In the middle of the plaza stood a huge fountain.
Clear water sprayed from it, and sunlight shining through the mist refracted into a beautiful rainbow of colors.
Zhuge Linghao said with a touch of self-mockery, "I really wonder what those so-called geniuses look like when someone beats them in a subject."
Speak of the devil.
Less than three meters away, a little girl with white, medium-length hair and a beret was slowly making her way toward Zhuge Linghao, leaning on a cane. A fierce-looking bald man followed beside her.
"Nice to meet you. You must be Zhuge. Please allow me to introduce myself."
The beautiful white-haired girl looked like a little elf from a fairy tale, and her nightingale-like voice was enchanting.
"I'm Sakayanagi Arisu from Class 1-A, and this is Katsuragi Kohei. I look forward to getting along with you!"
"Forgive me for asking, but did you get four answers for the last question on the math quiz?"
"That's not right. There should be five answers!"
"Hm? There's another case?"
Just as Zhuge Linghao and Sakayanagi Arisu were chatting amiably, Class D's top students, Horikita Suzune and Yukimura Teruhiko, joined them.
Yukimura Teruhiko said politely, "Hello, I'm Yukimura Teruhiko! Could you explain how you worked out the last case?"
Ichinose Honami, who had appeared out of nowhere, also popped up from who knew where. She smiled and introduced herself. "Hello, Zhuge. I'm Ichinose Honami from Class 1-B!"
Hey, hey, pink hair, don't come any closer! Those boobs! Those boobs! You're about to touch my arm!
Zhuge Linghao's face paled. He wiped away his nervous sweat and carefully took two steps back.
"Um, well, how should I put it?"
"The last question was a challenging problem combining geometry and algebra."
"We need to carefully analyze the given conditions and the information in the diagram."
"First, we have to use both case analysis and the relationship between algebra and geometry!"
"Then we identify the special cases in the movement of the two moving points and draw a simple sketch."
"It doesn't matter if the sketch isn't accurate. We can draw it and revise it several times until it is."
"Then, based on this relatively accurate diagram, we just need to add five auxiliary lines to solve the problem."
"We need to construct two pairs of congruent triangles, two pairs of similar triangles, and a rectangle. Then we use the Pythagorean theorem and a quadratic equation to work out the details."
"The given conditions include a midpoint, so we can construct congruent triangles by extending the median."
"After proving that AB is parallel to CD, we construct the two pairs of similar triangles using the parallel-line A-shape and X-shape patterns."
"The rectangle is missing a diagonal, so we connect a pair of opposite vertices!"
"So, did you understand?"
Half a minute later, a pleasant voice rang out.
"I see! I understand now."
Clever Sakayanagi Arisu was the first to catch on. She urgently needed to get back to the classroom and verify Zhuge Linghao's solution.
Before leaving, she said something that made him uneasy. "Zhuge, I look forward to our next contest."
No, please, young lady, I'm not looking forward to it. Don't come after me! Go after Ayanokoji! Please!
You geniuses, hurry off to the arena and fight to the death! If someone as ordinary and weak as me gets dragged into it, I probably won't even have my bones left to bury!
As Sakayanagi Arisu and the others disappeared around the corner, the smiling Zhuge Linghao put on a lightning-fast show of changing expressions, wiping the smile off his face in 0.1 seconds.
But there was no time to relax. One wave had barely subsided when another rose.
Ichinose Honami leaned forward without a trace of hesitation, smiling brightly. "Um, Zhuge, I only got a little over ninety on this math quiz."
"I still don't quite understand. Could you teach me in the library after school this evening?"
"Of course! No problem! Easy-peasy! Leave it to me!"
Unable to resist her soft charms, Zhuge Linghao thumped his chest and readily agreed!
Just then, Horikita Suzune gave a cold laugh and taunted him. "You're not completely useless, after all. You're pretty popular with the girls!"
But as someone who was always striving for perfection, she eventually set aside her pride and said coolly, "When we get back to the classroom, teach me how to solve it too."
Hearing that, Zhuge Linghao rejoiced inwardly. Hmph, you tsundere. Just you wait—I'll tame you! You'll be begging me before long!
A second later, Zhuge Linghao quickly bowed and scraped, smiling ingratiatingly as he said one thing while thinking another. "Sure. In exchange, you can teach me the other subjects!"
"Deal."
Once most of the people had left the plaza, Zhuge Linghao spotted Kushida Kikyo jogging over from across the way!
Zhuge Linghao had only just relaxed, but his body tensed up again without him realizing it.
Ugh, socializing was exhausting!
With starry eyes full of admiration, she gazed at Zhuge Linghao and said, "I didn't know you were so good at math, Zhuge. Could I ask you math questions from now on?"
You're just putting on an act. Math questions? You're probably thinking about how to get me expelled, little angel.
But Zhuge Linghao said the opposite of what he thought. He lifted his chin at a forty-five-degree angle, put his hands on his hips, and laughed loudly. "Sure! I'll be sure to teach! You! Well!"
Back in the classroom, Zhuge Linghao deliberately nudged Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's shoulder and asked tentatively, "Bro, you could solve the last part of the final question on the math quiz too, right?"
Ayanokoji stayed the same as ever, giving nothing away. "Huh? How could I? I couldn't solve it even if I had ten brains!"
Still putting on an act, my dear bro. When will you finally open up to me?
Just once would be enough...
Meanwhile, under Horikita Suzune's relentless urging, Zhuge Linghao had no choice but to go up to the podium and spend ten minutes demonstrating the solution on the blackboard.
Besides Horikita Suzune, who understood it completely, a few of the studious Top Students who had been listening in also suddenly saw the light.
Before you continue