My Sister Is Acting Strange

During the Chinese class in the afternoon, Shen Yiqiu, dressed in a sharp black teacher’s suit, stood at the podium, distributing the test papers from yesterday afternoon. One by one, the students went up to collect their results.

“Xia Xinya, 93 points,” Shen Yiqiu’s cool and composed voice rang out. Xia Xinya, who had been nervously awaiting her score, immediately looked disappointed upon hearing it. Pouting slightly, she trudged up to the podium.

“There’s some improvement. You scored full marks on the fill-in-the-blank questions, but reading comprehension and essay writing remain your weak points,” Shen Yiqiu remarked, glancing at the paper before looking at Xia Xinya with her usual impassive expression. “Actually, calling them weak points might be too generous-you barely scored anything in those sections. Find someone to tutor you.”

Xia Xinya mumbled a thank you and returned to her seat, visibly deflated.

“Bai Yuerou, 145 points,” Shen Yiqiu continued, adding, “Very good. Apart from losing a few points on the essay, you didn’t make any mistakes.”

This was an exceptionally high score. Although Tang Huaijin knew Yuerou had a passion for literature, he was still a little surprised. However, the rest of the class seemed unfazed, as if they were used to such results from her.

The gentle and soft-spoken Yuerou jogged up to the podium, accepted her paper, and sincerely thanked Shen Yiqiu before returning to her seat.

Shen Yiqiu picked up the last paper and announced softly, “Tang Huaijin… full marks.” Her gaze lingered briefly on the bold and flowing handwriting on the paper, a faint trace of admiration in her eyes.

This time, the class was genuinely shocked. A perfect score in Chinese? How many years had it been since anyone achieved that? All eyes turned toward the paper in Shen Yiqiu’s hands, curiosity evident in their expressions.

Understanding their interest, Shen Yiqiu handed the paper to a girl in the front row to pass around, saying, “Tang Huaijin’s essay is exceptional, even making me feel a bit inadequate. The use of elegant vocabulary and beautifully structured sentences has earned it the honor of being selected by the principal as a model essay for display in the school.”

Tang Huaijin wasn’t particularly surprised. Using master-level writing skills to craft a high school essay felt like overkill to him. What did catch him off guard, however, was Shen Yiqiu’s glowing praise.

As the paper made its way through the rows, Bai Yuerou eagerly awaited her turn. When it finally reached her, she carefully took it and began reading the essay. After going through it twice, she handed it to Xia Xinya, her eyes now carrying a hint of admiration as she glanced at Tang Huaijin.

Xia Xinya, initially feeling a bit indignant, took the paper and started reading. Her expression shifted as she read, and a trace of reluctant respect appeared in her eyes. The fluid and graceful handwriting, combined with the concise yet profound 800-word essay on “The Importance of Life,” left her deeply moved. The elegant and heartfelt prose made the value of life resonate with the reader on an emotional level.

When Xia Xinya, her expression complicated, finally returned the paper to Tang Huaijin, Shen Yiqiu resumed teaching.

Xia Xinya, however, seemed visibly affected. She spent the rest of the class looking glum, her attention wandering as Shen Yiqiu explained the material at the front of the room.

Bai Yuerou, concerned for her best friend, leaned in close and whispered a few words into Xia Xinya’s ear.

Xia Xinya’s eyes lit up. She turned her head to glance at Tang Huaijin, her gaze making him feel slightly uneasy.

Sure enough, as soon as class ended, Xia Xinya approached with her test paper in hand.

“Teach me how to do the reading comprehension questions,” she demanded, her tone brimming with authority.

Tang Huaijin, curious about what she was up to, raised an eyebrow. But upon hearing her command, he rolled his eyes in exasperation and retorted, “Do I owe you something?”

“You’re scared, aren’t you? Afraid that if you teach me, I might outscore you,” Xia Xinya replied with a smug, knowing look.

“Oh, absolutely. I’m terrified. I’ve been a scaredy-cat since I was a kid,” Tang Huaijin replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly. Who taught her such a childish attempt at reverse psychology? He could only imagine it came from someone equally clueless.

Seeing Xia Xinya’s skeptical expression, she turned to Bai Yuerou for confirmation. Tang Huaijin froze for a moment, caught off guard.

