You Like The Smart Ones? You Should Have Said So Sooner! - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Big Shot Restarts

In July, the midsummer cicadas buzzed incessantly.

The phones at the Admissions Office of Dong’an No. 2 High School were nearly ringing off the hook.

In previous years, No. 2 High School was on par with the nearby No. 5 and No. 3 schools—which is to say, they were all equally mediocre. But this year, No. 2 High School was different. It had hit the jackpot.

The school had produced a student ranked in the top 100 of the province. While not quite as legendary as the provincial “Gaokao Scholar” whom everyone fights to report on TV, for a small county like theirs, it was an extraordinary feat.

The school leadership was ecstatic, hanging a giant banner at the entrance for fear that anyone in the neighboring schools might not know. Parents from a hundred-mile radius were calling in one after another, drawn by the school’s newfound fame.

Knock, knock, knock!

A series of short, sharp knocks suddenly sounded.

Ding Zi, who was busy handling a consultation call, looked up and met a familiar cold face.

The boy had narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes that should have looked gentle and affectionate, but his heavy eyelids gave his handsome, fair face a touch of indifference and detachment. A one-centimeter pale scar on his left temple added a hint of ruthlessness and an “unapproachable” vibe to his temperament.

Who else could this be but No. 2 High School’s star student, the provincial top 100?

Qin Mian was concise: “Reporting. I’m here to hand in my documents.”

“Oh, right, yes. Good, good.” Ding Zi hung up the phone in a hurry and straightened his back. Looking at the calm boy in front of him, he began to worry.

As for what he was worrying about?

He was worried because Qin Mian was here to register for a “repeat year.”

A top 100 student in the province could easily get into University A, yet this guy refused to go. He insisted on coming back to repeat his senior year.

“Are you really going to repeat? I’m telling you, the pressure is huge, it really tests your mental state, and if you aren’t careful…”

Ever since the news broke that Qin Mian wanted to repeat, everyone from the principal to the dean to the homeroom teacher had taken turns bombarding him with dozens of phone calls, all to no avail. They asked over and over, but he refused to say why he wanted to repeat.

The teachers generally speculated that there was an issue with his university applications. Finally, Qin Mian had silenced the entire school administration with one sentence: “If No. 2 High School won’t let me repeat, I’ll just change schools.”

No. 2 High School immediately relented.

What a joke—how could they let such a talented student go to another school? They had just mocked the other schools to their faces this year; would they let themselves be humiliated next year? They weren’t that stupid.

Qin Mian nodded without hesitation. “No need to persuade me further.”

Seeing his persistence, Ding Zi couldn’t say much else and took the documents to process the paperwork.

“When did you get an earring?” Ding Zi chatted while working.

Qin Mian: “Just for fun.”

His hand brushed against the silver stud he had recently put in, feeling a slight sting of pain.

Ding Zi glanced at him. “It’s hot out. Take care of your ear; it’s easy for it to get inflamed.”

Qin Mian nodded.

The office air conditioner hummed, blowing cold air. Qin Mian casually scanned his surroundings. His gaze landed on the desks and chairs by the wall.

He was very familiar with this office. Previously, because he hated the broken fans in the classroom—which were loud but weak—he often ran to this office to leach off the AC. He had a decent relationship with many teachers, Ding Zi being one of them.

Ding Zi: “Alright, come back when school starts in August.”

Qin Mian: “Thanks.”

He was about to turn and leave when Ding Zi suddenly asked, “Are you insisting on repeating for yourself, or just to spite your dad?”

Qin Mian paused, letting out a light scoff. “He doesn’t deserve the effort.”

His smirk hadn’t lasted long before it vanished as he caught sight of a figure standing at the door.

Ding Zi was about to nod in relief when he saw Qin Mian’s face drop back into that “you-owe-me-millions” scowl.

Ding Zi: ?

He followed Qin Mian’s hostile gaze. A boy as tall as Qin Mian was standing at the door. He was dressed in light blue casual wear, wearing a white baseball cap, looking clean and fair, holding a stack of documents.

