The Scum Gong Refuses the Crematorium [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 35

Sheng Yan looked over Lu Mingyue’s exam papers and found that he was quite honest; he answered what he knew and left the rest blank. Because of this, one glance at his work revealed exactly where he was struggling, making things much easier.

Having identified Lu Mingyue’s weak points, Sheng Yan quickly began explaining the problems to him.

Lu Mingyue had simply fallen behind because his family couldn’t afford tutors or cram schools. Unable to catch up, he had eventually given up, but he wasn’t stupid.

Sheng Yan started from the very basics, first explaining the formulas, then analyzing the question types, and finally letting him solve the problems himself.

Holding his pen, Lu Mingyue finished a problem quickly. He looked up at Sheng Yan and asked, “Did I do it right?”

“Yes, very well.” Sheng Yan had watched him the whole time; he could tell at a glance that it was correct.

As if encouraged, Lu Mingyue went from being slightly distracted to being completely focused. After finishing one problem, he urged Sheng Yan, “Tell me about the others.”

“Alright.” Seeing him so enthusiastic, Sheng Yan taught with high energy, using a pen to map out the remaining problems on paper.

During this process, he discovered that Lu Mingyue’s foundation was actually very solid. For many problems, as long as the formulas were explained thoroughly, he could solve them on his own.

Furthermore, he was able to apply what he learned to other scenarios. By using similar formulas for related question types, he could almost always find the answer.

Sheng Yan originally thought it would take a long time to get him back on track, but by the end of one night, Lu Mingyue had finished a whole chapter of the material he had missed.

This made Sheng Yan think about talent. Some people’s talent is never erased, no matter how many lives they live. Even if they fall behind temporarily due to their environment, as long as they are willing to pick it back up, they will surely excel again.

Lu Mingyue learned quickly, making the teaching easy for Sheng Yan.

However, once the news of Sheng Yan’s own academic performance spread throughout the school, things weren’t so easy for him anymore.

In high school, many students realized the importance of studying, but they had fallen too far behind. Even with tutoring, they weren’t sure how much they could catch up. Sheng Yan’s leap from last place to first in the entire grade was like a beam of light in the dark, instantly igniting the eyes of the struggling students.

So, the next day when Sheng Yan and Lu Mingyue went to school, they were completely surrounded. Everyone was asking Sheng Yan, “How did you study? Can you teach us too?”

They felt Sheng Yan must have a unique method to improve so fast. If they knew it, even if they couldn’t reach first place, just a little progress might help them get into a good university.

“Sure.” Surrounded by the enthusiastic students, Sheng Yan didn’t discourage them by saying it was just hard work. Instead, he said generously, “I have a ‘Master Study Guide’ for all subjects. It’s because of this that my grades improved so quickly. Would you like to buy a copy for ten yuan?”

Sheng Yan had been worrying about how to make money besides the scholarship. While tutoring Lu Mingyue, he realized there were many students in similar situations. Teaching one person was the same as teaching a crowd. Why not use all his resources?

While tutoring Lu Mingyue, he had compiled a “foolproof” study guide. Starting from elementary school math formulas, he broke down every problem step-by-step to ensure everyone could understand. This would help students in need while creating an income for him—a win-win situation.

The students were excited about a “secret manual,” but when they saw it was just a handwritten notebook, some hesitated. “Ten yuan for a handwritten notebook?”

They could afford the money for their education, but good workbooks on the market were only a few yuan. Ten yuan seemed very expensive.

“A good learning method is worth a hundred yuan, let alone ten,” Lu Mingyue, who lived with Sheng Yan daily, knew his plan and started helping him advertise. “I think this guide is worth it. It’s extremely valuable. You should really buy one and try it.”

Sheng Yan added, “If you find anything you don’t understand after buying it, you can ask me anytime.”

A guide might not suit everyone perfectly. Considering this, Sheng Yan was willing to give free explanations to anyone who bought it, making it worth the ten yuan.

