Chapter 22

Chapter 22

After a considerable period of time, Chen Mo finally came to a realization. His determination to have a relaxed high school life began to crumble after Xi Siyan was forced to tutor him.

Qi Lin wasn't wrong; once this person set his mind on something, he executed it with an almost inhuman level of dedication.

Even if he didn't do it willingly.

In the mornings, you never knew from which direction above your head the alarm clock would suddenly ring, akin to a midnight horror call.

Temporary spot checks could appear on the table at any moment, seemingly out of nowhere.

Sometimes it was a test paper during self-study class, sometimes just a problem that popped into his head.

All of Chen Mo's free time was gradually being taken over.

The most terrifying nightmare at night was no longer turning in a blank exam paper for the college entrance exam, but rather someone standing beside him, staring at him with deep, dark eyes and frowning, asking, "Still can't remember?"

Chen Mo could have refused, not cooperated, or ignored it.

But no one knew that this was his second chance at life.

Someone had invested their time and effort in him, and even if he became a dead fish, his lingering sense of conscience compelled him to come back to life and continue solving problems.

There was no way around it; he was still a person with some morals.

So recently, what the students in the experimental class often saw was the corner at the back of the classroom where the school bully, holding an old thermos cup, yawned constantly and looked perpetually worn out. The senior who checked his homework went from initially frowning tightly to gradually relaxing, becoming calm, and eventually more at ease.

By late October, the scorching weather in Sui City finally came to an end.

The plane trees at the base of the teaching building gradually turned yellow, and when the wind blew, leaves swirled in the air before slowly falling.

"Let me see, have you lost weight?"

At noon, Gou Yiyang sat half on Chen Mo's desk, cupping his face with both hands and shaking his head in exasperation. "Look at how thin your face has become."

Chen Mo brushed his hands away, screwed the cap back on his bottle, and said emotionlessly, "Get lost."

"Tomorrow is the monthly exam. How are you feeling? Confident?" Gou Yiyang sat down on a chair and turned to look at him.

Chen Mo glanced at him, "What if I say no?"

"You can't say no." Lao Gou got excited, realizing his voice was too loud, he scanned the classroom and, seeing no one else, continued, leaning on the desk: "It's been almost a month. There should be some hope, right? This is a battle of dignity; we can only win, not lose."

Chen Mo, chin resting on his hand, was still thinking about the complex problem Xi Siyan had given him in the last class of the morning. He replied casually, "Are you guys really that eager to replace the math teacher?"

"Bai She is secondary," Gou Yiyang seemed indifferent to this, lowering his voice and saying, "Haven't you noticed anything different about our class lately?"

"Hmm?" Chen Mo indicated he was listening.

Gou Yiyang was frustrated by his lack of interest and continued, "Yang Shule, haven't you noticed he's been keeping a low profile lately? He doesn't hang out much with his usual friends anymore. He's putting all his effort into getting a good grade to make a comeback. His previously proud image of being well-liked has taken a hit, and his relationship with the class president broke after the Nanshan trip. He definitely needs to make up for it in the rankings and show you who's boss."

Gou Yiyang added, "Most people in the class have placed bets on who will rank higher between you two."

Chen Mo's thoughts finally became clear.

He felt a sense of relief.

It wasn't that he was particularly determined to get into the top ten; it was just that he couldn't shake off the habit of wanting to understand everything thoroughly. This trait had persisted through both lives.

This was also a significant factor driving him forward passively.

Chen Mo wasn't a prodigy. Even though he had taken the college entrance exam and attended university in his previous life, if someone asked him to rewrite the answers, he wouldn't remember more than five questions without extraordinary memory.

There were no shortcuts.

However, Chen Mo had to admit that Xi Siyan's method and approach were indeed effective.

Currently, all the high school knowledge points formed a new network in his mind, like a tree diagram, gradually reviving.

This feeling was quite novel.

He didn't feel particularly elated, nor did he feel repulsed.

