Genius Girlfriend

There were six students in Class 1 of Grade 4 who didn’t participate in the autumn trip to the aquarium.

Liu Xingjian was one of those six.

As everyone knew, Liu Xingjian had broken his leg over the summer break and got an early taste of elderly life—wherever he went, he had to rely on crutches.

One day in early November, Liu Xingjian went to the hospital to have his cast removed and finally discarded his crutches. The doctor told him that his leg injury had mostly healed. Given his young age, his recovery ability was excellent. As long as he strictly followed the doctor’s advice, paid attention to maintenance and rehabilitation, there would be no lasting aftereffects.

Liu Xingjian was in a very cheerful mood. His glorious era was about to return.

After several months, Liu Xingjian no longer relied on external aids. Using his own two legs, he climbed the stairs step by step and entered the classroom of Class 1, Grade 4. Under the attentive gaze of many classmates, Liu Xingjian announced, "My leg is healed."

It was a drizzly morning, and all the lights in the classroom were turned on. The clear, bright lighting felt like a silent hymn of praise. Class President Dong Sunqi led the applause for Liu Xingjian: "Congratulations! Congratulations to Liu Xingjian! He’s standing! He’s standing!"

Scattered applause rose and fell intermittently.

Liu Xingjian slung his backpack diagonally across his shoulder and walked toward his seat.

He carried a black Adidas backpack, which made him look mature and tasteful—almost more stylish than the sixth-grade seniors. After taking his seat, he placed a stainless steel water bottle on his desk. Then, he slowly turned his head and gave Jiang Yubai a meaningful glance.

Jiang Yubai was still deeply engrossed in drawing his Exploring the Universe comic series.

To better and more concretely depict the economic market of Orion, Jiang Yubai had recently been studying economic theories on his own. His parents were thrilled that he was showing interest in finance and management and quickly arranged for him to have new tutors. They even had Jiang Yubai’s semi-retired grandfather personally impart wisdom and guidance to him.

Jiang Yubai’s knowledge system included some highly valuable practical experience—things that Lin Zhixia had never heard of or seen before.

Jiang Yubai and Lin Zhixia were passionate about constructing mathematical economic models for the Orion market and often had a great time playing with the ideas. Under Jiang Yubai’s direction, the Earth Legion’s gross product was flourishing.

"This won’t do," Lin Zhixia said. "We are the Earth Legion. Our development is too smooth—there’s no conflict. Readers won’t like it."

Without looking up, Jiang Yubai continued drawing. "I’m a reader. I like it."

Lin Zhixia leaned over the desk, watching his rapidly moving pen tip. "The villain Dong Sunqi has no role left, and Navigator Lin Zhixia has no part to play either."

"You have plenty of scenes," Jiang Yubai paused his pen and flipped back a couple of pages. "You appear every day. Yesterday, you led the Earth Legion to detonate an intercontinental missile on a molecular cloud…"

Before Jiang Yubai could finish, a finger suddenly tapped on his desk.

He looked up and saw Liu Xingjian.

Anyone with eyes could tell that Liu Xingjian’s intentions were far from friendly.

Liu Xingjian kept his left hand in his pocket and braced his right hand on Jiang Yubai’s desk. This way, he not only reduced the strain on his legs but also exerted a sense of pressure on Jiang Yubai.Liu Xingjian's expression was as impassive as Wuqing from the TV drama "The Four Great Constables." His complexion was so pale that classmates secretly referred to him as "pretty boy," though no one dared call him that to his face.

No one knew why he was picking a fight with Jiang Yubai.

Jiang Yubai recalled that not long ago, when Liu Xingjian still needed crutches, he had inexplicably provoked Liu Xingjian's anger.

Liu Xingjian had told Jiang Yubai to wait for him. He vowed he would teach Jiang Yubai a lesson.

What kind of lesson?

Jiang Yubai was waiting to see.

Jiang Yubai closed his notebook and handed the precious "Exploring the Universe" comic series to Lin Zhixia. His movements were resolute yet graceful, reminiscent of Liu Bei entrusting his orphaned son at Baidi City.

"What's the matter?" Jiang Yubai asked first.

"Heh." A cold laugh escaped Liu Xingjian's lips.

Jiang Yubai was widely recognized as the school heartthrob of Experimental Primary School. Liu Xingjian's looks were also quite handsome. Their strange confrontation drew frequent sidelong glances from classmates—especially the female students.

Teacher Qian would bring the first math class at eight in the morning. It was now 7:55, and in just five short minutes, Teacher Qian would step into the classroom.

