At the end of September 2006, the teachers of the Provincial No. 1 Middle School received the list of winners of the provincial first prize of the high school mathematics league. Lin Zhixia's name was on the list. She had just turned eleven, and she won the first prize of the high school league.
The students in the high school competition class were the first to hear the news. They could not express their shock in words, but they were full of curiosity about Lin Zhixia. Several students in the high school competition class even went to the junior high school and stood stupidly at the gate of the junior high school class 2 (17) like a group of groundhogs on the prairie.
Jiang Yubai has a strong sense of territory. He looked at the uninvited guests outside the window and closed the curtains without hesitation.
The senior from the second year of high school simply shouted outside: "Lin Zhixia? Who is Lin Zhixia? I have something to ask you! I want to ask you about your study methods!"
Just as Lin Zhixia was about to stand up, Jiang Yubai grabbed the corner of her clothes and said, "Ignore them."
The senior student was still making noise: "Lin Zhixia! Lin Zhixia!"
Jiang Yubai walked out of the classroom. He seemed to have become Lin Zhixia's secretary, and politely said, "Lin Zhixia is very busy. I am her deskmate. I can convey whatever you want to say to her."
Jiang Yubai learned this style from his father's secretary. Jiang Yubai was most impressed by the secretary general of Jiang Group. He thought he had imitated the secretary general's words and deeds very well.
The seniors in the second-year competition class looked at Jiang Yubai with complicated eyes.
After about two or three seconds, the senior told him: "Lin Zhixia won the first prize of the senior high school union!"
Jiang Yubai didn't show any surprise. He was as calm as if he had heard today's weather forecast. He also asked, "Is there nothing else?"
The seniors were collectively silent.
First Prize of Gaolian...
Isn’t it a big deal
Jiang Yubai put his hands in his pockets: "I'm going back to class."
He turned around gracefully and walked back to Class 2 (17).
The bell for class just rang, and the corridor was in chaos. Students ran and shouted, "Class is about to start! Class is about to start!"
This class was the art class for Class 17. Lin Zhixia had prepared her watercolor pens early. She spread a piece of white paper on the table and looked forward to the arrival of the art teacher.
The art teacher has a very gentle personality, beautiful appearance and temperament. She is one of Lin Zhixia's favorite teachers. As soon as the art teacher stood on the podium, Lin Zhixia happily shouted: "Everyone stand up!"
Many students shouted in unison: "Hello, teacher!"
The art teacher bowed slightly: "Good morning, students." She raised her hand and tucked a strand of long hair behind her ear: "Everyone, turn to Unit 2 in your textbook. The homework for this unit is to copy a natural landscape painting..."
Lin Zhixia picked up the blue watercolor pen, and Jiang Yubai suddenly said, "Lin Zhixia, you won the provincial first prize in the Gaolian competition."
Lin Zhixia nodded: "I might have to attend the National Winter Mathematics Camp for Middle School Students."
Students who rank high in the Gaolian competition will have the opportunity to participate in the National Middle School Mathematics Winter Camp. The Winter Camp is another name for the "National Olympic Mathematics Competition". The best students in the Winter Camp will be selected as members of the national training team and stand out in international competitions.
Jiang Yubai encouraged her: "Come on, Lin Zhixia."
Lin Zhixia held the paintbrush and painted the sky, the beach, and the ocean. The ocean in her painting was blue and broad, reflecting the sparkling light. She also used a pencil to outline two human figures on the beach. She said, "This is Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai."
Jiang Yubai asked her: "What are we doing at the beach?"
Lin Zhixia insisted: "To see the sea." Then she revealed: "I have never been to the seaside."
Before Jiang Yubai could respond, Lin Zhixia said excitedly, "Jiang Yubai, when I grow up, I want to go to the beach with you. Do you know any fun activities at the beach?"
Jiang Yubai described it without reservation: "My uncle likes jet skis. My mother often enjoys the sea breeze on the cruise ship, and my father and his friends go fishing on a speedboat."
