Chapter 39: Akane Treasure

Zhuang Wenqian hadn’t expected Jiang Nian’s single sentence to ignite the class atmosphere. It turned out there was a layer of animosity behind Yu Tongjie’s instigation.

Since things had come to this, there was no turning back.

“Quiet!”

“Stop making noise, all of you sit down!” Qian Bao regained her teacher’s authority, her face stern as she scanned the class. “Anyone still standing will go stand in Teacher Liu’s office!”

After bringing up the homeroom teacher Old Liu, the class noticeably quieted down.

Qian Bao frowned and turned to glance at Yu Tongjie, seeing that the kid was just silent, showing no excessive reaction or a ferocious expression.

Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief, truly afraid he might take a leap of faith from the fourth floor.

Sigh, this kid’s psychological resilience is quite strong!

Zhuang Wenqian herself was young and could accept abstract culture. She married a small boss, and while her life wasn’t one of great wealth, it was at least comfortable.

Seeing that Yu Tongjie was fine, she prepared to finish explaining the translation.

At this point, not continuing would be stranger; it was best to stop there. Zhuang Wenqian neither liked Jiang Nian for not doing the test paper nor students who instigated trouble in class.

“That student, you go first, translate the sentence.”

Yu Tongjie lowered his head slightly and gritted his teeth, beginning to translate dryly, “Before the earthquake, the sewage all rose up, but no one predicted the earthquake was coming.”

He didn’t know the word ‘canals’ and had forgotten what ‘wells’ meant, so he could only translate vaguely like this.

“Hmm, the general meaning is correct,” Qian Bao encouraged. “For reading comprehension, you don’t need to know every word. The approach of inferring meaning from context is also correct.”

“If you temporarily forget a word’s meaning, what can we roughly guess it’s related to through context? Yes, it’s related to where sewage flows, isn’t it?”

The summer was hot and dry, bright outside the window, and the static from the English teacher’s wireless microphone echoed in the classroom.

Some girls closer to the podium glanced at Jiang Nian, who stood there holding a blank paper, clearly a bit distracted, and couldn’t help but secretly purse their lips.

In Chinese schools, usually those who are good-looking and have good grades get to enjoy their youth first.

Jiang Nian had both; his grades weren’t exceptionally good, but in an Olympiad class, they were acceptable. His face was so handsome that anything he did seemed reasonable.

Perhaps the pressure of the third year of high school was too great, and they really liked people who didn’t beat around the bush and would directly retort face-to-face.

That felt good.

After finishing the first sentence, Zhuang Wenqian turned to Jiang Nian and threw out a sentence.

“You just translate.”

Hearing this, everyone in the class involuntarily looked at Jiang Nian. They saw him pick up the blank test paper, but he didn’t translate directly; instead, he flicked the paper.

“Translate the whole thing?”

The class immediately fell silent, the white paper looking particularly conspicuous in the sunlight.

Qian Bao choked, displeased, “If you translate the whole thing, what will I explain?”

Immediately, the class burst into laughter.

Li Hua egged him on, “Teacher, he wants to steal your job.”

Amidst the jeers of his classmates, Jiang Nian began to translate, “In an instant, collapsing stairs, fragmented mountains, huge cracks in the ground, life frozen at this moment.”

Zhuang Wenqian nodded, “Very accurate translation. Now look at the word.”

The translation continued to roll on, with both sides, one person per sentence. Yu Tongjie found it increasingly difficult, making completely wrong translations several times, with vastly different meanings.

As for Jiang Nian’s side, basically, as soon as he finished speaking, Qian Bao would immediately begin to explain. After less than half the translations, Zhuang Wenqian let Yu Tongjie go down first.

Although Qian Bao encouraged and affirmed Yu Tongjie throughout, everyone in the class clearly saw who was right and who was wrong.

The way people around looked at Yu Tongjie was off; you spread rumors about someone who was promoted to the class with you. Who would dare to play with you? What kind of gossip would they be spreading behind your back?

