SYLM Chapter 44

Chapter 44 “I’ll say it again, there’s absolutely no way Fu Yi Wen could have cheated.”

Chapter 44 “I’ll say it again, there’s absolutely no way Fu Yi Wen could have cheated.”

Outside the door of Class 12, second grade.

Immersed in joy, Fu Yi Wen’s face was radiant, her eyes sparkling with bright light, making it clear that she was genuinely happy at that moment.

Even though Gu Wan Jun had been carefully wording her next question in her mind on the way back to the classroom, seeing Fu Yi Wen’s delighted expression made all her well-planned words feel like a wad of cotton stuck in her throat. She didn’t know whether to ask or not.

Fu Yi Wen wasn’t like Chen Lu, who could read Gu Wan Jun’s micro-expressions, but she could still tell from her eyebrows and eyes that something was off.

Seeing that the Homeroom Teacher had called her out but kept a straight face with a serious expression, Fu Yi Wen quickly suppressed her wide, white smile. Not knowing what she had done wrong, she cautiously examined Gu Wan Jun’s expression and proactively asked:

“Teacher, what did you want to see me about?”

Meeting Fu Yi Wen’s apprehensive gaze, Gu Wan Jun hesitated for a moment, but finally curved her lips into a smile:

“I heard from Chen Lu that you’ve been working hard to learn English recently. How was it? Did you check the answers just now? Have you improved?”

“…”

She hadn’t expected her friend to mention her hard work in English to the Homeroom Teacher, and even more so, she hadn’t expected Gu Wan Jun to call her out specifically to ask about her English grades…

Previously, Fu Yi Wen had thought she was being called out because she had done something wrong, but she instantly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling flattered:

“I just finished checking the answers. It wasn’t bad this time, I should definitely get over seventy!”

“Really? Then you’ve definitely made a lot of progress this time.”

“Yeah, thanks to Tang Ying for helping me with English tutoring.” Mentioning Tang Ying, Fu Yi Wen scratched the back of her head a little shyly.

“I heard from Tang Ying that she’s been helping you with English tutoring recently. She said you’ve improved and are a promising student.”

“Really? Is that what she said?” Fu Yi Wen’s face was filled with disbelief, her round puppy-dog eyes hiding a faint expectation and excitement.

“Yeah.” Gu Wan Jun responded without much confidence.

At least, she thought so.

That wasn’t the main point.

As she spoke, Gu Wan Jun carefully observed Fu Yi Wen’s micro-expressions, tentatively leading into the main topic of their conversation:

“By the way, have you checked the answers for the other subjects?”

“Not yet. I just copied the Political Science multiple-choice answers onto the blackboard. After returning to my seat, I checked the English answers.”

“I see.”

Gu Wan Jun paused, her gentle yet slightly serious gaze fixed on Fu Yi Wen’s eyes:

“The Political Science answer sheets have been scanned. During the general meeting just now, Sun Li Xia told me that you got all the multiple-choice questions right.”

“All correct? Really?!”

Fu Yi Wen’s eyes lit up with surprise.

Although her Political Science grades had always been good, she knew what getting all the multiple-choice questions right meant!

The best she’d ever done in Political Science was missing one multiple-choice question. Whoever masters the multiple-choice questions masters the subject. If she got all of them right this time, as long as she didn’t make any major mistakes in the essay questions, she could very likely break her personal record for Political Science!

…

Fu Yi Wen was completely immersed in the immense joy of her “double harvest” in Political Science and English in this monthly exam, completely unaware that Gu Wan Jun’s gaze, which had been fixed on her, was gradually becoming more complex.

Gu Wan Jun didn’t ask anything else, only instructed Fu Yi Wen to maintain her state and continue to work hard, before letting her return to the classroom.

The door of Class 12 opened and closed, leaving only Gu Wan Jun alone at the door. She stood there for a long time before turning and heading upstairs.

The Year Head’s office on the third floor.

Gu Wan Jun took several deep breaths at the door before raising her hand to knock.

——

Class 12, second grade.

Chen Lu checked her answers while keeping an eye on the door.

After a while, seeing Fu Yi Wen return with a beaming smile, Chen Lu thought that maybe she was overthinking things. However, her increasingly strong sixth sense urged her to turn her head and quietly ask Fu Yi Wen why she had come back alone and what Gu Wan Jun had said to her.

Fu Yi Wen excitedly recounted her conversation with Gu Wan Jun to Chen Lu, her perfectly aligned white teeth unable to be contained:

“I’m so happy, Chen Lu! I feel like my ranking on the big list will improve a lot this time! I’ll be nice to everyone today! Hey, let’s go get something good to eat after the big list comes out, okay? My treat! When the time comes, let’s— Chen Lu? Chen Lu?”

“Huh?”

