Chapter 9, Fractions

Beiyao looked at the questions on the paper about how many flowers there were and how many children there were

Pei Haobin couldn't help but glance at his son. Since Pei Chuan broke his leg, he had become taciturn and rarely spoke so much. He agreed with Pei Chuan's suggestion; for a four-year-old girl, walking nearly two kilometers to and from school every day, even he, not being her father, felt a bit of heartache.

Bei Yao : `` ... ... ''

Throughout an entire autumn, the first thing Bei Yao learned was to control her water intake, as Fang Minjun would not share her water with her like Pei Chuan did

Beiyao was afraid that he would feel lonely, so after much thought, she took down the little panda from her backpack

Teacher Yu Qian distributed the exam papers and stayed with everyone to assist with the questions. Teacher Zheng also came to help. This year, the kindergarten entrance examination does not separate Chinese and mathematics; the basic knowledge consists of only this one paper.

For over twenty years, Zhao Xiu has been far ahead, and Zhao Zhilan could not compare to her in anything. However, now she has even lost to her daughter in terms of academic performance

The trash can be taken out by Xiaobei Yao, and the homework can be brought to the group leader by Beiyao. Xiaobei Yao is obedient and well-behaved

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhilan instinctively looked at Fang Minjun. The young girl was dressed in a delicate and attractive manner, wearing a brand new pink cotton jacket paired with a pink scarf, stylish yet not bulky. Fang Minjun was nestled in Zhao Xiu's embrace, and Zhao Xiu allowed her to stay there.

Why is Bei Yao so foolish, why didn't I surpass her myself? Next time I will definitely be able to surpass Bei Yao, this time was a mistake

Zhao Zhilan rolled her eyes inwardly; on such a cold day, who cares about looking good? Staying warm is what truly matters. However, she still had to be polite on the surface: "Oh, your Minmin's outfit must not be cheap, right?"

If Bei Yao had memories of high school, she would definitely find it very awkward and strange. Fortunately, she now has a child's mindset and thinks that the beautiful Min Jun is also very cute

If Zhao Xiu knows about going home ... ...

Since changing seats, Peichuan was closer to Beiyao for the first time

Peichuan gripped the cold metal handle of the motorcycle: "Dad, take Beiyao along."

In 1996, the preschool classes in City C implemented a scoring system based on a single test and a percentage system for the picture book.

Lying made her extremely uneasy

Beiyao quickly finished it, and she found it very easy

Before the exam, she had not considered the possibility of failing to meet Bei Yao's standards, but when the paper was handed out, everything became a reality. She sat on the crossbar of her father's bicycle, feeling a bit like crying

Pei Haobin started the car and gently asked Bei Yao, "How many points did you score, Bei Yao?"

Even though Fang Minjun is young, the emotions of the parents can still be felt

Pei Chuan turned around, and that little red ball stood in the front row, waving vigorously at him, with eyes like two crescent moons

He could not tell whether she would or not, Pei Chuan turned his head, whether she would or not was none of his concern

Beiyao wanted to ride a motorcycle. She remembered that it was in the third grade when Beilicai had just bought a motorcycle. Sitting on it felt like riding the wind, and she could reach home in five minutes. However, Beiyao was somewhat timid as a child, and she glanced shyly at Peichuan, who looked down at her with no sign of rejection in his eyes

Pei Chuan drew the "38th Parallel" and did not speak to Bei Yao. In order to protect Bei Yao, it was decided that she should sit with Fang Minjun. With this thought in mind, the teacher directly informed them after class.

Beyao sadly hugged the panda; he did not like her, nor did he like her toys

Five-year-old Peichuan exerted all his willpower to avoid turning his head to look at her retreating figure.

Fang Minjun looked at the bright red 99, as if struck by a bolt from the blue. In the middle of winter, her joy dissipated completely, as if someone had doused her with a bucket of ice water

Peichuan sat at the front, as the winter wind blew through the boy's short hair. He remained silent throughout, unaware that the corners of his lips had curved up slightly.

After autumn has passed and the weather turns cold, Beiyao is dressed up by Zhao Zhilan as a lucky doll—a bright red cotton-padded jacket, thick and cheerful

The children who were watching the excitement quickly forgot about changing their seats

Fang Minjun's hand formed a curved arc as she wrote, covering her paper in the process. Zhao Xiu remarked that Beiyao should not be allowed to copy from her.

