Study System: I'm a 38-Year-Old Student-Chapter 81 - 74: Shen Yixiao Bounces Back Again
Shen Yanran, who had just arrived in the classroom, had her head buried under a "mountain of books" and was quietly gnawing on a baozi.
Her cheeks were stuffed like a chipmunk, and after reading the message from Shen Yixiao, her chewing paused instinctively and her big eyes went wide like apricot kernels.
Well, now she’d gone straight from a chipmunk to a shocked chipmunk emoji.
Dad’s dating someone?!
Am I getting a stepmom?
This news was just way too explosive!
It also came out of nowhere.
Dad hadn’t mentioned anything, and she hadn’t noticed a single clue before.
Shen Yanran quickly finished off the baozi in her plastic bag, then grabbed a napkin to wipe her mouth—then her hands—before hurrying to ask Shen Yixiao for more details.
And after finding out that Shen Yixiao’s big deduction was simply based on Dad’s scent...
Shen Yanran was instantly speechless.
She replied, fuming: Detective Shen, you’re such a genius!
Thanks to this bombshell, Shen Yanran didn’t enjoy her breakfast at all—she couldn’t even remember what the baozi tasted like.
And...that’s it??
Still not satisfied, she added: Detective Shen, today the mock exam results are coming out. How about you focus on Dad’s mock total score instead!
Seeing Shen Yanran’s reply, Shen Yixiao’s mouth twitched. Internally, he grumbled: That hairpin really should’ve gone to Luo Yao!
"Oh right, go tell your sister."
"Go straight to your second aunt’s office at noon, grab the math practice book and test paper."
Just as Shen Yixiao was grumbling, Dad’s voice sounded right by his ear.
"Huh?"
"I have to go, too?"
Shen Yixiao looked at Dad with suspicion all over his face.
"Of course!"
"I arranged a teacher for you two, mainly to tutor math."
"Especially you, kiddo—your math is a disaster!"
"Not an ounce of your old man’s style in you!"
Shen Qiushan told off his son with full confidence.
Shen Yixiao drooped his head, taking the scolding in silence.
If Dad had said this before last night, he could’ve clapped back with 800 lines right away.
But right now, he just couldn’t—the scores were hard facts.
Pops got 121 in math.
He only got 71!
A 50-point gap.
Pressed to the floor and thoroughly wrecked. He really had no comeback here.
At this point, all Shen Yixiao could hope for was that he’d get higher marks in the other subjects and maybe his total score could pull ahead, just to suppress Dad’s obnoxious arrogance a bit.
After scolding his son, Shen Qiushan was in a good mood. He popped a "Memory Capsule" and started flipping through the history book.
Ding!
Congratulations, host: You defeated 1 person in the history exam.
Reward: 100 Scholar Index points!
He had barely turned a few pages when the system notification sounded out loud in his mind.
Uh...
Defeated one person?
Last night, Shen Qiushan already knew his mock exam results from his old flame. He got 38 in history.
He was sure he’d be dead last in his grade for history!
Didn’t expect there’d be someone who’d studied three years and still couldn’t get 38. Man, legends walk among us.
Ding!
Congratulations, host: You defeated 1 person in the politics exam.
Reward: 100 Scholar Index points!
Congratulations, host: You defeated 1 person in the geography exam.
Reward: 100 Scholar Index points!
While Shen Qiushan was quietly feeling emotional, more system notifications kept popping up.
Clearly, the "Politics, History, Geography" three-subject scores were all out now.
And for all three, Shen Qiushan was second-to-last in the entire grade.
Now, he was actually kind of curious. Who was this brave soul who managed to score even lower than him in all three?!
Grade 12 Teachers’ Office.
All the teachers were working overtime grading mock exams.
Only students who picked the "history" track for their comprehensive exams had "Politics, History, Geography" to grade—around 300 students, so the results for those subjects always come out faster.
As for math, that was graded quickly because it was the first subject tested yesterday.
Now, only English and Chinese papers are still left, since the whole grade takes those, plus there’s essays for both, so grading drags on forever.
"How come Teacher Chen isn’t here yet?"
"She’s supposed to teach the first period in Class 5, right?"
There were only five minutes until first period, but Chen Xiangyu’s desk was still empty. History teacher Zhou Ling spoke up.
"Yeah, why’s it so late today?"
"Maybe something came up at the last minute."
"Old Zhao, did she ask you for leave?"
A couple teachers chatted, then Zhou Ling looked at Zhao Jinpeng.
He’s not just the English subject leader, but also head teacher for Grade 12.
"Nope."
Zhao Jinpeng shook his head. "Who has second period in Class 5? Quick—do a sub."
"That’s me."
Zhou Ling was asking about Chen Xiangyu because she’d be up next anyway. If worst comes to worst, she’d just sub in now.
"Teacher Zhou, you go ahead then."
"I’ll try contacting Teacher Chen, but even if I get through I doubt she can make first period anyway."
With that, Zhao Jinpeng grabbed his phone and searched for Chen Xiangyu’s number in his contacts.
Zhou Ling, meanwhile, grabbed a stack of history mock exams and left the office.