Many people were tempted—a study guide plus free tutoring from the top-ranked student. However, students rarely carried ten yuan on them. They told Sheng Yan, “I’ll go home and get the money, then come back to buy it.”

Sheng Yan nodded. He had only written one copy; with so many people interested, he needed to find time to transcribe more.

Sheng Yan’s plan was good, but there are always troublemakers. Sheng Nian was one of them.

He was already upset that Sheng Yan took first place, believing he had cheated. Hearing that Sheng Yan was selling a handwritten notebook for ten yuan, he immediately spoke up: “It’s a fake! The best workbooks outside don’t even cost ten yuan. Why is his so expensive? Ten yuan can pay for hours of private tutoring. He’s probably just broke and trying to scam everyone. Don’t be fooled!”

Sheng Nian felt that if he had a special method, he would never share it. There are so many smart people in the world; sharing the method would just create more competition. He simply didn’t believe Sheng Yan was kind enough to help others improve.

Some interested students listened and thought he had a point. Sheng Yan’s father wasn’t a good person, so they assumed Sheng Yan might be up to something bad too. Many backed out and told others not to buy it.

In the end, only a few students who weren’t short on money bought the guide, mostly to see if Sheng Yan could actually teach them.

Sheng Yan didn’t care what others thought. If someone bought a copy, he handed it over; if not, he didn’t worry. “Good wine needs no bush.” Since he didn’t have a reputation yet, few trusted him. Once his reputation grew, that would be the real time to make money.

While Sheng Yan could wait calmly, Lu Mingyue could not. Having been tutored daily, he found his classes much easier. Before, he wanted to sleep while the teacher talked. Now, he found he could actually understand the lessons. A day’s worth of classes used to feel endless, but now the time flew by.

Lu Mingyue felt he was making obvious progress. Hearing people say Sheng Yan’s guide was a scam made him furious.

“Just wait! When those of us who bought the guide crush you with our progress, you’ll regret it, and he won’t even sell to you then!”

“You, a trash collector, making progress? That’s a joke.” Since Lu Mingyue was a known “bad student” who cared more about scrap metal than books, no one took him seriously.

But from that day on, Lu Mingyue became incredibly diligent. He got up early to memorize vocabulary without Sheng Yan even having to wake him. The wall by his top bunk was covered in vocabulary strips, and more were tucked by his pillow. At night, he did at least two practice exams to make sure he mastered the old material before turning off the light.

When Sheng Yan got up in the middle of the night, he could hear him muttering. Looking up at the top bunk, he saw Lu Mingyue fast asleep, yet still reciting formulas in his dreams. Sheng Yan knew about the school gossip, but he hadn’t expected Lu Mingyue to have such grit. He gently patted the boy’s head. The moon remained bright tonight.

Time passed quickly, and soon it was the midterm exam. In the past, Lu Mingyue would have been depressed at the mention of a test. This time, he was excited as he moved his desk and chair.

Sheng Yan followed his usual routine and sat in the hallway. Before moving his desk, he placed all his books on the teacher’s podium in front of the whole class, carrying only a piece of blank scratch paper. The students knew he did this to prevent anyone from accusing him of cheating again.

Everyone turned to look at He Peng. It was his fault for making false accusations, otherwise, Sheng Yan wouldn’t have to go to such lengths!

He Peng, feeling the heat, kept his head down and ignored everyone. Even when Sheng Nian went to help him, he only said coldly, “No need.”

He Peng was impulsive, but not stupid. Since that day, the class had blamed him for the scene. People used his name as a synonym for a “villain.” He eventually realized that while Sheng Nian had been the one to tell him about the “cheating,” He Peng was the only one being blamed. He had been used as a tool. While he didn’t confront Sheng Nian, he had no intention of being his friend anymore.

Seeing He Peng’s coldness, Sheng Nian knew that friendship was over. He looked at Sheng Yan helping Lu Mingyue move a desk and bit his lip. He didn’t believe he couldn’t beat Sheng Yan!

