Chapter 54: Cerebral Hypoxia

The third self-study session of the evening was usually supervised by the head teacher, leaving students free to arrange their studies.

Class matters and school announcements were typically communicated by the head teacher during this time.

Sure enough, as soon as the bell rang, Mr. Wang Qi stepped onto the podium and began stressing the importance of tomorrow's scholarship examination:

"This is your final scholarship exam in high school. Cherish it well, for it will become a fond memory in the future."

At this point, he paused. "However, tomorrow's test paper might be the most difficult one among all scholarship exams of your three years in high school. Don't ask why; it's a school tradition. It's specifically designed to calm down certain high-achieving students who might be getting a bit too full of themselves on the eve of the college entrance examination."

The scholarship exam consisted of three parts: the mid-term exam of the previous semester, the final exam of the previous semester, and this current scholarship exam. Their weighting proportions increased progressively, standing at 20%, 30%, and 50% respectively.

Due to an exceptional performance in the scholarship exam, a few individuals might secure a first-class or second-class scholarship.

However, no one could ever clinch the special-class scholarship.

There was no other reason than this: ever since the division between arts and sciences, the three slots for the arts special-class scholarship had basically been monopolized by four people: Xiao Feng, Song Yu, Luo Zhijie, and Mai Sui.

There was simply no share for anyone else.

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

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

Li Heng was truly wretched, as he could only manage a first-class scholarship of 100 yuan every single time. He couldn't even touch the fringes of the special-class scholarship, being blocked firmly and solidly every single time by the aforementioned four people working in tandem.

One had to know that the special-class scholarship came not only with a cash prize of 200 yuan, but also with an irresistible temptation: the chance to have one's photo posted on the school's Wall of Honor.

Getting on the Wall of Honor! For students of this era, that was an incomparably great glory.

Not only could it satisfy a tiny bit of vanity and make the secret crush look at one in a different light, but it was also the most powerful proof of oneself.

Every time he saw the photos of Yang Yingwen, Xiao Feng, and others pasted in the most prominent locations of the school, Li Heng, who hailed from the same place, was consumed with envy.

In his previous life, his biggest wish during high school was to make it onto the Wall of Honor just once. Unfortunately, he failed to achieve it by graduation, leaving a profound regret.

Hearing the head teacher waxing eloquent up there, Li Heng couldn't help but think to himself:

Living a second life, the textbook knowledge from his original 17 years was still intact.

Coupled with the skyrocketing proficiency in English he had acquired while running an overseas study consulting agency in his past life, I wonder if I can make a run for the special-class scholarship?

Although his Chinese was somewhat lackluster compared to those four academic prodigies, his mathematics was unbeatable.

It was no wonder he had such an absurd notion; after all, 200 yuan was still money.

And it was a lot of money! It was a full double of the first-class scholarship.

Comrade Tian Run'e would need to sell over 1,100 catties of rice to earn that much.

Aside from money, there was another secret buried deep in his heart during his high school days that he had never shared with anyone: he hoped that his photo and Song Yu's photo would appear on the Wall of Honor at the same time, ideally right next to each other.

He was even childish enough to dream up a scene where people stood beneath the Wall of Honor and praised them: Wow! The young man is refined and cultured, the young woman has a natural grace—what a perfect match of a talented youth and a beautiful maiden.

After the evening self-study session ended, Li Heng walked toward the dormitory building with Liu Li and Zhang Zhiyong as usual.

Halfway there, Liu Li suddenly slumped and said dejectedly, "Li Heng, I might not do well tomorrow."

Li Heng glanced at him. "Yielding before the battle even begins is the act of a coward."

Liu Li said, "Just as class was ending, I practiced divination a few times, and the results showed I won't even pass English."

Zhang Zhiyong poked his head forward and sized Liu Li up with a shifty, crafty look. "What do you mean by practicing divination? How come this old scholar has never heard of it?"

Liu Li replied, "It's a form of fortune-telling, a hereditary craft of the Liu family. It's normal that an idiot like you doesn't understand."

"Damn it!"

Zhang Zhiyong cursed. "You mean you can tell fortunes?"

Liu Li touched his head and said, "Fortune-telling is nothing. I'm also a famous Taoist priest back in my hometown; during winter and summer vacations, I often go to conduct Taoist rituals for the dead alongside my grandfather and the others."

"Can you really tell fortunes?"

"Bah! That depends on heaven's will. With good luck, I might get it right once or twice out of ten."

