Mr. Jiang, usually with a smiling face, showed even more warmth towards Cen Huai’an.

“Cen Huai’an, come to my office.”

Mr. Jiang poured two cups of water, handing one to Cen Huai’an. “Don’t be nervous. Sit down and we’ll talk.”

Cen Huai’an wasn’t nervous.

He sat as Mr. Jiang instructed, holding the enamel cup with steaming water.

“Cen Huai’an, have you ever had your intelligence tested?”

Cen Huai’an shook his head. “No.”

Mr. Jiang stroked his chin and looked at him thoughtfully. “I suspect you might be a genius with a high IQ.”

Cen Huai’an felt relieved, realizing Mr. Jiang’s intention was this.

He nodded and said, “Teacher, I know. My mom says I’m a genius.”

Chuxia often talked with Cen Huai’an about being a genius, and the family always downplayed her own intelligence.

Mr. Jiang chuckled, “Your mom calling you a genius has no scientific basis.”

Cen Huai’an shook his head. “No need for scientific evidence. I’m the best proof.”

Mr. Jiang was momentarily stunned, then his smile broadened and his look of admiration deepened. “You’re right. Your existence is the best evidence. There’s no one your age in our school who can achieve first place in high school. By the way, both top schools in the capital have junior classes. Have you been there?”

Mr. Jiang clearly knew a lot.

Although he was young, in his twenties, he was very skilled in math, especially in the Olympiad, and had his own methods for managing students, which is why the school assigned him to lead the top class.

Cen Huai’an shook his head. “No, not interested.”

Currently, he had no interest. Like in middle school, he enjoyed his high school life and had no intention of changing it.

Mr. Jiang nodded. “I understand. You can go back now.”

This week, when Cen Huai’an went home, he told Chuxia about Mr. Jiang’s visit.

“Mom, what do you think Mr. Jiang meant?”

Cen Huai’an didn’t understand Mr. Jiang’s intention.

He had only asked those questions and then said nothing more, leaving Cen Huai’an puzzled.

Chuxia thought about it, then asked Cen Huai’an about his homeroom teacher’s character.

After Cen Huai’an described him, Chuxia understood and smiled. “He means no harm. He’s probably just curious to know if you’re a genius and how high your IQ is.”

Cen Huai’an asked, “Is it really that simple?”

Chuxia replied, “Yes, it’s that simple. You’ve described your homeroom teacher as unpredictable. He’s probably just genuinely curious. Don’t overthink it.”

There might also be an intention to prevent a genius from being overlooked, but seeing Cen Huai’an’s lack of concern, she decided to drop her own plans as well.

In the first year of high school, Mr. Jiang only taught the math Olympiad class students and did not allow them to participate in math competitions.

“You haven’t even grasped the basics yet. Don’t talk about rankings; it would be good if you can solve even one problem. I don’t recommend participating in competitions in the second year either. You need to be better at your studies. Our school generally only supports third-year students in competitions.”

Teacher Jiang was speaking on stage when Zhang Lu carefully tugged at Cen Huai’an’s sleeve and asked, “If first-year students can participate in competitions, would you go?”

Cen Huai’an didn’t hesitate for a moment: “No, I won’t.”

He had participated in too many math competitions over the past two years and didn’t want to join any this year, even if there was an opportunity.

Conversely, if there were a Go competition, he would definitely participate.

Zhang Lu said, “I’m the same as you; I won’t participate either.”

Cen Huai’an had become quite good at Go, but since he focused on his studies, Grandpa Jiang only took him to compete during holidays for promotions.

Currently, Cen Huai’an was still at the business level in Go, with Grandpa Jiang preventing him from advancing too quickly.

“You’re still young; advancing too fast can lead to instability in your character, which isn’t good for you.”

But this year was acceptable since there was the high school entrance exam.

Cen Huai’an needed to prepare for that, so Grandpa Jiang let him wait another year to refine his skills.

Cen Huai’an was preparing to participate in some competitions this year and the next because rankings were determined by participation and win rates.

He wasn’t particularly anxious about his rank; what mattered more to him was playing with different people, experiencing various emotions, and honing his mental acuity.

He believed that both Go and math problems complemented each other and could train one’s thinking.

Usually, Cen Huai’an would only participate in many Go competitions during winter and summer breaks, attending fewer during the school year.

However, recently, Grandpa Jiang encouraged him to participate in a city-level competition.

