Chapter 65: Last time it was first place, why isn't it first place this time?

Everyone didn't take the sign-up for this kind of mathematics competition to heart at all, and not a single person wanted to go.

The head teacher gave the sign-up form to Shen Li separately, placed it on her desk, and said, "Fill it out tonight, give it to the class monitor, and I'll come to collect it tomorrow."

"Keep up the good work, the teacher believes you can do it."

Shen Li looked at the sign-up form that had been shoved over, kept her head down, and didn't speak; she gripped the pen in her hand, feeling somewhat silent.

After saying these things, the teacher went on to say other inspiring words, talking about how glorious Chengde University used to be, comparing it to Qingbei University as a university that wasn't any worse, and saying that if one studied hard, there would still be opportunities to get ahead.

Everyone just took what was said as a joke.

After the head teacher left, no one stayed in the classroom for long; those who were supposed to leave had all left.

Xu Zhouyuan and Zhang Zixin, who were off to the side, had spent the entire period catching up on a movie.

Suddenly, Xu Zhouyuan stood up, stretched, walked over to Shen Li's side, and picked up the sign-up form, "Let me see what this is."

"Mathematics competition entry form."

As he said this, he looked at Xie Qin and mentioned, "Is the math competition Bai Chuyue participated in also this thing?"

Zhou Mingyu turned around, resting his arms on the desk, "Let me see."

Xu Zhouyuan passed it to him.

Zhou Mingyu: "That should be right, they're all participating in the same competition. Didn't Bai Chuyue also participate when she was in high school? She even won second place."

Xu Zhouyuan: "Damn, Bai Chuyue is a freak. Back in high school, she hung out with us every day, and we never saw her studying at all. Later, there was one week left before the competition, and she studied hard behind our backs and actually won second place, damn it."

"That's not even the worst part; what's even more infuriating is that in regular high school exams, her total score for all subjects was only around two hundred. Then, in the college entrance exam, she scored five hundred and fifty. Tell me, isn't that infuriating!"

Xu Zhouyuan looked at Shen Li with an expression of being unable to help her, sighed, and patted Shen Li on the shoulder, "Vice Class Monitor... it's okay, look on the bright side. Even if you get cut, it's not your fault."

"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river!"

"If you're not cut out for studying, just eat and drink as you please, and live happily."

"If that doesn't work, there's still our Brother Qin to back you up later!"

Xu Zhouyuan gave Xie Qin a 'you know what I mean' look.

Zhang Zixin raised her hand and slapped him.

Xu Zhouyuan: "Wife, why are you hitting me!"

Zhang Zixin gave him a fierce look, signaling him to shut up immediately: if your EQ is low, talk less.

Xie Qin crossed his arms over his chest and glanced sideways at the person beside him, "Bring it here!"

That sign-up form was handed into his hands again.

"Do you want to participate?"

Shen Li lowered her eyelashes, her tone weak: "I don't."

The moment he got the answer, Xie Qin didn't say another word.

The next second, right in front of Shen Li, he used force with his fingertips, crumpled the sign-up form into a paper ball, and threw it directly into the trash can, making a slight sound.

"There." His tone was more relaxed, carrying a hint of imperceptible doting, "Solved it for you."

He propped his chin up, his gaze locked firmly on her: "Going to eat?"

Shen Li stared blankly at his actions; when she looked up, she bumped into his dark, bright eyes. The depths of those eyes were clean and clear, reflecting her figure.

At this moment, Shen Li felt an indescribable feeling in her heart.

What he did was always something Shen Li dared not do.

From childhood to adulthood, Shen Li's studies had always been arranged for her; even every path she took was calculated down to every minute and second, including her future plans. Her life had already had its endpoint mapped out on the day she turned eighteen.

No matter what she did, she never had the right to refuse.

Actually, Shen Li was very hesitant.

To be precise, it was the cowardly self in her heart that dared not face it.

But he... was able to do everything so decisively!

"Looking at me like that..." He curled his lips into a wicked smile: "Are you bewitched by me again?"

The moment he leaned in, Shen Li looked away indifferently, stood up to tidy up, picked up the textbooks on the desk, put on her bag, and left.

Xie Qin also stood up and followed behind her, all the way downstairs.

Shen Li walked neither fast nor slow. When she walked out of the teaching building, at the fork in the road ahead, Xie Qin originally thought she was still going to the library, but he didn't expect her to change direction this time.

"Not going to the library?" Xie Qin raised an eyebrow, his pace still leisurely, his hands in his trouser pockets, strolling like a master.

Shen Li didn't look back or respond; she just kept walking forward at her original pace, the stray hairs by her ears being brushed by the evening breeze.

At five o'clock in the afternoon, the scorching heat of midday had faded, dyeing the horizon a gentle pale pink.

As the twilight deepened, even the wind carried a hint of the evening's chill.

The running track, baked by the daytime sun, still retained a trace of residual warmth, feeling slightly soft underfoot.

The evening breeze blew, carrying a faint scent of grass and trees, mixed with the unique smell of the plastic track, slowly permeating the air.

Shen Li placed the bag in her hand on the edge of the track and started running.

Xie Qin watched her running back, his eyes deepening. He put his hands on his hips, moved his thin lips slightly, and the sparse hair on his forehead was blown up. He lowered his head, resigned to his fate, and followed her with a light jog, catching up.

She wasn't running fast, and Xie Qin was tall with long legs, so he caught up after a few quick steps, maintaining a distance that was neither close nor far, jogging behind her side, "What's going on with you today?"

Shen Li didn't speak; looking at her, it was also impossible to say what was so strange.

Xie Qin accompanied her, running lap after lap.

"Look at your grades this time! You've regressed again! Last time it was first, why isn't it first this time? I usually provide your food and clothing, spend money to sign you up for tutoring classes, and this is the grade you use to repay me?"

"Last time you could still get into the top three, this time you've dropped like this, you can't even get first place. Have you actually put your heart into studying?"

Shen Li: "Mom, is it really that important whether I get first place or not?"

Mom: "I am the Dean of Students at Haishi Middle School. Do you know how many people in the school are watching me? If you regress even a little, how many people behind my back will talk about me! They will think I didn't teach you well. If I can't even teach my own child well, how will the school leaders think I can manage the students in the school!"

Shen Li: "But... why are these requirements of yours never imposed on my younger sister? Even if she doesn't pass, you and Dad never blame her."

Mom: "... You still dare to talk back to me, go and copy today's textbook ten times for me."

Getting first place, in their eyes, became a matter of course, something I should have held in my hands.

No matter what I did, no one ever asked me if I was willing...