Chapter Fifteen: He Studied for the Sake of the Hero and Heroine

“Chubby, hand out the snacks to the classmates.” Jiang Changyuan tossed the snacks that Chen Xiang disliked to the chubby boy, then turned back to his seat, pulled out his junior high textbooks, and began to diligently study.

Although he wasn’t truly a poor student at heart, having suddenly been thrust back into high school after many years since graduation, he had to start from scratch and pick up where he left off bit by bit.

Su Yingying was specially looked after by the chubby boy, her desk stuffed full of sweets. A warm current and a wave of inner conflict surged simultaneously in her heart.

Was she favored because Jiang Changyuan had given instructions?

But then again… these were things Chen Xiang didn’t want, right?

After hesitating for a moment, Su Yingying turned to Jiang Changyuan and whispered a thank you.

“What?” Jiang Changyuan looked over, mind full of knowledge points.

“Thank you.”

“Oh.”

Biting her lip in discouragement and after much inner struggle, Su Yingying finally mustered the courage.

“If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask me, I, I…”

Also, I can tutor you.

Before she could finish her shy words, Jiang Changyuan quickly interrupted with an apology, leaving her no chance to speak again.

Feeling annoyed, Su Yingying pulled out a piece of candy, tore open the wrapper, and bit down with a crisp crunch.

Although she wasn’t the top of the grade, she was among the top three. Why wouldn’t Jiang Changyuan ask her for tutoring?

If Jiang Changyuan knew what she was thinking, he would have sincerely told her:

It’s not because of your grades, but because Chen Xiang… is poisonous!

“Already giving up on the second day? Hah, are you even men?”

“If you want to compete with the student council for who’s more foolish, you’ll definitely win!”

“Both being underachievers, why can Jiang Changyuan finish reviewing while you’re still only fit to be his lackeys?”

Chen Xiang knew how to cut deep, every word piercing straight into everyone’s heart, never repeating herself.

Jiang Changyuan, who wasn’t singled out, leisurely watched his underlings flustered and frantic, secretly reveling in their misery.

Serves them right!

If it weren’t for Chen Xiang’s sharp tongue, he wouldn’t have had to bother inviting her over for tutoring.

This group of slackers were so used to being lazy, they deserved a harsh lesson from reality.

The second night passed in stinging hardship for everyone, but it was quite effective. Their fleeting enthusiasm was sparked into greater determination.

Their goal shifted from competing with the student council to getting Chen Xiang to criticize them less tomorrow.

“Finally over!”

When the eleven o’clock bell rang, the chubby boy immediately shed tears of happiness, and he was definitely not alone.

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Chen Xiang was even stricter than the teachers. Anyone slacking off or zoning out was immediately scolded, as if blasted off the earth.

Yet she was Jiang’s personal tutor, so no one dared utter a word of complaint.

“Chen, I still don’t understand this part, can you…”

“Tutoring time’s over. Extra tutoring… costs extra.”

“Goodbye!”

Jiang Changyuan closed his textbook and turned away, choosing to save money.

After all, the Jiang family’s wealth wasn’t endless. More importantly, if he ran out of money next time, his mother might not be home, and he didn’t want to have to beg his father to support him.

Just as the private cinema doors opened, Jiang Changyuan saw his relieved parents outside and froze in place.

“Mom, Dad, why are you back so early?”

“Kiddo, can’t your mom and I come home?”

“No, it’s just… this late…”

“We thought you’d be hungry studying so hard, so your dad and I came home early and had the housekeeper prepare some midnight snacks.”

Zhong Qing didn’t want to continue the topic, afraid of letting something slip.

Actually, the couple had quietly returned when the lessons began, mainly to see if Jiang Changyuan was really studying.

They had watched the entire session on the private cinema’s monitor via their tablets, crouching outside the door, and were so moved they almost wept tears of joy.

The ancestral grave must be smoking—our son has truly grown up!

“Kids, come get your midnight snack. Don’t be shy with Auntie. Treat it like home.”

“Thank you, Auntie. Thank you, Uncle.”

In front of Jiang’s parents, the group of slackers behaved impeccably, mainly because they had witnessed Jiang with seven wolves at his back.

When it was Chen Xiang’s turn, Zhong Qing gave her special treatment, with such warmth that Chen Xiang nearly fled in embarrassment.

“This girl’s shy; looks cold on the outside but warm inside.”

“Wife, our son’s main focus now is to study hard. Don’t even think about anything else.”

“Am I really so clueless?”

Zhong Qing rolled her eyes at Jiang Zhenguo, then happily went to find Jiang Changyuan for a heart-to-heart mother-son talk.

Jiang Zhenguo’s worried gaze flickered. No, he’d have to have a father-son talk later, warning his son not to fall for Chen Xiang.

They already had one overly strict wife at home; they didn’t need to pass that down.

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The next morning, Jiang Changyuan arrived at school with dark circles under his eyes. His excited parents had given him unprecedented care the night before.

Four words to describe it: painful yet joyful.

“Jiang, where were you last night? Your dark circles are practically drooping.”

“Would I tell you if I was secretly studying?”

Jiang Changyuan answered numbly, utterly drained. After seeing off his parents, he had studied junior high lessons all night, now feeling completely lifeless.

Why couldn’t he have been sent back to kindergarten instead?

During morning self-study and the first class, Jiang Changyuan spectacularly dozed off. The teachers no longer found it strange and didn’t bother with this group of slackers, having completely given up on them.

After a good sleep, Jiang Changyuan was full of energy and pulled out a first-year high school textbook. The chubby boy eagerly approached, making a fuss.

“Amazing, Jiang! You’ve already started high school courses?”

“Otherwise, you think I’ve been staying up late scrolling on my phone?”

Talking about it only brings tears.

Studying hard was all for having more options when filling out college applications, to completely avoid the protagonists.

He was studying for their sake!

The chubby boy felt a bit downhearted. He had thought Jiang was just playing at studying, but it turned out to be real.

“Jiang is already working so hard. What excuse do we have not to?”

That was motivation.

“If you don’t finish the first-year junior high material today, tonight I’ll stand in front of Chen the Scholar and let her scold you!”

That was bravery!

The teacher lectured passionately at the podium while Jiang Changyuan and the others studied hard below. Gu Qing’s brow furrowed, sometimes puzzled.

Was Jiang Changyuan really putting in effort?

“Gu Qing, if you keep looking around during class, go stand at the back.”

“Learn from Jiang how to be serious. Why can’t you be like him?”

At the sound, Jiang Changyuan blankly looked up, inwardly wailing.

He was doing high school math exercises—what did that have to do with second-year math?

Did the math teacher have a grudge against him from a past life, now relentlessly piling on hatred?

Sure enough, after class, Gu Qing strode over, towering over Jiang Changyuan with a deep gaze.

“I see your effort, but this time I definitely won’t lose to you.”

“Then don’t let me surpass you.”

Jiang Changyuan silently rolled his eyes and walked off to find a smart classmate for help.

He had already decided: he would lose to Gu Qing on merit, and no one would ruin his plan!

After searching around, the smart classmates either bolted out after class or lacked teaching talent.

He definitely wouldn’t ask Gu Qing, so the only option was…

“Su Yingying, can you help me with a problem?”