“Don’t worry,” the Class 8 form teacher retracted his gaze. “I won’t show it to anyone else.”
Ren Wanxuan knew the form teacher would not lie.
And with the Ren family backing her, he would not offend her over such matters.
Only then did she bid the teacher farewell and left. Her mother had gone through great pains to get Professor Gao to agree to teach them for ten days. She did not want to waste any more time here.
The Class 8 form teacher watched her departure before going back to look for Bailian.
As usual, Bailian had not done today’s practice questions. He was already used to it. Beckoning her over with a tap on her desk, he said, “Come with me.”
Bailian picked up her coat and slowly followed him out at an unhurried pace.
She stood ramrod straight, her eyes were dark. Her pure pupils reflected the form teacher’s silhouette. Her tone was respectful towards her teacher, “Teacher.”
Bailian was exceptionally courteous to elders and teachers beyond the norm.
The Class 8 form teacher and Teacher Lu had noticed this early on.
An extremely polite student with a proper learning attitude, clever and studious, good-looking on top of that — which teacher would not like her?
The Class 8 teacher’s mood instantly lifted.
He kept his hands behind his back. Then suddenly, he coughed a few times.
Bailian could tell the teacher was not actually sick. She looked at his face expressionlessly, asking with concern, “Teacher, are you alright?”
“I’m fine. cough cough” The Class 8 teacher sighed, looking extremely worried. “I didn’t sleep well last night.”
“What happened to you? You have to take care of your health.” Bailian cooperated smoothly.
His eyes shifted about before coughing twice more. “Recently, there’s a book I’ve been thinking of constantly. Do you know what book it is?”
Bailian: “What book?”
“Jiangjing University Physics,” the Class 8 teacher said profoundly.
Bailian: “……”
Ok, she understood.
She returned to her seat to take out her Jiangjing University Physics book to pass to him.
The Class 8 teacher’s eyes lit up. Feigning composure, he accepted it. “May I let your other classmates see your answers for yesterday’s practice questions?”
“Sure,” Bailian still had her pen in hand, eyes slightly lowered seemingly in thought over the equation for color dispersion.
Her tone didn’t sound too concerned.
Yet upon noticing the form teacher looking at her in some inexplicable manner, she raised her brows. “What is it?”
The Class 8 form teacher did not actually understand her. She had never been stingy in sharing anything with her Xiangcheng schoolmates.
Moreover, this would greatly aid the Xiangcheng students in their studies.
“Aren’t you afraid your classmates would overtake your scores after seeing this?”
Bailian’s dark eyes met his. An almost arrogant provocation exuded beneath her nonchalant composure and confidence. “Oh. Then they are welcome to try.”
Class 8 form teacher: “……”
He shook the book in his hand. Naturally, he did not actually plan on sharing Bailian’s explanation to the others. “I’ll return this to you after I’m done reading.”
Bailian lazily nodded her head. Somewhat distracted, she said, “It’s fine. Teacher, if you like it, I’ll ask around if anyone can give you a copy after I’m done with it.”
“Really?!”
The Class 8 form teacher realised he was too excited. He immediately put his hands behind him again, mystically saying, “Alright, I got it. Go back and do your homework.”
In the lecture theatre.
Zhu Jiaran softly gossiped to Tang Ming beside her, her eyes full of amazed envy. “I heard that Ren Wanxuan’s group has a professor from Jiangjing University teaching them questions. The placement will certainly go to one of those two this time.”
Word had spread about this in the tutoring class. Most top scorers gave up competing with those two.
“If only we were grouped with them,” Zhu Jiaran murmured yearningly, obviously very envious. “A professor from Jiangjing University! We probably won’t meet someone like that our whole lives if not for the Ren family’s connections.”
Zhu Jiaran turned to look at the others in her group.
Tang Ming only gave a perfunctory murmur of agreement before lowering his gaze back to his notebook.
Bailian had just returned to her seat. As usual, she kept tonight’s practice questions before taking out a candy from her pocket to leisurely unwrap.
Lowered long lashes made her seem less easily provoked. Sensing the looks, she indifferently lifted her head a little.
Meeting that pair of pitch dark eyes, Zhu Jiaran strangely felt oppressed.
Coming back to her senses, she could not help but curl her lips.
Who’s putting on airs?
8 PM.
Tang Ming was even more proactive than Ning Xiao today. Five minutes early, he neatly packed his things first before clutching his bag watching Bailian slowly pack up.
Impatient yet not daring to hurry her.
Zhu Jiaran still did not walk with them.
The Class 8 form teacher was reading Jiangjing University Physics at the side. He did not bring up returning together today. Seeing Zhu Jiaran alone with her bag walking in the direction of the dorms, he voiced out in puzzlement, “Why aren’t you going with Ning Xiao?”
