Chapter 12: Li Qingran Desired Solitude

[Reward acquired: Mutual Teaching and Learning (When teaching others or being taught, the learning efficiency of both parties is greatly enhanced.)]

Classmates gradually arrived, most of whom lived on campus and tended to come later. Yajie, having finished eating, continued to focus on her studies, though she occasionally dozed off while reading ancient poetry. The effect was quite obvious—eating well really made one sleepy.

"Hey, what time do you usually go to bed at night?" Jiang Mo poked her.

"Ah, I usually sleep before one o'clock," the girl replied, eyes drooping before suddenly opening wide.

"Sleeping that late, no wonder you're not tired. And you don't take naps either, right?"

"Yeah, but that's just how it is..." The girl frowned—a rare sight—with her delicate eyes curved slightly. "Everyone else is smarter than me; I have to work hard just to keep up."

A mortal emperor trying to erase the path of the great Dao.

Is this a backhanded compliment? I'm reporting it.

Before Jiang Mo’s English skills skyrocketed, he was just an average wild dog scoring around five hundred.

"My science subjects are poor... I chose them because my family said science leads to better majors," the girl said, frowning even more tightly.

Jiang Mo recalled Yajie’s latest exam scores: 585 points, barely enough to move up a class. Her Chinese was an astonishing 135, and English 145—both among the top in the grade. But her math was only 90, physics 60—just passing. Chemistry scored 74, and biology, with more memorization this time, was 86.

A top-notch specialist in uneven subjects.

Depression... could it be related?

"Grades are important, but you have to put your health first," Jiang Mo tried to communicate gently. "Didn't you have stomach pain before?"

"It didn’t happen before... only once," Yajie’s voice faltered, softening as if Jiang Mo had touched a sensitive spot, yet her words remained firm.

"Why are you so stubborn?" Jiang Mo teased, pointing at her like a husky.

"I'm not! I’m the only girl in my family, so I don’t know how to explain... Jiang Mo, you’re so amazing, you probably don’t understand..." The girl thought of Jiang Mo’s carefree nature—that kind of effortless learning, even eating McDonald’s for breakfast, something she’d never done. He must come from a good family.

She wasn’t like that. She had to work a hundred times harder than others just to barely compare.

Her parents ran a steamed bun shop with great effort, just so she could study well. She had every reason to work hard.

But those words hit Jiang Mo like a warm red wine.

Damn, you say you don't understand halfway through—how am I supposed to know if you do or don’t?

I’m an only child too, with a younger playmate who sleepwalks and eyes me like a tiger; no retreat, falling behind means losing out.

He understood all too well that kind of motivation fueled by a desire to repay one’s family.

But it’s a twisted mindset. Jiang Mo’s mother corrected his attitude early on, yet he just let himself go wild.

Putting that aside for now.

Wanting to honor one’s parents is fine, but it’s clear the girl has turned this feeling into guilt...

Forcing oneself to do the impossible harms the body, and the results aren’t guaranteed to be good. Failure worsens emotions, leading to feeling like one has disappointed family, deepening the guilt.

This is deadly.

"If you don’t understand science, you can ask me. I should be able to teach you," Jiang Mo said calmly, holding back his emotions.

The system’s new reward, “Mutual Teaching and Learning,” could just help her.

How to use it?

Step by step, gradually adjust her mindset. No rushing.

Who would have thought I could be so serious?

"Jiang Mo, I’m really dumb. You probably can’t teach me," Yajie timidly declined right after Jiang Mo made his proposition.

"I spend more than half my day studying science... I used to attend tutoring classes, but it didn’t help..."

Mentioning tutoring dimmed the light in Yajie’s eyes; guilt filled her gaze.

"Of course! I’m not saying you can’t... it’s me who’s no good, Jiang Mo, you’re amazing," she belatedly added, taking all the blame upon herself once again.

"I’d just be wasting your time..."