Zhang Zhiyong grew interested, hooking his right arm around Liu Li's neck. "You, Liu Yejiang, and Zou Aiming all like Chen Lijun. Then calculate this: who will Chen Lijun end up marrying?"

Liu Li shook his head self-importantly. "Need you ask? She'll definitely marry me. If she marries someone else, my heart won't feel right."

Li Heng burst into hearty laughter upon hearing this, turned around, and said to Chen Lijun, who was catching up from behind, "Comrade Lijun, you shouldn't have heard what Liu Li just said, right?"

At that moment, Chen Lijun, along with Song Yu, Mai Sui, and Sun Manning, had just stepped out of the small tuck shop. They never expected that usually timid and honest Liu Li would utter such shameless words.

Liu Li looked back in horror, his face turning liver-colored right before their eyes. He lowered his head so low that it practically hung down to the ground, limp and drooping.

That rascal Zhang Zhiyong laughed out loud, squatted down, and said, "Hah! Look at you all! Look! Liu Li's legs are shaking; is he having a fit of malaria or what?"

Hearing this, Li Heng and the four young women involuntarily lowered their gazes to stare at Liu Li's legs.

At that very moment, Liu Li's legs refused to obey him even more. In a stroke of blind misfortune, he lurched forward and pitched straight onto the ground.

The four girls were left completely speechless, yet they couldn't help breaking into a chuckle.

Li Heng laughed and scolded, "What a good-for-nothing!", then gave Liu Li's backside a gentle kick. "Hey, can you still get up? Do you need a hand?"

To his surprise, Liu Li buried his face in his hands and wailed miserably, "Don't help me up, just make them leave, I have no face left to meet people."

Sun Manning teased, "Liu Li, usually you wouldn't dare let out a single fart in front of Lijun. Who would have thought you could be so cute?"

Fearing they wouldn't leave while making fun of him, Liu Li didn't even dare to talk back.

Bantering and joking, the three young men entered Dormitory 215. But before they had even steadied themselves, Liu Yejiang suddenly barked at Li Heng in front of the entire room:

"Li Heng, I will definitely score higher than you in this exam."

If it were anyone else, Li Heng would have just smiled it off, treating it as if he hadn't heard, with no need to bicker.

However, facing this blockhead who liked to spread scandalous rumors about him and the English teacher, he never showed any indulgence and immediately snapped back:

"Liu Yejiang, there's really no need to use such a brainless way to pump up your own courage. You're always the defeated opponent in regular exams. For an exam as difficult as the scholarship test, you! Are even less capable!"

What the hell!

What kind of top-tier absolute moron was this? He tried to provoke him in almost every single exam. He was annoying enough in his past life, and now in this life, he was still buzzing around like an irritating fly. Did he really think he had no temper?

He would have preferred to use some refined methods, but in this untamed era, kindness truly didn't bring wealth—everything was utterly crude!

A good person is bullied, and a gentle horse is ridden. In this situation, he had to counterattack immediately, or people would think he was easy to bully! And they would come to shit and urinate on his head in the future.

Having heard this, Zhang Zhiyong instantly reached a peak of excitement and roared loudly, "Pfft! Exactly, spot on! What the hell are you, Liu Yejiang? Not just any stray cat or dog can compare to my brother!"

With two of his buddies stepping up, Liu Li naturally had to offer backup. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he chimed in with a moderate tone, "Liu Yejiang, your math score falls short by ten to twenty points every single exam. Where do you get the face to compete?"

Zou Aiming, who had always remained silent in past disputes between their fellow townsmen and close friends, jumped out this time as well: "Old Heng, I support you! Looking forward to you winning the special-class scholarship."

Because Li Heng was well-liked and everyone generally despised the arrogant Liu Yejiang, they all joined in to heckle and cheer.

In an instant, out of the 10 people in the dormitory, apart from Liu Yejiang and another close crony of his, 7 stood on Li Heng's side.

Liu Yejiang hadn't expected so many people to sing a different tune and stand in opposition to him. He was instantly boiling with rage, but seeing Li Heng staring at him with a calm expression and deep gaze, he suddenly lost the courage to continue shouting. He could only mutter defensively to save face:

"Just you wait. I've made a solemn military pledge to the head teacher; this time I'll definitely beat you."

"Hahahaha! A military pledge! You think you're fighting a war, you coward!"

Zhang Zhiyong let out a mocking sneer, and everyone burst into laughter.

P.S.: Liu Yejiang's plot is completely true, a personal experience. Back then, I wished I could... sigh...