Genius Girlfriend

The homeroom teacher, Teacher Wu's furious roar, deeply reached the ears of every student.

In a way, the "Cosmic Virtual War" during the big break had escalated into a real dispute.

And now, Teacher Wu was determined to find the culprit.

Her palm slammed heavily on the lectern several times, each slap seeming to strike the face of the class monitor, Dong Sunqi. Dong Sunqi was well aware of Teacher Wu's strict rule of "no writing novels or drawing comics in class," yet he had dared to lead the charge in creating the storyline for the Exploring the Universe comic series... At this moment, Dong Sunqi felt immense pressure.

Teacher Wu brought a chair and placed it beside the lectern. She sat on this chair, intending to have a heart-to-heart with the entire class and educate all the students at once.

First, she picked up a small note and read it expressionlessly: "Respected leader of the Earthlings, we have decided to assign Ruan Jingjing to the Earthlings' base as a gesture of peace. Long live peace."

Ruan Jingjing, sitting in the second row, flushed bright red. She was engulfed in a wave of frantic anger. She turned her head, glared at Dong Sunqi, and rolled her eyes at him.

Ruan Jingjing's action did not escape Teacher Wu's notice.

Based on Teacher Wu's judgment, Ruan Jingjing was likely unaware. That made things easier.

Teacher Wu loudly demanded, "Who wrote this note? Step forward! How old are you all, playing these games? Writing such notes right under Teacher Wu's nose? Huh, what do you mean by this? Does Class 1, Grade 4 not have a homeroom teacher anymore? Am I not in charge of you all? Do any of you have any sense of propriety?"

No one responded.

Teacher Wu slammed the lectern again: "Who exactly started this? I'm asking for the last time! If no one admits it, everyone will write an 800-word self-criticism and hand it to my office by 8 a.m. tomorrow!"

An 800-word self-criticism!

Self-criticism requires inspiration and careful thought.

Once a word count is imposed, it strips a student of the original intent behind the reflection.

Moreover, Teacher Wu had adopted a "collective punishment" policy, impartially penalizing the entire class. This move of hers was truly ruthless and strategic, befitting the homeroom teacher of Class 1, Grade 4 at the Provincial Experimental Primary School.

Jiang Yubai prepared to take all the responsibility. He stuffed his backpack into his desk and was about to stand up from his seat when Lin Zhixia grabbed his wrist.

Lin Zhixia whispered, "Wait! Jiang Yubai, you didn't write the note..."

But Jiang Yubai had already stood up.

He wasn't afraid of Teacher Wu, much less of taking responsibility.

He wanted to show Lin Zhixia what it meant to be accountable, what it meant to be brave, what it meant to stand firm against all odds!

He would protect Lin Zhixia, take care of Lin Zhixia, and ensure she faced not even a hint of risk—be it writing self-criticism or having her parents called to school. This was what a true man ought to do. Without seeking praise or admiration from his classmates, he would shoulder all the consequences alone.

He spoke candidly: "Teacher Wu, I was in class..."

Before Jiang Yubai could finish, Liu Xingjian suddenly shouted, "I did it all!"

"It was me!" Jiang Yubai hurriedly contested, "I drew the comics and created all the characters!"

Liu Xingjian confronted him head-on: "It was me! I did it!"

Jiang Yubai grew somewhat angry: "You're lying."

Liu Xingjian declared resolutely: "I'm not lying! I'm telling the truth!"

The "Cosmic War" couldn't be fought anymore, and Liu Xingjian deeply regretted it.Liu Xingjian was pondering how to deliver a fatal blow to Jiang Yubai, how to make Jiang Yubai utterly devastated?

Because of Jiang Yubai's interference, Liu Xingjian experienced the first hallway punishment of his life. Liu Xingjian swore he would never forget that humiliation, that deeply ingrained, extraordinary disgrace!

At that time, the fourth-grade discipline supervisor was patrolling the hallway and spotted Liu Xingjian being punished. The supervisor asked him, "Liu Xingjian, oh Liu Xingjian, does your Mom know you've been punished by the teacher?"

What shame and humiliation this was!

If this grievance goes unavenged, I swear I'm not human!

At this moment, Liu Xingjian had detected clues—he noticed that Jiang Yubai was trying to turn the tide.

Jiang Yubai didn't care about Teacher Wu's criticism. As long as Jiang Yubai took all the blame himself, his status in the class would skyrocket, and he would become an object of admiration and worship for all his classmates. The class representatives would feel honored to "receive Jiang Yubai's homework," and countless boys would want to team up with him during PE and activity classes. The name "Jiang Yubai" would become synonymous with fearless spirit in Class 1, Grade 4.

