Students who can study at Yude must come from wealthy families. Only those who are exceptionally bright and are specially admitted by the school each year can attend if they lack financial resources.
Unfortunately, Zhou Xiu belongs to neither category.
Although she was among the top students in her county school, her grades were not impressive in the big city’s private high school, known for its teaching staff.
Mrs. Xi didn’t think much when she transferred Zhou Xiu to Yude, an unintentional move that made “her” struggle in school later on.
After eating, Zhou Xiu returned to the classroom and excitedly took out a test paper, asking the learning system:
“Can I still get rewards for answering questions?”
She desperately needed money!
Mrs. Xi had flown overseas for a meeting last night and wouldn’t be back for a week. But Zhou Xiu didn’t want to make an international call to ask her for living expenses.
Zhou Xiu remembered Mrs. Xi ‘s furious embarrassment in her dream, humiliating “Zhou Xiu” to the extreme.
Zhou Xiu subconsciously didn’t want to deal with her.
The learning system was silent, encountering such a financially challenged student for the first time. Even the poorest students on their side had basic living support from the empire.
Five minutes later, Zhou Xiu spread out the test paper in despair.
“Forget it…”
As her sigh fell, a series of notifications rang in her mind.
[Ding— A reward of 5 RMB for achieving an 80% accuracy rate on Teacher Wang’s math test paper (32A).]
[A reward of 15 RMB for a daily homework accuracy rate of 90%.]
[A reward of 30 RMB for actively answering questions in all courses for a week in a row.]
[A reward of 500 RMB for previewing all subjects and content ahead of time.]
Zhou Xiu was stunned for a few seconds, then, understanding the messages, she eagerly started working on the test paper, writing quickly.
Writing tests can earn money!
Doing homework can get you food!
Zhou Xiu used her lunch break to work on the math test paper.
Zhou Xiu might not be good at making money, but how could she not be capable of completing test papers? For that 5 RMB, she employed unprecedented patience as if it were the most crucial exam of her life.
Although 5 RMB might seem insignificant, it was incredibly important for Zhou Xiu. For the poor, every penny holds its value.
The Xi family’s villa was far from the bustling city, requiring two transfers by bus or subway, and five yuan was just enough for the fare. Zhou Xiu suspected the system issued this task deliberately—it was neither more nor less, exactly five yuan.
Without this reward, Zhou Xiu would have to walk back to the Xi residence tonight.
As time unwittingly passed, Zhou Xiu, engrossed in her work, frowned at the noise from the nearby Class 25.
Xi Shaoyuan, instead of returning to the dormitory at noon, had been invited by the next class to play a game of basketball. Now, he was wiping off sweat with a napkin after taking off his jacket.
A drop of sweat rolled down from his chin to his Adam’s apple and then slipped inside his collar, making onlookers unexpectedly parched with its clean and enticing trail.
Girls had forsaken their beauty sleep to cheerlead. They screamed their throats hoarse during the game.
But at this moment, seeing Xi Shaoyuan’s action of wiping sweat with his head down, the girls outside the classroom, reluctant to leave, screamed internally.
How could there be such a handsome boy!
“Brother Yuan, hand in your math test paper,” the class monitor said coolly, holding the paper.
Laughter erupted from the crowd: “You’re reminding him about homework at this time, monitor? Are you doing this on purpose?”
Especially when there were so many beautiful girls outside.
They wondered if the class monitor was marking her territory.
“If you don’t submit your homework again, Mr. Wang said he’ll remove you as the class representative,” the class monitor emphasized.
“Class monitor, if you’re so fond of the math class representative, why don’t you do it for Brother Yuan?” the boys teased.
Pretending to be angry, the class monitor handed the test paper to Xi Shaoyuan, “Xi Shaoyuan—”
The tall boy in a single layer of clothing suddenly stood up, his chest aligning with the class monitor’s eyes, causing the girl’s cheeks to flush red instantly.
She fell silent abruptly.
The subtle thoughts of a young girl appear straightforward like a clean sheet of paper in the eyes of boys.
Only to see Xi Shaoyuan lazily pick up the test paper, crumple it into a ball, and throw it into the trash can. Crushing the heart of a young girl.
“Awesome!”
“Hahahahahahahaha…”
“Brother Yuan is still our Brother Yuan.”
—-
Class 24.
Another burst of laughter came from the next door, disturbing Zhou Xiu.
Zhou Xiu frowned. She had written everything she could, but this test paper was different from the one she had written before. This test paper made people doubt whether they had ever studied math.
She hadn’t even touched the three major questions, and she knew without calculating that the score wouldn’t even come close to 80% accuracy.
[Young one, do you want to give up?]
Zhou Xiu buried her head and continued to write. Her desk was covered with draft papers.
At this empty classroom, someone returned, a group of boys wearing jerseys and girls in super short skirts. One of them was Zhou Xiu’s desk mate.
Hua Xu, wearing a specially tailored cheerleader’s silver super short skirt, with makeup done at noon, looked bright and slender.
Hua Xu was surprised to see her bookworm desk mate.
She… didn’t go back at noon?
