“Hey, hey, hey, that’s humblebragging. It’s basically a personal attack too.”

In the corridor, Fang Tong spread her hands helplessly, though she felt a little smug inside.

This situation was exactly the state she wanted to maintain, and she’d put in quite a bit of effort for it.

For example, talking with Tang Leyan who was practically sparkling right in front of her.

It looked easy but her internal battery was dropping fast.

“But honestly Xiao Tong being like this is great. If some trashy guy like earlier ever confesses to you, I’ll punch him to pieces!”

As she spoke, Tang Leyan reached out and rubbed the top of Fang Tong’s head.

“Stop messing around, you’ll mess up my hair.”

Fang Tong raised both hands to grab the arm on her head and used all her strength just to barely save her fluffy hair.

‘So this was what it meant to be both brains and brawn? We’re both girls, so why are you so strong?’

Fang Tong glared, but Tang Leyan still wore that faint smile.

‘Ah, that damn sense of distance. That was why talking with Tang Leyan was tiring, was this how girls got along?’

“Doesn’t Xiao Tong always feel too lazy to comb her hair? Actually you’re fine like this, you look cute.”

Seeing Tang Leyan suddenly lean in, the eyes emerging from shadow shimmered like ripples.

It was hard to describe that expression, like countless thoughts were inside yet impossible to untangle.

‘Damn, I actually felt my heart skip just now. It had to be a stupid illusion! A naturally evil fulfilled extrovert! If those people lining up to confess heard their goddess calling them trashy guys in private, what would they think?’

Back when she was a bean sprout, she probably wasn’t even qualified to be a trashy guy.

‘Calm down, calm down. In an extrovert’s eyes, this was like casually patting the back of someone’s hand. I can endure it!’

“Alright, alright, don’t worry. I’m not worried about other people confessing anyway, because you’re up front tanking the damage. Don’t worry, when you can’t hold it anymore, I’ll be the first to run.”

“Pfft—hahaha, that’s our Xiao Tong. Then as your shield, shouldn’t I thank you properly?”

As she spoke, Tang Leyan reached out again as if to grab Fang Tong, but Fang Tong dodged quickly.

Stepping back two paces, seeing Tang Leyan’s unabashed gaze aimed at her chest, Fang Tong sighed, “A tiny thank-you is fine, but that kind of thing isn’t allowed.”

Even now, Fang Tong still couldn’t get used to ‘intimate’ interactions between girls.

At home Fang Xi was like this and at school Tang Leyan was like this too.

‘Was this just a common trait of girls? It had to be jealousy. They had to be jealous that my stats (chest) were too overpowered!’

Annoyed at Fang Tong’s growing agility, Tang Leyan puffed her cheeks.

“Fine, whatever. There’ll be plenty of chances later. Then in the new term, be my deskmate.”

“Deskmate?”

‘How did she know I’m in the same class as her this term?’

Fang Tong thought for a second and understood, the homeroom teacher probably gave Tang Leyan the class list.

After all, in first year she was the vice class rep. As for why ‘vice’, it was because she occasionally took leave to do shoots outside and it wasn’t appropriate for the class rep to be absent all the time, so they set up a deputy role.

But as long as Tang Leyan was at school, even if the class rep spoke, it carried less weight than her. Her innate stats were right there, her leadership was maxed.

So even as vice class rep, teachers and classmates still went to her first for discussions.

‘The first-year class rep must have had it rough. Who was it again? Oh right, it seemed to be Liu Qingzhu, then never mind. Liu Qingzhu wouldn’t care about things like that.’

“Is Shang Jing planning to let you pick your own deskmate?”

‘So you just get the privilege outright, no pretense at all.’

A deskmate affected your whole school experience. If you could choose, who wouldn’t want to?

But no teacher would allow it, except this example standing in front of her.

“Given my situation, whoever sits with me would be a hassle, right? And letting me sit alone wouldn’t look good.”

So she had some self-awareness about her charm.

“No, no. A lot of people would be sad, but way more people would sigh in relief.”

“That’s why I’m asking you. I can teach you too, I guarantee you’ll get into the school’s top one hundred this term!”

Tang Leyan patted her full chest and proudly made the offer.

Not bigger than hers, yet it somehow looked perfectly balanced. Seeing it gave that strange feeling of ‘this is just the right size, and easy to grab too’, like déjà vu.

‘She was basically a walking succubus, it’s ridiculous.’

Pulling her gaze away, Fang Tong considered the proposal.

Getting closer to Tang Leyan would avoid lots of trouble, but too close was bad.

Like being deskmates.

If she had to describe it, it felt like guarding the gate of a grand minister’s mansion.

All those people who wanted to get closer to Tang Leyan but couldn’t find a way through her would obviously look for opportunities through the people around her.

And the deskmate position, naturally close by geography, was basically the number one shortcut route.

