Chapter 41  Let’s Make a Deal! I’ll Take You Flying

When it came to academics, they were always a notch below the neighboring No. 1 High. But the principal believed in setting an example with high energy himself!

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Burn your boats, and even the hardest barriers can be broken!”

“Heaven rewards the diligent. Endure hardship, and victory will come!”

“From this moment on, seniors are entering the final sprint for the college entrance exam!”

“With ten times the confidence and a hundred times the effort, throw yourself into your studies—did you hear me?”

Ahhhh!!

It felt like a flock of crows flew by. The scene froze, leaving only a trail of ellipses. The principal’s voice had gone hoarse from shouting, yet the response from below was sparse.

Seventh High was known for being laid-back—practically a haven for underachievers now!

Everyone was doing their own thing, chatting away, clearly not listening at all.

The poor principal…

If this were No. 1 High, their principal would probably have exploded on the spot.

College seemed so close…

Yet so far!

Xia Fenghua had a brief outburst and then suddenly quieted down.

“Zimo, do you want to go to college?”

Go to college!

Most people did, actually. They just gave up early, knowing it was likely out of reach. Underachievers usually didn’t start out wanting to be that way. It typically came down to two reasons.

They truly couldn’t grasp the material—they’d hit their limit.

They gave up halfway and stopped caring.

“Of course I want to go to college!”

“But… what if I don’t get in?”

“Do you want to go?”

“If you go, then I want to go too.”

Xia Fenghua was a little worried… Bai Zimo was different from her. Bai Zimo didn’t do poorly because he wasn’t smart—he just got sidetracked.

With things like his guesthouse, fishing, skipping class. He just hadn’t studied seriously. But she genuinely struggled with academics.

“You’re sharp enough. It’s not an intelligence issue.”

“Hey! I never said I was dumb, okay?!”

Xia Fenghua got flustered.

She wanted to keep walking down the path with Bai Zimo, just like before. Not split off in different directions.

At this crossroads of youth, she wanted to keep going with him. Xie Wanghe clicked his tongue.

“Did I hear right? You two are actually talking about going to college?”

“What’s that supposed to mean, Xie Wanghe?”

“Didn’t you hear those cheers earlier? That was the students from No. 1 High.”

Huazi (Fenghua) wasn’t having it.

“What, you think I can’t do it?”

“You…”

He didn’t get to finish—Bai Zimo cut him off.

“Wanghe, shut it.”

Xie Wanghe remembered the two BBQ meals he owed and clammed up. It was true—Xia Fenghua was one of the worst students. By Seventh High’s standards, college was basically out of the question for her.

Bai Zimo patted her hand.

“Ignore him. There’s still a year. Let’s make a deal! I’ll take you flying!”

“Okay… Wait, hold on. Is there still time? Can you actually pull it off?”

“Let’s try! College is where you get to experience the Big Three: skipping class, failing a course, and falling in love. We’ve gotta give it a shot.”

“That actually sounds kind of fun. Even if I don’t pass, I’ll still go—sell my family’s secret recipe for sesame balls, youtiao, and soy milk!”

Bai Zimo facepalmed.

Huazi’s mom Li Yan really did sell breakfast at the dock, but where’d the “secret recipe” come from?

“Wait—you guys want to go to college just to skip class, fail, and date?” Zhou Haikuo turned around and asked.

“No way! I’m going to college to handcraft an atomic bomb.”

“Yeah, I’m doing it for world peace!”

Zhou Haikuo: “…”

No way he was buying that!

Zimo and Huazi were both absolutely bonkers.

_____

“Honk honk honk honk honk…”

The three of them turned to see San Liangzi, black and blue all over, grinning like an idiot and clinging to the flagpole.

“What the hell are you laughing at, San Liangzi? Looking for a beating?”

“Xia Fenghua, don’t start something! We’re in the middle of an assembly!”

“That weakling dares to act tough?”

Xie Wanghe quickly took sides. If he didn’t make some kind of “pledge,” his buddies might ditch him.

“Hmph!

 Real men don’t fight girls…”

San Liangzi saw the group standing behind Huazi and instantly backed down. She was clearly the class tyrant—no question about it!

“San Liangzi!”

“Bai Zimo, don’t tell me you’re gonna make me go around waving the flag right now!”

“Not at all! You’re doing great. Now shout back at the principal with some energy!”

“Really? Uh… okay…”

“What’s so hard about it?”

“It’s not that hard…”

“Let’s go! Go! Work hard! Work hard!”

San Liangzi waved the flag and shouted slogans with gusto—youth was flying free at that moment. The principal and teachers, who were just about to walk off stage, saw this scene and felt a bit comforted.

Even among a group of underachievers, some still wanted to try. Teaching them might not be completely hopeless.

As the journey begins.

“Let me sing a song for you. I don’t know if you’ll ever see me again in the future…”

Senior year!

That was the moment everyone began to realize—This was the start of the next phase of their life.

Ring ring, ring ring!

“Starting now, this girl is going to study hard!”

“Seriously!”

Everyone paused to look at Xia Fenghua. The class troublemaker suddenly had a change of heart?

“What do you think? I don’t have to study, but I shouldn’t stop other students from learning either!”

Pfft!

Hahaha!

The whole class burst into laughter. It was a line their teacher often said to Xia Fenghua.