Chapter 12: Chapter 12: You Look So Beautiful When You Smile
There was nothing unusual about the first day of school.
The morning began with a self-study session.
Zhao Yi took out his math textbook, spent a Study Coin to enter the "Focus Mode," and began memorizing and understanding math formulas.
He finished the last page of the first-term math textbook for the first grade, answered several simple questions correctly after digesting and understanding the content.
Zhao Yi took a light breath.
Time to switch to physics!
Math and physics formulas, as well as theorems, needed to be relearned first!
Subjects with more memorization, like biology and chemistry, took longer to relearn, so they were pushed back.
This wasn't difficult.
The memories from high school were still there. All Zhao Yi needed to do was match them to the textbook knowledge, excavate them, and do practice problems later to restore his high school level.
"Zhao Yi!"
"Zhao Yi!"
His arm was nudged.
With a start, Zhao Yi looked up to see Teacher Sun standing on the podium.
The classroom was silent.
Zhao Yi nodded at Sun Liang without looking back at his textbook.
Teacher Sun stood on the podium with a serious expression, "I have an announcement to make. The day after tomorrow, which is Saturday, the third-year students will have exams!"
"This exam includes only four subjects: math, Chinese, English, and the combined science paper, composed of physics, chemistry, and biology. It will be like a mock College Entrance Examination!"
"Ah~~"
The classroom was filled with wails.
No one expected an exam to be announced on the first day of school.
Teacher Sun continued, "This exam is crucial as it determines class placement. The top 100 in the whole school will be eligible to join the elite class. The elite class will be divided into Class A and Class B, specifically aimed at explaining difficult problems."
"I hope everyone takes the exam seriously, especially those who rank around tenth in the class. If you want to get into the elite class, you'd better perform well!"
Teacher Sun's tone changed, comforting the students, "However, don't be discouraged if you don't make it to the elite class. There will still be opportunities in the future. The elite class will occasionally attend joint classes, and normal classes will not be disrupted..."
"@￥#%..."
Zhao Yi looked dazed, reminiscing about the elite class.
The school policy apparently treated all students equally without distinguishing based on academic performance or dividing classes.
However, that was not the case.
Mixing top students and struggling students in the same class seemed equal but was unfair to the top ones. It wasted their time since they already knew most content and didn't need to listen to lectures.
To improve entrance rates and quality, establishing an elite class was necessary.
No. 13 Middle School set up an elite class, claiming that it was for occasional joint classes. In reality, once the true elite classes were established, only new classes were held in the original class. Elite classes were separate at other times.
Zhao Yi had initially made it into the elite class but barely squeezed into Elite Class B. Afterward, he ranked 120th or so in the whole school during an exam and was kicked out of the elite class.
That was a bit embarrassing.
Recalling the experience, Zhao Yi felt frustrated and constantly encouraged himself, "I must get into Class A! I must get into Class A!"
After self-study, the classroom was bustling again.
Everyone discussed class placement. Those ranked around tenth in the class were the most nervous. With six science classes, students aimed to rank within the top 15 in the class to be among the top 100. To get into Elite Class A, they needed to be in the top eight.
Zhao Yi's original performance hovered between the 10th and 15th place in the class.
Now...
Zhao Yi was slightly unsure, but striving hard to study couldn't be wrong.
Keep working hard!
For chemistry, he studied the textbook and memorized equations; for biology, he memorized the textbook and watched experiments.
For physics and math, he listened to lectures and memorized formulas.
For Chinese, he slept.
For English, he slept.
Zhao Yi strictly scheduled his entire day. Even during breaks, he studied diligently. Sun Liang was surprised by his effort and asked incredulously, "Are you sick or something?"
"Need to go to the bathroom?"
"NO!!!"
A mocking smile appeared on Beautiful Lin's face, "Only getting serious now that you know about the placement exam?"
"Nosey!"
"Humph!"
Others didn't see it that way.
During the second period of Chinese class, Teacher Wang slyly mocked the sleeping Zhao Yi, "Some people just don't make progress, no matter what they're told! The placement exam is just around the corner, but they've given up with this attitude!"
Zhao Yi acted as if he hadn't heard the remark.
As an adult, he had his own thoughts and study plans. He wouldn't waste unnecessary time just because of a teacher's attitude.
Language classes had the lowest efficiency in improvement. Focus on reading comprehension and problem-solving techniques was sufficient.
The bell for the big break rang.
As Zhao Yi continued to study, the class suddenly became lively as students rushed out.
"Ah? What are they doing?"
"Broadcast calisthenics!" Sun Liang replied matter-of-factly, "It's the first day of school, so we probably need to line up. We'll be at the far west side."
Oh, there was this event!
Zhao Yi followed the crowd out of the classroom, lined up in the hallway, then slowly headed for the playground.
The playground was chaotic on the first day of school. First-year students had to find their spots, and second and third-year students had to move. It took 20 minutes for everyone to settle down.
