Don’t Pretend to be Poor with Me - Chapter 10

Isn’t this way better than Boruto?3

The outlook of life of the majority of students in Class 1 had also collapsed.

It wasn’t that they’ve never met someone who had good grades, after all, No.3 Middle High was still on the lower end of the key high schools, and every year they were able to send a few students to Tsinghua or Beijing University.

It’s just that the way this situation played out was too theatrical, and the result was too shocking.

To the extent that those who tested worse than Liu Yue examined themselves three times: Am I mentally handicapped? Am I mentally handicapped? Am I mentally handicapped?

I am.

Thus on the road to the flag raising ceremony, the atmosphere of the second years in Class 1 was so strange it was terrifying, each pair of eyes was empty, and their expressions looked lifeless.

Zhou Ziqiu and Shang Huai couldn’t help asking: “Was the ancestral tomb of everyone in the class collectively robbed?”

Xia Zhiye supported Song Yan: “No, just that this ancestor accidentally scored one point higher than Liu Yue.”

Zhou Ziqiu, Shang Huai: “……”

If they put themselves in Liu Yue’s shoes, then his level of anger would probably be the same as if his ancestral tomb were robbed.

Meanwhile the ancestor was quite cold, standing to the side with his injured leg, without a trace of arrogance.

“But what’s up with your look of honor and glory then?” Zhou Ziqiu asked.

Xia Zhiye: “Do I?”

Shang Huai: “You do.”

Xia Zhiye: “Mm, then I guess I do.”

“……”

Very magnanimous.

“What, I can’t be proud of my own desk mate?” Xia Zhiye completely didn’t feel anything was wrong, and self-confidently patted Zhou Ziqiu’s shoulder, “That’s fine, don’t think about it too hard. Help me bring Song Yan to our class.”

“What about you?”

“Don’t you see Liu Deqing worriedly looking for someone.”

“What did he make you write a speech about this time?”

“It’s not important.”

Xia Zhiye leisurely pulled out a Communist Youth League badge from some random corner and slapped it on his chest: “Anyways, just remember to clap for me later.”

Song Yan hadn’t yet figured out why Liu Deqing would find Xia Zhiye to make a speech during the flag raising ceremony when Shang Huai already shouted out ten times louder than normal: “Xia Zhiye, are you going to fucking cause trouble again?”

“How could that be.” Xia Zhiye faced the morning sun, and squinted his eyes while laughing, “I’m such a righteous and upright young man, how could I cause trouble?”

He’s only just helping his family’s Song Daxi regain public favor.

.

Regarding the fact that Song Yan still came to attend the flag raising ceremony while walking on one broken and another unbroken leg, Ruan Tian was completely moved.

Due to her care for human life, she let someone arrange a chair at the back of the audience for Song Yan.

His two legs stretched out, and the little ancestor’s face appeared paralyzed.

Even the leaders of the Education Bureau visiting the countryside didn’t dare to look that imposing.

Liu Yue who was staring at the last row of the audience was livid.

How could this person be so good at showing off? Also he showed off so many times, yet had never failed.

It was like he had fucked over his grandpa1.

Liu Yue scolded the other in his heart, but completely didn’t think that the person standing at the podium on the stage about to make the opening speech was his actual grandpa.

An extremely lengthy, empty, and endless rhetoric.

While listening, Ruan Tian yawned out of boredom, and couldn’t help but begin talking with Song Yan.

“This time you were too unfortunate. If that unexpected mistake didn’t happen, you would’ve been able to enter the top ten spots amongst the five schools.”

“It’s fine, as long as I didn’t pull down the average of the class.”

“How could that be. The class average this time was 565, you were right on the line, and didn’t pull the back legs2 of the class at all.”

Liu Yue who had gotten a 564 and unintentionally pulled the back legs of the class: “……”

This is fucking playing him, right?

Ruan Tian was completely unaware that she had already inadvertently punctured the frail heart of a young boy, and only regretfully patted Song Yan’s shoulder: “You’ve been wronged.”

Song Yan’s voice remained tranquil: “It’s okay.”

Ruan Tian: “Hm?”

Song Yan: “Director Liu said that he would criticize the person responsible for this matter during the flag raising ceremony.”

