Chapter 3

If Zhou Siyue were not recently preparing for the robot competition in September, staying up late every night, there would be no need to take a nap in the afternoon

Young Master Zhou chuckled self-deprecatingly, shook his head, and said, "Alright then"

The two people in the back row exchanged a glance, and their eyes collided in the air with a crackling sound.

Ding Xian has a peculiar habit; whenever the teacher calls her in front of the entire class, she blushes, and her delicate skin turns her whole face crimson. Moreover, since she is late and has been caught by the teacher, her face has turned red all the way down to the base of her neck, resembling an apple that has been stuck there.

Ding Xian said with utmost seriousness: "Yes, tomorrow the old teacher will change seats, and we will at most be considered fleeting desk mates."

I... ... flirt?

I can withstand temptation

Dante Xian is not as impressive as Xu Ke; her score just barely passed the threshold for the key class, and her ranking is likely near the bottom.

Surprisingly, there are still those who arrive later than her, yet remain so calm and composed. Be careful not to attract Old Liu's attention. As a result, Liu Jiang merely glanced over this way, gave a fleeting look, and continued with his own conversation

The corners of the mouth

It seems to symbolize that her high school life over the next three years will be a struggle to carve out a path through this cage with bloodshed

Young Master Zhou does not seem to be attending class; he leisurely leans back in his chair, a book spread open on the desk, engrossed in his connection with nature. His eyebrows and eyes are slightly raised, the corners of his eyes resembling the tips of cut feathers, at this moment resembling a pair of scissors, sharp and incisive.

Grandma Xu's temperament is gentle, and Xu Ke, following her example, always speaks and acts in a soft and appropriate manner, never offending anyone. In fact, he even helps the children in the town with their studies.

Hello, what do you mean? I don't have a name

Hearing this sound, I was taken aback, and suddenly looked up, but the person had already walked far away

Truly a master teacher, even the timing of the conversation is precise to the minute; just as the words fall, the crisp and sharp sound of the class dismissal bell rings out as if it had been prearranged.

At the beginning of the new semester, Liu Jiang was surprisingly easy to talk to. Ding Xian quickly took a seat in the last row near the door, finally feeling relieved as the tension in his heart settled back down.

Ding Xian nodded slightly, stating that there was not a single word wrong in what was said

Ding Xian rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought

I heard that there was a student in the last session who withdrew from school

Xu Ke has been admitted to No. 3 Middle School

Xu Ke understood that Ding Xian was a strong-willed girl, and her study methods and daily routines had been strictly regulated by her mother since childhood. He subtly guided her, suggesting that she should not always adhere to her parents' wishes, as her education was ultimately her own responsibility

Ding Xian lay on the desk, feeling that this statement was truly wonderful, the metaphor was particularly apt, and her teacher in Yanping had never said such things. Therefore, she took a pen to jot it down, intending to stick it on the desk to motivate herself. Suddenly, Zhou Siyue, who had been observing coldly, let out a scoff and mockingly glanced at her notebook: "Recording such toxic life advice in your notebook, how lacking in education is your life?"

Ding Xian felt a sense of unease in his heart, hesitating whether to submit a report first, when he heard a deep and penetrating voice from the podium: "What are you sneaking around for, like you're visiting a zoo? Hurry up and come in."

Ding Xian had just finished writing the character for bow when he heard the sarcastic remarks. He suddenly covered his notebook tightly with both hands and turned his head to glare.

Suddenly, someone at the front desk turned around; it was a fair-skinned man wearing glasses, who looked somewhat familiar. When the man in glasses saw Ding Xian, he was also taken aback.

