Study Monster Cultivation System-Chapter 332 - 331 You don’t understand Russia at all!

Konoplev actually didn’t come to retrieve the medal.

Inviting Russian student representatives to the finals is an old tradition in math competitions.

This time, besides Konoplev, there were also Kuznetsov and Smirnov.

Konoplev told Li Zheng that he and Lin Yujing were also very famous in the Russian competition circle. Sadly, they hadn’t met at the ICHO, nor at the IPHO, nor at the IBHO, and also not at the IOI.

So it seems, they probably wouldn’t meet at the IMO either.

Luckily, they could come on their own.

In the midst of casual conversation, Konoplev was struck by a sudden sadness.

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"Ah... I was also second at the IPHO…" Konoplev ruffled his hair and looked up to sigh, "I’ll probably be second this time too."

Li Zheng patted the old brother seriously, "No, third."

Konoplev was taken aback and looked at Lin Yujing beside him, "Your girlfriend’s name isn’t on the competitor’s list, is it?"

"It’s another one."

Konoplev covered his face and exclaimed, "Another girlfriend?!"

"It’s a boyfriend."

"Wow!"

Lin Yujing ground her teeth from the side, "You’re doing this on purpose, right? Say ’male friend,’ not ’boy friend.’"

"No worries, Konoplev understands," Li Zheng nodded to him and said.

"I totally understand," Konoplev nodded convincingly, then asked, "Have you two decided which school you’re going to?"

"Jijing University, what about you?"

"Of course, Moscow State University," Konoplev continued, "I thought you guys would apply to places like MIT, after all, your strongest guys from previous years went there."

Li Zheng shook his head and smiled, "We both have fairly conservative values."

"What a coincidence, so do I," Konoplev smiled and hugged Li Zheng, "Actually, going to Magnesium Country is not a big deal, I just really dislike those who leave with information and technology, they should be called defectors. Now, there are many such people in the Magnesium Country’s Russian academic community, and I really don’t want to deal with them."

"..." After thinking about it, Li Zheng said, "Let’s talk about something more relaxing…"

"No problem," Lin Yujing idly kicked her legs and said carelessly, "My biological father is such a person."

"I’m sorry…" Konoplev swallowed, "Back in the day… It was understandable in the pursuit of freedom…"

Lin Yujing said coldly, "No excuses, he just wanted a better life, took the chance of a publicly funded study exchange and never came back."

"Ah…" Konoplev cleared his throat, "Let’s talk about something more relaxing…"

"It’s okay," Lin Yujing looked indifferently ahead, "I have no feelings for him. Sometimes I even pity him, living with the label of a traitor in an environment that rejects him. Instead of a better life, it’s more like self-torture."

"Hmm… as long as you don’t mind…" Konoplev leaned in and asked, "Is he an ordinary person, or someone... as smart as you?"

"Hmm…" Lin Yujing glanced away and turned to leave, "You guys talk, I’m going back..."

Watching Lin Yujing leave dejectedly, Konoplev was very confused.

"She doesn’t… mind, does she? She even took the initiative to explain the situation..."

"Brother," Li Zheng patted him, "You don’t understand women at all."

"You don’t understand Russia," Konoplev gestured, "If a Russian woman is not happy, she’ll hit like this. Only a drunken Russian man can feel it like this."

After thinking it over, Li Zheng nodded in agreement, that must be cultural differences.

"Just like... according to our culture," Li Zheng pointed in the direction where Lin Yujing had disappeared, "I need to go over and show some concern now."

"I understand, we are the same in that regard," Konoplev nodded knowingly, and started to twist his hips theatrically, "There’s nothing that ca!ring! can’t solve. If once doesn’t work, then ca!re! twice."

"…To understand our culture, you need to understand what restraint is."

"Right," Konoplev nodded with conviction, "I love re!straint!"

"Go fuck yourself…"

"Yeah—Be going—"

…

Li Zheng quickly found Lin Yujing on the bench, where she was dangling her legs and staring at the sky blankly.

"That jerk was so rude," Li Zheng huffed as he sat down, "I told him to go screw himself."

