Cheating Craft - Chapter 10

 Chaotic First Day of School

Lin Xian Central High was extremely lively, even though it was still early morning. Today was the first day of the new semester!

Meng Ming and Huang Qiao Yi changed into their brand new uniforms and arrived at the school entrance.

Although they had come here before, the feeling this time was completely different! Meng Ming was now wearing Lin Xian Central High’s uniform, school badge, and a backpack─these kinds of common and inevitable things for typical students were entirely new and mysterious to him. After entering the foreign school grounds, he knew that he’d immediately have new classmates, a new class, and a new life…

“I’m also a student now!”

A large, old-model clock hung on top of the front part of the large school building. The surroundings were beautiful and elegant, and the air around the campus seemed to be much heavier than it had been the day of the entrance exam. The path they were walking on was both refined and elegant, and various flowers and trees were planted along it.

“Zhuge, Meng Ming?!”

A voice came from not too far away. It was a foreign, male voice that he had never heard before.

New classmates recognized him so quickly?!

Meng Ming turned around to look, and saw a male student with uneven hair walk over to them. His well-fitted uniform made it clear that his body was extremely well-proportioned. He smiled in high spirits and said, “Hello, you’re classmate Zhuge Meng Ming, right?”

Meng Ming said that he was, said hello back, and inquired the student’s name.

“My name is Lin Jing Xuan. Like you, I’m a first year in Class A!” He first pointed at himself as he gave a self-introduction, then dropped his backpack and reached his hand out to shake hands with Meng Ming. “You’re the one who’s first in the entrance exam, right? You’re really famous! Although my grades aren’t that great, I’m still 100% an L-type.” His tone was full of sunshine.

Meng Ming hadn’t even shaken his hand yet before the student suddenly retracted his hand and turned around to face Huang Qiao Yi, “And this beauty is…?”

“My name is Huang Qiao Yi.”

“What’s your name?”

“HUANG QIAO YI!!”

“Sorry…I didn’t catch that…”

Meng Ming could only say it, “Huang Qiao Yi…”

“Oh oh! You’re the beauty that’s ranked #2, we’re in the same class!” Lin Jing Xuan’s eyes glowed brighter. He immediately moved closer and said, “Since both of you have such amazing grades, we, we should become friends!”

Becoming friends as a result of one’s grades wasn’t really anything strange.

“But…” Meng Ming dropped his head and said, “You said you wanted to become friends, but why are both your hands shaking only Little Qiao’s?”

“Oh? Oh oh!” Lin Jing Xuan quickly released one hand, and stretched his left hand towards Meng Ming. He said excitedly, “From now on, I’ll be learning much from both of you!”

The two of them blushed slightly, and said everyone would work hard together…

“Then, the first year Class A is room 301 in the school building.” Lin Jing Xuan walked in the same direction as them and said, “Did you know? Our class teacher is a pretty crazy woman.”

It’s Teacher Wang, isn’t it. Meng Ming had already met her that day in front of the lists. Her behavior had been nowhere close to normal.

It looked like Lin Jing Xuan knew a lot about the new school. Meng Ming and Huang Qiao Yi took advantage of this to inquire about quite a bit of information. It turned out that one could enter as a first year in ways other than coming from the outside and passing the entrance exam. The majority of the people came from Lin Xian Central Junior High, and directly passed the exam after graduating.

Lin Jing Xuan had also studied at another junior high. He had been recruited as a student here after the last entrance exam.

“Students from Lin Xian Central Junior High count as pretty strong compared to nearby districts.” Lin Jing Xuan said. “My previous school wasn’t good enough, so I worked hard to test into here. Then, what about Little Qiao? Where did you go for junior high?”

Huang Qiao Yi said, “Guan Tang Junior High.”

“Guan Tang?!” Lin Jing Xuan was shocked, and he said with large eyes, “Guan Tang Junior High’s grade advancement rate is even higher than Lin Xian Central’s! Why, why did you test into Lin Xian?”

Obviously to watch over Brother Meng Ming… Huang Qiao Yi thought to herself, but she only said out loud, “My, my home is too far…”

“Ah?!” Lin Jing Xuan shouted. “If I could get into Guan Tang Junior High, I’d go, even if I had to board a plane to get there every day!”

Meng Ming seemed to have already seen through this new classmate, Lin Jing Xuan. He doesn’t care what junior high I came from…this has no relation to grades at all, huh. It’s just related to gender.

The first year Class A’s room 301 was already filled with quite a few classmates wearing identical uniforms. There were some entertaining themselves, some talking, and some cleaning. The most eye-catching one was Teacher Wang, who was sitting right on the center of the front desk with her legs crossed.

“Oh hohohoho!!” After laughing pompously, she said, “Teacher is very excited today! Everyone, sit wherever you want, as long as the taller ones don’t sit in the front! Hey, the ones cleaning have to sit as well! Otherwise, you’ll be punished~!。

She was too lazy to even arrange seating. Such an easygoing teacher was quite rare.

At that moment, Meng Ming, Huang Qiao Yi, and Lin Jing Xuan happened to enter room 301. Meng Ming raised his head and just so happened to meet Teacher Wang’s gaze.

