Chapter 11

Jiang Zhiyu wasn’t in the mood at all. She silently picked up the sandbag and water and set them aside properly.

This grim and tense atmosphere lasted for a long time. Suddenly, Jiang Zhiyu’s eyes lit up—a teacher in a gray shirt and glasses walked toward her.

The teacher who brought her in greeted him respectfully, “Director Li.”

Wait… Li Yude?

Back in school, Li Yude had been her homeroom teacher—and she had been his pride. After all, she had been admitted to Jingbei University with the top score in the country.

Jingbei University was different from Jingbei High School. The university was prestigious nationwide, while the high school admitted any student from Jingbei City.

“Introduce yourself, young lady,” Li Yude said as he walked up to Jiang Zhiyu, adjusting his glasses with the same kind, warm demeanor from her memories.

How times had changed. Li Yude was no longer a teacher, but the head of the Moral Education Department.

Jiang Zhiyu remembered how, on her first day at school, he had also asked her to introduce herself in front of the class. “My name is Jiang Zhiyu. I’m 18 years old. My hobbies are playing ball and swimming. My dream is to be someone who contributes to the country and society.”

Upon hearing that introduction, Li Yude seemed deeply moved. His eyes reddened as he sniffled. “Say your name again?”

“My name is Jiang Zhiyu.” She never imagined that she would one day meet this old acquaintance again. In her previous life, Li Yude had come to visit her near the end, but she hadn’t held on long enough to see him.

Li Yude’s eyes flickered. Hearing the name caused a jolt in his heart. He visibly restrained his emotions, perhaps because the tone and demeanor of this student were just too familiar.

“Why are you here at the Moral Education Office?”

Li Yude spoke calmly, making Jiang Zhiyu feel a twinge of sorrow.

“Because…” So many words were stuck in her throat, she couldn’t get them out.

The teacher who had brought them in stepped forward. “Because she cheated on a math quiz and insulted a teacher!”

“Really?” Li Yude smiled faintly. “And what about the boy next to her?”

The bald teacher grumbled, “He just transferred in and got into a fight!”

“Students at this age tend to be a bit rebellious. It’s normal,” Li Yude said as he sat down and leisurely sipped his tea. He seemed to have moved on from the matter of the girl sharing the same name. “So, the teacher says you cheated. Is that true?”

“Why would I need to cheat?” Jiang Zhiyu looked around at the stern-faced teachers and responded calmly.

The bald teacher got annoyed. “You? I heard from your grade-level teacher that you were near the bottom of the last monthly exam. But today, you finished a ten-question quiz in five minutes. If that’s not cheating, what is?”

Jiang Zhiyu had no good response. “If that’s what you believe, I can’t change your mind.”

“Alright, alright. Let’s not get caught up in this. Each of these kids should write a 1,000-word reflection and then return to class,” Li Yude said reasonably, glancing at the bald teacher and the others present.

The others agreed and went back to their work. “Yes, Director.”

Jiang Zhiyu and Xu Leyun were sent to a small room at the back of the Moral Education Office to write their reflections. The room was surrounded by walls, and mosquitoes and flies buzzed everywhere.

Two students were stationed outside the door as guards.

One of them said, “Hurry up and write!”

The other, a scrawny boy who looked like a monkey, sneered, “Unbelievable. Thanks to these two losers, our gym class is ruined.”

“Damn it, I wanna go out and beat them up,” Xu Leyun muttered, rolling up his sleeves, ready to charge out.

Jiang Zhiyu saw this and shook her head. “Try it and see what happens.”

Xu Leyun held back—after all, they were still in the Moral Ed Office. Instead, he yelled at the students outside, “You two better remember this!”

But it was pointless!

Their threats meant nothing to the two students, who just snorted in disdain.

Xu Leyun gave up and turned to Jiang Zhiyu. “Wow, never thought Sister Yu would be a failing student too.”

Jiang Zhiyu rolled her eyes and teased, “So you’re a student at our school too? I heard you got scared into the hospital during that escape room activity?”

Xu Leyun was embarrassed. He didn’t expect she knew. He tried to bluff, “Nonsense! I just had something urgent at home!”

The two guards outside banged heavily on the iron door. “Keep whispering, and we’ll call the teacher!”

Jiang Zhiyu ignored Xu Leyun and buried herself in her writing.

In the past, she never understood the pain of being labeled a poor student—ignored by teachers and peers, facing constant grievance. But it was because of this that she was determined to work even harder to prove herself.

After finishing her reflection, she handed it to Li Yude and left the office. On her way back to class, the Moral Education bulletin board caught her eye.

A faded photo of her was still posted there. Beneath it were seven words: “Jiang Zhiyu, National Top Scorer.”

She smiled faintly and gently touched the photo—so many feelings welling up inside.

Before her death, the school had been demolished, and many teachers were reassigned.

This was the new campus. She hadn’t expected Li Yude to bring her photo here.

In her past life, she had shone brightly as a top student admired by all. But no one knew she had grown up in an orphanage. For her, excelling in school was the only path to a better life.

She thought she’d be forgotten after death. But unexpectedly, Li Yude had kept her photo and hung it in the most honored spot she once stood.

Inside the office, Li Yude studied her reflection paper carefully. The handwriting was so familiar, the writing style eerily similar. His heart trembled.

But he quickly composed himself and sighed, “A genius like that could never be compared to this failing student.”

At that moment, Xu Leyun also entered the office with his reflection, a chaotic mess of scribbles. Predictably, Director Li was furious.

Seeing that Xu had no real remorse, Li Yude had him continue holding the sandbag and balancing the water as punishment.

Xu Leyun complained loudly about the unfairness!

Why was Jiang Zhiyu allowed to leave, but he had to keep standing?

Just then, as Jiang Zhiyu stood in front of the bulletin board, lost in thought, Lin Yeci came out of the Moral Ed Office and stood beside her.

“Jiang Zhiyu, National Top Scorer,” Lin Yeci muttered, rubbing his chin. “How can two people with the same name be so different?”

Jiang Zhiyu glanced at him calmly. “National top scorer—so what?”

Lin Yeci got annoyed, his face darkening. He quickened his pace and left her behind. “When did you become so arrogant?”

Jiang Zhiyu was confused. She had only been self-deprecating. Why was he so angry?