Chapter 46: You Should Sit Out This Knowledge Competition

The first week of the new semester flew by in the blink of an eye. Everyone went about their routines, each day passing as predictably as the rising and setting of the sun, with little change. Qin Anyi maintained his habit of training every day according to Qilin’s demands. Just as Qilin had said, the two thousand push-ups, twelve hundred sit-ups, eight squats, and a fifteen-kilometer steady-paced morning run on the first day were merely an easy adaptation. Over the following days, Qilin increased the training load by fifty percent on top of that—and that was with the weighted vest on!

Under Qilin’s strict supervision, the training always pushed Qin Anyi to the very limits of his physical endurance. Every day felt like a torment, as if he died and was reborn, yet this week of pain brought astonishing progress to his body. If it weren’t for the remarkable improvements he could clearly feel, which gave him immense satisfaction, Qin Anyi wasn’t sure he could have persevered.

According to Qilin, the potential-stimulating agent played a role in this progress. Without the support of the agent’s effects, his training results would have been at most a third of what they were now. Although the agent was highly effective, a shadow lingered in Qin Anyi’s heart, for Qilin had warned him that it was not fully developed and would likely have side effects. However, since it had never been tested on humans, no one knew what those side effects might be. To Qin Anyi, it felt like having a bomb placed inside his body, never knowing when it might go off with a bang.

Apart from training, every evening Qin Anyi would give his family a few yuan, claiming it was his wage from tutoring. He told his parents a small lie—that he earned twenty yuan per hour as a tutor. Though this was an unusually high rate, it was not unheard of in Changqing City, so his parents did not suspect anything. They merely urged him not to overexert himself and to prioritize his health and studies.

The weighted vest Qin Anyi wore was provided by Wang Yiran, who complied with all his requests without question. When Qin Anyi explained what he needed, she delivered without hesitation, leaving him both amused and helpless—she knew every detail he required.

Although this series of changes had made Qin Anyi’s school life somewhat chaotic, he found joy in it. His current relationship with Wang Yiran was more complicated than outsiders could ever guess; sharing certain secrets had brought them closer together, forging a bond that was both exhilarating and unforgettable.

But where some found happiness, others tasted bitterness. As rumors of Qin Anyi and Wang Yiran’s relationship spread through the school, a small group grew increasingly enraged—none more so than Guo Qingyuan. Despite two years of unsuccessful pursuit, despite never making any progress with Wang Yiran, Guo Qingyuan had long considered her his own. In his mind, it was only a matter of time before she agreed to be with him; no matter how proud she was, she would eventually submit to him.

When Wang Yiran publicly acknowledged her relationship with Qin Anyi, the news struck Guo Qingyuan like a lightning bolt. The entire school knew of his feelings for Wang Yiran and that he had always regarded her as his woman. For two years, he’d been patient only because she’d refused everyone, not just him. Now, the news was a public slap in the face, stinging his pride. Learning that Qin Anyi and Wang Yiran had already become intimate, Guo Qingyuan skipped class for half a day and smashed everything in his room at home.

Both of Guo Qingyuan’s parents were government employees; his father, in particular, was a department head with an unpredictable schedule. During the day, only a housekeeper was at home, who was so terrified by Guo Qingyuan’s rare outburst that she dared not make a sound.

People who grow up surrounded by praise, who have never faced setbacks, tend to be exceedingly arrogant. Such people cannot tolerate having their wishes thwarted. For Guo Qingyuan, both Wang Yiran and Qin Anyi had become enemies. He believed they were deliberately trying to humiliate him, though neither of them gave him a second thought.

Sometimes, reality is just that simple and cruel—it defies reason.

“Qingyuan…” The vice principal coughed. “I called you in today because there’s something I need to discuss with you.”

After skipping school all morning, Guo Qingyuan had just arrived in the afternoon when he was summoned to the office. Inside were not only the vice principal but also Wang Yiran, Qin Anyi, and Shi Le. Fate clearly had a wicked sense of humor.

Though his expression was sour, Guo Qingyuan was genuinely curious—something seemed off. For most students, skipping class would be a serious infraction, but for him, it was no big deal. The vice principal wouldn’t call him in for that.

So what could it be?

“Well, Qingyuan, the school has considered that this period is the final sprint toward the college entrance exam. This is extremely important for you, and you shouldn’t let anything else distract you. Therefore, we’ve decided that you don’t need to participate in this year’s knowledge competition.”

The vice principal spoke gently.

Guo Qingyuan was stunned on the spot. They weren’t letting him compete? Did he hear that right?