Chapter 117: Who Has Changed?

After the lights went out in the evening, the students conscientiously lit candles in the classroom to review their lessons. The final exams were just after New Year’s, and even those usually indifferent to studying felt the pressure. The top students aimed for scholarships, while the average ones hoped to scrape by with passing grades. Almost overnight, everyone’s enthusiasm for studying soared to unprecedented heights.

Dong Yanyan busily organized her notes. The courses had all been completed, and she had highlighted the key points alongside the teacher. Now, she needed to quickly systematize all the formulas and theorems. A few classmates nearby were waiting to benefit from her efforts, having been pestering her for days. Just thinking of those persistent pesters filled her with energy! Good students were defined by comparison. When she sat next to Song Mingcheng, she was always looked down upon. Yet, after moving to the front row, roles reversed within days—she was now in a position to teach and uplift others. The feeling was exhilarating.

“Liu Qiang, can you help me figure out what circuit this is? It looks familiar,” Gu Xiaohan in the front row asked, holding out her homework. Liu Qiang eagerly took the paper, glanced over it confidently, and said, “This is a coupled circuit, let me tell you…”

Dong Yanyan smiled inwardly at Liu Qiang’s excessive eagerness and silently mourned for him: Xiaohan was definitely the kind who turned to Zhong Wuyan when in trouble, and to Xia Yingchun when at ease—well balanced in her choices. She called on Xu Gang when going out to play and sought Liu Qiang’s help for homework.

The front door opened, and Ren Jiaxuan appeared holding several books. Spotting Dong Yanyan buried in her studies, his face immediately lit up with a warm smile as he approached.

“Why are you so obedient today? Waiting here for me so quietly!” He sat beside her, his mood cheerful. “What are you drawing? The Great Wall?”

“This is called digital signals, 0101001. If you learn it well, it’s amazing; if you master it thoroughly, it’s shameless,” Dong Yanyan chuckled.

“I think it’s the Great Wall! The Great Wall will never fall. The mighty Yellow River flows on and on…” Ren Jiaxuan hummed a tune casually. Dong Yanyan gazed at his exquisite profile with eyes full of affection: his sharp eyebrows, starry eyes, and thin lips were perfectly matched, almost flawless. Under the candlelight, his face seemed to be wrapped in a soft glow—he looked more handsome by the moment.

She casually flipped through the books he brought: Introduction to Literature, Overview of Hosting, Modern Literature, Ancient Literature. So many things to memorize. Then she looked through his notes—his handwriting was neat and elegant. His penmanship was truly beautiful.

Ren Jiaxuan draped his arm over the back of her chair and smiled down at her. “Curious about everything, huh?”

“I’m just checking for any flammable or explosive materials. You brought so many books—how are you going to finish them all?” Dong Yanyan teased. Glancing at him, she saw him flipping through her notebook, and her face darkened—her own handwriting was quite messy.

“Be good. Look at your own stuff,” she forced a laugh, reaching out to take back her notebook.

Ren Jiaxuan smirked. “Your handwriting needs practice. Let me teach you.”

Right on the sore spot!

“That’s not something you can fix overnight. Let’s just focus on the books for now. The teacher will be here soon,” Dong Yanyan said, a bit annoyed.

Ren Jiaxuan didn’t mind. She frowned in concentration over the circuit diagram while he quietly read his own book beside her. They didn’t disturb each other. Dong Yanyan felt a sense of peaceful stability in this world, a serene passage of time. She found herself smiling unconsciously.

As the night deepened, students gradually returned to their dorms in small groups. Dong Yanyan checked the time; it was nearly 2 a.m. Only Jiang Fan and Liu Siying remained in the classroom. She gently tapped Ren Jiaxuan’s desk. “Hey, let’s go. I want to get some sleep.”

Ren Jiaxuan glanced at his watch, then at her, pinching her nose and smiling. “Alright, let’s go to bed.”

Dong Yanyan playfully glared at him, stood up, and bent down to gather her books.

Ren Jiaxuan stood and grabbed her hand. Her face warmed as she stole a glance toward Liu Siying. Understanding his cue, Ren Jiaxuan held her hand and led her out, closing the classroom door behind them.

The corridor lights were bright and the silence of the night made the space feel empty, even a little chilly. Dong Yanyan shrugged her shoulders.

“Walk me downstairs, will you? I’m a bit scared on my own,” she said shyly, stifling a yawn.

Ren Jiaxuan laughed heartily and pinched her cheek. “I’d be more than happy to. Let’s go.”

* * *

No matter how late she stayed up, Dong Yanyan still had to rise early. She lazily climbed out of bed and ran out without washing her face. Xu Cheng was already waiting. Seeing him, her eyes reddened; he looked just as exhausted as she did.

“Didn’t sleep well last night?” she asked.

Xu Cheng smiled faintly. “It’s nothing. Let’s go.”

