Sneaking out for a nighttime adventure during supervised evening study wasn’t exactly a serious offense. After giving the first-year students a lecture, Teacher Fan mercifully let them off with a warning.
But while some things could be escaped, others were unavoidable. For example, the Diagnostic Exam results announced first thing Wednesday morning.
Jiang Wan collected her exam papers, casually flipped through a few pages, and put them aside.
The rest of the day was devoted to teachers going over the exam papers in detail.
But during the lunch break, someone suddenly approached Jiang Wan and asked, “Did you make a bet with Zhou Wenxing?”
Jiang Wan had almost forgotten about it. “How did you know?”
The main problem was that Zhou Wenxing couldn’t swim, and Jiang Wan wasn’t cruel enough to take things that far. The artificial lake was neither particularly deep nor particularly shallow, but falling into it was still quite dangerous for someone who couldn’t swim.
“Zhou Wenxing told us.”
Jiang Wan: “…” Zhou Wenxing really was going to get himself killed by his own stubbornness one day.
Most likely, his System had assigned him another mission.
…But surely that didn’t mean he had to drown himself!
Curious to see just how long this stubborn fool could keep up his bravado, Jiang Wan asked when Zhou Wenxing planned to jump into the lake.
“Probably around noon?” the helpful classmate speculated reasonably. “It’s warmer at noon, and there are more people around. The only problem is that teachers might notice, so he’ll have to jump quickly.”
Naturally, the school strongly opposed students jumping into the artificial lake, but the practice had practically become part of the school’s culture.
The endless series of lifebuoy stations along the lakeshore was proof enough that no amount of prohibition could stop it.
…
That was exactly what Zhou Wenxing was thinking.
First, he would make a huge fuss so everyone knew about his bet with Jiang Wan. Then he would head to the lakeside and act as though he was determined to honor his promise. But before he could actually jump, a teacher would rush over and loudly order him to stop.
[Then I’ll grab a lifebuoy and leap heroically into the lake like a warrior who never retreats! My pose will be magnificent, and everyone will remember me!] Zhou Wenxing finished scripting the entire scene in his head before asking his System, [What do you think? Would that count as completing the mission?]
The System replied, […I… I suppose so. As long as the others genuinely feel amazed and impressed by your actions.]
Zhou Wenxing clenched his fist. [I can do it!]
To ensure his plan went smoothly, Zhou Wenxing had specifically asked his classmates about the teachers’ usual daily routines.
Teacher Wang—the one with hemorrhoids—visited the Information Center every day after lunch because he was still pursuing Teacher Liu from the audiovisual room on the second floor.
Zhou Wenxing calculated the timing carefully and chose a spot beside the lake that was clearly visible from the entrance to the Information Center.
More importantly, a lifebuoy was only five or six steps away.
[Even if something unexpected happens, they won’t have to search everywhere for a lifebuoy to throw me!] Zhou Wenxing felt his preparations were practically flawless.
Not far away, Jiang Wan listened expressionlessly to his entire internal conversation, then glanced at the Information Center several dozen meters away.
His plan was reasonably thorough. Nobody should die.
But Zhou Wenxing practically had something will go wrong at the critical moment written all over him. Jiang Wan wasn’t entirely reassured, so she decided to stay nearby and keep an eye on him.
To complete his showing-off mission, Zhou Wenxing made quite a spectacle of himself beside the lake. He gathered dozens of first-year students to watch, and the large crowd attracted curious students from other grades as well.
Zhou Wenxing’s inner performer had awakened! He cleared his throat and recited before the crowd, “Victory and defeat are unpredictable in war; a true man must endure shame and humiliation.[1]lines from Du Mu’s poem Inscribed at Wujiang Pavilion jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3736178_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3736178_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });”
Jiang Wan: “…” Zhou Wenxing’s Showing-Off System had definitely done something to his brain.
Yet the surrounding students enthusiastically applauded.
