“Jun Yang, we’re heading to the library to study for the upcoming exam, would you like to join us? It’ll be a great study group.” Pei Ling waved for him to join them. The group around her comprised of the girls that she usually hung out with and a few other guys.

Jun Yang thought about it. His original plan was to go back home and study alone. He preferred the quiet and often found studying and doing revision by himself would bring better result.

Pei Ling saw the hesitation on Jun Yang’s face and she cleared her throat in a volume that was only audible to the people close to her. One of the girls took the cue and called after Jun Yang, adding, “Jun Yang, you have to join us. Our study group will fail if you refuse to lend us a hand. We will be able to share study tips and ask each other questions if we run into problems. With the top student at Xing Ming Academy helping us, I’m sure the studying and learning will be far more effective.”

The other girl chimed in, “Yes, Jun Yang, you know how important this upcoming exam is. If we fail, we might risk expulsion. Please… We desperately need your help.” They pleaded for mercy.

They made it sound like without Jun Yang the study group would fail. That was just factually untrue because while Jun Yang was the top student at Xing Ming Academy, Pei Ling was a close second.

Furthermore, for someone like Pei Ling, she would only surround herself with people of similar caliber. Therefore, the study group actually included very good students. Even without Jun Yang’s help, they would have been able to survive just fine.

Jun Yang was much too kind to reject them since they had pleaded with him like so. He was about to say yes when he caught a movement from within the classroom out of the corner of his eyes.

This was one of the rare days when Feng Qi showed up for class.

The young man was tossing the textbooks into his bag with surprising abandon. While most of the students were worried about the imminent test, the air of insouciance that Feng Qi assumed stood out like a sore thumb.

It looked like the exam was the last thing on his mind. This made Jun Yang frowned with concern. ‘If Feng Qi fails this exam, with his attendance record, he’ll most likely be expelled from school.’ Other than the layer of concern, there was a trace of anger as well, similar to how a mother would feel when she saw her son, who was supposed to be studying, playing video games, ‘Why isn’t he treating this as serious as he should?!’

Wrought with concern, Jun Yang felt the responsibility fall on his shoulders to make sure that Feng Qi could pass this exam. And there was a ready way for him to do that. If he invited Feng Qi to join the study group, then Jun Yang would be able to keep a close eye on his friend, to make sure that he studies seriously.

Jun Yang was not the only one who noticed this because as he was about to suggest, “Hey, do you mind if I invite Feng Qi…” Pei Ling stepped away from the group and sidled up to Jun Yang. She stood in such a way to block his view of the situation inside the classroom.

Then she laid her hand on Jun Yang’s arm and firmly but patiently led him towards the group.

Feng Qi turned around when he heard someone call his name. He turned his head to the door and all he could see was the back of a girl’s head pulling another guy down the corridor. He could hear the guy protest, “But, I wanted to invite him…”

Before Jun Yang could finish, he was already yanked down the corridor and away from the classroom. His voice was swallowed up by the distance and the commotion made by other people.

Feng Qi had too little to go on to be able to tell it was Jun Yang who called him. The rest of the class was still shuffling out of the classroom and they paid him no need and vice versa. After Feng Qi finished packing his bag, the young man turned to look at the table by the window. It was empty and his brows creased with a frown.

There was not much purpose for Feng Qi to come to school, one of them was definitely to "ambush" Jun Yang. However, that day, he had already disappeared from class. This was strange because Jun Yang normally would be the last to leave the class. He often had revisions of the classes to go through. There was a reason why Jun Yang was the top scorer, he worked very hard for his good results.

Therefore, it confused Feng Qi that Jun Yang left so early that day. Without no reason to stay back at school anymore, Feng Qi grabbed his bag, and left Xing Ming Academy.

...

The library was attached to the school via a corridor on the first floor. The corridor had rows of windows to let the sun in. While Jun Yang was being hauled towards the library, he glanced through one of the windows and spotted the figure that he could not have been more familiar with exiting the school gate. Based on Jun Yang's observation, he was moving towards the direction of Mist Cafe. So perhaps Pei Ling's earlier speculation was correct after all.

He stopped moving suddenly and the whole group halted. Pei Ling turned around to ask, "Jun Yang, what's wrong?"

"I'm really sorry but I remember I have something important to attend to in the afternoon. I'm afraid I won't be able to make the study group," Jun Yang explained.

"But..." Pei Ling started to protest but Jun Yang gave her no chance. He turned around and ran down the corridor like he was really in a hurry. He yelled down the corridor as he sprinted, "I'm sorry but I'm sure the group study will still succeed without me!"

For some reason, looking at his escape, Pei Ling had a feeling he was running away to a better future, like a newborn opening his arms to the sun.