"It’s not his fault," Lin Yujing sighed, "but the moment he asked about that man, the detailed image suddenly emerged... It was so uncomfortable... sorry for freaking out in front of your friend..."

"No, no, I’m not in the same camp as that jerk," Li Zheng leaned in and lifted his right shoulder, "Hmm?"

"...Hmm," Lin Yujing glanced around to make sure no one was there before leaning against him, subconsciously hugging his arm.

"If it’s uncomfortable, don’t think about it. Just zone out for a bit."

"Then let’s make it 5 minutes," Lin Yujing breathed a sigh of relief, "Why am I being so melodramatic all of a sudden… It’s so annoying."

"You just didn’t have anyone to be melodramatic with before. Aunt Shen was so busy, you couldn’t always pester her with your troubles, especially about him," Li Zheng spoke softly.

"Ah..." Lin Yujing sighed, "Actually, it’s fine without him, no big deal. It’s just that every time I accidentally think of that person, it’s like being pricked..."

"No worries, in the future Chen Hongbing will prick even more keenly."

"???" Lin Yujing jumped up with wide eyes, "That uncultured guy has intentions towards my mom?! Who told you that?"

"This... It’s pretty obvious," Li Zheng immediately got nervous. Helping Chen Hongbing with love letter drafts, he wouldn’t dare say a word.

"No, no!" Lin Yujing immediately protested, "He’s a good person, sure... but... just no!"

"Alright, that’s Aunt Shen’s business, you don’t need to worry about it," Li Zheng spread his hands, "She didn’t stop us, right? Despite my quirks... um... Well, I really can’t find fault with them, but in the end, she still let you come here with me, didn’t she?"

"It’s not the same!"

"Of course, it’s not the same," Li Zheng shook his head, "but Aunt Shen’s perspective is definitely different from ours. She may be occupied with work now, but what about the future? When she retires and you’re pretty much living with me, should she just resign herself to being alone?"

"...I... I could choose not to live with you."

"So what are you doing now?"

"...Hmm."

Li Zheng took the opportunity to hold Lin Yujing closer: "See, your body has already made a choice. Aunt Shen has let go, and you should too."

"But... we could live together," she suggested.

"That... of course, would be very possible, even a bit...exciting," he mused.

"??? Your tone is off!!"

"No, no, no, think about it," Li Zheng quickly switched gears, "In the future we’re bound to be the sort of people who are never home. Even if we live under the same roof, we’d hardly see each other during the day and would have to trouble her with cooking and cleaning. She’d still be without companionship, yet have to look after the needs of three people, which might be a satisfying end for a traditional woman, but could you imagine Aunt Shen settling for that?"

"...She probably wouldn’t retire that easily; she’s sure to keep working on rockets," Lin Yujing replied.

"Right, so we shouldn’t expect her to care for someone else’s life, but rather find someone who can care for hers," Li Zheng counted on his fingers, "I know Chen Hongbing all too well, an old loyal dog; he’ll definitely provide meals and drives every day, you couldn’t hire a maid who’d be so devoted and diligent. Old Chen might have graduated from a military academy, but he has a master’s degree; don’t keep dismissing him as uneducated, a cultured man would give you even more headaches."

"Hmm..." Lin Yujing murmured to herself, still feeling annoyed, "I also don’t know why, but I just can’t accept Chen Hongbing. If it were like Old Chua, it would be better..."

"Old Chua? You mean my dad?"

"Mmm..."

"Mmm…" As Li Zheng pondered, he suddenly opened his eyes wide, "So you’re saying calling Chen Hongbing Dad feels awful, but calling Old Li Dad feels comfortable, is that what you mean?"

"Hey, hey, hey, don’t jump to conclusions," she protested.

"No, no, I empathize," Li Zheng furrowed his brows, "It feels utterly natural to call Aunt Shen mom… But calling Chen Hongbing Dad, I’d die before I’d do that…"

"Right??!!"

"So we agree, neither of us will do it."

"Deal! We’ll use that as a condition; if they expect us to call Dad, neither of us will allow it."