Faced with Bai Yuerou’s pleading gaze, Tang Huaijin sighed and nodded reluctantly. Clearly, Bai Yuerou knew he wouldn’t fall for such a cheap trick; she was just trying to get him to humor Xia Xinya and smooth things over.

Not that he was unwilling to help her-it was just Xia Xinya’s infuriating attitude that made him hesitate. This girl could really test his patience.

Clearing his throat, Tang Huaijin said, “I can teach you, but you need to watch your attitude. The word ‘please’ comes before ‘teach.’ Got it?”

His words left little room for argument. Xia Xinya glanced at Bai Yuerou again, who nodded in agreement, her expression suggesting this was the obvious course of action. Reluctantly, Xia Xinya muttered, “Please teach me.”

Under normal circumstances, Tang Huaijin would have insisted she call him “teacher” and serve him tea for such a half-hearted request. But considering Bai Yuerou’s involvement, he decided to let it slide. He nodded and asked, “Fine. Which question?”

Xia Xinya grinned and eagerly handed him her test paper. As Tang Huaijin examined the question, she slid into the seat next to him, resting her elbow on the desk and propping her chin in her hand, her eyes blinking expectantly at him.

Tang Huaijin didn’t mind her closeness. They’d had far more intimate interactions before, after all. Bai Yuerou, however, couldn’t resist sneaking a glance in their direction.

The last period before dismissal was a self-study class. Shen Yiqiu, after briefly questioning Xia Xinya about the desk swap, cast a warning glance at Tang Huaijin before tacitly allowing the arrangement.

Tang Huaijin, ever the diligent tutor, patiently explained the reading comprehension question to Xia Xinya. He even grabbed a blank sheet of paper, sketching out a detailed breakdown of reading strategies to help her grasp the underlying patterns.

Xia Xinya wasn’t dim-witted. With a mother renowned as a fierce businesswoman, she clearly inherited some sharpness. Her ability to ace nearly all the fill-in-the-blank questions through sheer memorization was proof enough. Now, with Tang Huaijin’s expert guidance, the concepts that had once seemed convoluted began to click. Her mind opened up, and she started to see the logic behind the questions.

A satisfied smile spread across her face. Feeling quite pleased with herself, she said smugly, “See? I’m smart. But you explain things really well, Tang. No wonder you got a perfect score. Keep going!”

Tang Huaijin, already feeling parched from all the talking, glanced at her. Not only did she fail to offer him water, but she was also teasing him. His patience wore thin. He turned to Bai Yuerou, who was calmly reading at her desk, and felt reassured.

Turning back to Xia Xinya, he chuckled softly, drawing out his words, “Tang? Keep going?”

“What’s wrong, Tang? Not happy with something?” Xia Xinya asked, barely suppressing her laughter. She was clearly doing it on purpose.

She had made her intentions clear-she was here to provoke him. Watching Tang Huaijin’s annoyed expression while knowing he had no choice but to comply gave her a sense of triumph. It made her feel like she was back in control.

And in the quiet atmosphere of the classroom, she was confident Tang Huaijin wouldn’t dare retaliate.

Seeing Xia Xinya still provoking him without a care in the world, Tang Huaijin suddenly reached out and poked her slender waist without warning.

As everyone knows, most people are ticklish around their waist. The moment her waist was poked, Xia Xinya instinctively jerked to the side, only for her thigh to collide with the desk chair with a loud “clang,” drawing the attention of the student sitting in front of Tang Huaijin.

Xia Xinya shot the innocent front-row student a glare so fierce that they quickly turned back around, not daring to meet her eyes.

Rubbing her thigh, which now throbbed with pain, Xia Xinya gritted her teeth and glared at Tang Huaijin, who was struggling to suppress his laughter. She shifted in her seat and, without hesitation, extended her leg to stomp on Tang Huaijin’s shoe.

Tang Huaijin immediately winced in distress. He was wearing white shoes today, and now, thanks to Xia Xinya’s little leather boots, there was a dirty footprint right on top of them.

This little troublemaker. He reached out again, aiming for her waist, but Xia Xinya quickly raised her hands to block him.

Since Xia Xinya was sitting sideways, she could use both hands to fend him off, while Tang Huaijin could only use one hand-anything more would be too obvious.

Her delicate hands moved nimbly, effectively thwarting Tang Huaijin’s attempts. For a moment, he couldn’t break free.

Seeing Tang Huaijin momentarily stymied, Xia Xinya’s expression turned smug. She even stretched out her leg again, aiming to kick him once more.