When he heard about the bet, he asked, "Who did you bet on?"

"Duh, of course you," Gou Yiyang looked at Chen Mo with a "Am I that kind of person?" expression and said, "Even if Yang Shule always ranks in the top ten in the school, and most people think you'll lose badly, I, Lao Gou, will always support my brother. Got it?"

Chen Mo rolled his eyes, "So lame."

Gou Yiyang glared, "Say that again?!"

"The bet is lame," Chen Mo quickly reined himself in, knowing when to yield, "I mean, I don't care about his ranking."

Chen Mo remembered that in his previous life, Yang Shule's college entrance exam scores were decent, but as a science student, he ended up studying art, majoring in piano. This fact made his mother, Zhou Yaoqing, very proud, believing that the youngest son of the Yang family didn't need to work so hard and that pursuing arts was great.

But Chen Mo knew that it was because the university he applied to, A University, only admitted him to the art school, while Xi Siyan, who was supposed to be admitted early, ended up going abroad.

In his previous life, Chen Mo aimed for B University's computer science program, but due to a dip in his math score, he ended up at C University's finance program.

Later, he and Old K started their own tech company.

There was a bit of a compensatory mentality involved.

For now, he approached everything with a sense of doing his best and then letting go. He wouldn't intentionally leave unanswered questions on exams, but he had no interest in competing with anyone.

It was lunchtime, and students were returning to the classroom one by one.

When Yang Shule entered through the back door, the classroom was already mostly full.

So when he suddenly walked over to Chen Mo, stood in front of his desk, and said, "After this monthly exam, regardless of the results, I will transfer to the general class," the whole class erupted in surprise.

"Why would he go to the general class with those grades? Is he crazy?"

"Maybe he can't stand it here anymore. Didn't you notice he doesn't interact with anyone else now?"

"I think it's quite gutsy."

"It's like saying, 'Whether I do well or not, I don't care about competing with you. If I leave, it's my choice.'"

"I think it's a bit mocking. Think about it: it means that even if Yang Shule transfers to the general class, he'll still do great. And you, Chen Mo, even with the top student tutoring you, doing well isn't your own skill, and doing poorly just proves how bad you are."

"Damn, with that perspective, the bet is more interesting."

"Are they going to fight?"

Most of the class turned their attention to the corner.

Dozens of classmates watched as Chen Mo sat there, still stunned from hearing Yang Shule speak.

"If you're going, then go. Why tell me?" Chen Mo paused for a few seconds before speaking.

He genuinely felt bewildered, and his expression showed no pretense.

Someone couldn't help but laugh first, though the laughter was subdued but noticeable.

Yang Shule took a deep breath, his expression twisted momentarily, as if in frustration or anger. He threw out, "You really think getting into the top ten is easy? I'll be watching."

As Yang Shule left, Chen Mo looked at Gou Yiyang. "Did he come over just to provoke me?"

"You're only realizing it now." Gou Yiyang looked exasperated, glancing around. "Where's Xi Siyan? Still not out of Lao Xiang's office? I need to get him to clear your head; you're so slow."

Gou Yiyang, who had called him slow, realized by the first class in the afternoon that he was wrong, very wrong.

During PE class.

During free time, two PE teachers organized a basketball game between the experimental class and Class Seven.

Xi Siyan missed the first half because Lao Xiang needed him, and another skilled player from the experimental class was absent due to diarrhea. So Chen Mo was pulled in as a substitute.

The others didn't put pressure on him.

"Just relax and play, Brother Mo. It's okay if we lose."

"Yeah, Old Xi should be back for the second half. We can make up any points lost."

Once on the court.

"Damn! So fast!"

"Brother Mo! The ball!"

"Three-pointer! Amazing!"

"Pass it here, Brother Mo!"

The boys' enthusiasm on the court was infectious, and students began gathering around to watch and cheer.

The most noticeable figure on the court was the boy in loose black T-shirt and shorts, not wearing a jersey.

