novelraw Chapter 33
Chapter 33
Chapter 33
That evening, Xu Feifei told her mom and dad about the choice she had made. Her mom and dad had no objections.
They would stake the Xu family's fate on the person Xu Feifei trusted; win or lose, it really was up to heaven's will.
A few days later, the school organized a sports meet.
This sports meet was grand in scale; the field was almost completely surrounded by people, and every class had to enter every event.
In Class One of second grade, the boys' side was led by class president Liu Wenjie, and the girls' side was led by Xu Feifei.
Ever since the "false accusation" incident, the vice president had been temporarily removed from office; if she wanted to keep the position, she would have to wait until third grade, when everyone voted again. Currently, Xu Feifei was basically the vice president in practice, even if her official title was still "discipline committee member."
Looking at the crowded field and the packed bleachers, Xu Feifei—wearing a professional girls' athletic outfit—walked up to Liu Wenjie's side.
"Liu Wenjie, why are boys and girls competing separately this time? Aren't we supposed to compete together?"
Liu Wenjie sized up Xu Feifei's outfit for the day. The clean, sharp blue-and-white clothes perfectly set off this bratty kid's image, vivid to the extreme.
Not only did she have the divine artifact of twin ponytails boosting her aura, but when she spoke she even showed a hint of tiny canine teeth.
Some kind of "born tsundere saint," huh.
Liu Wenjie muttered, "I can tell you have plenty of clothes—never wear the same thing twice."
He explained, "Boys and girls won't compete together in PE anymore; there's a gap in stamina, so we have to separate them. In today's meet you just need to lead the girls well and not let our class lose face."
If she took first place in the whole school, Liu Wenjie could fleece the system for extra rewards.
Xu Feifei hadn't expected things to be this way; it was so different from kindergarten. Patting her chest, head held high, she guaranteed, "Don't worry! How could I, Xu Feifei, lose? I've never lost to a normal human!"
Liu Wenjie gave her a dangerous sidelong glance.
"Are you implying I'm not a normal human?"
Feeling the murderous aura, Xu Feifei coughed to ease the awkwardness and pointed at Liu Wenjie.
"Anyway! This time I'm not only going to lead our class's girls' team to first place—Liu Wenjie, I'm also going to beat you! We'll compare results later! If you lose, you have to be Xu Feifei's very best friend!"
This open declaration of war made every student in the class—and even students from other classes—turn to look at them.
They looked at the tsundere Xu Feifei and Liu Wenjie, whispering among themselves.
Although someone just wanted attention so he could fleece the system, being the center of attention was still embarrassing.
Without replying to Xu Feifei, Liu Wenjie simply raised his hand and gave her a chestnut.
"Get back to the girls' line."
Xu Feifei clutched her head in pain, puffed out her cheeks in full tsundere mode, and said, "Just you wait and see!"
Leaving behind the line, "This time I'll definitely win!" she scurried back to the girls' line.
Liu Wenjie reminded her, "The main opponents this time are the upper-grade teams. Don't take it lightly."
While running away, Xu Feifei still stuck up a thumb, half-turned back, and grinned to show she had everything under control.
Liu Wenjie shook his head helplessly and glanced at his own stats panel.
[Your current stats]
[Intelligence: 24]
[Stamina: 23]
[Art: 21]
[Charm: 23]
In two years he would almost hit 25 in every stat. Since graduating from kindergarten, he hadn't been this active in ages—perfect time to test what twenty-something Stamina could do.
The competition soon began. As team captains, Liu Wenjie and Xu Feifei would appear as the "aces" of their squads.
In the school-leaders' section of the stands, a professional sports specialist had come to the school as a guest.
Principal Zhang said, "You haven't been here for two years—perfect timing to see the quality of our new intake. These two years we've really recruited some talents."
The sports specialist was curious. "Oh really? Then I must take a good look. Still, children with genuine athletic gifts are rare. Every year I visit forty or fifty schools, and to be honest I've never found a true, super-suitable sports genius."
Principal Zhang laughed heartily.
"That's why geniuses are called geniuses—hard to find. Especially since you only cover our province, the pool's even smaller. But let me tell you in advance: one boy today is special. If you happen to have your eye on him, I'm afraid we won't be able to let you take him."
The sports specialist grew even more curious. "What do you mean? Principal Zhang, you're really building this up. Even if he is a genius, I definitely can't take him right now—the education bureau wouldn't allow it. At least junior high is the earliest."
Principal Zhang couldn't stop grinning. Who could understand? Last year's final exam produced a student with perfect scores across every subject; the education bureau would allocate a huge subsidy.
