After Biting the Female Lead, the Vicious Female Supporting Character Turned Alpha [Transmigration] - Chapter 17: 017
When Yin Yan heard Jiang Xuenian say she’d be in the top three, he thought Jiang Xuenian was joking with them.
However, when Shi Qingfan also said the same thing with a serious expression, Yin Yan’s jaw dropped in surprise: “Class monitor, are you saying Jiang Xuenian will be in the top three?”
Shi Qingfan put the red pen back on the desk and said, “I understand her ability. Getting into the top three is no problem.”
Yin Yan and the person next to him exchanged glances, then both looked at Jiang Xuenian. “You…”
“Me?” Jiang Xuenian asked, pointing to herself in confusion. “What about me?”
Yin Yan swallowed. “I remember now! Gong Linglang said the class monitor tutors you every day! The class monitor must have told you the secret to acing exams!”
The few students looked at Jiang Xuenian with a mix of envy and jealousy. “The class monitor is too good to you.”
Jiang Xuenian smiled. “The class monitor is very good to me, and she did tell me the secret to quickly improving my grades… Do you want to know?”
The grades of those hanging out with Yin Yan were generally average. Jiang Xuenian’s original grades weren’t much different from theirs, but now she could enter the city-wide league semi-finals and even had a chance at the top three. They didn’t believe for a second that Shi Qingfan hadn’t told Jiang Xuenian the study secrets.
“Are you really willing to share it with us?” Yin Yan quickly asked.
No poor student ever wanted to stay a poor student.
Jiang Xuenian said, “While I’m willing to share it with you, a secret is a secret for a reason. Learning it comes with conditions.”
“What conditions?” Everyone looked at her expectantly.
Jiang Xuenian, being stared at by four or five people, wasn’t fazed at all. She said seriously, “First, you have to study diligently and systematically. Second, you need a photographic memory.”
“…”
“…That’s it?”
After an awkward silence, the students surrounding Yin Yan dispersed, going about their own business.
It was better than listening to Jiang Xuenian’s nonsense.
If they had a photographic memory, would they even need a secret?
Because of Jiang Xuenian’s words, even Yin Yan and his friends, who had somewhat believed Jiang Xuenian could make it into the top three because of Shi Qingfan’s statement, now didn’t believe her. Jiang Xuenian was too good at bragging, and a photographic memory?
If Jiang Xuenian had a photographic memory, how could her grades have been so bad before?
Yin Yan and his friends quickly forgot about it. That afternoon, Tan Ying had a class.
After the bell rang, Tan Ying walked into the classroom, holding St. Lyceum’s Academy Award.
Those sitting around Shi Qingfan had already begun to quietly congratulate her.
“Class monitor, congratulations.”
“Class monitor is amazing; she always brings honor to our Class Three in every exam.”
Shi Qingfan’s light-brown eyes focused on the award in Tan Ying’s hand, trying to see if it was one or two.
Tan Ying stood at the podium, a smile curving her lips. “I believe many students have already seen it. The results of the city-wide league semi-finals are out. Three students from each school are selected to represent their school in the competition. There are twelve classes in twelfth grade, and our Class Three has the honor of receiving this distinction.”
Tan Ying held up the medals in her hand; there were clearly two. “Shi Qingfan, Jiang Xuenian, come up and get your medals.”
Yin Yan: “!!!” Jiang Xuenian really is in the top three!
Yin Yan couldn’t help but look back at his friends, who were equally surprised.
Gong Linglang, sitting in the front row, dropped her water bottle directly onto her desk with a loud “thump.”
Shi Qingfan and Jiang Xuenian stood up and walked to the podium. Tan Ying handed them their medals and chuckled, “Shi Qingfan, please share your acceptance speech.”
Shi Qingfan glanced at Jiang Xuenian beside her. Receiving the same honor inexplicably brightened her mood, so she simply said three words: “I’m very happy.”
No one in the class objected. In the past, Shi Qingfan never spoke when she won awards; this time, she at least said three words.
“Clap, clap, clap!” Gong Linglang reacted, leading the applause.