His three-point shots were incredibly accurate, and he moved fast, always aware of the situation on the court. His rhythm was impeccable, and the experimental class started revolving around him. Whether it was the lithe stretch of his waist during jumps or the captivating face glistening with sweat, the game became unexpectedly exciting.

The atmosphere on the court grew increasingly heated.

The cheers around the court grew louder and more exaggerated.

Those who thought the experimental class would lose in the first half watched as the score difference reached an astounding sixteen points without Xi Siyan.

It was incredible.

When Xi Siyan returned to the field, the first half was nearing its end.

His jersey number was always 9, and someone noticed him right away, making room for him.

"He's here." The PE teacher saw him and nodded toward the court, smiling. "Your class has such a good player. Why haven't we seen him play before?"

Xi Siyan glanced over as the player on the court made a fake move, jumping and scoring two points, eliciting another round of cheers.

Xi Siyan smiled. "He's usually too lazy."

"Huh?" The PE teacher didn't understand.

Xi Siyan: "Too lazy to move."

Even the lazy one felt tired now.

He hadn't engaged in such intense exercise for a long time, and halfway through the game, he could taste blood in his nostrils.

But when adrenaline surges, perception dulls, and being in such an atmosphere made him feel a rush of excitement.

Fortunately, the first half ended soon.

As the whistle blew, Qi Lin and the others rushed over, walking off the court while excitedly discussing.

"Chen Mo, why didn't you tell us you were so good?"

"Did you see that fat guy from Class Seven trying to stop Chen Mo several times? He looked so green, haha."

"Let's switch positions in the second half..."

Speaking, the few of them returned to the place belonging to the experimental class.

"Hey, Old Xi, when did you get back?"

"Did you see that game just now? It was thrilling."

Chen Mo, upon hearing that "mm," looked up and saw Xi Siyan standing beside the PE teacher.

Xi Siyan also looked over at him.

Chen Mo was momentarily stunned; a drop of sweat sliding down his chin brought him back to reality. He said, "You're playing the second half."

"Tired?" Xi Siyan bent down, pulled a bottle of water from the basket, and handed it over.

Chen Mo took it, steadied his breathing, and without any pretense, nodded. "Tired."

"Alright." Xi Siyan's response was equally brief.

The second half resumed the familiar rhythm of the experimental class. Xi Siyan's playing style was more stable than Chen Mo's, and it was evident that he had excellent stamina, running back and forth across the court without showing signs of heavy breathing for a long time.

Moreover, with him on the court, the enthusiasm of the cheering crowd around the field only increased.

The score difference widened from sixteen in the first half to twenty, then twenty-five...

In the end, the experimental class easily won the match with a significant point difference.

After the game, the class was almost over.

"Back to the classroom, back to the classroom."

Gou Yiyang also shouted, "Chen Mo, let's go."

Chen Mo, who was resting on the third step by the field, responded, "Let's go."

He got up too quickly, not paying attention. When a sharp crack echoed from his knee and a piercing pain followed, his mind went blank, and he knew something was wrong.

Sure enough, the group of people below, who had just finished playing and were drinking water and wiping their sweat, exclaimed in shock, "Damn!"

"Mo Ge?!"

"F**k, be careful..."

When the last exclamation landed, Chen Mo felt someone catch him.

After playing, everyone wore minimal clothing. During his rest, Chen Mo had rolled his sleeves up to his shoulders. By halftime, the original warmth of his skin had cooled, feeling slightly chilly. Therefore, when enveloped by that sudden burst of heat, goosebumps visibly rose on Chen Mo's arms.

He muttered a curse under his breath.

Too hot.

The exposed skin felt abnormally warm.

A familiar voice came from above, asking, "What happened?"

Deep and frowning.

Chen Mo looked up, still dazed from falling off the steps. "Thank you... Brother Xi Yan."

Otherwise, he would have hit his head first.

That would have been quite a sight.