"Neither of us will allow it?" Li Zheng was pleasantly surprised, "Do I get a vote too?"

"Oh please, just bolstering the ranks for now."

"Alright, then it’s settled," Li Zheng nodded emphatically, "He can call me son-in-law, but I will only call him brother, everyone in their own right."

"That won’t do either, call him Old Chen."

"Doesn’t that put him on the same level as Old Li? I won’t agree to that."

"Ugh, this is just annoying!"

In the end, they never settled on the title.

Anyway, Chen Hongbing was never going to get his way.

...

That night, Jian Feng slept soundly, probably the best sleep he’d had in months.

After all, today’s life had been too fulfilling.

Li Zheng, on the other hand, felt somewhat overwhelmed by his studies; his brain continued to tremble in his dreams.

One of the short dreams was particularly brutal.

He became another man.

A man named Liu Xin.

There, in the classroom, he was being forced to study by Lin Yujing, wielding a ruler.

For some reason, he had forgotten all his former knowledge; his thinking was exceptionally slow, and he would forget a sentence of classical Chinese as soon as he read it!

With tears streaming down his face, he copied the Motto of Conduct again and again under the indescribable strict discipline.

I’m sorry, Liu Xin...

We shouldn’t have done this to you...

In the early morning, Li Zheng wrestled and turned over in his bed.

"Don’t... no... ah..."

Jian Feng walked out of the bathroom with a toothbrush in his mouth, looking horrified.

He hadn’t expected to encounter this...

When he reached Li Zheng’s bedside, the struggle became even more intense.

"Ah... learning... learning again... no..."

Jian Feng couldn’t help but frown.

Li Zheng’s family is so strict...

In dreams, one can become very illogical.

In this classroom scenario, although Li Zheng’s IQ was extremely low, he still had absolute advantage in strength.

He could resist Teacher Lin Yujing at any moment, and without any limit.

But he just didn’t have the awareness to do so, and obediently suffered under Teacher Lin’s humiliation.

In the end, Jian Feng couldn’t bear it any longer and shook Li Zheng awake.

When Li Zheng opened his eyes, he saw Jian Feng with a toothbrush in his mouth looking at him with concern.

On the surface, it seemed like he had been saved from a nightmare by an angel.

But in Li Zheng’s eyes, Jian Feng was the real demon.

"You’re... you’re coming again?" Li Zheng asked, shivering as he stared at Jian Feng.

"What?" Jian Feng took out the toothbrush and said, "You were having a nightmare."

"Ah... right, right... I was dreaming..." Li Zheng gasped as he got up, and then all of a sudden, his eyes bulged and he smacked the bed, "Damn! Why did I only realize it was a dream now... If I had realized a minute earlier, I would have... I would have! Sigh!!!"

"You wanted to resist your parents’ strict education in your dream, huh…" Jian Feng quickly rubbed Li Zheng’s shoulders, "Then keep sleeping... you might be able to continue where you left off..."

"No way, it’s over, I’m completely awake now." Li Zheng saw that it was still dark outside through the curtains, and checked his phone— "It’s only five-thirty... why are you up so early?"

"I went to bed too early last night and slept really well, so I woke up naturally," Jian Feng replied, looking carefully at Li Zheng, "Are you okay now?"

Li Zheng panicked, turned his head, and swallowed nervously, "If you’re okay, then I’m okay..."

This was supposed to be a probe born of lingering fear.

But to Jian Feng...

"Don’t suddenly say things like that..." Jian Feng’s face turned red and he dashed back to the bathroom with the toothbrush in his mouth, taking a long time before saying, "It’s normal today... hopefully, it won’t happen again..."

"That’s good... let me have at least one day to recover." Li Zheng heaved a sigh of relief, quickly took off his clothes, grabbed a towel, and walked into the bathroom.

Jian Feng’s eyes twisted, and he burst into a startled scream: "Ah!!!"

"Huh?" Li Zheng looked down at himself, "Is there something strange?"

Gu Jian Feng turned his back in fright: "Why aren’t you wearing any clothes!!!"

"I’m going to shower..."

"Then tell me, let me leave first!!"