After the fervent applause ended, Tan Ying continued, “Everyone knows that Jiang Xuenian’s grades used to be average, but this time she’s made such great progress. I believe everyone is very curious about how Jiang Xuenian usually studies.”
Jiang Xuenian glanced at Shi Qingfan beside her, stars sparkling in her dark eyes: “I think it’s better for the class monitor to share. After all, my study methods are all learned from the class monitor. Half of the honor I received belongs to the class monitor.”
Because of Gong Linglang’s active promotion (using Shi Qingfan’s kindness to highlight Jiang Xuenian’s past viciousness), many in the class knew that Shi Qingfan tutored Jiang Xuenian every day after evening self-study.
Shi Qingfan, holding the medal, her fingers tightened slightly, and her heart rate quickened.
“There are three points. Systematic study, diligent effort, and…” Shi Qingfan looked at Jiang Xuenian, “photographic memory.”
The students below the podium erupted in an uproar.
“Photographic memory? Did I hear that right? The class monitor said Jiang Xuenian has a photographic memory!”
Yin Yan almost doubted his life.
Just now, Jiang Xuenian said she had a photographic memory, and he didn’t believe it at all, but now Shi Qingfan said it too…
He had seen “Jiang Xuenian” failing to memorize texts numerous times. How could she suddenly have a photographic memory? Could it be that Jiang Xuenian hadn’t lied to them this morning?
“…Of course, a photographic memory is just an accelerator to quickly improve your studies. Without systematic study and diligent effort beforehand, no matter how high your intelligence, it’s useless.”
Jiang Xuenian waited for Shi Qingfan to finish, then immediately chimed in: “In fact, the class monitor has been compiling a set of systematic study notes. It’s almost finished, and everyone will be able to see it soon.”
This was the most shocking news of the day.
No matter how well others studied, it didn’t really concern them much. But Shi Qingfan had compiled a set of systematic study notes, which was a major matter concerning their immediate interests.
“Wow!”
“Class monitor is awesome!”
“Class monitor, we love you!”
••••
Tan Ying was also very surprised. She hadn’t expected Shi Qingfan to have time to organize notes in addition to studying, and then to share them with everyone for free… She couldn’t help but regret her decision to revoke Shi Qingfan’s scholarship a while ago.
Jiang Xuenian’s identity was special, and her report was taken very seriously by the school. After a special meeting, the school leaders decided to make Shi Qingfan suffer a bit of injustice. Tan Ying didn’t quite agree at the time, but her opinion carried little weight.
Who would have thought that after losing her memory, she would become good friends with Shi Qingfan?
After class, everyone in the twelfth grade knew that Class Three had taken two of the top three spots in the city-wide league semi-finals.
The remaining spot went to Meng Baichun from Class Five.
This was exactly as Shi Qingfan had predicted.
Compared to the well-known top student, Shi Qingfan, Jiang Xuenian’s name was very unfamiliar to them.
Only those who had been following Jiang Xuenian due to Shi Qingfan’s special treatment of her during Sports Day were somewhat familiar with her.
They had originally breathed a sigh of relief after finding out Jiang Xuenian’s grades, thinking that Shi Qingfan would never like someone who wasn’t good at studying. However, with the academic underachiever suddenly turning into a top student, they were dismayed to find that the reasons they had used to convince themselves no longer held water.
••••
The area outside Class Three’s door became lively again, filled daily with students from other classes trying to gather information about Jiang Xuenian. Most of them were Shi Qingfan’s admirers or devotees.
Next week, the three students—Jiang Xuenian, Shi Qingfan, and Meng Baichun—would represent St. Lyceum in the city-wide league. The school exempted them from evening self-study this week and arranged specialized teachers to tutor them.
After finishing dinner in the cafeteria, Jiang Xuenian and Shi Qingfan went to the practice room to study together. Gong Linglang watched their figures disappear into the crowd, then lowered her head and let out a long sigh.
At the rate Shi Qingfan and Jiang Xuenian’s feelings were developing, by the time Tang Xiuran arrived to help, the two of them might have already confessed their feelings and started dating.
Yin Yan patted Gong Linglang’s arm. “Relax. The class monitor isn’t a child anymore; she can discern good from evil. Believe me, I’m a very good judge of character. Jiang Xuenian is a good person.”
