"Yeah." Lin Jinran tore open a packet, lowered her head, took out a chip and popped it into her mouth. She then held it out and said indistinctly, "Here, it's your snack. Have one too." In the darkness, Su Qinian looked down and picked one out. "It's okay. I've got some here. You can keep that packet for yourself."
"Can I give some to the front row? Snacks are more delicious when shared," Lin Jinran asked, turning her head with bright eyes.
"Sure," Su Qinian replied with a smiling nod.
Lin Jinran tapped Tao Wan and Jiang Xiubin in front and offered them the chips, saying, "These are the monitor's snacks. Do you want some?"
"Snacks from the monitor?" Tao Wan blurted out instinctively. "Rare. When did the monitor become so caring about us poor front - row students?"
"I'm full from dinner. You guys can have them," Jiang Xiubin said with a gentle smile, politely declining.
"You guys are not so poor. I can't see it at all," Lin Jinran said with a beaming smile, pushing the chips forward a bit more. "Jiang Xiubin won't eat. How about you, Tao Wan?"
"I'm also full from dinner. Lin Jinran, you eat well. Keep it up. I'm rooting for you," Tao Wan said, looking back and forth between them and finally giving a thumbs - up gesture with a mischievous smile.
"Why doesn't anyone want them? I've also had dinner," Lin Jinran murmured in confusion, then ate another chip.
Su Qinian drawled, "It's okay. You can finish them."
The movie *The Shawshank Redemption* was playing on the big screen, with a thrilling plot.
Under the podium, students moved their stools to sit beside their good friends, and there were occasional bursts of laughter.
Lin Jinran leaned back on her chair. After finishing the chips, she quietly watched the movie.
Su Qinian beside her was also very quiet. When he wasn't smiling, his eyebrows and eyes were cold, and his face was handsome.
The movie ended halfway through the last evening self - study session. Suddenly, the lights in the classroom were turned on, and the curtains were drawn. Lin Jinran looked a bit reluctant to let it end.
A few students slipped out of the back door of the classroom. Lin Jinran stretched and suddenly noticed Xie Wanyu a few rows in front winking at her.
What's up?
Lin Jinran tilted her head and looked at her in confusion.
Xie Wanyu then pointed outside the classroom. Lin Jinran suddenly understood and, like the other students, quietly slipped out of the back door.
"Let's go. Let's go to the office to check our grades," Xie Wanyu said, grabbing Lin Jinran's hand and trying to rush towards the office.
"Hey, wait. The teachers are still grading the papers. It can't be that fast," Lin Jinran said, laughing and crying at the same time. It had only been a few hours.
"Oh, my dear. During the break of the second evening self - study session, the homeroom teacher called two students to register the grades. The grades from the first day of the exam must be out," Xie Wanyu said, not giving Lin Jinran a chance to refuse and pulling her towards the office.
Lin Jinran smiled helplessly, changed her hold to an arm - in - arm position, and trotted along with her.
When they reached the office, there were quite a few people around the homeroom teacher. As soon as they took a step in, they heard the homeroom teacher shouting angrily, "What? Did watching the movie make your minds wander? Why aren't you in the evening self - study session? Get back to the classroom right now! The other teachers in the office still need to grade the papers!"
"Teacher, can we just take a look? Just one look, okay?" a student pleaded pitifully.
"Not even one look. Get back right now!" Zhou Ping said coldly.
The other students let out a groan and hung their heads as they had to return to the classroom.
"Oh no, we came at such a bad time," Xie Wanyu complained. She had just reached the door when she was squeezed out by the students inside.
"It's okay. The grades aren't going anywhere. They'll be out in a few days. Let's go back," Lin Jinran said, patting her hand to comfort her.
So, Xie Wanyu went back with a gloomy face.
As the evening self - study session was about to end, the homeroom teacher suddenly opened the classroom door and came in with a gloomy face.
"Oh no. Judging from his expression, it seems that our class didn't do well in the exam," Tao Wan in the front row murmured.
Sure enough, the homeroom teacher slapped the podium hard, making the chalk dust fall off. "Have I been too nice to you guys?"
The classroom was as quiet as a pool of stagnant water. The fan hanging from the ceiling creaked and turned.
Zhou Ping's eyebrows shot up in anger. He scanned the class coldly, and all the students lowered their heads, not daring to meet his gaze.
"Look at yourselves. Look at how you did in this exam! It's a disaster. It's far worse than the last time..."
Lin Jinran turned her head slightly and silently asked, "How long is he going to scold? There are only ten minutes left until class is over."
"Don't worry. The homeroom teacher won't keep us after school," Su Qinian comforted her with a smile.
Just as Su Qinian said, as soon as the bell rang, the homeroom teacher just snorted and said, "Since class is over, I won't take up your time after school. Go back and reflect on your own! Class is over!"
Zhou Ping picked up his phone on the podium and strode towards the door.
After the scolding, the classroom remained quiet.
"Ding - dong..."
Suddenly, a phone hidden in the desk vibrated. Lin Jinran's face turned deathly pale.
It was the notification sound of a WeChat message. She had forgotten to turn it off.
"Whose phone is it?" Zhou Ping stopped and said with a half - smile.
No one responded.
Even though she was a transfer student and the homeroom teacher took good care of her, she didn't dare to provoke the teacher at this moment.
Lin Jinran slowly exhaled a breath, and her palms were sweating.
The classroom was still silent.
"Take it out by yourself," the homeroom teacher repeated. "Otherwise, if I find out who it is, you'll be in big trouble."
Lin Jinran held her breath and tightened her grip on the pen in her hand.
Should I hand it in or not?
The good mood from watching the movie after the exam had completely disappeared.
Maybe I should just hand it in. At most, I'll get scolded and the phone will be confiscated. I can just buy a new one.
Lin Jinran was in a dilemma. One voice in her head told her to hand it in, while the other said not to.
She closed her eyes and showed a look of determination. Just as she was about to stand up, she heard Su Qinian beside her say, "Teacher, maybe it's your phone ringing."
Lin Jinran stopped her movement of standing up.
"Really?" the homeroom teacher asked suspiciously, looking at him. He then opened his phone and indeed saw a message pop up on the screen. His expression softened a bit.
Tao Wan in the front row quietly gave Su Qinian a thumbs - up.
They were sitting nearby and heard it clearly.
The homeroom teacher put away his phone and was about to leave.
The WeChat notification sound rang again in the quiet classroom.
Lin Jinran: "..."
Is it fate that wants me doomed?
"Who on earth is it? Take it out right now. Don't blame me for being merciless!" the homeroom teacher got angry. "Otherwise, none of you will be able to go home!"
Lin Jinran's heart was pounding wildly. She groped around in the desk and finally found her phone.
She took a deep breath and was about to stand up to admit her mistake.
However, someone beat her to it.