A Short-Lived Cannon Fodder Alpha Just Wants to Be a Salted Fish - Chapter 8

The exams were held on Tuesday and Wednesday, and by Thursday morning, all the papers had been graded. The teachers spent the classes explaining the answers.

During lunch break, the monthly exam “Red List” on the honor wall in the Zhixing Building was replaced with the new rankings. After eating, Wen Yuan suggested going over to take a look.

Shi Ran glanced toward the list. “Ji Xingyao is over there. You go look; just tell me what it says afterward.”

Wen Yuan gave an “Mm” and walked toward the honor wall. Before she even got close, she heard Ji Xingyao chatting and laughing with a tall, short-haired girl beside her.

“She’s too incredible. First in the monthly exam again. That physics competition last time was insanely hard! The last two problems were at the senior grade level, and she still took first. She’s simply peerless.”

“Do you think there’s anything she’s not good at?”

“Maybe sports? During the physical fitness test last time, our class was with theirs. I saw her barely scrape by with a passing grade.”

“Being imperfect makes her even cooler. I really like her so much.”

“Whoa, what kind of like…?”

“Haha, guess what kind…”

Ji Xingyao and the tall girl walked toward the stairs as they spoke, their voices gradually fading.

Wen Yuan glanced over, her eyes lingering briefly on the tall girl’s retreating figure before turning back to the honor wall. On the monthly exam Red List for the tenth grade, the position for Number One was—predictably—occupied by the name Chu Yihan.

To the right of the Red List was the Physics Competition Roll of Honor. In the row for tenth-grade first-prize winners, only Chu Yihan’s name appeared.

Shi Ran walked up and asked, “Did Wang Sanjin surpass the Little Academic God?”

“What do you think?” Wen Yuan’s tone carried a trace of subtle pride. “She got full marks in all the science subjects. Her total score was 47 points higher than Wang Xin’s.”

“My god.” Although she knew Chu Yihan was steady at the top, Shi Ran couldn’t help but be shocked by the gap. “Wang Sanjin was basically rubbed into the dirt by her this time.”

They chatted as they headed upstairs. Just as they stepped through the back door of Class 2, Wang Xin exited through the front. He pulled the door shut behind him with a heavy thud that vibrated through the air.

Though there weren’t many people in the classroom during lunch, those present were usually loud, yet the current atmosphere was eerily quiet. Shi Ran patted her chest and whispered to Zhang Lili in the front row, “Li-zi, what happened?”

Zhang Lili turned around and whispered, “Someone brought up the bet from before. While collecting the money, they asked Jiang Huaiyu if he regretted betting on Wang Xin. Before Jiang Huaiyu could even speak, Qi Hui and his group started mocking Wang Xin. He failed to reach his goal and was then provoked by them, so…”

Shi Ran let out an “Oh” of realization, though her focus drifted: “So, was the money collected?”

“Probably not,” Wen Yuan chimed in. She lowered her head and pulled out her phone to message Chu Yihan, congratulating her on the top spot and teasing her for crushing the runner-up so ruthlessly.

“You guessed right,” Zhang Lili pouted. “It’s obvious Qi Hui and the others are sore losers and don’t plan to pay up. They can’t very well only take Jiang Huaiyu’s money.”

After Zhang Lili turned back, Shi Ran studied Wen Yuan. “Are you really not interested in Jiang Huaiyu anymore? Your eyes used to light up whenever you heard his name.”

Wen Yuan scoffed, “Light up? Like lasers?”

Just then, her screen lit up with a notification.

Chu Yihan: “I was a bit more serious this time. I was afraid of letting you lose.”

So not getting full marks before was just her not being serious? Wen Yuan was amused by Chu Yihan’s phrasing.

Seeing Wen Yuan smiling at her phone like a spring breeze, Shi Ran couldn’t help but ask, “Who are you talking to so happily? Have you fallen for someone else?”

“It’s true I’ve lost interest in him, but I haven’t fallen for anyone else yet.” Wen Yuan moved her phone toward Shi Ran. “Chu Yihan is just too cute. I genuinely pity Wang Sanjin.”

Shi Ran took a look and rubbed her chin. “Why do I feel like the Little Academic God is exceptionally good to you? It’s almost like she’s pampering you.”

Before she could finish, the phone vibrated. Chu Yihan had messaged to ask how Wen Yuan did on the exam.

Wen Yuan took the phone back and typed: “Not bad. I can treat you to milk tea now. When are you free?”

Chu Yihan: “Is tomorrow okay?”

Yesterday, He Xun had announced the parent-teacher meeting for Friday. They could grab milk tea while waiting for the meeting to end, then hitch a ride back with Fang Jingbai.

As Wen Yuan typed to arrange a meeting spot with Chu Yihan, she asked Shi Ran, “I’m treating Chu Yihan to milk tea on Friday. Want to come?”

“Nah.” Shi Ran pulled out her phone to start a game. “I took on a little apprentice; I’m carrying her through the rankings on Friday.”

Wen Yuan didn’t push it. After replying to Chu Yihan, she looked at Shi Ran. “What did you say Chu Yihan was like earlier?”

