Chapter 102: A Minor Romantic Skirmish

It seemed the development of things went just as Su Chunfeng had expected. Big matters were minimized, small matters were resolved.

The whole incident appeared as if it had never happened…

The agency sales office was completely unaffected by the event. As the wheat harvest finished, the busy farming season of land tilling followed immediately. The sales of rotary tillers at the agency saw a small surge, and at the same time, the repair and installation of vehicles and machinery kept the agency sales office exceptionally busy.

Fortunately, after the establishment of Wantong Freight Forwarding Agency Co., Ltd., it took time for Chen Yufang to apply for approvals from the relevant government departments and for bank loans using the original and duplicate copies of the business license.

Therefore, during this period, Su Cheng did not need to worry about the land contracting matter and could focus wholeheartedly on running the business at the agency sales office. Having started playing with combine harvesters and rotary tillers two years earlier than others, receiving targeted guidance and basic training from experts sent by the manufacturer, and possessing a personal talent for learning about machinery, Su Cheng became quite familiar and knowledgeable about various issues, big and small, related to combine harvesters and rotary tillers. So, at the agency sales office with complete spare parts, handling maintenance and repairs was absolutely no problem.

Although doing this was not as profitable as selling combine harvesters, the profits were still quite considerable.

Moreover, Su Cheng, who came from a poor farming family, would never pick up a watermelon and then scorn a sesame seed. In his business mindset, even a small profit was still profit, and it should be earned.

Furthermore, this indirectly helped build the reputation of the agency sales office.

By now, Su Chunfeng was also greatly reassured about his father’s vision, mindset, and ability to handle related matters. He no longer worried much about the agency sales office or the company’s land contracting for logistics development. Besides the daily necessary cultivation and fitness routines, he devoted more time to his studies.

No matter what, his grades could not slip again during the final exam.

Homeroom Teacher Cao Lan’s earnest teachings, his mother’s expectations and reminders—these were the reasons why Su Chunfeng had to study hard and strive for good grades.

As for that massive Feng Shui Magic Array near the agency sales office, after carefully sensing and analyzing it every weekend night when he went back, he finally concluded that this Feng Shui Magic Array was indeed harmless. Although, for the time being, Su Chunfeng still felt some inner doubt about the purpose of that mysterious physiognomy expert creating such a grand piece. But since it was harmless to his family and the sales office, there was no need to worry about it anymore.

That afternoon after school, Su Chunfeng sat at his desk, seriously working on a set of practice exam papers.

“Su Chunfeng.” Huang Yiyu in the front row turned her head and called.

“Hmm?”

“After this semester ends, we’ll be splitting into different classes… Are you planning to choose the science class or the liberal arts class?”

During today’s weekly class meeting, Homeroom Teacher Cao Lan had informed the students of Class One in advance about the division into liberal arts and science classes upon entering the second year of high school, and she seriously analyzed the pros and cons of both streams. As an excellent high school teacher and homeroom teacher, she did not give any subjective personal preference but instead allowed the whole class more freedom and judgment to think and choose for themselves.

Su Chunfeng smiled and said, “I think I’ll choose the liberal arts class.”

“Oh.” Huang Yiyu seemed slightly disappointed in her expression, then smiled and said, “Lately, I feel you’ve been studying much harder than before. That’s a good thing. Keep it up.”

“What?” Su Chunfeng was somewhat puzzled.

“You’ve been spending less time with those people like Li Zhichao, and also… you and Wang Haifei haven’t been together much either.” Huang Yiyu said with a rather relieved attitude, giving her honest opinion, “That’s the right way. I reminded you long ago that puppy love affects your studies. If you had paid attention to this earlier and studied diligently, I bet you would have already been in the top five. How could your grades have slipped in three consecutive exams then?”

Su Chunfeng was taken aback for a moment, then couldn’t help but nod and say, “You’re right. I hadn’t really noticed. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, it’s only right.” Huang Yiyu quickly replied with a smile, feeling quite happy inside at this rare, humble acknowledgment from Su Chunfeng.

Unexpectedly, after thanking her, Su Chunfeng began packing up his books, muttering to himself, “It really has been some time since I had a meal or chat with Haifei. No, no, I must go ask her which class she’s planning to choose, science or liberal arts.” Stuffing his books under the desk, he got up and walked out. For over half a month now, he had been focused on studying, spending little time with buddies like Li Zhichao, and hadn’t had another date with Wang Haifei either. He had truly been neglectful.

Huang Yiyu felt as if something was blocking her throat. She stared blankly as Su Chunfeng walked toward the classroom door.

“Su Chunfeng!” Huang Yiyu, coming back to her senses, couldn’t help but call out.

“Huh?” Su Chunfeng turned to look at Huang Yiyu.

Huang Yiyu suddenly stood up, asking angrily, “Where are you going?”

Su Chunfeng was confused about why Huang Yiyu was suddenly losing her temper again. He glanced at the other students in the class, who were all attracted by Huang Yiyu’s voice, and scratched his head, saying, “Well, it’s… school’s over now, right?”

“I asked where you’re going!”

“I’m going out to have fun.”

“You…”

“Do you need something?”

“No.”

“Oh.” Su Chunfeng turned and walked out.

