After Transmigrating for the Third Time, the Real Young Master Decides to Slouch - Chapter 11

Jiang Zao returned to the office with a stack of answer sheets tucked under his arm. Meng Qiuyu leaned over and asked, “Teacher Jiang, do you need me to help grade the math section?”

“No need.” Jiang Zao put the answer sheets down. “They’ve already been graded.”

“Mm?” Meng Qiuyu looked at the answer sheets in confusion. As a result, the very first one gave him a shock.

“This…” He pointed at the answer sheet, which could almost be called a blank sheet of paper. “A blank paper, full marks?”

Jiang Zao took a sip of water and nodded. “Mm. I let them grade them themselves and score them themselves.”

After receiving Jiang Zao’s permission, Meng Qiuyu picked up the papers and flipped through them one by one. Most of them were blank papers, and they had very immodestly given themselves 100 points. The only three who did not have full marks were Jiang Tong, Lu She, and Dai Chu.

They had earnestly completed the quiz and earnestly graded their papers. The highest among them was Lu She, with 98 points.

Even the first-place student in the grade only scored 98, yet the others dared to blindly give themselves 100? Meng Qiuyu felt this world was very unreal.

Meng Qiuyu looked thoughtful. Class 19 had been split off during the second semester of Grade 10, specially created to receive the problem students that no other class wanted. He had also taken over this class ever since Class 19 was established. He considered himself mild-tempered and adhered to the principle of the well water not violating the river water: teach the class and leave. Occasionally, some of the students’ actions would anger him, but it was all within an acceptable range.

However, after Teacher Jiang took over the class, those children’s behavior seemed to have become even more willful?

Meng Qiuyu came back to himself. Seeing what Jiang Zao was doing, his brows furrowed slightly. A moment later, he asked, “Teacher Jiang, what are you doing?”

Jiang Zao raised his brows. “Can’t you tell? Recording the grades.”

“Recording… the grades?” Meng Qiuyu was momentarily speechless. Was there any need to record these?

“Mm.” Jiang Zao seemed to be in a decent mood and explained, “After recording them, I’ll print them out and post them on the classroom notice board.” Every classroom’s outer wall had a notice board. Depending on the class’s needs, they could post things on it themselves, whether rewards or punishments.

If it went on the notice board, that meant acknowledging these scores.

Meng Qiuyu hesitated before asking, “Does that count?”

“It counts,” Jiang Zao said.

Meng Qiuyu still felt it was inappropriate. “But isn’t this too much like deceiving oneself and others?”

Jiang Zao smiled. “What does it matter? If they think they got 100, then it’s 100. In any case, if they’re deceiving anyone, they’re deceiving themselves, not me.”

Meng Qiuyu stopped speaking. Teacher Jiang seemed to be even more willful than he had imagined.

Willfulness against willfulness. Who would win in the end?

A moment later, he revealed a smile. “Then I won’t disturb you. I’ll go to class first.”

“All right. Good luck.” Jiang Zao tilted his head and said this to him.

Meng Qiuyu returned to his desk, took his books, and walked out. By the time he reached the classroom, the bell had just rung. Looking at the classroom with every seat occupied, Meng Qiuyu suddenly felt a little emotional. When had he last seen full attendance? It seemed to have happened only once? What had been the situation that time again?

While he was caught in inexplicable memories, Jiang Tong finally fulfilled his duty as class monitor. He stood up. “Stand!”

Aside from Lu She, no one paid him any attention. But after Dai Chu looked at him faintly, she also stood up.

Jiang Tong was extremely embarrassed. What should he do? Only three people had stood up. He had finally mustered some enthusiasm, yet he had messed things up again. He had truly failed his brother’s trust. He should go tell his brother that he did not want to be class monitor anymore.

Meng Qiuyu came back to himself. Seeing the awkward scene below, he hurriedly said, “No need. Everyone sit down.”

He took an extra look at the two new faces and sighed inwardly. They were both good children. How had they ended up in this class?

But…

Meng Qiuyu’s gaze softened. This was his first time experiencing a normal class procedure in this class, though it had not been completed.

The heavy feeling he usually had during class suddenly relaxed a little. Meng Qiuyu opened the book. “Students, please turn your books to the first page. Let’s begin the first lesson of the new semester.”

During the break after second period, Jiang Zao called Jiang Tong outside the classroom. “Post this.”

“What is it?” Jiang Tong took the sheet of paper and looked at it. His eyes widened. “Brother—”

“Mm?”

Jiang Tong changed his words in time. “Teacher Jiang, this… this?”

“What this and that?” Jiang Zao raised a brow. “This is the grade chart for the test you took last class. Can’t you tell?”

Jiang Tong was going crazy. Of course he could tell. What he cared about was something else, okay!

Jiang Tong was silent for a long time before saying unhappily, “Clearly, Lu She should be first.”

In his eyes, Lu She had always been strict with himself, and this time had been the same when grading himself. He could have been a little more lenient. That way, he could have gotten full marks too. Of course, 98 was not bad either. Originally, Jiang Tong had thought Lu She would definitely be first. Even if the people he was being compared to were from Class 19, as long as Lu She could rank first, Jiang Tong would be happy. In the end, those people actually did not play according to the rules and shamelessly gave their blank papers full marks, making the people who had honestly done the questions and honestly assigned scores into jokes.

Jiang Tong did not care about himself, but he felt it was unfair for Lu She.