As a teacher responsible for imparting knowledge and wisdom, he had done what he should.
They still had to walk the path of life by themselves.
The Gaokao was a competition with the whole country, not just the schoolmates here. The cohort had decided unanimously on these mutual aid groups in hopes that they could go further instead of merely this tutoring class.
Since Ren Wanxuan wanted fairness…
Then let them compete on their own strengths!
**
“Momentum must be conserved. Hence, the refractive index of the second harmonic and fundamental wave must be identical. Thus, when they form a beam, it is impossible for them to share the same refractive index at the same time…” Jiang Fuli’s tall figure was slightly reclined against the back of his chair. One hand still rested on the computer keyboard. His light-coloured eyes narrowed slightly, making him seem rather unapproachable.
An innate nobleness seeped down to his bones. His tone was tranquil and methodical. “Understand?”
Bailian grasped it. Tonight’s lesson was still on optics questions. After two video lessons, Jiang Fuli’s explanation and the examples in her notebook, she now understood it was actually similar to last night’s question.
Today’s questions were more difficult than last night’s.
Jiang Fuli spoke rather quickly.
Just as Bailian was about to nod, she inadvertently glanced at the seat opposite.
Ning Xiao’s writing hand paused slightly. He had missed a key point.
Tang Ming: “……”
He had missed… a lot actually.
Bailian lazily picked up her pen to write a line of neat words in her notebook. Resting her chin on her arm, she said, “Teacher Jiang, please explain it again.”
Jiang Fuli swept an icy look at the two people opposite. Devoid of any emotion, he repeated it once more at the same speed.
Finally, Ning Xiao put down his notebook in relief.
Tang Ming did not even dare to move a muscle.
He still had not grasped some parts.
Jiang Fuli stared at Tang Ming. Leaning back, he could not resist blurting out cuttingly in the end, “What is it? Did you have an out of body experience just now?”
“Teacher Jiang—” Bailian poured him a cup of iced water.
Young Master Jiang endured and repeated it again.
At the side, Ming Dongheng who had been accompanying Jiang He to play withdrew his gaze in bafflement.
Roughly after a minute, he took out his phone to send a message on the group chat.
Ming Dongheng: ?Young Master Jiang is explaining questions to an ordinary high schooler.?
It took two minutes before someone lazily replied.
Xu Nanjing: ?[Pointing and laughing emoji]?
As usual, Jiang Xizhou ignored him.
Ming Dongheng: ?Optics questions. He calmly explained it thrice.?
In less than ten seconds —
Xu Nanjing: ?what??
Xu Nanjing:?Impossible?
Xu Nanjing:?Don’t spread rumors if they aren’t true?
Xu Nanjing:?[Smiling emoji]?
Jiang Xizhou: ???
?Jiang Xizhou initiated a group video call?
The WeChat notification for an incoming video call sounded. Ming Dongheng swiftly declined it to avoid disturbing the three high schoolers’ studying.
?Jiang Xizhou invited you to a video call?
Declined.
?Jiang Xizhou invited you to a video call?
Declined.
?Jiang Xizhou invited you to a video call?
Switch off phone!!
Silence.
Ming Dongheng heaved a sigh of relief. Still holding his phone, he contemplated Bailian pensively, seeming to have discovered something.
Opposite him, Jiang He was rendered speechless.
**
As usual, Bailian would only eat after Jiang Fuli finished his lecture explanations. Jiang He would wait to eat together with her everyday.
Seeing that she had gone for her meal, Jiang Fuli’s gaze shifted slightly away from the computer screen. His tone was still detached and frigid. “What exactly are you all competing for in this tutoring class?”
Tang Ming completely did not dare to speak.
Ning Xiao was much calmer. “The placements for Jiangjing University’s preparatory class app.”
“How many placements were given out?” Jiang Fuli’s fingertips tapped lightly on the keyboard as he casually asked.
Ning Xiao did not understand who Jiang Fuli was referring to with “he”. He simply exchanged puzzled looks with Tang Ming.
How many placements?
They had fought tooth for nail for that one placement. Would he use “a few” to describe the number of Jiangjing University Preparatory Class placements?
Are the placements cabbages on Jiangjing University fields?
“Just one,” Ning Xiao replied.
Jiang Fuli’s fingertips halted over the keyboard. Tilting his head to the side, an inexplicable look flashed across those perpetually detached eyes. “I see.”
He gave a slight nod.
12.30 AM, the car stopped at Qingshui Street entrance.
“I’ve arrived,” Bailian alighted and stood at the side of the street.
Suddenly recalling his attempts to speak yet swallowing the words numerous times tonight.
