Lin Li glanced at Bai Bufan, who was scribbling down answers while muttering in some non-human language, and pleaded:

"Bufan, I'm begging you, could you just shout out 'Who the f*ck are you!' right now?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Bufan immediately shut up and looked out the window. Sure enough, Xue Jian was walking toward the back door, giving the classroom a scrutinizing look, prompting Bai Bufan to jokingly curse:

"F*ck, Lin Li, you're not even pretending anymore. Not even bothering with tactics, huh?"

Lin Li casually shrugged it off, noticing Chen Yu Ying also getting up to leave, he gathered his things, intending to escape.

"Lin Li, come over here for a moment." But, just as Lin Li greeted Xue Jian politely at the door and planned to make a swift getaway, Xue Jian stopped him.

"Hmm? Oh," Lin Li was a bit surprised but quickly nodded, raising the items in his hand to ask, "Should I put my things back in the classroom first?"

"No need, it'll just take a few minutes. You can head to the tutorial afterwards."

"Okay." Lin Li nodded again, giving Chen Yu Ying, who was waiting for him in the hallway, a gesture and glance to indicate she should go ahead and not wait for him.

Chen Yu Ying nodded in return, mouthing a response.

"Teacher, what do you need me for?" Lin Li asked, following Xue Jian to the staircase.

"It's nothing major, just after some discussion, the originally planned speech you're supposed to give to the entire school has been canceled. Tomorrow is Monday, but even if the weather is clear, you won't have to go on stage. What a shame." Xue Jian got straight to the point.

Lin Li looked somewhat exasperated, his mouth twitching: "Teacher, did you just laugh?"

"No," Xue Jian shook his head O(∩_∩)O, "I haven't stopped laughing."

I have been laughing all along.

Although the speech draft was organized by Chen Yu Ying and reviewed by Xue Jian, as long as Lin Li was the speaker, Xue Jian couldn't really trust it.

Xue Jian's lament of "What a pity" was merely regret that the school hadn't completely banned Lin Li, always worried that this notorious figure might again stir up some trouble by involving the Demon Suppression Bureau and the Demon Suppression Envoy, then make a comeback.

"Is it because of the English exam?" Seeing Xue Jian's candidness, Lin Li couldn't help but chuckle, though he had no objection to this outcome, he felt he should ask at least during the crucial moment.

"Yes." Xue Jian nodded.

"But shouldn't things like this be handled separately? There was no mention on the notice, even if merits and demerits cancel each other out, I think my merits should outweigh the demerits! I've bled for the school, I've fought hard for it; you're slaughtering the donkey when the grinding is done, this is mistreating the loyal!"

— Although Lin Li didn't care about this decision, speaking human language was still implausible for him, thus he responded sternly.

Xue Jian was long accustomed to it, not even bothering a twitch of his mouth, instead just raising his chin: "Then don't bleed everywhere next time, it's quite troublesome to clean up."

Lin Li: "?"

F*ck, to say something like this, Xue Jian is a disgrace to teachers.

"I'm going to see the principal!" Lin Li was genuinely angry.

Xue Jian: "It's the principal's decision."

Lin Li: "•᷄ᯅ•᷅?"

Seeing Lin Li dumbfounded, Xue Jian thought, 'little genius sword demon conducting day school—it can't be contained.'

— In the teachers' meeting Friday after exams, Principal Wang had heard from the educational department about Lin Li's performance in the English exam and from Lin Li himself about his future plans, causing him to sweat profusely on the spot.

Principal Wang was a bit worried Lin Li might end up having hot pot under the national flag on Monday.

Thus, he withdrew the already unstable trust.

"Wait, teacher, the thing about assisting the workers at the power distribution room, that's not canceled too, right?" Lin Li's eyes suddenly became slightly serious.

The task is still on his system panel; whether or not the speech is made is irrelevant, but if this reward is lost, he might just hang himself at the principal's office door.

"That's actually been included as part of your punishment labor at school, already approved by the principal. It was going through procedures earlier, scheduled for this week, should be during lunch or evening study sessions, I'll notify you then." Xue Jian shook his head.

"Oh, that's fine then, no speech is no problem." Lin Li instantly found it irrelevant, "So, can I go, teacher?"

"You didn't bring anything edible to revenge me or the school, right?" Xue Jian squinted at Lin Li.

"No, what could I possibly have?" Lin Li felt wronged.

