Chapter 23 Go to Hell

After class, the homeroom teacher asked Shi Zhaodi to come to her office once school was dismissed.

As soon as the bell rang, Shi Zhaodi picked up her schoolbag and headed straight there.

The teacher motioned for her to sit beside her and said with a warm, kindly smile that Zou Kai had made significant progress lately, no longer arriving late or leaving early. It seemed her role as class monitor was truly making a difference. However, his grades remained stagnant, consistently dragging down the class average. Therefore, the teacher asked if Shi Zhaodi could spare some time after school each day to tutor him.

Shi Zhaodi felt troubled. Every day after school, she had to finish her homework and help her mother with chores. If she stayed to tutor Zou Kai, she wouldn't be able to help her mother. Yet, as the class monitor, she found it difficult to refuse and could only accept with a heavy heart.

Before class the next day, Shi Zhaodi told Zou Kai, "From now on, you're to stay after school. Ms. Zhang has asked me to tutor you."

"I don't need it," Zou Kai refused flatly.

"As a member of this class, you have a duty not to hold us back," Shi Zhaodi replied righteously. "Your grades are truly abysmal right now!"

"I just don't care to try. Don't think you're any smarter than me; I'm simply choosing not to apply myself. If I really wanted to take the exams, you wouldn't necessarily beat me," Zou Kai said, leaning in close to Shi Zhaodi with a menacing look.

"Then prove it and take the exams!" Shi Zhaodi was taken aback, recoiling instinctively.

"Why should I prove anything to you? Who do you think you are?" Zou Kai looked her up and down, reverting to his usual flippant attitude.

"Regardless, you are staying for tutoring this afternoon," Shi Zhaodi said, unable to out-argue him and sticking to her original stance.

"Suit yourself, but I'm not listening to a word of it."

Despite his words, Zou Kai stayed after school. Shi Zhaodi pulled out an English textbook and said, "Your English is the worst, so we'll start with that." She spoke with complete sincerity.

Zou Kai nearly rolled his eyes. Shi Zhaodi began to help him, starting diligently with the vocabulary. Zou Kai was completely checked out from the beginning, just watching her mouth open and close.

"Are you even listening?" Shi Zhaodi finally reached her limit.

"I can't even handle Chinese, and you want me to learn English? Isn't that trying to make the seedlings grow by pulling them upward?" Zou Kai retorted, looking perfectly justified.

"Fine then, we'll start with Chinese," Shi Zhaodi compromised.

Before long, Zou Kai had another complaint. "I don't even understand modern prose, and you're making me learn classical texts? This is just making things impossible for me!"

"You—go to hell!" After struggling to hold it in, Shi Zhaodi finally let out a curse, her face burning crimson.

Seeing her flushed with anger, Zou Kai felt his mood brighten instantly, and he laughed with smug satisfaction.