Under the temptation of study efficiency, Li Zheng unzipped the side pocket of his backpack and reached for his phone.
During break time, you are allowed to use your phone, but you can't play games or watch videos, only for necessary contacts or looking at course materials.
But this time, Li Zheng was going to take a risk.
After looking around, he quietly unlocked his phone and clicked on a video app with a B logo.
This is a popular app with lots of educational videos, and he often studied on it.
But this time was an exception.
He swallowed nervously and typed in a forbidden word.
Cat.
Soon, he found a ton of cat videos.
Li Zheng's breathing became heavier.
He was eager to watch but also afraid of being discovered.
After confirming that Lin Yujing wasn't paying attention to him, he gritted his teeth and clicked on the video titled "Cat sees owner after a week and feels very wronged."
It was a British Shorthair lying on the sofa, its white fluffy belly fully exposed, eyes glistening with tears.
A hand reached out to rub its belly, trying to comfort it, but it still looked pitiful.
"Ah…" Li Zheng couldn't take it anymore.
Once started, he couldn't stop; he hadn't even finished this one before clicking the next video.
"What happens if you poke a sleeping cat's head repeatedly?"
This time, it was a chubby orange tabby, peacefully sleeping.
Poke it, poke it, quickly poke it!
Li Zheng anxiously dragged the progress bar forward.
Just when he was getting into it, a system notification suddenly popped up.
"Relaxation activity detected: watching videos."
"Vitality recovery rate: -0.3."
"Every minute spent will reduce 0.3 minutes of vitality value. If the day's vitality value is exhausted, it will overdraft the next day's portion."
"Ah!" Li Zheng was so scared he dropped his phone.
This startled Lin Yujing.
She turned her head, peeking at his phone on the ground through a gap between her knees.
On the screen, the orange cat was twitching its ears in annoyance.
"Heh heh heh…"
When she looked back at Li Zheng, she laughed again.
Her laughter, still full of mockery.
Li Zheng wiped his mouth and quickly picked up his phone, "Is it funny?"
Lin Yujing turned her head away, burying her face back in her knees, ignoring him again.
Li Zheng, ashamed and irritated, put his phone away.
Better to relax somewhere else.
This woman is not cute at all when she's not studying.
The more he looked at her, the more annoyed he became.
"Relaxation activity detected: flirting."
"Vitality recovery rate: 7.8 (Lin Yujing)."
"Every minute spent will recover 7.8 minutes of vitality value, up to a maximum of 60 minutes."
"You can obtain relevant skills through Game Coin to enhance the relaxation experience and speed up the relaxation rate"——
"Exquisite eloquence: Express more accurately, efficiently, and aesthetically." (5 Game Coins)
"Fashion trendsetter: Recognize every high-end lipstick shade, compliment every seasonal new item." (5 Game Coins)
"Mix-and-match master: Better at dressing yourself." (10 Game Coins)
...
Looking at these, Li Zheng was stunned.
Previously, he always thought doing anything would waste study time.
Now, he understood what it meant to balance work and rest, and the concept of male-female pairing.
Also, isn't this a study system? Why is the study interface so simple while the relaxation interface has so many weird skills?
At this point.
Flirt or not to flirt.
That is the question.
To be precise.
It was a judgment question.
Not okay.
Li Zheng chose "no" for this question.
He wanted to relax but did not accept manipulating others' feelings to achieve it.
Especially those sleazy skills, which he found physically repulsive.
Just as he picked up his backpack to leave, a woman's stern voice suddenly came from outside the garden.
"You two!!! What are you doing???"
Li Zheng was shocked. This indistinguishable high-pitched voice.
No need to think, it was the dean.
Lin Yujing shuddered even more, falling off the bench in fright.
As she fell, she grabbed around aimlessly.
Both her hands ended up grabbing Li Zheng's pants.
And she was still kneeling on the ground.
"Hey!!! Right in front of me!!" The dean was so startled her carefully permed Buddha hair almost stood on end, "Which class? Don't move! Stay right there, let your parents see this."
How is it possible not to move?
Lin Yujing, a top student with a cold demeanor, had never been this embarrassed before.