The moment he said this, Liu Deqing also completed his impassioned entrance ceremony speech, and ended with, “Next I’ve invited the representative of the second years to the stage to make a speech under the flag.” Then he handed the microphone to the host, and valiantly and spiritedly headed off the stage.

As if he completely didn’t intend to issue a critique.

For a moment everyone was silent.

Those standing nearby who could hear the pair’s discussion looked at Liu Yue in succession, their gazes disdainful, mixed with a look of sympathy for Song Yan — such a well behaved child, how could he have been cheated by those in power who play favorites?

It made Liu Yue feel as if he were standing on pins and needles, with thorns on his back and feeling very uncomfortable.

But he also couldn’t say anything.

After all, he would rather be stared at by these people, than be criticized publicly in front of the entire school.

He could only forcibly pretend that he didn’t hear anything or see anything, only staring fixedly at the brightly colored, brilliant, five-starred flag.

Under the red flag, Xia Zhiye had already calmly walked to the podium, holding what looked like a manuscript for a speech, but it seemed he had no intention of looking at it. He randomly folded it up, then stuffed it into his shirt pocket, and with empty hands, held the microphone stand. He lazily “Hello”ed for a bit, then his low and leisurely voice began to be broadcasted out.

“Good morning to all teachers, and fellow classmates. I’m a second year student from Class 1, Xia Zhiye. The topic of my flag-raising speech today is my desk mate.”

His deskmate: “?”

The student sitting diagonally across from his deskmate: “??”

“What is Xia Zhiye doing? Didn’t we agree that the topic of the speech is ‘new school semester, new atmosphere.’ What is he trying to do now?” Ruan Tian was both concerned and anxious. She stepped on her high heels, and walked towards Liu Deqing, who was standing next to the stage, and was on the verge of an outrage.

Xia Zhiye then continued on unhurriedly in the face of Liu Deqing’s powerless anger.

“My desk mate, classmate Song Yan, is a good student who is a paragon of virtue and learning. Not only is he handsome, but he’s kind, and also extremely steadfast.”

“The first day he transferred to No.3 Middle High, he became seriously injured after he saw an injustice on the road, and was criticized on the second day when he contributed generously to a student whose family was undergoing hardship.”

“Up to now, he has been caught in a maelstrom of public opinion, and his body and mind have suffered great trauma.”

Liu Yue finally showed a bit of a smile. He didn’t know why Xia Zhiye, this psycho, was going crazy, but as long as Song Yan was unhappy, then he was happy.

“But.”

Xia Zhiye changed the direction of the speech.

“In this environment, classmate Song Yan, still energetically prepared for the joint examination. Despite the misunderstanding of the sport committee member of the same class, which caused him to cancel his Chinese Literature test score, he, who should have been hurt, indignant, and complaining of this unjustness, maintained his original intention. He was not arrogant nor hot-tempered. Finally, with this exceptionally good attitude, he obtained a great score of 565 in this exam, and led by a wide margin of a full point ahead of Liu Yue, our class’s outstanding student representative.”

Fuck.

Liu Yue’s smile stiffened.

The entire high school had largely heard of the bet between Liu Yue and Song Yan, and knew that Song Yan lost a Chinese Literature test score due to Liu Yue’s report of cheating. They originally thought the winner was already determined, but didn’t expect that the actual result was this exciting.

The kind of exciting that had to be announced to the entire school under the five-starred flag, simply too cool!

“Isn’t this way better than Boruto3?”

“Oh my god, he’s handsome, and rich, and even a fucking studying tyrant. God used a cheating software when they made him.”

“Then did Song Yan cheat?”

“Nonsense, with a brain that could achieve results like that, he’d only cheat if he were getting eaten by dogs.”

“No wonder Liu Deqing let him off easy, he probably felt that Liu Yue lied about his report?”

“But I heard they really found a cheat sheet, so what’s up with that?”

“Haven’t you heard the first person who reports the crime is usually the murderer?”

“Oof, how disgusting is Liu Yue?”

The smile that just appeared on Liu Yue’s face completely turned into one of resentment and gritted teeth, and he was dying to open up a crack in the ground that he could stuff himself into.

However, Xia Zhiye on the platform still wasn’t done.

