Chapter 2: An Eighteen-Year-Old High Schooler
In a blink of an eye, more than half of the last afternoon self-study session was over.
On the podium, Wang Qingtao glanced at the time, and when there were ten minutes left until class ended, he had everyone collect the test papers.
"Don't delay your meal, hand in your papers now."
As soon as these words were spoken, the originally quiet classroom instantly erupted in cheers.
Xu Ming's thoughts were interrupted by the noise. He stopped flipping through his book and looked up towards the podium.
Wang Qingtao looked quite young. Although he wasn't very tall, he didn't have problems like nearsightedness or presbyopia. As the most popular math teacher in school, he left a very deep impression on Xu Ming.
While he was thinking these thoughts, the next second, he heard someone call his name.
"Xu Ming, hand in your paper."
He glanced sideways, seeing a face wearing glasses.
He quickly recognized the other person as his class monitor, Li Wenhui. Because of his mature appearance and thick beard, he was privately nicknamed 'Little Class' by everyone.
He felt a bit awkward, remembering he had only answered a few multiple-choice questions on the paper.
He awkwardly pulled it out from under his book and asked, "I don't need to hand in this blank paper, do I?"
"That won't do," Li Wenhui said, brooking no argument as he took the paper.
Qian Hong, beside him, was dumbfounded. He had gone to great lengths just to fill his test paper completely; how could he have imagined Xu Ming would actually dare to hand in a blank paper?
He was stunned for about two seconds, then finally gave a thumbs-up.
Xu Ming returned an eye-roll.
He didn't think it was a big deal, after all, he hadn't gained nothing.
Looking at the panel, at the Math subject which had already gained 35 experience points, he felt his fighting spirit soar.
"Don't just stand there gawking," he said, standing up to remind Qian Hong. "If we don't leave now, we'll have to fight with the juniors for food." He waved the stainless steel lunchbox he had just pulled from his desk.
According to school tradition, the third-year high school classrooms and dormitories were all moved to the first floor to avoid climbing stairs, and meal times were also staggered by ten minutes to avoid crowds.
But because third-year students had limited meal time, if they went late, they would have to fight with the juniors for food and would most likely be hungry for several evening self-study sessions. Therefore, from the moment they left the classroom, it became a 100-meter dash for both boys and girls.
It was a disguised way of filling the void left by third-year students not attending morning exercises.
Xu Ming couldn't remember when he last ran, but at this moment, he only felt how good it was to be young.
"Youth is priceless!"
Feeling the vitality returning to his body, the campus environment rapidly receded in his vision.
It was both familiar and strange.
Everywhere his gaze fell, the most eye-catching sights were the various banners about the Gaokao on the walls of the teaching building.
He only took a brief glance before retracting his gaze, but when he passed by the full-length mirror in the comprehensive building's hallway, he couldn't help but stop and turn to look.
His reflection in the mirror was sunny and handsome, a standard male high school student. His thick hair, which hadn't been cut in nearly two months, made him feel incredibly at ease.
Not nearsighted.
No uneven shoulders.
Around 1.7 meters tall, he would still grow a few more centimeters by the time he went to university.
Although Xu Ming wasn't particularly narcissistic, faced with this situation, he really couldn't keep his lips from curving upwards.
"A bit thin," he muttered. Just as he was about to step away, his peripheral vision noticed a digital perpetual calendar hanging in the upper right corner of the mirror.
February 24th, 2006, Friday.
102 days left until the Gaokao.
Dongping No. 1 High School's focus was entirely on the Gaokao. Teachers and students did not participate in the annual five major subject competitions. To ensure the school's undergraduate admission rate increased year after year, their teaching philosophy evolved from an initial 'hundred-day sprint' into a 'three-hundred-day countdown to the Gaokao,' which they actively promoted to all senior high schools in the city.
Recalling the origin of this information screen, Xu Ming's heart stirred slightly.
"Only a little over three months left?" he murmured softly, but his gaze didn't linger, only treating it as a small interlude.
Qian Hong went with Xu Ming to the cafeteria to get food. He didn't find it strange that Xu Ming was being vain at this moment; after all, which boy in their class didn't have a small mirror?
However, seeing that Xu Ming actually turned his head and was about to leave, his face immediately filled with doubt.
He quickly chased after him and asked, "Aren't you waiting for Zhang Yingxin?"
"Why would I wait for her?" Xu Ming casually retorted, his steps not faltering.
Hearing this, Qian Hong's face was full of gossip. "That's not right, did you two break up?"
"We were never together." Xu Ming paused, immediately turning his head to clarify, his tone decisive.
Before the arts and sciences split in the first year of high school, Zhang Yingxin was his deskmate. Because she was good-looking and mature, she was very popular among the boys in class. Perhaps due to the 'near water pavilion gets the moon first' effect, she frequently showed him affection, even suggesting she adopt him as her younger brother.
After this matter spread in the class, who knows how many boys secretly felt jealous.
However, when he officially expressed his feelings and wanted to formalize their relationship, Zhang Yingxin rejected him, citing the school's ban on dating.
She said they should talk about it after graduating high school.
He chose to support her decision.
From then on, as an ordinary classmate, he often helped her get food and wash her dishes, showing his devotion.
Even after the arts and sciences split, he remained steadfast.
This caused his monthly living allowance of 150 yuan to be stretched extremely thin.
Even his grades, after being assigned to a regular science class, gradually slipped to a mid-level rank in the class.
After the Gaokao ended, to be able to attend the same university as Zhang Yingxin, he disregarded his parents' objections, gave up a second-tier university, and chose the private third-tier university she applied to.
But the final outcome was, as soon as freshman military training was over, Zhang Yingxin changed her QQ signature to:
"So glad to have met you, the years are long, and I'm willing to accompany you through this journey."
And soon after, she and a boy from their class whose family was in the city both dropped out.
To get married because she was pregnant.
From then on, his heart was sealed, and he put all his energy into his studies. He received school scholarships, had his high tuition fees waived, and after graduation, successfully got into Yanjing University for a master's degree in Materials Science.
Thinking of these foolish things from his previous life, Xu Ming had the urge to slap himself.
He shook his head to calm himself and quickened his pace towards the cafeteria.
...
Dongping No. 1 High School's cafeteria had two floors, and students needed to bring their own utensils.
Unfortunately, because there were no tables and chairs inside, after getting their food, they could only find a spot and squat on the ground to eat.
Some third-year high school students even ate while walking to save as much time as possible.
Because Wang Qingtao collected the papers on time, Xu Ming and Qian Hong arrived at the cafeteria and found that not many people were currently getting food. They quickly went to queue up, spending thirty cents on steamed buns and a yuan on dishes for the two of them to share.
And topped it off with a bowl of porridge for fifty cents.
Before the arts and sciences split, Qian Hong was already Xu Ming's deskmate, and he naturally saw everything Xu Ming did for Zhang Yingxin.
Today, for the first time ever, Xu Ming actively called him to eat, which had stunned him for a moment back in the classroom.
Faced with this unusual behavior, and out of concern for his good buddy, as soon as he found a spot to squat down after getting his food, he proactively started a conversation.
"So, what's going on?"
"You handed in a blank paper for the math practice exam, and you broke up with Zhang Yingxin too? How come I didn't know you had such a tough side?"
"What got into you?"
Xu Ming took a bite of his steamed bun and calmly said, "Nothing much. I just want to focus on studying for the remaining time and work hard to improve my grades."
(End of Chapter)