"Lulu fishing?" Lin Zhixia seemed to be thinking about something.
Jiang Yubai explained: "The lure used in lure fishing is a bionic fake bait. When the speedboat moves, the fake bait also moves. The big fish will mistake the fake bait for a small fish and pounce on it to bite the hook."
"I want to go fishing with Jiang Yubai." Lin Zhixia expressed her wish bluntly.
Lin Zhixia was not reserved at all. She said whatever she wanted to say directly.
Jiang Yubai was used to Lin Zhixia's style. He spread out his drawing paper and sketched a small boat with two people on it. He marked a thin line with a ruler and declared, "This is your fishing line, Lin Zhixia."
Lin Zhixia picked up another piece of drawing paper: "Jiang Yubai, look, look at the fish I caught!"
Her pen tip constructed lines quickly, and the shape of a grouper appeared on the paper.
Jiang Yubai said immediately: "I saw it. You are very skilled. You caught a grouper on your first try."
Lin Zhixia was extremely proud.
Lin Zhixia loves art class very much!
She rolled the drawing paper into a tube and handed it to Jiang Yubai: "The grouper is for you, Jiang Jiang Jiang Yubai."
Her eyes sparkled and her cheeks flushed. Jiang Yubai did not reach out to take her painting. He politely declined, "Thank you, you don't have to give it to me. Your painting is good, you can keep it for yourself."
Lin Zhixia stretched out a finger and moved it slightly forward. Just a little bit, it would touch Tang Tingting's back.
Then, Lin Zhixia tried to ask, "Jiang Yubai, you really don't want it? I have no choice but to give this fish to the student in the front row. I think Tang Tingting will like it."
Lin Zhixia often uses this trick to deal with Jiang Yubai and has never failed.
This time is no exception.
Jiang Yubai took the grouper's portrait away. He didn't say a word, but Lin Zhixia was overjoyed. She wrote in "Human Observation Diary": The more Jiang Yubai concealed his inner thoughts, the more I wanted to know what he was thinking...
Jiang Yubai caught a glimpse of the words. He was ready to retort: I didn't think of anything, but this defense was very weak. He fell into silence again, still holding the scroll in his hand. He flattened the paper and folded it again - the fold of the paper avoided the body of the grouper. He stuffed the drawing paper into the inner compartment of his schoolbag, together with his wallet and mobile phone.
Art class was the fourth class on Wednesday morning. After this class, the students were supposed to go home. However, on Monday morning, Teacher Zhang told everyone in the morning reading class that he would invite the whole class to the teachers' cafeteria for lunch at noon on Wednesday to celebrate the fact that the Grade 2 (17) class won the first prize in the school anniversary program.
It is said that the teachers' cafeteria of the Provincial No. 1 Middle School hired chefs from five-star hotels to provide a rich variety of dishes with large portions and good taste, far exceeding the standards of ordinary cafeterias.
All the students in Grade 2 (Class 17) followed Teacher Zhang to the teachers' cafeteria.
Jiang Yubai originally didn't want to attend this celebration party. But he was the male lead of "Changes", and Lin Zhixia was the female lead of "Changes". Lin Zhixia ran to the teacher's cafeteria with a happy look on her face. Jiang Yubai was embarrassed to leave her alone and make her a lonely heroine, so he could only blend in with his classmates and step into the door of the teacher's cafeteria.
Teacher Zhang had reserved seats. He asked everyone to sit around a long table. He held his hands together and rubbed them slightly. His junior high school colleagues passed by him and asked him, "Teacher Zhang, is this a student from your class?"
Teacher Zhang smiled and replied, "Yes, I will treat the whole class to a meal."
One young teacher suddenly got excited. He put his arm around Teacher Zhang's shoulder and shouted, "Grade 2 (17), your teacher Zhang just got a bonus this month, don't be polite to him, order more dishes! The window over there sells seafood, let your class monitor bring more bowls."