Liu Xingjian would never allow the situation to develop to that extent.

So, Liu Xingjian admitted even more loudly: "It was me! I created the 'Exploring the Universe' comics! I incited the whole class! I started the Universe war!"

Jiang Yubai was stunned. He and Lin Zhixia were the co-founders of the "Exploring the Universe" comic series—this wasn't just a simple matter of responsibility. Fundamentally, it was a serious issue of copyright attribution.

Thanks to his family environment, Jiang Yubai had a strong legal awareness regarding "intellectual property." He calmly listened to Liu Xingjian's statement and firmly clarified without backing down: "I organized the entire class to participate in the comic creation. I am the true initiator."

"I am!" Driven by hatred, Liu Xingjian spoke recklessly, "I had Ding Yan and Tang Yueqin draw the war terrain maps! I divided the whole class into two legions!"

"Enough!" Teacher Wu roared, "Both of you, come to my office!"

The classroom fell into complete silence, the students' breathing becoming almost inaudible.

No one spoke. Everyone was watching Jiang Yubai and Liu Xingjian, just like a group of slaves in ancient Rome watching two gladiators enter the arena, just like soldiers of the French Empire watching Napoleon being exiled. The crowd faced reality with silence, using silence as silent resistance—the scene was profoundly tragic.

Wei Rongjie was nearly moved to tears.

That draft of the "marriage alliance agreement" had been personally written by Wei Rongjie.

Yet, neither Jiang Yubai nor Liu Xingjian had exposed him.

His young and naive heart couldn't bear such great camaraderie.

Before Teacher Wu could leave the classroom, Wei Rongjie suddenly stood up, puffed out his chest, and declared proudly: "Teacher Wu! The idea of sending Ruan Jingjing for the marriage alliance was mine! Don't blame Jiang Yubai and Liu Xingjian! Blame me if you must!"

"Wei Rongjie!" Class President Dong Sunqi let out a pained and sorrowful whisper.

Wei Rongjie placed a hand on Dong Sunqi's shoulder and said gently, "I'll be back, Class President. Don't worry about me.""Wei Rongjie! How dare you speak?" Teacher Wu's rage nearly shattered the classroom. "Get over here now!"

"Coming!" Wei Rongjie clattered across the floor toward Teacher Wu.

The extended break period wasn't over yet. Outside the window, rain continued to fall, misty threads pattering against the corridor railings with a rustling sound. The sky remained overcast, dark clouds churning and completely blotting out the sunlight.

The distant rain mirrored the tears in the students' hearts.

Originally, everyone had been looking forward to this cosmic battle.

No one had anticipated the final outcome would be—the leader of the Earth Legion, the deputy leader of the Orion Legion, and the strategist of the Orion Legion all being captured by Teacher Wu.

Teacher Wu was the true villain.

Many students gathered around Lin Zhixia's desk, asking: "What should we do? Will Jiang Yubai's parents be called in? Should we stage a collective protest outside the homeroom teacher's office!"

"No. Don't go looking for the homeroom teacher. Stay rational, adapt to the situation, don't let things escalate," Lin Zhixia advised.

She remained perfectly calm.

She stopped a group of students who were planning to make a scene at the office.

Even with Jiang Yubai captured, Lin Zhixia showed no panic. She still kept the original manuscripts of the "Exploring the Universe" comic series. These manuscripts represented the spiritual anchor for many students in Class 1, Grade 4.

"I haven't seen Teacher Wu this angry in a long time," Dong Sunqi said, sitting in Jiang Yubai's seat. "Ah, if Jiang Yubai's parents get called in, it'll be my fault. I didn't step up to say a good word for him."

Lin Zhixia shook her head: "It's fine, don't blame yourself. He'll be okay too..."

All the students were watching Lin Zhixia, who maintained her gentle demeanor: "We need to learn to think from an adult's perspective."

Dong Sunqi humbly asked: "Huh? An adult's perspective?"

"Yes," Lin Zhixia patiently explained, "If you were Teacher Wu, and students in your class were obsessed with self-published serial comics, would you be worried about them? Would you try every means to get them back on track with their studies?"

Dong Sunqi declared firmly: "I would!"

Lin Zhixia nodded: "You've identified two ringleaders—one named Jiang Yubai, another named Liu Xingjian. You know what their parents do for work. Would you call each of their parents?"

Dong Sunqi hesitated, unable to answer.

Lin Zhixia mused to herself: "Adults consider risks and benefits when they do things. Just like in our 'Exploring the Universe' comic series, the accident probability for gold mining is 3.7%. We calculate final returns based on expected value, but we also have to consider the risk curve."

