26

In the first math class of the afternoon, Teacher Yu walked into the classroom as usual, holding a white ceramic mug with a Ding Dong Cat pattern on it. The quality of the Ding Dong Cat print was quite poor, with its eyes squished together, making it look cross-eyed.

Lin Tiao thought to herself that Teacher Yu's taste was truly unique.

Teacher Yu didn't say much. He placed the mug on the desk, glanced at the students below, and cleared his throat. "Alright, class is starting. Everyone, put away your phones."

As he said this, Lin Tiao noticed that someone had already taken out their phone to watch a show. "Class is starting."

Jiang Yan glanced up at her. "I know."

Lin Tiao thought to herself that if he knew, he should be paying attention.

With Jiang Yan's attitude toward studying, Lin Tiao had ample reason to suspect that his previous first-place ranking was due to someone else taking the exam for him.

Teacher Yu had begun the lesson, but Jiang Yan remained in the same position, undisturbed. His desk was tidy, with a math book open to a random page and a stack of books neatly arranged. His phone was left there, concealed by the books, just like the slacker students Lin Tiao used to know.

Fortunately, Jiang Yan still showed a bit of respect for the teacher, keeping his phone on silent and not using headphones, whether he was watching TV or playing games.

Seeing Jiang Yan like this, Lin Tiao decided not to say anything more. She opened her book and started paying attention.

Teacher Yu not only taught slowly but also in great detail. If he encountered an important detail, he would use various similar examples to reinforce it.

Today, he was discussing an important topic that frequently appeared on exams, so half the class time had passed, and Lin Tiao's math book was still on the first page.

She wasn't very interested in the lesson anymore.

Fortunately, the class was only forty minutes long. Teacher Yu wrapped up the topic ten minutes before the end of class. He tossed the tiny piece of chalk left into the chalkbox, clapped his hands, picked up his tea cup, took a sip, and said slowly, "Students, you're already in the second year of high school now, which is roughly equivalent to being a third-year student. We need to always keep our motivation for studying."

Lin Tiao, bored, was spinning her pen. She had heard this same speech since freshman year and was tired of it.

"We've been having classes for more than half a month now. The school plans to hold a preliminary exam at the end of this month. Since Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day are consecutive this year, you'll have an eight-day holiday to relax and enjoy yourself after the exam."

Lin Tiao stopped spinning her pen and looked over at Jiang Yan, who had maintained the same position throughout the class. She was curious.

She leaned over and whispered, "What are you watching?"

"Einstein's Mistakes," Jiang Yan said. His eyes were a bit tired from watching for so long. He rubbed them, then saw Lin Tiao's confused expression and explained, "It's a documentary related to the cosmological constant."

Lin Tiao thought it was fascinating. While he used to watch Hong Shixian during class, now he was following Einstein.

The span between these two characters is like circling the globe.

She was impressed.

The school bully really was as impressive as they came.

Teacher Yu was still speaking, "The preliminary exam will use your previous semester's final exam rankings for class assignments. Since the assignments aren't ready yet, the class representative will need to come to my office later to pick them up."

Just as he finished speaking, the bell rang, signaling the end of class. Teacher Yu picked up his uniquely styled tea cup and left the classroom.

As soon as he was gone, the classroom erupted like boiling water.

Hu Hanghang counted familiar faces from the last exam venue in the previous semester. When he reached Lin Tiao, he patted her on the shoulder and said, "G, we'll probably be in the same exam venue this time. Remember to help each other out."

Lin Tiao responded with a "Hmm," scratching her head. "This time, I probably won't be in the same venue as you."

Hu Hanghang leaned on his desk, "How could your grades be so bad that you won't even be able to participate in the exam?"

Lin Tiao remained silent.

Hu Hanghang felt a bit of pride, thinking that despite his and Xu Yichuan's own poor grades, someone else being worse than them—one scoring ten and the other nine—made him feel a bit superior.

However, Hu Hanghang thought that Lin Tiao, being a girl, probably didn't want her grades to be so poor. He ended up comforting her, "It's okay, grades aren't everything. Just think of Edison, who was considered an idiot as a child. But was he really an idiot? No, he became a famous inventor."

Lin Tiao thought, "Thanks, I guess."

After comforting her, Hu Hanghang turned to chat with Tao Jia, who was sitting in the back row. Lin Tiao paid no more attention and turned to Jiang Yan. "Do you think we'll still be in the same exam venue?"

"Probably not," Jiang Yan replied confidently. Apart from the missing English exam, he was sure he'd score full marks in all other subjects, except Chinese.

During freshman year, there were few major exams, and he missed the only mid-term exam. So, apart from classmates from his original class, few knew his true level.

However, Jiang Yan glanced at his desk partner. Although he found it hard to believe, he still asked with a smile, "You really think your grades are so bad you won't be able to take the exam? I saw you working hard on the tests; you don't seem like someone who'd fail like Hu Hanghang."

