Because of the “fake snake” incident, Liang Jingzhou not only lost all face but also ended up recognizing a living ancestor.
For several days afterward, he deliberately avoided Jiang Fuyue.
“Pathetic,” Cheng Lian said bluntly. “You can hide for a while, but you can’t hide forever.”
Liang Jingzhou snorted, “If I can hide for a while, that’s good enough.”
“How’d you even think to put a snake in her desk in the first place?”
“Girls are supposed to be scared of that stuff, right?”
Cough… actually, guys are scared too.
Li Chen said, “That’s a lame trick even elementary kids don’t use anymore, but you seemed to pull it off pretty smoothly.”
Liang Jingzhou sneered, “A lame trick, huh? Fine then, why don’t you show me a good one?”
Li Chen was instantly choked silent.
“Anyway, I’ve already died a glorious death. If you guys still want to challenge Jiang Fuyue, switch people! Let Old Li go, let’s see if his actions match his big mouth!”
Li Chen didn’t respond.
Liang Jingzhou gave a proud little snort, puffing out his chest like a showy rooster.
“Hey! What’s he even so smug about? Clearly—”
“Alright, Li Chen, enough.”
“But he did ask one good question. Are we still going head-to-head with Jiang Fuyue?”
The moment he said that, all three of them fell silent.
After a long pause—
“…If we do continue, then who’s going up?”
That silence lasted even longer.
Finally—
“…Why don’t we just do as Liang Jingzhou said and have Li Chen try?”
Cheng Lian said immediately, “No objections from me.”
Gu Huaiyu: “Same.”
Li Chen: “…” Of course you don’t object, it’s not you!
By majority vote, it was decided Li Chen would take the next round.
But after that… nothing happened. No action at all.
Gu Huaiyu asked, “Where’d all that fire go from when you were mocking Liang Jingzhou? Let’s see it now!”
Cheng Lian: “Don’t chicken out, bro.”
Li Chen’s consistent answer: “No rush. It’s all in the plan.”
The other two: “…” Yeah, right. Like anyone believes that.
While Liang Jingzhou had officially withdrawn and the remaining three did nothing, Jiang Fuyue, on the other hand, was secretly thinking about how to solve Ming University’s current teacher shortage.
Cen Qiaoqiao sighed casually. “If only the professors from Q University next door could come teach at our school. One wall apart, but two completely different worlds, one side’s full of geniuses, the other’s full of dummies. As the saying goes, without comparison, there’s no pain…”
Jiang Fuyue’s eyes suddenly lit up. “What did you just say?”
“Huh?”
“The first part.”
“…If only the professors from Q University could come to our school?”
Right! Why not make use of the resources right next door?
It’s like having a mountain of firewood outside your door but never using it to make a fire, how stupid would that be?
Sure, the “firewood” doesn’t technically belong to her, so doing it openly was out of the question. But picking up a few dry twigs and loose branches, skimming a little wool off the sheep, was perfectly fine.
“Sister Yue, what are you mumbling about? Something about mountains and fire? You planning a barbecue?” Cen Qiaoqiao asked.
And with that hungry glint in her eye, she really did look like a starving she-wolf spotting her prey.
Awoo~
“Qiaoqiao, tell me, what do you think Ming University’s strengths are?”
“Uh… pretty campus, nice environment. Does that count?”
“It counts. What else?”
“Lots of convenience stores! And they sell all kinds of imported snacks you can’t find anywhere else!”
Jiang Fuyue nodded. “Keep going.”
“The cafeteria’s amazing! Especially the late-night section. It doesn’t just have snacks and dim sum, they even serve sushi, sashimi, steak… and it’s really good. As good as those thousand-dollar steakhouses outside. It’s the biggest obstacle on my weight-loss journey!”
“Otherwise, why would so many Q University students spend money to buy our cafeteria meal cards just to come over here for lunch?”
Jiang Fuyue: “Do Q University professors come here often too?”
Cen Qiaoqiao: “Not really, mostly the students. Why do you ask?”
“Would you like to experience what it’s like to attend class with Q University students?”
Cen Qiaoqiao grimaced. “Why would I do that to myself? I’m not a masochist.”
Everyone knew, scholars and slackers were two different species. She wasn’t about to subject herself to that kind of humiliation.
….
That same afternoon, Jiang Fuyue went to Xiao Shan’s office.
The two talked behind closed doors for forty minutes. No one knew what they discussed, but the very next day, the school posted a new announcement—
To boost academic motivation, starting today, the school will post 10 questions daily on the bulletin board. Subjects will vary, and difficulty will differ. Anyone may participate. Those who answer correctly will receive a “Gourmet Gift Pack.”
