Rebirth to Save Myself

On the first day of school, Chen Jianguo and Chen Chunqi accompanied Su Xia and Chen Yuan to register. Chen Jianguo had previously bought an apartment near the Provincial No. 1 High School, which would be perfect for their lunch break. They would rest there during lunchtime and then return to the Bund in the evening.

Su Xia gave a thumbs up when she learned that Chen Jianguo had bought a school district property early on—the kind of property that would later be sold at exorbitant prices! With more and more families having only one child, all the family's love is focused on that one child, so naturally, they want to give them the best. This makes schooling a major issue. Public schools vary in quality, and the level of teachers also differs. Furthermore, not every student can be as self-taught as Su Xia, which is why school district properties have become so popular.

I'm telling you that if you buy a house nearby, your child will definitely get into this middle school and this high school. Would you buy it or not? Of course you would! For your child's education, for your child's future, you'd sell everything you own to buy it.

Most of those admitted to the provincial top high school are locals from the provincial capital, and they all have families here, so the school doesn't have many dormitories open to the public. Su Xia and Chen Yuan were walking on campus when they suddenly heard someone call out to her from behind: "Su Xia!"

Su Xia turned around and was surprised to see Ye Lingling, an old friend from the competition. She was quite taken aback, but considering Ye Lingling had mentioned being from the provincial capital, it wasn't surprising to run into her at the provincial high school. So she said, "Ye Lingling, are you here to register too?"

Ye Lingling led her mother forward quickly and said, "I told you your back looked like yours, Mom. This is Su Xia, the one I told you about."

Ye's mother looked at Su Xia. After the competition, Ye Lingling had been talking about Su Xia at home, saying she was amazing, could solve all the problems, and even won a prize in the competition. So she said, "Hello, I'm Ye Lingling's mother. Are you also here to register at No. 1 High School?"

"Yes, Auntie. These are my mom and dad, and this is my sister." Su Xia also introduced her family to Ye's mother.

"Hello, hello!" Chen Jianguo and Chen Chunqi also greeted Ye's mother.

"I'm so lucky to be in the same school as you. I wonder if we'll be in the same class. Let's go check the class assignments over there!" Ye Lingling happily grabbed Su Xia and prepared to run.

At this moment, Chen Yuan grabbed Su Xia's other side, clearly unhappy. Even though she was Su Xia's best friend, Ye Lingling was ignoring her and trying to take Su Xia away. Actually, part of Chen Yuan's reason was that she was unfamiliar with the area, and Su Xia was the only person she knew well, so she stayed close to Su Xia for a sense of security.

"You are Chen Yuan, right? We met in the capital. Your family came to cheer for Su Xia back then. My name is Ye Lingling. Let's hang out together sometime!" Ye Lingling wasn't upset that Chen Yuan was holding Su Xia's hand, and greeted Chen Yuan generously.

Chen Yuan felt a little embarrassed. Just now, she was thinking about competing with her for Su Xia, but now the other person said that she wanted to be friends with her. It was a little embarrassing!

“Yuanyuan is new here and a little unfamiliar with the area. Let’s go look at the class assignment list together.” Su Xia said, taking one of them by the hand and leading them towards the bulletin board with the class assignment list.

Unsurprisingly, Su Xia was on the list for the experimental class. It was quite unexpected that Chen Yuan and Ye Lingling were both in Class 3.

"Wow, we're in the same class, Chen Yuan! Let's be deskmates then, since we're already quite familiar with each other," Ye Lingling said to Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan felt a little sad when she saw the list. She knew that there would definitely be more students at the Provincial No. 1 High School, but she couldn't accept being separated from Su Xia for a while, so she replied to Ye Lingling: "Mm".

Su Xia noticed Chen Yuan's unhappiness and said to her, "Yuanyuan, do you remember when we were divided into classes in the first year of junior high?"

"I remember, we weren't in the same class, I know, Xiaxia. It's just that you made me sad for a moment, just a moment," Chen Yuan said sullenly, looking like she was about to burst into tears.

"Hey, what's there to be sad about? We're in the same school, we can play together after class, and you still have me." Ye Lingling patted her chest to prove herself.

"Pfft!" Chen Yuan was also amused by Ye Lingling, and her sad mood eased a little.

"Let's go register," Su Xia said.