As if he had no intentions of creating a ruckus below the stage, and that that ruckus was completely unrelated to him.

He just continued his unhurried pace and serious tone to finish the speech:

“Classmate Song Yan’s outstanding level of learning and eagerness for studying has inspired us, and we have no choice but to be resolved to work energetically for the prosperity of the country, and strive to make upward progress.”

“However as far as I know, when compared to the first place of the five school joint examination, other than the missing Chinese Literature grade, classmate Song Yan’s score was nearly on par with their scores. So because of the lack of order in our school’s examination room and lack of the most basic trust between classmates, it made such an outstanding student of our school miss a great opportunity to win glory for the school, which is simply too heartbreaking and hateful.”

“Regarding this disgusting phenomena, I believe our kind, venerable, just, and partial Director Liu should have something to say.”

After this was said, his head looked to the side of the stage.

Everyone’s gaze followed its focus.

Liu Deqing, who had been indignantly tearing into Ruan Tian, who had been defending her student, immediately stiffened: “……”

After an awkward moment, he finally reacted, and immediately slapped his head: “Ah, right, right, right! If classmate Xia Zhiye didn’t say anything, I really would’ve forgotten, I’m getting too old.”

After he said this, he walked onto the stage, took the microphone, and spoke out of righteousness: “Because of the carelessness and false accusation of classmate Liu Yue in Year 2, Class 1, it resulted in the loss of the score of a student in this joint examination, and I will impose severe punishment and criticism! Furthermore, I will clarify, all the scores of this examination are valid! From now on, we will also strengthen the school’s monitoring facilities and resolutely prevent such things from happening again!”

This time, the courtyard completely exploded.

Even Liu Deqing didn’t help his own nephew, and it seems it really was Liu Yue’s error. Song Yan was indeed accused wrongly, and had even been scolded by the melon eaters who didn’t know the real story. He really was too wronged.

Also if his Chinese Literature test had no issue, then maybe he could have been first in the five school joint examination.

First place!

No.3 Middle High rarely produced a first place scorer!

And the chance to show off in front of No.5 Middle High and No.11 Middle High was lost!

After thinking up to here, not even the students, but even the teachers all felt Song Yan was too unfortunate, and was even more dissatisfied with the main culprit, classmate Liu Yue.

All sorts of things could be heard.

Hearing this, Liu Yue’s mentality collapsed, and he directly turned and walked away.

Song Yan, who had originally felt Xia Zhiye was really too embarrassing and had lowered his head to pretend he was dead, suddenly said: “Wait.”

Liu Yue: “?”

Song Yan raised his head: “Whoever lowers the average is the grandson. You said it.”

Liu Yue: “……”

Fuck.

“What, can’t afford to lose?”

Song Yan sat up straight, while leaning against the back of the chair.

His voice didn’t waver, as if he were merely asking a rhetorical question, not forceful at all, and the volume of his voice wasn’t loud at all. Just a few nearby students in the back row could hear him.

The melon eaters’ raging lust nearly fried Liu Yue alive.

Those who loved watching the drama and didn’t mind making the situation worse seized the opportunity to jeer.

“Yue ge, no way, you made the bet and now you don’t want to admit it?”

“Don’t be like this, man up, if you dare to say it you should dare to do it.”

“That’s right, isn’t it just yelling ‘I’m your grandson’ publicly. What’s wrong with that, isn’t it better than saying you’re a sore loser.”

Liu Yue’s best asset was the boy’s face and his vanity, or else he also wouldn’t go as far as making such a big fuss after Song Yan made him lose face once. He tightly clenched his fist. He couldn’t say it, but he also couldn’t not say it.

After restraining himself, he finally choked out a sentence: “Now you’re just looking to scold people, huh? You think you can get away with it?”

“Don’t worry.”

Song Yan took out his cell phone, and after pressing around a few times, two familiar sounds could be heard.

— — But before, Liu Yue and I made a bet regarding the test this time. And our jokes may have gone too far, and I hope at that time, Director Liu won’t blame Liu Yue.

— — What’s wrong with that? Teacher isn’t some boomer, how could I get mad at you guys for this kind of thing? Don’t worry, you should play when you should play, just as long as you don’t disturb your studies.

Clear and unequivocal.

