After tidying up the equipment room, Ye Fei glanced at the mat, now covered with traces of what had transpired between him and Tang Rou, including a few bloodstains. A headache loomed over him, but instead of leaving it behind, he simply stored the mat in his own space.
After all, only a few P.E. teachers ever came to this equipment room, and the mat's disappearance wouldn't raise much suspicion.
As Ye Fei returned to the playground, Lin Ling immediately ran up to him, grabbing his hand with concern. "Are you okay? Did Teacher Tang give you a hard time?" she asked. Their relationship was no secret at school, so Lin Ling wasn't shy about showing her worry.
The other students soon gathered around, eager to know how the temperamental teacher had treated Ye Fei. Smiling bitterly, Ye Fei said, "She did scold me, but fortunately, she got a phone call and left. She made me clean the equipment room, though, and it was exhausting."
Once they heard his explanation, the students' curiosity faded, and they dispersed, excited to play now that the strict teacher wasn't coming back. Their fear of Tang Rou's strictness had kept them on edge, but with her gone, they could finally let loose.
Satisfied that Ye Fei was fine, Lin Ling also relaxed, joining a few other girls to play games. However, Ye Yunqi, who knew Ye Fei all too well, frowned. His story seemed plausible, but she knew something was off. Given how angry Ye Fei had been earlier, it was unlikely he would have simply let Tang Rou punish him.
Moving closer to Ye Fei, Ye Yunqi sniffed the air subtly, then grinned knowingly. Pinching his arm playfully, she teased, "You rogue! One of these days, you're going to turn into a real womanizer."
Ye Fei chuckled, fully aware that Ye Yunqi wasn't genuinely upset. She was using this moment to flirt with him. After all, not only did she not mind his relationships with other women, she had a habit of encouraging them.
Despite her appearance, Ye Fei's first impression of the girl wasn't a positive one. Her face radiated arrogance, and the way she surveyed her new classmates was as if she considered them beneath her.
Yu Wuxia addressed the class, tapping on the desks to get their attention. "Everyone, please settle down for a moment. I'd like to introduce our new student, Xiao Fei." She then turned to the new girl, "Xiao Fei, why don't you introduce yourself?"
Xiao Fei's expression showed a hint of impatience, but she still complied, stepping forward and saying, "My name is Xiao Fei. I'm from Beijing." With that brief statement, she said nothing more.
Her curt introduction was met with warm applause, mostly from the boys. Though the class already had two stunning girls—Ye Fei's fiancée Lin Ling and the mischievous Ye Yunqi—the boys hadn't dared to harbor any romantic hopes for either. Now, with Xiao Fei, whose beauty and voice rivaled Lin Ling's, they were eager and hopeful for a chance.
The applause only died down when Yu Wuxia raised her hands. She guided Xiao Fei to an empty seat next to Ye Yunqi and softly requested, "Ye Yunqi, please take care of her. She's new."
With a bright smile, Ye Yunqi warmly greeted her new classmate, "Hello!"
But Xiao Fei snorted coldly and turned away, ignoring her. Despite her reluctance to admit it, Xiao Fei felt uncomfortable next to Ye Yunqi, whose beauty surpassed her own. Back in her previous school, Xiao Fei had been regarded as the school beauty, and now, in this unfamiliar place, she was immediately overshadowed.
That made her resentment towards Ye Yunqi palpable, and she had no intention of being friendly.