She walked into 12th Grade, Class 5’s classroom just as the bell rang.
The students saw it was history teacher Zhou Ling, not homeroom teacher Chen Xiangyu, and all started looking confused, some glancing at the timetable instinctively.
First period was clearly supposed to be English.
"Schedule switch."
Zhou Ling set the papers on the lectern. "Just subbing for now," she explained casually.
Sitting way in the last row, Shen Qiushan quietly took out his phone and WeChatted his old flame: Still not awake?
Last night, Shen Qiushan popped a Replenishing Essence and Qi Pill. That stuff worked magic!
Back in top form for two hours straight!
"Dr. Chen" really got put through the wringer...
While Shen Qiushan was tapping away, Zhou Ling put her hands on the lectern and said, "This history paper wasn’t hard—the overall grades are decent. Let’s go over it this period."
"When I call your name, come up to get your paper."
"Zhang Yuting, 89."
"Wang Yunpeng, 58."
"Shen Yixiao, 70."
...
The stack clearly wasn’t sorted by rank; Shen Yixiao was third up.
For him, 70 was his normal range—his history scores always hovered between 60 and 75.
After getting his paper, Shen Yixiao started getting curious about Dad’s score.
When distribution was almost done, Zhou Ling finally looked at the last row: "Old Shen, 38."
Whoa~!
The classroom instantly buzzed when they heard Shen Qiushan’s history score.
Actually, it wasn’t just Shen Yixiao keeping an eye on Dad’s history grade—everyone else was glued to it, too.
Because Dad’s math had shocked and scared everyone way too much.
Good thing Sun Xing didn’t really post Dad’s math paper in the parents’ group chat. Otherwise, there’d have been so much cursing last night.
If it turned out Dad scored high in history, plus his English (which he’s supposed to be good at), there’s a good chance his total score would be better than some students’ own mock totals.
And if someone’s total mock score was lower than Old Shen’s—man, no living that down.
So, everyone was following his marks super closely.
Hearing he got just 38 in history, everyone collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
Now that’s more like it!
You old geezer, what are you doing scoring so high?!
Don’t stir the pot!
If we can’t even beat you, aren’t we hopeless?!
is just fine.
Fits your age and everything.
Everybody’s happy!
And when Shen Yixiao heard Dad only got 38, he instantly straightened up, stretching his neck like a giraffe.
minus 38!
Beat him by 32 points in history!
That 50-point crater in math is mostly filled now.
That feels good!
When Shen Qiushan returned to his seat with the 38-point paper, Shen Yixiao whispered, "Dad, history’s actually pretty easy. Just build up some background knowledge, do a bit of memorization, and getting a pass isn’t hard."
Shen Qiushan rolled his eyes. "If it’s so easy, why’d you only get 70?"
"Get over 90 first, then say that kind of thing!"
Shen Yixiao got roasted and had nothing to say. 70 really wasn’t that great.
But he grumbled inside: Still, 70’s way better than 38!
Second period—no sign of Chen Xiangyu.
This time it was politics teacher Tian Chunlan who showed up.
Now the Class 5 kids couldn’t help but whisper among themselves.
"What’s up with Teacher Chen today? She’s always super dedicated."
"Maybe she’s sick and asked for leave?"
"I remember she came to teach with a 38-degree fever before."
"Could she have something serious??"
"No way! I’m still hoping Teacher Chen wears a qipao and walks us to the exam hall!"
Shen Yixiao murmured too: "Teacher Chen was totally fine yesterday. What could’ve happened?"
"Dad, you don’t think something really happened to her, do you?"
Shen Qiushan quickly shook his head. "Impossible. Maybe she just had something to do. Taking a day off is normal."
Hearing everyone in the room buzzing, Tian Chunlan slapped the lectern and put on a stern face: "This test paper’s just regular difficulty! Now look at what you lot did!"
"And you still have energy to gossip!"
Tian Chunlan was in her thirties, sporting a square, severe face—and her personality matched. She dressed the same way, year in, year out.
Internet says some women only have one style—bet they’re talking about teachers like Tian Chunlan.
"Shen Qiushan, 32!"
Tian Chunlan started reading out scores. The first paper, of course, was Shen Qiushan’s, special-requested from last night.
Whoa~!
The classroom burst into chatter again.
The kids were all fired up.
After history, Shen Qiushan hit another Waterloo—new record low!
Shen Yixiao straightened up subconsciously, joy bubbling up inside him.
is perfect!
Two times three is six!
The universe is in harmony!
When Dad got back with the paper, Shen Yixiao cleared his throat and whispered, "Dad, listen, politics isn’t that hard either. Just keep up with the news and policy, memorize a bit—the pass is in reach..."
"Shen Yixiao, 58!"
He was just talking when Tian Chunlan’s icy voice cut in.
Uh...
Shen Yixiao’s mouth twitched. Normally he could score 60-plus in politics.
This time he didn’t even get 60—not to mention, he was just in the middle of showing off. That slap in the face hurt.
"Dad, actually, politics is really unpredictable. Sometimes it all depends on the grader’s mood..."
Desperately trying to save a sliver of face, he slunk away to fetch his paper.
