Chapter Eleven: Wei Yu's Provocation

Some say the hardest part of class is the last period, especially the final minute—it feels like an eternity. Zhou Xuan was experiencing exactly that, and he guessed most of his classmates felt the same way, quietly counting down the seconds until the bell rang, ready to grab their lunchboxes, dash out of the building, and join the lunchtime rush.

The bell rang.

“All right, that’s all for today! Class dismissed!” With Teacher Wang's announcement, the classroom burst into life; everyone grabbed their lunchboxes and hurried out.

Zhou Xuan, Zhou Lin, and their dorm mates were no exception, joining the crowd and discussing what to have for lunch. The question of what to eat for lunch is a fundamental concern for people in our country, debated for decades with no resolution—by the internet age, it had become a running joke online.

“Pfft! So what if you can speak a bit of English? It’s nothing special; neither the college entrance exam nor the middle school exam tests spoken English!” As Zhou Xuan and his friends happily debated their lunch options, a mocking voice came from behind.

Zhou Xuan didn’t need to look—clearly, it was Wei Xinyu, still fuming from their earlier encounter, seeking trouble again. Zhou Xuan turned and shot him a cold, sneering glance. “Idiot.” The best way to deal with someone like that was to ignore him and defeat him at what he prided himself on.

Unfortunately, Zhou Xuan had underestimated Wei Xinyu’s lack of composure.

“Zhou Xuan, who are you calling an idiot?” Wei Xinyu shouted, causing several classmates ahead to turn around.

“Heh, whoever’s asking for it gets it,” Zhou Xuan replied.

Seeing the situation, Zhou Lin naturally stepped in to support his buddy, and he’d never liked this arrogant math class representative anyway. He’d been annoyed by him for ages. “So what if your math is a bit better? Zhou Xuan could beat you in seconds.”

“If Zhou Xuan’s spoken English is this good, do you really think he’d be weak in other aspects of English? You really don’t have a brain.” Another dorm mate chimed in.

Laughter erupted. The surrounding classmates watched the argument, eager for drama.

Seeing so many speaking up for Zhou Xuan, Wei Xinyu grew even more irritated. It was clear—despite being the math class representative, he wasn’t popular at all, and no one sided with him.

“Hmph, what’s the point of just talking? Zhou Xuan, dare to compete? October’s monthly exam—let’s see who scores higher in math.” Wei Xinyu finally played what he believed was his trump card: a contest of math grades.

Zhou Xuan gave a cold laugh. “Just because you ask, I’ll compete? I’m not stupid—I won’t do anything that’s not worth my while.”

Wei Xinyu, thinking he’d caught Zhou Xuan’s weakness, grinned triumphantly, unaware that Zhou Xuan was biding his time to humiliate him. “Haha, Zhou Xuan, you’re afraid, aren’t you?”

“Since it’s a bet, there should be a stake. If you lose, strip naked and run a lap around the track,” Zhou Xuan said.

As expected, Wei Xinyu was too timid to accept and protested, “Zhou Xuan, aren’t you afraid of being expelled?”

“No,” Zhou Xuan replied firmly.

Wei Xinyu eyed Zhou Xuan, puzzled by the harsh penalty, but he refused to agree. Whether Zhou Xuan was bluffing or really that confident, regardless of who won or lost, if there truly was a naked run on the track, the school would investigate immediately, and everyone involved might face punishment.

“Heh, it’s just a contest—no need to make it so dramatic. If you get expelled for streaking, I’d get dragged in too. Change the condition, will you?” Wei Xinyu feigned concern for Zhou Xuan, making the onlookers feel disgusted and contemptuous.

Zhou Xuan hadn’t expected Wei Xinyu to accept the condition anyway, so he proposed, “Fine, then the loser pays the winner two hundred yuan!” Earning some pocket money sounded good—Wei Xinyu’s family was wealthy, so a little extra spending cash wouldn’t hurt.

Wei Xinyu, hearing the money involved, looked down on Zhou Xuan even more, thinking, “Typical country bumpkin, fussing over small change.” He agreed readily. “No problem!” He also called on nearby classmates to witness, so Zhou Xuan couldn’t back out.

Zhou Xuan agreed and told Zhou Lin, “If I win, I’ll treat you all to lunch!”

Zhou Lin accepted eagerly, glancing at Wei Xinyu as if he were a fool.

Even before the attention Zhou Xuan had drawn in Chinese class had fully spread, news of his impressive spoken English in English class—and his math bet with Wei Xinyu—quickly circulated throughout the whole seventh grade at lunchtime. As a result, many students from other classes gathered around Zhou Xuan and his friends, eager to see him in person.

It was the first time his dorm mates had eaten under such watchful eyes; they felt a little uneasy.

Only Zhou Xuan seemed unaffected, focused solely on his meal, as if the attention meant nothing to him.

Usually, Zhou Lin ate ravenously, but now he was chewing slowly, which left Zhou Xuan—already nearly finished—speechless.

“Zhou Lin, hurry up! What are you looking at? Finish your food so we can get back to class!” Zhou Lin took a bite, then glanced furtively at nearby girls.

“Zhou Xuan, you’re amazing! Look, girls from other classes are here just to see you!” Zhou Lin knew Zhou Xuan was the top student in their village and always thought his friend was impressive. But the commotion Zhou Xuan caused that morning had far exceeded his expectations—he was truly remarkable.

If someone else unrelated to Zhou Xuan had witnessed his performance, they’d have to admit he was outstanding, but Zhou Lin had been in the same class as Zhou Xuan from elementary through middle school. Zhou Xuan had always seemed normal, but after the National Day holiday, he’d changed completely; Zhou Lin hardly recognized him anymore, especially after their recent talk.

Zhou Xuan scooped up his last bite and smiled. “Want to know how? Then run every day and review according to my instructions. I guarantee you’ll be in the top five at the end-of-term exams!”

Zhou Lin was excited. “Are you serious?”

The other two dorm mates’ eyes lit up. Who wouldn’t want better grades? If there was a chance, no one would let it slip. “Zhou Xuan, don’t forget us! If you’re coaching Zhou Lin, include us too!”

Zhou Xuan’s recent rise had inspired them; middle schoolers love to compete. Zhou Xuan was so impressive, with excellent spoken English, and now he was betting on math with Wei Xinyu. Everyone thought Zhou Xuan must have been keeping a low profile, and that he was outstanding in all three subjects.

Zhou Xuan smiled gently. “Of course, no problem. But let me say this first: a good study method is only part of it—you have to work hard, too. If you don’t put in the effort, even the best methods are useless.”

Zhou Lin agreed. “Definitely, we all understand that.”

“Good, since you’ve made up your minds, you’ll have to listen to me.” Zhou Xuan was eager to help his dorm mates as well.