Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation-Chapter 92 - : Determination

Chapter 92: Chapter 92: Determination

Xue Yuantong won the first prize in each of the nine subjects, earning a reward of 1800 yuan.

The top ten students in the grade were rewarded with 300 yuan.

The top student in the grade received an additional reward of 1000 yuan.

In one monthly test, Xue Yuantong earned 3100 yuan, which was even higher than her mother’s monthly salary.

Jiang Ning received the reward for scoring full marks in math and sharing the top position, which was 200 yuan, plus the 300 yuan for being in the top ten, totaling 500 yuan.

Jiang Ning knew that the reason for the generous rewards this time was to motivate the new students, and that subsequent tests would rarely offer such substantial prize money.

Xue Yuantong’s eyes sparkled as she counted her money—she finally had some cash!

“Jiang Ning, I’ll treat you to some good food this weekend. You can choose any restaurant in Yuzhou City,” she said, patting her purse generously, looking every bit the wealthy young lady.

With 3100 yuan, she gave her mother 2500 when she got home and kept the rest to buy snacks.

Jiang Ning gladly accepted:

“Sure, you make the arrangements.”

Jiang Ning put the bills into his wallet, considering it scholarship money, which he thought might feel nice to spend.

Ma Shicheng’s eyes nearly turned red when he saw Jiang Ning’s five hundred yuan.

Five hundred yuan could keep him at Yucai Internet Cafe for fifty consecutive nights.

Good heavens, wouldn’t that be fantastic?

After the summary meeting ended, Jiang Ning asked Ma Shicheng to help him carry the stool back to their class, and then he walked alone to the school gate.

At a tea shop, Jiang Ning thought for a moment, took out two bills, and said,

“Owner, make sixty cups of milk custard, add red beans, coconut jelly, and peanuts.”

“And make one more special cup with red beans, coconut, mango, strawberry, and mixed nuts.”

The owner of the tea shop, a robust young man in his twenties, was initially surprised and then asked,

“Are you buying these for your classmates?”

Jiang Ning nodded.

“Alright, but you’ll have to wait a bit longer.” The owner called over a female staff member, and they started working.

They were quite efficient, clearly defined their tasks, and worked well together, quickly preparing the milk custards.

Finally, the owner brought out a thick white foam box, stuffed full of milk custards, barely fitting them all.

“A cup costs three yuan, sixty cups come to one hundred eighty, and your special cup with extra toppings costs five yuan, but I won’t charge you for that.”

The owner handed over twenty yuan.

“Let me help you carry it,” he offered, attempting to pick up the box. He was a conscientious merchant. Each cup of dual-flavored milk was quite large, about 550mL in volume, weighing about a pound. Sixty cups weighed over sixty pounds.

It was no easy task, and it was best if the milk custards weren’t jostled to avoid spills or damage.

Jiang Ning shook his head, “No need, I can manage.”

“You sure?” The owner looked skeptical, genuinely worried that the young man was biting off more than he could chew, which would be a pity if anything happened.

Jiang Ning placed his hand on the box, enveloped it with spiritual power, and gently lifted it as if carrying a clump of cotton.

The owner stared, dumbfounded, and the female staff member gawked at Jiang Ning as if he were a freak.

“I’m off, you stay busy,” said Jiang Ning, leaving with the box.

The owner watched Jiang Ning go, amazed at how effortlessly he managed, leaving him utterly dumbstruck.

“Damn, are students really this fit now?”

Stirred by the sight, the owner resolved, “Am I that old? No way, I’m getting a gym membership tomorrow!”

Jiang Ning walked along the main path of the campus, carrying the box, the spiritual power enveloping it, letting it float through the air without the slightest jolt.

He walked all the way to his class.

The students were studying in class, and Shan Qingrong was sitting in front of the podium.

“Class advisor,” Jiang Ning called out.

Seeing Jiang Ning return, Shan Qingrong was not upset but instead smiled and asked,

“Did you go out to buy some stuff?”

At that moment, the classmates turned to look at Jiang Ning.

He placed the box on the podium, addressing his classmates:

“Xue Yuantong and I received some rewards, and we’re very happy. We want to share the joy with everyone. Class leader, could you help me distribute these?”

Jiang Ning opened the lid and took out two cups of milk custard.

“Jiang Ning, you’re awesome!” Guo Kunnan immediately cheered for Jiang Ning upon seeing this.

Huang Zhongfei, a righteous person, went up to help Jiang Ning distribute the treats.