Xue Jian glanced at Lin Li's pockets and, seeing nothing suspicious, nodded.

As for searching Lin Li's pockets, he absolutely wasn't going to do that.

Don't misunderstand that Xue Jian cares more about Lin Li's privacy than Yangliang, won't rashly violate it; it's for another reason.

Years ago, when checking phones, Xue Jian had encountered students he wasn't sure of, and would actively reach into their pockets.

However.

Xue Jian once had a student, a male, who didn't like wearing underwear.

And he had a pair of school pants with a pocket, well... that, which was torn.

That day, in the hallway, there was both a shy him and a horrified him.

Everything changed.

From then on, Xue Jian never searched students' pockets again, even if he suspected there was something there, he would have the student turn the pockets inside out.

Lin Li was considered lucky thanks to this senior.

Remembering this sad story, even the joy over Lin Li's speech cancellation was slightly dampened, Xue Jian nodded, not wanting to elaborate: "Alright, got it, you should go to the competition class."

"Okay, teacher."

Multimedia classroom.

Lin Li came over near Chen Yu Ying.

"Class president, do you guess whether I washed my face today and last night?"

Sitting down, Lin Li grinned, asked Chen Yu Ying in a gentle tone.

Chen Yu Ying wouldn't answer along with Lin Li, pretending to focus on contest problems, just softly replied: "Well, when I got home, I washed my forehead a hundred times."

"A hundred times is a bit over-the-top," Lin Li giggled, "Careful you might wash out a third eye like Yang Jian."

"Hmph, then you would be the celestial hound."

"Woof-woof."

"Celestial hound, do you have an extra pen? Lend me one," Chen Tianming suddenly turned around, shaking a ballpoint pen in his hand and asked, "I bumped it on the way over just now, and now the ink's broken. It's driving me crazy."

"Seems like I do—" Upon hearing this, Lin Li reached into his pants pocket.

In Chen Tianming's hopeful gaze, Lin Li pulled out... a lip gloss.

"Is this a pen?" Chen Tianming didn't recognize it immediately but was shocked to ask later.

"Oh no, sorry, it's lip gloss, grabbed the wrong one," Lin Li 'surprised'ly patted his forehead, hurriedly put it back, apologized: "Tianming, this can't be borrowed, when you return it, I'll be disgusted to death, and have to wash my face at least a thousand times."

Chen Tianming: "?"

Lin Li, speaking all a jumble, what on earth is he talking?

All the words are intelligible, but together they're completely incomprehensible.

And why did the class president suddenly lay her head on the desk, is she that tired?

Taking the actual ballpoint pen Lin Li took out afterwards, Chen Tianming shrugged and opted not to dwell too much.

Because Qiaoqiao has arrived.

Qiaoqiao, hehe, Qiaoqiao, hehe, my Qiaoqiao (｡•﹃•｡)← (but not actually that cute) ~

Tonight's self-study competition class, Hua Ming not only taught normally, he also informed everyone that the preliminary round time for the Smart Cup has been set. It's scheduled for this Sunday afternoon; the exam venue for Nansang students remains at Nansang Middle School, so everyone can just arrive earlier that Sunday.

Lin Li naturally felt no fear, working on competition problems is rather easy for him now.

Even for Hua Ming's challenging ones, a bit of thinking would lead to solutions.

As for Chen Yu Ying, with recent tutoring both at school and at home, her progress was visible; she's grasping things fairly well now.

Though it can't yet compare to those who've been studying competition for long, as long as the preliminary doesn't whimsically eliminate 99% of participants, passing should be secure.

The two look forward to going to Pingjiang together for the semifinals.

As for winning top honors, Chen Yu Ying never envisioned that, nor was it her goal.

After returning home and waiting till midnight, till Monday, the system updated, and another opportunity for a free item refresh emerged.

Switched out another "Death's Sigh 4 variant," raising the stock to two, afterwards Lin Li opted to replace it.

[You have refreshed a "Foundation Establishment Pill": 60 system currency (limited to one daily), will you replace it?]

[Foundation Establishment Pill: post-ingestion aids in foundation establishment, makes establishing easier with a more stable base afterwards.]

Lin Li: "..."

A tardy affection truly feels cheaper than grass.

Previously requested a piece yet you wouldn't give, now in sage mode desireless you send me links?

System, I f*ckingly beg of Feng a favor!