Chapter 4

The first period that day was history.

I was equally terrible at liberal arts and science. The only reason I had chosen history, politics, and biology was that Jiang Shuhua had selected those subjects, and I had blindly followed him so we could sit together during elective classes.

Only now did I understand why he had chosen them.

I looked at Qiu Ting in the front row while the teacher bent over to speak with her.

He had selected the same subjects because she had chosen them.

Perhaps he had liked her all along.

I said nothing and opened the textbook I had read the night before.

By coincidence, we were reviewing tenth-grade history, and the teacher was covering the exact section I had studied.

I never used to listen in class. I secretly played on my phone, read novels, passed notes, or chatted.

Anything except the work.

But today, when I saw Jiang Shuhua and Qiu Ting studying with their heads lowered, my hand refused to take the phone from my pocket.

I opened my book and forced myself to settle down.

I had only skimmed the section the night before. Strangely, though, I could now follow the teacher’s lecture.

In the past, his voice had sounded like a droning chant that went in one ear and out the other until I was ready to fall asleep.

Now, I understood what he was saying. My brain raced along with his explanation.

To my amazement, after he finished one small section, I could recite every point.

Excitement gradually took hold of me. I stared at the page, forgetting both Jiang Shuhua and Qiu Ting.

Could I be a genius?

“This row, starting at the front. Recite the measures the First Emperor adopted to consolidate unification.”

As I silently rehearsed the material, our history teacher pointed at Qiu Ting.

“You begin.”

She stood calmly and recited the entire passage without hesitation.

“Politically, the central government established the Three Lords and Nine Ministers, while the enfeoffment system in the provinces was abolished in favor of commanderies and counties, strengthening local control and central authority.

“Economically… weights and measures were standardized, as was the currency…”

…

Her voice was clear and pleasant. She recited fluently without stumbling once.

Our teacher adjusted his glasses and smiled in satisfaction.

“Very good. Next.”

The students after her were far less fluent. Many forgot two sentences out of every three, and our teacher grew displeased.

“You don’t know it well enough! Recite it ten more times tonight. If you still can’t remember tomorrow, you’ll stand through class. Next!”

I slowly rose.

The entire room fell silent.

Jiang Shuhua turned toward me, his expression darkening.

Qiu Ting glanced at me as mockery flashed through her eyes.

I knew why everyone reacted that way.

As the most consistent bottom-ranked student in the grade, I had always been proudly indifferent to studying.

Normally, I would pretend not to hear the teacher. He had grown used to it and simply called on the next person.

“Qiao Ru, you…” He frowned slightly.

I took a deep breath, ignored the curious and amused stares around me, and recited the points I had just memorized.

Nerves made me pause once in the middle, but otherwise, I was fluent.

Surprise appeared on our teacher’s face, and his tightly drawn brows gradually relaxed.

Then a smile touched his lips.

“Good. Very good. I can tell you studied it seriously.

“Keep doing this from now on. Not bad at all. Sit down.”

My classmates murmured in surprise. Qiu Ting’s mocking smile stiffened. She gave me a sidelong look, then faced forward.

My face burned as I sat down in a fluster. Even my ears must have been red.

But a strange joy filled me.

It was the first time a teacher had ever praised me. The very first time in my life.

It felt nothing like spotting a handsome man at a bar, receiving a huge allowance from my parents, or buying an expensive handbag.

This happiness came from deep inside.

It was as if a flower had bloomed in my heart. I was almost shy because of my teacher’s approval.

In that instant, I fell in love with history.

I did not want to be at the bottom anymore.

At the very least, I wanted a good score in history.