Teacher Qian had zero tolerance for mischief. She particularly detested students in her class quarreling, roughhousing, or having disputes. If she discovered any troublemakers, they would all inevitably end up punished by standing in the hallway.

With survival at stake, Liu Xingjian didn't waste words. He got straight to the point: "Jiang Yubai, are you drawing 'Exploring the Universe'?"

Jiang Yubai had thought Liu Xingjian wanted to fight him and had already prepared to defend himself. He hadn't expected Liu Xingjian to bring up the "Exploring the Universe" comic series.

In fact, Liu Xingjian had originally intended to fight.

But he had heard that Jiang Yubai lived on an estate, maintained a strict routine of early bedtimes and early rises, exercised regularly, and even had a dedicated martial arts instructor. Meanwhile, Liu Xingjian's leg injury had just healed. At this point, picking a fight with Jiang Yubai would clearly be unwise.

As the saying goes, wisdom prevails over brute force.

Liu Xingjian devised a plan.

Lately, the entire class had been obsessed with "Exploring the Universe," which Jiang Yubai and Lin Zhixia co-serialized. The class was divided into two factions: one was the Earth Legion represented by Jiang Yubai, and the other was the Orion resistance organization led by Dong Sunqi. The Orion students had complained that the Earth Legion was too powerful. Not only did the Earth Legion have a military defense system, but it also had economic and resource support... Orion stood no chance of winning.

So now, Liu Xingjian said to Jiang Yubai, "I want to draw your comic."

Jiang Yubai responded calmly, "Why?"

Liu Xingjian glared at him. "I'll represent Orion and crush you to pieces. I'll make the Earthlings scram!"

Just as Liu Xingjian uttered the bold declaration "crush you to pieces," Teacher Qian happened to step through the classroom's main door. Some Orion students in the class grew extremely nervous, so tense that their stomachs churned, and they felt like vomiting on the spot.

The situation was quite complicated.

Teacher Qian's face turned ashen.

Liu Xingjian, with his back to the classroom door, completely missed the subtle shift in the class atmosphere and failed to notice Teacher Qian's arrival. The class bell hadn't rung yet, so Liu Xingjian thought he still had time.He had chosen to approach Jiang Yubai just before math class, calculating that Jiang Yubai wouldn’t dare lay a hand on him. Growing increasingly brazen, he spouted nonsense: "Earthlings are all cowards!"

"Liu Xingjian!"

Teacher Qian’s roar pierced the sky.

Jiang Yubai gloated and whispered, "Turn around. Behind you is an Earthling."

Liu Xingjian spun his head around to see Teacher Qian advancing step by step. In his hand was a pointer, his expression grim, radiating an aura of terror. In that instant, nearby classmates felt as if the end of the world had arrived.

"Liu Xingjian! What are you saying?" Teacher Qian demanded, heartbroken.

In truth, Liu Xingjian could have revealed the secret of the Exploring the Universe comic series.

But self-made comics were strictly forbidden at school.

Their homeroom teacher, Teacher Wu, prohibited all activities related to "writing novels or drawing comics."

"The foundation of novels lies in experience and insight. At your age, what could you possibly write? Do you understand character development or plot design? Don’t waste paper, I’m telling you."—Such was Teacher Wu’s earnest admonition.

Exploring the Universe thrived under the tacit protection of the entire class. Every student in Class 1, Grade 4 had unwittingly become underground operatives.

No one reported Jiang Yubai.

No one exposed Exploring the Universe .

If Liu Xingjian leaked the existence of Exploring the Universe , the entire class would face an unprecedented catastrophe. The homeroom teacher would sternly criticize a large group of students during class meetings, dredging up past grievances, lecturing them on principles, and making everyone write self-criticisms.

To everyone’s surprise, in front of Teacher Qian, Liu Xingjian did not mention Exploring the Universe . He shouldered all the responsibility alone. Taking a deep breath and clenching his fists, he loudly replied, "I was just joking!"

"Get out!" Teacher Qian pointed at the classroom door. "Get out and stand in the hallway for the entire class! Don’t step into my classroom again! How dare you, at such a young age, say things like ‘Earthlings are cowards’ and ‘make Earthlings go back’! Liu Xingjian, have you lost your mind from reading too much? You lack even the most basic sense of right and wrong! Do you think this is a trivial matter? Something to joke about? Don’t think just because your mom is the vice principal and your dad is a bureau chief, no teacher dares to criticize you! Get out now! Keep your mouth shut and reflect on yourself! You’ve lost all sense of order—your brain has rusted!"

The class remained deathly silent.

It was worth noting that Liu Xingjian had never been punished by a teacher before.