Bei Yao and Fang Minjun became desk mates

The grading of the children's exam papers is very quick, and the results can be collected in two days. For the children's first examination, the parents have high expectations.

Completed

Bei Yao was the second to last in her class to receive the paper, and upon seeing the cheerful numbers on it, she couldn't help but smile with her eyes squinting in delight

She covered her score, preventing Beiyao from seeing it, and then asked: "Yaoyao, what score did you get?"

Her soft cheek gently rubbed against it reluctantly, and then she placed it on Peichuan's desk

Then there was Peichuan's paper; he glanced at it and placed it in his backpack

The children waiting in line all looked on, some enviously at Beiyao. Fang Minjun couldn't help but pout; her father had a very large bicycle that took her home every day, but she had never ridden a motorcycle home. Fang Minjun felt a bit wronged; everyone lived in the same community, so why did Peichuan's father only take Beiyao and not her?

He finally raised his eyes to look at her, and she was extremely reluctant, with such a pitiful gaze, not knowing whether she was unwilling to part with him or with the little panda

The confusion on Bei Yao's face was too evident, leaving Teacher Yu Qian in a daze. She had originally intended to ask Bei Yao about her intentions in the morning, but first, little Bei Yao's home was far away, and she always arrived just before class. Second, the instinctive reaction of a normal person is that sitting next to Fang Minjun is certainly better than sitting next to Pei Chuan

In order to receive the "reward", Fang Minjun nodded like a chick pecking at grains.

The children faced numerous issues during their first exam; some requested to leave to use the restroom, while others struggled to sharpen their pencils properly after they broke. The teacher had to assist and keep an eye on them.

Bei Yao sat in a place bathed in brilliant sunlight, the golden rays gently adorning her little head. He, on the opposite side where the sunlight could not reach, placed the bamboo dragonfly into his backpack

However, this is the path he has chosen, and Beiyao is no longer his deskmate

Pei Chuan observed this with a grim expression on his face

Beiyao spread the paper out for Fang Minjun to see, with a red ink mark at the top showing "99"—Beiyao lost one point for not drawing the diagram straight, which should have been a perfect score of one hundred.

She rubbed her eyes with her small hands, packed her textbook and water bottle into her backpack, and tidied up her belongings. Peichuan did not even glance at her, focusing solely on the illustrations in his Chinese textbook

He sincerely praised, "Beiyao is truly impressive, so intelligent"

The cotton coat is more than 30, and the scarf was given to her by her sister-in-law

More than 30 yuan silenced Zhao Zhilan, who had no money in her pocket, and Zhao Xiu's eyes sparkled with joy

Fang Minjun was being taken home on the bicycle of Teacher Fang Xin, her small face a bit pale, filled with great fear of returning home

Zhao Xiu almost laughed out loud: "Zhi Lan, from a distance, I thought Yao Yao was a fireball."

He silently pushed her beloved panda back

She felt both scared and embarrassed

She is completely untroubled and exceedingly well-behaved

Zhao Xiu then asked Fang Minjun: "What about that girl Beiyao? How many points did she score?" Zhao Xiu shared the same thought as her daughter; with Fang Minjun being so outstanding, it was impossible for her to score lower than Beiyao.

If you encounter someone on the road, you may say a word, or inform the teacher.

Just as Zhao Xiu was coming downstairs with Fang Minjun to visit, Bei Yao called out in a sweet, childlike voice: "Aunt Xiu, Minmin"

She shyly nodded her head, her soft voice saying: "Thank you, Uncle Pei"

Beyao looked at the indifferent Peichuan; her thinking was not mature. Although she was reluctant, she had always been the obedient child who listened to her teachers when she was young

When Zhao Xiu was carrying Fang Minjun home, Fang Minjun said: "Dad said the cotton coat costs twenty-six yuan"

Beiyao is not nervous at all—her knowledge is limited to the third grade

After finishing the exam and receiving the papers, it was time for the holiday to return home for the New Year. Pei Haobin came to pick up Pei Chuan, and they drove past the school gate as they usually did.

Beiyao knows to be polite: "Thank you, Uncle"

Pei Chuan tilted his head slightly before writing, his dark pupils fixed on a spot of sunlight. A little girl was diligently writing her name.

Zhao Xiu listened and almost burst out laughing. She thought to herself, how impressive could Zhao Zhilan's daughter really be? She then kissed Fang Minjun again and said: "Good daughter of Mama!"