"What do you mean?" Dong Sunqi persisted. "Will Jiang Yubai and Liu Xingjian be okay?"

"They'll be fine," Lin Zhixia concluded.

She pulled a string from her backpack and cheerfully called out to Tang Yueqin: "Tang Yueqin! Tang Yueqin! Let's continue playing Cat's cradle!"

Tang Yueqin grabbed Dong Sunqi by the collar and hauled him out of the seat.

Then, like a cuckoo occupying another bird's nest, Tang Yueqin focused entirely on playing Cat's cradle with Lin Zhixia. For a moment, Dong Sunqi thought Tang Yueqin really was a spy sent by the Earth Legion—she showed no concern at all for Liu Xingjian and Wei Rongjie's safety.

*In the "Experimental Class Office" on the fourth floor of the teaching building, Teacher Wu was resting with her eyes closed.

On Teacher Wu's desk sat a potted plant, a stack of homework, and a lesson plan. One hand rested on the desktop while the other lay on her lap, her expression faintly revealing a trace of weariness. She asked, "Do you understand what you did wrong by drawing that kind of comic in class?"

The three students standing before her rushed to answer in unison: "Yes!"

She opened her eyes and glared at them. "Explain yourselves clearly, one by one. Wei Rongjie, you go first! What did you mean by sending Ruan Jingjing off for a political marriage? What is a political marriage? Ah, you need to pay attention to your ideological and moral standards—I'm almost too embarrassed to bring this up in class! I usually overlook other things since the school encourages your extracurricular interests, and I've been quite lenient with you all. As your homeroom teacher, I genuinely want you to learn to respect your female classmates."

"I... I read it in Romance of the Three Kingdoms ," Wei Rongjie stammered in explanation. "Sun Quan married his sister Sun Shangxiang to Liu Bei... he formed a political alliance through marriage..."

Teacher Wu slammed the desk hard. "Wei Rongjie, you completely misunderstood Romance of the Three Kingdoms . What does a historical novel about Liu Bei, Sun Quan, and Cao Cao vying for supremacy have to do with you children? You read something in a book and immediately bring it to school, into your daily lives—is that acceptable? I've told you before: students should behave like students. If Romance of the Three Kingdoms describes warming wine to slay Hua Xiong, killing Yan Liang and executing Wen Chou, setting fire at the Red Cliffs, or tearfully executing Ma Su—are you going to imitate all of that too?"

Wei Rongjie shook his head vigorously.

Over three years of school life had taught Wei Rongjie one lesson: when listening to a teacher's criticism, be attentive and respectful. Once the teacher's anger subsides, the matter can be quietly forgotten.

Compared to Jiang Yubai and Liu Xingjian, Wei Rongjie clearly had more experience in dealing with teachers.

Suddenly, Teacher Wu asked another question: "How long have you been working on this comic? Teacher Qian mentioned that Liu Xingjian strongly dislikes Earthlings—is that part of your comic's content? At your age, you're most susceptible to the influence of unrealistic comic stories. Ideological quality, children! You need to cultivate your ideological quality! Read more about truth, kindness, and beauty—things that are warm and touching. The Elementary School Student Code clearly states that you must develop morally, intellectually, physically, aesthetically, and laborally in an all-around way. Even ancient Chinese gentlemen understood 'gentleness, kindness, respect, frugality, and humility' along with 'propriety, righteousness, benevolence, wisdom, and trustworthiness.' What about you? Whose idea was it to wage war against Earthlings?"

Wei Rongjie revealed without hesitation: "It was Liu Xingjian's own idea."

"Liu Xingjian!" Teacher Wu angrily called out his full name.

Liu Xingjian stood at attention, his hands pressed tightly against his pants seams.

Teacher Wu lectured him: "Liu Xingjian, Liu Xingjian—such a fine name. There's a line in The Analects of Confucius - Yong Ye that says, 'To dwell in reverence and simplify one's conduct in dealing with the people—is that not acceptable?' Do you remember what that means? Your actions and thoughts must live up to your name, understand? Liu Xingjian?"

Liu Xingjian's gaze dropped, lifeless as withered wood, staring blankly at the floor."And you, Jiang Yubai," Teacher Wu turned to face him, "you need to focus your mind on the right path. You organized the whole class to participate in the comic, which is good—it shows you have organizational skills and leadership abilities. But is this the right approach? No. Your actions will lead to cliques forming in the class, along with scenes of fighting and conflict, which is what Teacher Wu least wants to see. You'll affect other students. Even Liu Xingjian has been driven to act recklessly by you all..."

