They Dumped Me—Now They’re Reincarnated and Obsessed? - Chapter 25

“Yan Yaru, focus on cloze tests and accuracy in reading comprehension. Chen Chang… your listening needs serious reinforcement. At this rate, your score is barely enough to pass the preliminary test.”

It was Friday break. A few students sat together, waiting for Mei Jian to hand out test papers and comments.

“Xie Tingxue, stay steady. Keep working hard.”

“Yan Ze,” Mei Jian said, handing him a writing guide, “go memorize this. Memorize the templates. Don’t just write based on your instincts—too many mistakes. If nothing else, follow the templates. Use simple sentences, simple vocabulary. Aim for accuracy. Zero errors—that’s the goal.”

“If I write that simply, I’m doomed in the writing section,” Yan Ze objected.

“At your current level, the priority is to avoid penalties,” Mei Jian replied. “The essay section has a base score. The grader scans it once and gives you that. Then they start deducting for spelling and grammar errors. If there are none, you keep the base. But if you write carelessly with lots of mistakes, they’ll dock all of it.”

Yan Ze nodded. “Okay, I get it now.”

“Overall, Xie Tingxue’s efforts are clearly paying off this week,” Mei Jian smiled. “Keep a calm mindset tonight, get a good rest, and don’t be nervous. You’ll pass the prelim tomorrow for sure.”

Yan Yaru asked, “What about me?”

Mei Jian blinked, thinking he’d already commented. “Didn’t I just mention you?”

Yan Yaru stomped her foot. “I meant—do you think my hard work paid off this week?”

Xie Tingxue crossed her arms, shivering from secondhand embarrassment. “Yaru, you’re so clingy. Talk normally.”

Chen Chang teased, “Yan Yaru, stop flirting. Do you even see us boys as boys? Girls, you need to behave!”

Yan Yaru snapped back, “What did I do?”

She and Chen Chang started bickering, but she kept sneaking glances at the other two boys.

Yet Xie Tingxue was busy explaining a question to Yan Ze, and Mei Jian was marking corrections in Xie Tingxue’s error notebook.

Yan Yaru’s heart soured.

She suddenly changed her tone, swatting at Chen Chang’s arm. “Ugh, so boring. Don’t touch me again!”

Chen Chang grinned. “Alright, alright, Miss Princess. You’re so bossy—always setting double standards. I surrender.”

Yan Ze asked, “Oh, so for this kind of question, the answer is which?”

Xie Tingxue nodded. “Right. You need to understand what concept the question writer is testing.”

Mei Jian jumped in, “Exactly. That’s the right way to think. Every question is designed to test specific grammar points. So break the sentence down by those. If we track them statistically, we’ll know which grammar rules are most commonly tested… Memorize those and you’ll secure your base marks.”

Xie Tingxue added, “And once you’ve locked in the base score, you’re safe for this exam.”

Yan Ze grinned. “Got it!”

He raised his hand. “Give me five!”

Xie Tingxue blinked. “Huh? What do you want?”

She spread her fingers. “You want five? I’ll give you ten.”

She gave him two high fives.

Yan Ze lit up like a kid on Christmas, clutching his wrist and beaming with joy.

Even Mei Jian, though slightly heartbroken watching them, couldn’t help but smile seeing Xie Tingxue laugh.

Yan Yaru, feeling even more left out, slumped over her desk and kicked Chen Chang’s chair.

Chen Chang basked in it. “The local lord bullying a poor peasant again, huh? Why don’t you just take the throne already?”

“‘Emperor,’” Mei Jian suddenly said.

“Emperor,” Yan Ze and Xie Tingxue responded in perfect unison.

Chen Chang groaned. “Damn, you guys are scary.”

Yan Ze continued, “Ever heard of The Emperor Waltz?”

Xie Tingxue shook her head.

“You’ve definitely heard it. Remember Tom and Jerry? There’s an episode with that music—once you hear the melody, it’ll come back to you.”

He hummed a bit.

Xie Tingxue’s eyes lit up. “Ah! Is it the one with ‘Johann Mouse’? The one set in the Vienna concert hall?!”

Back when she was living in a guesthouse near a film set, while Yan Ze was shooting, she stayed inside watching Tom and Jerry, eating hotpot, and texting him long messages about the philosophy behind the cartoon.

“The Emperor Waltz has such a grand melody—it makes me feel like I’m sitting in a palace reviewing state documents, haha. That Johann Mouse episode supposedly won an Oscar.

Great music, smooth script, and Jerry’s acting was amazing. Every strand of fur was acting. Maybe you should learn from them…”

“Bingo!” Yan Ze said, eyes bright. He raised his hand again. “Give me five!”

Mei Jian slapped his hand down. “Are you addicted to this or what?”

________________________________________

That week, the school returned to winter hours—no more lunchtime naps in the dorms or early Friday dismissals.

Instead, there were now evening study sessions and Saturday morning classes.

During Friday night study hall, the five of them finished one final practice set. After warming up, they exchanged words of encouragement—

All except Mei Jian and Yan Ze.

Those two thought stacking hands was way too cringey.

Besides, as love rivals, there was no way either of them would let the other touch Xie Tingxue’s hand.

Yan Yaru walked back to the dorm with Xie Tingxue.

