I was sent to live at the rich kid's mansion. Turns out, my mom’s hard of hearing. She heard "School Bully" as "Star Student." So, I spent all my time tutoring the jerk. I accidentally forced the failing King of Campus straight into a Top-Tier State University. At his college acceptance gala, the golden boy looked at me, eyes glistening: "I have to thank my girlfriend. She made me truly believe: Believe in the Power of Belief!" Me: ??? 01 My sophomore year, I moved into the mansion of the campus bully. The gorgeous, arrogant trust-fund kid, Ethan Knight, looked down his nose at me: "Don’t think just because you have a decent face, you’re the heroine in some cheesy K-drama." Me: ?? He elegantly strode down the grand staircase: "Don’t catch feelings for me, okay? I know I’m naturally stunning and totally down-to-earth, but a sparrow can’t date an eagle, right?" He then tripped, hands jammed deep in his pockets, nearly face-planting like a dumb puppy. Good thing I was quick. I caught him in a steady princess carry. The stunned young master, cradled in my arms, blinked his huge, double-lidded eyes. A weird pink flush rose on his pale face. "The Suspension Bridge Effect? That’s some smooth game." He suddenly scoffed: "Still, pretty cheap tricks." Me: ??? 02 My mom is mute. She’s the live-in housekeeper for the Knights. The school had recruited me on a full scholarship, which is how I ended up in the city and in Ethan’s class. Mr. and Mrs. Knight were generous enough to let me stay in the staff quarters. They sent the chauffeur to drive us to school together. Ethan protested: "If the students see us in the same car, my seventeen years of pure, untouchable status will be ruined!" He told me not to tell anyone I lived here. He then wheeled out a pricey racing bike from the garage. I thought it was for me. "Thanks." He hopped on: "I'm not trying to be a gentleman. My six-pack has just been slacking lately. Gotta get some cardio in." And he sped off. I was three pages into my vocabulary review by the time he showed up. His slicked-back hair was damp with sweat. A dark strand clung to his forehead, like a damp little dog curl. It was honestly gross. I instinctively reached up and smoothed it back. Ethan bit his lip, pretending to be angry: "Ugh! I told you, watch the PDA in school!" But his mouth was twitching like he was struggling to hold back a smile. 03 The students were way friendlier than I expected. I got eighteen love notes by lunch. After class, I was heading back from the restroom when a guy blocked the hallway, demanding I scan his Snapchat code. I told him I couldn't—my cheap flip-phone didn't do that. He called me stuck-up and snarled: "Do you know who my dad is?" I asked: "Doesn't your mom know?" His face went white. The next second, Ethan Knight appeared, holding a Starbucks, and bowed like a butler: "Princess, your coffee." The whole hallway exploded: "Clear the halls! The Queen has arrived!" I asked him why he made such a scene. He just said he loved watching pathetic losers look terrified. He also added the coffee was from one of his stalkers and he didn't want it, so I shouldn't "read too much into it." I found out later: Ethan Knight was the School Bully. He was so icy and menacing that not a single girl dared to actually pursue him. 04 The manor was massive, with a staff dining area, but the parents insisted Ethan and I eat together to prepare for our college exams. That evening, studying in the staff room, Ethan knocked and handed me a phone. It was the latest Pura80Pro+1TB. He said it was standard for Knight staff and came with mandatory monitoring software to prevent privacy leaks. Since I lived there, I had to use it. I was ecstatic! My first smartphone! I could finally look up study guides! The next day, I saw the chauffeur using an old iPhone. I asked Ethan about it. He said slyly: "You think those guys know how to use all this tech? I had to secretly hack their old phones to install the listening apps. Gotta keep them off the scent, wouldn't want to tip them off." I remember thinking, living in a rich family is deep water. I later found out the whole monitoring thing was a lie. He just wanted to buy me a phone. 05 Mr. and Mrs. Knight warned me: "Ethan has a terrible temper. If he’s rude, you tell us." I smiled: "He won't be. He’s actually very sweet and kind-hearted." Ethan said nothing, only constantly peeled shrimp for my plate. Me: "Thanks, you really are thoughtful." The Knights looked genuinely shocked: "Is this our son?" After that, Ethan became incredibly gentle and considerate. When it got cold and I forgot a jacket, he took off his and gave it to me. I casually mentioned wanting coconut water, and he produced one at the next break. When my mom threw out her back, he snatched the mop from me and scrubbed the entire mansion floor until it was clean enough to ice skate on. I thanked him: "Seriously, you're the best." Ethan: "It's nothing, honestly!" Mr. and Mrs. Knight stared at him, bewildered: "What is wrong with you, kid? Look in my eyes!" 06 My mom, with her hearing issues, signed to me that Ethan was an Academic Whiz. I argued: "No, Mom, he failed his last math test!" She signed back that he was probably just hiding his true power as a form of rebellion against his parents. My view of Ethan changed instantly. I thought I was being too shallow, judging based on scores. A true High-Level Player wouldn't care about meaningless vanity. 