Is every student these days a model?

“Oh, student Song Ying, right?” Ding Zi had been in contact with Song Ying via phone and prepared to get up to greet him.

Qin Mian narrowed his eyes, his tone distinctly unfriendly: “What the hell are you doing here?”

Ding Zi froze.

The boy opposite was clearly surprised to see Qin Mian as well, looking stunned for a moment. After snapping out of it, he lifted his gaze but ignored Qin Mian entirely, clearly not taking him seriously.

Qin Mian’s eyelid twitched. He gritted his teeth. “What’s with the damn attitude?”

This area was full of hoodlums. Just two days ago, when Qin Mian came back to get his school records, he happened to see a group of thugs bullying the new seniors. Previously, because Qin Mian was around, those thugs didn’t dare target students openly. Having heard Qin Mian had graduated, they had become arrogant.

He had jumped in without a word, calling his childhood friend to help. As luck would have it, they were spotted by Song Ying. Without listening to any explanation, Song Ying had acted like a “herald of justice” and reported him directly to the police station.

Qin Mian went in at 4:00 PM; his soul didn’t come out until 10:00 PM. An 8,000-word self-reflection essay almost broke his hand.

Song Ying turned slightly to face Qin Mian.

Only then did Qin Mian notice Song Ying was wearing a Bluetooth earbud in one ear. Under a gaze sharp enough to kill, Song Ying calmly took off the earphone. His eyes flickered over Qin Mian’s earring, and his voice had a youthfully refreshing quality:

“Sorry, what did you just say? I didn’t catch that.”

Clearly, he did it on purpose.

“…” Qin Mian was speechless with rage.

Dammit, he has zero respect.

Qin Mian clenched his fists at his sides and began a personal attack with a blank expression: “I said, you’re really ugly.”

Song Ying was silent for a moment. His gaze swept lightly over the scar on Qin Mian’s temple as he replied calmly, “Thanks. You too.”

Qin Mian’s face was cold: “No problem, ugly freak.”

Song Ying: “Anytime, idiot.”

Ding Zi:

Ding Zi, caught outside the situation, felt his mood shift from confusion to the fear that they would start a fight, and finally to complete bewilderment. Could someone please explain if this was a conversation normal people have?

Qin Mian took a silent, deep breath. He recited in his mind: Prosperity, democracy, civility, harmony… As a “Five-Good Youth” of the new era, I should help others and be kind. Morons are people too.

It took a while to suppress the urge to murder. Qin Mian turned sharply to Ding Zi and said, “Don’t put me in the same class as him.”

With that, he turned to leave, deliberately bumping into Song Ying’s shoulder on his way out. If he breathed the same air as Song Ying for any longer, he would explode.

Qin Mian’s sharp eyes had seen at a glance that the documents in Song Ying’s hand were the same as his own—he was also here for a repeat year.

“Hey, this year…” Ding Zi’s hand was still raised to stop him, but Qin Mian was already gone.

Song Ying ignored what he saw as Qin Mian’s boring and childish act of revenge. He raised his hand and lightly brushed his shoulder, his eyes full of disdain and contempt.

But when he turned around, he transformed instantly:

“Hello, teacher. I’m here to submit my personal materials for the repeat year.” Song Ying put on the persona of a model student, even giving Ding Zi a slight bow.

It was a complete departure from the indifferent and disdainful attitude he showed Qin Mian.

Ding Zi: “…You’re actually quite polite.”

He tremblingly took Song Ying’s documents and processed the paperwork.

Just as Ding Zi let out a sigh of relief, Song Ying suddenly spoke: “Teacher, please put me and that student from just now in two separate classes. Thank you.”

Ding Zi opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Song Ying had already left the office. Aside from the polite nod before leaving, his speed was exactly the same as Qin Mian’s.

Ding Zi: “…Why is everyone in such a hurry? Can’t they listen to me finish?”

Is there a possibility that, according to the standards from above, our school is only running a single repeat class this year?