[Chapter 002] “I’ll change your desk mate, how about Bian JinYuan?”

Bian JinYuan frowned when he saw Lu YunFei. He remembered Lu YunFei as someone with a subject bias so extreme that it was astonishing. Before seeing him, Bian JinYuan couldn’t even believe that there was someone who had failed a subject in the express class — of course, aside from Physics. However, Lu YunFei’s Sciences were surprisingly good, taking the top three spots in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Yet his English was only a score of seventy to eighty marks.

Bian JinYuan saw his grades before, and thought that if he could simply attain an average score for English, then he could easily get into the top ten. It’s unfortunate, he thought, but this didn’t concern him.

Lu YunFei found it strange when he saw Bian JinYuan frown. This guy could also have such an expression? For a moment he looked pleasing to the eye.

He hadn’t even had time to join the fight when the person who was hit by his cola rushed towards him with his knife. Bian JinYuan instantly reacted and reached out to grab his shirt collar, giving him a harsh kick. He coldly told Lu YunFei, “This is none of your business, leave!”

Lu YunFei sneered, “Whether it’s none of my business or not, is it up to you to decide?”

As his words dropped, two people from the group of five rushed towards him.

As the fight started, Bian JinYuan didn’t want to drag his classmate into his personal problems. His movements were ruthless in order to quickly settle the three people surrounding him. He was about to go help Lu YunFei, but as he turned towards him, he saw that Lu YunFei was already walking towards him with his hands in his pockets, while the two people who had gone to fight him were now lying on the ground.

Lu YunFei bent down to pick up his cola. He looked at the people on the floor and asked Bian JinYuan, “They don’t seem to be students from our school?”

“They aren’t.”

“Tsk, the school’s security is too negligent. I’ll have to write feedback about it to throw into the suggestion box when I get back later.”

Bian Jin Yuan remained silent.

Lu YunFei turned around to walk forward. After a few steps, he saw that Bian JinYuan hadn’t followed him, and turned his head back to say, “Let’s go, what are you doing staying here? Cleaning up the battlefield?”

Bian JinYuan then followed him out.

Lu YunFei walked towards the corner flower bed and picked up the roujiamo that he had left behind just now.

Bian JinYuan looked at the roujiamo in his hand. As they walked out of the auditorium alley, he said, “Thank you.”

“Didn’t you want me to leave just now?” Lu YunFei hadn’t forgotten what he had said earlier.

Bian JinYuan didn’t think that he would say this. He was quiet for a while, then said in a low voice, “I only didn’t want you to get involved.”

He thought for a bit, then added, “Sorry.”

Lu YunFei thought that today was a day of miracles, he’d actually heard Bian JinYuan say thank you and sorry consecutively. It was worth it to help him in this fight.

“It’s fine, I was just commenting. No problem. Let’s go back to class.”

“Have you eaten yet?” Bian JinYuan didn’t want to owe Lu YunFei, “I’ll treat you to a meal.”

Lu YunFei waved the roujiamo in his hand, “I’ve eaten, this was bought for Li YuanQing.”

“Then let me know if you need me to help you with anything next time. I’ll go for lunch, see you.”

Bian JinYuan said this and turned to head towards the school canteen.

Lu YunFei watched him leave, wondering what he would need his help for. He shook the roujiamo in his hand and went back to the classroom.

Li YuanQing came back early. Lu YunFei saw him as soon as he entered the classroom.

“For you,” Lu YunFei placed the roujiamo in front of him and started to open his cola.

While Li YuanQing ate the roujiamo, Lu YunFei told him about what had happened earlier.

Li YuanQing asked in bewilderment, “So you helped him? I thought you hated him.”

“I don’t like him, but he’s a classmate after all. I can’t simply ignore it when a classmate is in trouble.”

“That’s true. Oh, want to play basketball after school this afternoon?” Li YuanQing asked him.

“Not playing, I’ll be going home for English tutoring,” Lu YunFei said helplessly, “How am I so miserable, my English studies amount to this, yet I still have to study it.”

“That’s because your English results are like this, that’s why you need to study hard, understand?”