Gong Linglang still couldn’t let go of the fact that Jiang Xuenian had once slandered Shi Qingfan. She said listlessly, “Jiang Xuenian and Shi Qingfan are good because Jiang Xuenian lost her memory. Once her memory recovers, she might revert to her old self.”
••••
The temporary practice room for the city-wide league was in a laboratory on the third floor of the experimental building.
Jiang Xuenian and Shi Qingfan arrived early. The lab door was open, but no one was inside.
They entered, found a spot, sat down, and waited.
“Oh, right, Class monitor, I’m getting you a surprise tomorrow,” Jiang Xuenian said, blinking her dark eyes. Her thick, slender eyelashes fluttered like dark butterfly wings.
Shi Qingfan’s gaze swept over the tiny mole on Jiang Xuenian’s nose. “What surprise?” she asked.
“If I told you beforehand, it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it? It’s a secret,” Jiang Xuenian said, taking out textbooks and exercise books for three subjects from her backpack and placing them in front of her.
The city-wide league was time-consuming and demanding. Jiang Xuenian had spent a lot of time just grasping the knowledge points. She had no time to write in her exercise books; mostly, she would just look at the questions and then the answers, getting a general idea of how to answer to avoid losing points.
Furthermore, the previous “Jiang Xuenian” was an academic underachiever who didn’t like studying, so her exercise books were still empty until now.
Jiang Xuenian, bored while waiting, opened the first page of her Imperial Common Language book and began to write.
She solved problems extremely quickly. Since most were multiple-choice, she finished almost a page a minute. After doing three or four pages, Jiang Xuenian turned to the end to check the answers.
“All correct?” Shi Qingfan asked.
Jiang Xuenian’s dark eyes shimmered with starlight, reflecting Shi Qingfan’s cool, exquisite face: “Naturally, they’re all correct. You also have to consider who’s tutoring me.”
Before Shi Qingfan could blush from the compliment, a knock suddenly sounded from outside the door.
“Knock, knock, knock.”
“Come in.”
Jiang Xuenian and Shi Qingfan stood up. The door slowly opened, revealing two figures behind it.
One was taller, with a long ponytail and narrow, shining eyes. The other was shorter, with short hair and a somewhat flat nose.
Shi Qingfan quietly whispered in Jiang Xuenian’s ear: “That’s Meng Baichun, and the one beside her is Luo Yue. Luo Yue’s semi-final score ranked fourth, just one point below yours.”
Jiang Xuenian didn’t know whether to feel lucky about her own fortune or pity for Luo Yue.
Both girls’ gazes went straight to Jiang Xuenian, who was beside Shi Qingfan.
After a two or three-second pause, they finally walked over.
“You’re Jiang Xuenian?” Meng Baichun asked impolitely.
*Coming in so aggressively. Is she here to argue for Luo Yue?*
Jiang Xuenian replied calmly, “Before asking someone’s name, it’s better to introduce yourself first. After all, not everyone is as well-known in St. Lyceum as our class monitor.”
“You!”
Luo Yue pulled on Meng Baichun’s sleeve. “Baichun.”
Meng Baichun stiffened her neck and said, “I don’t believe your grades improved that quickly. I heard your family background is extraordinary, so getting the answers beforehand would be easy for you. This competition concerns St. Lyceum’s honor. I suggest you withdraw voluntarily and give your spot to Luo Yue.”
Jiang Xuenian almost laughed in anger. *Young, hot-headed, and so impulsive in words and actions.*
She glanced at Luo Yue, who was half-hidden behind Meng Baichun, and gently asked Meng Baichun, “Did Luo Yue tell you I got the answers beforehand?”
Luo Yue’s hand, gripping Meng Baichun’s sleeve, trembled slightly. Meng Baichun felt it, patted her hand, and continued with a stiff neck: “I thought of it myself.”
“And I have proof.”
Meng Baichun took several papers from her backpack and flung them in front of Jiang Xuenian. “Your grades from the past two years were, to put it mildly, a complete mess. Even more than half a month before the city-wide league’s school-wide selection, your school ranking was 296th, and your Imperial Common Language score was in the twenties. Without answers, how could you possibly get a perfect score in just half a month!”