They had been married for years, and Dong Yanyan knew his nature better than anyone. Though he was lenient and generous with others, he was actually narrow-minded at heart, harboring his unhappiness inside. But as an eighteen-year-old boy, he couldn’t disguise anything; his emotions were written plainly in his eyes. She suddenly recalled that Liu Siying and Jiang Fan still hadn’t left past midnight last night—he must have seen that too.

“Women are complicated. Don’t take it too seriously. Always think positive. Sometimes, losing a small tree means you gain an entire forest,” she said to him. Liu Siying was carefree and would soon tire of him; and in truth, she herself wasn’t much different. Her concern for him came only from over a decade of shared history. Even if she was fooling herself, she understood that he no longer met her standards in any way. The psychological gap of more than ten years meant she had seen too much and demanded too much—things a naive youngster couldn’t understand or satisfy. Even Ren Jiaxuan—if not for his looks and charm, the kind she adored—she likely wouldn’t have fallen so deeply in love. Thinking of Ren Jiaxuan, a sweet smile curved her lips; looking at Xu Cheng, a twinge of sadness touched her heart. She couldn’t bear to see him sad, nor could she bear anyone else bullying him. She could bully him herself, but no one else—not even someone he liked!

“I know, thank you,” Xu Cheng replied with a smile.

Dong Yanyan clearly sensed his words were perfunctory, so she said no more. If he didn’t make an effort, no one else could help.

* * *

After delivering the newspapers, they hurried back to the classroom, chilled to the bone. It was still early; only Liu Siying remained, reading. She greeted them as they entered, then said to Xu Cheng, “Xu Cheng, I want to talk to you alone.”

With only three people present, what did she mean? Before Dong Yanyan could figure it out, Xu Cheng eagerly went over to Liu Siying’s side.

Suddenly, Dong Yanyan felt an impulse to lose control—and so she did! Just as those two had hoped!

At lunch, Liu Ying brought up the incident, marveling, “Old Five, didn’t you see how Jiang Fan and Xu Cheng are so protective of Liu Siying now? I really admire Liu Siying. Everyone can see she’s playing them, yet there are still people willingly letting her. Impressive! Truly impressive!”

Dong Yanyan sighed and smiled. “How could I not see? She dealt with Jiang Fan all night long yesterday, and handled Xu Cheng this morning. Her fighting spirit is no joke. But it’s a matter of willing players. Boys love to be the blue confidant. Even if she’s not interested in them, at least they’re closer to her than others. Men are vain creatures; having such a beautiful girl teasing them satisfies their vanity and protective instincts.”

Liu Ying laughed. “You’re no less than her.”

“Third sister, I don’t like hearing that,” Dong Yanyan replied seriously. “I have more people around me than she does. At least five or six! Recently, I’ve taken over some of the people who used to be hers, right Xiaohan?”

Gu Xiaohan blinked and smiled. “Kind of. But I think, no matter how good Fifth Sister is at studying, she’s not as good as Third Sister. Even though you moved seats, Third Sister, you have to help me during the exams.”

“Exactly! We’re all waiting for you to come back. Yanyan’s too slow at solving problems and sometimes gets them wrong,” Xinran chimed in.

Dong Yanyan fell back in mock despair, ready to cry without tears, while Liu Ying grinned triumphantly.

“You’re all bullying me. Nobody is allowed to use my cellophane to wrap apples today!” she shouted angrily.

“Seventh Sister, do you know where her wrapping paper is?” Yu Xia asked Xinran.

“By her bedside,” Xinran answered slowly. After a long while, when she climbed to the upper bunk to snatch it, the entire stack of cellophane had already been taken without a single sheet left.

Dong Yanyan was very satisfied: her influence was turning this group of kids into little bandits.

* * *

Dorm 510

Li Zhe burst into the dorm holding a rice jar, exclaiming, “Did you hear? Yanyan actually stood up to Old Tang! Originally, Old Tang recommended her to join the Student Union, but today it was Liu Siying who reported there. According to students from the Broadcasting class, Old Tang talked to Yanyan last week. She must have offended him.”

Zhang Dawei jumped up from his bed in surprise. “What’s gotten into her lately? Who hasn’t she stood up to? Such a fiery temper!”

“I think Yanyan is pretty smart this time. Why do you think Old Tang wanted to get her into the Student Union before the winter break? The intention is clear! With his physique, wouldn’t he crush her? Of course, life is more important than future prospects,” Qiu Huanyu said, crossing his legs and smiling slyly.

Zhang Dawei chuckled along.

He Jingxuan laughed dismissively. “Yanyan’s the way she is. She won’t let herself take any losses. She plays others, but no one plays her. And some people even willingly let her.”

“I’m still here, you know! Shut up! Say one more word about Yanyan and I’ll be mad at you!” Ren Jiaxuan slammed the table and shouted.

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