He was arrogant, noble, and inviolable.

He bullied classmates, but no one bullied him. His heart was smaller than the eye of a needle. He repaid the slightest grievance with overwhelming retaliation.

The entire class avoided him like the plague.

And today, Liu Xingjian’s first attempt to provoke Jiang Yubai ended with him "standing in the hallway as punishment."

Even Liu Xingjian could not defy Teacher Qian’s orders. He shot Jiang Yubai a vicious glare, sharp as a blade, as if he wanted to tear him apart and devour him alive.

Jiang Yubai unscrewed his water bottle, poured half a cup of clear tea, and sat at his desk, drinking it as if no one else were around. A faint tea fragrance drifted through the air. Lin Zhixia softly asked him, "What kind of tea is this?"He replied, "West Lake Longjing, the imperial tribute tea from the eight trees before the emperor."

Lin Zhixia whispered, "Isn't that very expensive?"

Jiang Yubai said indifferently, "It's alright."

Liu Xingjian couldn't stand it. He couldn't stand Jiang Yubai's insufferable attitude and really wanted to punch him in the face.

However, Teacher Qian scolded loudly, "What are you waiting for! Liu Xingjian! Don't think I'll go easy on you! Get outside right now for punishment! After class, I'll talk to your homeroom teacher and your mom, and we'll have a good discussion about your behavior!"

Liu Xingjian mustered his courage and ran out of the classroom.

He stood quietly in the hallway as punishment.

It happened to be another rainy day. A fine drizzle fell from the sky, blurring the scenery. The cold wind carried chilly moisture, blowing against him. He shivered from the cold, yet his bones felt harder than usual.

Liu Xingjian instinctively stood by the window. He could see the hanging lights, chairs, and radiators inside.

With his hands tucked in his sleeves, he looked dejected, like a rural farmer who had lost his provisions before winter.

Through the window, Lin Zhixia noticed Liu Xingjian. She couldn't help but recall the Lebanese poet Kahlil Gibran's poem "Seven Times Have I Despised My Soul." Gibran wrote: And the seventh time, when my heart cowered in the mire of life, though unwilling, yet hesitant and afraid.

Cowering in the mire of life, though unwilling, yet hesitant and afraid.

So fitting.

This was Liu Xingjian's current state.

He was extremely unwilling. But he couldn't charge back into the classroom.

He poured all his resentment into his gaze, scrutinizing Jiang Yubai without letting up for a moment.

Jiang Yubai's seat was in the corner of the last row. He was perfectly content there. He seemed to be listening attentively to the lesson, but occasionally he would say a few words to Lin Zhixia. And then, Lin Zhixia would inevitably laugh, leaning over her desk.

What were the two of them laughing about?

Were they laughing at me? Liu Xingjian wondered.

Liu Xingjian felt immense humiliation. This heavy sense of disgrace could only be understood by Liu He, the seventh emperor of the Western Han Dynasty. According to historical records, Liu He was deposed as the "Deposed Emperor" after just 27 days on the throne and exiled to a remote, desolate land.

Despite his young age, Liu Xingjian already understood the sorrow of being "deposed" and "exiled."

The gloomy sky could be measured by time.

For Liu Xingjian, every second felt like a year.

The school building was shaped like a square with a central courtyard, so he could see teachers passing by on the opposite corridor, and they could all see him too. Since his mom was the school's vice-principal, responsible for the educational funds of the upper grades, most teachers in this school knew Liu Xingjian.

Everyone knew Liu Xingjian!

This forty-five-minute class was entirely a period of torment for him.

In his utterly humiliating situation, he endured a math class with great difficulty.

When he heard the bell ring and saw Teacher Qian leave the classroom, he moved as fast as a gust of wind. He charged straight back into the classroom.

Jiang Yubai was surrounded by classmates. Liu Xingjian shouted, "Move aside!" and no one blocked his path anymore.

The class monitor, Dong Sunqi, turned pale. He was afraid Liu Xingjian couldn't control himself.Dong Sunqi wanted to play peacemaker. After mentally preparing his speech, he said gently: "Liu Xingjian, you'd rather stand in punishment than reveal the comic book matter—we all understand! We remember your kindness! Next month, every fourth-grade class will nominate an outstanding class leader. Let's nominate you! Nominate Liu Xingjian!"

Ding Yan chimed in: "Nominate Liu Xingjian! Vote for our Brother Liu!"

"Don't think you can bribe me!" Liu Xingjian retorted coldly.

The previous math class might have been insignificant to other students, but for Liu Xingjian, it posed a tremendous challenge. He placed the blame squarely on Jiang Yubai.