Huang Yiyu trembled with anger, her pretty face covered in frost.

Su Chunfeng’s deskmate, Cui Hao, kept a straight face, trying hard to hold back his laughter, but he couldn’t stop snorting through his nose. Combined with his expression of wanting to laugh but not daring to, it thoroughly annoyed Huang Yiyu, who had turned her head and seen his behavior. Unable to contain her anger, she glared at Cui Hao, “What are you laughing at? What’s so funny?”

“No, nothing…” Cui Hao quickly lowered his head to look at his book.

Several nearby classmates also couldn’t help but chuckle.

“What’s everyone laughing at?” Huang Yiyu stamped her foot in anger, her pretty face flushed red as she strode out with heavy steps.

After she left, the usually quiet and studious atmosphere of Class One rarely erupted into a buzzing clamor of discussion. Especially the students sitting near Su Chunfeng and Huang Yiyu who had heard their conversation just now, they felt a mysterious excitement as if they had understood something, and began talking eagerly about gossip. Having been in high school for nearly a year, the students’ minds were becoming more mature, and their thoughts and perceptions about what they saw were naturally more complex.

By this time, Su Chunfeng had already arrived at the door of Class Four’s classroom. Peering inside, he saw Wang Haifei sitting at the desk in the second row near the inner side, studying diligently. He smiled and called out, “Haifei…”

“Yes?” Wang Haifei looked up at Su Chunfeng, a flicker of joy crossing her face, followed by a look of nervousness and anxiety as she glanced at the other classmates in the room. Then she stood up, flushed, lowered her head, and hurried out, whispering reproachfully, “What are you doing here? Really.”

Su Chunfeng was baffled. Wang Haifei wasn’t usually like this.

Didn’t the whole grade know he and Wang Haifei were dating?

Moreover, Wang Haifei hadn’t really cared about it for a long time. Why was she showing this kind of shyness today, as if worried about being found out, like back in middle school?

“What’s wrong with you?” Su Chunfeng asked.

“Come on, let’s go talk somewhere else…” Wang Haifei mumbled with her head down, her face red, quickly walking toward the playground, her eyes darting around nervously.

Su Chunfeng, thoroughly puzzled, quickly followed.

When they reached a secluded corner of the playground and seeing no one around, Wang Haifei suddenly seemed as if she had suffered great grievance. Clear teardrops welled up in her bright eyes. Lowering her head, she sobbed, “Chunfeng, we… we should spend less time together from now on. You… you should also come find me less. Study hard, sob…”

“Hey, what exactly is wrong?” Su Chunfeng panicked, his heart aching with a sour feeling. He reached out and put his arm around Wang Haifei’s shoulder, comforting her, “Haifei, don’t cry. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“I… I don’t want to, don’t want to hinder your studies.” Wang Haifei said between sobs.

Su Chunfeng exclaimed in surprise, “You’re not hindering my studies.”

“But, but ever since starting high school, your academic performance has been slipping constantly…” Wang Haifei wiped her tears, gently breaking free from Su Chunfeng’s arm, and said, “Isn’t it because… because we’re dating, so you can’t focus on your studies properly, that… that’s why it’s like this?”

“Who told you that?” Su Chunfeng was both amused and exasperated.

“I… I thought of it myself.” Wang Haifei said softly.

“Alright, alright.” Su Chunfeng smiled and comforted her, “If dating could affect studies, then why has your grades improved instead? My grades slipped because there have been many family matters recently, so I haven’t been studying hard enough. It has nothing to do with our relationship.”

Wang Haifei was silent for a moment, then lowered her head and muttered softly, “Then… then why haven’t you looked for me these past days?”

“Hey, it’s all my fault, all my fault…” Su Chunfeng, as if having found the reason, coaxed and placated her, “Because family matters earlier delayed my studies, so these days I’ve been busy catching up. Isn’t that why I suddenly thought about it today and came to find you right away?”

“Ah.” Wang Haifei sighed softly, looking at Su Chunfeng with affectionate eyes, “Actually, we should still have less contact like this in the future. It’s not good… I’m not afraid of what classmates say. It’s just that after the midterm exam, our homeroom teacher specifically criticized me, saying that dating you was affecting your academic performance. For this, your homeroom teacher even talked to ours. And, and I really don’t want to affect your studies.”

Su Chunfeng immediately said earnestly, “Don’t mind what the teachers say. We’ll let our grades do the talking! I promise my final exam grades will definitely improve!”

“But… shouldn’t we still be more discreet?” Wang Haifei looked at Su Chunfeng with pleading eyes, her tone soft and somewhat beseeching.

“Haifei, if you feel that being like this will affect your life and studies, then I agree with your idea.” Su Chunfeng played along.

“I don’t, really I don’t…” Wang Haifei said urgently.

“Then that’s settled.” Su Chunfeng smiled, took Wang Haifei’s small hand, and said intimately, “Come on, let’s go eat together… Don’t mind what they say. Let’s strive for good grades in the final exam. Proving ourselves with facts is better than anything.”

“Oh, don’t hold my hand.”

“I will hold your hand!”

“People will see…”

“Then promise me we’ll be like before from now on.” Su Chunfeng said with a somewhat mischievous smile.

“Alright, alright, I promise, okay? So annoying!”

“Hehe!”