Teacher Zhang not only did not stop us, but also asked: "What do the students in our class like to eat? Go and have a look for yourselves. The dishes here are sold bowl by bowl. If you see something you like, just take the bowl and tell the cafeteria aunt my name. I will put it on my account later."
The other students rushed to the seafood area, pastry area, and cooked food area.
Lin Zhixia was unique. She ran to the beverage area and said to the cafeteria lady in a sweet voice: "Sister, sister, can you give me a glass of freshly squeezed strawberry juice? Thank you, sister."
The cafeteria lady in the beverage area has worked at the Provincial No. 1 Middle School for five years. She has never heard any student or teacher call her sister. Generally speaking, Teacher Zhang would call her aunt. She lowered her head and met Lin Zhixia's expectant and pure eyes. She made up her mind, scooped a large spoonful of strawberries into the glass, and squeezed out a full glass of strawberry juice.
Lin Zhixia carefully picked up the strawberry juice and slowly walked to her seat. Jiang Yubai was still sitting next to her.
Jiang Yubai brought back a beef pie. He didn't want to eat the pie in front of Lin Zhixia, as that didn't fit his usual image. So he picked up his chopsticks, cut the pie into pieces, picked up a piece, and ate it slowly. His dining manners were very good and very elegant. The group of students on his right were eating like crazy, which made him stand out from the crowd.
In front of Lin Zhixia, there was a plate of Yangzhou fried rice and a glass of strawberry juice. Before she started eating, she shouted, "Thank you, Teacher Zhang!"
Teacher Zhang was sitting not far away. He heard Lin Zhixia's voice and smiled brightly: "Listen to me, everyone. I have good news to tell you. Lin Zhixia from our class won the first prize in the provincial Mathematical Olympiad. There are only 60 first prize winners in the province, and Lin Zhixia was selected into the provincial team. Tomorrow morning, we will receive an official notice. In late January next year, Lin Zhixia will be able to represent our province to participate in the domestic Mathematical Olympiad."
As soon as Teacher Zhang finished speaking, the atmosphere at the table froze.
The lights in the cafeteria were mixed, and the food smelled delicious. The steamed bun in Duan Qiyan's mouth suddenly lost its taste. He chewed it with difficulty, and his heart was surging with turmoil. He looked up at his classmates, but found that most of them had a calm and numb expression on their faces.
Duan Qiyan raised his head and drank a glass of milk. He put down the glass, with white milk stains on the corners of his lips. His eyes were cold and he tried to be calm: "Lin Zhixia, you are only eleven years old, you want to participate in the National High School Mathematical Olympiad?"
He knew that Lin Zhixia was very strong. But he really didn't expect that Lin Zhixia would enter the provincial team so soon.
Lin Zhixia held the straw in her mouth and took a sip of strawberry juice before she said, "I'll participate."
The concentration of strawberries is very high, and she is in a particularly good mood. She will represent the province in the National Mathematical Olympiad. The name of Lin Zhixia will be published in the Provincial No. 1 Middle School's bulletin - this shows that Captain Lin Zhixia has successfully completed the mission. She is worthy of being the navigator of Jiang Yubai's army.
The next morning, Teacher Zhang called Lin Zhixia into his office.
The Chinese and English teachers of the Grade 8 competition class are also in this office. The English teacher is a pretty, fashionable female teacher. She always has a faint scent of perfume.
When she saw Lin Zhixia, she immediately congratulated her: "Congratulations, I heard you won the first prize!"
Lin Zhixia said implicitly: "many thanks."
"Teachers of all grades in junior high school know that you won the first prize." Teacher Zhang opened the drawer, which contained a certificate and an envelope.
Teacher Zhang said, "You won first prize in the junior high school league last time, and the school awarded you 500 yuan. This time you won first prize in the senior high school league, and the school decided to give you a scholarship of 2,000 yuan. There will also be a reward from the Municipal Education Commission next month. The certificate for the first prize in the senior high school league has not been issued yet, so the junior high school grade department has printed a certificate for you first... Here, take it, Lin Zhixia, you are the first in our junior high school class 2 (17)."