Thinking that, Fang Tong shook her head.

“Uh, well… putting me next to you doesn’t really match the vibe, it feels like a misplaced isekai kind of wrongness.”

As she spoke, Fang Tong carefully checked Tang Leyan’s expression.

In the new term she still planned to slack inside their circle. If possible, she didn’t want to reject her outright.

But being deskmates was too troublesome, so she could only refuse awkwardly.

Yet seeing Tang Leyan’s look as if her scheme had succeeded, the slightly lifted corner of her mouth, Fang Tong’s heart oddly trembled.

So she hurriedly continued before Tang Leyan could act on her excitement, “I think Liu Qingzhu is perfect, and aren’t you two childhood friends who’ve played together since you were little? With her personality, I doubt many people would dare harass her.”

The Liu Qingzhu, Fang Tong mentioned, was a member of Tang Leyan’s small inner circle.

Tang Leyan was popular, but she couldn’t always drag a whole crowd around like some underworld boss.

So after a year, the true core circle was five people.

Among them, Fang Tong was the most transparent. Tang Leyan was the unquestioned center, while Liu Qingzhu’s role was more ambiguous.

From what Fang Tong knew, Liu Qingzhu had known Tang Leyan since they were very young, practically a ‘grew up wearing the same pants’ kind of relationship.

They attended the same kindergarten, same elementary school, same middle school, then both tested into Yunbin City No.1 High School and even coincidentally ended up in the same class.

If Liu Qingzhu weren’t also a girl, she’d probably have become the entire school’s public enemy long ago.

But Liu Qingzhu was extremely cold in temperament, and a straight black-haired top student who stayed number one in the city year after year, giving a lofty chill, if you held her gaze too long, you’d feel frozen stiff.

Because of that, though she was also a recognized beauty, she was the complete opposite of Tang Leyan and had very few close acquaintances.

And from Fang Tong’s observations, the relationship between Liu Qingzhu and Tang Leyan always carried a subtle oddness.

Maybe it was just Liu Qingzhu being too cold. Fang Tong didn’t have the nasty hobby of prying into other people’s private relationships.

Still, she couldn’t help being curious how two such different personalities fit together.

Because of Tang Leyan, Liu Qingzhu naturally entered the circle.

Fang Tong almost never talked with her, but if Liu Qingzhu was willing to be Tang Leyan’s deskmate, all problems would be solved.

No jealousy, it would cut off people trying to approach Tang Leyan through the deskmate seat, and it wouldn’t drag Fang Tong into it, it was perfect.

Fang Tong was sure Liu Qingzhu would probably be satisfied being Tang Leyan’s deskmate.

“Eh? Qingzhu, huh. I knew you’d say that. It’s not impossible, but you have to sit near me. How about front-and-back desks?”

Seeing Fang Tong scrambling to patch things up, Tang Leyan opened her mouth, swallowed what she’d planned to say and changed the suggestion.

“Wait, are you saying you can even decide on the front-and-back desks?”

Fang Tong’s eyes widened. She felt she needed to reassess Shang Jing as a homeroom teacher.

“Of course not, but if I bring it up, Teacher Shang will probably consider it. She understands your personality too.”

‘Right, so it’s because the background extra is easy to place anywhere, huh? Ugh. That’s because us introverts aren’t good at refusing. Especially a homeroom teacher’s suggestion, refusing once would drain enough battery that it would take three days to recharge.’

Fang Tong could only pout inwardly and couldn’t keep refusing.

“If it’s really like that, I want a window seat, and as far from the front and back doors as possible.”

‘If the homeroom teacher even let Tang Leyan pick a deskmate, then seating should be negotiable too, right?’

Even if it was front-and-back, she’d still get splashed by Tang Leyan. Ideally she wanted to be a bit farther and only slack with the inner circle during breaks.

But if Tang Leyan could get her a seat that was easier to slack in, it wasn’t a bad deal.

“I can mention it to Teacher Shang. I can’t guarantee it’ll work.”

Knowing this was Fang Tong’s limit, Tang Leyan sighed inside.

‘Failed again.’

Every time she saw Xiao Tong struggling, it was hard to keep pushing.

She’d come early on purpose today to arrange Fang Tong beside her. As for the confession at the stairs earlier, it was just an accidental interlude.

“I don’t believe that for a second. With you, the ‘Class Three Pride’, the homeroom teacher will definitely give you face.”

Fang Tong shrugged, her thoughts already drifting to the novel she’d bought that morning.

“Haha, then wait for my good news. I’ll go upstairs and find Teacher Shang.”

Tang Leyan grinned and became that bright energetic girl again.

No wonder she could work as a model, she could ‘customize’ any vibe she wanted.

Watching Tang Leyan run off, Fang Tong let out a long breath.

Finally, peace and quiet.