Pei Chuan could not help but concentrate to listen

Pei Haobin asked Yu Qian to help lift Xiao Beiyao onto the back seat, and then he used a leather strap to secure her, ensuring that the child would not fall off due to her small strength

It was as if the air was infused with the milky fragrance that clung to her

The children sat in their seats as the teacher called out their names one by one, and then the children went up to the podium to collect their papers. Teacher Yu Qian did not arrange them by height; for her, teaching and nurturing students was not the most important aspect, especially since the preschool class was merely a transitional phase. What surprised her were the results of two of the children—Bei Yao and Pei Chuan.

After all, Xiaobei Yao is not as slender and delicate as her, and Beiyao is easy to bully

Zhao Xiu shot a glance at her daughter and said, "Mom said it's thirty, so it's thirty. You must be nearing the end of the term, right? You have to do well on your exams, do you understand? If you do well, Mom will give you a reward." The over thirty yuan cotton coat made her feel a pang of pain, but just thinking about the joy of comparing grades between the two families after the final exams made Zhao Xiu feel happy

Fang Minjun is exceptionally strong-willed. If Beiyao's hair is styled nicely, she will have a sour expression all day long, subconsciously adjusting her princess dress. After all, she is still a child. Although the concepts instilled by her mother are deeply ingrained in her mind, she does not harbor excessive hostility towards Beiyao.

Pei Haobin knew that she was young, probably the youngest child in the class. Initially, he asked Beiyao just to tease her, but he did not expect that such a small child could perform so well in the exam

Pei Haobin turned the motorcycle and asked Xiao Beiyao: "Would you like your uncle to take you back?"

Fang Minjun held back the tears in her eyes, not allowing her mother to know.

During the winter, it was the children's first final exam, and even Zhao Zhilan felt a bit nervous. She feared that sending Beiyao to preschool early was a mistake. Looking at little Beiyao's innocent face, Zhao Zhilan sighed and thought, it doesn't matter about the grades; the greatest blessing is for the child to grow up healthy and safe.

Yu Qian, then I will take Bei Yao back with me since it's on the way. If her mother comes over, please let her know.

Pei Chuan's gaze shifted from the book to it, as the round little panda sat dazedly in front of his desk

The examination in the preschool class does not disrupt the seating arrangement like in elementary school; each student sits in their original seat during the exam

He knows that she really likes this toy, and sometimes during class, she unconsciously pulls the ears of the little panda. Before coming every day, she also makes sure to settle the little panda first

Zhao Xiu had been waiting for a long time and immediately approached: "How is it, Minmin? Let me show the paper to your mother."

Her voice sounded like the ringing of bells: "Ninety-nine points."

That cotton-padded coat is not new; it was modified from old clothes by Zhao Zhilan. Although it is rather plain, it is very warm. Inside the bright red cotton-padded coat, there are also autumn clothes and two sweaters, and Beiyao's short legs are wrapped up thickly.

Fang Minjun was the first to receive the exam paper, and on her paper was a bright red "90". Unable to contain her joy, Fang Minjun's lips curled up slightly, but thinking of "Chang Xue", she suppressed the corners of her mouth. However, the happiness in her eyes was impossible to conceal.

Yu Qian naturally reassured her old classmate, smiling and nodding her head

Fang Minjun thought to herself that if she scored 70 points, her deskmate would probably laugh.

On the day of the final exam, Beiyao was sent to school early by Zhao Zhilan

What should I do if my mother asks about my grades

Fang Minjun's face suddenly turned pale, her small hands clenched tightly, and she lowered her head to say: "Sixty-six points"

What she is reluctant to part with is most likely not herself

"Rebirth" feels too distant for a child; at times, she herself is somewhat bewildered, wondering why she knows all of this and can even foresee what will happen in the future. However, the sense of urgency in her heart tells Beiyao that this is a very important secret, one that even her mother cannot disclose

Zhao Xiu is most concerned about two things: the first is the similar delicate appearance of Fang Minjun and the jade girl "Chang Xue"; the second is to surpass Zhao Zhilan.

Fang Minjun had no choice but to take out the test paper from her backpack. Upon seeing the score of ninety points, Zhao Xiu couldn't help but smile broadly, saying, "My Minmin is truly amazing!" She gave Fang Minjun a hearty kiss on the cheek.

Bai Yao walked towards Fang Minjun with her backpack on her back, and Fang Minjun glanced at her with a hint of arrogance before turning to speak with the student behind her

In her dazed state, the father and daughter returned home

What should I do if her mother comes to pick her up