After uttering the words "driven to act recklessly," Teacher Wu seemed to have a sudden realization: "Jiang Yubai."

Jiang Yubai stepped forward.

Teacher Wu curled her index finger and rapped her knuckles on the desk: "Jiang Yubai, tell me the truth—was the 'Exploring the Universe' comic Lin Zhixia's idea? Was it her?"

Jiang Yubai insisted firmly: "It wasn't her."

He glanced sideways at Wei Rongjie.

Wei Rongjie also said: "It wasn't her."

It really wasn't her.

Jiang Yubai had drawn the first stroke of the comic; Lin Zhixia was merely the conceptual architect of the background.

However, Teacher Wu said: "Lin Zhixia often ponders things that are quite advanced. Teacher Wu understands her and gives her more freedom, but I don't want her influencing other students. She's a good child, and most of the students in our Class 1, Grade 4 are good children. We can't let a small incident damage our class's reputation. You need to have a sense of collective honor! Good deeds stay hidden, but bad news travels fast. If you cause a scene in class, the whole grade will know about it."

Homeroom teachers often compare notes, and Teacher Wu particularly valued the concept of "class atmosphere." After thinking for a moment, she asked quietly: "Jiang Yubai, do you want to change seats?"

Change seats?

Jiang Yubai shook his head like a rattle-drum: "No."

Although there had been a period after becoming Lin Zhixia's deskmate when Jiang Yubai dreaded going to school, he felt he had long since fully adjusted.

And changing seats—without a doubt—was a sign of weakness. As a growing young man, Jiang Yubai wouldn't blame others, wouldn't hesitate, and certainly wouldn't yield to weak-willed impulses.

Teacher Wu closed her eyes again. Her fingers tapped intermittently on the desk, producing heavy, dull thuds—like an old, neglected clock disturbing the passage of time.

"Go back, all of you," Teacher Wu instructed. "Each of you write me an 800-word self-criticism and hand it in to my office by 8 a.m. tomorrow. Since this is your first offense, I won't call your parents. If it happens again, there will be no leniency. Understood?"

The three students nodded repeatedly.

Jiang Yubai, Liu Xingjian, and Wei Rongjie filed out of Teacher Wu's office. They walked quietly through the corridor, where a slanting wind and light rain from beyond the railings dampened their clothes and pants.

Several classmates from Class 1, Grade 4 leaned out the window, letting out strange shouts at the three of them—this was their special way of showing concern. Jiang Yubai could understand that.

Some students from the neighboring class, having heard the news, also came to sneak a peek at them. From the teachers' office to the classroom of Class 1, Grade 4—a distance of just a few dozen meters—Jiang Yubai somehow managed to walk with the solemn feeling of a triumphant general returning from battle.Monitor Dong Sunqi stood at the classroom entrance with his hands behind his back, his eyes slightly moist. "Jiang Yubai, Wei Rongjie, you're both back?"

"Yeah, we're back," Jiang Yubai replied.

Dong Sunqi asked further, "Did your parents get called in?"

"No," Jiang Yubai answered truthfully. "We just have to write an 800-word self-criticism."

Dong Sunqi clenched his right fist and slammed it into his left palm. "Damn! Lin Zhixia predicted this perfectly!"

He threw an arm around Wei Rongjie's shoulder. "I'm Sun Quan, you're Zhou Yu, Jiang Yubai is Liu Bei, and Lin Zhixia is Zhuge Liang!"

Jiang Yubai had no time for Dong Sunqi's nonsense. He quickly returned to his seat and noticed Lin Zhixia's expression remained unchanged. His brief absence seemed to have had no impact on her peaceful life.

Lin Zhixia had cracked open the window slightly, and hazy condensation fogged the glass. She was writing on the misted surface—the expression for Fermat's Last Theorem: x^n + y^n = z^n.

Through Fermat's Last Theorem, she continued observing the rainy world outside.

Until Jiang Yubai called her: "Lin Zhixia."

She turned her head. "You called me?"

Jiang Yubai took his seat. "I need to write an 800-word self-criticism."

Lin Zhixia sat beside him. "Can't you write it?"

How could that be?

How could he possibly not be able to write it?

Jiang Yubai opened his pencil case, tore out a sheet of draft paper, and seriously assumed a writing posture. "I write self-criticisms quickly. I'll finish it while you're daydreaming."

Lin Zhixia propped her cheek on one hand. "Really?"

Jiang Yubai declared confidently, "Really."