Lu YunFei definitely understood, but he was probably going to get English PTSD soon. He got frightened just looking at English words nowadays, thinking that it’d be better if he were to slink away as a show of respect. Why do people need to learn English? Lu YunFei wondered doubtfully. He’s so wealthy, couldn’t he just hire a translator wherever he goes? Moreover, Mandarin is now being spoken by more people too, so why learn English?

Lu YunFei was doubtful, Lu YunFei was forlorn.

Class started at 2pm. The first lesson was Mathematics, and their Maths teacher Lǐ Lì was also their form teacher. Li Li was in a good mood today, “The exam questions for this month’s exams were more difficult this time round, so the average grade was lower overall. However there were two students in our class who scored well, almost full marks. This is a good sign, and I hope that everyone will continue to work hard this semester. You’ll be year three next year, so as year two students, this year is very important. I hope that everyone makes full use of this time to fill in the gaps in your foundation, and to make it stronger for the college entrance examinations.”

After saying this, Li Li started to go through the examination papers from this month’s exam. As one of the two students who attained almost full marks, Lu YunFei knew the answers to all of them. The three marks which he lost were due to his carelessness. Therefore, Lu YunFei spent this class doing his homework. After all, he had English tutoring tonight, and after every tutoring session, Lu YunFei always felt like he had gone through rebirth and would only think of going to sleep.

Very soon, forty minutes had passed. As the bell rang, Li Li surprisingly did not drag the lesson, but walked to Lu YunFei’s desk and said, “Lu YunFei, come out with me.”

Lu YunFei was surprised, he thought that perhaps Li Li had discovered that he hadn’t been paying attention during class. But that couldn’t be it, he had taken the opportunity to work on his homework while everyone else was taking notes, and had made sure to pretend like he was following along throughout.

Lu YunFei was anxious, he also felt that his Mathematics scores had always been good, so Li Li probably wouldn’t be too sensitive about this.

He followed Li Li into the office. During this time, the office wasn’t filled with teachers. Li Li pulled a chair for him to sit, and said gently: “I’ve known of you since you were in year one.”

Lu YunFei wasn’t surprised at this. Even though his year one Mathematics teacher wasn’t Li Li, he was first in his class for Maths in year one. Mathematics teachers from the same grade were together in the office and would invariably talk about their students, so it was normal to know of him.

“Your Mathematics scores are very good.”

Lu YunFei smiled, “It’s not bad.”

“Sciences are also very good.”

“It’s okay,” Lu YunFei said humbly.

“Language scores are also pretty good.”

“Pretty average.”

“But your English……” Li Li considered for a while, and eventually chose a gentler-sounding phrase, “isn’t great.”

Lu YunFei felt a ton of respect for Li Li at this moment! What a kind and considerate teacher! He had pulled down the grade average with just his score alone, and Li Li could still say that it’s not great. Not great? It’s simply terrible!

Lu YunFei said honestly, “My English scores are bad. This subject is just too difficult for me.”

Li Li understood. All teachers had started off as students after all, and which student didn’t have subjects they were bad at? It was just that this was the first time she had seen anyone have a subject bias as bad as Lu YunFei’s.

“Then have you thought about changing it?”

“When haven’t I thought about it. Teacher Li, I won’t keep it from you. My family even hired a tutor. I have an English lesson when I get home tonight. But it’s no use, I’ve been tutored for a year since year one. In the end it’s just as you see. Sigh, I likely just have no feel for English at all.”

“That’s not necessarily true,” Li Li comforted him, “Perhaps your English tutor just isn’t a good fit for you.”

She looked at Lu YunFei, obviously sitting on a decision that she had already made, “I think that people of the same age actually understand each other better than if it were with teachers. So I’ve been thinking about getting you to change your desk mate. How about Bian JinYuan? His English grades have always been good. If you’re desk mates, you could ask him if you need help.”

Lu YunFei looked at his form teacher in shock. What did she say? Let Bian JinYuan and him become desk mates? For Bian JinYuan who ignores everyone, it would be out of the norm if he even answers his questions!