He already had such a preventative measure.

The bystanders who heard the recording began to prostrate themselves in worship.

Liu Yue’s face became red, then green, then white.

The situation had already come this far, he could no longer back out, and could only have the face of graciously losing. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then blurted out a sentence: “I’m &#&”

Song Yan: “Louder.”

Liu Yue endured: “I’m your grandson.”

Song Yan: “Even louder.”

Liu Yue was at the end of his patience: “I’m your grandson!”

……

A deafening scream.

Social suicide on the spot.

The teachers from the other classes who were originally pretending to be deaf-mute couldn’t help but look over, pressing down with their hand to signal them to be quiet, or else they wouldn’t be able to cover up for them.

At this point, Liu Yue realized he was going overboard, and he lowered his volume, and a blush arose on his tanned skin, as if he were a piece of fully cooked pig liver. He forcefully grinded on his molars, and glared at Song Yan.

However in the end, he didn’t say anything, nor could he have said anything. He merely fiercely kicked a pebble, then angrily left.

The melon eaters who still wanted to discuss were scolded by the teachers to put a stop to it, and only a few fragments of whispers could be heard.

Song Yan was also not interested in listening in, and just leaned against the chair, and peeked through the gaps of the crowd.

He just happened to meet the eyes of Xia Zhiye who was still standing on the stage.

Liu Deqing was flushed with anger and gesticulating wildly in front of Xia Zhiye, and seemed to be yelling quite excitedly. Meanwhile, Xia Zhiye was standing there at ease, as if exuding a sense of self-righteousness and carelessness.

Song Yan never would have thought he’d do something like this.

And also has never hoped for a result like this.

After all, this situation has been going on for so long, and neither Tan Qing nor Song Minghai have called him to ask about it, clearly showing he was alone in this fight. Having Liu Yue lose in an unsightly manner was already not bad.

But he never expected that the other was habitually crazy, and insisted on replacing him to involve Liu Deqing in the critique.

Meanwhile the blazing sun unhurriedly rose behind that person.

The youth’s pale body stood up straight, appearing unnecessarily broad and eye-catching, with a level of arrogance appropriate to the occasion.

Song Yan suddenly felt his mood improve greatly.

In his several years of living, Xia Zhiye was amongst the few people that could be counted on one hand, that has stood up for him.

Thinking this, he felt that he didn’t suffer a loss with this one on one tutoring situation, at least he got a pretty good desk mate.

Just as he was thinking this, the flag raising ceremony entered the award ceremony portion.

The host began presenting: “Let me congratulate the recipient of the most improved award, Year 2 Class 1’s Zhang Mianmian, please step forward to accept the scholarship of 1,000 yuan!”

Song Yan softly clicked his tongue.

The little fatty heard the sound and looked back: “What’s up, Yan ge?”

Song Yan lazily replied: “It’s nothing, I just felt that it was a shame that Xia Zhiye didn’t receive the most improved award.”

The little fatty furrowed his brow: “Yan ge, what are you talking about?”

Song Yan didn’t understand: “What do you mean what am I talking about?”

“Even if you beat up lord Xia, he’d never get the most improved award.”

“How come?”

“That bastard always gets first place in the exams, where else can he improve?”

“?”

“If you don’t believe me, just listen.”

The host grew impassioned: “Let me also congratulate Year 2 Class 1’s classmate Xia Zhiye for being the first place several times in a row, the defending champion!”

“……”

There was thunderous applause from all around, and the cheers reached a fever pitch.

Song Yan instead felt they were causing a ruckus.

Because the joys and sorrows of humankind aren’t connected, and he was instead commemorating his table mate who was on the verge of death.

1. LY is just cursing rather colorfully

2. 拖后腿, lit. pulling one’s back legs, means to drag someone down.

3. Yes, Boruto as in Boruto: Naruto Next Generation. This term is generally used to refer to a scene that is super bloody and exciting. Basically when Boruto Next Gen was released it didn’t perform well and the plot was poor despite it trying to maintain an ‘exciting’ story line. Because of the poor reception, netizens use this sentence ironically, to indicate that xxx scene is more exciting than Boruto. EX: My 80 yr old grandma going up the stairs is better than Boruto. (smth like this).