07 When I hit a wall with math, I finally gathered the courage to knock on the "Master’s" door. "Could I ask you about a few problems?" Ethan’s handsome face cracked: "Ask me?" "Yes! My mom says you’re a genius," I said earnestly, "I want to look up to you and study hard!" Ethan slammed the door. He opened it moments later, took my worksheets, and sat at his desk, snapping multiple photos of the questions. I asked: "Why the pictures?" Ethan didn’t miss a beat: "My apprentice, you don't know the secrets of the Master. I am recording your path to mastery." I was touched. "Thank you, Master!" He had wireless headphones in. I asked: "Master, who are you talking to?" He looked offended: "Silence! I’m listening to music! Have you not read the martial arts novels? This is the Art of Simultaneous Learning, the Left and Right Hand Technique! You've never seen it?" I was impressed beyond measure: "You are truly amazing!" When he explained the problems, he paused after every single sentence. I got impatient: "I get this part, can you skip ahead?" He tapped my head with his pen: "Such a rough personality! Temper your impatience, or you'll never achieve greatness." I humbly accepted: "The Master is right." 08 After the term finals, everyone was checking answers. I only had Ethan. He scolded me: "Checking answers is the stupidest habit after a test. It ruins your focus." I mumbled: "...Oh." To avoid stressing out, I skipped checking answers. When the results were posted, I was dreading it. Ethan tried to reassure me: "There's a gap between our schools. It takes time to adjust. Don't worry, your Master won't fault you." The scores came out: I was Number One in the class. Top Ten in the whole school. Wait?? Is this a joke? Wasn't the Master a genius? Why... why did he score dead last in the class?! Ethan was calmly reading a superhero manga: "I’m suppressing my power, lest I shine too brightly. Don't want the Ivies fighting over me and stressing out the students." He took a sip of his coffee: "I'm handsome and rich. I have to have one flaw to keep everyone else feeling balanced." I was full of respect: "Such nobility, sir!" 09 One summer day, the parents and my mom were out. The chef had the flu. Ethan, full of bravado, insisted on showing off his cooking skills. He only managed to chop some chilies before running to the bathroom. He came back, red-faced, doubled over in pain, claiming a stomach ache, and collapsed on the sofa. I insisted on taking him to the ER, but he refused. He kept running to the bathroom, but never seemed to get better. When the Knights returned, they asked why their son looked half-dead. I told them about the chili and the bathroom trip. I rushed to hand Ethan the hottest water bottle I could find: "You have a stomach ache! Maybe your stomach is cold. Hold this!" Ethan: "!!" The Knights stared at him with tragic concern. As Ethan stoically hugged the boiling hot water bottle to his groin, the three of them—Ethan, Mr. Knight, and Mrs. Knight—all screamed in unison: "S-S-S-S-S!" 10 Mrs. Knight later mocked him: "With your cooking skills, you could barely boil water in a microwave, let alone 'show off'!" I shook my head. He was just being humble, Mrs. Knight! I enlightened her: "Smart people excel at everything; it's all connected." Mr. Knight looked confused: "Smart? Who?" I guaranteed them: "Ethan is a fantastic cook. I fully expect him to show off his talent again." Ethan, sitting next to me, puffed out his chest, completely confident. His nonexistent tail was practically wagging: "You bet I will!" From then on, he spent all his time in the kitchen (I figured he was supervising). Once, I caught him secretly chopping potatoes late at night. He claimed it was "art therapy" for his "highly sensitive" nature. Before school started, I finally tasted his cooking. It was incredible: spicy pork, sweet and sour pineapple... The steamed custard was like freshly unpacked pudding, smooth and jiggly, without a single air bubble. I told them: "See? Ethan is brilliant. Everything he tries, he succeeds at." Mr. and Mrs. Knight just kept eating his amazing food, their eyes silently filling with tears. Me: ?? Are you from the South? Can't handle this little spice?
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