“Bravo!”
Someone even continued the poem: “The sons of Jiangdong are talented and brave; who knows if they might rise again? Excellent poetry! Excellent!”
Momentarily thrown off by having his lines stolen, Zhou Wenxing quickly recovered and puffed out his chest. “I made a bet with Jiang Wan! The Diagnostic Exam results have been announced, and I wasn’t as capable as she was. I admit defeat and accept my punishment.”
He turned his face toward the artificial lake and sighed softly. “The stake I wagered was jumping into the artificial lake.”
The students applauded enthusiastically once again.
“BRAVO!!”
Jiang Wan experienced a strange sense of displacement, as though she were watching a street performance at a temple fair. All that was missing was someone shouting, If you’ve got money, show your support with a donation! If you haven’t, show your support with applause!
But people’s joys and sorrows weren’t necessarily shared. Zhou Wenxing seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself as he began carefully stretching beside the lake.
Zhou Wenxing spent three minutes warming up.
Three minutes later, he anxiously asked his System, [Has Teacher Wang appeared yet?]
The System replied, [Not yet. Teacher Wang seems to have gone to the restroom first for reasons that are somewhat difficult to discuss.]
Zhou Wenxing gritted his teeth. [No choice. I’ll have to keep stalling!]
He straightened up again, exhaled with an air of composure, and addressed the crowd. “Jumping into the artificial lake is an old tradition at our school. There’s nothing original about it. Today, I’ll show you something you’ve never seen before!”
After making this declaration, Zhou Wenxing bent down under everyone’s expectant gazes and pulled a plastic washboard out of his schoolbag.
Three speechless thoughts flashed through Jiang Wan’s mind.
—The supermarket actually sells those?
—What are you planning to do with that?
…Don’t tell me it’s what I think it is.
Zhou Wenxing tucked the washboard under one arm and swept his free hand toward the artificial lake, declaring passionately, “Ladies and gentlemen, look! This artificial lake slopes downward for more than a hundred meters, just like terraced fields! Isn’t it practically made for surfing?!”
For surfing?!
Surfing?!
Surfing?!
Jiang Wan closed her eyes and rubbed her temples amid the students’ whistles and cheers.
There was something wrong with this school.
Oh, right. This world was inside a novel.
Never mind, then.
Jiang Wan opened her eyes again, stepped out of the crowd, and glanced around. At last, she spotted Teacher Wang approaching.
He was frowning and rubbing his stomach, looking rather uncomfortable.
But a human life was at stake. Jiang Wan couldn’t worry about Teacher Wang’s minor problem right now, so she called out, “Teacher Wang is coming.”
Zhou Wenxing was overjoyed, though he struggled to arrange his face into an expression of disappointment. “How could this be?! Then I’m afraid today’s performance will have to…”
Before he could stuff the washboard back into his schoolbag, several classmates immediately grabbed him and declared righteously, “My good brother, today is the day you’ll leave your mark on school history! Your achievement will stand alongside the legendary incident of someone throwing the principal’s bicycle out of a fifth-floor window! We won’t let anything stop you!”
Zhou Wenxing: “?”
“Exactly! Just wait here. We’ll go distract Teacher Wang so he won’t come over!”
Zhou Wenxing: “Wait—”
“Remember to send me the photos!”
The three students gave him enthusiastic thumbs-ups before slipping out of the crowd and rushing toward Teacher Wang.
Jiang Wan cast a cool glance at Zhou Wenxing, who had brought this disaster upon himself.
His outstretched hand remained frozen in midair.
This was what it meant to be caught between a rock and a hard place.
Under everyone’s enthusiastic gazes and impatient urging, Zhou Wenxing turned toward the artificial lake with a blank expression.
He was currently standing near the highest point of the lake, with a view that practically invited the phrase looking down upon all the mountains below[2]an expression from Du Fu’s poem Gazing at Mount Tai (望岳 jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3736178_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3736178_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.
