. He could take it no longer. Slamming his hands on the desk, he stood up. "Jiang Wanyan, can you stop trying to manage me already!?"
The whole class fell deathly silent. No one had expected Jiang Wanyan to be bold enough to make the school bully do the subject he hated most: English.
Jiang Wanyan's expression remained calm. "Fine."
Though they sat at the same desk, the two of them became like strangers. Zhou Chenxu kept waiting for Jiang Wanyan to comfort him like she used to, but she never did.
For a whole week, she didn't say a single word to him of her own accord.
Zhou Chenxu couldn't stand it. After school, he waited for her at the school gate, only to see someone hand Jiang Wanyan a love letter.
But before Jiang Wanyan could even open it, someone pulled her into an empty alley nearby.
Zhou Chenxu had meant to tear up the letter, but when Jiang Wanyan merely gave him a cool glance, he didn't dare.
"Don't really stop caring about me."
Zhou Chenxu lowered his head. "Please."
*
When they met again, Zhou Chenxu was no longer the delinquent who'd neglected his studies. He had become an exceptional man whom everyone looked up to.
After several encounters that seemed both deliberate and accidental, Jiang Wanyan continued to treat him with polite distance.
But Zhou Chenxu relentlessly pressed closer, leaving her nowhere to retreat and nowhere to hide.
At last, as he pinned her firmly against the wall, Jiang Wanyan asked softly, "Why me?"
Zhou Chenxu lowered his head slightly and murmured hoarsely, "Please, don't stop caring about me."
Reading Guide: The first half takes place at school; the second half is set in the city.
Theme: Bound by her, he strives to become a better man for her.