Jiang Zao saw that his mouth was practically pouting enough to hang an oil bottle from it and merely said, “Lu She only has 98 points. Everyone else got full marks.”

“But you clearly know—”

Before he could finish, his forehead was lightly tapped. It was not heavy. Jiang Tong covered his forehead and looked at him unhappily.

Jiang Zao smiled and said, “This is only a piece of paper. Whatever you think it is, that is what it is.”

Jiang Tong lowered his head and pinched the sheet of paper in his hands this way and that. Only after a long time did he ask in a confirming tone, “Do I really have to post it?”

“Mm.”

“All right.” Jiang Tong made up his mind. “If I have to post it, then I’ll post it.”

Jiang Zao directed him. “Post it higher. Don’t put it too low—can you reach? Do you need to move over a chair?”

Jiang Tong turned back and snapped at him, “I’m not that short!”

Jiang Zao shrugged. His younger brother had grown up. He even knew how to lose his temper at his older brother now.

He shook his head and walked away with a sigh.

Jiang Tong was a bit obsessive about neatness. He shifted it left and right but still felt it was crooked. While he was adjusting the position, Song Jintong, who had returned from outside, gathered over. “Class monitor, what are you doing?”

“Posting the ranking chart.” Jiang Tong was a little uneasy. This girl was standing too close, and the scent of her perfume was drilling into his nose through every possible opening. He hurriedly posted it properly, then decisively jumped away and fled back into the classroom.

Song Jintong looked at his fleeing figure with a half-smile before lifting her head to look at the contents of the paper. After seeing it clearly, she revealed an intrigued smile.

Zhou Yuan poked his head out from the window and asked with a grin, “Sister Tong, what is that?”

“A ranking chart.” Song Jintong beckoned him. “Hurry and come take a look. My ranking is higher than yours.”

“That can’t be. My final exam score last time was higher than yours, okay?” Zhou Yuan did not believe it and ran out to look. His eyes immediately widened.

After a brief daze, Zhou Yuan cursed, “Holy shit. Is he sick? What’s there to post about this?”

Song Jintong smiled and said, “It’s good that he posted it. Now everyone can see that my ranking is higher than yours.”

Zhou Yuan glanced at her sideways and said disdainfully, “Do you have any common sense? With the same score, the ranking is tied. The order is arranged according to the initials of names. You’re only in front of me because your initials gave you an advantage.”

“I don’t care, I don’t care. Anyway, my ranking is higher than yours. I won!” Song Jintong held up a V sign and waved it chaotically in front of him, the jewelry all over her body jingling.

Their conversation drew the attention of the others. After they figured out what was going on, they also gathered around one after another.

“Who would’ve thought that four-eyes looks so rustic and tacky, but he’s actually pretty good at doing flashy tricks.”

“Good lord, I never dreamed my ranking would be this high. This is the first time in my life. Thank you, my surname!”

“I have to hurry and take a photo of this and send it to my dad. With such good grades, it would be unreasonable if he doesn’t raise my allowance next month.”

“Yo, yo, yo, why are there three people here who didn’t get full marks? They’re dragging down our class. Did they even study properly? This learning attitude needs to be seriously criticized.”

“The legendary first in the grade is nothing much after all. Such an easy paper, and he only got 98. Unlike me, casually getting full marks with ease. Me, the GOAT!”

“Hey, say, how about we post this on the school notice board? Let everyone else know that our Class 19 is the strongest class!”

“Good idea, good idea. Let’s go, let’s go!”

Their unscrupulous words entered Jiang Tong’s ears. He gritted his teeth. The pen in his hand was squeezed so hard it was about to snap. Suddenly, a hand took the pen away.

Jiang Tong raised his head.

Lu She’s expression was neither happy nor unhappy. It was still that usual cool and detached appearance. He said, “Focus.”

Jiang Tong was dissatisfied. “But they’re talking about you…”

Lu She used the pen to circle the place where he had made a mistake and said faintly, “There’s no need to care. The things I have determined will not change because of a piece of paper.”

“Mm…” Jiang Tong scratched his head. “What you said sounds a lot like my brother.”

Lu She looked at him.

Jiang Tong recalled what Jiang Zao had said and smiled. “Not exactly alike. It should be more like the feeling is similar.”

“Mm.” Lu She answered faintly.

Jiang Tong asked him, “Do you know what my brother is thinking?”

“Mm?”

Jiang Tong deflated and lay on the desk. “I don’t understand my brother anymore. Ever since his birthday last time, he seems like he’s become a different person. If it were before, I couldn’t imagine him being so willful and doing so many things I can’t understand. Did something happen to him? I’m not as smart as my brother. He’s a top student, and Lu She, you’re also a top student. There should be a shared brain circuit between you top students, right? So can you understand what my brother is thinking?”

Lu She was silent for a moment before asking in return, “Isn’t this good?”

Jiang Tong froze, then smiled and shook his head. “This is very good. My brother, he used to really long for other people’s approval. But now, he doesn’t seem to care about those things anymore. How should I put it? He’s living more for himself? Anyway, I think he’s much happier than before.”

“In that case, you might as well trust him a little more,” Lu She said faintly. “You’re his family.”

Jiang Tong nodded hard. “You’re right. My brother is so smart. There must be a reason why he’s doing all these things. I have to trust him, support him, and be his backing!”

As he spoke, he clenched both hands. “First, I have to raise my grades—Lu She, please keep teaching me!”

“Mm.” Lu She’s eyes held a smile as he reached out and rubbed Jiang Tong’s head.