Li Zhi propped her chin on one hand, her gaze fixed on the physics teacher's writing on the blackboard.
A black pen spun between her fingers in a fancy flourish, making it look as if she were deep in thought.
To be honest, sitting next to a top student was incredibly stressful.
Except for wild dogs like Shen Yuan.
Just as Li Zhi had said, whenever she started grinding, someone was bound to suffer because of it.
So when Li Zhi started contemplating a problem, appearing to be lost in thought for a long time, those sitting around her would inevitably feel the pressure build.
'Even the top student is thinking for this long. Does that mean my simple solution is wrong?'
Then they would scrap their own ideas and start over.
Even if they arrived at the same solution after re-calculating, they would still doubt their answer.
They would only relax after the teacher finally gave the same answer.
But almost no one thought there was anything wrong with Li Zhi.
'There's no way the top student can't solve a problem that we all can.'
'She's probably thinking about a more complex problem.'
But in reality, Li Zhi was just spacing out.
'Shen Yuan is working so hard today. If he really scores a 620, what will he ask for?'
'Will that guy ask for something lewd?'
'Whoa, Li Zhi, that's a bit of a gross thought.'
'I don't know. Whatever, as long as it's not too outrageous, I can just agree to it.'
'Hmm... what would count as an outrageous request?'
At this thought, Li Zhi subconsciously furrowed her brow.
Just then, the physics teacher on the podium saw Li Zhi's frown, paused instinctively, and quickly reviewed what he had just explained in his head.
He quickly realized there was a part he hadn't explained in enough detail.
"Right, look at the problem again. There's something I need to add."
The physics teacher quickly filled in the gap, marveling at how she was, as expected, the top student of Class 15—a beast capable of aiming for a 700. 'Truly sharp,' he thought.
While the physics teacher was adding to his notes on the board, Li Zhi also reached her own preliminary conclusion.
'He better not get his mouth anywhere near me.'
'Hands only. Feet are off-limits.'
Just like Tong Churou, Li Zhi was very confident in her own looks and figure.
Back then, Shen Yuan had been captivated by Tong Churou's black stockings.
That guy was a total lecher.
'But, if he really is such a lecher, maybe I can use it to bait his score even higher.'
'A 620 gets him a hand-touch, a 650 gets a foot-rub, a 680 gets...'
Li Zhi pondered this, then her brow furrowed once more.
'Tsk, Li Zhi, you're so gross.'
At that thought, Li Zhi stopped twirling her pen.
'I'm done thinking about it. So annoying.'
'Time to out-grind everyone tonight.'
'I'll take a couple extra books home after school. Shen Yuan's carrying them anyway.'
If Shen Yuan knew what Li Zhi was thinking, he would probably become a loyal believer of the Painful Sacrifice.
She just *got* it.
When physics class ended, there was only one self-study period left.
Li Zhi didn't leave her seat, instead taking out her English homework.
During the ten-minute break between classes, Li Zhi finished her English homework at lightning speed.
Her deskmate watched, completely stunned.
But what was the reality?
Li Zhi had already started looking at the English homework during physics class.
Now, she was just filling in the answers.
Li Zhi's English was already good to begin with, and this display only further highlighted the terror of an English-language demon king.
'Li Zhi's English is so good and she's still doing her homework so diligently, while we're just copying it. This isn't how studying should be!'
Manufacturing anxiety.
Painful Sacrifice Ultimate—Divine Human Kingdom of Hengshui!
Transform the classroom into an "Absolute Discipline Sanctuary," where the speed of grinding through practice problems is forcibly synchronized with the speed of the ceiling fans.
Within this divine kingdom, all smiles are sealed away, and all emotional fluctuations are converted into nutrients for one's error-correction notebook.
Breaks between classes vanish. Study diligently!
Honors classes were often like this. As soon as one studious phenomenon created a chain reaction, it would often radiate throughout the entire class.
