Chapter 54: Brain Deficiency

Evening study sessions were usually supervised by the homeroom teacher, with students free to arrange their own study time.

The homeroom teacher typically delivered announcements about class or school matters during this time.

Sure enough, as soon as the class bell rang, Teacher Wang Qi stepped up to the podium and spoke about the importance of tomorrow’s scholarship exam:

“This is your final scholarship exam in high school—treasure it well; it will become a beautiful memory for you later.”

He paused, then added: “But tomorrow’s exam may be the hardest scholarship test you’ve faced in all three years of high school. Don’t ask why—it’s school tradition.

It’s meant to cool down high-achieving students who’ve gotten too full of themselves before the college entrance exam.”

The scholarship exam consists of three parts: the midterm, the final exam from last semester, and this scholarship exam, with weightings increasing sequentially at 20%, 30%, and 50%.

A few individuals who perform exceptionally well on the scholarship exam might climb into first or second prize.

But no one can possibly win the special prize.

The reason is simple: since the division into liberal arts and science streams, the three special prize slots for liberal arts have always been monopolized by Xiao Feng, Song Yu, Luo Zhijie, and Mai Sui.

There’s simply no room for anyone else.

Among them, Song Yu and Mai Sui are from Class 204.

Xiao Feng and Luo Zhijie are from the neighboring Class 205.

Li Heng was unlucky—he always ended up with only the first prize of 100 yuan. The special prize? He couldn’t even touch its edge, always blocked solidly by those four.

The special prize wasn’t just 200 yuan in cash—it carried an irresistible lure: the chance to have your photo displayed on the school’s Wall of Honor.

For students of this era, being on the Wall of Honor was an unparalleled honor.

It satisfied petty vanity, made secret admirers look at you differently, and proved your worth beyond doubt.

Every time he saw Yang Yingwen, Xiao Feng, and others’ photos displayed prominently on campus, Li Heng, hailing from the same hometown, burned with envy.

In his past life, his greatest wish in high school was to appear on the Wall of Honor—even after graduation, he never made it, a profound regret.

Hearing his homeroom teacher speak, Li Heng couldn’t help wondering:

Reborn, he still remembered all the textbook knowledge from seventeen years ago.

Combined with his skyrocketing English proficiency from running an overseas training agency in his past life, could he finally challenge for the special prize?

Though his Chinese was weak compared to those four top students, his math was unbeatable.

No wonder he entertained such a ridiculous thought—after all, 200 yuan was still money.

And it was big money! Twice as much as the first prize.

Tian Run’e would have to sell over 1,100 jin of rice to earn that much.

Beyond the money, Li Heng had another secret he’d never told anyone: he hoped his photo and Song Yu’s would appear side by side on the Wall of Honor.

He even childish dreamed of people standing beneath it, praising: “Wow! The boy is refined, the girl is naturally elegant—what a perfect couple.”

After evening study, Li Heng, Liu Li, and Zhang Zhiyong headed toward the dormitory as usual.

Halfway there, Liu Li suddenly mumbled: “Li Heng, I might fail tomorrow.”

Li Heng glanced at him: “To fear before battle is the act of a coward.”

Liu Li said: “Just before class ended, I did a few divinations—the results showed I won’t pass English.”

Zhang Zhiyong leaned over, eyeing Liu Li with a sly grin: “What’s this ‘divination’? I’ve never heard of it from Master Lao.”

Liu Li replied: “Divination? What’s that? I’m a famous shaman back home—I often accompany my grandfather to perform rituals for the dead during holidays.”

“Damn!”

Zhang Zhiyong swore, “So you can really do fortune-telling?”

Liu Li scratched his head: “Fortune-telling? It’s all fate. If you’re lucky, you’ll hit once or twice in ten tries.”

Zhang Zhiyong perked up, looping his arm around Liu Li’s neck: “Then tell me—Liu Yejiang, Zou Ai, and you all like Chen Lijun. Who will she end up marrying?”

