Zoe Young understood that a driven girl like Sean Sherman would definitely compare herself to real students from top schools in her heart, and this time, finally having the chance to see their abilities, she would naturally pay close attention.

But she also felt she read something else in Sean Sherman’s expression, even a bit of hatred—not very strong, but there.

Why would it be hatred?

Maybe she was overthinking. Zoe Young shook her head.

But how could it be overthinking? At this moment, Class Six was ten times more tense and oppressive than at the start. Going on stage like this, it would be a miracle not to mess up.

Still worrying about the country and the people, Zoe Young was elbowed back to reality by Mia Waters. She looked up—the lights on stage had already dimmed, with only two spotlights shining on the two people at the center.

Sure enough, it was a home game, and they went all out.

The girl at the center of the stage wore a light blue dress, her hair curled, her smile radiant. Zoe Young was momentarily dazed.

The boy, with his back to Zoe Young, wore a white cape and a top hat. She glanced at the two of them gazing at each other amid the gentle background music, turned her face and asked Mia Waters, “osy (role play)?”

“What?”

“I mean... is that Phantom Kid?”

Mia Waters rolled her eyes at her. “Go eat shit! They’re performing Romeo and Juliet, a small stage play!”

Zoe Young sighed. Why did the lovesick Romeo look like Robin Hood the thief?

When the boy started speaking, Zoe Young finally couldn’t make snarky comments from behind anymore. Standard British accent, and that familiar voice. Zoe Young wasn’t used to this guy’s serious tone; in her memory, this voice should be exasperated, triumphant, awkward yet sincere, warm, and wonderful.

But she never denied that this guy always had the ability to stand on stage, lead everyone, and shine brilliantly.

Ever since she and he first stood together to read aloud in class, she’d been especially aware of this.

As long as he got serious.

Hardly anyone could understand the lines of Romeo and Juliet. While Mia Waters was immersed in the plot, Zoe Young couldn’t help but mutter, “Shakespeare is so long-winded.”

The spotlights went out, the stage lights came back on, and the applause was thunderous. Phantom Kid took Juliet’s hand, took off his hat, and bowed playfully to the audience. Mia Waters smiled with a mix of admiration and envy, but out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the serious, focused expression on Zoe Young’s face.

He had never seen that kind of spark in Zoe Young’s eyes before.

When the open class at the affiliated high school ended, the auditorium reached its first climax. The students from Class One, Grade Two, bowed and exited with smiles, making the next classes look dull in comparison, making mistakes and finishing blandly.

There were two classes left, and then it would be Zoe Young’s class. Everyone had been waiting for nearly two hours, nerves frayed, morale low. Mia Waters was getting more and more nervous. He didn’t want to tell Zoe Young, but he was a bit jealous of that Romeo just now. For the first time in his life, he felt ashamed and inferior, even though he hadn’t gone on stage yet.

Doesn’t matter. Mia Waters told himself. He always told himself that as long as things were good enough, that was fine.

Was it really fine? Was it just that?

Sean Sherman stared coldly at the floor, muttering her lines, getting stuck at the same spot again. In the chilly auditorium, sweat was actually beading on her forehead.

Zoe Young, done with her daydream, suddenly stood up.

Sean Sherman and Mia Waters were both startled. Zoe Young stared at them, her brows slightly furrowed, as if heading to her execution.

“周周...”

“Come on, go to the bathroom with me.”

“What did you say?” For the first time, Sean Sherman said something to Zoe Young other than “excuse me.”

“I said,” Zoe Young repeated with an unarguable authority, “both of you, come with me to the bathroom!”

Mia Waters came out of the boys’ bathroom and waited by the wall outside the girls’ bathroom. First time being dragged out by a girl to go to the bathroom together—at least he wasn’t dragged into the same one.

“Zoe Young is a lunatic,” he cursed in his heart.

Zoe Young came out of the bathroom, grabbed both their sleeves, and said, “Don’t go back yet.”

