Last Friday’s quiz results should be out by now. True to the old class teacher Xiang Haibin’s style, he would announce everyone’s scores in class, which felt like a public execution. If someone didn’t do well, they would have to face extra tutoring.

Yang He turned to look at the back row where Xie Ci was sitting, his leg shaking with excitement.

Finally, he was going to have his moment! This time, he would make Xie Ci and Gu Yufeng apologize to him.

“What do you think Xie Ci will score this time?” his deskmate Xu Chao asked the boys in front and behind them.

“This quiz had a third of the questions as basic ones. He’ll be lucky to get forty points.”

“Hehe, I guess he’ll score in the thirties.”

“Then as long as Lao Yang gets a passing score, he’ll totally crush Xie Ci. This bet is too easy to win.”

“No more cleaning duties for a whole semester, how awesome!”

In the last row, Gu Yufeng was getting annoyed by Yang He and his group’s reckless mockery. Even during the toughest years for his family, he had never been humiliated like this.

“Why do you look so down this early in the morning?” Xie Ci asked knowingly, “Still feeling unwell after getting caught in the rain on Saturday?”

“I really am not feeling well,” Gu Yufeng replied, resting his chin on his hand, coldly staring at Yang He, “because of you.”

The class bell rang, and Xiang Haibin walked into the classroom holding the test papers, his expression as serious as ever. “The results of last week’s quiz are out. You should all have a rough idea of how you did, right?”

His words plunged the entire class into a gloomy atmosphere.

Xiang Haibin leaned on the podium, looking at everyone. “This quiz was out of one hundred points, with thirty points for the extended questions and twenty points for the bonus questions. Raise your hand if you’re confident you scored over eighty.”

The class fell silent for two seconds before a few students raised their hands, including Yang He, totaling about ten—very sparse and quite embarrassing.

The others all lowered their heads, afraid to meet Xiang Haibin’s gaze.

“Very good, put your hands down.”

Xiang Haibin maintained a stern face as he began distributing the papers, calling out names one by one. “Fang Sizhe, 116 points… Ning Zhiyuan, 109 points… Zhang Ruochuan, 98 points… Jiang Chenyu, 92 points… Yang He, 81 points…”

Yang He flipped through his paper with satisfaction, unable to resist giving Xie Ci a provocative look from the back row.

This was a score Xie Ci could never achieve in his lifetime. He had it in the bag!

As the names continued, Gu Yufeng and the others grew increasingly anxious. According to Xiang Haibin’s order, the lower the score, the later the name was called. Since Xie Ci’s name hadn’t been mentioned yet, it seemed hopeless.

“Li Sini, 71 points.”

Xiang Haibin handed out the paper. “I have two papers left. Xie Ci, the first one is yours, come up.”

Everyone turned to watch Xie Ci walk to the podium, thinking it was over—he was about to be criticized in front of the class.

Xiang Haibin turned to Xie Ci, looking serious. “How did you find the difficulty of this quiz?”

Xie Ci replied, “It was okay.”

Xiang Haibin frowned, banging on the podium. “What do you mean by ‘okay’? Easy is easy, hard is hard. Don’t brush me off!”

Everyone held their breath.

It was over; the old teacher was furious.

What score did Xie Ci get to make him this mad?

Xie Ci remained unfazed, his expression unchanged. “There were a few tricky questions that could easily trip you up, but the rest were pretty easy.”

This statement sent the entire class into a frenzy.

The difficulty of such quizzes was set according to the overall level of the students in the class. If it was too hard or too easy, it wouldn’t be worth assessing.

Their class had the highest average score in the grade, and they all thought it was difficult, yet Xie Ci said it was easy. Was he really just talking nonsense?

Yang He almost laughed out loud. “Can you stop embarrassing yourself? You probably didn’t even understand the questions!”

The others didn’t speak up, but most were thinking the same thing.

Xie Ci ignored him, but Xiang Haibin raised the paper high. “Xie Ci, full marks.”

After two seconds of silence, the room erupted in chaos.

“Full marks?!”

Jiang Chenyu rushed to the front to check the paper. “Holy crap! Lao Xie really got full marks!”