“Set your alarm for 9 a.m. tomorrow—don’t be late,” Yan Yaru said, rubbing her face.

“You too,” Xie Tingxue replied.

Yan Yaru lowered her voice. “Li Yuyang’s still sleeping in our room with her friend. The teacher hasn’t said anything about switching dorms…”

“Maybe next week,” Xie Tingxue whispered.

“Our dorm’s packed as is…” Yan Yaru muttered, “Ugh, she’s so annoying. I swear, annoying people are annoying no matter where they go. Why doesn’t she just sleep in her own room?!”

Xie Tingxue gave a half-hearted smile and quietly said goodnight.

When Yan Yaru returned to her dorm, she glanced at Li Yuyang.

The room went silent. Everyone looked at her.

Yan Yaru threw herself on her bed, sighed dramatically, and reached out. “Come here, Yuyang. Gimme a hug.”

Li Yuyang shot back, “You fake b1tch. I heard what you said.”

Yan Yaru sat up, exasperated. “I had to play along! What else was I supposed to say? Haven’t you ever gone along with someone in a conversation? She was going off about how annoying you are. Was I supposed to say, ‘No, Li Yuyang is great, we’re besties!’ She’d tell the teacher we’re ganging up on her!”

She stood and tried to charm Li Yuyang. “Come on, gimme a hug. My sweet little Yuyang, don’t be mad~”

Li Yuyang grabbed her toiletries and slammed the door on her way out.

Yan Yaru asked the others, “She’s still mad?”

The others giggled. “You’re done for, Yaru. She’s gonna get revenge at karaoke the day after tomorrow.”

Yan Yaru picked up a thermos by the sink, found one with water in it, and blew a kiss to its owner. “Taotao, I’m using your hot water to wash my face, okay? Thanks! Mua~ love you!”

________________________________________

Li Yuyang returned to her dorm with a stormy face. She marched straight to the sink, filled a full basin of water—

And dumped it all over Xie Tingxue’s bed.

The dorm erupted in screams.

“Li Yuyang, what the hell?!”

“What’s wrong with you?!”

“She dumped water on your bed, Xie Tingxue!”

Li Yuyang snapped, “You already accused me of doing it, so fine! I did it! I DID IT! Xie Tingxue, I can’t stand you! You’re disgusting! I’ll bully you all I want—what are you gonna do about it?! Huh?! Your mom got beat up naked—looks like you’re next! You’re just a slut who owes men!”

Xie Tingxue stood there, toothbrush in mouth, frozen in shock.

Then she slowly came to her senses. She grabbed Li Yuyang’s bedding, walked out, and tossed it off the dorm balcony.

Li Yuyang screamed curses from inside.

Xie Tingxue spat out the foam, rinsed her mouth, then came back with a bar of soap—

And shoved it into Li Yuyang’s mouth.

“I’m not even gonna ask why your mouth is so filthy,” Xie Tingxue cried, tears falling. “You’ve stained me. If your parents won’t teach you, then I will!”

Li Yuyang snapped and grabbed at her hair. “You BITCH!”

Xie Tingxue shoved the soap harder. “Say one more word. Insult my mom again and I’ll scrub your dirty brain with this! You failure! You’re the one who’s disgusting! You have no character!”

She didn’t know where her courage came from—maybe from Yan Ze.

When Li Yuyang cursed her just now, all she could hear in her head was his voice: “Wash your filthy mouth with soap!”

Li Yuyang broke down, crying and cursing.

Xie Tingxue tossed the soap aside, glaring. “Watch your dirty mouth!”

Then she grabbed her coat and stormed out of the dorm.

There was no way she could sleep there now. She wiped her tears and snot away and headed straight to the school building.

It was dark. All the classroom lights were off.

She wandered the hallway until she reached the door to her classroom, slumped against the front door, and slowly crouched down.

Should I sleep here tonight? What if a teacher finds me? I fought with a classmate and left the dorm—will they expel me?

Her breath caught in her throat. Her heart was racing, but for the first time, it wasn’t from feeling wronged—

It was fear and helplessness after losing control.

“…Tingxue.”

She sniffled, her chin coming off her arms with a long trail of mucus.

“Tingxue.” A gentle voice.

She wasn’t imagining it. Someone was calling her.

She turned, face streaked with tears and snot, and her eyes widened.

Yan Ze was leaning on the classroom window, waving at her.

Then he came out the back door, crouched in front of her, and gently wiped her face with his shirt sleeve.

“Tingxue,” he chuckled softly, “what are you doing here all alone? It’s so late. Not sleeping? What happened? Aren’t you scared of the dark?”

Xie Tingxue forgot to cry. She just stared at him blankly.

It was Yan Ze—that same beautiful face.

And that scent—cool mint.

“Why are you in the classroom?” she asked quietly.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Yan Ze said softly. “I wanted to memorize a few more essay templates. If Tingxue is going to pass the prelim, I want to pass too. I want to be with her.”

She blinked. “When were you planning to leave?”

“I was going to head back after midnight. They say staying up too late hurts your brain growth. But now that you’re here… I’ll stay a while longer. Tingxue, did something happen in the dorm?”

She shook her head.

Yan Ze smiled knowingly. “So it did.”

Her eyes turned red again.

“I probably can’t take the exam tomorrow,” she said quietly. “I might get expelled…”