Lin Beixing turned her head slightly, her eyes secretly lingering on the can of cola in Lu Yu’s hand.  

She rarely got the chance to drink sodas—if it weren’t for yesterday, when she’d used Lu Yu’s body to break her self-imposed “no drinks” rule, she wouldn’t be craving it so badly right now.  

But cola really was delicious.  

If she weren’t so shy, she’d have snatched the can from Lu Yu right then and there and taken a big gulp, just like he did.  

“…”  

Lu Yu paused for a moment, confused. He didn’t understand exactly how much “just a little bit” meant to her.  

Besides, he’d already drunk straight from the can—handing it directly to her now would be awkward.  

An idea struck him. He tilted the bottle and poured a tiny amount into the bottle cap.  

The cap was barely bigger than a fingertip. Hesitantly, Lu Yu offered the cola-filled cap to Lin Beixing.  

Without hesitation, she took it, brought it to her soft lips, and took a delicate sip.  

Her lips were thin, small, and pink—surprisingly well-matched with the humble bottle cap.  

She closed her eyes like a cat, her nimble tongue catching even the last drop at the corner of her mouth.  

“Here… back to you,” she murmured, returning the cap with a hint of embarrassment.  

Truthfully, such a tiny sip was barely enough to taste—it was more about savoring the flavor than satisfying her craving. She didn’t dare drink more.  

“You said yesterday that drinking cola makes you fat. And that you’re not allowed to have sodas…”  

Lu Yu spoke softly, watching her.  

He’d genuinely believed her yesterday.  

That’s why he’d held back the entire day, refusing to drink any soda—even when using her body.  

In the wide hallway, Lin Beixing walked ahead of him. She hadn’t clearly heard Lu Yu’s muttering, so she turned her head and asked, “Huh?”  

“Nothing,” Lu Yu waved it off.  

It was her body—she knew best how to take care of it. He didn’t press further.  

“By the way,” Lin Beixing tilted her head, her clear black eyes reflecting Lu Yu’s face, “what did the math teacher want when she called you to the office this morning?”  

She’d finished all of Lu Yu’s homework yesterday—so the teacher shouldn’t have had any reason to call him in.  

Lu Yu shrugged casually. “She found out someone else did my math homework.”  

Lin Beixing frowned slightly.  

Ms. Zhang had taught their class math for three years. She knew everyone’s handwriting well. Even though Lin Beixing had tried hard to mimic Lu Yu’s writing, it wasn’t surprising she’d been caught.  

“Sorry… I shouldn’t have taken it upon myself like that,” Lin Beixing said softly, her tone gentle.  

Lu Yu shook his head but said nothing.  

He actually wanted to remind her not to make promises to teachers—like vowing to study harder—using his body again.  

But then again… there probably wouldn’t be a “next time.”  

Neither of them had mentioned yesterday’s bizarre body-swap incident.  

Bringing it up would only make things awkward.  

Now, looking back, that impossible event felt like nothing more than a dream.  

Unconsciously, Lu Yu had walked ahead.  

Lin Beixing trailed behind, her eyes fixed on his back, her expression gradually growing wistful.  

She’d finally managed to talk to him—  

Yet the polite distance between them made it hard for her to find the right words.  

There was still something she wanted to ask him.  

Why had he abandoned his studies? Why, after reaching a height no one else could match, had he suddenly given up?  

But Lin Beixing couldn’t figure out her place in this. She didn’t know how to start that conversation.  

If she asked as class monitor, given Lu Yu’s usual attitude toward her in that role, he’d just shut down completely.  

But then again—who didn’t have secrets? Lin Beixing herself was full of them.  

And what right did she have to demand he lay his bare?  

Pretending it was about “helping a struggling classmate improve”—  

In truth, she was just curious about Lu Yu. From his current state, he clearly didn’t need anyone’s help.  

All those excuses about “duty as class monitor” or “responsibility toward classmates” were just ways for Lin Beixing to justify her own curiosity.  

The two returned to class, one after the other.  

As soon as Lu Yu reached his desk, his seatmate instantly straightened his back, casting a shrewd glance toward him.  

“Bro Lu, back so soon?”  

Lu Yu set the cola on his desk.  

“Duh,” he shot Ren Jie a look. “Aren’t you supposed to go play games with Class Four at noon?”  