This competition was prestigious, and many of the participants were seasoned young players, making it an excellent opportunity for Cen Huai’an to gain experience.

The competition would begin at the end of October, with matches every Sunday morning at the Youth Palace in the capital.

This wasn’t Cen Huai’an’s first time at the Youth Palace.

Today, he was there for the competition, accompanied by Chuxia, Grandpa Jiang, Zhang Lu, Jiang Weixian, and Jiang Weixi.

Hong Youxuan was also there, participating in the same competition.

At the entrance of the Youth Palace, Hong Youxuan raised his fist and smiled at Cen Huai’an, saying, “An’an, good luck in the competition!”

Cen Huai’an looked at him and raised his hand to bump fists. “You too.”

Although Hong Youxuan maintained a friendly smile, his gaze at the competition venue was intense and assertive.

“An’an, I both hope to face you in the competition and also hope I don’t have to. But if it comes to it, I’d prefer it to be as late as possible.”

Cen Huai’an didn’t have such complex feelings; he was simply thinking about how many strangers he could play Go with in this competition and what new knowledge he could gain.

As they entered the venue, since the competition hadn’t started yet, many staff members were busy checking the tables and boards.

Others were guiding the participants to rest in empty classrooms while waiting for the competition to begin.

Cen Huai’an wasn’t nervous, but Zhang Lu and Jiang Weixian were already swallowing nervously at the busy venue.

“So many people! An’an, are you scared?”

Cen Huai’an shook his head, excitement gleaming in his eyes. “Not scared.”

On the contrary, he was looking forward to the competition, eager to see how his skills compared to his peers and how much he had improved since before.

Zhang Lu admired Cen Huai’an’s mindset; if it were her, she wouldn’t be nervous either.

After all, it was just a game! But around Cen Huai’an and his family, she felt concerned and anxious.

Jiang Weixi, not fully understanding what was happening, held Cen Huai’an’s hand and said, “Brother, don’t be scared! Xixi is cheering for you! You’re the best!”

Cen Huai’an patted her head, feeling more relaxed.

Chuxia and Grandpa Jiang didn’t say much to Cen Huai’an at this moment, as too much conversation could make him more anxious.

Chuxia ruffled Cen Huai’an’s hair and simply said, “Good luck!”

As the competition began, they drew lots.

The opponents sharing the same number would sit at the corresponding table.

What Hong Youxuan worried about didn’t happen; Cen Huai’an’s first opponent was a boy they both didn’t know.

The boy was a bit chubby, and when he smiled, his eyes narrowed into slits, looking harmless like a big white bun.

Cen Huai’an didn’t underestimate his opponent; they greeted each other and sat down, guessing who would play first.

Each move was made at a measured pace.

In Go, one mustn’t be hasty; rushing can lead to mistakes and losses.

Cen Huai’an had never lost when it came to maintaining a calm mindset.

The venue fell silent, with only the sounds of the game breaking the quiet.

Besides the professional judges, anyone else had to wait outside the competition area and could not enter.

Even if Chuxia was worried about Cen Huai’an, she could only tiptoe like everyone else, trying to catch a glimpse of their game.

Jiang Weixi stood out despite her small stature, constantly wanting to see Cen Huai’an.

If she couldn’t, she tugged at Chuxia and Jiang Weixian anxiously.

She wanted to cheer for her brother, but their aunt had said not to disturb the older competitors, so Jiang Weixi tightly shut her mouth, eyes wide open, silently focusing on Cen Huai’an.

Chuxia thought to herself how obedient she was, just like Cen Huai’an when he was little.

Of course, her favorite was still An’an.

At this moment, Cen Huai’an was in great form.

His opponent, the chubby boy, played Go in a way that matched his appearance—seemingly harmless and easy to take lightly.

However, if one underestimated him, they would fall into a deep trap.

Cen Huai’an began to understand his opponent’s playing style, and his own strategy was starting to take effect.

Cen Huai’an remained calm and steady, but his opponent, the chubby boy, no longer looked relaxed and cheerful.

Instead, he was wiping the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, struggling under Cen Huai’an’s layout.

In the end, his efforts were futile. Once Cen Huai’an set up his position, he wouldn’t give his opponent another chance to turn things around, waiting for the final move to secure victory.

The chubby boy glanced at Cen Huai’an and saw that he showed no signs of anxiety or worry, his expression remaining relaxed.