Lu YunFei felt that he understood Bian JinYuan thoroughly in this aspect. This guy had never once helped anyone with their queries, refuting it with, “I don’t have the time, go find someone else.”

Nonetheless, Li Li looked at him with an expectant face. Lu YunFei didn’t think that this matter would pass, but he didn’t say it out loud. Instead he said, “About this, does Bian JinYuan agree?”

“I’ll talk to him about it,” Li Li was very confident, “I believe that he’ll agree to this.”

But I don’t believe he will, Lu YunFei thought to himself.

He and Li Li talked for a while more until the bell rang, and then he returned to class.

Li YuanQing curiously asked, “What did Teacher Li call you out for?”

“To change seats,” Lu YunFei whispered.

“Shit,” Li YuanQing exclaimed, “Who does she want you to sit with?”

“Who else,” Lu YunFei glanced at the nearby Bian JinYuan.

Li YuanQing was doubly shocked. However he came back to his senses swiftly, “Of course, your English grades are terrible. But if you ignore that and consider all your other subjects, you’re on your way to Qing Bei. Teacher Li definitely wouldn’t give up on this budding sprout.”

Lu YunFei sighed heavily, “I’m worried that this budding sprout can’t withstand it.”

“What are you afraid of?” Li YuanQing egged him on, “Just be desk mates with him, and if you don’t like it you could always change back. It’ll be great if your marks could rise, but you won’t lose out in any case.”

“I just think that it’s unnecessary,” Lu YunFei looked at him, “Don’t we both understand him? When has he ever helped someone with their questions? Since we know it’s no use, why try.”

“Well you never know if you don’t try,” Li YuanQing patted him on the shoulder, “You helped him out this afternoon. A drop of water given in need, shall be repaid with a gushing spring. It’s now time for his spring to gush.”

“Do you know the meaning of helping others without expectations?”

“I don’t, I only know, one deed repays another.”

“To my knowledge, this phrase doesn’t work like that.”

“Oh really?”

As Li YuanQing just said this, a clear female voice sounded, “Li YuanQing, answer this, why is B the answer for this question?”

Li YuanQing stood up, his face a look of confusion. He didn’t even know what question this was alright! As to why B is the answer, he’d also like to know why.

Li YuanQing hurriedly looked at Lu YunFei. Lu YunFei had been paying attention to the teacher while chatting with him, so he whispered the reason.

Li YuanQing repeated the reason out loud. The teacher gave him a warning look, “Sit down.”

Li YuanQing finally let out a breath of relief, “YunFei, perhaps you shouldn’t be desk mates with Bian JinYuan. If you’re desk mates with him, what will I do if this happens again?”

“It’s not up to me,” Lu YunFei said levelly, “The decision lies on our top scorer, student Bian.”

“Do you think he’ll agree to Teacher Li?”

“Who knows,” Lu YunFei thought, “Doesn’t matter, even if he agrees to it or not, it wouldn’t change anything. If he really does help me bring my English grades up, I’ll give him a flag that says: Miraculous Revival Skills, Specialty in Curing English!

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The author has something to say:

The Tmall Genie will make its appearance in the next chapter, it’s time to possess the Tmall Genie~

I just finished reading this novel. I really enjoyed this short and sweet story. And there was an unexpected throwaway reference to yet another of the author’s novels! I was like, !!!!! Also, I’ll likely do away with translating the author’s notes from now on.

Look forward to Lu YunFei as a smart home speaker in the next chapter! Their interactions are amusing but the translations are going to be a killer. For those who still don’t know what a Tmall Genie is, it’s similar to the Amazon Alexa or Google Home. Additional trivia, the Tmall mascot is a cat (Tmall is made up of the words 天猫, literally translating to ‘sky cat’). I’ll write a note again in future chapters when the author makes this play on words.

Anyway I wrote this explanation because NU edited the series title after I submitted it to After I Possessed the Small Genie of the School Adonis and I was so amused because this change in a letter managed to transform the novel from a sweet campus love to a kinky porno ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°). It’s fixed now but yea, Tmall Genie is a thing!