Zhang Ruochuan excitedly stood up from his seat. “Boss, you finally pulled it together!”

The other students wore shocked expressions.

“Is this for real?”

“This paper can get full marks?!”

“Wait, Xie Ci? How did he do it?!”

“Oh my god, am I still dreaming?”

If they didn’t know the old teacher was strict, they would have thought there was a leak in the exam.

Xie Ci, a slacker for two years, suddenly scoring full marks—who could handle such a shock?!

“Impossible!”

Yang He couldn’t believe it, his face turning ugly. “With his level, how could he get full marks? There must be something fishy going on!”

Xiang Haibin signaled for everyone to be quiet.

“This paper will be posted on the bulletin board after class. If you’re interested, you can go take a look.”

Saying this, Xiang Haibin turned back to Xie Ci. “Why did you leave the bonus question blank? Was it too hard for you to write?”

“There was a bonus question?”

Xie Ci, under Xiang Haibin’s probing gaze, casually replied, “I didn’t see it.”

He had been too busy teasing his ex-husband to pay attention to the test paper.

Xiang Haibin felt a lump of blood stuck in his throat, unable to go up or down.

God knows how excited he was when he got to Xie Ci’s paper, he immediately took it to show off to a few math teachers.

When the group saw the completely blank bonus question, they speculated for a long time, thinking it must have been too difficult for him to attempt.

After all, Xie Ci had been slacking for two years, and it would take time to return to his previous level.

Who would have thought it was just that he hadn’t seen it!!!

“Can you focus during the exam?”

Xiang Haibin was exasperated. “This was just a quiz. What about the monthly tests and mock exams? You didn’t see those either?!”

Xie Ci let him scold him, letting it go in one ear and out the other.

Instead, the other students were breaking down.

If Xie Ci could score a hundred without paying attention, what were they even doing with their lives?

Xiang Haibin admitted he was a bit too excited, calmed himself down, and signaled for Xie Ci to return to his seat.

As Xie Ci turned around, he caught Gu Yufeng’s teasing gaze.

“Are you even trying to fool me?”

Gu Yufeng was both amused and exasperated. “With your level, you want me to tutor you?”

“You’re the one who offered to tutor me,” Xie Ci replied as he sat back down.

Gu Yufeng leaned closer, resting his arms on the back of Xie Ci’s chair. “Is it fun to mess with me?”

Xie Ci looked at him lazily. “This is also your hard work, so cheer up.”

Gu Yufeng: “…”

“Gu Yufeng, the last paper is yours, come up,” Xiang Haibin called out to him.

“I’ll settle this with you later.”

Gu Yufeng stood up and walked to the podium.

Most of the class was curious about this transfer student, thinking he must have scored full marks too.

Xiang Haibin said, “You scored the lowest this time, only twenty points.”

Everyone: “…”

How much?!

“You left the entire paper blank and only did the last bonus question.”

Xiang Haibin handed the paper to Gu Yufeng. “What’s wrong? Didn’t like the questions before?”

Everyone: “…?!”

So, all twenty points were from the bonus question?!

This guy was also a big shot!

“Yeah,” Gu Yufeng replied, too lazy to make excuses.

Xiang Haibin didn’t expect him to follow up on the conversation, leaving him speechless. After a long pause, he pointed at Gu Yufeng’s paper and said, “You even wrote ‘解’ wrong. Write ‘解’ a thousand times and hand it to me!”

Gu Yufeng glanced at him. “…Isn’t this math class?”

Xiang Haibin: “Stop talking back and just do it!”

Xiang Haibin was furious, waving his hand to signal Gu Yufeng to go back to his seat, wanting to avoid seeing him.

Gu Yufeng was equally frustrated.

He had been too focused on Xie Ci’s situation and had only scribbled one question at the end before class ended, never expecting to be punished for it.

High school students still get punished for misspelling words? Is this really necessary?

Back at his seat, he saw his deskmate holding his forehead, shoulders shaking. This scene felt familiar.

Gu Yufeng grabbed Xie Ci’s shoulder and turned him to face him, and sure enough, he was laughing.

“You’re still laughing?”

