novelraw Chapter 36
Chapter 36
Chapter 36
Time flew by, and a month later.
In the blink of an eye, the final exams for advancing to third grade had arrived.
For this exam in Class One of second grade, unexpectedly, the invigilator was not an ordinary teacher but the principal.
The principal of this school looked extremely stern, with eyes as sharp as an eagle, yet Liu Wenjie found the middle-aged man rather amusing.
He was in his fifties, his scalp long since completely clean, always wearing a suit and sporting a big belly. Though he looked imposing, over the past two years he had taken the initiative to seek Liu Wenjie out about seven or eight times.
Every time he asked strange questions, for example:
"You're Liu Wenjie from Class Two, right? How have you found the school cafeteria food lately? Does it suit your taste? This year I specifically increased the budget for the school cafeteria."
Another example: "Spring fatigue and autumn weariness—if you feel tired in class you can nap for a bit. I've already spoken with the other teachers and they won't disturb you. After all, our school cares most about the students' physical and mental health."
Yet another: "How do you feel about the teachers who instruct you? If you think any of them are holding back your studies, just tell me and I'll switch them for you."
Each time Liu Wenjie listened, he couldn't fathom why. Even if this world placed special emphasis on children who excelled academically, surely it didn't have to be this exaggerated.
However, the principal's few simple remarks indirectly caused the teachers who came to teach Class One to feel immense pressure.
Everyone knew that because of a certain child's existence, over the past two years the school had received a lot more subsidy—practically as if the God of Wealth had descended.
Thus, for this year's final exams, the principal decided to come personally and watch someone answer the questions.
On the lectern he remained stern, his gaze like a torch, his voice as powerful as a lion:
"There are three minutes left before the exam. Everyone must take this seriously. This is the most important moment of the year; good grades mean you can go home and enjoy the New Year. But if anyone tries to cheat or plagiarize—"
He tapped the desk lightly and startled everyone.
The principal intimidated: "I will immediately cancel that student's scores for this subject! Be mindful of yourselves."
The students nodded one by one and swallowed, wondering why the principal had come to supervise Class One.
The principal swept his stern gaze across the entire class until he spotted Liu Wenjie by the window; suddenly he smiled.
Liu Wenjie: "....."
After a moment the exam began. Now, before every exam, Xu Feifei would take a deep breath and concentrate her mental power to the utmost—perhaps she could make a certain fellow look at her with new eyes.
The principal clasped his hands behind his back, his belly thrust forward, and patrolled between the desks.
He actually skimmed every student's answering condition, but most of the time he either shook his head or ignored them.
When he reached Xu Feifei's side he became a bit more serious and watched her test paper for a while.
He nodded, a rare occurrence.
Finally he arrived beside Liu Wenjie; the principal slowed his steps as if afraid of disturbing someone, and approached cautiously.
He saw Liu Wenjie filling in answers with utter boredom, as if these questions required no thought at all.
Elementary-school knowledge was simple to begin with, and now with the boost of nearly thirty points of Intelligence, this person could already answer everything correctly even with his eyes closed.
The principal sneaked a peek at the paper, his eyes shining.
His face was full of smiles, showing his big teeth in satisfaction.
This once again reminded him that after the sports meet a month earlier, the old friend in charge of PE had wept and shouted for Liu Wenjie's file information; every time he refused the other, he felt supremely refreshed.
Just then, as Liu Wenjie was writing, his ballpoint pen suddenly ran out of ink; he was about to grab a new one.
Instantly the principal took out his own spare ballpoint pen from his pocket and handed it over. Liu Wenjie accepted it in a daze, and the principal walked away smiling.
He sighed that next year's education subsidy would be even larger.
A few days later, when the final-exam results came out, as expected Liu Wenjie again scored perfectly across every subject and ranked first in the grade.
Xu Feifei placed third in her class, but wasn't ranked in the grade. Looking at the score sheet, she hugged her arms and puffed her cheeks in anger.
"Ugh, just a little bit short again!"