"..."

Forget it.

The class assignment list was posted after school. The math class representative, Tian Qiongqiong, went to Teacher Yu's office before the evening study session to get the list and pinned it on the backboard of the classroom.

Hu Hanghang and Xu Yichuan showed great interest in the class assignments. As soon as Tian Qiongqiong posted the list, they squeezed to the front of the crowd, using their physical advantage to secure the best spot.

Lin Tiao wondered where their enthusiasm came from. She turned to Jiang Yan and said, "How about a bet?"

Jiang Yan rested his head on his arms, looking at her, "What kind of bet?"

"A bet on whether I'll be in the first exam venue," Lin Tiao said. Having checked her grades during the summer vacation, she ranked in the top fifty of the grade, so she should be placed in the first exam venue, barring any surprises.

"Sure." Jiang Yan nodded, pulling a coin from his pocket and placing it on her desk. "I bet you'll be in the first exam venue."

"..."

What's the point of this?

Jiang Yan, resting his head on his arms, couldn't help but laugh at Lin Tiao's expression.

In the evening, Jiang Yan was called to Teacher Yu's office. Teacher Yu rambled on for a while, basically reminding him not to miss the exam this time.

The class assignment list was spread out on Teacher Yu's desk. Jiang Yan took a quick glance and saw Lin Tiao's name in the second row, followed by her exam venue number.

Teacher Yu noticed his gaze and casually remarked, "Quite a few students from our class are in the first exam venue this time. Don't even think about skipping the exam. I'll have someone keep an eye on you, like your desk partner, Lin Tiao."

Jiang Yan responded with a resigned look, "I promise I won't miss the exam this time. But," he lifted his chin slightly, "if my desk partner is so good at studying, why was she placed in the last exam venue last semester?"

Upon hearing this, Teacher Yu picked up his tea cup and said with a hint of displeasure, "Like you, she missed an exam."

"You both missed one exam each—one in Chinese and the other in English—and now one of you injured your left arm and the other your right arm. It's almost fate that you're desk partners."

Jiang Yan: "..."

At that time, Lin Tiao, who was dozing off in the classroom, had no idea about these details and had planned to bet with Jiang Yan to make him lose.

Who knew she'd end up digging her own grave?

She awkwardly spoke, "Then I'll bet that I won't be in the first exam venue."

After saying this, she felt like a fool.

Jiang Yan glanced at her, straightened up, and smiled, "Alright, I'll take that bet."

He then added with a smirk, "The winner gets to decide."

Lin Tiao: "..."

What on earth?

At the back of the classroom.

Hu Hanghang was reading the class assignment list aloud, "In the last exam venue, we have Tao Jia, myself, Xu Yichuan, Song Yuan, Wu Wang, and Yang Tianqi."

"Are you kidding me? Just the five of us from our class in the last exam venue? Have everyone's grades improved so much?"

Hu Hanghang couldn't believe it. During the midterm exams in Class 16, their class had almost occupied the last three exam venues.

How did it come to only a few of them being in the last venue in sophomore year?

Yang Tianqi, who was also in the last exam venue, joked, "Looks like we've contributed significantly to lowering the class average. We deserve some praise!"

Hu Hanghang, who was doubting life, glanced at the list again and his eyes widened with disbelief.

"Damn it," he grabbed Xu Yichuan's clothes and shook him, "Wake me up and tell me this isn't real. Is Lin Tiao really on this list?"

Xu Yichuan followed his gaze and was stunned as well.

Hu Hanghang had specifically told him over dinner that night that Lin Tiao's grades were so poor she might not even be able to participate in the exam, and to be cautious in conversations with her and Song Yuan during this period.

But now, seeing Lin Tiao ranked second in the class and placed in the first exam venue, he was dumbfounded.

This can't be called bad grades.

His and Hu Hanghang's combined total scores couldn't match her single subject score.

Xu Yichuan felt deceived.

"Lin Tiao, you're so unfair. Your grades are so good, and you deceived me, a pure, innocent, and kind-hearted young man."

Seeing Lin Tiao's ranking, Hu Hanghang felt his fragile heart was shaken.

Lin Tiao looked at him and said, "I told you I might not be in the same exam venue as you."

Hu Hanghang thought about it and realized she never actually said her grades were poor.

Seeing him looking dejected, Lin Tiao comforted him, "Fatty, it's okay. Grades don't mean everything. Even Edison was considered an idiot when he was young. But was he really an idiot? No, he became a famous inventor."

Hu Hanghang: "..."

I'm the real idiot.

Sitting nearby, Jiang Yan leaned against the wall, his arm resting on the table and his hand against his lips, unable to hold back a laugh.

His little desk partner really did hold grudges.