Meng Ming thought to himself: Crap…

“Oh hohohoho! The highest scorer on the entrance exam has arrived!” Teacher Wang pointed at Meng Ming and loudly declared to everyone in the room, “Everyone, take notice! This person is a new transfer student, classmate Zhuge Meng Ming. He’s an extremely smart and diligent student!!”

When she said this, all the girls and boys erupted in conversation.

Some looked at him with admiration, while others cupped their hands in respect with shocked expressions, and others were currently using cleaning rags to wipe away sweat…

“Wa! It’s Zhuge Meng Ming!”

“I heard about you ages ago! You’re my idol. I never imagined I’d be in the same class as you!”

“Let me sit next to you!”

……

The enthusiastic scene and the classmates’ expectant gazes…everyone had clearly mistaken Meng Ming as an L-type!

Meng Ming paused, at a loss on what to do. Huang Qiao Yi whispered to him, “Brother Meng Ming’s grades are extremely good, so you’re receiving everyone’s enthusiasm and attention…” She hurriedly pulled Meng Ming to the last row of seats. Meng Ming didn’t know the meaning behind this, so Huang Qiao Yi said, “Brother Meng Ming is a star now, so you have to sit in the back. During class, if the teacher asks you to answer any question, I can secretly teach you, and we won’t be easily discovered. It’s a cover-up you know, a cover-up…”

Meng Ming realized that this was true. He heard that the teacher would occasionally ask questions during class. If he sat next to Huang Qiao Yi, Meng Ming wouldn’t have to worry about not being able to answer during class.

The number of students entering the room increased more and more. Most of them were unfamiliar faces. Based on what Lin Jing Xuan had said earlier, aside from a few dozen people in the class, everyone else had risen straight from Lin Xian Central Junior High.

There were so many students that Meng Ming didn’t recognize. He tentatively began to guess whether or not some C-type students had mingled into the class…

“Why are you two,” an awful male voice said from behind. “Sitting in the last row?!”

This was said by Lin Jing Xuan, who stood behind them.

“The last row is comfortable, we don’t constantly have to be seized by the teacher.” Huang Qiao Yi explained.

“Lin Jing Xuan, you still haven’t found a seat?” Meng Ming told him that there was still a space to Huang Qiao Yi’s right. If he didn’t sit there, someone else would take it.

Lin Jing Xuan looked quite hopefully at the spot, but after a long hesitation, he said somewhat enviously, “Ai…forget it. I don’t find studying as easy as you guys do. I’m going to sit in the front, and listen well to class, so I won’t be able to accompany you guys.” He waved and said, “Let’s talk next time.”

He said this then searched around. Eventually, he chose a place closer to the front of the class, and sat down.

The two of them looked at his back, and felt somewhat incredulous. Despite Lin Jing Xuan’s careless appearance, he was actually so focused on studying!

Meng Ming then looked to the right and thought: Who will take the seat on Little Qiao’s right? ─Will it be a girl? He was slightly anticipating it.

It was the first day. The opening ceremony would be soon, and then the first class would be taught by the representative teacher.

No wonder Teacher Wang looked so excited at the front desk the whole time.

Huang Qiao Yi told Meng Ming that classes started at 8 AM sharp. In addition, the daily schedule of the school had certain routines.

Meng Ming was just about to ask how long each class was, but at that moment, a male student appeared to Huang Qiao Yi’s right.

“Rou…tines?” He slowly said when he heard the two talking.

He used an extremely strange pronunciation, and a unique intonation. Meng Ming and Huang Qiao Yi felt it was weirdly out of sorts.

“Ah…” He dejectedly said, then pulled the chair out to sit on Huang Qiao Yi’s right. He lightly stowed his backpack away, flicked the dust on the table, and slowly turned around. He then stared at Huang Qiao Yi with an incomparably sullen expression for a while.

“Such a beautiful girl is sitting next to me…” He then said as if reciting a poem, “Willowy eyebrows, gem-like eyes, cherry lips…like a yellow oriole on a branch, pure and ingenious. Yet also resembles a shy plant, fresh and supple. In this lovely morning, a beautiful lady routinely awakes and cleanses herself. That moment can only be described with a single sentence, a single movement is enough to scatter one’s state of mind. Being able to sit next to this lady is really my humble self’s good fortune…a good fortune… ”

…………

What kind of person is this guy… [Meng Ming]

Is he practicing how to improvise and recite poems with “routine” as the topic. [Huang Qiao Yi]

Unable to stand the person’s actions, Huang Qiao Yi scooted over to the left and whispered to Meng Ming, “Brother Meng Ming, this person is abnormal!”

Meng Ming’s expectations for his new seat neighbor had been completely shattered.

Huang Qiao Yi said this person was even worse than Lin Jing Xuan. If he continued to sit there, wouldn’t the two of them have to accept this suffering the whole time? Meng Ming suggested, “We can go change seats.”

They were prepared to look for new spots, but when they stood up to look around, they discovered that almost all of the seats in room 301 had been filled. The only one remaining was the frontmost seat. At this moment, an extremely gorgeous female classmate walked in and lightly pulled out the seat to sit down there.