“What exactly are you doing?” Sean Sherman looked a bit impatient. Normally, Mia Waters would be making a fuss, joking, “Wow, first and second place are about to fight!” but now he didn’t have the energy to care.

“Are you two nervous?”

“I’m not nervous.” Sean Sherman turned her head. “What’s there to be nervous about?”

Mia Waters nodded very honestly. “I’m nervous. I’m afraid I’ll drop the glass bottle by accident.”

Zoe Young held onto their sleeves tightly. “So, come on, let’s push the wall.”

“What are you doing? Are you out of your mind? You don’t look nervous at all, you’re just crazy!” Mia Waters shook off her hand, puffed up, and was about to head back to the hall.

“I’m serious,” Zoe Young explained calmly, not angry. “I saw it before—stand in a lunge, push the wall with both hands as hard as you can, it tightens your abs and is really effective at relieving nerves, really!”

She looked earnestly at Mia Waters, then signaled to Sean Sherman. Mia Waters knew that the experiment Sean Sherman was in charge of—“studying the refractive index of light in different liquid materials”—was the first experiment of the whole open class. Whether it was a good start or a disaster would affect everyone’s mood.

Mia Waters started to understand Zoe Young’s crazy move. She’d never dared to talk to Sean Sherman before, but this time she was going all out—maybe she was also spurred on by the performance at the affiliated high school.

“Alright...” Mia Waters nodded, smiled at Sean Sherman, “Let’s just humor her, she’s probably nervous herself and embarrassed to push the wall alone, so she’s dragging us along... Anyway, there’s no one here, so... let’s just push it...”

So damn stupid. After saying this, Mia Waters turned away, ignoring Zoe Young’s grateful look.

So the three of them looked around furtively, made sure the corridor was empty, then stood side by side with Zoe Young in the middle, arms outstretched, and walked up to the white wall.

“You have to use all your strength, just pretend you can really move the wall, remember, really push!”

She finished and was the first to rush up and push. Mia Waters gaped; from Sean Sherman’s surprised look, he saw the same word.

Idiot.

Yet, Zoe Young’s total immersion, her contorted face and flushed cheeks, infected them. Mia Waters laughed and ran to Zoe Young’s side, bent his knees, lowered his head, and started pushing the wall with all his might. Glancing sideways, he saw Sean Sherman silently pushing too, her face calm—not as contorted as Zoe Young’s, but the veins throbbing at her temples showed she was really using all her strength.

“I can’t, I can’t, I can’t.” Zoe Young was the first to give up, wiping sweat from her forehead.

Then she smiled, watching the two in front of her still stubbornly pushing the wall, as if trying to rub all their nerves and inferiority into the plaster.

When Sean Sherman finally finished, she was panting, but gave Zoe Young a brief, gentle smile.

And Mia Waters really felt a sense of rebirth, all the tension in his chest swept away, grinning from ear to ear.

“Hey, 周周,” Mia Waters called, getting more and more used to it, “this really works, where did you learn these weird tricks...”

He stopped, suddenly realizing that right behind the three of them stood a handsome boy holding a top hat and a cape, crisp white shirt, clear features, and... a cold expression.

It was the Romeo from earlier.

“What are you doing?”

Sean Sherman immediately lowered her head, not sure if it was from shame or something else. Mia Waters saw Zoe Young’s mouth drop open, looking like she’d just been caught stealing sweet potatoes, even a bit overly terrified.

“We...”

Mia Waters opened his mouth, wanting to explain—after all, they were messing around in someone else’s school, and it was hard to justify.

But the boy just stared at Zoe Young, as if Sean Sherman and Mia Waters didn’t exist.

And his gaze was fierce and gloomy.

Damn, it’s just pushing your school’s wall, what’s with the attitude, acting all high and mighty! Mia Waters stepped in front of Zoe Young, about to argue, but the boy lowered his head, his voice a bit hoarse.

“Zoe Young, I’m asking you, why are you pushing the wall?”

The quiet corridor felt like a long time tunnel, with only a window at the end, letting in a faint, grayish light.