Chapter 38

When I told the ghostwriter I wasn't going to aim for the top spot on the recommendation rankings, I thought, "Well, well, I guess I don't feel like writing anymore." Hahahaha, just kidding, just kidding. Everyone was so dejected and disappointed, and seeing their reactions made me sad too. Heh, you know? I was really sad. In the end, I still gave up. So writing novels is a learning experience. For a novel chasing a high ranking, it can be destructive. What did being number one on the recommendation rankings matter? It cost me money and came at the expense of other authors. Which matters more? So I'm learning how to think like an author. That's my regret, but maybe it's also a moment of clarity, or something I've learned. I've been browsing Bilibili lately, and I've had this voice-over remix of something Director Zhang Yimou said stuck in my head. I woke up, saw my recommendation had been rejected, and felt like doing something silly. I'm going to write now. For the record, any talk of author friends or ghostwriters is entirely made up. I have zero author connections, and I can't afford to hire anyone. It's all just for the joke. By the way, has Chapter 27 been published yet? Mine still says "pending review." If not, should I add it to Volume One?

First Semester: Chapter 36

Chapter 33: We Were Tricked Into Coming Here by the School

Thanks to the efforts of Ichinose, Himeno Yuki, Kanzaki, and Yuan Yuyuan (crossed out), even the less capable students in Class B were doing their best to take notes while reviewing what they'd learned before.

It was May 22, the long-awaited midterm exam. Everyone had arrived in the classroom early, even Yuan Yuyuan, who usually came in with the class bell as his personal theme music. Not everyone was as relaxed as he was. Many students were a little nervous, especially those who'd attended the study group. Ichinose noticed right away. She stood up and encouraged the others. "Don't be nervous. I've seen how hard you've all worked. And don't forget, we have the answers Yuyuan brought us. Just relax. It'd be awful if you got so nervous during the exam that you forgot them."

Yuan Yuyuan, who'd been resting with his eyes closed, opened them. The others really had relaxed after Ichinose's pep talk, and he couldn't help feeling a little uneasy. Was that really encouragement? It sounded more like hypnosis. He glanced at the source of the "hypnosis" and saw Ichinose looking at him proudly, like a child waiting for praise from a parent. All he could do was give her an awkward yet polite smile and nod.

Hoshinomiya came in with the exam papers. Unusually, she didn't say a word. She silently handed out the papers, then sat at the lectern and dozed off. When everyone saw that the questions were exactly the same as the ones Yuan Yuyuan had brought, they were overjoyed. Their pens practically flew across the pages, and before long, every single one of them had turned in their papers early.

Yuan Yuyuan was satisfied. That was Class B for you. It made him think of Class D, which had also gotten the answers. Those defective students had received them weeks before the exam, so they were probably all feeling confident—but still thinking they could memorize the answers tomorrow. Plan successful. (Laughs.) And that wasn't even counting Horikita Suzune, who'd gone and organized a study group of her own initiative. Class B could pull this off, but in Class D, even doing just one of those things seemed like it would kill them. Come to think of it, she wasn't a spy, but she'd still helped him out.

Things in Class D were just as Yuan Yuyuan had imagined—not nearly as rosy as they were in Class B. That was especially true for the Idiot Trio, who'd been sure they had the exams in the bag. Ever since they'd received the answers, they'd been goofing off. Apart from the study group Kushida had insisted they attend, they hadn't studied at all.

Not long after the second exam, English, began, Class B had already finished and was free to leave. But Yuan Yuyuan didn't go back to his dorm. Instead, he went alone to Class D. The top students, including Horikita and Kushida, had also finished their papers, but because a few idiots were holding them back, they had to stay in their seats and wait.

Just as he'd expected, one red-haired monkey was scratching his head over the exam paper. Yuan Yuyuan laughed gleefully. For that idiot, English really was like a book from another world. Once he'd had his fill of watching the monkey scratch his head, Yuan Yuyuan got bored and decided to go back to his dorm and stare into space.

He sent Kushida a message telling her to keep an eye on what Horikita and Ayanokoji were up to, then went back to sleep. He'd barely returned to his dorm when a notification interrupted his meditation.

[That woman Horikita apologized to that monkey Sudo, and then he went and fell for her. Isn't that weird? It's disgusting.]

Yuan Yuyuan frowned and held up his phone, making sure he'd read it right. Horikita Suzune had actually apologized, and that had made the monkey fall for her? He'd been acting like he wanted to kill Horikita's little sister before. If Horikita Manabu found out... Yuan Yuyuan smiled kindly.

He sent a casual reply. Naturally, he acted as if he shared Kushida's indignation, but what he was really thinking about was the look on that siscon's face when he found out. Never mind. Better not go looking for trouble. It wouldn't be good if that siscon took his anger out on him.

Nothing happened over the weekend. Monday came, and the school was at least efficient enough not to wait until next month to announce the results. Yuan Yuyuan came into the classroom once more with the sound of the class bell, followed by Hoshinomiya, who couldn't hide her delight. The students had done so well that she'd had a field day bragging about them to Chabashira and Mashima in the staff room.

Hoshinomiya walked up to the lectern and looked at her students, who'd made her proud. She didn't bother keeping them in suspense. Turning around, she put the midterm results up on the blackboard.

"Congratulations, everyone. Our class had the highest average score of all four classes this time, and nobody will be expelled. You all worked hard."

"Yes! Did you hear that, Shibata? We all passed!"

Even though they'd been prepared for it, some of the students with lower grades still couldn't contain their emotions when they heard they'd passed. Shibata Sou was especially overwhelmed. These past few days, he'd had to memorize the answers and study after class, while keeping up with club practice too. Otherwise, he'd lose his spot on the team. He'd been under more pressure than ever before, and only now, after hearing that he'd passed, could he finally relax.

Yuan Yuyuan didn't care about any of that. He just wanted to go to Class D and watch the drama. There was no way that monkey Sudo had passed. Horikita Suzune, the little rich girl, would pull Sudo back from the brink to prove how much she'd grown, but she'd never do it in front of everyone. So, if the timing was right, he might still get to see King Jiji's face crumple in despair.

But Hoshinomiya was still at the front of the classroom, watching everyone's heartfelt reactions. Once Class B had calmed down, she spoke again. "In recognition of everyone's excellent performance, the school has decided to take you all on vacation this summer! Aren't you excited?"

"That's wonderful! Hoshinomiya-sensei, I love you!"

At the same time, several of Class B's sharpest students sensed that something was off. They all looked toward Yuan Yuyuan. He rubbed his temples helplessly and cut off the commoners' celebration.

"Is that so? I seem to remember that we were tricked into coming here by the school's claims of a 99% employment and college admission rate."

The commoners immediately caught his meaning. They thought it over: this school forced students to turn against one another, yet now it was going to take them on vacation. It was obviously a trap! When Hoshinomiya just smiled without saying anything, like last time, everyone understood.

After a while, Hoshinomiya clapped her hands, interrupting everyone's chatter.

"All right, that's it for this class meeting. You're free to do what you like now."

As soon as Hoshinomiya left the classroom, Yuan Yuyuan couldn't wait to head to Class D.