Madam, Please Behave-Chapter 12: Zhao Xuanwen’s Friend

Liu Zhiyue rested his chin on his hand, gazing out the window.

At the front of the classroom, the teacher was writing formulas on the blackboard with their back to the students.

There wasn’t much point in listening.

At least, that’s what Liu Zhiyue thought.

His academic performance wasn’t particularly impressive, always lingering in the middle of the class rankings. He wasn’t remarkable enough to draw attention, nor was he poor enough to stand out negatively. His position always hovered right in the middle, with his rank fluctuating by no more than three spots.

He didn’t want people to notice him.

From a young age, he had already decided on that.

His mother used to take him to social gatherings for adults.

He hated it.

From childhood, he realized that when it came to caring for children, his mother was terribly lacking.

Because of his quiet nature, she once suspected there was something wrong with his intelligence.

The truth was quite the opposite—Liu Zhiyue was very smart.

When he first started elementary school, he didn’t put on any sort of pretense. From the first grade onward, he consistently ranked first in his entire school. Teachers and neighbors alike praised him endlessly.

But those compliments didn’t matter much to the young Liu Zhiyue. Like most children, what he craved was his parents’ approval.

However, he didn’t understand at the time that whenever he brought home a perfect test paper or a certificate of achievement, his father would beam with pride, ruffle his hair, and exclaim loudly, “That’s my boy!”

His mother, on the other hand, always had a cold expression.

She didn’t seem to care about such things.

Back then, she always said something he didn’t understand.

“You’re still far from being as good as him.”

Who was he?

As a child, Liu Zhiyue often wondered.

Was it his father?

But his dad had dropped out after high school.

Then… who was his mother referring to?

Liu Zhiyue never figured out who this “he” his mother was always comparing him to was.

Why compare me to someone I don’t even know?

If I can’t meet her expectations, then I might as well just be an ordinary kid.

With that thought, Liu Zhiyue stopped trying so hard. From then on, he only did things just well enough.

Of course, everyone has things they enjoy. When he no longer found joy in studying, he sought fulfillment and satisfaction elsewhere—through food.

Luckily, his father, Liu Changqing, was an excellent cook.

Though Liu Zhiyue’s size was a bit on the hefty side compared to his peers, he wasn’t obese to the point of being unhealthy, like those seen on TV. He was simply a level above “slightly chubby.”

“Hey, what are you thinking about?”

A voice whispered beside him, pulling Liu Zhiyue out of his daze.

Turning his head, he looked at his deskmate.

It was a girl with short hair.

Her petite face was framed by bright, grape-like eyes. Her gaze was clear, and her smile had a soothing effect on Liu Zhiyue.

Her name was Zhao Xuanwen.

Perhaps afraid of being caught whispering by the teacher, Zhao Xuanwen resorted to the classic "cover-your-ears-and-steal-a-bell" tactic.

She propped up her book like a shield and ducked her head behind it.

“I’ve been watching you zone out for half the class. Were you daydreaming about food?”

As she said this, Zhao Xuanwen nearly burst out laughing.

She enjoyed teasing her deskmate.

“Call me Jie, and I’ll treat you to something from the snack shop later!”

She added with a grin, poking Liu Zhiyue with her pen.

Resting his chin on his hand, Liu Zhiyue glanced at her briefly before choosing to ignore her.

He was convinced that in a past life, they must have been mortal enemies.

How else could she always end up as his deskmate, ever since the first year of middle school?

No matter how the seating arrangements changed, she was always beside him.

In his mind, he had nothing noteworthy to attract attention—he was overweight, lacked any sense of good looks, and had only average grades, hovering in the middle of the class rankings.

He couldn’t fathom why anyone would take the initiative to talk to him.

“Hey, hey! Why are you ignoring me—”

Before she could finish, a piece of chalk flew across the room, hitting the book she was using as a shield with pinpoint accuracy.

The math teacher on the podium still held the pose of someone who had just thrown it.

“I’m solving problems on the blackboard, and I can hear you talking from all the way over here!”

In an instant, Zhao Xuanwen’s face turned crimson with embarrassment.

At their age, being the center of attention under the gaze of the entire class was no small ordeal.

A few students snickered, fanning the flames of her humiliation.

Placing her hands on her thighs, she bowed her head, the perfect picture of someone ready to endure criticism.

“If I catch you again, you’ll spend an entire class period standing at the back!”

With that threat, the teacher turned back to the blackboard to continue writing.

It wasn’t until the classroom returned to silence that Zhao Xuanwen finally exhaled a sigh of relief.

She turned to glare at Liu Zhiyue.

Pulling out her notebook, she scribbled furiously before shoving it toward him.

"It’s all your fault. If you’d just talk to me, this wouldn’t have happened!"

Seeing this, Liu Zhiyue couldn’t help but smirk.

Talk to you? So I can get scolded too?

He didn’t bother to reply.

When Zhao Xuanwen saw him ignore her again, a trace of worry flickered in her eyes.

A few days ago, he had been absent for two days, and she’d heard from neighbors in his old community that his parents had divorced. Now, he was living with his dad.

Growing up in a single-parent family herself, Zhao Xuanwen understood the loneliness and depression that could come with it.

She wanted to help her deskmate.

At that moment, she subconsciously began to see him as someone like herself.

Though Zhao Xuanwen appeared to be a cheerful girl who laughed often, she actually had no close friends in the class.

Her lively and outgoing personality allowed her to chat with anyone, but when it came to deeper connections, she would retreat, making excuses to avoid getting too close.

As a result, she had no friends.

She was kindhearted and unable to say no to requests for help. While she wouldn’t consider them friends, her classmates frequently sought her assistance—fetching water, cleaning the blackboard, or staying behind to tidy up after school.

She felt that helping others was her duty. It made her happy to bring joy to others.

If both parties were happy, wasn’t that double the happiness?

When math class ended, the teacher surprisingly didn’t run overtime. The moment the bell rang, they packed up their books, said, “Class dismissed,” and left the room.

The classroom’s calm lasted less than five seconds before noise began to build.

Stretching her arms with a big yawn, Zhao Xuanwen caught Liu Zhiyue’s unintentional glance.

The adolescent boy’s cheeks flushed slightly. He quickly turned his head away, silently cursing himself.

He didn’t dare look again.

“Zhao Xuanwen, can you get me a bottle of water? I’m so thirsty I could die!”

A boy with a playful grin came up from behind and patted her shoulder.

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“I forgot my money today. Can you cover me for now?”

“Sure!”

Smiling, Zhao Xuanwen nodded. While she wasn’t thrilled about the task, her classmate was parched, and she figured it wouldn’t hurt to help.

Just as she stood up, she felt someone grab her hand.

Startled, she turned to see that it was Liu Zhiyue—who hadn’t said a word to her all class.

Looking down, she confirmed it was his hand holding hers.

“She’s not feeling well today, so don’t make her run errands,” Liu Zhiyue said, his gaze locking onto the grinning boy.

“And besides… do you ever bring money?”