"Is that really necessary... When I lived with Shi Yang, we even showered together and scrubbed each other’s backs." Li Zheng said cheerfully as he nudged Gu Jian Feng, "You haven’t even been to a public bathhouse, have you?"

"...My dad and I use separate bathrooms..."

"Ha, you’ve led a sheltered life." Li Zheng shook his head and then entered the bathroom to turn on the water, twisting his body as he said, "So you mean to say you’ve never even scrubbed a back?"

"I haven’t..."

"You’ve really missed out... really." Li Zheng said as he rolled a towel in his hand and beckoned, "Come on, I’ll let you experience the Li family’s ancient method."

"No... there’s no need..." Gu Jian Feng quickly rinsed his mouth and without another look, he turned and left, only daring to speak again at the door, "Did you manage okay with Teacher Zhou’s training yesterday?"

"Didn’t go at all..." Li Zheng called out from the shower, "He said I could go this morning, and just in time, I’ll hurry up and shower and then head over."

"Then I’ll go with you, I’m in good shape today."

"Sure." Li Zheng opened the bathroom door and beckoned, "We’re short on time, so hurry up and come here!"

"I’m not showering!!"

"Alright then." Li Zheng warned, "But don’t take a dump, okay? I hate it most when someone does that while I’m showering, damn it now I’m recalling Shi Yang’s smell..."

Gu Jian Feng held his forehead, "I’ve also lived with others before... it was never this intense..."

"I must’ve caught it from Shi Yang."

"Why do I feel like it’s a mutual feedback of promotion..."

...

Just after six in the morning, Li Zheng and Gu Jian Feng arrived at Zhou Mingyang’s room to find that the papers and lesson plans were indeed ready.

Zhou Mingyang was surprised too.

Not at Li Zheng’s early arrival.

But...

"After so many years... Gu Jian Feng!" Zhou Mingyang excitedly grabbed Gu Jian Feng’s shoulders, "Do you know how long I have waited for this moment? I can finally teach you math!"

"I... I should have attended your class before."

"But you never listened."

"Seems like it..."

"Make sure you listen today." Zhou Mingyang then looked at Li Zheng, "You too, Li Zheng, I know you’ve already honed your mathematical skills in the workplace, but there are strategies for taking exams. For students of your caliber, just getting familiar with a few simple tricks can raise your score by a lot."

"You’re right." Li Zheng had already found a place to spread out his notebook, "Math has always been my weakest subject; it’s the only competition that I’m not confident about."

"You’re right to feel that way." Zhou Mingyang nodded repeatedly, "This year’s national math competitors are very strong, and even the Russian team is well-prepared. Like that androgynous, long-haired Maozi, a world runner-up in both physics and chemistry, his past achievements are even above yours, he’s probably the strongest contestant Russia has ever sent."

Zhou Mingyang continued patting their backs, "So, your mission this time isn’t only to secure a spot for the Jijing Team but also to beat that Maozi, letting a Maozi win here would be too much. Especially you, Li Zheng, you don’t want to lose in front of your beautiful girlfriend, do you?"

Li Zheng blinked: "Does that matter?!"

"Who asked you to bring her along! It’s just like playing basketball, you don’t bring your girlfriend to the court if you can’t play, or else you’re asking for... for what’s that thing?" Zhou Mingyang craftily gripped Li Zheng’s shoulder, "Don’t think of this as just a competition, imagine it’s a war. If you lose, Lin Yujing will..."

"Enough, Teacher Zhou!" Li Zheng abruptly raised his hand, "Please have some dignity, let’s focus on studying."

"Hmm..." Zhou Mingyang panted, "It’s fine among us, just make sure not to let the Maozi win, that’s all."

"Teacher Zhou..." Gu Jian Feng wiped sweat from his brow and took a seat, "It’s fine just to think about it... no need to say it out loud... let’s maintain our dignity."

"Isn’t this to motivate you..."

"Math skills... don’t really relate to fighting spirit, do they?"

"No, look." Zhou Mingyang pointed towards Li Zheng.

After a night’s rest, he was back on form.

It was time to flip through Nature!