Never seen anyone so fragile—she’d probably cry if she rode a motorbike without a helmet.

"Oh."

Jiang Mo gave her a long look, suppressing the urge to push too hard; rushing would only hurt the already sensitive, self-conscious Yajie.

"There’s a McDonald’s promotion these days. When I buy, I always get an extra one. I’ll give you the extras."

The girl started to refuse...

"Wasting food, huh?" Jiang Mo used a bit of moral persuasion.

"I could give them to others..."

"No, you’re better looking when you eat."

"That’s not true..." Yajie blushed deeply and nodded slightly in agreement.

As the class assembled, early reading began. Two lively classmates in front took advantage of the chaos to sing loudly.

Guo Huowang sang the theme from "Pig Hero," while Li Yu sang from "Fruit Guardians." Their spirited singing oddly blended well with the morning reading.

Unfortunately, Li Qingran hadn’t arrived yet; if she heard, she’d surely be surprised.

The class monitor was quite bold—skipping morning reading outright.

As soon as morning reading ended, the whole class fell asleep like dead pigs, except for a few lively boys.

Suddenly, someone shouted, "Where’s the class monitor?!"

The class instantly erupted again.

"What?! Why isn’t the class monitor here?!" Guo Huowang’s eyes widened as he grabbed the slumped Li Yu, pointing to the empty seat behind Jiang Mo.

"Don’t move! Last night, Lu Yun was dizzy... What? Where’s the class monitor?!" Li Yu, barely conscious, sat up in surprise, as if witnessing some ancient marvel.

---

Justice may be delayed, but the class monitor never misses class!

"Ahhhh!!"

Vice monitor Huang Yuanyuan began screaming. Usually calm and composed, she panicked upon realizing the monitor was absent.

"Li Yu, Guo Huowang! Did you say something inappropriate to the monitor again yesterday?!" she demanded sharply.

"Damn it, Huang Yuanyuan, don’t accuse people without proof. There are people in this class way more obsessed than you! They keep calling the monitor 'my lady' all day! Not shaking the lotus!" Guo Huowang fired back.

"It’s definitely you boys always thinking of harassing the monitor! You scared her off!"

"We only talk big. You’re the one who actually makes a move! What’s your Little Red Book ID? Dare to say?"

"The British police raided my elementary school," Li Yu chimed in, making Huang Yuanyuan blush.

Jiang Mo was stunned—the vice monitor was actually Li Qingran’s top fan...

The Little Red Book ID sounded quite twisted. Adding as a friend to see their strength—probably with forced access.

"Jiang Mo... what’s this British police thing?" Yajie, curious, tugged at his sleeve, asking a question that stunned everyone around.

Its impact was no less than when Jiang Mo once saw Jiang Wanfeng reward him—such a soul shock.

Guo Huowang stuffed his face in his shirt, trying not to laugh but unable to hide his bulging eyes. Li Yu pretended innocence, stroking his little mustache.

"Ah? Hello new student!" Huang Yuanyuan kept her composure, but her eyes widened when she saw Yajie.

"Ah, vice monitor, hello..." Yajie forced an awkward smile.

"Your hands are so white, can I touch them? Wow, your smile is so cute, can I poke your face?"

Huang Yuanyuan continued her creepy advances, maliciously reaching out.

My god, a pervert!

Yajie glanced at Jiang Mo for help. Just as Jiang Mo was about to stop the pervert’s wicked plan, Guo Huowang interrupted with a shocking question:

"Hey, Guoshi, didn’t you add the class monitor’s QQ yesterday?"

At once, dozens of eyes turned to him.

The quiet murmurs about why the monitor wasn’t here switched instantly to rumors about what Jiang Mo did to the monitor.

"Well, I just added her as a friend," Jiang Mo said calmly, deciding to avoid confrontation for now.

"You know, the monitor is... hard to get along with."

Jiang Mo heard sympathetic sighs.