……

“There’s no need for you two to stand up.” The abnormal boy said with his eyes closed and recited, “Now, according to my humble view, the two of you can only settle here.”

We’re really out of luck…why did we encounter this kind of nutjob? Huang Qiao Yi thought to herself.

He hadn’t finished yet, “Do you two think there is anything wrong with this place? This one just coincidentally discovered this beautiful lady, and then happened to see a vacant spot next to her. Thus, it was a chance upon a chance. Thus, this one thinks that it may be everyone’s coincidental coincidence, an inevitable fate.”

Thus, he started to introduce himself, “My last name is Shi, my first name is Yun. May I inquire this lady’s fragrant name? Oh, I almost forgot about the noble son next to this lady.”

Shi Yun? What a vile name… “My last name is Huang…” Huang Qiao Yi randomly replied.

“Me, me? My last name is Zhu…”

“So it’s Lady Huang and Sire Zhu, this one pays his respects…” He seemed to want to stand up and do something, but realized that everyone was now seated, and the classroom had gradually gone quiet. Thus, he didn’t dare to do any other strange things, and could only continue his self introduction. “This one came from this junior high. Although I have not met with the two of you before, I have heard of Sire Zhu’s sizeable fame amongst our year. Since you received full points on the entrance exam, many of the local students have already heard of you. The local students, aside from 10 some foreign faces, are all those that this one is acquainted with.”

In other words, he knew a lot of the people in this class from junior high. Meng Ming thought:As expected, I’m already well known…

“Quite a few students want Sire Zhu to come out and teach them about academics. There are also some that have set Sire Zhu as their opponent…” Before he finished speaking, Teacher Wang pulled out a pointer and strongly hit it on the front desk, “Everyone has arrived! Perfect timing! We will hurry up and attend the opening ceremony now! After we return, it will be my stage…oh hohohohoh!”

This sentence saved Meng Ming and Huang Qiao Yi.

The bustling yet dull opening ceremony was something all the students had to attend. The principal stood on the stage with the teachers and used a fiery tone to deliver a boring rhetoric. This was the first time Meng Ming had followed such a large group and conformed with the norms of society. After the intense yet dry opening ceremony ended, they finally returned to Room 301 to continue receiving the frightening teacher’s lectures.

Once the first year Class A students had returned to their seats, the class teacher stood on the front desk and made a pose that nobody had ever seen before.

The first class was now starting.

“Oh hohohoho!” She laughed strangely again. “First of all, let’s get straight to the point!!”

She pulled out the teaching pointer again and fiercely hit the desk with it. A loud “Bang!” resounded through the room! Now, nobody dared to call her “crazy teacher”.

Everyone watched as the class teacher suddenly changed persons and became an elegant and strict teacher.

“Now that you’ve entered senior high school, you must continue working hard, and double your efforts to get into the college you want!!” She said, “For the sake of the college entrance exam, for the sake of advancing schools, we must invest everything, and sacrifice everything!”

This was indeed the Chinese people’s ideology. All the students were strongly pressed down from studies. Everyone diligently studied, and believed that learning was the only Way.

“I particularly love good students! Of course, if cheating students enter, then let them come. However…if I catch any of you cheating during a test, hehe…” She smiled furtively.

Regardless of student type, the whole class was so afraid of her imposing manner that even the color in their eyes faded. Even the Shi Yun next to Huang Qiao Yi didn’t dare to loll his head around randomly.

Perhaps some students liked her especially because the stricter a teacher was, the better they’d be able to supervise the students in studies.

“However, as long as you all diligently study, you don’t need to be afraid.” Teacher Wang specifically looked at Meng Ming. Seeing that she was speaking straight to him, Meng Ming could only bitterly smile.

Teacher Wang waved her pointer around and began to introduce herself. “My last name is Wang, and you may call me Teacher Wang, or Miss Wang. If you really want to, you may also call me Your Highness Wang! …Students that don’t listen will be punished!” The pointer made another loud sound as it struck the desk.

……

After hearing a bunch of Teacher Wang’s arousing speeches related to learning and tests, the entire class was filled with enthusiasm. At the end of the first class, Teacher Wang said she would select a class cadre.

“What’s a class cadre?” Meng Ming quietly asked Huang Qiao Yi.

Huang Qiao Yi told him that the class cadre was the class committee, but it was just a formality. Senior high schoolers all had to study, so there wasn’t really anything assigned for the class cadre to do.

“Oh hohohoho!” Teacher Wang laughed proudly. “The class cadre will help me do tasks. The class doesn’t need to choose, I’ll just directly assign people myself. The ones that get chosen have to do the tasks properly! Otherwise, you’ll be punished!”

“Academics Committee member, you…Literature & Arts Committee member, you.  The one over there, you, yes, yes, you, Organization Committee member!” Teacher Wang continued to point to around 10 people, “─The aforementioned people, please stand so that everyone will know you!”

“Brother Meng Ming, don’t you find something strange…?” Huang Qiao Yi whispered as the few committee members stood up.

“I also discovered it. This teacher definitely has ulterior motives…” Meng Ming replied.

……

“Why are all the committee members male!!!”