Chen Chunqi, along with Chen Yuan and Ye Lingling, went to register with the homeroom teacher of Class 3. Chen Jianguo took Su Xia to the homeroom teacher of the experimental class. As soon as Su Xia's name was mentioned, the homeroom teacher looked up at her and said, "You're the one who got in through the competition?"

“Yes, teacher,” Su Xia replied.

"Well, there are many outstanding students in my class. Did you take the high school entrance exam?" The homeroom teacher looked at Su Xia with an arrogant expression, as if to say, "Don't be so proud of yourself just because you have a national competition result. It's not worth mentioning in my eyes."

"No."

"It's alright. There will be exams when school starts. If you don't do well, the experimental class won't welcome you," the homeroom teacher said.

"How can you talk like that, teacher? My child is already admitted to university through the guaranteed admission program, why should she take the high school entrance exam? If her grades weren't good, would she have been admitted through the guaranteed admission program?" Chen Jianguo retorted, displeased with the teacher's words.

"Please calm down, parent. If your child is good enough, they can prove themselves in the entrance exam," the homeroom teacher said, adjusting his glasses.

"Dad, no need to say anything more. I will prove myself. If I really can't reach the level of the experimental class, I will leave on my own." After saying that, Su Xia stopped arguing with the homeroom teacher and let him handle the formalities for her.

After finishing her business, Su Xia accidentally bumped into a classmate coming in at the office door. She apologized and left. Lu Jingnian looked at his bruised arm, then at her retreating figure. He had overheard Su Xia's words in the office and felt that this girl was trying to prove a point with the teacher. It was completely unnecessary; why get so angry over something so trivial? He didn't understand.

"Teacher, I'm here to report for duty. I'm Lu Jingnian."

"Lu Jingnian, please sit down." The teacher's expression changed instantly upon seeing Lu Jingnian, and she looked at him with a smile.

"No need." Lu Jingnian handed the documents and tuition fees to the teacher, and then silently let the teacher complete the procedures.

"Lu Jingnian, tomorrow is the first day of school. The school will conduct a placement test, followed by military training," the teacher couldn't help but remind him.

"Oh." Lu Jingnian left without looking back.

The next day, everyone was still looking forward to the wonderful life of high school, but the teacher came in with a stack of test papers and said: "Next, we will have a diagnostic test."

"No way, why is there an exam right away? They haven't even given us the books yet."

"I've forgotten everything this summer, I'm doomed."

"Shut up, everyone. This placement test will determine the final class schedule, and it's also an opportunity for those of you who didn't do well on the high school entrance exam. If you want to get into the top classes or the experimental classes, seize this opportunity."

Upon hearing this, everyone realized that the current class schedule wouldn't count. They had worked so hard to get into the top class, and to be eliminated now would be incredibly embarrassing. So, regardless of their reasons, everyone took this exam very seriously. They had initially thought it would be like the high school entrance exam, with each subject lasting half a day, but the teacher had insanely insisted on a strict exam schedule, with a ten-minute break after each exam before immediately starting the next one.

The exams ended in one day, and students were notified that the results would be released the next morning for a rescheduling of classes. Military training wouldn't begin until after the rescheduling was complete. This was something many students had never experienced before, especially since they had been playing recklessly since the middle school entrance exam, and their current knowledge was simply insufficient!

As soon as Chen Yuan saw Su Xia, she started wailing, "Xiaxia, why is this question so difficult!"

"How's it going?" Su Xia asked Chen Yuan.

"I barely managed to finish, and even the time for the check-up was very tight," Chen Yuan said, looking dejected.

"This is the devilish thing about the Provincial No. 1 High School. It will be a regular occurrence from now on," Ye Lingling comforted her from the side.

"No way!" Chen Yuan couldn't believe it, and refused to believe it.

“That’s true. My brother graduated from the top high school in the province. He said that’s how it is at the top high school, and he even tried to stop me when he heard that I wanted to go there,” Ye Lingling said from the side.

"Waaah, I can't believe how tough the next three years will be." The three of them walked towards the school gate together, but because Ye Lingling was nearby, they parted ways at the bus stop.

Su Xia and Chen Yuan returned to their apartment complex on the Bund by car. As soon as they arrived, Chen Yuan collapsed onto the sofa, too exhausted to move. Su Xia herself was also tired after a day of intense mental work. Chen Chunqi, who had just finished preparing dinner with the nanny, saw her two daughters like this and quickly called them to eat, then go to their room to rest.

