Class D Wasn't as Bad as You Thought

Seeing Horikita fall silent, Teacher Chazhu continued:

"And besides, think about it carefully. If grades were all that mattered, how did Sudo and Yamauchi get in? And why weren't Yukimura and Takagahara placed in a better class?"

"This..."

"In short, you weren't assigned to Class D because of a mistake on our part. It was the right decision, made after considering many factors."

"In that case, I'll ask the school again sometime."

Hearing this, Mu Tianchen and the other student were both at a loss for words. Teacher Chazhu had explained things so clearly—would going to the school really help?

The answer would obviously be no. There was no need to even think about it.

"You'll get the same answer even if you go to the school again. Besides, there's no need to be pessimistic about Class D. You still have a chance to rise to Class A."

So this was Teacher Chazhu's goal? She'd seemed so resigned just a moment ago.

It seemed she wasn't content with Class D either. In some ways, she and Horikita were quite alike.

"I don't think that'll be easy at all. Class D is full of idiots. How could we possibly rise to Class A so easily?" Horikita replied without hesitation, then looked at Teacher Chazhu again.

"Besides, our Class Points are still at zero... Whatever. I'll head back for today, but please remember that I haven't accepted this."

"Fine, I'll remember that... Oh, I've also called two people over. Are you interested?"

"Not interested." Horikita finished speaking and pushed back her chair to leave.

"They're people who have something to do with you."

Hearing that, Horikita stopped in her tracks. Could it be my brother?

When Teacher Chazhu saw Horikita stop, she clapped her hands. "Ayanokouji, Mu Tianchen, come out here."

Mu Tianchen was at a loss for words. What did he have to do with her? Ayanokouji, maybe, but he had absolutely nothing to do with her. They hadn't even spoken.

He glanced over at Ayanokouji, who looked like he didn't want to come out.

In that case, Mu Tianchen wouldn't come out either.

After waiting a while with no movement from the Tea Room, Teacher Chazhu continued, while Horikita looked increasingly impatient:

"If you don't come out, I'll expel you!"

Why was she threatening them with expulsion again? Was that all Teacher Chazhu knew how to use to scare people? Whatever... He might as well play along.

Mu Tianchen walked out, and Ayanokouji followed right behind him.

"You heard everything we just said, didn't you?"

"No," the two answered in unison.

"Don't joke with me. The conversation in this room could be heard clearly from the Tea Room. I did that on purpose."

"Teacher Chazhu... What do you mean?" Horikita asked, confused.

"Don't rush. You'll find out in a moment. For now, let's get down to business."

Teacher Chazhu pulled a test paper from her drawer and spread it out on the table.

"I'd planned to observe each student's entrance exam results and offer individual guidance, but I came across something interesting. Take a look for yourselves."

Mu Tianchen looked over and saw a score sheet. The score of 50 in every subject stood out, just like Ayanokouji's scores on the recent quiz.

He looked up at the name: Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.

How to put it... Did this guy not even know how to pretend? This didn't look like the score of an average student at all. It looked more like he could answer everything and had deliberately kept his scores down.

Horikita looked just as shocked when she saw the test paper.

"Ayanokouji, explain this."

"Hmm... It was a coincidence. Coincidences really are frightening."

"Fifty in every subject, and the same on this quiz. You expect me to believe it was a coincidence?"

Teacher Chazhu wasn't going to believe his nonsense. She wouldn't be the only one—even anyone else here would doubt it after seeing these scores.

"Think about it, Teacher Chazhu. If I were deliberately keeping my scores down, what would I gain? If I could answer everything, I'd have gotten full marks," Ayanokouji retorted.

"Sigh, you really are an annoying student. Horikita, you refute him. I'm sure you've noticed too."

Teacher Chazhu sighed and handed the task of rebutting him to Horikita.

Horikita nodded in understanding, then pointed at the test paper. "This question was very difficult. Even I couldn't solve it, yet you got it right."

"And this one was clearly an easy question. Even middle schoolers could answer it, yet you got it wrong. And this one..."

Horikita was undeniably good at academics. She must have realized that Ayanokouji might be even smarter than her.

"All right, that's enough. Why did you do this?" Horikita stopped pointing at the paper and looked at Ayanokouji.

"I told you, it was just a coincidence. I might have guessed the difficult questions right. Besides, I don't like studying, so isn't it natural that I'd get easy questions wrong? And..."

Even now, after all that, Ayanokouji was still making excuses. Unbelievable.

"Forget it. Stop making excuses." Teacher Chazhu cut him off and turned her gaze to Mu Tianchen.

"Now let's talk about you, the student who transferred here!"

Teacher Chazhu placed heavy emphasis on the word "transferred," as though she were deliberately stressing something.

"What about me?"

"Take a look." As she spoke, Teacher Chazhu took out her phone and tapped on it, bringing up a screen to show Horikita and Ayanokouji.

"How can you have so many!" Horikita exclaimed in shock. She immediately covered her mouth, looking utterly disbelieving.

Ayanokouji, on the other hand, didn't show much of a reaction.

Mu Tianchen had suspected that Teacher Chazhu might have access to this information, but wasn't this a little too disrespectful of his privacy?

Still, after seeing how she'd treated Ayanokouji just now, it seemed she was the same way with him, so Mu Tianchen let it go.

"1,500,300 points. You really are something. While most people are still planning how to use their points, you've managed to earn this much. Can you tell me how you did it?"

"That's my secret, Teacher Chazhu. If I tell you, it won't be a secret anymore."

It seemed all she could see was the number of points; she couldn't find out where they'd come from.

"Fine. In that case, I won't ask how you did it. Horikita, do you understand now? These two exceptional students can both be placed in Class D. What do you still have to complain about?"

"Class D isn't as bad as you think!"

Horikita was still silent, lost in thought. Ayanokouji nudged her, and only then did she come around.

"Fine, I understand. If things really are as you say, I'll aim for Class A. No, I'll make absolutely sure we rise to Class A."

Teacher Chazhu nodded with satisfaction. It seemed she'd achieved her goal.

"Horikita, Ayanokouji, you can leave. I have something to discuss with Mu Tianchen alone."

Teacher Chazhu gestured for the two of them to go and ushered them out of the Counseling Room.