He said to Jiang Yubai: "Jiang Yubai, the whole class is reading your 'Exploring the Universe.' You favor the Earthlings—that's unfair."

He wasn't wrong.

Even Class President Dong Sunqi somewhat agreed.

Dong Sunqi was the main antagonist in the "Exploring the Universe" comic series. Compared to Jiang Yubai's Earth Legion, Dong Sunqi's forces were poorly equipped. What could he do? Should Dong Sunqi just stand by and watch his Orion companions lose to the Earthlings?

Impossible!

Dong Sunqi voiced his support for Liu Xingjian: "Liu Xingjian! You're our Class One student—you should have a role in the comics too! Join us in Orion, and let's attack the Earthlings together!"

"Fine," Liu Xingjian extended a hand toward Jiang Yubai, "Give me the comics. Let us Orion folks handle the Orion storyline."

Jiang Yubai disagreed.

Liu Xingjian burned with rage, his eyes nearly splitting with anger.

The standoff between Liu Xingjian and Jiang Yubai reached a fever pitch.

Although classmates rarely discussed it openly, they were all aware of each other's family backgrounds and vaguely understood why their homeroom teacher showed favoritism. The teacher always treated both Liu Xingjian and Jiang Yubai with spring-like warmth.

Meddling in conflicts between Liu Xingjian and Jiang Yubai was a thankless task—even Class President Dong Sunqi had to think twice before intervening.

Yet, Lin Zhixia suddenly spoke up: "Liu Xingjian, you can prepare your own notebook as a new Orion chapter for the 'Exploring the Universe' series. But you must maintain consistency with our existing story—you can't disrupt the comic's narrative integrity."

The Orion students perked up immediately. They were more than happy to appoint Liu Xingjian as the new writer for the Orion storyline. After all, Liu Xingjian was one of their own.

Liu Xingjian readily agreed.

Jiang Yubai hesitated slightly. Lin Zhixia met his gaze, and he found himself unable to voice opposition. His silence conveyed consent.

Liu Xingjian wasted no time. He opened a brand-new leather notebook and wrote "Exploring the Universe: Orion" in large characters on the title page. Following Lin Zhixia's guidance, he wrote his character profile on the first page: Liu Xingjian, Orion Legion's...

"Vice Commander," Lin Zhixia suggested.

"Yes!" Dong Sunqi eagerly agreed, "Liu Xingjian is our Orion Vice Commander!"

A circle of students gathered around Liu Xingjian's desk. When one Orion student reached out to touch Liu Xingjian's notebook, Liu Xingjian slapped their hand away and snapped: "Get lost! Don't interrupt my plotting!"

Jiang Yubai reminded him: "Don't forget what you just agreed to. You can't destroy the story's integrity—your plot must be logical.""Must be logical" was the point Jiang Yubai emphasized most strongly.

The "Exploring the Universe" comic series was rooted in Lin Zhixia's rich and extensive knowledge. According to the comic's content, both Earthlings and Orion inhabitants had developed their own production systems and economic value—they could establish factories, mine gold, create schools, and produce military forces. Every morning at seven, Lin Zhixia would update each faction's data based on the previous day's economic growth rate, technological research rate, and population expansion rate.

So far, Dong Sunqi had been striving to develop the economy and improve people's livelihoods. He dreamed of revitalizing the economy, expanding into cosmic space, and defeating the Earth Legion.

Liu Xingjian seemed to share Dong Sunqi's aspirations. The first drawing he created depicted Liu Xingjian drawing his sword and swearing loyalty to Dong Sunqi.

Dong Sunqi applauded with relief: "Liu Xingjian, our deputy leader! Since you've just joined Orion, let's hold a welcome party for you!"

Frowning, Liu Xingjian sketched a crude auditorium. In his drawing, Liu Xingjian stood in the auditorium's hall, toasting toward Dong Sunqi.

Jiang Yubai commented: "Like Li Lianying paying homage to Empress Dowager Cixi."

Li Lianying paying homage to Empress Dowager Cixi?

Who didn't know Li Lianying was the chief eunuch of the late Qing Dynasty! Liu Xingjian threw down his pen and immediately flew into a rage: "Jiang Yubai! You're calling me a eunuch!"

"What I meant," Jiang Yubai defended himself, "is that you're a loyal soldier who shows great respect to your leader!"

Lin Zhixia chimed in: "Loyalty is the supreme medal. The chivalry of medieval Europe promoted loyalty and courage!"

Liu Xingjian caught his breath. He wrote his lines in his notebook: "Earthlings on Orion, are you afraid? I won't let you return to Earth unscathed!"