Lin Zhixia took the certificate and envelope personally.
Several teachers in the office were full of praise for her. The teachers praised Lin Zhixia repeatedly, praising her to the sky.
Teacher Zhang openly praised his favorite student in front of his colleagues: "Lin Zhixia, you are two years younger than your classmates, but your mentality has not been affected. You have maintained your learning state and made it to the high school competition area. You have played a role model for the class monitor and have not fallen behind in your work as a class cadre. Lin Zhixia, the teachers are all proud of you."
Lin Zhixia put her hands behind her back and became more shy: "Thank you."
Lin Zhixia behaved modestly and prudently in front of the teachers, neither arrogant nor impatient.
However, at noon that day, as soon as she got home, she immediately announced: "I won the provincial first prize in the Gaolian competition, and the school gave me a scholarship of 2,000 yuan! The scholarship from the Municipal Education Commission will be issued next week!"
Mom is cooking in the kitchen and my brother hasn't changed into his slippers yet.
Lin Zhixia rushed into the kitchen and approached her mother: "Mom, mom, I'll give you a 2,000 yuan scholarship. Let's eat shrimp dumplings tonight, okay? Lots of shrimp dumplings, you and dad can have a big bowl too."
Lin Zhixia's voice was sweet and soft. When her mother took the envelope she handed over, her nose felt sore and tears welled up in her eyes.
Lin Zhixia asked her: "Mom, why are you crying?"
Mom put the envelope on the refrigerator and wiped her hands with the edge of her apron. She didn't open the envelope until her fingers were completely dry. She said, "Mom just cut onions."
Lin Zhixia's eyes shifted: "But there are no onions on the chopping board."
Mom avoided talking about it and just said, "Xia Xia is amazing. Mom will go to the market this afternoon and buy a few pounds of shrimps, and buy you a pound of strawberries. We will eat shrimp dumplings tonight to celebrate Xia Xia's provincial first prize in the national competition."
Lin Zhixia was overjoyed: "Okay!"
At the dinner table at noon that day, both my parents were smiling.
Lin's Supermarket temporarily closed for half an hour. Dad went back to the dining table to eat. He opened a can of beer, took two sips, and said happily: "Great, great, our Xia Xia is really promising, winning the first prize in the national competition. Xia Xia, you are much better than Dad. When Dad was studying, he couldn't understand mathematics even after reading it a hundred times. Dad's history and Chinese scores were high. Dad scored less than 100 points in mathematics and English, and went to work before finishing high school."
Mom knocked on the beer can to stop Dad from talking about his sad past.
Dad turned around and shouted, "Wife, tell me, how many years did our ancestors have to accumulate merit to get a summer. Hey, when I go back to my hometown next year, I will go to your family and my family's ancestral graves to burn some incense."
There was a plate of braised bream on the table. Mom pulled apart a large piece of meat from the bream's belly, dipped it in some soup, and turned it over with chopsticks to make sure there was no bone in the fish before putting it into Lin Zhixia's bowl.
Lin Zhixia really likes fish rice. She took a big bite of fish and suddenly remembered something. She turned her head and glanced at her brother secretly.
My brother was eating in silence, his chopsticks pausing from time to time, like a dull robot.
Lin Zhixia called him softly: "Brother."
My brother said nothing.
Lin Zhixia raised her voice slightly: "Brother?"
My brother sighed.
Lin Zhixia suddenly burst out: "Brother brother brother brother brother!"
"Lin Zhixia, don't disturb me while I'm eating." The brother responded coldly.
Dad took a sip of beer, closed his eyes slightly, and criticized gently: "Qiuqiu, your sister is happy today. She just earned a scholarship of 2,000 yuan for the family. We will all have shrimp dumplings tonight. How great is that. You say, such a good sister. You should be nicer to your sister, Qiuqiu, you should behave like a brother."
Mom picked up a piece of fish, picked out the fish bones, and put the meat into Lin Zeqiu's bowl. Lin Zeqiu suddenly raised his head and met his mother's gaze.
