Zhou Rui left Han Ziyin surrounded by the girls and ran to the playground to stretch his body.
After running just 200 meters, he felt his strength waning. His physical health in high school wasn't bad, but he'd lacked exercise for a long time.
After all, the last time they had physical education class was before the PE teacher became "bedridden," and even morning exercises were canceled in the second semester of senior year.
He returned to the classroom just as the second period in the afternoon was about to begin. The area around his seat was indeed quiet. The girls seemed to have finished their "evaluation," but their expressions weren't particularly cheerful.
Han Ziyin sat quietly in her seat, flipping through a book with feigned casualness. Her straight nose and delicate facial features created a striking profile.
To be fair, she was a star-level beauty.
Even though her temperament carried a trace of immaturity due to her age, she stood out in any crowd, drawing countless eyes.
The former "queen" of beauty, Tong Xin, couldn't compare to Han Ziyin—at least not in their school uniforms. It was evident, as many boys around were sneaking glances at Han Ziyin, though she pretended not to notice, merely flipping through her textbook.
But when she saw Zhou Rui returning, her composed and aloof demeanor cracked. Her calm movements became clumsy, and she fumbled as she turned the pages of her book.
As Zhou Rui approached, Han Ziyin instinctively shifted to make room for him to sit down.
Zhou Rui slid into his seat and noticed the residual warmth under him.
Seeing the beads of sweat on Zhou Rui's neck, Han Ziyin silently handed him a scented wet wipe.
Zhou Rui paused for a moment, then took it, saying, "Thank you."
This girl was attentive to detail.
Han Ziyin bit her lip and said, "I should be the one thanking you. If it weren't for you... I don't even dare to think what could've happened."
Remembering the harrowing incident that morning, Han Ziyin subconsciously clenched her school uniform with her pale fingers.
Zhou Rui shook his head. "You've just arrived in Qinghe County, right? It's a bit different from the big cities. You're so beautiful and well-dressed—it's better to be cautious and avoid alleys."
When Han Ziyin heard Zhou Rui praise her beauty, her face flushed instantly, transitioning from pale to crimson, like a seamless Sichuan Opera face change.
"What happened to the thief? How did the police handle it?" Zhou Rui asked.
Han Ziyin lowered her head. "It seems he's a repeat offender, so he's been detained. I don't know the exact sentence, but it won't be light. The police mentioned giving you a bravery certificate."
Zhou Rui's eyes lit up. "Is there a reward?"
Han Ziyin shook her head. "I don't think so."
Zhou Rui lost interest immediately.
I have just been reborn and don't want to show off. Besides, there are no substantial rewards. At such a tight time, I'd better gain experience instead of showing off.
"That's too much trouble. Please keep it a secret between me and the police. What happened this morning should be just a little secret between the two of us."
Han Ziyin thought for a moment and nodded solemnly.
As they were talking, the Chinese teacher walked into the classroom. Zhou Rui immediately switched gears, focusing on the lesson.
Gain experience! Gain experience!
Han Ziyin stared at Zhou Rui's focused profile and whispered, "Thank you for saving me."
Unfortunately, Zhou Rui didn't hear her.
Apart from system notifications, nothing could pull his attention away from the lecture.
---
After School
With an extra self-study session added after school, it was nearly dark by the time the students were dismissed.
After another day of intensive study, Zhou Rui could feel himself inching closer to unlocking a new skill.
"Task Entry: Concentration, Experience +1. Current progress: 37/100."
"Task Entry: Self-Discipline, Experience +1. Current progress: 25/100."
"Task Entry: Inspiration, Experience +1. Current progress: 15/100."
Although progress was slower than the previous day, it was steady and encouraging.
Emerging from the ocean of knowledge, Zhou Rui slapped his cheeks, trying to wake himself up. His mind felt overstuffed, as if waterlogged.
Not since starting work—not even in college—had I ever absorbed this much information in one day.
Without the system's constant updates providing validation, he doubted he could have persevered.
In my past life, even attending full-day meetings didn't leave me this exhausted, since most of those were just filled with empty talk. In class, every single minute counts.
Turning around, Zhou Rui noticed that Han Ziyin's desk was as tidy as ever.
It seemed the girl hadn't looked at her book much that afternoon. She'd either been stealing glances at Zhou Rui or pretending to flip through pages.
By now, she seemed to have regained her composure. Her aloof and elegant aura had returned, and she carried an air of distance—except when it came to Zhou Rui.
"I'm heading out. See you tomorrow?" Zhou Rui said casually.
Han Ziyin nodded. Her height of 172 cm gave her a graceful figure, her swan-like neck adding to her elegance.
As Zhou Rui walked out of the classroom, she watched his retreating back.
Curiosity about Zhou Rui swirled in her mind, but she didn't have the courage to walk home with him. The whirlwind of emotions from the day had left her mentally exhausted, unable to think clearly.
Looking out the window, she spotted Zhou Rui in the crowd of students leaving school. Her eyes followed his slightly disheveled figure until he disappeared from sight.
Just as he reached the school gate, Zhou Rui seemed to pause and glance around, as if searching for someone. Han Ziyin's curiosity piqued, but before she could ponder further, her phone buzzed.
Her father was calling.
"Ziyin, I have a meeting and can't come home tonight. A policeman will pick you up and take you home. I'll have someone deliver dinner to you."
Han Ziyin's shoulders slumped slightly.
"Okay, Dad," she whispered.
---
Meanwhile, Zhou Rui had found Lin Wenqian, the mushroom-haired girl, loitering at the school gate, glued to her phone.
As a greeting, Zhou Rui ruffled her hair with a playful "rua."
Lin Wenqian didn't get angry, smiling instead. "Let's go! Time to head home!"
Zhou Rui walked alongside her. "How was the fruit leather? Was it good?"
"Delicious! Way better than the ones I buy myself. Where did you get it?"
"From the shop on the way to your house. I can get you more tomorrow," Zhou Rui replied.
Lin Wenqian squinted at him suspiciously. "Why are you being so nice? Do you need something from me?"
Zhou Rui scratched his nose awkwardly. "Well… can I borrow your phone for the night?"
In his past life, he'd naively handed his phone over to his mother, Yao Peili. Now, after his rebirth, he desperately needed internet access to research opportunities in 2009 and find his entry point for success.
More importantly, he'd noticed a "For Sale" sign on a house that morning. This kind of rare opportunity couldn't be missed.
Though Yao Peili, as a low-ranking civil servant, had limited financial resources, she could sell their old house and add some savings to make a purchase. But without startup capital, they'd risk losing the chance.
I need money! Zhou Rui thought.
However, borrowing money or taking out a loan wasn't ideal. His mother would be too anxious about being in debt.
Going to an internet café wasn't an option either; every minute of his schedule was precious, and he didn't want to lie to his mother.
Lin Wenqian hugged her phone protectively. While she wasn't unwilling to lend it, her phone contained her chat history. As a top student who often skipped homework, much of her time was spent browsing the internet.
Still, she couldn't say no to Zhou Rui. After a long pause, she relented, saying, "Fine! But no peeking at my texts or QQ! Also, two fruit leathers aren't enough—I want four! No, five!"
Zhou Rui took her crystal-sticker-covered phone with a grin. "Don't worry! I won't look at your secrets. Besides, I'd be traumatized if I saw something I wasn't supposed to!"
Lin Wenqian's cheeks flushed. "What do you mean?! There's nothing on it! You can check right now!"
Sometimes, she wanted him to look; other times, she didn't.
It's really hard to guess what's going on in a girl's mind, Zhou Rui thought.