Lin Zhixia immediately responded: "As an Earthling, I'm reminded of what the ancient Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote in his work 'Meditations'—'What troubles us is not the events themselves, but our judgments about them. It is not things that disturb us, but our interpretations of them.' As long as we hold hope in our hearts, we can overcome all fear."

The Earthlings marveled and applauded Lin Zhixia one after another.

She became the undisputed center of attention.

Outside the window, the rain kept falling. Thunder rumbled, and rain poured down heavily. The vast curtain of rain reminded Liu Xingjian of that day when he got scalded in the water room—not only did Jiang Yubai fail to formally apologize, but he also sarcastically mocked his limp.

This was absolutely unbearable. He would definitely make Jiang Yubai pay.

Liu Xingjian coughed gloomily and declared in his notebook: "I declare war on the Earthlings! Attack their base!"

Dong Sunqi placed a hand on Liu Xingjian's shoulder: "Deputy leader! You've just joined the organization, and you already want to go to war?"

"Strike them by surprise!" Liu Xingjian proclaimed passionately.

The deputy class monitor Tang Yueqin was also from Orion. In fact, nearly all class cadres of Class 1, Grade 4 belonged to the Orion faction—except for the Chinese class representative. The Chinese class representative was Lin Zhixia. As everyone knew, Lin Zhixia was the Chief Strategist of the Earth Legion.

The position of deputy leader in the Orion Legion had been vacant for a long time. Tang Yueqin had originally assumed that, as deputy class monitor, she would naturally become deputy leader too. She never expected that the suddenly emerging Liu Xingjian would snatch the position from her."Vice Leader!" Tang Yueqin demanded angrily, "Have you read 'Exploring the Universe'? Do you know how much money our organization currently has, how many people are in our military forces?"

Liu Xingjian's expression changed.

He didn't know.

Of course he didn't know.

He hadn't had time to read the "Exploring the Universe" comic series yet.

But he was a qualified Vice Leader.

A qualified deputy leader would never expose his ignorance. Undoubtedly, the deputy leader should serve to stabilize the morale of the troops. Moreover, this Cosmic War was imminent and unavoidable.

Liu Xingjian rose from his seat, his back to a window. Outside, wind and rain raged, casting a gloomy light. Standing firm in this darkest hour, he delivered an impromptu speech: "Are you afraid to fight just because we lack money and manpower? Are you willing to follow Dong Sunqi and be cowards? Jiang Yubai has already bullied you to your faces, yet you still tuck your tails between your legs? Do you have any guts? Dare you fight?"

"Fight!" a nearby boy was the first to respond.

The phrase "follow Dong Sunqi and be cowards" deeply offended Dong Sunqi himself. When watching movies, Dong Sunqi most admired intelligent villains, like the gang boss in Infernal Affairs . He hoped to exhibit the same demeanor when leading the Orion Army.

However, Liu Xingjian was an utterly furious radical.

Dong Sunqi tried to stop him: "Liu Xingjian! You're the deputy leader! You must know that Jiang Yubai's military strength surpasses ours!"

Liu Xingjian remained resolute: "I don't care! I want you to declare war immediately! If you don't, I'll..." He grabbed the deputy class monitor Tang Yueqin and demanded, "What authority does the deputy leader have?"

Tang Yueqin, like a double agent, disclosed: "Reporting to the deputy leader, you can open the Military Armory."

"Good!" Liu Xingjian glared coldly at Dong Sunqi. "If you don't declare war, I'll open the Military Armory and blow up the Orion base."

"Ah! You traitor!" Dong Sunqi let out a desperate cry.

Dong Sunqi's deskmate quickly supported him, comforting: "Leader! Leader! Hold on! You must hold on! If you fall, millions of our Orion compatriots will..."

"There's no future," Lin Zhixia helped him come up with an adjective.

After bitter reflection, Dong Sunqi forced himself to stand firm. With his hands behind his back, he paced the aisle formed by desks, recalling a TV drama he had watched last year titled Love Through Time . Love Through Time told a vivid story—two beautiful sisters traveled back to the Ming Dynasty, witnessing its social development and historical changes.

Dong Sunqi remembered that in the drama, the Ming emperor Zhu Yunwen was unfortunately usurped by his fourth uncle Zhu Di, leading to a complete dynastic change. Taking history as a mirror, Dong Sunqi secretly calculated that he would not make Zhu Yunwen's mistakes, nor would he repeat Zhu Yunwen's fate.

