Volume One, Chapter 15: Do You Even Deserve to Read Jiang Yu's Notes?

On the day of the citywide math and science knowledge competition, the entrance of the First High School auditorium was bustling with people.

This was the largest official academic competition since the resumption of the college entrance exam in the late 1970s, and everyone was determined to shine in this contest.

Jiang Yu arrived neither early nor late. She wore a freshly bought white shirt and blue cloth trousers gifted by Mr. Huo, her hair tied simply in a ponytail. Her face was expressionless, calm as if she were merely attending an ordinary quiz.

No sooner had she taken her seat corresponding to her exam number than a small commotion arose at the entrance.

It was the Jiang siblings.

Today, Jiang Yuehua wore a brand-new pink dress, which made her look even more fair-skinned and beautiful, delicate and charming.

Upon arrival, she was immediately surrounded by several familiar classmates.

“Yuehua, your big brother will definitely take first place this time!”

“Yeah, Brother Zhenguo is renowned as a prodigy in our factory!”

Covering her mouth, Jiang Yuehua smiled shyly yet proudly, her gaze pointedly flickering toward Jiang Yu not far away. Her voice was soft but clear with a hint of coyness: “Oh, don’t say that. My sister is quite capable too. Although her foundation is weak, she’s lucky to have Captain Huo’s family backing her. Maybe this competition was arranged especially for her.”

The moment she spoke, the surrounding students’ eyes toward Jiang Yu shifted subtly.

As for Jiang Zhenguo, he did not once look directly at Jiang Yu.

He was inwardly calculating.

What was Jiang Yu but a mere nobody? She relied on the chance he gave her to help organize some study materials and actually thought she could solve the problems?

In the past, Jiang Yu had always silently arranged all his study notes meticulously, found solutions to all the tough problems ahead of time, and handed them to him.

Today would be no different; she would surely find a way to finish the questions and give him the answers.

Though she spoke of breaking ties, her actions betrayed her true feelings.

Ha, just a ploy of playing hard to get.

“Big brother, look at sister, she’s still pretending,” Jiang Yuehua whispered into Jiang Zhenguo’s ear. “She must still care about you, otherwise why would she bother so much to organize those notes? I guess she’s trying to get you to make peace with her by doing this.”

Jiang Zhenguo nodded in agreement, a trace of arrogance and smug pleasure appearing on his face.

Lowering his voice in a self-important tone, he said, “Don’t worry, little sister. I think she’s almost done preparing everything. Before the exam starts, I’ll have a chat with her.”

…

Fifteen minutes remained before the exam, and all the candidates were making final preparations.

Jiang Yu kept her head down, quietly flipping through the notebook in her hands.

It was a collection of mistakes and thought processes she had summarized herself during the recent tutoring sessions with Huo Chenyuan.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over her.

Jiang Zhenguo had, without her noticing, appeared at her desk, followed by onlookers like Jiang Yuehua and Qin Xuewei.

He looked down on her arrogantly and, with a tone of condescension, commanded, “Enough pretending. Hand it over.”

Jiang Yu’s fingers paused on the notebook. She slowly lifted her head and looked at Jiang Zhenguo as if he were an idiot, her cold eyes filled with bafflement. “What did you say?”

“Still putting on an act?” Jiang Zhenguo was stung by her disdainful gaze, instantly furious and embarrassed. “I told you to give it to me! Stop throwing a tantrum! I know you still care about the Jiang family and want me, your big brother, to succeed so you can benefit! Seeing how hard you’ve worked, I won’t forget your contribution when I win!”

His voice was loud enough to draw the attention of nearby candidates, even causing the patrolling teacher to frown.

Huo Siyue, who had just finished bragging to his classmates, was instantly furious when he saw this scene. Rolling up his sleeves, he was about to step forward: “Jiang Zhenguo, are you crazy? Robbing at the exam venue now?!”

Jiang Yu shook her head, signaling him to calm down.

She closed her notebook, stood up, and asked slowly and clearly, “On what grounds do you think these notes are prepared for you?”

“Who else could they be for?!” Jiang Zhenguo, feeling justified, was about to reach out to snatch the notebook. “Jiang Yu, don’t be shameless! Without me, you’re nothing! Your notes only have maximum value in my hands!”

He firmly believed that everything Jiang Yu did was for him!

As the two confronted each other and Jiang Zhenguo was about to grab the notebook, a clear, steady voice came from behind.

“What are you doing?”

Everyone turned to see Huo Chenyuan approaching in a sharp military uniform, a “Chief Examiner” badge pinned to his chest.

His presence seemed to drain the noisy atmosphere in the auditorium; all eyes focused on him, and no one dared to breathe loudly.

Jiang Zhenguo, far from intimidated, seized this moment to play the victim: “Examiner Huo, you’ve arrived just in time! My sister is being unreasonable, deliberately making trouble, hiding the competition materials meant for her big brother…”

Before he finished, Huo Chenyuan had already reached Jiang Yu’s side.

Without even glancing at Jiang Zhenguo, his gaze landed on the notebook Jiang Yu held, his brow furrowed slightly as he spoke in a familiar, somewhat impatient instructive tone:

“What’s wrong? Haven’t you memorized the problem-solving approaches I marked for you?”

What?

These notes… were the highlights Huo Chenyuan himself had marked?

The chief examiner… had personally tutored her?!

Huo Siyue burst out laughing. He walked up to Jiang Zhenguo, patted his shoulder in mockery, and laughed heartily, “Did you hear that? My brother marked the key points for her! With your pig brain, can you even understand that? Who do you think you are to get special treatment?”

“Impossible!” Jiang Zhenguo refused to believe it. “Huo Chenyuan would never give special tutoring to a countryside bumpkin like her! She’s just a dumb girl! She can’t understand it!”

Jiang Yuehua’s expression grew even more awkward. In the previous life, when she lived with the Huo family, she had tried several times to get Huo Chenyuan to help with homework, but he never even opened the door for her!

Mark problem-solving strategies?

She hurried forward, snatched the notebook from Jiang Yu, and examined it carefully.

Those were not Jiang Yu’s handwriting but detailed formulas and numerous annotations.

“No! Huo Chenyuan, why?!” Jiang Yuehua couldn’t hide her frustration. “Have you all been blinded by greed? Huo Siyue, you too, Huo Chenyuan, you too?!”

Huo Siyue couldn’t help but retort, “What greed? You’re the greasy one, acting all needy and fake—it’s disgusting!”

Outside the exam hall, the students burst into laughter.

Jiang Yuehua’s face darkened.

Huo Chenyuan still didn’t look at them, only saying to Jiang Yu, “The exam is about to start. Go in now, don’t let the noise affect your mood.”

“Hmm.” Jiang Yu nodded, took back her notebook, clutching it to her chest as she passed by Jiang Ruyue.

In the moment they brushed shoulders, she stopped and spoke in a voice so light that only the two of them could hear:

“Do you really think the Jiang brothers will give the best to you? Without me, they’re nothing but useless limbs.”

Having said that, she didn’t linger. Amid Huo Siyue’s triumphant whistle, she walked straight into the exam hall.

Jiang Yuehua was left as a complete and utter joke.