Liu Li shook his head smugly: “Obviously me. If she married anyone else, I’d feel terrible.”

Li Heng burst out laughing and turned to Chen Lijun, who had just caught up: “Comrade Lijun, you didn’t hear Liu Li’s words, right?”

At that moment, Chen Lijun had just come out of the school store with Song Yu, Mai Sui, and Sun Man. She hadn’t expected the usually timid Liu Li to say something so disgraceful.

Liu Li turned around in horror, his face instantly turning purple, head drooping so low it seemed ready to fall to the ground.

Zhang Zhiyong roared with laughter, crouching down: “Look! Look! Liu Li’s legs are shaking—is he having a seizure?”

Hearing this, Li Heng and the four girls all looked down at Liu Li’s legs.

Just that glance made his legs tremble uncontrollably—he stumbled forward involuntarily and crashed flat on the ground.

The four girls fell silent, then burst into laughter.

Li Heng laughed and scolded, “Pathetic!” then kicked Liu Li’s butt. “Hey, can you get up? Need a hand?”

But Liu Li hugged his head and wailed mournfully: “Don’t help me—just let them go. I can’t face anyone.”

Sun Man teased: “Liu Li, you never even dare to speak up in front of Lijun, yet you’re so cute like this.”

Liu Li, terrified they wouldn’t leave, didn’t dare say another word.

The three of them, still laughing and jostling, entered Dorm 215. But before they’d even steadied their feet, Liu Yejiang suddenly barked at Li Heng in front of the whole room:

“Li Heng, this time I’ll definitely score higher than you.”

If it were any other student, Li Heng would’ve just laughed it off. But facing this idiot who spread rumors about him and the English teacher? He never tolerated it. He shot back immediately:

“Liu Yejiang, you don’t need to use such brain-dead tactics to puff yourself up. You’ve always lost to me in exams—on a test this hard? You’re even less qualified!”

If it were another classmate, Li Heng would just smile and ignore it, not bothering to take it to heart.

What an absolute idiot! He picks a fight with me before every exam—annoying me in my past life, still buzzing like a fly in this one. Does he think I have no temper?

He wanted to use refined methods, but in this rough-and-tumble era, kindness doesn’t bring profit—it’s all brute force!

If you’re kind, people trample you; if you’re gentle, they ride you. You must strike back immediately, or they’ll see you as weak and keep shitting on your head.

Zhang Zhiyong erupted in delight, shouting: “Exactly! You, Liu Yejiang, are nothing but a piece of shit—not every stray cat or dog can compete with my brother!”

With the two buddies on his side, Liu Li naturally joined in, sitting on his bed and adding, “Liu Yejiang, you always score ten to twenty points lower in math—where’s your nerve to challenge?”

Zou Ai, who’d always stayed silent in past arguments between hometown buddies, now also spoke up: “Old Heng, I support you! I’m watching you win the special prize.”

Because Li Heng was well-liked and everyone despised Liu Yejiang’s arrogance, the others joined in cheering.

In an instant, of the ten boys in the dorm, seven sided with Li Heng—only Liu Yejiang and one other buddy stood against him.

Liu Yejiang hadn’t expected so many to oppose him. He was furious, but when he met Li Heng’s calm, piercing gaze, his courage vanished. He could only mutter weakly to save face:

“Wait and see—I’ve sworn an oath to the homeroom teacher—I’ll beat you this time.”

“Hah! You swore an oath? You think this is war? Coward!”

Zhang Zhiyong mocked, and everyone burst into laughter.

PS: Liu Yejiang’s storyline is real—I lived it. Back then, I wanted to… sigh…

“Hahaha! I signed a military oath! You think this is war? Coward!”

Zhang Zhiyong sneered, and everyone burst out laughing.

PS: Liu Yejiang’s story is true—I lived it, and back then I wished I could… ah…

(End of chapter)