"Liu Xingjian!" Dong Sunqi boldly called out Liu Xingjian's full name. "If you want to fight, then we fight. However, on the battlefield, you must follow my commands! I am the leader of the Orion organization, and I have the ability to control magnetic fields! I can detonate the Cloud Nucleus—you can't bear the consequences!"

His spittle sprayed onto Liu Xingjian's face.

Liu Xingjian lowered his head, raised his sleeve, and wiped off the spittle. His eyes filled with complex emotions, his expression shifting rapidly, and he let out a sinister, ruthless laugh: "When do we start?"

"How about after the next class?" Lin Zhixia suggested seriously. "It's raining today, so we don't have to run during the long break—we have half an hour for entertainment. Later, I'll draft the war rules. Tang Yueqin and Ding Yan, since you two are deskmates, you'll be responsible for drawing the battlefield terrain map."Tang Yueqin and Ding Yan readily agreed.

The entire class eagerly anticipated the extended break.

The thirty-minute extended break would become a Cosmic War involving the whole class!

Liu Xingjian felt slightly relieved. He didn't care at all about things like Orion, deputy leaders, factories, or soldiers. All he wanted was to concentrate all firepower in the Virtual Battlefield during the extended break and thoroughly beat up Jiang Yubai's comic book avatar.

He sat back down in his seat, turned his head, and glanced at Dong Sunqi, Tang Yueqin, and others. To his surprise, he discovered that Tang Yueqin was playing Cat's cradle with Lin Zhixia!

Tang Yueqin and Lin Zhixia stood at the back of the classroom. Tang Yueqin held the string with both hands while Lin Zhixia hooked it with her fingertips. Lin Zhixia smiled particularly sweetly, her eyes sparkling brightly.

At this critical moment of a life-and-death decisive battle! Tang Yueqin actually had the mood to play Cat's cradle!

Moreover, she was playing with the enemy's Chief Strategist—the most evil Lin Zhixia!

Was Cat's cradle really that fun?

This was simply unforgivable treasonous behavior!

Liu Xingjian's anger surged to his heart. He grabbed his deskmate and demanded, "You're also from Orion, right?"

The deskmate timidly nodded: "Yes, yes, I have... photocopies of the 'Exploring the Universe' comic here." As he spoke, the deskmate opened his backpack and handed a stack of photocopies to Liu Xingjian.

Liu Xingjian treasured them as if he had obtained priceless jewels.

This class period was Chinese language class.

Teacher Wu walked up to the podium holding her teaching plan.

Today's lesson would study two ancient poems titled "Seeing Meng Haoran off at Yellow Crane Tower" and "Farewell to Yuan Second on His Mission to Anxi."

Teacher Wu first began explaining "Seeing Meng Haoran off at Yellow Crane Tower." She recited the first line: "My friend has left the west where the Yellow Crane towers, For River Town when willow-down and flowers abound." Then she commented: "Classmates, listen to how beautiful our Chinese ancient poetry is. The author of this poem is Li Bai. Who is Li Bai? Ah, that's right, Teacher Wu has told you before—Li Bai is the Poet Immortal in our history..."

Teacher Wu lectured with great relish on the platform.

Meanwhile, Lin Zhixia was formulating rules for the Cosmic War at her seat. She also felt quite enthusiastic. She simplified the combat methods for both sides and listed a series of relevant data. She had long been prepared for the war to begin—Earthlings would never be slaves!

Jiang Yubai whispered to her: "Can you win?"

Lin Zhixia countered: "Do you want to win? As I've said before, as long as we're having fun, I don't care about winning or losing."

Victory and defeat are merely external concerns.

But Jiang Yubai's focus was: "What kind of game would make you have fun?"

"Haha," Lin Zhixia chuckled quietly, "The starting point of your question itself can make me happy."

Jiang Yubai repeated: "Starting point?"

"That means your underlying intention," Lin Zhixia explained.

While she was whispering with Jiang Yubai during class, a classmate to Jiang Yubai's right passed a small note across the aisle. Coincidentally, Teacher Wu was writing on the blackboard and didn't notice the students' minor movements.

That small note came from the class monitor's deskmate.

The class monitor's deskmate was named Wei Rongjie. Wei Rongjie was also a rather special boy. He was deeply passionate about history and had thoroughly studied "Romance of the Three Kingdoms." His reading volume was astonishingly large—he would definitely read every issue of "Yilin" and "Reader," and would repeatedly savor "Zhiyin" and "Story Club." Sometimes he would even take notes and excerpts for the excellent magazine "Modern Family."Wei Rongjie was well-informed. He was the Chief Strategist of the Orion Legion.