"Stop talking, man, I get it," Guo Huowang sympathized, "So can you share the QQ number? The monitor is everyone’s monitor. Sometimes we need to ask her about study problems."

"Guo Huowang, get lost!" Huang Yuanyuan turned her attention to Jiang Mo. "Jiang Mo, I suggest you give me the monitor’s QQ. My Little Red Book has some pretty ones."

Please send privately, thanks.

Surrounded, Jiang Mo found it hard to escape. The air turned tense.

Before long, before Jiang Mo could speak, the classroom erupted again.

The perspective shifted as Li Qingran entered with a slightly flirty stride.

Unlike her usual composed self, her neat high ponytail was undone, replaced by loose, long black hair, a strand of hair twitching atop her head.

After a few steps, the cool-headed monitor staggered, rubbed her eyes, and walked unsteadily to her seat.

She lay her baby-faced, slightly chubby head on the desk, eyes half-closed, hair sticking up—a clear sign she wasn’t fully awake.

Everyone’s jaws dropped. Li Yu was dumbfounded, even pulling out two strands of his mustache.

"Huang Yuanyuan, you look like you’re having your period..." Guo Huowang said blankly.

"As expected of you, Wangzi. You even make nosebleeds sound poetic," Li Yu praised, sticking the pulled hairs into Guo Huowang’s hair.

"So cute~~~ Class monitor!" Huang Yuanyuan wiped her nosebleed, her perverted smile returning.

More girls gathered around the monitor, their smiles blooming like flowers—less creepy but still intense.

The boys were more reserved, sneaking glances from afar.

In their memory, Li Qingran never arrived late nor came to school so disheveled.

"Class monitor~ Didn’t sleep well last night? Why are you late? Don’t worry, I won’t tell your name~" Huang Yuanyuan said, pulling a tissue for her nosebleed, which made Guo Huowang angry, cursing the vice monitor for exploiting the students.

"Um..." Li Qingran struggled to lift her eyes, mumbling groggily:

"Slept... late."

"Ah~~ Why did the class monitor stay up late?"

"Playing... with Jiang Mo... together."

She sounded like a machine spitting out words without thinking—a sleep-talking state.

This caused more and more cold, ominous gazes to fix on Jiang Mo.

"What were you playing?"

Huang Yuanyuan asked with a fake smile, glancing at Jiang Mo with an unexpectedly frightening look.

"......"

The monitor frowned slightly, then fell fast asleep again, eyelids drooping, breathing softly like a sleeping beauty.

The tough guys were already down, some groaning in pain. Guo Huowang performed an impromptu “Fire Cloud Evil God” bubble blow.

"Don’t stop me! Today, I’m gonna make him fly!"

"Old folks and kids first," Li Yu continued as the straight man, taking notes on Jiang Mo’s feats, determined to make him the national tutor.

"Jiang Mo~" Huang Yuanyuan’s sharp voice came again, followed by her harem.

Trouble—just poked the clown’s nest, and now a palace intrigue is breaking out.

"What were you and the class monitor doing last night?"

Honestly, Jiang Mo felt a bit intimidated, even thinking of having Yajie come out to act cute.

But when he looked again, Yajie had already shrunk into a corner like an ostrich, holding her book upside down, trembling.

Yajie, I was planning to let you ride motorbikes, and you treat me like this?!

No love left, destruction it is.

Jiang Mo straightened his expression. Given the situation—

Being abstract occasionally is fun, but when abstract people gather and disturb others, that’s a problem.

He didn’t understand why Li Qingran chose to endure it, but anyone leading a crowd to question his privacy—even with no ill intent—would annoy him.

It’s none of their business if he and Li Qingran bicker. He’s not committing crimes; they’re just asking questions.

"Actually, the class monitor and I were discussing class matters."

"She was feeling down, so we talked late."

"Ah?" Huang Yuanyuan was stunned, not expecting Jiang Mo’s sudden seriousness or such a reason.

