My winter break homework was exposed, and I, a vocational school student, am now being snapped up by

Done!

Lin Chen threw down his English book.

I realized I had overestimated the power of the system's skills.

Without anyone to guide you.

Given my weak foundation—I hadn't even mastered junior high school English—it was clearly impossible for me to study senior high school English on my own.

Do I have to start with junior high school English and gradually accumulate experience points?

Just as Lin Chen was speechless, the classmate in front of him slapped the table.

"Lin Chen, right? Where did you transfer from?"

"Ah you are?"

Lin Chen was taken aback and looked up at the fat man in front of him.

"I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Lu Han."

Lu Han?

Lin Chen looked at the fat man in front of him with a surprised expression, and he really couldn't equate him with that handsome young man.

"Not that deer, but the 'Lu' of continent and the 'Han' of cold."

The fat man seemed to be used to people's reactions when they heard his name, and casually offered an explanation.

"Dude, tell me, how exactly did you transfer to our school?"

"An exam? Or... a back door!"

Hearing what the fat man said in a low voice, Lin Chen was speechless.

Go through the back door?

You're the one who got in through connections!

A real man never uses back channels!

"I was invited here."

"Invite them? How were they invited?"

Lu Han looked on with curiosity.

"I was invited here. They begged me to come to No. 1 High School, so I had no choice but to reluctantly agree."

Lin Chen explained.

But what he said was only half true and half false.

After all, Tsinghua and Peking University only asked Lin Chen to transfer his student status to high school first.

As for choosing option one in the end, that was purely Lin Chen's own choice.

Lu Han listened with disbelief.

"Keep bragging, bro. This is No. 1 High School! The best school in Donghai. Unless you save the world, why would we possibly invite you here?"

"save the world?"

Lin Chen curled his lip.

"It doesn't have to be that bad, as long as you're a top student, that's fine."

"A top student? You?"

Lu Han and Lin Chen took a closer look and shook their heads, saying, "It doesn't look like it!"

"Don't think that just because you showed off one math problem in class, you're a top student!"

"This is Class One! The best senior class at Donghai No. 1 High School, the best school in Donghai!"

"Any one of the students in our class would be a top student in any other class. If you want to be a top student here, it'll be difficult!"

Lin Chen curled his lip again.

How ridiculous! Can your academic geniuses compare to someone like me who's got cheat codes?

"Hey! Is there something wrong with your mouth? Why do you keep pouting like that? Are you some kind of crooked-mouthed dragon king?"

"Dragon King my ass!"

Lin Chen never expected that he would encounter such a friendly and outgoing fat guy when he first arrived at No. 1 High School.

Just as he was arguing with Lu Han, a figure suddenly walked up to him.

The other person left a small note on their desk, then turned and left.

Lin Chen turned his head and found the person who had left him the note earlier.

It was Chen Xiaoxiao!

"WHAT?"

Lu Han stared wide-eyed, his face filled with disbelief.

His gaze darted back and forth between Chen Xiaoxiao and Lin Chen, before finally settling on the small note.

Just before Lu Han could take the note, Lin Chen snatched it back first.

"Dude! Let me see! What does it say up there?"

"none of your business?"

"It's none of my business, but this is Chen Xiaoxiao's note!"

"Brother, do you know what this means?"

"what?"

"Chen Xiaoxiao is a famous, aloof school beauty and academic goddess at our No. 1 High School! This is the first time I've ever seen her write notes to boys!"

Lu Han grabbed Lin Chen with an excited expression.

"Idol! From now on, you are my idol!"

"Idol, tell me quickly, do you know Chen Xiaoxiao? Otherwise, why would she give you a note?"

Lu Han wasn't the only one in the classroom who was unusually excited.

I saw that Chen Xiaoxiao was actually giving a note to the new transfer student.

The rest of the class immediately erupted in chaos.

I'm curious!

There is gossip!

There was also envy, jealousy, and hatred!

Chen Xiaoxiao's deskmate, Wang Heming, belongs to the curious type.

