I had just settled into in my usual seat near the window when the classroom door creaked open. Professor Liu paused mid-sentence, his gaze lifting with the interest.
"Oh, just in time." He gestured towards the tall figure now stepping into the room. "Everyone, this is Zhang Rui. He's a transfer from Australia."
I glanced up, disinterested at first—until I saw him.
He was calm. Too calm. With that easy posture and unreadable expression, like he'd done this a hundred times before. Dark eyes scanned the room like he was already measuring everyone's worth, and just when I thought he'd look past me, his gaze paused—for a second too long.
I sat up straighter.
As professor Liu asked him to introduce himself, he nodded in agreement and started to do so.
His voice was smooth, grounded, almost lazy. Not cocky. Just…certain.
I heard Mei Chen whisper behind me, "That's the guy who topped the rankings."
My jaw tightened.
He walked down the aisle and—of all places—took the empty seat right next to me.
Of course he did.
I didn't look at him. Not at first.
But then he leaned back in his voice to reach me. "So you're Li Wei."
It wasn't a question.
I turned, expression blank. "And you're the one who stole my spot."
He smiled—just a hint. "I didn't know it was reserved."
My hand curled around my pen. "It wasn't. But I earned it."
"Then maybe," he said lightly whispering in my hear.
"you'll take it back."
A shiver ran through my spine. My heat skipped a beat. Not sure if its because I was challenged or— for feeling his presence so close.
Challenge accepted.
I didn't respond. Not right away.
Instead, I pulled out my notebook and focused on Professor Liu's, now lost somewhere in the lecture about market structures. But my thoughts— remained stuck on the presence beside me. He wasn't even doing anything. Just sitting there. Calm.Comfortable.
Like he belonged here more than I did.
I hated how aware I was of him.
Every time he shifted, every scratch of his pen against the page—it was loud in a way it shouldn't have been. And worst of all? He didn't seem to notice me anymore. After that initial comment, he didn't glance my way once.
Which made it worse.
He had dismissed me.
The classroom, once a place I ruled in silence, suddenly felt different. Off-balance.
I glanced over, casually—at least I tried to make it seem that way.
His notes were impeccable. Clean, minimal. Not the kind of scribbled mess that usually came from a first day. It irritated me more than it should.
Then, just as I turned back, he spoke again, voice low enough that only I could hear.
"You always glare at your classmates like that, or am I special?"
I blinked. "You're not that special."
His smirk returned, infuriatingly unbothered. "Noted."
Professor Liu called on me, as he often did. A complex question on economic implications in global business. I answered quickly—sharp, confident, precise.
The professor nodded with approval.
"As always, very clear, Li Wei."
But then he turned to my left.
"Zhang Rui, do you have anything to add?"
He didn't hesitate. "Actually, I'd like to offer a counterpoint."
I froze.
Of course he would.
And worse? He was articulate.
Thoughtful. Challenging. He didn't argue just to argue—he actually made sense.
The professor looked pleased.
'Excellent. A healthy debate is always welcomed."
Zhang Rui leaned back slightly, glancing at me—not smug, just….measured.
Like he was testing me.
Fine.
Let him.
This wasn't over.
The bell rang. Chairs scraped. Bags zipped.
Usually, I'd be the one approached after class—asked for notes, perspectives, study plans. But today, they didn't even look my way.
Instead, the crowd gathered around him.
Zhang Rui.
"Are you from Melbourne or Sydney?" someone asked, eager.
"Sydney," he replied with that same calm confidence. "But I was born here in Shanghai."
"I thought so—you have that vibe. Did you really top the Australian Business Olympiad?"
He chuckled. "It wasn't that big a deal."
I almost rolled my eyes.
But what really got me wasn't the attention. It was how effortlessly he handled it. No arrogance. No posturing. Just…comfortable. At ease in his skin.
A girl giggled. "You should join the students business panel. Li Wei usually leads it, but maybe you'll be next."
That was a direct hit.
I stood by the door, watching it all unfold. Mei Chen nudged me gently.
"You okay?"
"Fine," I said, clipped.
Zhang Rui caught my gaze from across the room. He didn't smirk this time. Just offered a nod—cool, civil, infuriatingly polite.
I held it. Didn't blink.
Let them talk.
Let him shine.
This wasn't a sprint. It was war.
And I newer lost twice.
The classroom emptied with a buzz of whispers and stolen glances—most of them thrown at me. Or him.
Of course, he had to speak like that. Calm, poised, dangerously intelligent. Every word he said in the debate felt like it had been carved from confidence. The kind that came from knowing you didn't have to prove anything—you already were.
I stepped out into the hallway, needing space. I wasn't rattled.
I was… re-calibrating.
"You handle a rebuttal like a scalpel," a voice came from behind.
I glanced back. Zhang Rui again. Because of course he'd find me.
"And you handle it like a wrecking ball," I shot back with a smirk.
He grinned. "Guess we balance each other out."
I shook my head, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "Or we're destined to clash."
"Maybe both."
There was no edge in his tone. No gloating. Just… genuine interest. It threw me off.
"You came out of nowhere," I said, arms folded. "First place, flawless debate. Is there anything you're bad at?"
He tilted his head thoughtfully. "Small talk. Apparently."
I laughed, surprising myself.
He leaned casually against the wall beside me, close but not too close. "It's not about beating you, you know."
"I never said it was."
"But you think it."
My smile faded just a touch. "Maybe."
He was quiet for a moment. Then, softer, "You're sharp, Li Wei. That's why I respect you."
And just like that, something inside me shifted.
But I managed to look unbothered.