18. It’s settled.
"Xiao Cheng, Xu Wenqiang, do you agree with this compromise?" Fu Dongqing asked.
"Teacher, I have no objection." Xiao Cheng then responded.
"Xiao Cheng, this matter is somewhat unfair to you. Just think of it as assisting the teacher." Fu Dongqing said to Xiao Cheng apologetically, and then glanced at Xu Wenqiang intentionally or unintentionally.
Xiao Cheng immediately smiled sincerely, "Teacher, it doesn't matter whether Xu Wenqiang or I take the math class representative position. Don't worry about it."
Wang Rui tutted her words and said, "What a sensible and good student! I'm a little reluctant to let him go."
"Thank you for the compliment, teacher." Xiao Cheng said modestly, "I hope to have the opportunity to be your class representative in the future."
"Haha, haha..." Wang Rui was tricked and looked at Xu Wenqiang with a dry laugh: "Xu Wenqiang, what about you?" She knew that "top 20" was a bit difficult for Xu Wenqiang, and maybe "top 30" had a better chance, but Fu Dongqing refused to agree.
Xu Wenqiang looked at Xiao Cheng coldly as he pretended to be a perfect student. She thought to herself that she should reject this class representative decisively, and then watched the fake smile on Xiao Cheng's face fall.
"Think about it carefully." But Wang Rui looked at her earnestly and trustingly.
"I, I—"
Xu Wenqiang stuttered. She had always wondered why characters in TV dramas couldn't articulate their own thoughts, allowing misunderstandings and conflicts to arise, harming both themselves and others. She thought, "It's just a matter of saying it, so just say it." But at this moment, under Wang Rui's gaze, holding those pink, tender pieces of fruit candy, the words "I don't want to be" were on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't utter them no matter how hard she tried.
The last time she was looked at like this was in her third year of junior high school. That year, she was stared at like this, and she barely made it into Qingshi No. 1 Middle School.
Fu Dongqing also asked: "Xu Wenqiang, you are the only one left. Do you agree or not?"
Xu Wenqiang perked up and quickly reviewed the situation in her mind. Given her current ranking of last place, unless she was a genius, she wouldn't be able to crack the top 20. So, even if she agreed to this so-called compromise, Xiao Cheng would still be the class representative after the midterm exam. As long as she could get through the two months leading up to the exam, she could continue to be last place.
"Teacher, I have no objection." Xu Wenqiang agreed.
"Then it's settled." Wang Rui patted Xu Wenqiang and extended her hand toward her. "Xu Wenqiang, I wish us a pleasant cooperation."
Xu Wenqiang held Wang Rui's hands with both hands: "Teacher, I will work hard in these two months." She emphasized the three words "two months", not knowing whether Wang Rui heard it.
At this point, Fu Dongqing, the homeroom teacher, said, "Then Xu Wenqiang will temporarily serve as the math class representative." It was clear she was a little disappointed. Perhaps she still hoped Xu Wenqiang would have some self-awareness and reject the proposal outright.
"Also, to reduce unnecessary trouble, please don't announce the 'top 20' matter to anyone in advance," she added.
"What Teacher Fu said makes sense. You two should remember it." Wang Rui also said.
"I understand, teacher."
"Teacher, I understand."
Xu Wenqiang and Xiao Cheng walked out of the office. It was already dark. The corridor was empty except for the two of them.
"Xu Wenqiang, congratulations on becoming the math class representative." Xiao Cheng was naturally in a good mood after getting rid of this class representative.
Xu Wenqiang cursed inwardly, "This villain has found out!" and then replied, "Xiao Cheng, thank you in advance. But after the midterm exam, the position of math class representative will still be yours, and I will congratulate you then."
"It sounds like you're pretty confident you won't be in the top 20 on the midterm exam."
"I still know how much I weigh."
"So what you're saying is, Teacher Wang Rui didn't count? She's been nagging the homeroom teacher for so long just to get you to be the class representative for two months for fun?"
"Don't use Teacher Wang to motivate me. It's useless. Even if I work hard, there's no way I can get into the top 20."
Xiao Cheng and Xu Wenqiang exchanged glances, one nudging the other, and finally, after a few steps, they reached the stairwell. Fu Dongqing's office was on the third floor, and Xu Wenqiang's class was on the first. The light in the stairwell was not as bright as in the hallway, somewhat dimmer, but it carried a touch of old-fashioned warmth.