Meng Baichun spoke indignantly, genuinely convinced in her heart that Jiang Xuenian had memorized the answers to achieve such a score.
Luo Yue looked over from behind Meng Baichun. Seeing the half-written exercise book on the desk, she gritted her teeth, stood up, and pointed at the exercise book. “Jiang Xuenian, your exercise book is only on the fifth page.”
“Ha! Exposed again, aren’t you?” Meng Baichun walked over, reached out, and flipped through Jiang Xuenian’s Imperial Common Language exercise book, confirming that Jiang Xuenian had indeed only written four and a half pages. “Jiang Xuenian, what else do you have to say? I’m giving you two choices now: either you voluntarily tell the teacher you’re withdrawing from the city-wide league, or I’ll expose you and make sure you can’t hold your head up in this school.”
Shi Qingfan’s eyes turned icy. Jiang Xuenian pressed her hand on Shi Qingfan’s back and gently shook her head.
Jiang Xuenian smiled slightly. “Alright, go ahead and expose me.”
Meng Baichun thought she had misheard and looked at Jiang Xuenian in astonishment.
“In your words, my family background is so extraordinary that even the school helps me get the city-wide league exam answers. Do you think exposing me would be useful? Which school leader would listen to you?”
“You!” Meng Baichun’s face turned red with anger. “Jiang Xuenian, don’t think I wouldn’t dare. If the dean of students won’t listen, I’ll go to the vice-principal. If the vice-principal won’t listen, I’ll go to the principal. I don’t believe there isn’t a single upright leader in this entire school.”
The calmer Jiang Xuenian’s demeanor, the more Meng Baichun exploded with rage.
She felt Jiang Xuenian was acting so brazenly because she was relying on her good family background.
“Oh, you all arrived quite early.” At the moment of tense silence, the dean of students, holding a textbook, walked in. Seeing four girls standing in the laboratory, she asked in surprise, “Why is there one extra?”
Luo Yue lowered her head in embarrassment. “Director Xu, I’ll leave now.”
“Don’t leave! It should be Jiang Xuenian who leaves!”
Xu Jie then realized the atmosphere was off. She closed the lab door, walked in, sat down, and asked Shi Qingfan, “What happened? Tell me.”
Shi Qingfan tried to describe what had just happened from an objective perspective, but in the end, she couldn’t help but explain for Jiang Xuenian: “For the past half-month, I’ve been tutoring Jiang Xuenian. She’s incredibly smart, has a photographic memory, and her learning ability is astonishing, which is why she was able to stand out in the city-wide league. Director Xu, I can guarantee that Jiang Xuenian’s grades are entirely her own work; getting the answers beforehand is a baseless claim.”
Xu Jie opened her thermos, took a sip of water, and her sharp gaze pierced through the hazy white steam towards Meng Baichun and Luo Yue.
“Simply put, you suspect Jiang Xuenian of cheating, right?”
Meng Baichun and Luo Yue nodded.
“This is easy to handle. Shi Qingfan, go to my office and get two copies of that stack of newly printed papers from the center of my desk.”
“Let’s see who’s a true talent. Jiang Xuenian and Luo Yue will both take this paper right now. You’ll have thirty minutes, do as much as you can, and we’ll see who gets a higher score. Any objections?”
“No objections!” Meng Baichun exchanged a happy glance with Luo Yue. Both were barely suppressing their excitement.
Luo Yue was very confident in her own abilities.
Thinking that she was about to completely outperform Jiang Xuenian in front of the dean, Luo Yue couldn’t help but glance at Jiang Xuenian triumphantly.
Shi Qingfan quickly brought back the two exam papers. The dean of students said, “The papers were just printed: Imperial Common Language, Politics, and History. The teachers for these three subjects created and printed the questions on short notice. From creation to printing, it was less than three hours, and the answers for the papers haven’t even been released yet, so there’s no need to worry about leaks. Luo Yue, do you have any objections to using this paper?”
Luo Yue excitedly said, “Director Xu, I have no objections!”