"I'm from Eleventh High."

Chen Yuan stated his affiliation very naturally.

Otherwise?

What kind of person would be evasive about their high school when asked?

Unless they had something to hide!

Like sneaking into Fourth High to flirt with girls!

Besides, Eleventh High was also a provincial experimental school, a school just shy of being considered prestigious, so there was nothing to be ashamed of. As a student of Eleventh High, one should be proud of their alma mater, delete the parenthetical remark for five mao.

"Oh, Eleventh High is close to Fourth High."

Actually, Auntie was testing him with this question, testing if he had any hesitation.

If he hesitated, it would confirm that the person she saw behind Fourth High that day was Xinyu and Chen Yuan.

If he didn't hesitate, it meant he was just being stubborn.

After all, now that she thought about it, their height and build were too similar, practically identical, so were they kissing at that time...?

Xia Xinyu, you big dummy!

I told you not to lose your cool back then, now there's a misunderstanding, right?

It would be fine if something actually happened, but the key is that nothing happened, yet I'm being misunderstood as if it did. I'm truly wronged.

"Then why did you tell me on the phone that you were Xinyu's classmate?" Auntie asked with a playful smile.

But due to her characteristics as a senior teacher, her smile was very restrained, only discernible through the 'ya' particle and the subtle expression on her face.

If you can't smile, don't smile.

Or go learn what a real smile is from Xia Xinyu.

—The disciple need not be inferior to the teacher, the teacher need not be wiser than the disciple.

Is there a possibility that she's smiling like that on purpose?

Don't tell scary stories, I'm afraid.

After a slight hesitation, Chen Yuan said with sincerity, "I got your phone number from someone else at the time... so I felt it was a bit inappropriate."

"I see." Auntie could understand now, because it made sense.

Because if he was a classmate, asking the class teacher for the number and calling the guardian would indeed not seem abrupt.

In other words, he really didn't see me that day.

So that action really was a ki...

Alright, that's enough.

Stop talking about it.

"So, Chen, the competition you participated in yesterday was the math Olympiad, right?" Because she was a math teacher after all, Auntie became sharp and confident once the topic turned to her area of expertise.

"Oh, right." Chen Yuan nodded.

"You participating in this competition means your math is very good, right?"

"It's just so-so..."

"How many points do you usually get on exams?" Auntie continued to press.

In response, Chen Yuan pondered briefly.

Usual scores...

Remove the lowest score, remove the second-lowest score, remove the third-lowest score... choose the highest score: "140, maybe."

"Over a hundred and forty..."

Then Chen Yuan indeed had the strength to pass the preliminary round.

After all, as long as your usual score is stable above 130, passing the preliminary round can't be considered difficult. Scoring 140 means that with a good foundation, you can also solve difficult problems.

However, one issue needs to be considered.

He was thinking of catching up with the funeral as quickly as possible during the exam, so his mind would be chaotic.

The one and a half hours of the exam couldn't even be considered a normal one and a half hours. After adding elements such as 'panic' and 'nervousness,' the time he could concentrate would be even shorter.

And the strategic estimate was to write all the basic and moderately difficult questions, trying to make as few mistakes as possible.

Too hard, this is too hard.

Based on Xia Fang's teaching experience, only two classes in the entire city could achieve this level—Class One of Fourth High and Class One of First High.

And the average math scores for these two classes were 144.9 and 145.5, respectively.

First High's average score was slightly stronger, but in terms of top talents, the two were evenly matched.

Class One of Eleventh High was also very good, with an average score of perhaps around 141?

But according to Xia Xinyu's description, they often studied together. Although Chen Yuan wasn't very good right now, he was very hardworking, so he was clearly not from Class One.

If he was from Class One, he would have scored dozens of points more than Xinyu's total score.

In short, no matter how you guess, passing the preliminary round in one and a half hours is impossible.

But knowing this, she still wanted to ask deliberately: "So, Chen, do you think you're confident about passing the preliminary round this time?"

"This... I haven't really thought about it."

"Ah, you're too humble..."

"Because I've been preparing for the finals all along."

Ah, you're too un-humble!

Chen Yuan almost made Auntie see red with his understated way of speaking the wildest remarks in the most honest way.

He's already preparing for the finals?

Wait, can you really pass the preliminary round in one and a half hours?

If that's the case, then my students...

Although Xia Fang wasn't qualified to teach the rocket classes of the top four (three science and one liberal arts), she was at least a math teacher at Fourth High. Her four warriors were all capable of getting full marks.

Before the exam, she had tested the basics of a few of them. The fastest completion time for the paper was two hours, and the accuracy rate would drop a lot, barely passing.

"Well, Chen, good luck in the finals." Patting Chen Yuan on the shoulder, Auntie's smile was a little stiffer than before, or rather, even more at a loss. "Surpass the candidates from Fourth High and First High."

Chen Yuan nodded calmly, "Mhm, mhm."

He's 'mhm'-ing, he's actually 'mhm'-ing...

I don't know if he's really frank, or too confident, and doesn't take Fourth High and First High seriously...

But this is probably a good thing.

And just like that, the four great experts entered the restroom, and Chen Yuan left.

Crazy Yuan!

But crazy as he may be, the finals are in a month, so I must study hard.

At least really raise my score to over 135, without being a Copy Ninja.

And to reach that level, Xinyu will have to work hard.

After coming out of the mourning hall, Chen Yuan saw that tables had already begun to be set up at the entrance, covered with white plastic tablecloths. The chef who handled the banquet arrangement had also set up his equipment in the backyard and started busily preparing the dishes and starting the fire.

