Chapter 11: First Place "Why, you want a reward?"...
"2017.10.01 sunny weather"
Dear Y, the distance between you and me is getting closer and closer.
——Excerpt from Tao Shuran’s Diary
*
Tao Shuran has always been known as a good kid by his neighbors since he was young.
On the one hand, it was because she looked too cute, with a pair of almond-shaped eyes that didn't have much attack power, and her eyebrows were full of smiles when she looked at people. On the other hand, it was also because she was too honest.
He is so honest that even his lies can be easily seen through at a glance.
After officially moving to Xikang Road, Tao Shuran met another "good boy" as his neighbor called him - Fu Changpei.
Like her, he listens to his parents, studies hard, and completes his homework on time.
The two of them and the completely out-of-tune Liang Yuanjing are as different as heaven and earth, and are from two different worlds.
So much so that on the day they became friends, even Zhao Yanyun came to ask her in disbelief.
"You mean, you studied with Liang Yuanjing and the others?"
Tao Shuran nodded and decided to sort out the prejudices in the minds of these parents.
"He studies very hard. I've run into him several times when I go to the teacher's office on Sundays."
"Really?" Tao Hongfeng interrupted, "This kid has a face full of peach blossoms. We must be careful and stay away from him."
Tao Shuran realized what his father meant.
She put down her chopsticks and said a little embarrassedly, "Dad, what are you talking about?"
"That's right, our Ranran is not the kind of bad kid who falls in love early."
Tao Hongfeng said, "I've learned that there are only about ten boys in their liberal arts class."
Zhao Yanyun finally felt relieved after hearing this. She quickly finished her porridge and hurried out with her bag.
Tao Hongfeng followed her and shouted, "Have breakfast first."
"It's too late." Zhao Yanyun said, "There's an emergency meeting in the department today. We must arrive before 8 o'clock."
Her figure came and went in a hurry. Tao Hongfeng stood up and cleaned up the dishes by himself, and suddenly he sighed.
"Although your mother really wants you to be a lawyer, I don't think it's necessary. You'll be leaving home early and coming back late every day, and working overtime on weekends."
"Of course, Dad still hopes you can be happy and safe."
Hearing this, Tao Shuran also felt a little melancholy.
He supported his chin and whispered, "But my mother doesn't approve of what I like."
Just like when she was choosing her major in the second year of high school, she had tactfully expressed her desire to study science, but Zhao Yanyun flatly refused.
Zhao Yanyun took her failing physics report card and asked her bluntly, what qualifications do you have to study science?
"I'll study literature, learn law, and become a lawyer after graduation. I also have some connections in this industry."
Zhao Yanyun raised his chin: "Of course, this is the best path I have chosen for you."
“Is this the best way?”
On the way to the examination room, Tao Shuran and Fu Changpei met by chance. She asked him a little puzzled, looking at him with her clear eyes without blinking.
Coincidentally, Fu Changpei's examination room was next to hers.
There were still twenty minutes before the actual exam, and the two of them were standing in the corridor outside the classroom reading.
"It's not the best, but I definitely won't get lost. But in other words, does the best necessarily mean happiness?"
Fu Changpei raised his head and looked at her with gentle eyes, showing rationality and maturity that were rare for her age.
"Do you want to choose the track, or the wilderness?"
Just one sentence from him made Tao Shuran suddenly realize.
Just like the clouds were cleared away, the cloud of sorrow lingering in her heart dissipated.
Tao Shuran curved her eyes and said, "I hope you still get first place today."
"Thanks."
Fu Changpei took out a pen from his pocket and handed it to her: "I'll lend you this pen. I use this pen every time I take an exam. Just think of it as giving you good luck."
Tao Shuran took it with both hands: "May the pen of the god of learning bless me."
*
Maybe Fu Changpei's pen really has miraculous effects.
Tao Shuran performed well in this monthly exam. Although his score was still at the bottom of the class, it was much better than the terrible result in his first placement test.
In the past, schools ranked students by grade based on the results of the baseline test. However, starting from this monthly test, the rankings will be officially determined based on the liberal arts and science subjects.
There are not many students who choose liberal arts in the affiliated high school. Among the more than 1,000 students in the school, only about 300 of them choose liberal arts.
Tao Shuran ranks 196th among these three hundred people.
Compared with before, her grades in the three main subjects of Chinese, mathematics and English have made great progress.
Looking at the report card, Fang Qingyi shouted happily, "Yeah, I'm not last this time!"
Zhao Zhengnian said, "Wow, Jing said he would get first place, and he did. That's so cool."
In the top ten rankings of the age group, Tao Shuran turned his head to look at the science category. Liang Yuanjing's name was at the top of the list, and Fu Changpei was in second place.
There was only one point difference between the two of them, and the competition was very close.
Tao Shuran smiled slightly.
She had always known that he had the capital to be arrogant.
Zhao Zhengnian sighed, "What a beautiful view. It's a pity that Ajing is not here today."
Fang Qingyi asked casually, "Really? Where did he go? I feel like I haven't seen him in the past few days."
"You don't know?" Zhao Zhengnian said, "Their flight class has special training during the National Day holiday, so they won't be attending classes with us."
Tao Shuran fluttered her eyelashes, hiding her regretful mood.
The day when the monthly exam results came out happened to be the last day of September.
Despite the students' protests, the school was merciful and decided to give them a day off for National Day to adjust their condition.
In class, Zhou Wu summarized the results of this month's exam, and praised Tao Shuran and several others for their obvious improvement in grades.
He then waved his hand and rewarded each of them with a copy of the Level 53 exam questions.