I said I couldn’t drink, and you went around saying I wouldn’t live long?

Jiang Nian translated for one class period and stood on the podium holding a blank paper for one class period. Showing off really gets addictive; he didn’t feel tired even after showing off for a whole class.

Ring ring ring, the class bell rang.

To avoid direct conflict, Zhuang Wenqian took Jiang Nian with her. As soon as the two left the classroom, a deafening noise erupted behind them.

In the corridor, the sunlight was bright.

Qian Bao, holding her lesson plans, walked forward with light steps, a waft of fragrance trailing behind her. Jiang Nian followed closely, walking beside her, moving through the crowd in the corridor.

“Teacher, I need to go to the restroom.”

“Will you die if you hold it in for a bit?” She rolled her eyes at Jiang Nian.

Jiang Nian mumbled, “That depends on how long I have to hold it.”

Students with good grades have a higher tolerance from their subject teachers. As for how much privilege they have, it all depends on how high their grades are; 140 is a clear dividing line.

English is different from other subjects; 120 is just ordinary. 130 is considered a top student, and above 140 is an absolute Domain.

“Still joking? I haven’t settled the score with you for disrupting the class,” Qian Bao turned and glared at him, threatening, “Later, I’ll have Teacher Liu scold you.”

“It won’t come to that, Teacher,” Jiang Nian was clearly impervious, smiling, “Then I won’t go to the restroom. I’ll reluctantly hold it in for another half an hour.”

“You, you can’t be so impulsive even with good grades. You need to get along well with your classmates, understand?” Qian Bao earnestly advised, “It’s just after National Day now; you still have a year to get along.”

“That’s not certain,” Jiang Nian suddenly interjected, “What if he gets eliminated in the big joint exam this month?”

Hearing this, Qian Bao’s words caught in her throat.

She thought, this person really is consistent, still so aggressive even outside the class?

“You said ‘what if,’ so have you thought about what you’ll do if the other person stays?” Qian Bao walked into the office, sat down, and handed him a cup.

“First, help me get a cup of hot water.”

Jiang Nian was speechless. No, she’s already putting him to work?

“Alright.”

After getting the water, Qian Bao dropped a few unknown flowers into the cup. Steam wafted up, and an unknown fragrance emerged, making Jiang Nian’s nose twitch slightly.

“Teacher, you’re starting to focus on health at such a young age?”

Zhuang Wenqian’s eyes curved into a smile when she heard the words “young age,” thinking, this kid isn’t incapable of saying nice things.

“Oh, my child is almost in elementary school, what’s young about me?”

A woman’s words often contradict her thoughts. By rights, the next sentence should have continued to praise Qian Bao for being young, looking like she hadn’t given birth at all, clearly similar to a student.

But Jiang Nian stopped short.

He stared at the unknown herbs in the cup and said, “This thing that looks like a centipede…”

Qian Bao’s fist under the table inexplicably hardened. She remained silent, just staring at him.

Jiang Nian felt a chill under her gaze, swallowed, and said, “Teacher, you look only seventeen.”

Qian Bao’s mood instantly brightened, and she covered her mouth, laughing, “Oh, where, where.”

Thanks to Uchiha Future, The Only Officially Designated Honest Person, Campaigns, Hidden Tightly, Little Yellow Chicken 86, Da Shen Me Me Da, Fasting Glutton, Book Friend 1887, Moonfall Unrest, for their 2 monthly votes. Thanks to Kong Zi, Book Friend 0429, Bai Xiaobai 1, Book Friend 6200, Not Optimistic Enough, Inkfall Traceless, Book Friend 3287, Six Gods Hi, Between Mountains and Seas, Book Friend 3141, Book Friend 6698, Misfire, Book Friend 2221, Sword Saint Legend, Wuhongqie, Beiwang Huai, wei6969 for their 1 monthly vote.

Thanks to Guardian LXN for a 100 Qidian coin reward, and Scourge HA for a 100 Qidian coin reward.

Bosses, may your waists be good and your kidneys be strong.