The “Gourmet Gift Pack” includes:
- Unlimited Meal Pass – Free meals at Ming University cafeteria (excluding late-night options) for one day. Single-use only.
- Late-Night Discount – 70% off all late-night cafeteria items for one week.
- Bread & Dairy Voucher – 5000 value, valid for one week, no purchase minimum, advance booking required.
It didn’t seem like much, but every item hit exactly where students’ hearts lay.
The first perk was a dream—free access to all meals (yes, even the outrageously expensive seafood dishes like lobster). Basically, a free all-you-can-eat buffet.
The second perk—the legendary late-night section—now at 70% off? Practically a miracle.
And the last one, the bread and dairy voucher, was even more tempting.
Ming University wasn’t just a haven for rich, lazy students; even its bakery was a legend.
It used the best ingredients and hired world-class pâtissiers. The bakery alone was the size of a basketball court.
Visitors often said, “This isn’t a bakery, it’s a museum of baking.”
Five thousand yuan wasn’t an enormous sum, but the magic word was “no minimum purchase.”
And not only that, it didn’t even require membership!
Yes, this bakery was membership-only and normally not open to all students.
Once the announcement dropped, every grade level exploded in chatter.
Opinions were sharply divided—
“I thought it’d be something important, but it’s just a quiz contest? Is the school bored?”
“Who’d torture their brain for some stupid ‘gourmet pack’? I doubt anyone will bother.”
“Hah, what ‘grand prize’? Just a gimmick. Worth what, a few bucks?”
“Who’s desperate enough for that? I’ll treat them myself!”
“The school should focus on expanding the football field and swimming pool. I’m waiting to make my grand dive off the platform!”
“Bullsh*t, you just want a pool party with girls.”
“Like you’re any better.”
“Do quizzes even fit Ming University’s image?”
“Totally off-brand.”
“As if I need your lousy coupons.”
Of course, some people supported it too—
“Finally, something that makes our school look like a real university.”
“Even if I don’t need it, free stuff is free stuff, who says no?”
“Exactly! I’ve got a billion yuan, but I’ll still pick up a hundred-dollar bill off the ground. Waste not!”
“Good idea, sounds fun! Support it~”
“Still… can anyone actually solve those problems? We’re not Q University.”
“Come on, don’t be so pessimistic! Q U’s got its strengths, but so do we.”
“Like what?”
“Rich family? Owns a mine or something?”
“……”
“No comment. Let’s wait and see.”
“Whose idea was this? Who came up with it?”
“They say it was the principal himself.”
“……”
In a certain boys’ dormitory—
“Fu Chengjia!” someone burst in, panting.
The boy sitting at his desk looked up, hand pausing mid-turn of a page. “What’s got you in such a rush?”
“Whew, give me a second to catch my breath!”
Fu Chengjia stood, poured a glass of water, and handed it over. “Take your time.”
“Thanks, man. Did you see the announcement?”
“What announcement?”
“I knew it! You, you either have your nose in a book or are holed up in the lab all day. What a waste of a smartphone, you only use 200MB of data a month.”
Fu Chengjia sighed helplessly. “The school Wi-Fi covers the whole campus. Why would I use data?”
“Fine, fine, I can’t win. Here—” the guy put down his glass and held up his phone. “Latest announcement. I think you should give it a shot.”
Fu Chengjia took the phone and scanned the post.
“See? The snack card means unlimited food; and then there’s the night-snack 70% off deal. You could skip dinner, get a discount supper, and spend the same amount but eat way better! Meat freedom, man!”
“And that bread voucher, five thousand yuan! That’s your whole month’s living expenses! If you can’t use it all, you can split it with someone and still get twenty percent off!”
“Add it all up, it’s basically the same as what you earn from your part-time job. And that’s just for answering one question right! If you answer a few more, d*mn, you could actually make a fortune!”
He jabbered on, hands flying everywhere, looking more excited than Fu Chengjia himself.
“I haven’t seen the question yet. Not sure…” if I can answer it.
“Oh come on! You’re a top student! Ming University’s academic reputation these two years rests on your papers alone. If you can’t do it, no one can.”
Fu Chengjia smiled. “Thanks. Got it. I’ll go check it out.”
“They post the question every morning at ten, on the notice board. You answer on the spot and get the prize right there. Don’t forget to bring scratch paper!”
“Okay.”
Even if Ming University was known as a paradise for rich second-generation slackers, not every student fit the mold.