—Which also meant that if Zhou Wenxing really stepped onto his “surfboard” and went all the way down, he would have to slide nearly a hundred meters before reaching the lowest point near the school gates.
That might not have been a problem for an experienced surfer, but Zhou Wenxing couldn’t even swim.
He swallowed and asked his System with one last shred of hope, [Can I exchange my points for a surfing skill?]
The System sounded troubled. [Host, you spent all your beginner reward points exchanging for the Diagnostic Exam papers. You only have one Reward Point left, and the surfing skill costs five.]
Zhou Wenxing spoke with the resignation of a man facing death. […Then exchange it for the cheapest protective shield.]
While Zhou Wenxing was negotiating with his System, Jiang Wan had already started walking downstream along the artificial lake.
There was a bridge halfway down the lake, and she stopped there.
One minute later, Zhou Wenxing came tumbling down from upstream, howling like a tormented ghost. The bright-red washboard that was supposed to serve as his surfboard had been flung far behind him instead.
Jiang Wan calculated the timing and where he would land, bent down beside the bridge, and reached out. She caught Zhou Wenxing as he came tumbling past, preventing him from crashing headfirst into a bridge support.
Zhou Wenxing was clearly scared out of his wits. He stammered, “Th-thank you.”
The washboard arrived belatedly. After striking an obstacle, it flipped upright and smacked Zhou Wenxing squarely on the back of the head with impressive precision.
Jiang Wan: “…” Hadn’t Lin Chengyan been hit like that before, too?
With some effort, she hauled the soaked and miserable Zhou Wenxing out of the water, brushed the droplets off herself, and gave him a quick examination.
Breathing normal. Limbs positioned normally. His eyes were a little vacant, but his life didn’t seem to be in danger.
The protective shield must have worked, after all.
Beside them, a girl from the Photography Club was frantically pressing her camera’s shutter button, praising her own foresight. “Good thing I was clever enough to turn on burst mode! I knew coming downstream to find a photography spot was the right decision!”
Jiang Wan turned and glanced at her.
The girl chuckled and stepped forward to share her work. “Here, Little Wan. You can have a sneak preview of tonight’s campus newspaper.”
She opened her camera’s gallery and played back the series of photographs she’d taken in burst mode.
Jiang Wan Fishing Someone Out of the Water with a Cold Expression.jpg
Jiang Wan Bending Down to Intercept the Victim.jpg
What followed was a series of photographs documenting Zhou Wenxing’s wildly distorted facial features, as though every part of his face had developed a mind of its own. Viewed in sequence, they resembled a lagging animated GIF. In the hands of a professional, they could easily become fifty completely different reaction memes.
Fortunately, campus bullying wasn’t common at Quanzhou. Otherwise, someone like Zhou Wenxing would become the laughingstock of the entire school starting tomorrow.
…Although there was probably no avoiding the fact that his most embarrassing moments would spread throughout the school.
At least the school wouldn’t end up making the national news.
The girl from the Photography Club stroked her chin thoughtfully for a few seconds before suddenly exclaiming excitedly, “I’ve already thought of a headline! We can even coordinate it with the Literary Club’s new themed writing feature!”
Jiang Wan immediately refused. “No.”
“Then we can collaborate with the Physics Research Club and analyze the angles and forces involved in rescuing someone!”
Jiang Wan: “…” Forget it. Whatever. As long as nobody died.
Nearby, Zhou Wenxing weakly asked his System, [I did jump in, at least. Does that mean I completed the mission this time?]
His System replied sorrowfully, [Mission Failed. Your classmates were far more impressed by Jiang Wan’s series of actions. Incidentally, after three consecutive failures, your Beginner Protection Period has expired. Since you currently have no Reward Points remaining, the time you have left in this world is: 72 hours.]
Zhou Wenxing: “…”
Zhou Wenxing: “Waaah.”
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