"The class monitor didn’t tell you because she doesn’t like being constantly watched."

"Everyone needs their own private space. She knows you all like her, but after all, she’s just a student."

"Vice monitor, try to put yourself in her shoes. What if you were constantly bothered by someone with a bloody nose and a perverted smile..."

Jiang Mo raised an eyebrow, not saying the words “stalker” outright, leaving room for interpretation.

"Right?"

"Um..." Huang Yuanyuan’s smile faded, lips pressed awkwardly.

"And now that the class monitor is like this, is all this noise really appropriate?"

Guo Huowang, lying on the floor, was splattered by Jiang Mo’s collective harm, quickly getting up with a sheepish smile: “Not my fault.”

Li Qingran’s privacy should never be gossiped about by outsiders.

She simply doesn’t talk much—not because she wants to.

Likewise, Jiang Mo’s privacy shouldn’t be forced into the spotlight.

Good people shouldn’t be threatened; beauty shouldn’t become a target.

Jiang Mo didn’t fully understand Li Qingran’s temperament, but her bleak future made it clear—she simply didn’t like it.

If she doesn’t like it, it must be said. If she won’t say it, Jiang Mo would speak for her.

Having said what needed to be said, Jiang Mo tried to ease the atmosphere and quickly returned to joking. No one mentioned the earlier incident again; they were smart enough to understand with just a hint.

In his previous class, Jiang Mo would have shouted and cursed outright.

But Jiang Mo, an oddball, looked at Li Qingran without prejudice.

When admiration becomes a rule and classmates treat it as habit, forgetting the feelings of the admired, mistaking silence for acceptance—

Because he wasn’t deeply integrated into the class, Jiang Mo saw through it and dared to speak up without fear.

Meanwhile, Li Yu kept jotting down the national tutor’s deeds, repeatedly praising:

"Amazing."

The crowd around Li Qingran dispersed. She seemed to sense the air clear, opening her sleepy eyes a slit.

In her blurry vision, everyone looked like zombies and skeletons, while Jiang Mo appeared like Steve, holding a torch in one hand and a stone sword in the other, standing before her.

Just like last night in the game, where she stood guard in front of a cabin, fending off monsters for Jiang Mo.

Only difference was, she couldn’t hold them off, but Jiang Mo did.

Li Qingran yawned.

The girl peacefully fell asleep, unnoticed.

The back row by the window grew quieter, and the king’s heart grew more serene.

...

The day passed quickly. To Jiang Mo’s surprise, Hu Yuen didn’t show up all day, seemingly vanished into thin air.

The promised daily task from Ace Adoration was shattered the next day.

Jiang Mo felt a bit embarrassed to swipe his meal card—fake.

The cafeteria owner gifted him another dozen of the refreshing drinks. Jiang Mo generously bought a whole case, bringing it to class as a back-to-school gift, one bottle for each student, in the name of the class monitor.

Naturally, everyone accepted it.

To integrate into the new group, first come the fighters, then the gifts, smoothing over all past grievances with a smile.

Li Qingran often stared out the window, rarely interrupted.

Occasionally, the girl’s fleeting gaze would fix on Jiang Mo’s desk, watching him for a moment before slowly looking away.

She knew the drink Jiang Mo gave wasn’t for her, but for some reason, her bottle was Jianlibao.

She liked it very much.

The intense schedule of the new semester came one after another. In just two or three days, Friday arrived.

Hu Yuen remained offline, Li Qingran no longer reached out, and Jiang Wanfeng had become very shy lately...

Full and productive classes, and abstract moments after class—such was the day of a senior high student.

The priority class’s roll-call-only lectures, the randomly assigned self-study sessions, seemed to make Yajie somewhat breathless and hard to adapt.

The girl’s conversations with Jiang Mo became fewer, her gaze more confused, and her smile over McDonald’s increasingly faint.

Jiang Mo thought, the turning point had likely arrived.