The intensive training courses were tedious. It is said that every profession has its specialists, and the moment Su Jingming saw the teacher’s smooth, bald scalp, he was certain of one thing: mathematics was truly no simple matter.
The two of them had just taken their seats when the six o'clock bell rang punctually to start the class.
"Hello, students. I am very pleased that we can all meet here. I am the lead lecturer for this session; my surname is Tu." Old Tu smiled and rubbed the top of his head. "And no, I am not named Tu because I am bald."
As soon as he spoke, a ripple of light laughter spread through the classroom.
Old Tu continued, "You are the cream of the crop, selected from a vast sea of students. Those who excel in this competition will represent the province in the National Mathematics Olympiad. I look forward to seeing one of you standing on that final podium."
This was one of the reasons why the intensive training sessions were held collectively every year.
Su Jingming propped his chin on one hand while the other doodled aimlessly on a piece of paper. His face was a mask of exhaustion, and he couldn't stop yawning. On the podium, Old Tu spoke with tireless eloquence, as if he had been injected with a stimulant, growing more spirited the more he talked. The chalk traced functions on the blackboard, rising and falling in rhythmic waves.
Mathematics was a magical subject; if you lost focus for even a moment, you might as well not participate for the rest of the hour.
Su Jingming rubbed his brow, his apparent lack of attention finally catching Old Tu’s eye.
Old Tu walked straight over and tapped twice on Su Jingming’s desk.
"This student here, why don't you come up and solve this problem?"
Su Jingming looked up, dazed for a few seconds before standing and walking toward the blackboard.
He stood there, his back to everyone, studying the problem.
*Wait a second.*
Was he sure this was a problem a high schooler was supposed to be able to solve?
Su Jingming furrowed his brow and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Why was this function so twisted?
So twisted that...
Why was he starting to feel a little excited?
Rarely was Su Jingming’s interest piqued by a problem. He wrote the word "Solution" on the blackboard.
In a trance-like state, he seemed to hear someone whisper.
"If he can solve that, I’ll walk on my hands."
"This is clearly beyond the syllabus."
Wen Yan sat in his seat, covering his own calculated result with his hand, watching Su Jingming on the podium with great interest.
Time ticked away, second by second. Su Jingming went from being hesitant to put chalk to slate to a state of fluid motion. He even began scribbling rough drafts on the other side of the board.
As the final answer was written, a look of admiration appeared in Old Tu’s eyes, and he walked to the side of the podium.
He smiled with a look of gratification. "It seems this batch of students has not disappointed me."
Finishing his work, Su Jingming tossed the chalk back into the box. He looked at Old Tu with a hint of confusion. "May I go back down now?"
Old Tu replied, "Of course you may."
Just as Su Jingming stepped off the podium, he suddenly remembered something. He scanned the students sitting below.
"By the way, I heard someone say they’d walk on their hands if the problem was solved? Remember to keep your promise."
It was in moments like these that Su Jingming would inadvertently show off.
The room fell silent.
Arrogant. Truly too arrogant.
"Which school is he from?"
"How can he be so cocky?"
"I think he’s from Liangcheng No. 2 High. I heard they sent their top two students this time."
"Isn't he being too bold? That nerd doesn't quite match his appearance."
"The guy sitting next to him, though—he looks a bit more pleasant."
As soon as Su Jingming returned to his seat, Wen Yan smiled. "Welcome back."
"Are you teasing me?" Su Jingming pulled out a wet wipe to clean his fingers. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the scratch paper in front of Wen Yan; the steps of the verification seemed no different from his own. His gaze drifted upward, past Wen Yan’s face, and lingered on his hair.
It was a clean, sharp cut, and it looked quite thick.
Su Jingming licked the back of his teeth, his hand still moving as he wiped his fingers.
What would it feel like to compete against Wen Yan?
Su Jingming, who had never felt a strong competitive streak before, felt a sudden impulse to win for the first time.
After the first period ended, several students crowded around Su Jingming.
"What’s your usual study method?"
"Do you read books and do problems that are way beyond the syllabus?"
"How did you come up with that logic for the solution?"
This was the first time Su Jingming had experienced what it felt like to be popular.
However, the look in everyone’s eyes made him uncomfortable.
Their mouths were full of praise, yet the competitive resentment in their eyes was not hidden at all.
Su Jingming gave a soft "tsk" and rested his hands casually on the desk. His oversized glasses obscured half his face, making it impossible to tell what expression he was wearing.
This was the scene Wen Yan walked into upon returning to the classroom.
"You're Su Jingming, right? I heard you've always been second in your grade. If you're this good, why don't you try taking the top spot for once?"
Receiving no response from Su Jingming, the people around them began to chat among themselves.
"Is the number one student at your No. 2 High really that amazing? Doesn't he get bored of always being first?"
"Don't you ever put any pressure on him? Students should progress together."
As the conversation grew increasingly absurd, the noise made Su Jingming’s head throb.
