Chapter Nine: Brothers and Best Friends
Saturday morning. Lu You sat at his desk, focused on completing a simulated college entrance exam math paper.
It had been just over two weeks since he arrived in this world, and life was settling into a routine.
During the day, he attended classes with Tang Jing; at noon, he read math papers and played with Xiao Bao. Evenings were spent at the gym, scrolling through his phone, playing with his little sister’s toys, occasionally gaming with Li Yu, or sending Xiao Bao daily updates to Tang Wan while chatting.
Half an hour later, Lu You finished the test and took out the answer key to grade it. Looking at the paper covered in red marks, he fell into thought.
The results were far from ideal.
If the college entrance exam was not considered, this test would have been a perfect score. However, the exam had a strict syllabus; the solution steps for big problems required specific theorems as outlined. Using theorems outside the syllabus might be mathematically correct but would earn no points on the exam.
Moreover, the exam time was only two hours. He had spent at least two and a half hours on this test—far exceeding the limit.
Lu You scratched his head.
This didn’t quite match what the novels had said. Wasn’t he supposed to dominate the whole exam?
He sighed, forced to accept that he indeed was not as good as a high school student when it came to the college entrance exam.
But then again, high schoolers studied hard for this one exam. If one could easily ace it without serious review, that would be too trivial.
So, Lu You obediently took out a first-year high school math textbook and notebook, starting to reorganize the knowledge from the ground up.
Before he could get through a few pages, noise came from upstairs.
“Lu You! Your package is here!”
“Wait a moment, I’m coming!”
Lu You’s right hand accelerated, his writing speed shifting up a gear.
A few minutes later, he arrived in the living room downstairs.
Shen Yuyin was playing blocks with the two little ones, while Lu Jianyan had already gone fishing at sea early, meeting up with some old classmates.
She glanced at her son and said, “Don’t always lie alone downstairs on weekends. Come out and spend time with your sister. The college entrance exam is still three years away—you don’t need to be in such a rush.”
“Okay, got it. Where’s the package?”
“It’s on the coffee table. Looks like your admission notice.”
Lu You picked up the package and examined it. Just a thin envelope.
He broke the seal and found three items inside: an admission notice, a school start guide, and a student ID card.
He tossed aside the admission notice—high school notices were about as useful as elementary school certificates—and carefully read the school start guide.
Shen Yuyin glanced at the ornate admission notice on the table and teased, “Tsk tsk tsk, if only you earned this yourself by exam, you could frame it and hang it on the wall.”
“No worries, I’ll have it in three years.”
“So confident?”
“Just stating something that’s bound to happen.”
After reading the guide, Lu You took a photo of it and then examined the student ID card.
“What does the guide say?”
“Registration date, process, and school start time. I register on July 31, attend self-study in the evening on August 31, and officially start school on September 1.”
“Anything you need to bring for registration?”
“For someone like me who got in through connections, just an ID card and student ID to register in the class is enough.”
“Do you know the class assignments yet?”
“Not yet. I’ll know when I register.”
Suddenly, Lu You’s phone erupted with a relentless “beep beep beep,” as if bombarded by messages.
“I’m heading downstairs first.”
He pocketed the student ID and checked the messages on the way, discovering they were from Li Yu.
EatMyTurtle: Damn! Damn! Damn!
EatMyTurtle: What kind of ridiculous school is this!
EatMyTurtle: I’m really speechless.
EatMyTurtle: They register on the morning of July 31, and classes start that afternoon.
EatMyTurtle: At first, I thought I misread it. Looked several times, but it’s really classes starting on the afternoon of July 31.
EatMyTurtle: I’m so screwed. Our summer vacation is only half a month now.
Lu You frowned slightly, opened his album to check the school start guide again, confirming that his self-study began on the afternoon of August 31, then typed a reply.
Ly: ?
Ly: I start self-study on the afternoon of August 31.
EatMyTurtle: ?
Seeing that Li Yu didn’t believe him, Lu You sent the photo of the school start guide and even screenshot the start date.
Ly: notice.jpg
Ly: start_date.jpg
A few seconds later.
EatMyTurtle: ?
EatMyTurtle: ?
...
EatMyTurtle: ?
EatMyTurtle: Why does my vacation have one month less than yours!
Ly: Maybe that’s what it means to be someone who scored 750 on the middle school exam.
EatMyTurtle: Ahhh! I can’t take it!
“Ha ha!” Lu You couldn’t help but laugh twice.
Ly: Seeing my brother start school early makes me laugh sadly.
Ten minutes later, there was still no reply from Li Yu, probably overwhelmed.
...
2:30 PM.
Lu You sat at his desk, grading the physics section of a recently completed science test.
Compared to math, his physics scores were slightly better. As long as he didn’t get stuck on conflicts between high school physics and what he knew, scoring full marks wasn’t particularly hard.
In the realm of research, math and physics were inseparable. Physics was math’s concrete manifestation in the real world, while math was the abstract explanation and verification of physical phenomena.
In his previous life, Lu You often collaborated in physics. Gradually, his physics knowledge grew, though limited to theory—he was helpless when it came to designing or conducting experiments.
On the sofa in the next room, Li Yu lay sprawled in a relaxed pose, bored, playing with his phone.
He wanted to watch videos, but Lu You was studying, and he had no headphones, so he was reluctant to play sound out loud.
As for Lu You’s dedication to studying physics during summer vacation, after tasting several meals Lu You cooked himself, Li Yu could now accept it expressionlessly. Even if Lu You claimed he just returned from the moon, Li Yu would smile and say, “Take me with you next time.”
After finishing grading his physics test, Lu You tidied the messy desk, ready to read math papers on his tablet.