Shi Ran, absorbed in her game, said the first thing that came to mind: “Like your dad.”

Wen Yuan: “…”

The last period of the afternoon was self-study. He Xun came into the classroom to remind them again about the meeting. “This meeting involves the division of subjects and classes. It’s very important. Remind your parents to be here promptly tomorrow at 4:00 PM.”

Holding a parent-teacher meeting right after monthly exams and right before the weekend was brutal. The classroom erupted in groans and complaints.

“Quiet!” He Xun knocked on the desk. “The rankings for this exam are out. Come to my office in order of your student ID.”

To protect the students’ fragile self-esteem, He Xun always cut the grade reports into strips so students could only see their own. During the last two visits, He Xun had looked at Wen Yuan with worry, but this time, a smile finally appeared on his face.

“You’ve improved significantly. Keep it up.” He Xun handed her the strip. “Have you decided between the Liberal Arts or Science track?”

Wen Yuan froze. She hadn’t thought about it yet. In the original plot, she chose Liberal Arts for Jiang Huaiyu’s sake, ended up in the same class as the female lead, was constantly provoked, and never looked back on her path to villainy.

“Based on your current grades, I’d suggest Liberal Arts. Of course, it depends on your own interests and future plans,” He Xun advised. “If you’re unsure, discuss it with your parents.”

Wen Yuan nodded.

He Xun added, “If you choose Liberal Arts, work hard to break into the top twenty of the class by the final exams.” In this school, the 11th-grade class placements were determined by the 10th-grade finals; some students would be kept in the original class based on performance.

Wen Yuan understood his meaning. Touched, she gripped her grade strip and gave a solemn “Mm.”

Returning to the classroom, she asked Shi Ran, “Liberal Arts or Science?”

“Liberal Arts, obviously,” Shi Ran said without hesitation. “Science isn’t for me. You?”

“Not sure.” Wen Yuan stared at her class ranking—31st—and fell into a dilemma. If she chose Liberal Arts and didn’t make it into the top 25, she would be placed in a class with the female lead and Jiang Huaiyu. Choosing Science would avoid that, but her science grades were weaker; it would be a struggle that would ruin her “salted fish” lifestyle.

“Just pick Liberal Arts,” Shi Ran suggested. “If we work hard, we can stay in the same class.”

Wen Yuan twirled her pen thoughtfully but didn’t commit.

Friday after school, Wen Yuan went to the West Gate. It was a smaller gate, closer to the milk tea shop and away from the influx of parents at the main entrance.

After standing under a plane tree for ten minutes, she finally saw Chu Yihan.

“Sorry, the teacher went over time.” Chu Yihan arrived at a run, fine sweat on her pale face, breathing heavily. “Have you been waiting long?”

“Not long.” Wen Yuan pulled a wet wipe from her pocket and handed it to her.

“Thanks.”

Walking left along the path led to the side door of the milk tea shop. Wen Yuan stepped on the dappled sunlight and glanced at Chu Yihan. “Your constitution is weak. Even if you’re late next time, don’t run like that. I don’t mind waiting.”

Next time?

Chu Yihan’s hand paused while wiping her sweat, and the corners of her lips slowly curved into a happy arc.

Inside the shop, they ordered a chocolate waffle and two signature fruit teas and sat in a corner by the window. Wen Yuan brought up what He Xun had said.

When she finished, she looked up to find Chu Yihan watching her. Chu Yihan’s pupils were light, shimmering with a deep, hidden emotion. Before Wen Yuan could look closer, Chu Yihan lowered her gaze.

“So, you want to choose Liberal Arts?” Chu Yihan asked.

“It suits me better,” Wen Yuan sipped her tea. “But I want to stay in Class 2.”

Chu Yihan lifted her eyelids. “You still want to stay in Class 2?”

“Yeah,” Wen Yuan sighed dejectedly. “But breaking into the top twenty is so hard.”

She looked down, absent-mindedly poking the waffle into the sauce. She didn’t see the moment she finished her sentence where Chu Yihan’s shoulders relaxed and her lips curved slightly.

“What’s your current class rank?” Chu Yihan asked.

“Thirty-first.”

“It’s not hard. I’ll help you.”

Chu Yihan spoke as if she were commenting on the weather. She made the idea of jumping eleven ranks seem trivial. And she certainly had the ability.

Wen Yuan immediately abandoned her plan of never bothering Chu Yihan again. With her help, she could stay in Class 2, avoid the lead characters, and live happily as a salted fish!

“If I help you stay in Class 2,” Chu Yihan asked, “could you fulfill one request for me?”

“Yes, yes!” Wen Yuan nodded like a woodpecker. “If I can stay in Class 2, forget one, I’ll give you ten. I’ll fulfill any request you have.”

“I want you to promise yourself to me in marriage.”

“Can you fulfill that request, too?”

Chu Yihan had a faint, lingering smile. her voice was soft and sweet, but her tone sounded exceptionally serious.

Wen Yuan’s heart gave a violent, sudden contraction.