Tang Huaijin, being tall with long legs, couldn’t make any drastic movements under the desk without bumping into it. All he could do was keep lifting his leg to dodge her attacks.

But Xia Xinya wasn’t about to let up. Frustrated, Tang Huaijin suddenly freed his left hand from her grasp, reached down, and grabbed her slender calf. Through the fabric of her jeans, he gave her calf a firm squeeze.

Xia Xinya’s calf was slim, toned, and springy to the touch.

The sudden grip and squeeze made Xia Xinya flinch in pain. Her little boot accidentally knocked against Tang Huaijin’s desk with a loud “bang.”

This time, several students in the front row turned around curiously, including the one who had glanced back earlier. Even Shen Yiqiu, standing at the podium, looked over in their direction. Both Tang Huaijin and Xia Xinya froze instantly, not daring to move a muscle.

Shen Yiqiu, seeing nothing out of the ordinary, lowered her head and resumed reading.

Xia Xinya, now too afraid to pull her leg back forcefully, reached down to pry Tang Huaijin’s hand off her calf. After a few unsuccessful attempts, she grew frustrated and pinched the back of his hand hard.

Tang Huaijin let out a soft hiss and instinctively loosened his grip. Realizing what had happened, he quickly reached down again, but this time, he only managed to grab hold of a soft, delicate hand.

Xia Xinya’s leg was free, but now her hand was trapped. She tried to pull it away, but Tang Huaijin’s grip was far too strong. Even using both her hands, she couldn’t break free.

As they struggled, Shen Yiqiu suddenly stood up from the podium, her suspicious gaze sweeping in their direction.

The two of them instinctively leaned over the desk, pretending to discuss a problem. Xia Xinya even nodded occasionally, as if she were listening intently and had just grasped some profound insight.

Tang Huaijin shot her a mocking look, silently mouthing the words, “Your acting is impressive.”

Catching his lip movements, Xia Xinya’s eyes flared with anger. She grabbed a scrap of paper and scribbled furiously: “You’re not bad yourself.”

Shen Yiqiu, seemingly tired of sitting, stood up and remained standing. The two of them, their hands loosely clasped under the desk, dared not pull away. The tall and elegant teacher’s sharp eyes were fixed in their direction, ready to catch any suspicious movement the moment their elbows so much as twitched.

It was supposed to be a class, yet here they were, secretly holding hands beneath the desk. The atmosphere between them grew subtly charged, tinged with an unspoken tension.

Xia Xinya’s hand was soft, delicate, and warm, like it could melt into Tang Huaijin’s palm. The sensation was unexpectedly pleasant, leaving Huaijin’s expression a little stiff, as if he were unsure how to react.

Xinya’s cheeks had already taken on a faint pink hue, but when she noticed Huaijin’s awkward expression, a flicker of irritation sparked within her.

This guy had always looked at her with a mix of disdain and indifference. Seeing his current expression, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of frustration and a trace of grievance.

What’s the big deal about holding hands? Did he really have to look like he’d just swallowed a fly? Jerk!

Fueled by a sudden burst of defiance, she twisted her hand slightly, threading her fingers through his, locking them together in an interlaced grip.

Huaijin’s eyes widened in surprise. Meeting Xinya’s challenging gaze, he was momentarily thrown off. What was this girl up to now? He couldn’t make sense of her intentions. And with Shen Yiqiu’s hawk-like attention still hovering over them, he dared not make any sudden moves.

As if things weren’t awkward enough already, this new level of intimacy made the situation even more uncomfortable. Xinya began to realize her impulsiveness. Holding hands was one thing, but interlocking fingers? That was practically a couple’s gesture. The realization made her heart race, and a deeper blush crept across her face. It was her first time holding hands like this with a boy, and the sensation was… overwhelming.

Huaijin, however, wasn’t overthinking it. The moment Shen Yiqiu’s gaze shifted away, he seized the opportunity to withdraw his hand.

The sudden absence of Huaijin’s warm grip left Xinya momentarily stunned. To her surprise, a strange sense of loss washed over her. But she quickly shook off the absurd thought, pushing it to the back of her mind. Her eyes narrowed into a glare, now fixed on Huaijin.

Huaijin glared right back at her. This girl-this troublemaker-still had the audacity to stare him down? Unbelievable!