Hearing the rustling of paper, Li Yu put down his phone and looked at Lu You.
“Finished physics?”
“Mm.”
“Let’s play games!”
Lu You glanced at the time on his phone.
“It’s not even 3 PM yet. I’ll study a little more.”
“Study my ass!” Li Yu slapped the sofa. “It’s Saturday; quit studying!”
Lu You tidied his desk and chuckled lightly.
“Can’t help it. My grades aren’t good, and my school starts a month later than yours. If I don’t work hard, I won’t keep up.”
Right on the sore spot!
Li Yu, a powder keg, instantly exploded, cursing loudly.
“Talking about it makes me mad! What a crappy school. First year is like senior year—starting classes in August. They don’t even treat us like people! What’s the point of pushing students so hard? We barely have any summer vacation as it is, and now they cut the entire post-middle school summer break! Stupid principal, damn it!”
“Alright, my mom’s upstairs, watch your language. It’s just one semester. Next semester, we’ll specialize, and I’ll suffer with you.”
After venting, Li Yu took a deep breath and calmed down.
“You better actually make the top 100. With your crappy grades now, you’re just dreaming.”
Lu You didn’t argue; his grades really were awful.
“You’ll see.”
Li Yu said no more. If Lu You did it, great; if not, it was just a joke.
“Stop studying for now. Watch an anime with me. I heard it’s pretty good.”
“Fine. Which one?”
“‘86—Nonexistent Anime.’ The heroine’s a white-haired girl. Been looking forward to it.”
...
Elsewhere.
Tang Wan sat at her desk in her room, previewing first-year high school math with the textbooks Tang Jing left behind.
She had planned to relax in July and start studying in August, with her daily schedule arranged carefully. But the school start guide wiped out her relaxation time, pushing her into study mode early.
Suddenly, the door opened.
A girl with silky short hair, lively eyes, delicate features, fair complexion, and a petite figure entered—looking a bit like a rebellious girl.
“Surprise! Wanwan!”
Tang Wan didn’t respond, focused on her book, replying halfheartedly, “Mm, okay.”
The girl was Xu Nian, Tang Wan’s childhood close friend from elementary school. They had always been classmates and likely would be in high school too.
“Wanwan, you’re so dismissive. Haven’t seen me for a month and don’t miss me?”
Xu Nian sat on the edge of her bed.
“What’s there to miss? We’ll still be at the same school in high school.”
Tang Wan said as she grabbed a scrap of paper, solving math examples from the book to deepen her understanding of theorems.
Xu Nian pouted, deciding to be more forceful. She grabbed the back of Tang Wan’s chair and turned her to face her.
“Stop studying! Can’t we just chat?”
Tang Wan kept her hands in writing position, looking Xu Nian in the eyes.
They stared at each other for a moment until Tang Wan gave in.
“Fine.”
She put down her pen and switched to chatting mode.
“I heard you went to Japan recently. How was it?”
“Pretty good. I visited Akihabara, Ginza, Mount Fuji, and temples in Kyoto. The biggest problem was the sun—so hot. I’d come back to the hotel drenched every day.”
Tang Wan blinked, slightly interested.
“Was Akihabara fun?”
Xu Nian’s expression turned serious, no nonsense. “How can I describe Akihabara as just fun? It’s my paradise. Arcades, cartridges, anime discs, and maid cafes! I spent three whole days there before leaving.”
“Are the girls there really as pretty as in anime?”
“Not really, but the JK uniforms are real, and sailor suits too. I bought two sets myself. Want one? I can give you one.”
Tang Wan’s gaze slowly dropped to Xu Nian’s flat chest, where even a fly would slip, eyes tinged with pity.
“Forget it. I probably wouldn’t fit into it.”
Following her gaze, Xu Nian looked down at her own barren plains, then at Tang Wan’s full peaks, clenching her fists with a fierce look.
“It’s just two lumps more fat than me. What’s the big deal? Carrying those huge water bags every day must be exhausting!”
“Yeah.” Tang Wan mockingly pounded her own shoulders, complaining, “If I stand too long, my shoulders ache. And recently, my bra feels tighter. Nian Nian, do you think I’ve grown again?”
Xu Nian was close to losing it, flames flickering in her eyes, veins bulging faintly on her temples.
Tang Wan, acting oblivious, poured fuel on the fire.
“Oh! Sorry, I forgot you’re not ‘qualified’ to wear a bra yet—only little vests. You wouldn’t understand my troubles.”
“Tang Wan!”
Xu Nian shouted and lunged at her.
...
Minutes later, both flushed, sweating and breathing heavily.
Tang Wan had pinned Xu Nian on the bed, their four alabaster, smooth, dazzling legs intertwined. Their tops were slightly disheveled, revealing a small patch of smooth, tender belly and delicate collarbones—a scene stirring the blood.
Tang Wan adjusted the slipping strap on her arm, smoothed her short sleeves, and looked down at Xu Nian.
“With your strength, you still want to fight? Admit defeat yet?”
Xu Nian gasped, trembling, raising her right hand stubbornly with her middle finger extended.
“Winning against me is nothing.”
“Heh. Your mouth is as poor as your chest.”
Xu Nian’s little heart took another stab.
Tang Wan decided to stop teasing and got off her. Both lay on the bed.
“Not planning to preview anymore? School starts at the end of the month.”
“Don’t say it!”
Xu Nian’s face was full of indignation.
“If not for this crappy school, I’d still be traveling! Do you think the school leaders have nothing better to do? August—the hottest time of year—and they want us in class.”
“Sigh.” Tang Wan sighed helplessly. “WeI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.