Lin Shu gave a bitter smile as she sat down across from her son. "It was very fulfilling? Today your son discovered how joyful it is to soar in the ocean of knowledge. If I had known earlier—"
"Stop right there!"
Lin Shu twitched the corner of her mouth. "Xiaomo, do you think Mom would believe that?"
"Whether you believe it or not, that's simply the fact."
Lin Mo pulled over the schoolbag beside him and took out a pile of calculation paper and test sheets. "This is some of the material from today's tutoring session. If you don't believe me, you can take a look."
With just a single glance, Lin Shu withdrew her gaze. "Aside from tutoring, what else did you do?"
"I cooked a meal."
Lin Mo reported truthfully. Once he finished speaking, he couldn't help sighing with emotion: "That little girl's living conditions are even harder than I imagined. It really hasn't been easy for her."
"Hard?"
Doubt hung on Lin Shu's face. "What do her parents do?"
"She's an orphan."
Hearing this, Lin Shu's expression softened quite a bit. "Does she not have a foster father or foster mother either?"
Lin Mo shook his head. "No. Previously, she relied on subsidies from an orphanage to go to school. Starting from the first year of high school—meaning after turning sixteen—she started taking on temporary work during Saturdays and Sundays. Now she's putting herself through school."
"What?"
Lin Shu was deeply moved. "Putting herself through school?"
In this day and age, that sort of thing was rarely seen even in the news.
Lin Mo didn't want to dwell too much on this issue. "Mom, weren't you just talking about finding a tutor for me recently?"
Lin Shu retorted, "How did you know about that?"
She had never brought this up in front of her son.
Lin Mo didn't explain. "How I knew isn't important. Just tell me whether it's true or not."
"It is."
Lin Shu stopped hiding it. "I spoke with your head teacher this morning. With your current grades, you probably can't even reach the score line for a tier-three university. He suggested I find a private tutor for you."
Lin Mo nodded imperceptibly. The trajectory of events was indeed just like in his past life.
"Mom, how about giving the tutoring job to a classmate of mine?"
"This..."
Lin Shu fell silent. After a long moment, she slowly said, "Xiaomo, I can help her, but it can't be as a tutor."
Lin Mo understood his mother's misgivings completely. Without wasting any breath, he stated directly: "My classmate's academic performance is good—very good. She is more than qualified to tutor me."
"Are you sure?"
Lin Shu found it a bit hard to believe.
After all, an orphan putting herself through school would inevitably consume a huge amount of energy.
Under those circumstances, it was already difficult enough just to keep up with her studies without falling behind.
Lin Mo spread his hands. "Name a way that would make you believe it."
"Isn't there a joint examination next week?"
Lin Shu thought about it. "If this classmate of yours can break into the top ten of the grade in the joint examination, I can agree to the tutoring."
"It's a deal."
A hint of mischief carried in Lin Mo's smile. "Shouldn't we discuss the salary next?"
Lin Shu couldn't help but laugh despite herself. "You child, are you even trying to fleece your own mother? Fine, go ahead."
Lin Mo walked around the coffee table and sat down beside his mother, a ingratiating look on his face. "Mom, isn't five yuan an hour cheap enough?"
"What? Five yuan?"
Lin Shu had expected her son to make an outrageous demand, but she never imagined the price he quoted would be so low.
Today she had specifically inquired around, and top-tier tutors on the market cost at least a hundred yuan an hour.
Even a standard-tier tutor cost fifty yuan an hour.
In comparison, a price of five yuan an hour was as cheap as cabbages at the market.
Lin Mo took his mother's hand. "Mom, don't rush. I haven't finished yet. You'll need to compensate in other ways..."
A few minutes later, Lin Shu wore a complicated expression. "Xiaomo, tell Mom the honest truth."
"Tell you what?"
"Do you like this little girl?"
Lin Mo's gaze was focused. "Nothing like that. We're just normal classmates."
A look of relief flashed across Lin Shu's eyes. She knew the son she had raised very well.
"All those conditions you mentioned are fine. However, everything has to be conditional on that girl making it into the top ten of the grade in next week's joint examination. If that prerequisite isn't met, everything else is out of the question."
"Thanks, Mom."
Lin Mo smiled knowingly. Just as he was about to return to his room, he was suddenly called back.
Lin Shu crossed her legs. "There's one more condition. In the opening joint examination, you scored 432 points. This joint examination cannot be lower than that score, or else... you know what happens."
Lin Mo stumbled slightly. With his current foundation, let alone four hundred points, even three hundred points would be a stretch.
Still, there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.
He understood this principle.
Today he had laid out so many conditions to his mother; it was entirely reasonable for her to set conditions now.
"Fine."
"Hold on."
Lin Mo, who had only taken two steps, was called back once more. With a look of utter resignation, he wore a bitter face. "Mom, can't you say everything you have to say in one breath?"
"No."
Lin Shu glared at him. "I don't care whether you like that little girl or not, but before the college entrance examination, you are only allowed to be classmates. Understand?"
"Of course."
Hearing his son's unhesitating reply, Lin Shu added a reassuring warning: "You can date whenever you want, but the college entrance examination only happens once."
"Mom, have you ever heard of retaking the exams?"
"Retaking the exams?"
A hint of threat rose in Lin Shu's eyes. "Xiaomo, have you ever heard of the fist that shook Chang'an?"
"..."
Chapter 12: Advanced Reading Comprehension
At one o'clock in the morning, the light in the room was still on.
Ever since his conversation with his mother, Lin Mo had been reviewing in his room.
He hadn't even taken a trip to the bathroom in between.
He finished reading the last line of text on the computer screen, stretched his sore body, and let out a long breath. It had been a very long time since he last experienced this kind of high-intensity focus.
It actually felt pretty good...
After using the bathroom and getting into bed, Lin Mo finally remembered the System task he had completed today.
Cultivation value: 100
Seeing the cultivation value change from 0 to 100, a smile appeared on Lin Mo's face.
Entering the Cultivation Store, only three items met his eyes.
All three items were wrapped in a ball of light. When Lin Mo looked at one of the light spheres, the corresponding item introduction appeared in his mind.
《Advanced Reading Comprehension Skill》
Skill Introduction: Significantly increases the host's comprehension ability regarding any knowledge.
Price: 100 cultivation value
Lin Mo's eyes lit up. For him right now, this skill could truly be described as timely assistance.
An improvement in comprehension ability would bring about a marked enhancement in every single subject.
Especially for a subject like Chinese, which relied purely on reading comprehension, it was practically equivalent to having a cheat code.
Lin Mo pondered inwardly. Once he acquired this skill, it would be equivalent to having a fallback trump card.
This way, in next week's joint examination, his agreement with his mother could be said to be a sure thing.
However, Lin Mo didn't exchange for the Advanced Reading Comprehension Skill right away.
As the saying goes, shop around.
He kept his patience and read through the remaining two items.
《IQ +10》
Price: 100 cultivation value
《Intermediate Composition Talent》
Skill Introduction: Enhances the host's music comprehension and composition talent.
Price: 100 cultivation value
After finishing reading, Lin Mo already had a decision in his mind. But just a second before he was ready to make the exchange, the System's voice sounded.
"Host, I advise you to choose the IQ +10 option. The probability of rolling IQ points in the Cultivation Store is very low, and an increase in IQ is equivalent to a disguised enhancement of the host's abilities in all aspects."
"Thanks for the reminder."
Lin Mo offered a word of thanks, but he had no intention of accepting the System's suggestion.
Looking at the long term, the System might not be wrong.
But for him right now, he needed the Advanced Reading Comprehension Skill much more.
Seize what was most needed in the present moment; gains and losses didn't matter.
"Exchange for the Advanced Reading Comprehension Skill."
"Exchange successful, consumed 100 cultivation value."
As the System's voice rang out, a cool sensation washed over Lin Mo's mind.
This feeling came quickly and disappeared just as fast.
In just a split second, everything returned to normal.
Lin Mo felt a bit different, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what had changed.
To test out his advanced reading comprehension abilities, he sat in front of the computer and searched for an analysis of the previous year's college entrance examination Chinese test paper.
A few minutes later, shock filled his eyes.
Right now, the complete analysis of this test paper was clearly etched into his mind, and the relevant knowledge points were broken down with crystal clarity.
Unlike the vague understanding he had before, he now knew with absolute clarity why these questions had to be answered this way and what the significance of doing so was.
Too powerful!
Since that was the case, then...
The veil of night gradually receded, and light returned to the earth.
A little past six in the morning, Lin Mo emerged from his bedroom with two dark circles under his eyes.
Last night, he didn't sleep at all, going through Chinese test papers from the college entrance examinations of recent years, along with various analyses and lectures by famous scholars found online.
In just a single night, he could clearly perceive how obvious the improvement in the subject of Chinese was.
Originally, they had agreed on Sunday for tutoring, but An Youyu had told Lin Mo that she had to go help out at the library today, otherwise she might very well be fired.
Seeing An Youyu's torn and hesitant expression, Lin Mo feigned cheerful consent.
After returning home, he locked himself in his room and studied bitterly until late at night, only climbing into bed to sleep when he truly couldn't stay awake any longer.
On Monday morning, Lin Mo crawled out of bed very early.
Today happened to be the Chinese quiz. In the opening joint examination, he had scored 83 points in Chinese, so he decided to take this opportunity to test the fruits of a day and night's worth of effort.
Lin Mo splashed his face with cold water, and the drowsy, groggy feeling faded slightly.
He grabbed a hard slice of bread from the refrigerator, left a sticky note on the dining table along the way, and headed out.
...
A little past seven in the morning, outside Baiyu Residential Area.
Lin Mo leaned against the willow tree by the roadside, reading the high school Chinese analysis in his hand with great relish, thereby ignoring everything around him.
"Why are you here?"
Hearing the voice, Lin Mo looked up and saw An Youyu. The spiritual fatigue was swept away instantly.
Today, An Youyu had unusually tied her hair into a bun, exposing her fair neck, which looked like something out of a dream under the glow of the morning sun.
As soon as she stepped out of the residential area, she noticed Lin Mo by the roadside, her cheeks filled with surprise.
Lin Mo unzipped his schoolbag and put the Chinese analysis away. "Little Yuer, walking to school together?"
From An Youyu's perspective, Lin Mo's smile was brimming with youthful energy, and the orange-red morning light cast against his silhouette made him look like the embodiment of light itself.
She froze for a good while, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks.
Watching the girl's reaction, Lin Mo narrowed his eyes nonchalantly. "Did I get rejected? It's pretty normal for classmates to go to school together, right?"
"N-No... I didn't mean that."
An Youyu hurriedly shook her head in denial. The moment she raised her gaze, she noticed Lin Mo's dark circles. "You... didn't sleep well last night?"
"My foundation is poor; I can't afford to slack off."
Lin Mo shouldered his bag. "Didn't you say yesterday that as long as I'm willing to work hard, my grades will definitely improve a lot?"
An Youyu lowered her head. "I did say that, but you still need to pay attention to rest. Health is the capital of the revolution."
"Don't worry."
Lin Mo clenched his right hand into a fist and gave An Youyu's little head another tap. "Let's go?"
An Youyu shrank her neck. Noticing someone looking in their direction, she nervously clutched her backpack straps, gave a faint response, and quickened her pace forward.
Lin Mo followed at a leisurely pace.
She walked, he followed.
The earth was bathed in the morning glow, stretching the figures of the boy and girl further and further...
Arriving at the classroom, when Lin Mo noticed Zhou Wenhao in the front row, he couldn't help but marvel at this guy's diligence.
This guy was somewhat annoying, but not entirely unlikable.
At least, he had his merits.
Zhou Wenhao watched An Youyu and Lin Mo walk into the classroom one after the other. How could he not realize that the two of them had come together? Instantly, he lost all will to study, glaring fiercely at Lin Mo with a gaze that seemed to wish he could devour him alive.
To this, Lin Mo chose to ignore him.
Zhou Wenhao felt extremely burning anger inside, possessing the helpless feeling of punching a ball of cotton.
Thinking of the bet he had made with Lin Mo yesterday, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
After the third mock test, he was going to watch Lin Mo make a fool of himself in public with his own eyes!
"Ding-ling—"
The class bell rang.
Wei Qingguo walked into the classroom carrying a stack of test papers.
With the distribution of the papers, the quiz began.
Compared to the helplessness of yesterday's math quiz, this Chinese quiz gave Lin Mo a sense of control.
The rustling sound of writing rang out across the room.
Watching Lin Mo writing furiously, Gu Fan couldn't help curling his lips. Having learned his lesson from the previous math quiz, he wouldn't dare copy Lin Mo's paper again.
As the end-of-class bell rang, papers were collected!
"Everyone take a break, clear your heads, and next class we'll go over this test paper."
Compared to Yan Shiming's cold and merciless demeanor, Wei Qingguo was very easygoing.
The students of Class Two all knew this, so they were relatively relaxed, causing the atmosphere in the classroom to instantly transition from quiet to noisy.
Wei Qingguo didn't mind this at all. He picked up his thermos, took a sip of tea, and rapidly graded the test papers in front of him.
When he graded An Youyu's test paper, his graying eyebrows furrowed.
Out of a 150-point paper, An Youyu had only scored 68 points.
He furrowed his brow not because of An Youyu's quiz score, but because of the questions An Youyu had lost points on.
The multiple-choice questions in the second major section were all wrong.
The final two reading comprehension questions and the essay had been left blank, exactly the same as the previous quiz.
This...
Was it a coincidence?
Chapter 13: Top of the Quiz
After thinking for a moment without coming up with any answers, Wei Qingguo continued grading the test papers.
Soon, his brow furrowed once again.
However, this time it was because of Lin Mo's test paper.
It wasn't because Lin Mo scored too poorly, but because he scored too well.
146 points!
Aside from the two points deducted from the essay, only a single obscure multiple-choice question had been answered incorrectly.
This score made Wei Qingguo find it somewhat hard to believe.
In his memory, during the opening joint examination last time, Lin Mo's Chinese score seemed to be only in the 80s.
From the 80s to 146—that was an improvement of far more than just a notch or two!
Aside from Lin Mo, the next highest score was only 136 points, a gap of a full 10 points.
Freaky!
Wei Qingguo raised his head to look at the back of the classroom. At this moment, Lin Mo was lowering his head to work on his math workbook. "Strange things happen every year, but today has a whole lot of them!"
After letting out his sigh of emotion, he clapped his hands. "Everyone give a round of applause for classmate Lin Mo."
As soon as the words fell, he took the lead in applauding.
Scattered applause rang out, and everyone's faces were filled with question marks.
Applause?
What was the meaning of this?
Wei Qingguo announced loudly, "The first place in this Chinese quiz goes to classmate Lin Mo, who scored 146 points—10 points higher than second-place classmate Zhou Wenhao. Isn't that worthy of encouraging applause?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire class was shocked, and quite a few questioning voices emerged.
"What? Lin Mo scored 146 points?"
"That's too absurd. If I remember correctly, in the opening joint examination, Lin Mo only scored 83 points in Chinese."
"Did he cheat?"
"Could it be that he copied too much?"
"Hilarious, who would Lin Mo copy? Gu Fan?"
...
Lin Mo continued working on his math workbook as if all of this had nothing to do with him.
Gu Fan beside him, however, completely lost his composure, grabbing Lin Mo's arm.
"Brother Mo, are you messing with me?"
"What are you talking nonsense for?"
Lin Mo glared at him in annoyance. "My orientation is completely normal."
"..."
Gu Fan wore a bitter face. "Last time I copied your math, you scored 18 points; today I didn't copy you, and you scored 146 points. If this isn't messing with me, what is?"
Lin Mo pulled his arm back. "You said it yourself, last time was math, this time is Chinese; they aren't even the same subject."
"But your Chinese score wasn't that great last time either?"
"Last time was last time, this time is this time."
Faced with Gu Fan's relentless badgering, Lin Mo's tone was flat: "After three days apart, one must look at each other with new eyes."
Seeing that Lin Mo didn't want to explain much, Gu Fan stopped making a fool of himself.
Zhou Wenhao, sitting in the front row, suddenly stood up. "Teacher, I suspect Lin Mo cheated. Everyone knows what his Chinese grades are like. Even if there's improvement in a short time, it's impossible to improve this much."
These words voiced the inner thoughts of many students.
Students with ordinary grades were fine, but those top students with good grades were extremely displeased with Lin Mo's high score this time around.
They could allow themselves to lose to other top students, but they would not allow themselves to lose to Lin Mo.
In their ingrained impression, Lin Mo was a thorough and complete slacker!
Because of this, once Zhou Wenhao took the lead, it instantly received quite a bit of supportive chatter.
"That's right, improving by 63 points in this little time? Not even a ghost would believe it!"
"Indeed, something feels off."
"Everyone knows what level Lin Mo is at. Relying on true ability, how could he possibly score this high?"
"Cheating on a little quiz like this? Aren't you embarrassed!"
...
No matter how others questioned him, Lin Mo didn't take it to heart at all, and couldn't even be bothered to raise his head.
In his eyes, there seemed to be only the workbook in front of him, fully demonstrating what it meant to remain unmoved amidst turmoil.
Wei Qingguo took Lin Mo's reaction into his eyes. Having lived for the better part of a century, he had seen countless people of all stripes.
Judging solely from Lin Mo's reaction, he already had a judgment in his heart.
"Quiet!"
As soon as Wei Qingguo spoke up, the classroom quickly quieted down.
He glanced at Zhou Wenhao. "Sit down first."
Though dissatisfaction showed on Zhou Wenhao's face, he didn't dare to disobey.
Wei Qingguo's gaze swept across the room. "The test paper for this Chinese quiz is one that I spent nearly a week putting together. It's impossible for anyone to know the contents of the paper in advance."
"You question Lin Mo's score and say he cheated; then let me ask you a question: how do you cheat to score 146 points?"
No one answered.
Even Zhou Wenhao fell silent.
That's right!
Even if he were allowed to take an open-book exam, he wouldn't have the confidence to score 146 points.
Yet, thinking that Lin Mo—this slacker—had actually scored first place in the class, he felt a sense of grievance as if he had swallowed a fly.
As the study committee member, Zhou Wenhao's grades in every subject were always first.
Looking across the entire senior year, he was also among the top three in the entire grade.