During the last morning self-study period, Jiang Rang noticed Xu Si searching for something in his drawer. After looking for a while, he pulled out a new exercise book. It was for Physics. Just when Jiang Rang thought he was going to take everything out to search, Xu Si laid the exercise book flat on his desk and started flipping through it.
He turned several pages, unsure where the current lesson was, and randomly opened to a page. He read the first question, but after finishing it, felt like he hadn’t understood anything. He stared at the problems for a long time, then realized: he couldn’t solve any of them. He closed the exercise book. Out of sight, out of mind. Though he recognized all the characters individually, he couldn’t understand them when they were put together.
“Which part don’t you understand? I can teach you.”
Feeling it would be too embarrassing to admit he didn’t understand any of it, and not wanting to appear stupid, Xu Si declined: “I don’t need you to teach me.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
He looked at Jiang Rang then turned back around, seemingly starting to work on his own exercises.
About ten minutes later, Jiang Rang passed him a piece of paper. It was filled with detailed solution steps.
“See if you can understand this? If not, I’ll teach you.”
Xu Si stubbornly said: “I won’t look.”
A few minutes later, he picked up the paper and started reading. Her solution process was very detailed. Though he recognized each formula and had learned them before, he didn’t understand how they worked together.
While he was still studying it, Jiang Rang leaned over. Her voice was gentle: “Which part don’t you understand?”
Xu Si pointed to the steps of the first problem. Jiang Rang immediately started explaining with her pen. Following her logic, Xu Si understood, though some parts still confused him.
Jiang Rang took out her Physics textbook: “I’ll tell you later which formulas are important for the exam, and how they’re derived.”
“Okay.”
Jiang Rang was surprised at how cooperative he was today. She explained the next problem to him and wrote the key formulas for this chapter on scratch paper: “These are the main formulas for this chapter. The next few problems are similar types. Try them yourself first, and ask me if you don’t understand.”
“Okay.”
“English vocabulary is fundamental, for Chinese start with classical texts and poems, math and biology aren’t difficult either.”
As for chemistry, she didn’t like it much either.
“Are you trying to manage me? Little rigid one,” Xu Si said, looking at her serious expression.
“I guess so.”
After speaking, Jiang Rang encouraged him: “Your foundation probably isn’t too bad. You can definitely learn this.”
Xu Si almost asked if she thought he was smart. He looked at her: “So can I ask you whenever I don’t understand something?”
“Of course.”
Jiang Rang didn’t ask why he suddenly wanted to study, but she was happy about it. He used to be a student with excellent grades in his grandmother’s eyes.
A pearl shouldn’t be covered in dust. And he shouldn’t continue living aimlessly. She felt he was meant to be a youth living in the sunshine.
Yang Shikun turned around and was amazed to find Si-ge actually studying. This was more unbelievable than the sun rising from the west.
“Si-ge, what problems are you doing? You’re actually studying?”
Hearing this, Xu Si lifted his head and gave him a look that seemed to say: Get lost.
Yang Shikun shrank his neck: “Si-ge, you keep studying.”
At noon, Xu Si was stuck on those Physics problems. When Jiang Rang had explained them, everything seemed clear, but when he tried solving them himself, he got stuck.
The more he looked, the more frustrated he became. He finally just guessed an answer. Seeing Jiang Rang peek over to look, he covered his exercise book.
Jiang Rang said softly: “Let me see.”
Xu Si reluctantly moved his hand. Jiang Rang glanced at his multiple choice answers – he got three wrong out of four. She pointed at the one math problem he got right: “See, you got this one right! That’s good, just take it slowly.”
Xu Si was quiet for a moment before saying: “That one… I guessed.”
Jiang Rang looked up at him, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled, and said softly: “Everything takes time, don’t rush.”
Looking at her crescent-moon eyes, Xu Si asked what he’d been curious about: “Do you think I’m stupid?”
She had said she liked smart people, so would she think he was stupid?
“You’re not stupid. If I hadn’t paid attention in class for four years, I wouldn’t understand anything either.”
Jiang Rang continued: “Did you not sleep well last night?”
Xu Si remembered what Yang Shikun told him about Jiang Rang asking about him that morning: “Yeah, Yuan Yuan was making noise last night, so I didn’t sleep well.”
“Oh, I see. I thought you didn’t want to talk to me.”
“No,” Xu Si said, then added: “I didn’t not want to talk to you.”
He just suddenly didn’t know how to face her.
Xu Si put his exercise book on her desk: “Teach me, little teacher.”
Jiang Rang smiled: “Okay.”
Jiang Rang guided him through the problem step by step. Following her logic, Xu Si found the solution process suddenly clear. It was like being in a fog and suddenly seeing a lit lamp, giving him direction to continue walking.
In Chemistry class that afternoon, Zhang Runfa had just entered the classroom when he asked: “Students, did you finish yesterday’s homework?”
The class responded with a loud “Yes!”
Yang Shikun: “It doesn’t matter, he never checks.”
The next second: “Put your homework on your desks, I’m going to check.”
Yang Shikun’s book was completely blank. He took it out and put it on his desk but didn’t open it.
Zhang Runfa just walked around: “Most students have completed it, some haven’t. Those who haven’t should listen carefully when I explain the problems and fill them in later. It won’t do if you don’t catch up, students.”
“Okay.”
After explaining a problem, Zhang Runfa asked: “Did you understand?”
“Yes!”
Zhang Runfa nodded and smiled: “If you understood, that’s good. You understand because what I taught was correct.”
Yang Shikun couldn’t help but laugh.
Xu Si pondered these words thoughtfully.
Xu Si wasn’t sleeping or playing with his phone – he was actually paying attention in class. This surprised Zhang Runfa: “Student Xu Si seems quite energetic this lesson. Looks like you’ve been captivated by my handsome charm. Keep it up.”
Xu Si paying attention? The whole class turned to look at him.
Xu Si wore a black hoodie with his school uniform over it. His black bangs covered his forehead. His expression was blank, his eyes extremely cold. His posture wasn’t exactly proper, showing a hint of rebelliousness, but he was looking at the blackboard.
Xu Si was really paying attention in class.
They thought this troublemaker was just having a momentary whim to listen, but in the following classes, Xu Si kept paying attention.
Everyone noticed. This troublemaker seemed to have really started studying.
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