The students rushed out of the classroom in a swarm

Xu Ke was her neighbor in Yanping Town during her childhood and was the first student from Yanping Middle School to be admitted to No. 3 Middle School. At the time she received the phone call from her homeroom teacher and the class assignment results, Xu Ke happened to be at her home

Liu Jiang was passionately delivering a motivational speech to the group of newly enrolled students from the podium

A hint like a bright lamp

The pencil case fell to the ground with a thud, scattering several pens in disarray, which happened to roll under Zhou Siyue's chair

Once the bow is drawn, there is no turning back. Now that you have stepped through this door, you are people of this place; to 'die' is to become a part of its spirit. I hope you can ensure that your 'death' is dignified! From this moment on, you must tighten your skin, exert as much strength as you can, and how far the arrow can fly depends on how much effort you put in over these three years. Even if the bowstring breaks, you must never slacken your efforts!

Ding Xian had a bad premonition, and sure enough, he heard the bespectacled man say—

Ding Xian was just about to turn his head to see who it was.

The bespectacled man I met at the Zhou family that day

The information about Liu Jiang was conveyed to her by Xu Ke

Liu Jiangyue became increasingly animated, oblivious to the fact that those below were nodding off, excited like a watering can, with saliva flying and spittle splattering everywhere

That naturally sharp-featured face, yet so good-looking, he cut his hair short, revealing clean and neat features along with a soft contour. Compared to the messy hair he had at home that day, Zhou Siyue, slightly tidied up, was a bit too eye-catching.

Li Jinhui has a poor memory; the only thing she remembers is playing cards with the neighbor lady. Aside from playing cards, nothing else seems to matter. This is mainly due to a car accident a few years ago, which affected her memory. Moreover, her son has never given her any worries and rarely involves her in his affairs.

Ding Xian looked coldly at the face full of temptation, enunciating each word clearly: "My name is Ding Xian"

For instance, regarding the matter of taking notes, Xu Ke has earnestly advised several times not to write everything down, but to focus on the key points.

The bespectacled man went to find Liu Jiang for the class schedule, while Zhou Siyue leaned against the desk waiting. At a height of 1.85 meters, his thighs could easily clear the tabletop, with half of his hip resting on the edge of the desk. His hands were tucked into his pockets, and he had a black bag slung across his body. He lowered his head to look at the tips of his shoes, with small strands of hair falling over his forehead.

Liu Jiang spoke eloquently, and the students below listened with great excitement, their eyes gleaming with anticipation, as if they could already see an admission letter from Tsinghua University placed on the table

Ding Xian was assigned to the key class, and on the first day, he reported to the class during the evening self-study session

He scratched his brow and casually glanced at his deskmate, only to find Ding Xian, who was leaning on the desk, doodling in a notebook. With his head drooping and chin resting on the tabletop, he sported his usual ponytail. The back of his neck was fair and clean, slender, resembling a piece of tender white lotus root.

Dew... classmate?

However, after more than ten years of habit, when can it be changed

Aunt Zhou is truly impressive. The bespectacled man gave a thumbs up and turned away

Ding Xian said: "Don't flirt with me"

If the grades are good, then listen to you; if the grades are poor, then don't talk nonsense, just honestly listen to him

Ding Xian found Class 3 of the first year of high school, crouching at the back door and cautiously peeking in to gather information about the situation in the class. As a result, she was spotted by the class teacher, who was passionately delivering a motivational speech from the podium, and was directly called out.

The person next to me leaned back in the chair and let out a simple nasal sound, "Hmm"

Ding Xian could not change, because Ye Wanxian had to check the notebook every day, including what the teacher said in class, and it was best to write it down word for word. At first, there were tears and tantrums, and he was unwilling to write. After Ye Wanxian had taken some stern measures a few times, he obediently began to take notes in the notebook, and after doing so a few times, he surprisingly got used to it

The homeroom teacher is named Liu Jiang, in his early forties, slightly plump, with a round head and few strands of hair on top. He wears a pair of wide-rimmed glasses and prefers to tuck the hem of his shirt into his trousers. Around his waist, he sports a Playboy belt, which constricts his round belly.

Xu Ke's parents passed away early, and he lived with his grandparents.