At that moment, the boy’s mentality crumbled.

He placed his piece in the bottom right corner of the board, his face revealing a look of dejection, surrounded by a sense of defeat.

He had thought he would be able to make Cen Huai’an feel challenged for a while, but to his surprise, Cen Huai’an hadn’t found it difficult at all and easily resolved the game, making the boy doubt his own abilities.

Nonetheless, they still exchanged a friendly bow, bringing a perfect end to the match.

The staff recorded Cen Huai’an’s name and the match number, noting that he had won.

“You’re really good,” the chubby boy said, not leaving the match area immediately but turning to Cen Huai’an with a question: “How long have you been learning Go?”

Cen Huai’an replied, “Six years.”

He had started learning at six, so it had indeed been six years.

During this time, Cen Huai’an not only studied diligently but also practiced hard.

The other kids in the research institute’s compound would run away the moment he asked them to play, preferring to do homework rather than face him in games, whether it was Go, Five in a Row, or Checkers—they had been thoroughly beaten.

The chubby boy looked even more disheartened. “I’ve been learning for eight years.”

The realization that there was such a big gap between his skills and Cen Huai’an’s was quite discouraging.

“I won,” Cen Huai’an said, walking over to Chuxia and the others, a hint of excitement in his tone.

This was a great start, suggesting that his upcoming matches would also go smoothly!

Jiang Weixi was jumping up and down in excitement around Cen Huai’an.

Since there were other players still competing, she covered her mouth to keep herself from shouting.

However, her bright, star-like eyes blinked eagerly as she looked at Cen Huai’an, reaching out for him to pick her up.

Seeing her like this made Cen Huai’an smile as he lifted her into his arms.

Jiang Weixi wrapped her arms around his neck, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and whispered, “Brother, you’re amazing! This is your reward!”

Usually, when Jiang Weixi behaved well or did something that Luo Peng and Jiang Zhishu liked, Luo Peng would pick her up and kiss her, saying, “You’re such a good girl!”

Jiang Weixi was imitating that, making Cen Huai’an even happier.

After this round of matches, there was still another game to go.

Cen Huai’an didn’t leave the competition area but took some time to rest backstage and eat a little.

In his second match, he faced a more composed girl who looked slightly older than him.

Most of the competitors at this event were older than Cen Huai’an.

The girl played Go in a completely different style from the chubby boy.

Her approach was gentle, flowing like water, using softness to overcome hardness, entangling her opponent as if trapping them in quicksand.

If you couldn’t escape, you would lose.

Cen Huai’an felt excited about this match; it was more interesting and challenging than playing against the chubby boy.

His style balanced aggression with subtlety, and he was eager to see if he could overpower her softness with his strength.

The two exchanged moves, and the quiet girl cast a surprised glance at Cen Huai’an, pressing her lips tightly together, indicating that this game was indeed challenging.

Outside, Chuxia and the others watched nervously, feeling time crawl by.

They were anxious about Cen Huai’an’s performance, hoping he wouldn’t play poorly and lose the match.

It’s natural to feel that way; although they claimed not to care about winning or losing, they still hoped for victory during the competition.

Cen Huai’an and the quiet girl played for nearly two hours before finishing the game.

Neither of them conceded early; they played to the end, with Cen Huai’an winning by two stones.

She stood up and looked at Cen Huai’an, saying, “I was outmatched. I hope to play with you again next time.”

“Sure,” Cen Huai’an replied, but they both knew that future matches would depend on chance, as it wasn’t guaranteed they would meet in another game.

Having won two matches, especially the last one, which had taken a lot of mental effort, Cen Huai’an sat down to rest after leaving the competition area, closing his eyes to relax.

Chuxia worriedly checked his pulse and was relieved to confirm that he was just tired.

“Drink some water,” Chuxia said as she opened a water bottle and handed it to Cen Huai’an.

Today, there were only two matches.

After a short rest, Cen Huai’an went home with Chuxia and the others, having already advanced in the competition, waiting for the next opportunity to compete.

“An’an, tell me about that last game,” Grandpa Jiang said, having noticed how challenging it had been for Cen Huai’an, indicating he had faced a worthy opponent.

Cen Huai’an nodded and began to explain. Jiang Weixi leaned over the back of her chair, appearing to listen attentively as if she truly understood, occasionally nodding her head.