"I actually spend the least amount of time on math. But I do a few challenging problems every day, and I also do the same problem repeatedly to see if I can come up with a simpler solution."

For history and politics, I memorized all the points the teacher highlighted, and I usually carried newspapers and historical biographies in addition to textbooks.

I'm not smart; my achievements today are the result of hard work.

This is based on my experience, and I hope it will be helpful to everyone.

Okay, that's all I have to say.

Another round of enthusiastic applause followed. Just as Zhang Hongmei was about to step down, a male student suddenly spoke up, "Zhang, I'd like to ask you, could you leave us all your notes and books?"

"No problem, I will give it to the principal. Mine may not be suitable for you, please take it as a reference."

Zhang Hongmei retreated to Liu Jingze's side and breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's good." Liu Jingze genuinely thought Zhang Hongmei's words were quite right.

"Alright, your role models are standing here. They taught you a lesson today. I especially like Zhang Hongmei's saying, 'The harder you work, the luckier you get.' I hope that some of you will be standing here next year. Okay, everyone, go back to the classroom."

Zhang Hongmei walked at the back. "Principal, the address on my admission notice is the school's address. Please help me check it. I will ask my fellow villager to come and pick it up on the evening of the 27th or the morning of the 28th. He will come over in a little while so you can recognize it."

"No problem, it's a piece of cake," the principal readily agreed.

As soon as I stepped out of the school gate, I saw the mountains.

“Hongmei, I’ll go home and get it myself. You take Dashan to the principal.”

"Okay, be careful riding your bike over. Also, my notes and books are in my bag, bring them with you."

"It's alright, don't worry."

Liu Jingze said goodbye to Dashan and then left.

"Hongmei, why did Brother Jingze leave?"

“He went home to get the thank-you gifts I gave to the teachers. Come on, I'll take you to the principal. It's getting dark, and you still need to go back.”

"It's okay, I'm nearby."

Zhang Hongmei took Dashan to the principal and introduced them. That resolved a large part of the issue.

Zhang Hongmei and Dashan came out just in time for the first year of high school to finish school.

"Red plum, red plum!"

"Song Zigan, are you out of school?"

"Well, congratulations! I knew you would do very well on the exam. Looks like I need to work harder. I hope I can get into the Capital University too."

"Then good luck, I'll be waiting for you at Capital University."

"By the way, weren't you supposed to come to the school tomorrow to check your grades and fill out your college application? Why are you here today?"

"It's nothing, I just want to go home, today is fine too."

"When are you going to the capital? Will we be able to see each other again?"

"I'll be here on the sixteenth. Come to my house for dinner tonight?"

"Okay!"

"You should hurry home. It's getting dark, and the elderly at home must be worried."

"Okay, I'll come to your house at 5 p.m. on the 16th."

Zhang Hongmei waved to Song Zigan and said, "Take care on the road."

Da Shan looked at Zhang Hongmei with amusement and said, "Why do I feel like you're his elder?"

"Go away, he's two years older than me. Brother Dashan, you'd better go back quickly, or there won't be any food left."

I don't trust you to do it yourself.

"Hehe, what's there to worry about? I'll go in and find my teacher in a bit. Let's go."

After much persuasion from Zhang Hongmei, Dashan finally left, and Liu Jingze should be home by now.

She didn't dare to approach Chen Sheng; he was probably still eating at this hour, so she decided to wait at the entrance for a while.

After waiting another fifteen minutes, Liu Jingze rode over on his bicycle.

"Why didn't you go inside to wait for me? It's so cold outside." After saying that, he reached out a hand and touched Zhang Hongmei's face.

Zhang Hongmei instinctively tried to dodge, but Liu Jingze still managed to touch her.

"Look, your face is freezing cold."

Zhang Hongmei smiled awkwardly, thinking to herself, "Why did you get handsy?"

Liu Jingze was a little unhappy, but then he thought it was a good thing. It was good to have a sense of danger, but it wasn't so good if that sense of danger was directed at him.

"Come on, let's hurry inside, or we'll be too late going back." Liu Jingze pushed the cart ahead.

When they arrived at Chen Sheng's dormitory, Chen Sheng had just finished eating. Upon seeing the two of them, he didn't waste any words and directly led them to visit the three teachers in turn.

First, we arrived at the math teacher's house. This middle-aged male teacher, who wore glasses, was still excited. The principal told him that only Zhang Hongmei had gotten a perfect score in math.

How could he not be proud and excited? His wife and children at home were speechless, so they just let him talk to himself to his heart's content.

Hearing the knock on the door, the children rushed to open it. Thank goodness, someone had finally come to their rescue.

"Teacher Chen, come in quickly."

"Okay, where's your dad?"

"He was excited inside, his students had brought him honor, and we had become the objects of his dislike, and he was lecturing us."

"Old Chen? Zhang Hongmei, what brings you here? Please come inside and sit down. And Liu Jingze, please come in too."

Liu Jingze greeted the teacher with a smile, "Teacher, I won't go in, you can go ahead and do your work."

Chen Sheng pulled the math teacher into the house, and Zhang Hongmei took the food that Liu Jingze handed to the teacher and followed him inside.

After putting down the food bag, Zhang Hongmei said to her math teacher, "Teacher, thank you for your tolerance and care this past year. This is a small token of my appreciation, please accept it."

"No, you've had a tough life yourself, how can I accept your gift?"

"Old Lin, please don't refuse. This is the child's heartfelt gift. I still need to take her to her Chinese teacher's house."

"Teacher, this is truly a token of my appreciation, please don't refuse it."

"Okay, thank you."

Chen Sheng took Zhang Hongmei to the Chinese teacher's dormitory.

After Chen Sheng and the other two left, the math teacher watched his wife sorting through the gifts Zhang Hongmei had brought, and then started nagging about how his child wasn't studying hard enough.

Zhang Hongmei arrived at her Chinese teacher's home. The teacher lived alone in her dormitory, while her children and husband were in their hometown, waiting to return the day after tomorrow.

Zhang Hongmei also bowed in gratitude.

The Chinese teacher didn't refuse too much. Her usually expressionless face showed a smile today, though it was faint, but it was clear that she was genuinely happy.

The history teacher also lived in the dormitory by herself. She was much more outgoing than the Chinese teacher. Knowing it was late, she didn't say much and told Zhang Hongmei to write to her when she had time.

At the principal's house, things were even easier. The principal smiled and accepted the gift, handing Zhang Hongmei an old-looking wooden box. "This is the Four Treasures of the Study that my mentor gave me. I've never been willing to use them, but I'm giving them to you today. I hope you can achieve your goals in the future."