But right before summer vacation began, when Liu Wenjie went to Class Four to find little Xia Ying, he noticed something.
Little Xia Ying's grades had actually dropped.
Chinese, Math, Science, plus Moral Education.
Except for Chinese, where she scored over seventy, and the default eighty for Moral Education, Science and Math combined didn't even reach forty.
On the day summer vacation was about to begin—also the last day of the semester at school—every student was in high spirits; whether they had tested well or not, at least they were on vacation.
When the teacher announced dismissal, Xu Feifei, carrying her certificate with both hands behind her back, her twin ponytails bouncing with every step, walked up to Liu Wenjie, who was packing his backpack: "Liu Wenjie, do you have any plans for the summer?"
Liu Wenjie gave her a look of disdain: "What for?"
Xu Feifei wanted to snort at his eyes; she couldn't help turning her head: "I'm attending training classes this summer—do you want to come with me?"
"What do you think, Student Xu Feifei? I believe I have no need to attend any training classes." He picked up his bag and stood: "If there's nothing else, I'm leaving. See you next semester."
Xu Feifei felt reluctant; seeing he was about to leave, she murmured and got straight to the point, tsundere-style: "Where do you live? I might come visit you."
Liu Wenjie knew this brat was up to no good.
He turned to look at her, patted her shoulder, and, hearing the system notification, answered decisively: "Just let me have two months of peace, I beg you, Student Xu Feifei. During this summer vacation, be happy on your own—goodbye."
[Congratulations, Host, +1 Charm.]
"You—!" She started, and Liu Wenjie had already turned to leave. Just as she shouted "Liu Wenjie! I hate you!" and was about to chase after him, she discovered the girl named Xia Ying from Class Four standing at the doorway, looking at her, waiting for a certain fellow.
Xu Feifei waved to Xia Ying in embarrassment.
Xia Ying also smiled at Xu Feifei and left together with Liu Wenjie.
Xu Feifei exhaled, plopped her little bottom onto someone's desk, propped her body with both hands on the surface, and said proudly:
"Hmph, if you won't tell me then I can't find out? My dad knows your dad—I'll go to your house in a couple of days and give you a surprise, sleep in your bed and eat your snacks!"
When Liu Wenjie and little Xia Ying walked out the school gate side by side, he asked the foolish brat: "Why did your grades drop again?"
Xia Ying faltered, clutching her backpack straps with both small hands and lowering her head: "I-I didn't do well."
Liu Wenjie looked at her strangely: "Of course I know you didn't do well—I'm asking why you didn't do well."
Little Xia Ying pressed her lips together self-reproachfully: "I didn't study well."
Liu Wenjie's eyes narrowed: "....."
It wasn't his imagination, was it? This brat had been acting strange lately.
Outside the gate, little Xia Ying climbed into Grandpa's tricycle and parted with Liu Wenjie in front of the school gate, sitting in the rear of the tricycle with her legs hugged to her chest.
She apologized to Grandpa in frustration: "Grandpa, I didn't get a certificate again this year—sorry."
Grandpa, pedaling, encouraged her: "It's all right; Xia Ying is still young, there's plenty of time. Just study more with Older Brother Wenjie on weekdays—what place did Older Brother Wenjie get? First again?"
"Mm, Older Brother Wenjie is amazing."
Grandpa sighed that people really were different, and comforted her:
"It's okay, you did your best. By the way, Xia Ying, your mom called Grandpa again today; she still wants to see you. Do you want to meet her? Grandpa thinks it's only a few times a year; seeing her wouldn't hurt, and you must miss your mom, right?"
When Xia Ying heard this she hugged her legs tighter and buried her head in her knees: "I don't want to see Mom..."
Grandpa's smile fell: "Then... since it's summer vacation, Grandpa will take you to visit Dad's family? Your older brother also—"
Little Xia Ying's eyes reddened as she shook her head: "I don't want to either... and I don't have any big brother; I only have Older Brother Wenjie."
Grandpa on the tricycle didn't know what to say. With both sides having formed new families, what could be done about a child like Xia Ying caught in the middle?