The next morning, First Year Class-D no longer felt like the same careless classroom it had been a few days ago.
Something had changed.
The atmosphere—
Sharper.
More alert.
More divided.
Xiao Ziyan sat in his usual seat near the window, his chin resting lazily on his hand as his crimson eyes observed the room.
Students were no longer acting freely like before.
Groups had formed.
Small clusters of alliances.
Some gathered in pairs, discussing notes.
Others leaned over desks, asking questions, sharing answers, trying to figure things out together.
The chaos of before had been replaced with something else—
Urgency.
Because now they understood.
If they failed—
They were out.
Simple as that.
But not everyone was managing so well—some students had already exhausted their private points and were now forced to sell their belongings just to stay afloat.
At the back of the classroom, Kon Jun leaned casually against Ko Tang's desk, his usual confidence replaced with a rare hint of sincerity as he tried to negotiate, urging him to buy his console for 1800 points.
Meanwhile, in the second row, Con Jing stood with her hands clasped above her head, practically pleading with Shen Shu. Her voice carried a mix of desperation and hope as she promised to return the borrowed points as soon as possible.
All across the room, similar scenes unfolded—requests, bargains, and quiet desperation blending together—turning the once lively classroom into a tense marketplace of survival.
Xiao Ziyan watched quietly.
So they finally realized.
His gaze moved from one group to another.
Everyone trying to survive in their own way.
Then—
A figure approached.
Cao Mei.
She walked toward the back, stopping beside Su Qing's desk.
Leaning slightly forward, she smiled brightly.
"Hey Qing, wanna go to the café after sch—"
"No."
The reply came instantly.
Flat.
Cold.
Su Qing didn't even lift her eyes from the small pocket-sized book in her hand.
Cao Mei froze for a second.
A faint awkwardness crossed her face.
"Ah… o-okay," she said with a small laugh. "Then maybe we can exchange num—"
"Leave me alone."
Again.
No hesitation.
No softness.
Just rejection.
Cao Mei's smile stiffened.
"Sorry…"
She stepped back, still trying to maintain her cheerful expression, and returned to her seat.
Around the classroom, students noticed.
Whispers began.
"She's so arrogant…"
"What's her problem?"
"Thinks she's better than everyone…"
"Bitch…"
The gossip spread quietly, but the hostility was clear.
At the second row, Shen Shu turned around in her seat, looking at Cao Mei.
"Hey," she said, frowning slightly, "why do you keep trying to talk to her? She clearly doesn't like us."
Cao Mei scratched her cheek lightly, smiling as usual.
"No," she said. "I don't think that's it."
She glanced briefly toward Su Qing.
"I think she just doesn't know how to express properly."
Her smile softened.
"But she'll become my friend eventually."
At the back—
Xiao Ziyan had been watching everything.
His gaze shifted toward Su Qing.
Then he spoke.
"If you keep acting like this, you're never going to make any friends."
His tone was calm.
Neutral.
Su Qing's hand stopped.
She slowly closed her book.
Then turned her head.
Her eyes met his.
Cold.
"…And I don't need any friends."
Her answer was immediate.
Absolute.
Xiao Ziyan looked at her for a second.
Then said nothing.
He simply turned his gaze away.
Conversation over.
Suddenly—
The front door slid open.
Hen Jao rushed in.
His breathing was slightly heavy, as if he had run here.
He quickly closed the door behind him and stepped forward.
"We still have fifteen minutes before the first class starts," he said, catching his breath.
The students looked at him in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
"Why are you saying that?"
"What's going on?"
Their questions overlapped.
Hen Jao raised his hand slightly.
"I've got a plan," he said.
His expression grew serious.
"A plan to prepare for the unit test."
The classroom fell silent.
This time—
Everyone was listening.
"Listen," Hen Jao said, raising the paper slightly so everyone could see it. "I got last month's quiz results."
The classroom quieted.
"We'll identify which subjects each of you is weak in," he continued, his voice filled with determination. "Then I'll pair you with someone—or a group—who's strong in that subject. If we help each other…"
He smiled.
"…then all of us can pass the unit test."
A ripple of reactions spread across the room.
Some looked hopeful.
Some doubtful.
From her seat, Shen Shu frowned slightly.
"Are you sure this will even work?" she asked.
Hen Jao didn't hesitate.
He gave a confident thumbs-up.
"Yep. One hundred percent."
His certainty was almost contagious.
Without wasting time, he looked down at the paper and began.
"I'll call names based on desk order."
His eyes scanned the list.
"She Qi."
A boy in the first row straightened slightly.
"Your overall performance is good," Hen Jao said. "But you need to focus more on mathematics. I'll assign your partner later."
He moved on.
"Ao Jin."
The boy sitting at the first row, third desk looked up.
"Same case. Strong in most subjects, but weak in math. I'll pair you as well."
Ao Jin nodded silently.
One by one, Hen Jao continued.
Names were called.
Strengths identified.
Weaknesses exposed.
Groups slowly began forming.
The classroom atmosphere shifted again—
From tension…
To strategy.
Then—
Hen Jao paused.
His eyes stopped on one name.
Xiao Ziyan.
For a moment, he didn't speak.
His expression changed.
Confusion.
Surprise.
Even curiosity.
He looked up from the paper and directly at Xiao Ziyan.
"I… don't understand this," he said slowly.
The class immediately turned their attention toward the back.
Hen Jao continued.
"Your scores… are strange."
A brief pause.
"I can't identify a single subject where you're clearly weak."
Murmurs began.
Students exchanged looks.
"Is he that bad that it's confusing?"
"Or is he hiding something?"
"He looks too calm for this…"
Xiao Ziyan didn't react.
He remained seated, his expression unchanged.
Then he spoke.
"Math," he said calmly. "I barely passed."
Simple.
Direct.
No hesitation.
Hen Jao blinked once.
Then nodded.
"Alright. Math it is."
He quickly wrote something down.
"She Qi, Ao Jin, and Xiao Ziyan—you three are now one group."
He looked up again.
"Now we just need someone strong in math to guide you."
And just like that—
The process continued.
Group after group was formed.
Each based on weakness.
Each based on survival.
Even Hen Jao assigned himself.
He would help three students struggling with history.
He wasn't just organizing—
He was participating.
At another corner—
Su Qing had been assigned to a group as well.
Her partners—
Cao Mei.
Shen Shu.
And Vin Jin.
The reason was clear.
Physics.
Cao Mei and Shen Shu were weak in it.
Vin Jin too—though he wouldn't admit it.
Su Qing was supposed to guide them.
But—
"I don't need anyone's help."
The voice cut in sharply.
Vin Jin leaned back in his chair, arms crossed.
"I can do better on my own."
A smirk formed on his lips.
Confident.
Arrogant.
His long hair brushed his shoulders slightly as he tilted his head.
The kind of face that easily attracted attention—
Especially from girls.
But his attitude—
Made things complicated.
Su Qing didn't react.
Not even slightly.
She simply looked forward, indifferent.
Meanwhile—
Hen Jao finalized another group.
"For mathematics," he said, "you'll be guided by—"
He glanced toward the fourth row.
"Lon Cun."
A boy with purple hair and glasses looked up from his seat at the seventh desk.
Quiet.
Composed.
"Lon Cun will teach Xiao Ziyan, She Qi, and Ao Jin."
Lon Cun adjusted his glasses slightly.
No arrogance.
No hesitation.
Just a simple nod.
The groups were set.
The structure was built.
For the first time—
Class-D wasn't acting like a mess of individuals.
It was starting to function—
Like a system trying to survive.