Xu Ke was taught by Liu Jiang in his first year of high school. Later, he switched to the liberal arts in his second year, and Liu Jiang still looks down on him a bit to this day. This is because Xu Ke was admitted to Yan San with nearly full marks and consistently ranked first in various exams throughout his first year, especially in chemistry. When it comes to Xu Ke, Liu Jiang has a complex mix of love and hate.

Si Yue, you haven't been sleeping since the afternoon until now, have you

The sun has set, twilight descends, and the afterglow of the evening clouds parts the layers of clouds. The rays of light are resplendent, resembling clusters of colorful cotton floating above the school, particularly brilliant. The seven-colored light shines down, as if splitting open a gap in the sky.

Liu Jiang has only one requirement for his students: to let their results speak for themselves in all matters

Zhou Suyue lowered his head, flipping through "Man and Nature," without raising his eyelids. He scratched his ear and lazily uttered a sound of acknowledgment, unsure if he had actually remembered anything.

Did your mother forget?

Ding Xian remained seated in his place, lost in thought, even forgetting to tidy up his belongings

On the podium, Liu Jiang made a concluding statement: "This is the situation. In one month, there will be a diagnostic test, so you have one month to quickly review the previous knowledge. For now, please sit in these seats. After one month, I will rearrange the seating based on your scores. Alright, that's about it for today. Boarding students, gather in my office. Day students, be careful on your way back. Class dismissed"

Zhou Suyue remained silent

At this moment, the young master raised his head, his face filled with disbelief, his eyebrows nearly standing on end

Parents in the town probably wish for a child like Xu Ke, who is not only good-looking but also gentle in character and excels in studies. Whenever Ding Xian accompanies her mother to shop, she hears those aunts chattering about it.

Xu Ke has once again achieved first place in the city in this examination.

The young master’s eyebrows are about to fly up

I am not familiar with you, just sitting here for a while, why engage in small talk. Ding Xian turned a deaf ear, tilting his head to one side, anyway, he just ignored you

Zhou Siyue stood up and had just taken a step when he suddenly stopped, patted Ding Xian on the shoulder, and teased, "See you tomorrow, Dew Tablemate"

The bespectacled man quickly returned, "Let's go, Si Yue."

Hello

That female classmate

I have already called Aunt Zhou to remind her not to forget to call you

The Lao Xu family is truly blessed this time, as everyone knows that the children in Yanping Town are notoriously poor at studying. Let's go visit Grandma Xu and have Xu Ke come back this weekend to tutor our daughter

What is there to be happy about?

I don't know why, but I always feel that there is a word "fool" imprinted on the back of her head

Ding Xian is packing a pencil case into the bag

One should not judge a person by their appearance. Liu Jiang has been teaching chemistry at the Third Middle School for over ten years, primarily instructing elite classes. He is famously known as a strict and stern teacher, with no students daring to joke with him. He is often referred to by the nickname 'Iron Plate Jiang'.

Just before departure, I was still entangled with the little demon king, writing half an essay. As a result, Ding Xian arrived late, and from the school gate to the entire teaching building, it was desolate, with not a single shadow in sight

Once again, a simple sound of "hm," accompanied by a hint of sleepiness in the nasal tone

Hello, teacher, are you being too casual?

Only Ding Xian does not seek him for tutoring

From childhood to adulthood, Xu Ke has always been the child of someone else's family

Ding Xian lowered his head, lost in thought as he gazed at his notebook. A sound of "pa—" reached his ears, and a black crossbody bag was dropped beside him. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a tall figure sitting down.

There is actually still a hint of a smile

Surprisingly, there are still classmates who find Liu Jiang amusing, and they chuckle in unison, creating an atmosphere of unparalleled harmony

On September 2, Yan San officially commenced the school year, with class divisions, distribution of textbooks, and introductions to new classmates, all proceeding in an orderly manner