“Tsk, what are you spacing out for? Don’t worry, the security camera isn’t pointed this way. I already scouted it out in advance!”

“Yeah…”

Chen Lu pursed her lips.

She wasn’t thinking about the security camera.

She was thinking about the conversation Fu Yi Wen had relayed with Gu Wan Jun.

First of all, she didn’t even remember mentioning Fu Yi Wen’s recent hard work in English to Gu Wan Jun…

And was “a promising student” really what Tang Ying had said?

Had Gu Wan Jun really called Fu Yi Wen out just to ask those things she mentioned?

Outside the classroom window, the night lights dispelled the quiet darkness that enveloped the campus.

Inside the classroom, Fu Yi Wen’s happy chatter echoed in her ears.

Chen Lu listened quietly, the ominous premonition in her heart growing stronger.

——

Gu Wan Jun didn’t return to the classroom until ten minutes before the end of evening self-study.

Chen Lu stared at the person on the podium, trying to capture something from that beautiful, gentle face.

But Gu Wan Jun’s expression was too calm, too composed. Aside from vaguely sensing that a misty heaviness was hidden in those moist peach blossom eyes, Chen Lu couldn’t see anything else.

——

The bell rang to signal the end of evening self-study.

Before leaving, Fu Yi Wen, determined to treat everyone to a meal, tallied up what Chen Lu and Jiang Zhen Zhen wanted to eat, then happily hummed a little tune as she left the classroom.

Five minutes later, Chen Lu and Gu Wan Jun left the school gate together.

Warm orange light flickered under the streetlights on both sides of the street. The school gate was crowded with parents picking up their children.

The branches of the newly budding trees on both sides of the street swayed gently in the night breeze. After walking out of the “parental siege,” only a few pedestrians remained on the street. Most of the shops along the road had already closed, and only a few stationery stores and small shops were still brightly lit, the neon lights on their signs flashing energetically in the night.

From the school to the entrance of the residential complex, they walked in silence.

This situation was very abnormal, and it only happened when Chen Lu and Gu Wan Jun had argued.

But they hadn’t argued now.

Chen Lu wanted to ask Gu Wan Jun what was wrong countless times, but her sixth sense told her that Gu Wan Jun’s silence was likely related to Fu Yi Wen.

Gu Wan Jun knew that she and Fu Yi Wen were good friends. If it really was related to Fu Yi Wen, and Gu Wan Jun hadn’t taken the initiative to tell her…

Was it because she was hesitant?

What exactly happened?

Should she take the initiative to ask Gu Wan Jun?

Chen Lu struggled all the way from swiping her card into the residential complex to walking to Unit 6.

Until they reached the third floor and each took out their keys to open their doors—

“Chen Lu.” Gu Wan Jun suddenly spoke.

“Yeah.” Chen Lu responded, gripping her key tightly. Sensing that Gu Wan Jun might say something next, Chen Lu’s nerves involuntarily tensed up.

“How long have you known Fu Yi Wen?”

“…”

It really was related to Fu Yi Wen.

Ignoring her increasingly nervous heartbeat, Chen Lu carefully recalled and seriously replied:

“We’ve known each other since we started first grade. It’s been about ten years.”

“Do you think she would cheat?”

“…”

Gu Wan Jun’s tone was very light and gentle, but it struck Chen Lu’s ears like a bolt from the blue. The ominous premonition had come true. Chen Lu’s gaze was firm, and she shook her head decisively:

“No, there’s absolutely no way Fu Yi Wen would cheat.”

“Yeah.”

Gu Wan Jun subconsciously responded, but her face still wore a serious expression.

Realizing the seriousness of the matter, Chen Lu’s heart sank. She continued to explain:

“Teacher, Fu Yi Wen’s improved performance this time is all from her hard work during this period. She definitely didn’t cheat. The issue of cheating is too serious. Is there some kind of misunderstanding?”

Meeting Chen Lu’s serious gaze, a complex expression flashed in Gu Wan Jun’s eyes. She tugged at the corners of her lips, trying to make her tone sound calm:

“I was just saying it casually, just chatting. Don’t be nervous. And don’t tell Fu Yi Wen about this, lest she overthink it. Alright, it’s getting late. Go home and get some rest. See you tomorrow.”

As she spoke, Gu Wan Jun was about to take out her key and open the door, but Chen Lu directly grabbed her arm, blocking the entrance to 302:

“How could this kind of question be said casually? Something must have happened. What exactly is it?”

“It’s nothing, really nothing.”

“Teacher!”

“…”

Their eyes met, and they were at a stalemate.

After a long silence, the forced smile on Gu Wan Jun’s lips completely disappeared. She looked into Chen Lu’s eyes and said softly:

“I also believe that Fu Yi Wen didn’t cheat.”