Imagine this: you're chatting with your deskmate after class, but you suddenly notice that all the students around you are studying intently. The conversation naturally dies out.
Then, when you come back from a bathroom break and enter the classroom, you see everyone hunched over their desks.
That's a fucking living nightmare.
This was exactly the situation in Class 15 right now.
The Painful Sacrifices in other honors classes could only passively cast their skills, but the one in Class 15 was different; she was loaded with active skills.
And her proactive initiative was off the charts.
However, with such a Painful Sacrifice in the classroom, Old Zhou was quite happy.
After all, Li Zhi had imperceptibly raised Class 15's scores by a significant margin.
Whether it was through her "score evolution theory" or her proactive grinding, she had succeeded in raising Class 15's overall scores.
Before evening self-study, Shen Yuan was called to the office by his Eldest Female Cousin, forcibly interrupting his diligent study time.
"What's up?"
Shen Yuan looked at his Eldest Female Cousin's serious expression.
Yang Yishui looked at her younger cousin and said seriously, "I heard from my mom that there's a decent single guy at your mom's workplace, and they want your mom to make an introduction."
Shen Yuan's mom worked at the sub-district office. Although she was just an ordinary clerk after all these years...
Do you understand the value of a civil servant?!
In a small county town, civil servants are still highly sought-after.
"So, what you're saying is?"
"Have Auntie turn him down. I don't want to get married yet." Yang Yishui grabbed Shen Yuan's hand, speaking earnestly.
"Hold on, how do you know it'll work out if you go on the blind date?" Shen Yuan discreetly pulled his hand back.
"With my qualifications, how could it not?"
"Wait, then why don't you just refuse?" Shen Yuan couldn't figure it out.
"I'm worried he'll be a persistent pest."
"Pah! You're so full of yourself!"
Shen Yuan scratched his head.
'Damn it, I let her get her flex in.'
His Eldest Female Cousin's stats were indeed excellent. She was tall, and her fashion sense was quite trendy.
For a while, his Eldest Female Cousin's style had a tomboyish vibe, leading to a bunch of lesbians popping up in the honors class.
It scared his Eldest Female Cousin so much that she quickly switched to a soft, urban-chic style for a while.
But when it came to relationships, his Eldest Female Cousin was in a state of resistance.
It wasn't because of her family background—his aunt and uncle got along quite harmoniously. It was just her own issue.
She wasn't a lesbian.
She just didn't want to have to consider a stranger's emotions.
After all, teaching was already annoying enough.
It wasn't like she'd never been in a relationship before.
Teaching dumbass kids their ABCs by day, only to have to deal with her boyfriend's AP-level emotional needs by night.
To hell with that.
"So you're just planning to drag this out?"
Yang Yishui scratched her head. "I don't know."
Shen Yuan was dumbfounded.
"Hey! Then how am I supposed to persuade her?!"
His Eldest Female Cousin didn't care anymore and just threw up her hands.
"I don't care. That's your problem."
"That's not—"
Shen Yuan's expression quickly shifted from helpless to serious. "Teacher Yang, if this is why you called me here, then I need to get back to studying. My time is very precious."
With that, Shen Yuan turned to leave, but his Eldest Female Cousin grabbed him.
"Bro! You're my bro!"
"Yuan! I'm counting on you! I really don't want to go on a blind date!"
In the corner of the office, Sister Lan quietly raised her head.
'A prime moment of social suicide for my bestie.'
"Look, sis. I really can't help! I've never been pressured to get married!"
Yang Yishui looked up, giving Shen Yuan a look of utter disgust.
"You need to be pressured? Aren't things going pretty well between you and your childhood sweetheart lately?"
Shen Yuan gave her a "husky warning look." "Hey! Don't you dare slander me! That is a pure revolutionary friendship forged in the fires of exam-oriented education!"
"Then I'll tell Auntie you're in a puppy love relationship."
"Yang Yishui, I'm going to strangle you!"