Xie Ci glanced at the strange-looking ‘解’ on Gu Yufeng’s paper. “You’re the first one to be punished for a misspelled word by Lao Xiang.”

Gu Yufeng: “This thousand-character punishment is also partly your fault; you get half.”

Xie Ci: “I can write ‘解.'”

Gu Yufeng: “Aren’t deskmates supposed to help each other out?”

Xie Ci: “Should I buy you some pig brains to help you out?”

Gu Yufeng: “…”

Damn.

After class, Zhang Ruochuan and the others gathered around, playfully ruffling Xie Ci’s hair, getting overly excited.

Seeing Gu Yufeng resting his chin on his hand and not saying a word, Zhang Ruochuan couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong with Lao Gu? Not happy after being criticized? Lao Xiang has that temper; you’ll get used to it.”

Xie Ci said, “He’s practicing writing, don’t disturb him.”

Fang Sizhe, standing nearby, said, “…”

Saying that would only add fuel to the fire, right?

Sure enough, Gu Yufeng turned to pinch Xie Ci’s chin, his thumb brushing over his lips, his voice low and serious. “If you say one more word, I’ll kiss you.”

Xie Ci: “…”

This little brat really can’t take a joke.

Zhang Ruochuan and the others: “…?!”

What a terrifying threat!

“Xie Ci, come here for a moment,” Xiang Haibin said as he walked to the back door, patting Xie Ci before turning to leave.

“What’s he up to now? Didn’t he teach you enough in class? Is he calling you to the office to continue?” Jiang Chenyu complained.

As Xie Ci left the classroom, he quickly saw Xiang Haibin hurrying out of the office, holding a takeout box, looking around like a thief, and quickly stuffing it into Xie Ci’s arms. His stern face from class was replaced with a smile. “Take it back to the dorm, don’t eat it in the classroom.”

Xie Ci was confused as Xiang Haibin sent him back to class.

Zhang Ruochuan and the others waited for Xie Ci to return, crowding around to see the takeout box in his arms, and when they saw what it was, they burst into laughter.

“Braised pig brains?! Hahaha…”

Xie Ci: “…”

His head hurt.

Gu Yufeng glanced over, dragging out his voice in a teasing tone. “Looks like Lao Xiang has high hopes for you.”

Xie Ci replied, “He said we should share it.”

Gu Yufeng: “…”

Jiang Chenyu saw Yang He huddled in his seat and walked over to grab his head. “Weren’t you so arrogant before? Why are you quiet now? According to our agreement, you’ve already lost to Lao Xie. Shouldn’t you keep your promise?”

Yang He had never considered losing, let alone what to do if he did.

Doing Xie Ci’s cleaning duties for a semester was the least of his worries; the images of him mocking Xie Ci kept flashing in his mind, making him feel like a clown—so stupid.

“Speak!” Jiang Chenyu urged, banging on his desk.

“I’ll do it!”

Yang He’s face turned red as he blurted out, “What’s so great about scoring full marks?”

Immediately regretting it, he felt the strange looks from those around him.

Most of the class couldn’t score full marks, and that statement was like mocking everyone, including himself.

Xie Ci’s paper was posted under the bulletin board by Fang Sizhe, and many people gathered to look, discovering that his problem-solving approach was quite different from what they learned in class. They secretly took photos to share in their study group.

As a result, within a day, news of Xie Ci scoring full marks spread throughout the entire high school.

In a key provincial school like this, scoring full marks might not be that surprising, but the protagonist this time was Xie Ci—the one who had been scolded for two years, whose grades were terrible, and who was always fighting—the fallen academic god!

This made everyone think twice.

If Xie Ci could score full marks, did that mean he had been pretending for the past two years? And why would he pretend?

Moreover, his sudden return to his previous level would inevitably impact the grade rankings and compete for spots in various subject competitions.

For the top students, this would be quite a challenge.

During evening self-study, a student who went out to get water returned and told Xie Ci someone was looking for him.

Xie Ci went out and saw his aunt Ye Yuru standing in the hallway with a bag.

“Is there something you need?”

Ye Yuru frowned, softly scolding, “You child, why are you so cold to your aunt now?”