"Then I hope Teacher Wang won't be too sad. After all, she's really fond of you now and has deep feelings for you." Xiao Cheng's voice echoed in the stairwell. "Look, she only gave you candy, not me."
Xu Wenqiang paused. This so-called compromise was essentially a gamble. Fu Dongqing was the banker, betting on Xu Wenqiang to lose, while Wang Rui was the gambler, betting on Xu Wenqiang to win. But both the banker and the gambler had forgotten that Xiao Cheng was also a stake in the game.
Xiao Cheng turned around, looked up at Xu Wenqiang on the stairs, and said with a smile: "Why, do you feel sorry for me?"
Xu Wenqiang walked down the stairs quickly and said to Xiao Cheng as she passed him, "I'm the last one in the class, so why should I pity you, the top student? In school, grades are king. Do you care about a few candies? Stop pretending. Let's go! It's time for evening study."
Xiao Cheng watched Xu Wenqiang walk down the stairs and put away his smile. Grades are indeed king, but sometimes, a roadblock can suddenly appear, arrogant and overbearing, leaving you flustered and disgraced.
Xiao Cheng and Xu Wenqiang walked into the classroom one after another, causing a burst of whispers in the classroom.
As soon as Xu Wenqiang sat down, she heard an angry shout from the back of the classroom, "What is this?"
Without even looking, I knew it was Gao Zhe. Xiao Cheng must have told him about the math class representative.
As the bell rang for the end of the first evening study session, everyone, both those Xu Wenqiang knew and those she didn't, gathered around eagerly to ask about the matter. By the end of the evening study session, the story had spread throughout the class via small slips of paper, and Xu Wenqiang herself had received several.
Xu Wenqiang couldn't help but sigh that whether they were students from Qingshi Junior High School or Qingshi No. 1 Middle School, they were all the same when it came to "gossip".
In fact, the people around me keep repeating the same old things.
"Oh, Xu Wenqiang, you are the only class representative who is not a class committee member."
"I originally thought Xiao Cheng would be the math class representative, but unexpectedly Xu Wenqiang showed up."
"This only shows how amazing Xu Wenqiang is!"
......
In the end, the meaning is almost the same. How could Xu Wenqiang have deserved to defeat Xiao Cheng and become the math class representative?
This is what Xu Wenqiang finds so troublesome about this class representative. Everyone thinks she's unworthy, so they gossip about her and point fingers at her. And the worst part is, she really isn't worthy, so she can only endure all this gossip and finger-pointing.
Xu Wenqiang was getting irritated when she suddenly remembered that she had a fellow sufferer, Xiao Cheng. So, she glanced over at Xiao Cheng, and her mood instantly improved. There were many more people around Xiao Cheng than there were around her. Sure enough, the best way to lessen pain is to see someone else suffering the same pain, and even more than you do.
Xu Wenqiang was trying to find joy in the midst of misery, but she didn't expect Xiao Cheng to look at her and caught her red-handed.
Xu Wenqiang had no choice but to smile more brightly at Xiao Cheng to hide her malicious smile.
Xiao Cheng looked at Xu Wenqiang, who was smiling at him insincerely across the classroom, and then looked at the people around her. He actually found that Xu Wenqiang's insincerity made him feel much more pleasing to the eye.
As the second evening study session was about to begin, Xu Wenqiang started to chase everyone away. However, no one paid any attention, and the sighs and disbelief continued.
"Xu Wenqiang, you are so lucky."
"Who says it isn't?"
Xu Wenqiang was too lazy to continue procrastinating and just waited for the bell for evening self-study to ring.
But Lin Tong, who had been sitting silently, suddenly laughed and said, "Luck? Xu Wenqiang got full marks in math on the high school entrance exam. If you think she's lucky to be the math class representative, then if I give you that luck, can you get full marks on the high school entrance exam?"
Xu Wenqiang almost applauded Lin Tong.
The bell rang at that moment, and the crowd who were confused by Lin Tong's words dispersed.
After the second evening study session began, Lin Tong remained engrossed in his study, seemingly concentrating on his homework. Xu Wenqiang, like usual, remained quiet and composed, showing no unusual behavior. After a while, someone broke down and started laughing, and the other one, dropping their pretense, joined in.
After laughing, Lin Tong continued to read and do homework, and Xu Wenqiang continued to behave himself. The two of them still looked like classmates as before.
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