The classmates in the class felt a bit embarrassed and shyly said thank you after receiving the milk custard.

At first, no one ate it until one student opened it and began eating with a spoon, and then the other students immediately followed suit. The flavor was quite good, subtly sweet and tasty.

Initially, some students in the class were a bit jealous and resentful that Xue Yuantong had won several thousand yuan in scholarships, but at that moment, their bitterness had dissipated.

Jiang Ning gave the extra cup he had bought to Xue Yuantong.

Then, he took a cup and said to Shan Qingrong,

“Teacher, try some.”

Shan Qingrong didn’t refuse and accepted it with a cheerful smile. His appreciation for Jiang Ning soared several levels in an instant.

…

Before the evening self-study class.

Jiang Ning found it strange that since the afternoon’s monthly exam summary meeting had ended, Geng Lu hadn’t turned around to chat with him, which she usually did.

Jiang Ning tried to guess the reason and managed to figure out most of it; he could still discern a thing or two about the minds of high school girls at this stage.

However, Jiang Ning didn’t say anything; he’d see if Geng Lu could figure it out on her own.

Ma Shicheng got a phone call and stepped out.

When he returned to the classroom, Jiang Ning noticed his expression was a bit off.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Ma Shicheng sighed, his face gloomy,

“My parents called me.”

His parents had called him to ask about his grades. Ma Shicheng didn’t dare hide the truth because they had Shan Qingrong’s number. If he lied, they would find out from Shan Qingrong.

So he told his parents about his rank—yes, in the bottom ten of the class.

That didn’t go over well. First, his parents scolded him, then they reasoned with him, and finally, they expressed their difficulties, saying it wasn’t easy for them earning money, and he should study hard.

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Hearing this made Ma Shicheng extremely frustrated—was it all about grades?

Were they that important?

But thinking of his parents’ nagging, he felt stifled.

Rarely reflecting, he realized that since entering high school, he indeed had gone overboard with fun, neglecting his studies.

His talents weren’t lacking; if he calmed down and studied, he believed scoring among the top ten in the class wasn’t that difficult.

Remembering Jiang Ning receiving awards on the podium and all that scholarship money that day, Ma Shicheng suddenly felt motivated. He decided to make an effort.

“Jiang Ning, from now on I’m going to study hard and stop playing games,” he declared earnestly, as if injecting himself with a dose of adrenaline.

At these words, Geng Lu in front who had been overhearing felt as if the sun had risen from the west—Ma Shicheng, actually making an effort?

Normally, Geng Lu would have turned around; today, she refrained and kept a straight face.

She had been silent for hours, ever since Jiang Ning went up to the podium. She had resolved to give up on this cursed fate.

She felt terrible; she wanted to laugh and joke with Jiang Ning like before, but she knew she couldn’t continue like that, or she’d only fall deeper.

Ma Shicheng’s voice was a bit loud, drawing smirks and surprises from Guo Kunnan and Dan Kaiquan surrounding him.

“Old Ma, you’re going to make an effort?”

“You’re joking, right? Do you even look like the studious type?”

Wang Longlong rushed over, like a sycophant beside the Emperor, exclaiming,

“Brother Ma, are you confused? How can you just abandon us? What about your cool running scores!”

“Can you bear it!”

Hearing them talk like this, Ma Shicheng felt provoked, sneering inwardly—so you all look down on me, huh?

Stung by the pain, Ma Shicheng for once resolved firmly; now he really was determined. He would strive hard, determined to prove it to them, to prove it to himself, to show his parents!

“Don’t distract me from studying anymore.” Ma Shicheng’s face stern, unusually serious, he pulled over a math test paper to start reviewing.

The gathered crowd exchanged glances, incredulous.

They didn’t say much more, only Dan Kaiquan and Guo Kunnan returned to their seats, whispered secretly together, occasionally glancing towards Ma Shicheng, apparently scheming something.

During the first session of evening self-study, Ma Shicheng studied thoroughly for one entire lesson, gaining much.

In the second session, Ma Shicheng studied another entire lesson.

By the third, Ma Shicheng had completed an entire math test paper, feeling his brain filled with knowledge, yet simultaneously, a strong wave of fatigue overwhelmed him.

He was tired.

He began to miss his games; he hadn’t logged into a game for two full lessons—what if Dan Kaiquan took advantage of his study time and surpassed him in the game rankings?

Once the thought emerged, it couldn’t be stopped.

‘I’ve studied hard for two sessions, rewarding myself a bit wouldn’t be too much, would it?’