"Oh, right. Lin Feng just mentioned you two made some kind of bet. What was that all about?" Chen Yushu asked curiously.
Cao Ying didn't think Lin Feng could possibly win the bet, so she hadn't mentioned it to anyone. But now that Chen Yushu had asked, she felt she couldn't avoid the question.
"It's just a target I set for Lin Feng for this monthly exam. Heh, I've seen many teachers do the same," Cao Ying said after a moment's hesitation.
"Yeah, corporal punishment isn't allowed anymore, so we can only use softer methods. For the students I'm responsible for, I've also set targets for this monthly exam. If they exceed their targets, I'll take them on a trip. If they don't, they'll each have to contribute an extra 200 yuan to the class fund. They've prepared very thoroughly this time, so I'm confident they'll achieve good results," Chen Yushu said confidently. "By the way, what goal did you set for that Lin Feng? Heh, I'm rather curious. With a student like him, there probably isn't much room for improvement, right? After all, it's already senior year. Even if he decided to turn over a new leaf, there wouldn't be enough time."
"I didn't set a goal for his total score…" Cao Ying trailed off, feeling somewhat embarrassed. How can I explain the bet I made with Lin Feng? His English score, from twenty or thirty points up to 120... If I say that out loud, it'll sound like I'm trying to ruin Lin Feng's image, and I'm not that kind of person.
"Then what score did you set for him this time?" Women are naturally curious, and Chen Yushu was a prime example.
"Um... 120 points." Under Chen Yushu's persistent questioning, Cao Ying had no choice but to tell the truth.
"One hundred and twenty points?! HAHAHA… You two… you can't be serious, right? Improving by 85 points in a single monthly exam? How is that even possible! If Lin Feng had just performed unusually poorly on the last exam, that would be one thing. But the crucial point is, 35 points accurately reflects his actual English level. Besides, Lin Feng isn't a motivated student. If he managed to score 120 under these circumstances, well… that would be worthy of a Guinness World Record!"
As Chen Yushu spoke, she laughed so hard she was practically doubled over. "Little Cao, you can't treat bets like a game. When I make bets with students, I always have them write a formal pledge, black and white, so they can't go back on their word later."
"I… I also had Lin Feng write a pledge," Cao Ying said.
"Really? Haha, well then, that settles it! What happens if he loses?"
"He has to clean the classroom for a month."
"Hmm, that punishment is too light. Next time, you should make him clean for at least three months! Heh, he's bound to lose this kind of bet. Sigh, why don't I ever get students like that? He's just too much of an oddball! Academics are a combination of diligence and talent. Lin Feng has neither the talent for studying nor the diligence. If he manages to pass English, it'll be a miracle of epic proportions!"
Chen Yushu's words made Cao Ying reflect. Will this bet completely destroy Lin Feng's confidence in his studies?
The school and the head teacher had assigned Cao Ying a total of four students to mentor. Besides Lin Feng, there were his good friend Yang Tao, the class beauty Tang Rou, and the class monitor Su Zi. The other three all had target scores above the minimum for top-tier universities. Lin Feng, however, was still a long way from even qualifying for a third-tier university. Comparing him to the others, Cao Ying suddenly felt that her task was arduous and the road ahead long.
Meanwhile, Lin Feng wasn't too concerned about all that. He continued to follow his plan, cultivating his Martial Arts. Of course, he was also putting his utmost effort into his studies.
Although it had been a long time since he left high school, the core knowledge hadn't changed much. When Lin Feng read his textbooks, he could recall learning those concepts during his original high school days. Therefore, studying didn't feel overly strenuous for him, which was why he dared to sleep in class.
Heh, this monthly exam, I'm going to shock everyone who looks down on me, Lin Feng resolved inwardly. But I can't stand out too much; that would attract unwanted attention.
As a former special forces operative, Lin Feng had a habit of keeping a low profile. He had once infiltrated the inner circle of a major drug lord while undercover. He was accustomed to being discreet, knowing that the more he acted or spoke, the more likely he was to attract attention and reveal a flaw. Such a mistake would inevitably cost him his life.
Therefore, back on campus, Lin Feng wanted to continue maintaining a low profile. He certainly didn't want anyone to realize he was a reincarnator.
At night, sitting cross-legged on his bed, Lin Feng began to practice breathing exercises. He was already fundamentally familiar with fist styles like Hung Fist and Wing Chun. What he needed to do now was to perceive his own body through its meridians, calm his mind, and cultivate an imposing aura—the same kind of awe-inspiring, fearsome presence he once possessed.
Once his meridians were clear, Lin Feng would focus on consolidating his Inner Strength, truly converting it into power. If he succeeded, he would achieve a breakthrough to the second level of Inner Strength.
Reaching the second level of Inner Strength would bring a qualitative leap in power. Punching a hole through a wall with a single fist would be no problem at all. However, it seemed Lin Feng was still some way off from reaching the second level of Inner Strength.
Damn, top students really are something else! These notes are incredibly detailed!
After finishing his cultivation, Lin Feng took out the English notebook Tang Rou had lent him. He was startled the moment he opened it. The notebook was filled with elegant English and Chinese handwriting, example problems, study methods, summaries, and personal insights. It was comprehensive and detailed, covering everything imaginable—truly the ultimate study notebook.
With only one day left before the monthly exam, Lin Feng didn't dare to be complacent and began to review meticulously. After all, he had bets with both Cao Ying and Tang Rou. Losing wasn't terrifying, but losing disastrously would mean he'd have no face left to show these two beauties.
"Lin Feng, you can do it! Don't forget our bet! ^_^"
Turning to a certain page in the notebook, Lin Feng spotted a red sticky note. On it was an encouraging message from Tang Rou. A warmth spread through his heart, and a smile touched his lips as Tang Rou's gentle, serene, and beautiful face instantly came to mind.
The weekend finally arrived, and it was time for the monthly exam.
The school arranged exam rooms and seating based on academic performance, so Lin Feng was, without a doubt, assigned to the very last exam room.
Fortunately, he wasn't the very last person in the last exam room, because a few students had been absent from the previous monthly exam.
The first exam was Language Arts, followed by Mathematics, English, and Comprehensive Liberal Arts…
Lin Feng's pen flew across the paper as if divinely guided. Except for Language Arts and Mathematics, he finished all his exams in under an hour. For English, in particular, he was done in just forty minutes, after which he promptly laid his head on the desk and went to sleep. The invigilator watched him and shook his head, thinking, A poor student is a poor student. If they can't do the questions, all they can do is sleep…
Cao Ying had originally asked the invigilator to keep a close watch on Lin Feng. Now, however, it seemed unnecessary, as Lin Feng himself appeared to have already surrendered.