She quickly withdrew her hands, not daring to look at Li Zheng, grabbed her backpack, and ran out.
Unexpectedly, the middle-aged dean with seemingly agile legs blocked the way in a flash.
"Still running!! Still running!!" The dean pointed at the cornered Lin Yujing and scolded, "Where is your courage now, eh? Where?"
Lin Yujing was desperate.
She buried her head in her hands, silently sobbing.
But Li Zheng, with nothing to hide, stood upright in the pavilion.
Calm and dignified.
"You! You! You!" The dean was indeed provoked by his posture, "And so proud? Which class? Call your teacher first, then your parents; both must come!"
Li Zheng, unfazed, politely nodded, "Director Sun, you misunderstood, we were just coincidentally relaxing in the same place."
"Ha! Ha! Quite calm, huh, still talking about relaxing, finding excuses for early dating." The dean angrily took out her phone, "Which class? I'll notify your teacher first."
Li Zheng glanced at the surveillance camera in the garden corner, intending to say that checking the footage would prove their innocence.
But seeing the dean was still angry, saying that would probably only make her angrier.
"Sophomore Year Class 4, huh, Chunmei's class, hum hum hum hum hum…" The dean smacked her lips, searching her contacts, "You know, with such excellent students like Lin Yujing, how could there also be students like you engaging in early dating? Can't you learn from her…"
"Hmm…" Lin Yujing buried her head deeper, seemingly already crying.
The dean only then noticed the unique temperament of this girl.
She quickly bent down to observe from a different angle.
Whoa, big news.
"Lin Yujing?" The dean instinctively turned off her phone, her face now mixed with a touch of excitement besides anger, "No way…"
Lin Yujing nodded painfully, unable to utter a word.
"You… how could you…" The dean unconsciously glared at Li Zheng, "Being so outstanding, how could you be with such an ordinary boy…no no, how could you also engage in early dating?"
Li Zheng sensed something was off; the dean's primary concern seemed biased.
The dean herself couldn't continue, hurriedly stepping aside, "Well, you…you, you hurry and go, I won't spread this incident."
Lin Yujing wanted to explain several times, but didn't know how to start.
In the end, she tearfully shot a hateful glance at Li Zheng, clutching her backpack as she ran out of the garden.
Just as Li Zheng was about to say goodbye to the dean, Director Sun stopped him.
"You're not going anywhere! Call your parents!"
"???" Li Zheng felt not only confused but also irritated.
"Such a good student like Lin Yujing, how can she…how can she engage in early dating!" Director Sun held Li Zheng, dialing Hu Chunmei's number.
Fortunately, Hu Chunmei was sensible and soon clarified the situation to the director, explaining that both were good students and were just eagerly discussing exam questions.
Director Sun, skeptically, put down the phone.
"Li Zheng, huh, your teacher protects you, but I don't buy this." Director Sun released her grip but didn't stop talking, "If I catch you two alone again, no matter what Hu Chunmei says, I won't let it slide."
Li Zheng shouldered his backpack.
Director Sun's misunderstanding didn't matter, but Teacher Hu was innocent.
He would focus on his studies and not violate any rules. Even if the director wanted to find fault, she wouldn't have a chance.
But if she became dissatisfied with Teacher Hu, it would be detrimental to her standing among the school's faculty.
Li Zheng pointed resolutely at the surveillance camera, "Director, there's a camera right there. If you think we did something wrong, check the footage anytime, have my entire family witness it live."
"Hey!! You, you!!" Director Sun glared at him for a while before saying, "Quite…quite bold, eh, no wonder even Lin… Don't let me catch you again!"
"Relaxation activity detected: flirting."
"Vitality recovery rate: -23.1 (Sun Xiubin)."
"Warning: Inappropriate relaxation method, vitality value is being crazily overdrawn."
????
This… this…
This was too hardcore.
Li Zheng instantly lost his momentum, not daring to say another word, and ran away holding his head.
"Hmph…" Director Sun watched his retreating figure, secretly gnashing her teeth, "Li Zheng, right? So standoffish, I'll remember you."