Her eyes gleamed with a thirst for knowledge as she excitedly poked Chen Xiaoxiao's arm.

"Xiaoxiao! What happened? What happened?"

"You actually wrote a note to a boy?"

"No way? No way? Could it be that our school beauty has also fallen for him?"

Chen Xiaoxiao blushed and rolled her eyes at her.

"You're overthinking it! I'm not interested at all, I just need to talk to him about something!"

"Is something wrong?"

Wang Heming had an expression like Conan who had seen through the truth.

"Xiaoxiao, don't lie! Lin Chen has only been in our class for less than one lesson. What could you possibly need him for?"

"Your eyes tell me! Your relationship with that Lin Chen is unusual! Did you two know each other before?"

"Wang Heming! Your imagination is too wild!"

Chen Xiaoxiao let out a long sigh, but in her heart she felt that her deskmate was really too sharp-eyed.

It's a waste of your talent not to apply for criminal investigation!

Fortunately, the school bell rang at that moment.

The teacher's entrance into the classroom interrupted the discussion.

This also allowed Lin Chen and Chen Xiaoxiao to escape from Lu Han and Wang Heming respectively.

Only then did Lin Chen have a chance to secretly open the note.

It reads: Have a good lunch, and the school playground and woods will be waiting for you.

This is this...

Chen Xiaoxiao actually invited me to the woods?

Although I don't know where this grove of trees is.

Just from the name, Lin Chen felt that the place sounded like a dating spot for couples on campus.

Why did Chen Xiaoxiao call me over there?

Could it be that she still harbors feelings for him?

No, no, no, Lin Chen still remembers that he deliberately got a zero on the exam.

When he insisted on distancing himself from Chen Xiaoxiao, how desperate and resentful she looked!

Three years have passed since then.

How could she possibly still have any feelings for him?

If it's not lingering affection...

Is he going to beat himself up to get revenge for what happened three years ago?

Oh dear, should I go or not?

Headache!

After that, the morning classes passed quickly.

In addition to math, we also had Chinese and English classes in the morning.

Of course, because it was already the second semester of senior year.

Neither of these courses introduced any new material; instead, the focus was on exam preparation and reviewing practice questions.

Unsurprisingly, these two courses remained completely incomprehensible to Lin Chen.

My Chinese is slightly better, at least in general reading comprehension and composition, except for classical Chinese.

Lin Chen could at least understand the gist of it.

My English is terrible.

A jumbled mess of tenses.

What past tense, past progressive tense, past perfect tense?

Lin Chen gritted his teeth upon hearing this.

It's a pity that the Qing Dynasty was incompetent a hundred years ago.

I've ended up having to learn this gibberish!

Damn the Qing Dynasty! If I could travel through time, I would definitely rebel!

After finally making it to lunchtime, Lin Chen didn't go to the cafeteria with the rest of the group.

Instead, he went to the principal's office first to say goodbye to his parents.

His enrollment procedures are all complete.

Next, Mr. and Mrs. Lin will rent a house nearby.

Because Donghai No.1 Middle School is a bit far from my home.

The couple is too busy with work to pick up and drop off their children.

I plan to find a place near the school to stay temporarily for a few months.

In their minds, Lin Chen is already a future college student at Tsinghua or Peking University.

There can be no accidents whatsoever.

After seeing his parents off, Lin Chen went to the cafeteria with Principal Lin.

This resulted in many misunderstandings.

Rumors that Lin Chen might be a relative of Principal Lin gradually spread throughout the school.

"Lin Chen, how's the food at No. 1 High School?"

"Yes, it's much better than my old school!"

"That's good. From now on, you can eat with your classmates after class. Just enjoy your time at our school for the next few months, and remember to come find me if you need anything."

"Okay, Principal Lin, goodbye Principal Lin!"

After saying goodbye to Principal Lin at the cafeteria entrance, Lin Chen didn't know where to go next.

Should we go straight back to the classroom?

Shall we go to the grove?

Will Chen Xiaoxiao really be waiting for him there?