All the students in the class knew that Lin Zhixia had read many books. Wei Rongjie also seemed to have read extensively. The gap between him and Lin Zhixia probably wasn't that big—this was how Dong Sunqi comforted himself.

Thus, during this Chinese language class, Dong Sunqi consulted Wei Rongjie: "Wei Rongjie, what should we do? Liu Xingjian wants to attack the Earthlings' base, and Jiang Yubai and Lin Zhixia are both preparing. Our Orion Legion's economy is weak, and we have few soldiers. Going to war now would be suicide, wouldn't it?"

Wei Rongjie realized the severity of the situation.

He furrowed his brows, gripped his pen, and sighed: "My lord..."

Dong Sunqi also sighed: "Go ahead and say it, I won't blame you."

Wei Rongji spoke bluntly: "I have a plan!"

Dong Sunqi urged anxiously: "What plan! Hurry up and tell me! There are only thirty minutes left before class ends. Right after class is the long break, and the war will start immediately!"

Wei Rongjie flattened his notebook: "We can form a marriage alliance!"

Dong Sunqi looked astonished: "Marriage alliance?"

"Yes, a marriage alliance!" Wei Rongjie explained, "For a war to start, both sides must agree. Right now, Liu Xingjian wants to fight, but Jiang Yubai hasn't said he definitely will. In 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms,' Sun Quan married his sister Sun Shangxiang to Liu Bei to win him over! We should learn from Sun Quan! My lord, I'll be Zhou Yu, and you'll be Sun Quan!"

Dong Sunqi frowned: "Who will be Sun Shangxiang?"

Wei Rongjie whispered his suggestion: "Ruan Jingjing."

Dong Sunqi gasped sharply.

Ruan Jingjing was their class's arts committee member. In the "Exploring the Universe" comic, she had opened her own bank. She was a member of the Orion organization and a formidable figure. Dong Sunqi couldn't bear to lose such a capable subordinate.

Moreover, Ruan Jingjing was not someone to be trifled with. In the first semester of third grade, she had an argument with a male classmate and directly made him cry.

Ruan Jingjing's nickname in class was "The Dominating Flower."

Some had once asserted that the day Ruan Jingjing and Liu Xingjian fought would be the ultimate doomsday for Class 4-1.

Dong Sunqi questioned Wei Rongjie: "Will Ruan Jingjing agree?"

"She will," Wei Rongjie said, "Ruan Jingjing told me she misses Earth! She wants to be an Earthling."

After Dong Sunqi and Wei Rongjie reached an agreement, Wei Rongjie became very solemn.

Wei Rongjie first drafted an outline, then based on that draft, he composed a "Letter of Peace," which he successfully passed to Jiang Yubai in the form of a small note.

When Jiang Yubai received the note and opened it, he saw written: "Respected leader of the Earth Legion, Jiang Yubai, greetings. We have decided to transfer Ruan Jingjing to the Earthlings' base! This is a marriage alliance! We hope you will not initiate war! Long live peace!"

Jiang Yubai was stunned for a few seconds.

Lin Zhixia snatched the note, glanced at it, and asked puzzled: "Marriage alliance? Why would they think of a marriage alliance?"

"They're insane," Jiang Yubai remarked.Standing on the three-foot podium, Teacher Wu was still passionately explaining "Seeing Meng Haoran off to Guangling." With both hands resting on the lectern, he recited raptly: "His lone sail blurs in the azure sky, only the Long River flows to the horizon. This is no simple lament, students! In just fourteen characters, it captures the beauty of nature and the friendship between literati! You must carefully savor each word, appreciate Li Bai's romanticism, and experience the rhythmic beauty of poetry..."

"His lone sail blurs in the azure sky, only the Long River flows to the horizon—it captures the friendship between literati," Lin Zhixia repeated the line, then whispered, "Jiang Yubai, do you accept a marriage alliance? It won't affect our friendship."

Jiang Yubai tore the note to shreds: "I'm going to war after class."

Wei Rongjie's strategy not only failed to ease tensions but accelerated the march toward war—an outcome neither Wei Rongjie nor Dong Sunqi had anticipated.

When the class-ending bell rang, Teacher Wu left the classroom.

Jiang Yubai rose from his seat and raised his arm in a rallying cry: "Earthlings must fight back!"

Lin Zhixia followed with a declaration: "This war was initiated by Orion's Liu Xingjian! We tried reconciliation, but Liu Xingjian refused..."

Lin Zhixia's talent for rallying troops was first-class, as Dong Sunqi knew well. If she had the intent, she could move a crowd to tears... He couldn't let her continue!

Dong Sunqi hastily interrupted her: "Is there no room for negotiation at all? Lin Zhixia!"

