Several thousand students on the field looked up at Xiao Yi on the stage. No matter how shocked and awestruck they had been before, it had now all turned into admiration. The way they looked at Xiao Yi had become the way one looked at a big shot.
The younger students from the elementary and middle school divisions were filled with worship.
"Senior Xiao is so handsome!"
"Xiao-senpai!"
The high school students were equally envious.
Ten thousand yuan.
Who said being good at studying couldn't make money?
Being good at studying really could make fucking money!
That was ten thousand yuan straight into his account. Who knew what would come later?
On the rostrum, another school leader beside them brought over a scholarship placard bearing the words "Ten Thousand Yuan." It looked like it had been prepared long ago.
Liu Songlin took the scholarship placard. He and Xiao Yi each held one side of it, while the other school leaders gathered around them and stood on either side for a photo.
Then Liu Songlin handed the placard to Xiao Yi and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Xiao Yi."
Xiao Yi nodded repeatedly. "Thank you, Principal!"
Then he looked at the other school leaders beside him. "Thank you, teachers!"
If he did not know a school leader, calling them teacher was always safe.
The school leaders all smiled and nodded. Chen Liang, the Grade Director for the senior year, patted Xiao Yi on the shoulder and said cheerfully, "I really didn't expect you to be this impressive, kid. You came to our senior year and took one exam, then immediately got first place in the grade. You've dealt quite a blow to all those senior students of yours. What do you think we should do?"
"Uh..."
An awkward expression appeared on Xiao Yi's face.
He had not considered that question before taking the exam.
Who could have imagined the test would be so easy?
"Enough, stop talking nonsense and scaring Xiao Yi."
The principal beside them shot Chen Liang a glare. He knew Chen Liang was joking, but if he scared Xiao Yi, he would be held accountable.
In any case, Xiao Yi was now the apple of his eye. Anyone who upset Xiao Yi was upsetting him.
Chen Liang quickly surrendered. "All right, all right, my mistake, my mistake. Xiao Yi, you can knock them down a peg whenever you want in the future. It'll be good motivation for them."
The senior-year students: ?
Principal Liu shook his head with a laugh, then said, "All right, let's move on to the next item. Xiao Yi, you can return to your class first. As for the scholarship, you'll need to provide your bank card number, and the money will be transferred to your account. That's all."
"Okay."
Xiao Yi nodded. He did not linger any longer, leaving the rostrum and returning to his class.
Naturally, his classmates showered him with praise.
"Brother Xiao, my admiration for you is like the endless surging waters of a great river..."
"I'm Brother Xiao's dog!"
"Brother Xiao, I love you!"
"Get lost!"
Xiao Yi shoved Chen Wei, who was beside him, away. "I seriously suspect all of you are developing gay tendencies. For my personal safety, I've decided—"
"I won't be coming to the classroom for lessons anymore!"
Second period.
Chen Wei looked at the empty seat beside him, his face full of confusion.
Where was Xiao Yi?
Was he really not coming to class anymore?
Oh no, did Xiao Yi really think he was gay?
Chen Wei immediately panicked.
This period was Luo Penghua's class. While Luo Penghua had them read their books, Chen Wei asked, "Teacher Luo, where did Xiao Yi go?"
Luo Penghua smiled. "Principal Liu said Xiao Yi will be free to arrange his own time from now on, so he should be in the study room studying by himself."
"Huh?"
Chen Wei's eyes instantly widened.
Would a principal really agree to something like that?
A student did not have to attend classes anymore...
But then he came back to his senses.
Fuck!
The principal must have had tremendous confidence in Xiao Yi to agree to such a condition.
He wanted that too!
"You want to go too?"
Luo Penghua saw what Chen Wei was thinking from his expression.
"Yes, yes!" Chen Wei nodded hurriedly.
Luo Penghua said with a chuckle, "Then you can go ask the principal and have him approve it for you."
Chen Wei shrank back.
Ask the principal?
What a joke. He did not even dare enter the principal's office, much less make a request of the principal.
"Maybe... forget it."
Luo Penghua shook his head with a laugh, then said, "Just attend class properly. You only got 78 in physics this time, not even 80, and you're already thinking about arranging your own time like Xiao Yi? Focus on your lessons first!"
"Yes, yes, yes."
After getting knocked down a few pegs by his homeroom teacher, Chen Wei broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly agreed.
Luo Penghua said nothing more and continued pacing around the classroom.
Chen Wei breathed a sigh of relief and looked again at the seat beside him.
Good, good. At least that meant Xiao Yi did not really think he was gay. His reputation had been saved.
Only...
He let out a long breath. Seeing how his former friend had reached such a level that even the principal allowed him to stop attending classes, while he himself was still wasting away here...
No, he could not keep squandering his time for no reason.
It was time to study seriously.
His gaze became resolute as he picked up his physics textbook and began reading it earnestly.
Study room.
The Affiliated High School's study room was located in the library.
As a middle and high school, its study room was not particularly large, and the library itself was fairly small as well.
After all, students could study in their classrooms. The study room had a relatively low usage rate; only on weekends, rest days, or holidays would more students come here to study.
But that made things convenient for Xiao Yi.
Looking at the spacious, quiet study room, Xiao Yi nodded in satisfaction. Such a peaceful environment was perfect for studying.
Over the past month, he had finished all forty books, and the store of knowledge in his mind had reached an unprecedented level.
At the very least, even an undergraduate mathematics student who had mastered every specialized textbook from their degree program would still be no match for him.
That was because, aside from those specialized books, his mind also contained many mathematical papers.
He had even read the paper proving Fermat's Last Theorem once.
Naturally, reading that paper had been quite difficult for him, since the various knowledge contained within required sufficiently profound mathematical attainment.
Ordinary mathematics undergraduates would face enormous difficulty reading that paper. To read it through in full might take several weeks or even months.
Even Xiao Yi had spent over a week reading the entire paper bit by bit.
Of course, after finishing it, he had gained a great deal of insight.
Beyond the knowledge contained within it, he had practically grasped the mathematical way of thinking of the paper's author, Fields Medal recipient Andrew Wiles.
And that meant his approach to mathematical thinking would truly begin shifting from the perspective of a student to that of a mathematical master.
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