“Pfft, how could I go?” Ren Jie winked. “I’m just deeply concerned about Bro Lu’s love life.”  

Lu Yu rolled his eyes and ignored him.  

The classroom at noon felt like a steaming sauna.  

The summer heat this year was unusually intense. Outside the window, cicadas shrieked relentlessly from the treetops.  

Lu Yu always took a nap at noon. Even though he’d slept all morning, his body automatically grew drowsy the moment lunchtime arrived.  

He laid his head on the desk, ready for a deep sleep.  

Ren Jie, who’d gotten zero juicy gossip, tugged at Lu Yu’s sleeve.  

“Bro, don’t sleep yet…”  

“What?”  

“Play Happy Elimination with me…”  

Ren Jie never wasted his lunch break like Lu Yu. He used the time to play games.  

His schedule wasn’t as flexible—Lu Yu could afford to zone out through entire classes, but Ren Jie couldn’t.  

He still tried to study during lessons, unlike Lu Yu.  

Unfortunately, he lacked natural talent and had a playful streak, so he’d fallen far behind in coursework.  

Still, he occasionally made half-hearted efforts—unlike Lu Yu, who’d completely given up on studying.  

“Not playing,” Lu Yu glanced dismissively at the colorful game screen on Ren Jie’s phone. Games like that held zero appeal for him.  

“But you’re the one who got me into it, and now you won’t even play with me!”  

Ren Jie pouted. Seeing Lu Yu already asleep, he sighed in defeat.  

“It’s Friday—prison time’s almost over for the week! Got plans for the weekend?”  

Ren Jie poked Lu Yu’s shoulder, refusing to give up.  

Lu Yu swatted the hand away. “We’ll see tomorrow.”  

“Not hitting the internet café?” Ren Jie pressed.  

Lu Yu thought it over. He had a computer at home, so going to an internet café was really about enjoying the gaming atmosphere, better hardware, and—most importantly—air conditioning.  

But then again… it was already the end of the month. His wallet was nearly empty. Between feeding the hungry little cat at home and buying his daily chicken leg at lunch, he had to tighten his belt.  

“Nah,” he flatly refused.  

Ren Jie let out a long, disappointed sigh.  

For the rest of the lunch break, he played Happy Elimination alone for a full hour.  

Meanwhile, his “Bro Lu” was fast asleep.  

After careful observation, Ren Jie noticed that Lin Beixing had spent the entire lunch period chatting with Lan Xi from the neighboring class.  

They kept glancing over at Lu Yu, making Ren Jie seriously suspect they were talking about him.  

He desperately wanted to join their little circle—but unfortunately, he was a guy, and girls like them never hung out with boys like him.  

*Ding-dong-dong~*  

The dismissal bell rang.  

Friday’s final bell was different from usual—a cheerful melody that acted like a magical switch, instantly waking the dozing Lu Yu.  

He sat up, stretched his stiff limbs, and began packing his bag:  

Phone, power bank, earphones, charging cable—and his ever-present black gel pen.  

His bag held fewer textbooks than phone accessories; it felt almost empty, hardly what you’d expect from a senior-year student.  

The homeroom teacher droned on at the front, delivering a pep talk. Lu Yu didn’t catch a word.  

It was the usual stuff: “Push hard in these final days,” “Gaokao is a turning point in life,” “Study hard at home this weekend…”—a whole load of clichés.  

About ten minutes later, the meeting ended.  

Lu Yu slung his bag over his shoulder and slipped out through the back door.  

He’d slept well that afternoon and felt energized enough to stay up all night if needed.  

He walked quickly—among the first students in the entire grade to leave school.  

Since Friday dismissal was one period earlier than usual, the sky was still bright.  

The blazing sun hung directly overhead, scorching the top of his head.  

As he stepped out of the school gate, he spotted a familiar black sedan already waiting by the roadside.  

In the passenger seat, a woman’s gaze swept coldly—like winter frost—over the students pouring out of the gate. Her sharp eyes scanned the crowd relentlessly.  

In the back seat sat the blonde woman he recognized—Lin Beixing’s piano teacher. Lu Yu caught a glimpse of a white notebook in her hands, likely sheet music.  

Though still far away, the invisible pressure radiating from both women sent a chill down his spine.  

He stood there for a moment, fingers tightening around his bag strap—  

Then quietly descended the steps and headed toward his rented apartment.