His mother warned him, "Qiuqiu, you are a human being. Don't quarrel with your sister. She just turned eleven and has to go to high school for training. The students in high school are at least four or five years older than her. She has a lot of pressure studying. You should think more about your sister."
In fact, Lin Zeqiu wanted to tell his parents: No, you don’t understand, Lin Zhixia has no study pressure at all.
The words were stuck in his throat and he couldn't utter them. He was left with a sense of loss and a hint of sadness in his heart.
If Lin Zhixia was really the child of his ancestors, then why couldn't his ancestors share some of their virtue with Lin Zeqiu? Lin Zeqiu struggled in the first round of review for the high school entrance exam, feeling exhausted and tired. At the end of September, the Provincial No. 1 Middle School held a third-year exam, and Lin Zeqiu performed poorly, falling to third place in the class. He had planned to talk to his parents about his decline at noon today, but who would have thought that Lin Zhixia would actually bring back a certificate and a scholarship of 2,000 yuan!
Two thousand yuan scholarship!
It was my brother who should have been the one to make money for the family. Everyone knew that the competition class of the Provincial No. 1 High School had generous scholarships. It was precisely because of the generous conditions provided by the competition class that Lin Zeqiu took the exam four times. But he couldn't even get into the competition class, let alone win a scholarship.
Lin Zeqiu had trouble swallowing his food.
He finished his lunch in a hurry, ran back to his bedroom and slammed the door.
Dad was a little drunk and kept asking, "What happened to this kid? We were all fine as a family, why did he suddenly go to his room?"
"A teenage boy," my mother reminded me, "he will be fifteen next January. At fifteen, it's easy to overthink."
Lin Zhixia sat on the chair, swung her legs, and slowly savored her lunch. Her calves suddenly ached, which made her bite the chopsticks and lean over the edge of the table. Her mother noticed her abnormality and asked her quickly, "Xia Xia, what's wrong with you?"
"Xia Xia has calf cramps," Lin Zhixia said honestly, "It might be growing pains. It comes every few days, usually at night."
Lin Zhixia's height has grown very fast. In the past six months, it has grown even faster, and her figure has become noticeably slimmer.
Back then, when Lin Zeqiu was growing the fastest, he often had calf cramps, so his mother took him to the hospital. After repeated examinations, the doctor confirmed that Lin Zeqiu was suffering from common growing pains and that he would be fine after that period.
Lin Zhixia originally thought that she and her brother inherited different genes, so she shouldn't be as unlucky as her brother. However, as she grew taller, she also had calf cramps. This made her a little confused. Could it be that the only difference between her and her brother was IQ
After dinner, Lin Zhixia decided to talk to Lin Zeqiu about adolescent growth issues.
The so-called "growth problem" is like the "bat theory" proposed by philosopher Nagal. The "bat theory" means that before a person becomes a bat, he can never imagine the life experience of a bat, nor the qualia of a bat - the word "qualia" means a perceptible quality.
Recently, Lin Zhixia has experienced the same qualia that Lin Zeqiu experienced in the past.
In this world, only Lin Zeqiu's genes are most similar to Lin Zhixia's.
Lin Zhixia was furious and broke open Lin Zeqiu's door like a bandit.
Lin Zeqiu was correcting his math test for the midterm exam. He got both of the last two questions wrong. When the teacher was explaining the questions, Lin Zeqiu was absent-minded. When he came to his senses, the teacher had finished explaining the test.
It was impossible for him to ask his classmates for help, so he could only use his lunch break to think hard alone.
Lin Zhixia rushed to his side and stared at his math test paper. He turned his head and saw Lin Zhixia's fiery gaze, which almost burned through his math test paper.
The big red cross on the test paper made Lin Zhixia feel incredible.
Lin Zeqiu couldn't stand it any longer. He frowned and whispered, "Lin Zhixia, don't just stand there. Tell me your solution." He paused, his face turned cold, and he added, "Don't go beyond the outline of junior high school mathematics."