The banquet in the morning was scheduled for ten o'clock, and after eating until eleven o'clock, the official funeral would begin. Uncle and Auntie would deliver eulogies, and the village chief would also come to speak. After about fifteen minutes, they would officially proceed to the back mountain for burial.

All the relatives were very enthusiastic, and even neighbors who were not related by blood were busy helping, wiping tables and carrying water.

Xia Xinyu's family must have been very popular here.

Indeed, parents who could raise such a daughter were naturally kind people who made those who knew them shed tears because of this sudden change.

Chen Yuan wanted to help with something, but after all, he didn't understand any of this, and it would be awkward to do certain things given his status, so he didn't do anything embarrassing.

But he sensed that if things continued like this, he would end up pulling weeds, kicking the wall, and snapping corn in the village.

Just as he was idle and feeling detached from the event, a small yellow dog with a somewhat mixed coat, a bit of black mixed in, appeared out of nowhere and suddenly turned to his feet. Seeing that the little thing was quite enthusiastic, Chen Yuan reached out to pet it.

However, before he could touch its head, a loud shout from behind startled him, causing his hand to tremble.

"Aiyo, aiyo, aiyo! You can't touch it, this dog is wary of strangers and bites people. Three unlucky people have been bitten!" The neighbor auntie rushed to stop him, because this dog was too fierce and couldn't be provoked.

But as soon as she finished speaking, Chen Yuan had already placed his hand on the dog's head. And the little dog even stood on tiptoes, rubbing its head against his palm.

So Chen Yuan raised his head, looking bewildered: "Huh?"

Seeing this, the neighbor auntie slapped her leg and burst out laughing.

The other aunties around also laughed along, their faces radiant with joy.

What are you laughing at?

Also, everyone is laughing, whose inner voice should I listen to?

"Good dog, good dog!" Uncle was also amused. He had given it to his sister to guard the house. Seeing that the dog had such good judgment, even better than his own son, he directly grabbed the dog's front paws and made it dance, teasing it like a human being. "I'll give you an extra meal today, a chicken leg."

Why is it getting a chicken leg?

No one's giving me a chicken leg?

Of course, I don't want a chicken leg either, I'm not that hungry yet, a bun would be fine.

Just then, Xia Xinyu happened to walk out of the mourning hall. Then two aunties grabbed her, covering their mouths, and whispered something in her ear.

After they finished speaking, Xia Xinyu's face turned red. She looked at Chen Yuan, pursed her lips, and seemed to want to say something, as if complaining that his actions had made her the subject of gossip.

Wait?

I just petted the dog.

What did I do?

"Come here for a moment, I have something to tell you."

The dialect of Jingnan wasn't difficult to understand, but the older generation spoke too fast and had heavy accents. Seeing that Chen Yuan's expression clearly indicated that he didn't understand, she decided to arrange something for Chen Yuan to do so that he wouldn't be so embarrassed.

Of course, it was appropriate for him to do this.

"Okay."

Xia Xinyu was like a ray of light, rescuing him from the sea of Jingnan dialect.

Hurry up and leave, hurry up and leave.

And so, following behind Xia Xinyu, Chen Yuan walked with her towards the main room.

"Do you know what they were laughing at?" Xia Xinyu asked.

"I want to know."

"That means you don't know." After getting this answer, Xia Xinyu giggled, "Alright, then I won't let you know."

"Misspoke, I know."

"If you know, then I don't need to explain."

"..."

Wait, what's with you?

Why does it feel like Xia Xinyu has returned to her home turf, and I'm repeatedly at a disadvantage in verbal sparring, which I'm relatively good at?

The key is that Chaozi isn't here. If Chaozi was here, I wouldn't have any problem suppressing Xinyu.

"Um, come into the room for a moment." Xia Xinyu hesitated a little when opening the door, but quickly became relieved. She was pure and innocent, so there would naturally be no rumors.

"Wait for me."

But before going in, Chen Yuan noticed Grandpa sitting at the door.

As if he were placed there, he was arranged here quietly. People were coming and going in the main room, and everyone ignored him as if they felt this was natural.

Chen Yuan walked to Grandpa's side, squatted down, took out the Furongwang cigarettes he had bought in advance from his pocket, opened the pack, and handed Grandpa one.

Grandpa took the cigarette, put it in his mouth, and then Chen Yuan took out a lighter, lit the cigarette for Grandpa, and placed the entire pack in his other hand.

Taking a puff of Furongwang, then exhaling a few wisps of white smoke, Grandpa turned his head and asked Chen Yuan, who was squatting beside him, in an old voice, "Young man, where are you from?"

"Grandpa, Hexiang."

"What kind of place is Hexiang?"

"A small city next to Xia Hai, a very small place..."

"A very small city is still a city."

"It's not as good as Nanxi Village. I think it's better here."

"What do your parents do..."

The two of them chatted, Grandpa asking and Chen Yuan answering.

People were still passing by in front of them, and they were talking quietly.

Standing to the side, Xia Xinyu had originally been smiling, but suddenly, she felt a sourness in her nose, and then went into the room, covering her face with her hands and crying towards the door.

I don't know why... but I just want to cry...

——

Written to the point of fainting, today's five chapters are finally updated.

I'll try to update more tomorrow as well.

Brothers, the gold coins are exploding fiercely, the first order is almost higher than the follow-up reading, what medical miracle is this?

The group has already been created (Crocodile, come quickly).

There is a threshold of 100 fan value, you can enter by casting a monthly ticket, or subscribe after tomorrow's chapter update, it should be about the same.

Finally, ask for a monthly ticket, try to get the first place on the new book monthly ticket list!

(End of this chapter)