Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World-Chapter 19 - Introduction

Wang Chen's words got Zheng Fa pondering whether these patterns had something to do with the math competition.

"Does our class have anyone involved in competitions?"

"Our class?" Wang Chen gave him a strange look: "Qingshui Middle School barely has anyone in competitions! That stuff is for the powerhouses of provincial key high schools!"

Qingshui Middle School was actually decent in the city.

Every year there would be one or two top-notch school prospects, but provincial key schools? Those were still tough nuts to crack.

"However, I heard that Tang Lingwu might be studying for competitions privately."

Zheng Fa's gaze involuntarily shifted toward the front of the classroom.

Sitting at a desk close to the podium in the first row was a ponytailed girl, leaning on her hand and reading a book. The morning light slanted through the front door, casting a youthful and delicate glow on her side profile and fingers.

Tang Lingwu, the top performer of the class, three years running as the overall first of the class, a strong contender for the school's first place, Mr. Chen's darling, the uncrowned king with no student council title.

Though her pretty face could attract much attention, not many boys in the class dared to be presumptuous in front of her—brave souls had proven that if you curse Mr. Chen in his face he might not kill you, but if you have any untoward thoughts towards Tang Lingwu.

Well, sorry, a full service of reseating and calling parents could very well turn you into a returned prodigal son.

"Early romances are normal, but while the swan flies gracefully, the toad shouldn't be thrashing around aimlessly on the ground."

Mr. Chen's words almost made that boy cry.

Since then, the air around Tang Lingwu has become quiet and studious.

However, her special treatment by Mr. Chen meant that she tended to keep to herself in class and seemed somewhat friendless.

Zheng Fa picked up his own drawing and walked toward Tang Lingwu.

"Bro, you've really got guts!" Wang Chen exclaimed in alarm, trying to stop Zheng Fa: "What are you doing?"

"I'm just going to ask Tang Lingwu a question."

Zheng Fa brushed off Wang Chen's arm and walked over to Tang Lingwu's desk.

"Tang Lingwu, may I disturb you for a moment?"

Not only Wang Chen, but other students too cast glances in their direction, whether intentionally or not.

Ever since a boy had been sternly punished after expressing his feelings for Tang Lingwu, no student, or rather, no male student would strike up a conversation with Tang Lingwu without good reason.

Tang Lingwu put down her book and turned to look at Zheng Fa, a clear message written on her face: You've already disturbed me.

"I wanted to ask you, are you preparing for a math competition?"

Tang Lingwu nodded her head.

"Then... are these diagrams something that would be covered in a math competition?"

Zheng Fa laid out several diagrams in front of Tang Lingwu.

Tang Lingwu frowned at them, and after a moment, gently shook her head.

"No?"

"You might have some misconceptions about math competitions." Seeing his disappointed look, Tang Lingwu actually began to explain, "For example, these geometric figures would be on a test, but there would have to be questions and problems, not just figures by themselves."

Zheng Fa realized his mistake. Even the college entrance exam wouldn't just give you a figure.

What could one deduce from that?

"However, these geometric figures should follow certain patterns." Tang Lingwu looked at them more closely, speaking with a furrowed brow, "Perhaps the person who drew them had their own ideas, but I can't figure it out."

"I see..."

Compared to his own intelligence, Zheng Fa was more inclined to trust the academic ace Tang Lingwu.

"Maybe the teacher who teaches me competition math might understand a bit better."

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Zheng Fa's spirits lifted, and he boldly asked, "Could you ask your teacher then?"

He and Tang Lingwu weren't exactly close, but at that moment he couldn't help being somewhat presumptuous.

After all, he knew very well that Gao Yuan wanted to grasp these diagrams to secure the Attendant Student position.

In reality, Zheng Fa needed that position even more.

At least Gao Yuan has his butler father to go back to.

If he were to be sent back home, the slightly improved family situation could nose-dive.

If there was even a sliver of hope, Zheng Fa was willing to throw away his pride.

Tang Lingwu looked at him silently for a while before slowly nodding: "The teacher who teaches me competition math actually lives at Qingshui Middle School, I go to his place for tutoring every weekend, I'll take you with me to ask then."

"Take me with you?"

"I don't even know what you want to ask. Wouldn't it be better if you went by yourself?"

When Zheng Fa returned to his seat, he still felt that Tang Lingwu didn't seem as cold as she appeared outwardly.

"Bro, what did you say to her?"

"Didn't you know? Just asked about these few drawings."

"You really... just for these drawings?" Wang Chen's expression suddenly turned sleazy.

"Otherwise?"

"You didn't just randomly pick a few drawings and start a conversation with her?"

Wang Chen became more and more serious as he spoke, even starting to believe it himself.

Zheng Fa shook his head: "You misunderstood."

"It's not me who misunderstood, it's everyone else who's probably misunderstood."

Wang Chen curled his lips, indeed, a few nearby classmates were giving him ambiguous smiles, as if there was also a hint of respect.

Zheng Fa was somewhat helpless; for high school students, seeing a boy and girl talking together often prompted teasing. Whether it was true or not didn't matter; they just liked doing that.

Especially when it's Tang Lingwu.

"Forget it, I can't control what they think, but it really wasn't anything."

Compared to these classmates, Zheng Fa had more on his mind; he really didn't have that many romantic notions.

"They might not care, but..." Wang Chen pointed towards the door: "Mr. Chen seems to have misunderstood too."

Zheng Fa looked up and saw Mr. Chen standing at the front door with a stern face, his gaze like searchlights, intently staring at Zheng Fa's face.

...

In the following days, Zheng Fa attended classes quietly, striving to appear unfocused.

On one hand, he got up an hour early every morning to practice the Songhe Stance.

He dared not go to the park, so he found a spot behind the family building of Qingshui Middle School.

The spot was nestled in a corner of the school's wall, concealed by several old trees. When Zheng Fa practiced there, unless one observed deliberately, it wasn't easy to spot him.

Moreover, Zheng Fa got up very early; he would finish standing in stance by six, when most people were still asleep.

So for several consecutive days, no one discovered his practice.

On Friday morning, Zheng Fa was still immersed in the warmth flowing within his body.

Since Mr. Xu taught him the Songhe Stance, he had been practicing for almost a week now, both in the Xuanwei Realm and modern times.

At first, the warmth within his body was faint and out of control.

Later on, he could sense this warmth with each breath.

By today, the warmth during practice didn't disappear; on the contrary, it had a sense of being continuous and unending.

"I've truly entered the threshold!"

Mr. Xu had told them that when the warmth in the body can circle around the waist and abdomen area like a thread, that's when one has truly mastered the Songhe Stance.

And that's exactly how he felt at the moment!

After finishing his stance, Zheng Fa immediately realized the difference.

Apart from the usual hunger after practice, his waist and abdomen felt warm, giving him an illusion—like an immense power in his buttocks and legs wanting to burst forth.

Zheng Fa looked around at the deserted surroundings and crouched.

With all his strength... he jumped!

"Whoosh!"

"Ouch!"

Zheng Fa felt as if his thighs were springs, catapulting him up into the sky!

The branches and leaves above his head pitter-pattered against his face.

His head even broke through the tree canopy, over three meters high!

When Zheng Fa, still shaken, landed on the ground, he couldn't help but clutch his chest, exclaiming:

"Damn!"

That wasn't his voice, though.

Zheng Fa looked up, and there was that curly-haired old man from the park, staring at him dumbfounded.