Fu Rong lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Her mind kept replaying the scene from the car—the kiss. No matter how hard she tried to push the memory away, it returned, filling her with a mix of emotions she couldn't quite understand.
The day's events had been completely unexpected. Who could have imagined that the cold and ruthless Fifth Master, Mu Ling, would follow her to the very land where she had performed an exorcism? Her face flushed at the thought. "Jerk... How dare he kiss me?" she muttered under her breath, but almost immediately, she felt a wave of embarrassment crash over her. She remembered—it was her who had kissed him first.
Her face burned, and in a moment of frustration and shame, she grabbed her pillow and pressed it over her face as if trying to hide her mortification from herself. "What am I doing? I can't think about this! I have to avoid Mu Ling at all costs," she told herself firmly.
Thank goodness she hadn't left her phone number with him, or so she thought. But she knew, with his power and influence, it would be child's play for Mu Ling to find her number if he wanted to. He probably knew everything about her already.
Fu Rong groaned and rolled over in bed, trying to focus on a plan to stay far away from the dangerous man. "I'll just avoid him, simple as that. I won't even go in the same direction he's in," she thought, convincing herself it was that easy.
The next morning, however, her sleepless night took its toll. Fu Rong looked at her reflection in the mirror and grimaced. Dark circles sat heavily under her eyes, making her look like a panda. She sighed, applying a light layer of makeup to hide the evidence of her restless night. It wasn't perfect, but it would have to do. With a deep breath, she gathered her things and headed off to school.
The Normal Class was unusually quiet when Fu Rong arrived. All the students were hunched over their desks, studying intently. The scene was so strange that even the form teacher, Teacher Chi, was taken aback. She stood at the entrance, blinking in disbelief. "Did I accidentally walk into the wrong class?" she wondered, double-checking the sign outside the door to make sure she had entered the right classroom.
Once she was certain she was indeed in the right place, she stepped inside. The students immediately greeted her in unison, their faces focused and determined. Teacher Chi had heard about the bet between the Elite Class and the Normal Class regarding the upcoming grade exams. She hadn't been thrilled about it at first, thinking that betting on academic performance wasn't the best motivator. But as she looked around at her students, all of them working hard and taking their studies seriously, she started to wonder if perhaps the competition had been good for them after all.
She was about to begin her speech when Fu Rong walked into the classroom. "Teacher Chi," Fu Rong greeted her politely before taking her seat. Teacher Chi smiled at her and then proceeded to make her announcement.
"I've heard about the bet for the grade exam," she began. "While I don't necessarily support betting, it's clear that it has motivated you to study more seriously. I want you all to give it your best and aim to score higher than the Elite Class. But remember, if you lose the bet, take responsibility. Don't be discouraged, though—I will always have your back."
The students listened with wide eyes, their jaws dropping in awe at their teacher's words. They had expected her to reprimand them for the bet, but instead, she was encouraging them to do their best.
"Thank you, Teacher Chi. We will definitely score above the Elite Class!" Mu Lian, one of the top students in the Normal Class, stood up and bowed respectfully to show his gratitude. The rest of the class followed his lead, standing and bowing deeply to express their appreciation.
Throughout the lesson, Fu Rong was distracted, her thoughts constantly drifting back to the events of the previous day. She couldn't concentrate, and even when the teacher or her classmates asked her questions, she responded automatically, without thinking. Her answers were correct but robotic, as if she were on autopilot.
The others in the class noticed her unusual behavior and quickly assumed she was anxious about the upcoming grade exam. Given her past academic performance, which had always been average, they understood why she might be nervous. The bet had raised the stakes, and they worried she felt pressured. Several students and even Teacher Chi tried to comfort her, assuring her that she had their support.
"Fu Rong, don't worry too much. You've been studying hard. We're all in this together," one of her friends whispered, offering her a reassuring smile.
Fu Rong nodded in acknowledgment, touched by their concern. Her heart warmed as she realized how much her classmates cared for her. Despite being labeled as the "Normal Class," they had come together, united by a common goal, and she was part of that.
"I can't let them down," she thought, her resolve hardening. "I can't let this bet ruin our chances. We've worked so hard, and I won't let my friends be insulted because of me." Determined to make it up to them, she promised herself that she would focus harder and find a way to help them win the bet.
As the day dragged on, Fu Rong tried to push the memory of Mu Ling's kiss out of her mind and focus on her studies. But no matter how hard she tried, his face, his words, and the feel of his lips on hers kept resurfacing.