Xie Ci noticed many students in the class were watching them and immediately understood her intention.

She just wanted to embarrass him in front of everyone.

To make him unable to mix in outside, so they could control him.

Not listening to her finish, Xie Ci turned to leave.

“Hey, wait a minute.”

Ye Yuru grabbed Xie Ci’s arm, raising her voice a bit. “I haven’t finished speaking. Why have you become so rude?”

Xie Ci said coldly, “Let go.”

Meeting Xie Ci’s icy gaze, Ye Yuru was startled and instinctively released her grip, softening her tone. “Even if you’re upset with the family, you can’t not come home, right? Where did you go last weekend? An internet café or KTV?”

Students sitting near the door saw this and stood up to close the door, trying to block the other students’ view, not wanting Xie Ci’s private matters to be exposed too much, but Xie Ci stopped them.

“But…” the student hesitated, glancing at Ye Yuru.

“Thank you, it’s fine.”

Xie Ci looked back at Ye Yuru. “I’ve made myself very clear. You’re not my guardian. Out of blood relation, I won’t do anything to you, but please stay away from me in the future.”

His tone was flat, but the meaning behind his words was quite rude.

Ye Yuru’s expression changed, and seeing she couldn’t suppress him, her nose turned red as she choked up. “Do you know how worried I am about you? The weather is getting cold, and I’m afraid you’ll catch a cold, so I specially brought you clothes. Is this how you talk to me?”

Xie Ci replied, “You came to find me not because you’re worried I’ll catch a cold, but because my dad hasn’t sent money to your card on time this month, right?”

Her intentions were directly exposed, and Ye Yuru’s expression stiffened. “What money?”

“You’re afraid I won’t go back, and my dad won’t send money anymore.”

Xie Ci continued, “Chen Zhanpeng transferred to a private school and needs money, so you can’t lose me as a cash cow.”

Ye Yuru’s eyes turned red. “How can you think of me like that?! I’m your aunt!”

Xie Ci’s expression remained indifferent. “You’re just my aunt, not my mom. My mom isn’t dead yet. Do you enjoy meddling in other people’s children’s lives so much?”

Ye Yuru seemed to be hit by something, her face suddenly turning red as she raised her hand to hit Xie Ci. “Shut up!”

“Hello!”

Xiang Haibin hurried over from the office.

Ye Yuru paused, quickly greeting Xiang Haibin.

After a few pleasantries, Xiang Haibin brought up the quiz.

Before he could finish, Ye Yuru jumped in, saying apologetically, “Xiao Ci has been spoiled by us since he was little, and he has a wild temper. We don’t expect much from his grades; we just hope he can graduate from high school smoothly.”

“Is that so?”

Xiang Haibin scrutinized her, his expression strange. “But he scored full marks this time.”

Ye Yuru’s eyes widened in shock, unable to hide her expression. The astonishment and anger in her eyes were clear to both Xiang Haibin and Xie Ci.

“He, he scored full marks?”

Xiang Haibin nodded. “As soon as he moved into the dorm, his grades improved, which shows that the learning environment has a significant impact on him. What I mean is, since he likes living in the dorm, let him stay. We’ll keep a close eye on him, and you don’t need to worry too much.”

Ye Yuru was speechless for a long time, finally managing to say, “He can’t just not come home in the future, right?”

Xie Ci replied, “I have a home, and I will return.”

In the end, Ye Yuru was persuaded by Xiang Haibin to leave, and the clothes she brought couldn’t stay either.

After returning to the office, Xiang Haibin pondered for a moment, opened his notebook, and picked up the phone to dial a number.

“Hello? Hi, I’m Xie Ci’s homeroom teacher. May I ask if you are his father?”

In the classroom, Gu Yufeng watched the entire process through the window.

Leaning against his chair, he drew the last stroke of ‘解’ on the paper, his expression cold.

He had thought that Xie Ci was being mistreated and bullied by his cousin, but from the current situation, it seemed far from the whole truth.

It was likely that this family had been tormenting Xie Ci both mentally and physically for a long time.

Xie Ci, considering their blood relation, wanted to let them off the hook.

But he had no such concerns.