Gu Wan Jun paused, then sighed deeply, her tone very troubled:

“But the person who suspects that there’s a problem with her grades is Sun Li Xia, who taught her for the longest time. And this matter has already been reported to Principal Lu of the academic year.”

“…”

Gu Wan Jun’s words struck Chen Lu’s heart like a bolt of lightning. She forced herself to remain calm and immediately retorted:

“She suspects Fu Yi Wen’s English grades?”

“No, she suspects Fu Yi Wen’s Political Science grades.”

Gu Wan Jun paused, her expression complex: “Because Fu Yi Wen is the only student in the entire grade who got all the Political Science multiple-choice questions right.”

“…Just because of that?” Chen Lu’s tone was cold, and she was clearly starting to get angry.

“It’s not just the multiple-choice questions. Sun Li Xia said that when she was grading the essay questions, she came across a paper with very well-written answers. Some of the points were things she hadn’t even thought of, but this student had written them all out, almost exactly like the standard answer. At the time, she felt something was wrong. After grading all the papers and opening the one with the name, she found out it was Fu Yi Wen’s paper.”

As she spoke, Gu Wan Jun rubbed her temples, her tone filled with unconcealable sighs:

“Sun Li Xia said that when she taught Class 12 before, Fu Yi Wen never answered the questions, whether multiple-choice or essay, this well. Sun also said that before the exam, she had put the answers to this exam in her textbook, which she usually kept on her desk, and Fu Yi Wen was always freely entering and exiting the liberal arts office to find her…”

“She suspects that Fu Yi Wen stole a look at her answers?”

“Yeah…”

Gu Wan Jun nodded.

Hearing this, Chen Lu realized how thorny this matter was.

“So you called Fu Yi Wen out alone last night, originally planning to ask her if she had cheated?”

“Yes. Because there’s no concrete evidence, Principal Lu told me to first get a sense of the situation from Fu Yi Wen.”

“But you didn’t ask her?”

“Cheating isn’t a small matter. I have to be responsible for my students. And I tested Fu Yi Wen, and from her reaction, I don’t believe she would cheat.”

“What happened after that? Did you tell Principal Lu and the others? Do they believe it?”

Gu Wan Jun sighed, shaking her head helplessly: “I said everything I needed to say, but Sun Li Xia still insisted on her opinion. Principal Lu is also harboring doubts. If we want to prove Fu Yi Wen’s innocence, we’ll probably have to find a time for her to redo the paper in the office tomorrow, or retrieve the surveillance footage from the exam. Otherwise, this matter definitely won’t be over.”

“…”

The matter had come too suddenly, and Chen Lu didn’t know what to do for the moment.

She was so greatly affected by hearing all of this, so what about Fu Yi Wen?

Chen Lu didn’t even dare to imagine.

Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.

——

The next day.

They met when they left their apartments.

Seeing the obvious red blood vessels in Chen Lu’s eyes, Gu Wan Jun, who also hadn’t slept well, regretted telling Chen Lu about Fu Yi Wen’s matter last night.

The reason Chen Lu couldn’t sleep all night was partly because she was worried about how to resolve this matter, since cheating wasn’t a small issue. And partly because she felt unworthy for her good friend Fu Yi Wen.

Anyone could suspect Fu Yi Wen of cheating, but none of it was as cruel as Sun Li Xia suspecting Fu Yi Wen of cheating.

Fu Yi Wen would definitely break down if she knew.

——

Ningcheng No. 1 High School.

The second-year teaching building.

No student who works hard to improve their grades wants to be labeled as a cheater.

Gu Wan Jun knew this well.

She was well aware of how damaging this kind of thing could be to the student herself.

Therefore, before entering the teaching building, Gu Wan Jun lowered her voice and instructed Chen Lu not to tell Fu Yi Wen about this first. She would try her best to advocate for Fu Yi Wen at the Principal’s office after morning self-study, and then they would decide what to do.

…

Perhaps encouraged by her English grades yesterday, Gu Wan Jun saw Fu Yi Wen burying her head in writing English words, very seriously, as she patrolled the classroom during the English dictation in morning self-study.

The more she saw this, the more Gu Wan Jun was determined not to let her student’s efforts go to waste.

——

Morning self-study ended.

Gu Wan Jun left the classroom at the first opportunity, heading straight for the Year Head’s office on the third floor.

As she pondered how to persuade Lu Jiang Hong in a moment, she also thought that it was a good thing Tang Ying had taken a week off, or else that person would have turned the school upside down.

The third floor.

The Year Head’s office.

The office door was slightly ajar. Before Gu Wan Jun even reached the door, she heard someone speaking inside the office, and the voice was very familiar—

“I’ll say it again, there’s absolutely no way Fu Yi Wen could have cheated.”

“…”

It was Tang Ying’s voice.