There were exceptions like Fu Chengjia.
A student in the Class of 2049 Peiya Honors Program, now a third-year. He’d scored nearly 700 on the national college entrance exam, but poverty forced him to give up his first-choice university.
At his lowest point, Ming University reached out offering him a place with full tuition waived and a monthly living stipend. In return, he had to stay on for his master’s and PhD, and publish a set number of papers each year.
Fu Chengjia agreed.
Compared to manual labor, Ming University’s terms were generous and it allowed him to keep studying. He was grateful for it.
That’s how he became a member of the 49th cohort, an outlier among his peers.
Because—
He was poor.
And—
He was too smart.
For two years, he studied and worked part-time. His mother recovered from her illness, and life gradually improved.
Many pitied him for “wasting” such a high score on Ming University, but only he knew how deeply thankful he was inside.
Answer a question for a prize?
Fu Chengjia looked down at the notice again. “A gourmet gift package?”
Sounded… pretty good, actually.
Girls’ Dormitory, Building A, Room 4-3
Cen Qiaoqiao: “Did you hear? The school’s doing some kind of quiz-for-prizes thing. Everyone’s talking about it.”
Huo Fanjin nodded. “Yeah, I know. Kind of creative and those prizes are chef’s kiss for us foodies.”
Cen Qiaoqiao: “Which prize do you want most?”
“Mm… the night-snack discount. It includes foie gras and truffles. With the discount, that’s quite a deal.”
Cen Qiaoqiao turned to ask Liu Sisi.
The latter said flatly, “Not interested.”
“……” As expected of her, cool as ever.
“Sister Yue, what about you?”
“Anything’s fine.”
“Then… are you guys going? I could be your cheerleader! And watch the fun while I’m at it!”
Liu Sisi quietly walked away.
Brainwork was never her thing, hitting a sandbag was simpler.
Huo Fanjin looked instinctively at Jiang Fuyue. “You going, Sister Yue?”
“Let’s go.”
Huo Fanjin immediately changed clothes and shoes.
Cen Qiaoqiao wouldn’t be left behind. To fulfill her “cheerleader” promise, she even grabbed two bath loofahs from the bathroom—
One blue, one red.
“How about this?” She waved them enthusiastically in her hands.
Jiang Fuyue: “……”
Huo Fanjin: “……”
Totally unnecessary.
“Sisi, you coming?” Cen Qiaoqiao asked on their way out.
Bang!
A heavy punch landed squarely on the sandbag.
“No.”
“…Oh.”
Why did she sound kinda… mad though?
When the three arrived at the notice board, there was already a thick crowd gathered, several layers deep.
Hardly anyone was actually answering; most were there to watch.
“‘Please use the relevant formulas to analyze how changes in product grade composition affect profit margins.’”
“What kind of question is that? I can’t even pronounce half of it, much less analyze anything!”
“Probably something for the finance department.”
“Then this one—‘A tensor-network-based strict solution method for obtaining the optimal solution and zero-point entropy in combinatorial optimization problems’—what the h*ll even is that?”
“Uh… not a clue.”
“Can we just look up the answers online?”
“Oh right! Why didn’t I think of that?”
Phones came out instantly.
Five minutes later—
“Nothing.”
“Yeah, can’t find it.”
“Me neither. You?”
“Same.”
“What’s going on? Are these questions even real? Are they just trolling us?”
The crowd buzzed in confusion.
Then a calm voice came from the crowd: “It’s from the Institute of Theoretical Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, brand-new research. Not available online.”
“It’s Fu Chengjia!”
“Of course he knows! He’s the genius, he knows what we don’t, even what the Internet doesn’t!”
“Wow, that’s him? Senior Fu Chengjia? He’s so handsome!”
“I heard he’s the only real researcher Ming University has left. The school’s entire academic ranking hangs on him, otherwise we wouldn’t even make it onto the bottom of the university list.”
“Yeah, people said he came from a poor family?”
“Sure did. Otherwise why would Ming University even get a shot at recruiting him? He scored nearly 700 on his exams, he should’ve easily made it into the neighboring elite school.”
“Can’t blame him though. Let’s be honest, who with both money and brains would pick Ming University? You’ve gotta be missing one or the other.”
Either money or points.
“Not really. Jiang Fuyue from freshman year: rich, perfect score, still came here.”
“Oh, she doesn’t count. Anyone outside the range of normal human parameters is off the list.”
Huo Fanjin: “Pfft—Sister Yue, someone just called you abnormal.”
Jiang Fuyue: “……”
Sister Yue is officially out to milk Q University’s wool now~