Sheng Nian hadn’t spent his system points on beauty or elegance; instead, he had exchanged them for a “Study Space.” This space allowed him to study even while he slept. With such non-stop effort, he felt he should at least be close to Sheng Yan’s score.

Sheng Nian worked extremely hard on this exam, even putting great effort into his essay. He knew the top spot required a perfect balance in every subject.

After the exam, Sheng Nian felt he would definitely be in the top ten. He had found the test much easier than the last one. But when the results were posted, he felt like he had been struck by lightning.

He did make the top ten.

But Lu Mingyue—the “trash collector” and perpetual failure—had also made the top ten. He was tenth, right behind Sheng Nian at ninth. Just one rank apart.

Sheng Nian noticed that Lu Mingyue had only lost points because he ran out of time on the last few science questions. If he had finished, he might have been eighth or seventh. Sheng Nian felt a deep sense of resentment. He could accept losing to Sheng Yan, but why Lu Mingyue?

Lu Mingyue didn’t have those dark thoughts. When the list came out, he looked at the very top. Seeing Sheng Yan’s name firmly at number one, he relaxed and turned to Sheng Yan: “Your throne is still there.”

Then he looked for his own name, starting from the bottom as usual. He scanned the last thirty names but couldn’t find himself. “I turned in my paper, right? Why am I not there?”

Sheng Yan smiled, knowing he was looking in the back. He took the results sheet and pointed to the tenth spot. “Here you are.”

“That high up?” Lu Mingyue was stunned. He thought he might have improved by twenty places at most. Jumping into the top ten seemed impossible. “Is studying this easy?”

It wasn’t that it was easy; it was the result of his hard work.

“Keep it up,” Sheng Yan said, pointing to the small gap between their names. “Let’s try to be right next to each other by finals.”

Lu Mingyue looked at the distance. It wasn’t that far. The thought of his name being right next to Sheng Yan’s made his heart race with excitement. He nodded without thinking: “Okay!”

Besides Lu Mingyue, other students who bought the guide and studied seriously saw significant progress. They weren’t as dramatic as Lu Mingyue, but they were no longer at the bottom. The students who had mocked them earlier felt their faces turn red. They regretted their harsh words and wondered if Sheng Yan would still sell to them.

Some tried to borrow the guides to copy them, but owners said: “The guide is only part of it; the real value is having Sheng Yan explain it.”

Sheng Yan had a naturally calming presence. Because of his heart condition, people instinctively stayed quiet around him. Listening to his explanations made a whole semester’s worth of confusing problems seem simple. They felt Sheng Yan himself was more useful than the guide.

The crowd rushed to buy the guide. Within a month, Sheng Yan had sold thirty copies and run out. Those who missed out said they would copy it themselves, as long as Sheng Yan would still answer their questions. Sheng Yan didn’t refuse the money. He organized the students into groups, answering similar questions all at once and letting them help each other.

The school’s academic atmosphere became incredibly strong. Even Sheng Nian had no time for schemes; he was forced to study constantly just to avoid being left behind.

The school administration noticed the massive improvement in grades. They obtained a copy of Sheng Yan’s guide and found it remarkably easy to understand. Unlike normal workbooks that just gave more problems, this was an “encyclopedia” of how to build a foundation and focus in class.

The leaders were impressed. “A book this good should be available to everyone, not just passed around on notebook paper.” They asked Sheng Yan if he wanted to publish it.

Sheng Yan, who had worried he might get in trouble for selling the guide, was thrilled. “Yes, I’d like that.”

He chose a “buyout” price of 50,000 yuan rather than a percentage of sales. He knew the curriculum would change in a few years and he wouldn’t be in this world forever; he needed quick cash for his immediate problems.

By the time the publisher’s money arrived, it was final exam season. After the tests, his teacher, Old Cao, handed him a cloth bag with thick envelopes. “Keep this safe. Don’t let anyone see.” 50,000 yuan was a huge amount; he feared Sheng Yan might get robbed.

