Yun Sisi inexplicably ended up explaining the test paper to Yun Shifei for an entire hour.
She tried stopping several times, but whenever her eyes met Yun Shifei's gaze, filled with curiosity and eagerness to learn, she couldn't bring herself to stop.
There was no choice; she had to maintain her good image in front of others.
If she refused to share the knowledge she understood, what would Brother Mu think of her?
After all, this was also part of crafting her image as a good student.
So, Yun Sisi made her explanations lively and detailed.
"Thank you, Sisi, I understand how to solve the problem now," Yun Shifei said earnestly, taking meticulous notes and writing down the problem-solving ideas Yun Sisi had just laid out.
To be fair, Yun Sisi really was quite impressive—complex problems seemed much simpler once she explained them.
"If you don't understand anything in the future, feel free to ask me," Yun Sisi smiled warmly.
It was like a gentle breeze on a summer afternoon, soothing and refreshing.
Yet her chest felt tight.
Wasn't Yun Shifei the kind of person who didn't study at all? When she first joined this school, she'd taken some diagnostic tests.
The scores were only in the twenties or thirties.
Plus, during all this time, she had never once been seen studying, barely did any homework, behaving like the other classmates in her grade—totally indifferent to academics.
Why did she suddenly seem interested in learning now?
Could it be an act to look better in front of Mu Chengzhu?
Heh, how pathetic.
"My foundation isn't very strong, so I find it hard to grasp these concepts. If Sisi is willing to teach me, that's truly wonderful," Yun Shifei acknowledged Yun Sisi's penchant for showing off. As she genuinely wanted to study, this played right into her plans.
Xu Ya looked at Yun Shifei with a contented expression.
These past few days, Yun Shifei had been behaving much better, and she even seemed to have developed an interest in studying.
"Shifei, if your foundation is weak, take it slow. I'll arrange for a tutor for you sometime soon," Xu Ya said.
"Thank you, Mom."
Yun Shifei was genuinely delighted.
Without her having to mention it, Xu Ya already planned to find her a tutor.
How wonderful! It felt like life was slowly taking a turn for the better.
Mu Chengzhu and Mu Jiayu watched this scene, both looking a little puzzled.
Yun Shifei seemed to have undergone a real transformation.
So obedient, so diligent in her studies—in stark contrast to their prior impression of her.
Mu Chengzhu couldn't shake a strange feeling.
In the past, every time he was in Yun Shifei's presence, her gaze clung to him like a magnet—utterly relentless.
But now, aside from greeting him at the doorway,
she hadn't said a single word to him.
Not even her eyes had wandered in his direction.
Could this really be an attempt to play hard to get?
Previously, she'd gone to great lengths trying to catch his attention, and when that didn't work, had she decided to pivot completely?
Mu Chengzhu sneered coldly—he had seen far too many women like her. Plenty of girls at school pursued him.
But none of them truly caught his eye.
What he liked was someone like Yun Sisi.
Delicate, gentle, evoking an intense protective instinct.
And yet internally steadfast and independent, talented in every way.
Yun Sisi had noticed Mu Chengzhu's burning gaze, and her heart pounded with excitement.
Her tone became even softer as she spoke to Yun Shifei: "Other than math, if there are any other subjects you struggle with, you can ask me too. Not to brag, but in the last monthly exam, I ranked first in the grade for Chinese, English, and History."
She appeared to be kindly offering to help Yun Shifei, but in truth, she was subtly showing off.
Yun Shifei ought to feel inferior and reject her, right?
After all, especially in front of Mu Chengzhu, she wouldn't set aside her pride.
Yun Shifei understood well that her role was that of a foil—to emphasize Yun Sisi's brilliance and beauty.
Nevertheless, she was happy to cooperate. Curling her lips slightly, she replied, "Sisi, you're so wonderful! Why don't we study together after dinner from now on? That way, if I run into anything I don't understand, I can ask you directly."
"…Alright."
Yun Sisi agreed, then suddenly felt something off.
Why was she helping Yun Shifei? Wouldn't watching her struggle and fail be far more satisfying?
Still, seeing Xu Ya's gratifying look, Yun Sisi suppressed her uneasy feelings once more.
Even so, she couldn't shake the strange sensation.
Deep down, she felt as though her initial plan to provoke Yun Shifei had backfired, leaving her caught in her own trap.