Having eaten too much for breakfast, Lin Zhixia felt somewhat drowsy. She simply laid her head on the desk to sleep. About ten minutes later, the long break ended, and the shrill class bell woke Lin Zhixia. Still groggy, she sat up only to discover—Jiang Yubai's draft paper remained completely blank.

Jiang Yubai maintained his pen-holding posture, still deeply contemplating and weighing his words.

"Let me help you write it," Lin Zhixia suggested.

Jiang Yubai coldly refused her. "No need, thank you. I'll handle my own matters independently." Under Lin Zhixia's various provocations, Jiang Yubai finally felt a spark of inspiration.

He picked up his pen and wrote: "The first time writing a self-criticism..." exactly six characters.

With these six characters completed, Jiang Yubai once again found himself at a loss for words. Under Lin Zhixia's intense gaze, he felt like an illiterate person who had never learned pinyin.

He recalled how many people in Singapore had praised his Chinese skills? How many times must one grieve over past events—who truly understands the past?

The phrase "How many times must one grieve over past events" comes from Tang dynasty poet Liu Yuxi's "Reflections at West Fortress Mountain." Thinking of this, Jiang Yubai simply incorporated these seven characters into his self-criticism. This brought his total to thirteen characters—only 787 more to go before completing the task. He was one step closer to success.

Lin Zhixia burst out with a "pfft" of laughter. She mercilessly teased him: "You struggled for so long and only managed thirteen characters!"

He responded calmly, without rush or agitation. "Yes. I'm working on it."

Though brief, this reply was dignified and left no room for his rival to continue mocking him.

But he hadn't anticipated that Lin Zhixia would flip through the homework he had placed on his desk. She took his "Chinese Homework Notebook" and carefully examined several pages.Then, Lin Zhixia took out a draft paper, wrote the title "Letter of Self-Criticism," and signed it "Jiang Yubai."

Jiang Yubai was utterly shocked. Because Lin Zhixia's handwriting at that moment was exactly the same as Jiang Yubai's. She had only spent ten seconds observing his homework, yet she could perfectly imitate every stroke, every curve and line.

And he, as the one being imitated, couldn't find even the slightest flaw.

Lin Zhixia swiftly wrote: This is my first time writing a self-criticism, and the phrase "How many times in this world must one lament the past?" suddenly came to mind. "This world" refers to both the world and the school. My "lamenting the past" expresses my frustration over the mistakes I’ve made. I’m sorry, Teacher Wu. This morning, I came to recognize my errors...

Following Jiang Yubai’s 13-word opening, Lin Zhixia expanded on it freely, her hand flying across the page.

Without a single moment of hesitation, she subtly downplayed the severity of the incident using nuanced language, while her words conveyed deep remorse, a touch of restraint, and a profound sense of responsibility. It was hardly a self-criticism at all—it was more like Lin Zhixia’s modern Chinese language class.

Jiang Yubai felt like kneeling before her.

Before he could fully process it, Lin Zhixia had already finished.

He wanted to apprentice himself to her.

In her conclusion, Lin Zhixia summarized: This self-criticism is my reflection, my introspection, and my opportunity for improvement. I will abide by the "Primary School Student Code of Conduct" and strive to develop morally, intellectually, physically, aesthetically, and laborally...

Jiang Yubai interjected, "In the office, Teacher Wu mentioned moral, intellectual, and physical development."

"Exactly," Lin Zhixia told him seriously. "Teacher Wu loves bringing up moral, intellectual, and physical development the most. When you write a self-criticism for her, you must include that phrase. If it’s poorly written or your attitude isn’t sincere, she might make you rewrite it."

"Rewrite?" Jiang Yubai found it hard to believe.

This period was originally a physical education class, but due to the weather, it had been temporarily changed to a self-study session. The classmates whispered and chatted quietly, but the PE teacher paid no attention.

The PE teacher sat beside the lectern, engrossed in a magazine, completely detached from the classroom.

Initially, Jiang Yubai had planned to use the self-study period to write his own handwritten self-criticism. He calmly explained his reasoning: "The trouble I caused, I should take responsibility for it myself. I can’t accept your self-criticism. I should write a new one. Even if Teacher Wu makes me rewrite it tomorrow morning, I’ll accept it."

But Lin Zhixia said to him, "Jiang Yubai, if you write a new one, the one I’ve written will be wasted. Do you want me to give this self-criticism to someone else? If I give it to Liu Xingjian, he’ll definitely think I look down on him. If I give it to Wei Rongjie, he’ll be very grateful to me. In that case, I’ll just give it to Wei Rongjie..."Without a word, Jiang Yubai tore up his own 13-word self-criticism on the spot and carefully stored Lin Zhixia’s written version on his behalf."