After playing ball, the boys and the pretty cheerleaders spontaneously moved a few tables together, laid out tablecloths, and Hua Xu ordered takeout from a Michelin-starred restaurant. As soon as the takeout arrived, the boys and girls started eating.
The fragrance wafted over, with fragrant black pepper beef ribs, delicious seafood stewed pasta, mushroom cream soup, and each person had delicate desserts on their hands, like mocha mousse or mango pudding.
The table was filled with food, creating a very relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.
These exquisite dishes were so out of place in the classroom.
If they were in Zhou Xiu’s previous school, if the teachers found out, these people probably wouldn’t have to come to school tomorrow.
Zhou Xiu thought idly, but if the homeroom teacher of Class 24 encountered this, he would surely pass by with a calm expression.
The boys started trash-talking, “That Xi Shaoyuan guy next door really has some skills.”
“If it wasn’t for him saving the day, damn, we almost lost to those turtle sons from Fourth Middle School today. Next time, let’s not play with those Fourth Middle School dogs.”
“After today, I love Xi Shaoyuan even more,” sighed one of the girls.
As they ate, one of the boys teased Hua Xu’s desk mate, “Hey, isn’t this… the ‘Hope Project’? So diligent?”
Only then did someone notice the new transfer student in the class – Hua Xu’s desk mate.
She was like a weed in the corner, completely invisible. While everyone was eating together, she remained focused on her test paper.
Silent and quiet.
Hua Xu glanced at the boy, “Can you shut up?”
Realizing he had gone too far with the joke, the boy fell silent.
Hua Xu handed a glass of fruit juice to Zhou Xiu, “New desk mate, want some?”
Zhou Xiu hesitated for a moment, she looked at the thick, deep red liquid, resembling wine, “I don’t drink alcohol.”
Hua chuckled, “It’s sweet, just blueberry juice.”
Zhou Xiu was thirsty, she looked at Hua Xu’s face with no ill intentions, not the mockery or sarcasm she had seen in her dreams before. She took the juice with both hands.
Zhou Xiu decisively finished the juice in one gulp, and people from Class 24 began to bond with her.
“Sis Hua Xu, your desk mate is so obedient, like an elementary school kid receiving an award, even taking the juice with both hands.”
The boys started sizing her up; in the morning, they were too far to see clearly. Plus, this new student seemed gloomy and seldom spoke. Now, as they approached, they could see that the new student wasn’t bad looking either.
Although her skin was a bit dark, her eyes hidden under her bangs were particularly bright and quiet, making people feel very comfortable.
“Don’t bully my desk mate, I’ll rely on her for future assignments,” Hua Xu said.
“Sis Hua, is it so fun to copy assignments? I want to sign up too.”
“New student, heard you have good grades, can I copy your homework in the future?”
“New student, we’ll rely on you for assignments from now on!”
Zhou Xiu was stunned, not knowing how it had evolved to this point. She witnessed first-hand how the rumour of “Zhou Xiu has good grades” was born.
Zhou Xiu shook her head, correcting them, “My grades are average.”
Nobody believed her, “New student, you’re being too modest.”
The boys and girls joked around for a while again, and Hua Xu offered Zhou Xiu food several times. Zhou Xiu ate a little and then buried her head in her test paper.
Zhou Xiu knew that these classmates were willing to greet her and talk to her just to please Hua Xu. And Hua Xu treated her like this only because she lent her assignments to Hua Xu to copy.
Because of this, Zhou Xiu quickly immersed herself in the math test paper, undistracted.
Zhou Xiu glanced at the clock in the centre of the classroom, two o’clock.
Indeed, Mr. Wang’s math test was really difficult. But usually, assignments were not exams; students were allowed to look up textbooks, search for information, ask classmates… even ask the teacher.
She closed the textbook, picked up the test paper, and headed towards the math department office.
Zhou Xiu knocked on the office door.
…
After Zhou Xiu left, the boys and girls of Class 24 suddenly froze.
“She seems to have taken the test paper to the office. Is she going to ask questions?”
“One day, our class unexpectedly has a top student.”
Class 24 and Class 25 are brother classes. Most of the students in these two classes have progressed from junior high together and have been classmates with each other. However, despite being just a wall apart, the treatment between the two classes is like night and day.
Class 25 is called the “Winner Class,” sharing the same educational resources as the “Rocket Class” because the students in Class 25 are either wealthy or talented and motivated.
However, Class 24 is a gathering place for the children of rich second-generation families who are just idling their days away, commonly referred to as the “Latecomer Class.”
Hua Xu wiped her mouth, “I told you my desk mate is a top student, and I was right. She answered Mr. Wang’s math questions correctly.”
The boys made a casual acknowledgment, not paying much attention.
The girls happily started discussing Xi Shaoyuan again.
“It’s Xie Shao’s birthday soon, what should I give him?”
“He’s not even seventeen yet, but he’s already so tall. I heard boys will continue to grow. He’s getting more handsome every year. My looks can’t match up to his anymore.”
Hua Xu listened to them and almost laughed.
It’s probably better for Xi Shaoyuan not to have a girlfriend. If he did, she’d become the public enemy of all the girls in the school, wouldn’t she?
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