Truly, one student was worth a thousand.
Waving excitedly, he said, "It's different, completely different! Once you see this kid, I guarantee you'll want to find him right away. He's not like the others."
Beside them, a certain homeroom teacher adjusted her glasses. "This student is the most amazing I've seen in over a decade of teaching. Both the principal and I plan to cultivate him with all we have, so all we can let you do is drool a little."
Yes, unbeknownst to anyone, the homeroom teacher of Class One had also been promoted because of Liu Wenjie—now the deputy director of second grade.
That was why she often called Liu Wenjie to the office: 360-degree support and resources. It almost confirmed what Liu Wenjie had once said—if he were ever wrongly accused, the matter would be resolved within an hour. In this world that placed extreme importance on education, schools always tried every means to give top students the green light.
Listening to the two old acquaintances brag, the sports specialist's appetite was finally whetted.
He sucked in a breath. "The more you talk, the more mysterious it feels. Since you've put it like that, I really must see what kind of student you've recruited."
He focused intently on the competition.
Almost immediately, the sports specialist locked onto an exceptionally outstanding girl.
The first event was the 50-meter dash.
Unfortunately, the results from Class One's students were only average.
Xu Feifei waved her tiny fists in frustration. "Come on, you guys! Class One of second grade is going to take first place!"
But everyone really had tried their best; if you couldn't run, you couldn't run.
When it was Xu Feifei's turn, she stretched her small body, bursting with fighting spirit. "Why's everyone so weak? Watch me, Xu Feifei! I've never lost to anyone except that annoying guy!"
At the referee's signal, Xu Feifei shot out like an unbridled wild horse, her twin ponytails whipping wildly with every step.
She ran with everything she had, far ahead of her peers.
Her special training—all the physical training she'd done over the years to beat Liu Wenjie—hadn't been for nothing!
From a distance, the sports specialist exclaimed in surprise:
"This girl's impressive! Her time is way above the average for girls her age. Could she be the genius you mentioned? She definitely belongs on my watch list. If her talent holds up through junior high, with a little cultivation her future is limitless."
Principal Zhang and the bespectacled homeroom teacher exchanged a glance, then suddenly burst into laughter.
The sports specialist was bewildered.
Principal Zhang said, "Keep watching, just keep watching. This is only the beginning—why so impatient?"
The sports specialist thought to himself, Could there still be a higher master?
He could only focus harder.
He kept watching until the boys' event—then Liu Wenjie stepped up.
From the sidelines, Xu Feifei shouted, "Liu Wenjie, go for it! Liu Wenjie, you can do it! I already got first place—don't lose to me now!"
Liu Wenjie, preparing for the race, noticed from the corner of his eye that everyone was looking at Xu Feifei again. She didn't feel the slightest bit embarrassed.
And like she had split personalities: she wanted to beat him, yet she was cheering him on.
Liu Wenjie ignored her and simply took his starting stance.
In the bleachers for Class Four of second grade, little Xia Ying also saw Xu Feifei cheering for Liu Wenjie, but this time her gaze quickly shifted to Liu Wenjie. She didn't cheer for her own classmates; instead, she cheered silently for Liu Wenjie in her heart.
She prayed inwardly, "Older Brother Wenjie, you have to take first place—you're the best."
At the referee's signal, Liu Wenjie shot out at a speed far exceeding that of his peers.
The students of Class One nearly exploded, shouting one after another, "Class president, go! Go, class president! Class president is so cool!"
Many students from other classes also widened their eyes, stunned by the absolute speed of Class One's president.
In the school-leaders' section, the sports specialist even jumped to his feet, his eyes shining.
It was the look of someone who had discovered a genius, the shock of someone completely captivated by overwhelming talent.
"This... this student! What's this male student's name?! At such a young age, this kind of talent—I haven't seen it in years!"
Principal Zhang coughed, pride in his voice. "Just look and satisfy your craving; I already said we won't give him to you." His eyes, too, sparkled with the cherish he held for talent. "This child's gifts aren't limited to athletics. Wouldn't it be a waste to train him only for sports?"
Watching Liu Wenjie run, Principal Zhang could still recall the first time he'd looked over last year's final exams. When he'd flipped to Liu Wenjie's test papers—perfect scores across every subject—and the usual perfect scores in daily work...
Ever since the education bureau had started giving subsidies to junior-high students, even elementary schools had quietly raised the difficulty of yearly exams.
To maintain perfect scores across every subject required, at such a young age, literary grace, intelligence, judgment, and meticulousness—all indispensable.
To let a genius like that be taken away? He wouldn't sleep well for the rest of his life.