"The results will be out tomorrow, I wonder which class I'll be placed in." Chen Yuan was very sad. She was already upset about not being in the same class as Su Xia, but she still had Ye Lingling as a friend. But she didn't know if she and Ye Lingling would be in the same class tomorrow. Chen Yuan was the kind of person who liked to stay in her comfort zone. She strongly resisted the process of having to step out and find new friends. Although she seemed carefree and could get along with anyone, her only true confidantes were Su Xia and Chen Wenwei.

"Don't think about it after the exam. Maybe I'll be dropped from the experimental class and end up with you," Su Xia comforted Chen Yuan.

"Impossible, Xiaxia, you're so amazing, it's a loss for the experimental class if they don't want you." Chen Yuan immediately refuted Su Xia's idea.

“Nothing in the world is absolute. Just like when we came to the provincial No. 1 High School, we realized that the high school in our hometown was so small that there was little competitive pressure. And now it’s just the provincial level. If we go to university in the future, there will be even more outstanding people from all over the country. At that time, we will feel even more insignificant and ordinary.” Su Xia said, and then thought for a moment and continued, “So we must realize our ordinariness, accept our ordinariness, and find our own meaning in ordinary life.”

"Xiaxia, you really know so much! Compared to you, I feel like a little kid!" Chen Yuan said sullenly.

"It's okay, you can grow slowly. What I'm telling you is just some of my own insights." Su Xia felt that she and Chen Yuan were originally different, and she would definitely have more insights after living life again.

"Uh-huh."

The next day, everyone returned to the same classroom. The teacher entered the classroom after the bell rang, looked at everyone sternly, and then said, "Some people think they're guaranteed a spot in the experimental class and have become complacent after just one holiday. Those people don't deserve to stay in the experimental class. Those whose names I'm about to call, please pack your things and go to Class One."

The homeroom teacher read out three names and then looked at them: "You did so poorly on the test, you should go and report to the teacher of Class One right away."

The three students packed their things in shame and left through the back door of the classroom. A moment later, three more students came to the front door, knocked, gestured to the homeroom teacher, and then said, "Teacher, we've come to register."

"Come in, find an empty seat and sit down." The homeroom teacher didn't have much affection for these three students; she just let them in.

Everyone knew the teachers in the experimental class were of questionable character, so they didn't say anything and went straight in.

The homeroom teacher continued, "The experimental class is above the key class. Your goal is to get into the top universities in the country or even the world. Every student who has made it into the experimental class, don't relax like those three students just now. We will conduct tests at any time to assess your abilities. If you don't meet the requirements, you will be transferred immediately."

Su Xia found the homeroom teacher's endless talking on the podium quite boring, so she observed the rest of the class. Most students were listening attentively to Teacher Bao's speech, while Lu Jingnian, sitting in the last row at the far corner, was looking out the window. Lu Jingnian looked clean and refreshing, with the air of a protagonist from a campus novel. But Su Xia wasn't interested; she wouldn't bother with someone like him, knowing he was probably surrounded by girls.

"Next is a two-week military training. If you need any class officers, please nominate yourselves. Then come up here, state your size, and get your uniforms. Be quick," the class teacher urged. Soon, people volunteered for positions such as class monitor, vice class monitor, and academic representative. Su Xia went to the podium to collect her military training uniform, followed by Lu Jingnian.

“2XL, size 43.” A clean and gentle voice said, and then the class monitor blushed and looked up at him.

Lu Jingnian didn't say anything, just stared at the class monitor, making the monitor feel embarrassed. The monitor quickly made a note and asked the sports committee member to get Lu Jingnian's clothes and shoes. Lu Jingnian took them and immediately sat back down, continuing to look out the window.

"He's so handsome! What's his name?"

"He is Lu Jingnian, and he used to attend Huaqing High School. He is known for being aloof, and all the girls who confessed to him were made to cry by him."

"Wow, that's so cool. He must be waiting for his destined woman."

"Forget it, he's just rude."

A group of girls quickly grew closer because of Lu Jingnian; indeed, handsome guys are always worth pursuing. Since tomorrow is military training, today was just a briefing on important points and distributing first-year high school books. Everyone was then told to go home and rest so they'd be ready for tomorrow's rigorous training.