Fang Qingyi's mouth twitched and she couldn't speak.
After class, Wen Fangfang took the initiative to find them and handed them a bottle of jasmine tea.
"I'm giving you some drinks."
Fang Qingyi: "Why don't you tell me what's going on first?"
Wen Fangfang looked eager: "I want to join your study group."
"Do you really want to study or is it for Liang Yuanjing?"
Fang Qingyi didn't give her any face and said bluntly, "Sorry, class representative, our group is full, so it's just a 1v1."
"Aren't there five of you?"
"Fang Shiyue just said she wanted to join us this morning."
"It just so happens that it's me and Fu Changpei, Ranran and Liang Yuanjing, Fang Shiyue and Zhao Zhengnian."
Wen Fangfang frowned: "Fang Shiyue from the art class?"
"What's the point of pairing two poor students together?"
She turned her head and glared at Tao Shuran angrily, muttering, "She's such a poor student yet she's still occupying Liang Yuanjing. I really don't know if she likes him."
Hearing this, Tao Shuran's face turned slightly pale.
She wasn't feeling well and didn't want to stay in this place, so she took out some tissues from her bag and went to the restroom at the end of the corridor.
As soon as she closed the door of the cubicle, the voices next to her rang out, lingering around her on both sides, like a nightmare that she could not avoid.
Wen Fangfang was still furious, and at this moment she and her good sister were complaining about her without any hesitation.
"I don't know how this new transfer student hooked up with Liang Yuanjing."
"Did she know Liang Yuanjing's family was rich and did she do this on purpose? I heard that she didn't have a good reputation in Xianyao No. 1 Middle School before."
"She's such a bitch! Everyone knows I like Liang Yuanjing, but she still deliberately doesn't let me in."
Wen Fangfang's good friend also spoke up: "Really? I didn't realize this new guy was so scheming."
Tao Shuran pushed the door open silently without saying a word.
At this moment, all the words stopped abruptly, and Wen Fangfang exclaimed, "I think I'm having my period. What should I do, Zhao Han? I don't have any sanitary napkins with me."
The girl she called Zhao Han said hurriedly, "I'll go find someone to borrow it for you."
"But what should I do since class is about to start?"
Just when I was at a loss, Tao Shuran knocked on the door.
"Wen Fangfang, it's me."
Her voice was unusually calm, as if she hadn't heard any of the rumors.
"I brought sanitary napkins, here they are."
After returning to the classroom, Tao Shuran sat down. On the table was a cup of hot water that Fang Qingyi had just prepared. She smiled gratefully.
Soon, Wen Fangfang also came back.
Her expression was unnatural. She walked up to her and paused, then spoke rapidly.
"Thank you for lending me my sanitary napkins. I'll return the whole pack to you tomorrow. I don't need you to pretend to be nice and help me."
Tao Shuran looked up at her without much emotion.
"It's not because of you, it's just that if any girl were in this situation, I would help as long as I have the energy."
…
After hearing the whole story, Fang Qingyi was furious.
"Zhao Han, I know. The students in the Science Class 4 next door are really awesome. They hide in the toilet and gossip about others."
"Besides, when we formed our study group, we didn't know Liang Yuanjing would join?"
Fang Qingyi said indignantly, "Liang Yuanjing is obviously only together for Fu Changpei's sake. Everyone knows that they have a close relationship and are inseparable."
"If you ask me, you should really go after Liang Yuanjing and make her mad to death!"
Tao Shuran's eyes flashed and his expression changed drastically.
Fang Qingyi stuck out her tongue: "I was just kidding, Ranran."
When I got home in the evening, it was rare for Zhao Yanyun to get off work on time, so the family sat together and had a hot meal.
Tao Hongfeng picked up a chicken drumstick and placed it in her bowl, smiling and saying, "I met your teacher Zhou today. He told me that you made great progress on the test this time, so he asked you to work harder before the college entrance exam."
Zhao Yanyun also looked at his daughter's report card and circled a few things with a red pen.
"It's the same as always. You're too weak in math, physics, and chemistry. Do you want me to hire you for tutoring?"
Before Tao Shuran could speak, Tao Hongfeng said, "How can you have time to attend more cram schools now?"
"Except for the half day off on Sunday, I spend the rest of the time at school. If I'm weak in science, shouldn't I make up for the difference in liberal arts?"
Zhao Yanyun said, "She's not very smart, so she definitely has to work harder than others."
Seeing that another crusade was about to break out, Tao Hongfeng quickly asked Tao Shuran, "Have you finished eating?"
"After you're full, take the warm chicken soup from the kitchen to your classmate's house. He gives you extra lessons every week and he just finished his exams. If you have any questions, ask him."
Tao Shuran said "hmm", avoided his mother's gaze, and hurried out the door.
In Zhao Yanyun's heart, Tao Shuran will always be that child with slightly mediocre talent, not smart enough, and a little clumsy.
Her most common saying is: "The early bird catches the worm."
But this time, she has made a lot of progress compared to the first exam.
As a teacher who has been teaching carefully these days, Tao Shuran opened the door and shared the news with Fu Changpei with some excitement.
She lowered her head and said, "Fu Changpei, do you know? I made it into the top 20 in the class this time!"
Unexpectedly, Fu Changpei's house was dark, but the door was not locked.
Not seeing the threshold clearly, Tao Shuran stumbled on his foot and stumbled forward.
It just bumped into a hot chest.
Liang Yuanjing lowered his head and saw her suddenly rush into his arms, raising her empty hands, a casual smile in her dark eyes.
He said jokingly, "Why, you want a reward?"
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