"Go, Orion! Crush the Earthlings!" Liu Xingjian slammed his water cup on the desk with a heavy thud. Many Orion classmates, infected by his fervor, clamored for immediate battle.

Ding Yan and Tang Yueqin had already drawn the war maps. On two A3 sheets, they sketched four zones—cliffs, lakes, precipices, and desert—labeled A, B, C, and D.

"Each army can only occupy one zone," Lin Zhixia suggested. "I want Zone D!"

Zone D was a prized location surrounded by mountains on three sides, close to the lakes.

Originally, Liu Xingjian hadn't wanted Zone D, but he enjoyed competing with Lin Zhixia. He proposed settling it with a coin toss: heads, Zone D would be his; tails, it would belong to Lin Zhixia.

Lin Zhixia agreed.

"Who will flip the coin?" Lin Zhixia asked.

"Me!" Ding Yan volunteered.

Ding Yan took a one-yuan coin from Lin Zhixia. Liu Xingjian, distrustful, inspected the coin himself. As he handed it back to Ding Yan, his sinister gaze followed him, threatening, "If you try any tricks, you won't leave this classroom alive."

Ding Yan broke out in goosebumps, nearly forgetting he had trained in taekwondo.

The one-yuan coin spun through the air and landed on the desk with a slap.

The result was...

Heads!

Heads up!

Liu Xingjian won!

Liu Xingjian successfully secured control of Zone D, exchanging high-fives with Dong Sunqi, Wei Rongjie, and others.

Meanwhile, the Earth Legion classmates cast reproachful looks at Ding Yan. Shamefaced, he shrank beside a desk, his face flushed crimson, stammering, "I didn't... prepare adequately."Lin Zhixia circled an area near the cliff with a red pen: "Zone B is better, we can station ourselves in Zone B."

Liu Xingjian slammed the table: "Attack, we attack now." He selected weapons from the pictures spread out in Lin Zhixia's notebook. Lin Zhixia's arsenal was diverse, and Liu Xingjian chose the most powerful "Anti-Gravity Weapon" and "Micro Black Hole."

"Aim at Jiang Yubai!" Liu Xingjian said, "Wherever Jiang Yubai is, that's where we aim!"

But Tang Yueqin reported to him: "Vice Commander! We can't afford the Anti-Gravity Weapon and Micro Black Hole! The prices of these two weapons are too high! We can't afford them!"

Liu Xingjian straightened his index finger and pressed it on the line that read "Orion Economic Reserve." He said: "Orion's money is enough, look, it's enough."

"No!" Tang Yueqin objected, "This is our principal. If we use up this money, we won't have any left to take care of the soldiers, buy food, or dig for gold!"

Liu Xingjian sneered coldly: "Who cares about what happens after! As long as we take care of Jiang Yubai, what does a little sacrifice matter! Stop your nonsense! I'm going to deal with Jiang Yubai today!"

Tang Yueqin was furious: "You haven't left any way out for our Orion!"

"You're blaming me!" Liu Xingjian exposed her, "During the break last class, you were playing Cat's cradle with Lin Zhixia! Why were you playing Cat's cradle with Lin Zhixia! Are you a spy sent by the Earthlings!"

Tang Yueqin grabbed Dong Sunqi's arm, pinching it until his whole arm went numb.

Without time to hesitate or think, Tang Yueqin shook Dong Sunqi wildly: "Liu Xingjian is wronging me! Dong Sunqi, you were the one who pulled me into Orion! Your vice commander Liu Xingjian is falsely accusing people, aren't you going to do something about it?"

Dong Sunqi, dizzy from her shaking, could only try to smooth things over: "There's no helping it, we've already started the war..."

As the group was arguing, a sudden stomping of shoe soles came from the front row.

Lin Zhixia reacted the fastest. She immediately found a seat and sat down, holding the notebook with Jiang Yubai's "Exploring the Universe" comic manuscript in her arms, pretending to be reading her Chinese textbook.

Except for Lin Zhixia, no one else had left the scene.

Teacher Wu caught the whole group red-handed.

Teacher Wu, holding a pointer in one hand, slapped the desk twice hard with it. She pulled out the map drawn on A3 paper, Liu Xingjian's declaration of war, and the draft version of Wei Rongjie's "marriage alliance proposal."

In that instant, the entire fourth grade class (1) seemed to sink into a swamp. This swamp swallowed all joy and sound.

Teacher Wu, holding that stack of contraband, walked up to the podium. As she turned around, she shouted: "I'm so disappointed in you! You are the worst group of students I've ever taught!"