In desperation, he asked the person, "Which school are you from?"
The person addressed replied, "Me? I'm from No. 4 High. Name's Hu Hai. My grade ranking is so-so—just first place."
Su Jingming raised an eyebrow slightly. Although No. 4 High couldn't compare to No. 2 High, their university entrance rates had been steadily rising in recent years.
"If I remember correctly, weren't you the one who said you'd walk on your hands if the problem was solved?" Su Jingming hadn't originally cared about a casual joke; after all, he didn't have much jealousy or competitive drive in that regard.
Hu Hai hadn't expected Su Jingming to recognize his voice. He frowned. "I was just discussing studies with you. You don't need to take a joke to heart."
Su Jingming hummed in response. He leaned back lazily against his chair, his eyes scrutinizing Hu Hai.
This person seemed to have been targeting him since the start of class.
In Su Jingming’s memory, he hadn't offended anyone named Hu Hai. Besides, he didn't have many friends; his social circle was tiny.
He truly couldn't figure out where he had crossed Hu Hai.
Wen Yan stood behind Hu Hai, his height making him stand out among the crowd.
Someone noticed Wen Yan. "Is this your seat?"
The speaker was a girl.
Wen Yan nodded, and the girl immediately moved out of the way. "Sorry, I was blocking you."
"It's fine."
As Wen Yan sat down, the people around them began asking again, "Are you from the same school as Su Jingming?"
"I think I've seen you before."
"Our teachers said the top students from No. 2 High aren't just good at studying, they're handsome too."
"What exactly is your study method? Could you give us a few tips?"
Unlike before, the tone of these people was significantly softer.
Su Jingming lowered his head slightly, hiding his hands in his jacket pockets.
The discussion by his ear gradually shifted from himself to Wen Yan. Unlike him, Wen Yan answered patiently.
"Study method? I don't really have one. Just do more problems."
"Exam techniques? None. I go by feel."
"Do I worry about being overtaken..." Wen Yan paused for a moment. He seemed to think of something and said slowly, "That depends on whether the person in second place is willing to take things a bit more seriously."
The person in second place felt his palms begin to sweat.
Lately, Su Jingming often had the illusion that Wen Yan’s gaze was constantly on him. He stole a glance; Wen Yan was still patiently answering questions.
He thought that this was the difference between him and Wen Yan.
In the end, it was Old Tu who rescued Wen Yan. If the chatting had continued, Old Tu felt his teaching career might have ended right then and there.
Most of those surrounding Wen Yan were girls, and the scent of various perfumes lingered long after they dispersed.
Su Jingming’s mood turned sour—so sour that he didn't properly absorb any of the morning's lessons.
When they finally got a half-hour lunch break, Su Jingming had just finished packing his things. "Do you want to go—"
Before he could finish, Wen Yan casually packed his bag. "Go eat by yourself. I have something to do; I'm going back to the dorm."
And so, for the first time, Su Jingming stepped into the cafeteria alone.
Everyone else was in groups, which made Su Jingming look somewhat lonely.
He thought about it and decided to just buy some biscuits at the nearby convenience store, finding a quiet place to sit and eat.
Su Jingming took a couple of bites and lifted his arm to sniff his clothes. They seemed to have picked up quite a bit of perfume.
They were clearly sweet, clean scents.
But here, they made Su Jingming feel incredibly uneasy.
The training site was remote, surrounded by mountains. In the October autumn, the temperature felt particularly chilly.
When Su Jingming returned to the classroom, he saw Wen Yan already in his seat. The difference was that Wen Yan had changed his clothes, and his hair looked slightly damp.
Holding his jacket, Su Jingming asked in a stiff voice, "The 'something' you had to do at noon was take a shower?"
Wen Yan nodded and stopped writing. Before he could speak, Su Jingming tossed the biscuits to him.
"You didn't go to the cafeteria?"
"No," Su Jingming sat down. "Too many people."
Hearing this, Wen Yan curled his lips into a smile. There weren't many people in the classroom, and those who were there were focused on their problems. He suddenly leaned closer to Su Jingming.
Su Jingming caught the faint scent of body wash on Wen Yan. Unlike the girls' perfume, it was a very, very light fragrance that seemed to drift directly into Su Jingming’s system.
"Su Jingming, can I interpret that as you needing someone to accompany you for meals?"
Wen Yan’s voice became very low and husky, as if he were afraid others might overhear their private conversation.
The racing heartbeat from last night returned, surging upward and giving Su Jingming no room to breathe.
Su Jingming instinctively reached out to push up his glasses, but he didn't expect Wen Yan to reach out and take them right off the bridge of his nose.
Wen Yan pulled back slightly. "Actually, you don't need to wear these non-prescription glasses. It's not good for your eyes over time."
Su Jingming had worn these glasses for years. It was because of them that people privately called him a "nerd."
He didn't care about that; he never had.
And no one had ever suggested he take them off.
Wen Yan was the very first.
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