Then, everyone did eye exercises together.
"Not bad!"
Zhao Yi mingled in the queue of Class 3, relieved that he didn't make a fool of himself by doing radio exercises.
He really couldn't do them!
[Physical exercise, Study Coin +1.]
An unexpected joy!
By the time they returned to the classroom, it was almost time for the next class. Zhao Yi simply put down his book and half-lay on his desk, glancing at his classmates and silently going over their names again.
"Luo Rui, Wang Meijuan, Zhao Liang, Sheng Zhenhua, Ruan Hailong, Shen Liang, Wang Yuan..."
He had almost remembered them all.
Lin Xiaoqing was holding a thick book, reading it with words on her lips.
"What are you reading? Something extracurricular?"
Lin Xiaoqing showed the book cover. The book was called "Extracurricular Knowledge Contest Questions Collection".
"What's the use of reading such a book?" Zhao Yi immediately lost interest.
Lin Xiaoqing gave him a dissatisfied look and then turned the page to ask, "In the following, which one is not from the Three Kingdoms story? A. The Battle of Red Cliff; B. Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage; C. Debate with the Group of Scholars; D. Apologizing with Jing."
"D."
Zhao Yi just didn't use the Causality Law, he simply answered directly.
Lin Xiaoqing, somewhat unwilling, asked, "This question, what are the 'Four Treasures of the Study' in ancient China?"
"Brush, ink, paper, inkstone!"
"In learning and life, which famous saying motivates you when you encounter difficulties?"
"Go against the current or regress?"
"There's always someone better, there's always a higher sky, teaching people not to be complacent?"
"Youth doesn't know how precious time is, getting old realizing...cough, cough, that's too easy, give me something harder!" Zhao Yi quickly changed the subject.
Lin Xiaoqing gritted her teeth and asked like a gambler, "Then what's the courtesy name of Tao Yuanming?"
Zhao Yi thought and asked, "What are the options?"
"A. Yen-he; B. Zijian; C. Yuanliang; D. Deshi."
Zhao Yi grinned and replied, "It's C, Yuanliang, I remember now."
Lin Xiaoqing stared at Zhao Yi for a long time, then turned her head with an unwilling look in her eyes, and muttered angrily, "What's the use of knowing all these things! You have bad grades! You can't get into the elite class!"
"You!"
Zhao Yi hurriedly patted his chest, not bothering to argue with a little girl!
"Ulla Ulla~~!" Strange tunes came from the side.
Sun Liang was listening to music.
Zhao Yi quickly grabbed Sun Liang and asked, "What song?"
"Jay Chou!"
Probably because someone appreciated it, Sun Liang's humming grew louder.
Zhao Yi painfully covered his ears, pulled off Sun Liang's headphones, and shouted angrily, "Stop singing, or I'll cough up blood!"
Sun Liang looked indignant.
Lin Xiaoqing suddenly turned and said, "I think Sun Liang sings well, why don't you give it a try? I've never heard you sing."
"Not singing!"
"Definitely tone-deaf!" Lin Xiaoqing mocked.
Zhao Yi suddenly leaned forward, almost bumping his mouth against Lin Xiaoqing's face.
Lin Xiaoqing blurted out annoyedly, "What are you doing!"
"Come on, Beautiful Lin, give me a smile!"
Zhao Yi made a funny face.
"Huh?"
Lin Xiaoqing's little mouth involuntarily curved into an arc.
Zhao Yi quickly hummed a few times, "You look so beautiful when you smile, like a spring flower~~~"
Lin Xiaoqing's face turned red instantly, and she turned away shyly. After a while, she came to her senses and suddenly got angry.
What was going on? She had been distracted by his singing!
Damn Zhao Yi!
Lin Xiaoqing immediately turned around, her eyes sharp, and said, "Zhao Yi, are you aware of the upcoming exams? The class-placement exam! After that, we won't be in the same class! You'll be in the ordinary class, looking at us with envious eyes as we go to the elite class!"
"Yeah, us, me too!" Sun Liang suddenly sided with Lin Xiaoqing.
"Traitor!"
Zhao Yi looked at Sun Liang and then at Lin Xiaoqing.
Damn it!
Looking down on people!
Zhao Yi seriously said, "Watch! I'll get into the elite class! Elite Class A!"
Two pairs of mocking eyes faced him.
"Wanna bet?"
"Bet on what?" Lin Xiaoqing disdainfully asked.
Zhao Yi looked up and down at Lin Xiaoqing, his eyes mischievous, and said, "Let's bet on one thing. If I can get into Class A, you'll promise me one thing, anything that can be done. And vice versa."
"Deal!"
Lin Xiaoqing didn't hesitate, "And don't back out!" She even took out a piece of white paper, folded it in half and wrote down the betting contents separately.
"Sign it!"
"One copy for each of us, keep it separately!"
"Me too."
Sun Liang weakly added, feeling like he was just an attachment.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone