Chapter 10: Schoolyard Rumors

A group of boys surrounded Xu Chen, their eyes brimming with curiosity and gossip, laced with envy and jealousy.

“Don’t spread rumors—that’s illegal.”

Xu Chen said with a look of exasperation.

His buddies grew even more excited, insisting Xu Chen share his method for winning over the school’s beauty.

Xu Chen scratched his head, feeling things were getting off track…

A girl from the class suddenly stepped in front of him.

Her eyes red as she spoke,

“Xu Chen, you and Bing Ge… are you really together?”

Xu Chen blinked—he barely knew this classmate, only recalling her name was Huang Qianqian.

Before he could reply, Chen Dahai turned to Huang Qianqian and said:

“Do you like Bing Ge or Xu Chen?”

Xu Chen: “…”

Huang Qianqian’s eyes welled with tears:

“Of course Bing Ge…”

Xu Chen fell silent, feeling a bit hurt.

Chen Dahai comforted her: “Losing to Bing Ge is no shame.”

Xu Chen: “…”

Huang Qianqian glared at Xu Chen, waiting for his response.

Xu Chen finally said,

“Bing Ge and I are just normal friends.”

Huang Qianqian blinked, relief washing over her, though she still found it hard to believe.

Just then, a low cough echoed from the class’s back door.

The entire class fell silent at once.

The boys crowded around Xu Chen hurried back to their seats and sat obediently.

“Xu Chen, come here.”

A deep middle-aged voice called out. Xu Chen didn’t need to turn to know it was the homeroom teacher, Zhang Liqun, who loved to patrol the back door.

Xu Chen stood and followed the balding teacher into the hallway outside the classroom.

Students who hadn’t returned to class peered at Xu Chen as he passed.

Especially those in Class 6 next door, many stealing glances.

Zhao Linlin was from Class 6; the cafeteria gossip had already reached her.

Homeroom teacher Zhang Liqun, shiny bald head, pushed up his broad brown glasses, his face stern and displeased.

Obviously, he’d heard about the lunchroom incident.

Standing before Zhang Liqun, Xu Chen recalled events from his past life.

In his previous life he scored over 590 on the college entrance exam but only got into a second-tier university—all thanks to this very teacher.

Zhang Liqun pulled a sour face and said,

“Xu Chen, your grades have been good. You could aim for a top school. Don’t go astray at this critical time!”

Xu Chen kept his head down, eager to end this meaningless talk.

Zhang Liqun: “None of the kids who date early do well. Early romance ruins grades.”

Xu Chen muttered softly, “You got that right…”

Zhang Liqun: “That girl in Class 3 just got publicly criticized by the whole school. Is she a good example?”

Xu Chen: “Sigh~”

Zhang Liqun: “She’s a negative example! A troublemaker!”

Xu Chen: “Hmm~”

Zhang Liqun: “As homeroom teacher I understand your exam pressure, but you can’t vent it this way!”

Xu Chen: “How novel!”

Zhang Liqun: “Two years ago a senior who could have gotten into a 985 school dated too early and failed to even pass the first-tier line.”

Xu Chen: “Ah? Seriously…?”

Zhang Liqun: “Experts are studying it now. They say early dating is a mental disorder.”

Xu Chen: “That’s absurd…”

Zhang Liqun: “Severe early romance can lead to schizophrenia!”

Xu Chen: “Never heard that before!”

…

Zhang Liqun: “Xu Chen, are you even listening? What are you mumbling?”

Xu Chen: “…”

Just as Xu Chen wondered how to wrap this up, the noisy class bell rang.

Xu Chen put on an obedient smile:

“Teacher Zhang, you’re right! I’m going to shoot for a 985 school, so I’ll head back to class!”

Zhang Liqun still looked displeased, furrowing his brow and waving a hand.

Xu Chen, as if offered amnesty, turned and returned to the classroom.

Back at his desk, Xu Chen opened his notebook, picked up a pen, and started jotting something down.

Chen Dahai leaned over, tilting his head:

“What are you writing?”

Xu Chen: “Keeping a grudge.”

Chen Dahai: “Against who?”

Xu Chen fell silent, giving no answer.

Chen Dahai paused, then glanced out at the homeroom teacher in the hall…

Just as Xu Chen closed his notebook, his phone vibrated in his pocket.

In that county at the time, few high schoolers had phones, so the school didn’t enforce a strict collection of devices.

Besides, phones back then were basic feature phones—no internet, just calls and texts.

But you still had to be careful; if caught, they’d be confiscated.

Xu Chen’s phone was the Bodar flip phone his dad gave him for his birthday last year.

Bodar was a pioneer among domestic phone brands back then.

Its “The Fighter in Your Pocket” ad campaign swept the country and even influenced a Spring Festival Gala skit.

The brand ambassador was the era’s hottest international star, Li Wen.

People back then didn’t know that years later, the seemingly sunny Li Wen would struggle with depression and make a tragic choice…

Xu Chen hesitated, then flipped open his phone under the desk and skimmed the screen.

It was a text from his father, Xu Zhiquan:

[Son, update time:

Today I inspected seedlings at North Mountain Joint Village. Things are solid and smooth. I’m pushing it through!

Tomorrow I’ll visit some contacts and register the nursery company with the industry bureau!

Need to settle on a name for our seedling company. Help me come up with a good one!]

Xu Chen read the message and couldn’t help smiling.

His father’s execution was really impressive.

Just yesterday evening he told him about this, and by midday today it was already moving forward to this stage.

Old Xu is a moldable talent destined for success!

Dad’s path to becoming a tycoon looks solid!

Xu Chen already had a rough plan for his father’s business, but he needed more “loading time.”

And he was waiting for his dad to raise more capital through those nursery projects.

Everything had gone smoothly on the second day after his rebirth.

His dad’s plans, his own college prep schedule—

And then there’s Xie Bingran…

Preventing her from taking risks tonight and guiding her onto the track-and-field path would be a good deed.

Clinging to the future sports star’s coattails, and maybe snagging an endorsement…

A perfect plan!

…

Later that evening around five, the last class ended and Xu Chen left school alone.

He was off to meet Xie Bingran.

Since middle school they’d drifted apart; this was their first official meeting…

For some reason, the image in Xu Chen’s mind wasn’t the cold, domineering “Bing Ge.”

It was a few years ago in middle school, sitting next to the poor, timid girl.

Her.