Sheng Yan didn’t open the bag until he was walking home with Lu Mingyue.

“What’s in the bag?” Lu Mingyue asked.

“Publishing money,” Sheng Yan explained.

Lu Mingyue didn’t look inside, but guessed the amount from the shape. “That much?”

“Mhm. Now that we have money, you should have Auntie get that surgery.”

Sheng Yan had noticed that Wang Huifang was likely seriously ill, given the number of medicine bottles in her room. He wanted to use part of the money to help her.

Lu Mingyue was stunned. He hadn’t realized Sheng Yan had been working so hard for his mother’s sake. His heart pounded. “Thank you.” He didn’t refuse, as his mother’s health was his greatest worry. “I’ll pay you back one day.”

“Okay,” Sheng Yan said, knowing Lu Mingyue would be successful in the future.

But when they got home to discuss the surgery, they found Wang Huifang unconscious on the floor.

Lu Mingyue panicked, dropping everything to hold her. “Mom! Mom!”

Sheng Yan rushed to a phone booth and called for an ambulance. When he returned, Wang Huifang had woken up weakly. She gripped Lu Mingyue’s hand. “Mingyue, the bankbook… it’s in the drawer. You know the password.”

Lu Mingyue thought she meant to use the money for the hospital. With red eyes, he asked Sheng Yan, “Please get the bankbook.”

Sheng Yan went to her room and found the book. He also grabbed a medicine bottle from the nightstand to give her a pill. But when he looked at it, he froze.

It wasn’t medicine. It was just vitamins.

At the hospital, the check-up revealed late-stage cancer. It was so severe they could only provide comfort care.

“Treat her! I don’t care how much it costs!” Lu Mingyue cried, without hesitation. She was his only family. He could drop out of school, but he couldn’t lose his mother.

He didn’t blame her for not taking real medicine. Outside the room, he dried his tears and went to her bedside. “Mom, don’t be afraid. I have money. My grades are good, I have a scholarship. We’ll get you better, okay?”

“Okay,” she smiled. “My Mingyue is the most successful of all.”

Lu Mingyue started crying again. He blamed himself—why hadn’t he checked the medicine bottles? Why hadn’t he studied harder earlier for a scholarship? If he had, maybe she wouldn’t have been too scared of the cost to buy real medicine. He forgot he was only sixteen.

“Don’t cry, Mingyue,” she said, wiping his tears. “It doesn’t hurt. You have to be strong and take care of yourself.”

Of course it hurt, but she lied for him. After a while, she looked at Sheng Yan. “Little Sheng.”

“Auntie,” Sheng Yan stepped forward.

“Thank you for being with Mingyue. He’s been so happy since you came to our house. Please, look after him for me.”

“I will,” Sheng Yan promised. He could see the thread of fate; he knew he couldn’t change what was coming. He could only promise to protect Lu Mingyue.

“That’s good.” Wang Huifang leaned back, looking tired. “Mingyue, I’m hungry. Can you get me some porridge?”

“Yes.” Lu Mingyue dried his eyes and left the room.

Wang Huifang smiled at Sheng Yan. “Little Sheng, please watch him for me. I’m afraid something might happen.”

“Okay,” Sheng Yan whispered. He followed Lu Mingyue. He had seen too much death in his many lives. He knew that sometimes a quick departure was kinder than a long, painful struggle. He just didn’t know if Lu Mingyue could survive the grief.

Lu Mingyue walked out of the hospital in a daze. He realized he still had the bankbook Sheng Yan had handed him. He turned back. “I have to give this to Mom, in case the doctor needs payment.”

“Mhm,” Sheng Yan followed.

But when they returned to the room, the color had vanished from Wang Huifang’s face. Her hand had slipped from the blanket and hung toward the floor. An empty medicine bottle lay rolling on the ground.

The bankbook fell from Lu Mingyue’s hand. He let out a scream of despair: “MOM!”

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