After a lively lunch, it was getting late, and Qin Tian and Xia Nuannuan had to return to school to fill in their college applications.
The two elders found Qin Tian more and more agreeable, treating him as if he were already family.
Seeing Qin Tian about to leave, both elders were reluctant to part.
The grandfather, still enjoying his wine, sat at the head of the table and said with a smile, "Little Qin, come and visit more often!"
"Okay, I will."
Qin Tian nodded with a smile.
"Little Qin, after you finish at school, you can come back with our Nuannuan!"
Xia Nuannuan's grandmother said kindly.
"Grandma, not today. I'll come and accompany you another day!"
Qin Tian hurriedly declined with a smile.
Grandma nodded with a beaming smile, "Then it's settled. Grandma will cook more of your favorite dishes then!"
"Alright, thank you, Grandma!"
Qin Tian thanked her with a cheerful smile and then said his goodbyes.
"Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Xia, Auntie, we're leaving now!"
"Go on, be careful on your way!"
Su Xia nodded with a smile.
"Be careful when filling in your applications, don't make any mistakes."
Xia Zhengping instructed with a serious expression.
"Okay!"
Qin Tian responded with a light chuckle and then walked out with Xia Nuannuan.
As they entered the elevator, Xia Nuannuan's smile bloomed, her bright, expressive eyes fixed on him with interest.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Qin Tian asked, puzzled.
Xia Nuannuan chuckled and teased, "I never would have guessed, but you're the type that elders really like."
"Of course!"
Qin Tian smiled triumphantly, winking at her, "Not just elders, don't you like me?"
Xia Nuannuan's cheeks flushed, and she playfully punched his shoulder.
"Narcissist!"
"Wrong, that's confidence!"
"No, it's narcissism!"
...
...
The Fourth Middle School only had three computer rooms, so the school assigned different times for each class to fill in their college applications.
Their homeroom teacher, "King Yan" Li, had notified them in the class group chat that their turn was at 3 PM, along with two other classes.
When Qin Tian and Xia Nuannuan arrived outside the school gate, it was still about fifteen minutes before 3 PM.
From a distance, they saw many students gathered outside the school gate, watching something. Among them were many familiar faces, classmates from their Class Ten.
"What's that?"
Xia Nuannuan looked puzzled.
"It must be the college entrance exam celebration banner!"
Qin Tian voiced his guess.
"You're right, look there!"
Xia Nuannuan raised her right index finger and pointed upwards.
Qin Tian followed her gaze and saw a conspicuous red banner at the very top of the school gate.
"Congratulations to our student Qin Tian for achieving top honors in the college entrance examination, with a perfect score!"
"Hehe... Qin Tian, that's a huge banner!"
Xia Nuannuan said, chuckling.
Qin Tian raised his hand to cover his face, feeling a little embarrassed.
"Look, our top scholar is here!"
Someone near the school gate spotted Qin Tian and Xia Nuannuan and exclaimed.
Instantly, all eyes turned to them.
Xia Nuannuan blinked, then quickly took a step back, hiding behind Qin Tian.
"Nuannuan, what are you doing?"
Qin Tian turned to ask in surprise.
"They want to see the top scholar, and I'm not,"
Xia Nuannuan whispered.
In fact, she felt a bit shy.
After Zhang Peng and others had spread the word in the class group, many students in their class, and even in other classes, now knew they were a couple.
Qin Tian rolled his eyes speechlessly and said, "Stop messing around, come out quickly."
"I won't, let me hide for a bit!"
Xia Nuannuan, clutching his sleeve, flatly refused.
Through the system's reinforcement, Qin Tian had grown even taller since his rebirth, now standing at 1.83 meters. His actual physique was even more imposing and sturdy than he appeared.
Xia Nuannuan had also grown a little, now about 1.67 meters, which was considered quite tall for most girls her age. However, she still appeared delicate next to Qin Tian.
Therefore, she could completely conceal herself behind Qin Tian.
"Huh? Wasn't someone next to him just now? Did I see wrong?"
"No, I saw her. It was a pretty girl, hiding behind Qin Tian."
"Who?"
"Didn't you hear? Qin Tian and a girl from his class are together. Is her name Xia Nuannuan?"
"Ah? Really? Who said that?"
"It was people from their class. They said there were signs even before the college entrance exam, they were showing affection in the classroom every day."
"I heard that too. Ahhh... I'm so envious! Why is he already taken?"
A girl's envy was palpable, and her eyes towards Qin Tian were filled with admiration and regret.
"What are you thinking? Even without Xia Nuannuan, it wouldn't have been your turn!"
A girl next to her immediately retorted defensively.
"What do you mean?"
"Literally. Qin Tian is our class's heartthrob. As for Xia Nuannuan, we admit defeat willingly. Girls from other classes? Heh!"
"Heh your sister!"
"I don't have a sister, do you want to be my sister?"
"Get lost!"
As the two girls bickered, their respective best friends joined the fray, and it soon escalated into a group battle between the girls of Class Ten and other classes.
The surrounding boys watched in stunned silence, their hearts filled with envy and jealousy towards Qin Tian.
As Qin Tian, with Xia Nuannuan clinging to his sleeve, walked closer, he was somewhat bewildered to hear the girls nearby engaging in a verbal sparring match over him.
"Nuannuan, don't hide anymore. If you don't come out soon, they'll start more than just arguing out of jealousy."
A familiar voice called out.
Qin Tian and Xia Nuannuan looked towards the source and saw their class monitor, Mu Nan, walking towards them with a smile.
Beside her, Liao Juan also followed, her eyes twinkling as she teased, "Nannan is right, Nuannuan, hurry up! Show your queenly aura!"
Xia Nuannuan's face turned bright red, and she shot them a shy, reproachful glare. "Are you really my good sisters? Stop teasing me, okay!"
"Hahaha..."
The two girls burst into happy laughter at her words.
At this moment, the boys and girls from their class started to gather around them.
"Qin Tian, congratulations, congratulations! The People's Daily even interviewed you. My dad and I were stunned when we saw the news this morning."
"Me too, Teacher Qin, you're too amazing!"
"A perfect score in the college entrance examination, Brother Tian, you're going to scare everyone to death!"
"Sigh, if only I could have been in the same exam room as Brother Tian. Just copying a little would have made me rich!"
"That's all in the past, stop dreaming."
"As expected of our class's Teacher Qin!"
"..."
The boys surrounded Qin Tian, chattering and offering congratulations.
Meanwhile, a group of girls were also bustling around Xia Nuannuan, chirping excitedly.
After three months, the formerly inconspicuous chubby girl in class had become the focus of everyone's attention.