She took out the last cherry-flavoured candy from her pocket.
Handing it to Jiang Fuli.
“What is it?” Jiang Fuli had also alighted to send Bailian to the alley entrance before going back into the car.
Bailian opened her palm. Placing the red and green wrapped candy on his hand. Under the dim streetlamp, her slender fingers seemed submerged in cool jade.
“The auntie on the bus gave it to me this morning,” Bailian looked up to meet his eyes. An ephemeral yet serious smile. Sincerely, she said, “Thank you for your guidance, Teacher Jiang.”
In her eyes, the people around her were always mere spectators passing through this mundane world.
Even when smiling, it never reached the eyes.
As transient as duckweed. Possibly disappearing with the winds in a moment of carelessness.
Yet her smile now was exceptionally candid. Head slightly raised, her pitch dark almond eyes reflecting the streetlight’s fragmented glow. Languid and lazy, making it difficult for one to not be moved.
Jiang Fuli watched as she clutched her schoolbag turning around to casually wave at him before entering the alley.
He gripped the candy tightly in his palm.
Back in the car, as if recalling something, he took out his phone to send a message —
?Is your lab finally going bankrupt??
A certain Professor was jolted awake from his dreams — ?What??
Jiang Fuli gave a frosty laugh. There was only one placement given out for Jiangjing University’s preparatory class. How is that any different from going bankrupt?
**
The Class 8 form teacher did not sleep the entire night, finishing reading Jiangjing University’s Physics from cover to cover.
He then took photos of every single page.
Chen Zhe went to the office early in the morning to submit assignment books. When leaving, he caught sight of the book on the table and halted in his tracks.
The words on the book were rather clear —
Jiangjing University Physics
Most top scorers who had taken part in competitions had heard of this book. It was written by several highly respected Professors from Jiangjing University Physics Department. Its value was extremely high.
It also contained experimental data from several major domestic laboratories. To prevent it from landing in foreign hands, the book was only circulated internally in Jiangjing University. Control over it was very strict.
The highly arrogant Professor Gao invited by the Ren family was also from Jiangjing University. Meeting him once was difficult. He would only send over the answers for practice questions everyday. Not a word more.
They were extremely deferential towards the Professors from Jiangjing University. None dared speak any further, let alone ask for books.
How did the form teacher obtain this book?
“Teacher,” Chen Zhe stared fixedly at the book in his hands. “May I take a look at this book?”
The Class 8 form teacher was bleary-eyed from pulling an all-nighter. Hearing his request, he simply lifted his head slightly before calmly putting away the book to reject him plainly, “You can’t. This doesn’t belong to me either.”
Chen Zhe was taken aback. He thought it was loaned to the form teacher initially.
Class 8.
“What’s going on?” Ren Wanxuan noticed he was zoning out when she collected his test paper.
Chen Zhe explained what happened to her. Ren Wanxuan gripped the papers tightly. “Are you certain it’s Jiangjing University Physics?”
“Yes,” Chen Zhe nodded.
They had obviously heard of Jiangjing University Physics before.
“Why isn’t Teacher allowing us to see it?” Ren Wanxuan sought confirmation before blurting incredulously after. As the teacher’s treasured students from Class 8, they always had a sense of superiority. Hence she could not comprehend this.
Both her and Chen Zhe never expected there would be a day their form teacher rejected them.
“He probably values it too much. We’ll think of other ways,” Chen Zhe pressed between his brows.
No matter what, they were determined to obtain that book.
That night.
The top scorers’ tutoring class carried on as per usual.
7.30 PM, after the video lesson ended.
The Class 8 form teacher secretly called Bailian out to return her the book while asking her, “Put this book away properly.”
“Mm,” Bailian slowly accepted it back before tilting her head slightly. “I’ll ask Ning Xiao if they want to read it then pass it back to you afterwards.”
The Class 8 teacher’s eyes lit up. “Alright. You may go back now.”
Lecture theatre.
Ren Wanxuan’s group started packing their things to leave early.
Could not keep Professor Gao’s teaching assistant waiting.
Chen Zhe took the chance to glance at the form teacher’s direction. Just as he retracted his gaze, he suddenly caught sight of Bailian beside the teacher.
Bailian had just returned to her seat.
She was keeping a book back into her bag. Typically he would not notice Bailian or what book she was reading. However today, he recognised that book —
It was the Jiangjing University Physics he saw on the teacher’s table this morning.
Chen Zhe deeply inhaled.
An extreme lack of comprehension and disappointment welled up. The Class 8 students enjoyed a higher standing compared to other schoolmates. Hence, he did not understand.
Why?
Their teacher was willing to loan it to Bailian who might not even understand it. Yet refused to loan it to him and Ren Wanxuan?
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