They Dumped Me—Now They’re Reincarnated and Obsessed? - Chapter 29

At 4 p.m., Xie Tingxue went to the master bedroom to practice English reading. Mei Jian was correcting Feng Fei’s test paper and commented, “I’ve realized that your problem isn’t that you don’t understand math—it’s just that your foundation is weak.”

Feng Fei groaned, “Bro, you don’t have to sugarcoat it. I know what kind of student I am. You think I don’t get math? Math is killing me. I got almost everything wrong, and you still have the nerve to praise me?”

Yan Ze stared at his own test paper. He’d gotten about a third wrong—but that was already much better than before.

Mei Jian replied, “Seriously, your issue is not paying attention in class. Students who truly can’t grasp math don’t look like you two.”

Suddenly, Yan Ze looked up. “We’re here catching up on lessons, and what are you doing? Are you like the silkworm that spins until it dies—sacrificing yourself for our sake?”

That afternoon, Mei Jian had been either helping Xie Tingxue with questions, summarizing key points and mistakes for Yan Ze, or explaining problems to Feng Fei.

“I’m your teacher,” Mei Jian said. “Do you know there’s a highly effective learning method called the Teaching Method?”

Yan Ze shook his head. “What’s that?”

“It’s one of the best memory techniques—explaining the material to others like a teacher. Teaching forces you to deepen your understanding. If you can’t explain it clearly, it means you haven’t fully mastered it yet.”

Yan Ze nodded. “That actually makes sense.”

Mei Jian said, “Good. That’s your next phase of study.”

Yan Ze: “?”

Mei Jian pulled out a second study plan labeled with Yan Ze’s name. “Here’s your next assignment. I’ll first organize the core knowledge points in politics, history, and geography for you. Then, you’re going to teach these to Feng Fei. If he doesn’t understand, ask Xiao Xue. If neither of you gets it, then come to me.”

Yan Ze and Feng Fei were both stunned as they stared at the new plan. Feng Fei clicked his tongue. “So this is what top students do?!”

Yan Ze said, “Honestly… sometimes I really envy you.”

“Oh, do you?” Mei Jian chuckled. “Well, same here.”

The window in the master bedroom faced outside. After finishing a long English dialogue, Xie Tingxue looked up and noticed a crew-cut uncle in an apron smiling at her.

He looked kind of intimidating—scar on his brow where part of his eyebrow was missing, a faint white scar on his nose bridge.

He was watering plants, and when he saw her looking over, he gave her a thumbs-up. “Nice! You sound just like the audio tape!”

Xie Tingxue’s ears turned red. She whispered a thank you, then, realizing he might not have heard her, she mustered the courage and raised her voice. “Thank you, Uncle!”

The man stepped forward in his rubber shoes. “You’re Yan Ze’s classmate?”

Xie Tingxue nodded.

“I’m his neighbor. My name’s Tong Xing,” the uncle said. “His grandfather doesn’t live here anymore, so we take care of the garden for him.”

Xie Tingxue leaned on the windowsill, glancing at the sparse vines drooping from a frame. She couldn’t tell what plant it was.

“What’s growing in the yard?”

“Grapes,” Tong Xing replied. “Didn’t grow well this year, though—no grapes for us. You guys are here to study?”

Xie Tingxue nodded again. “We’ve formed a study group.”

“Nice,” said Tong Xing. “You’re seniors?”

“No, we’re in Grade 11.”

“Ah, almost there. Just one more year of effort, and you’ll be free.”

Xie Tingxue smiled and asked softly, “Uncle, what do you do? Are you… also in the military?”

“Police,” Tong Xing replied. “My wife’s the one in the army.”

Xie Tingxue blinked in surprise before realizing he meant his wife. Though he looked intimidating, Tong Xing’s tone made people feel instantly at ease.

“Yan Ze brought you all here to study? Smart move. This place is perfect for that. You keep at it, and if you need anything, just knock. I’ll be around all day.”

“Okay. Thank you, Uncle.”

At 4:30, Yan Ze knocked on the door and asked Xie Tingxue, “Are you hungry? Want something to eat?”

She nodded slightly. “What time is it? Is it 5:30 already?”

They’d agreed to end study time at 5:30 and head home for dinner.

Yan Ze grinned. “Not yet—just 4:30.”

“Then I’ll wait and eat at home.”

Meanwhile, in the glass room, Feng Fei sprawled across the table moaning, “Nope, I’m starving. I’m going to pass out from hunger…”

Mei Jian didn’t even look up. “That means you’re learning with focus.”

Studying burns a lot of energy. Xie Tingxue didn’t feel it as much, but the three growing boys were ravenous.

“I could eat a whole pig right now!” Feng Fei wailed.

“I’ll check if we have any ration coupons,” said Yan Ze.

He rummaged through drawers and pulled out a stack.

Feng Fei squinted. “What’s that?”

“Coupons for vegetables.” Yan Ze stuffed them in his pocket. “I’ll go get some. Anything else you want?”

Feng Fei: “Anything edible!”

Ten minutes later, Yan Ze returned with bags full of leafy greens.

Feng Fei peeked inside and nearly cried. “Where’s the meat?!”

“It’s all raw—I don’t know how to cook it,” Yan Ze said. “I’ll make you a salad.”

He then realized there weren’t even salad dressings in the kitchen.

“Well… I guess you could eat it raw?”

“I’m not a rabbit!!” Feng Fei lost it. He dragged Xie Tingxue out, practically on his knees. “Please, goddess—do you know how to cook?! Anything at all! Just don’t make me eat raw leaves!”

Xie Tingxue blushed. “…I’m not very good at cooking.”

Yan Ze chimed in casually, “She cooks really slow. Slower than my mom. You can’t count on her.”

Xie Tingxue’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Yan Ze blinked and quickly switched to a charming smile. “Just guessing! You seem like the slow-and-cute cooking type. Like my mom.”

Well, somehow, he got away with that.

Mei Jian sighed, finally putting his pen down. He stood up, rolled his wrists, and said, “Move. I’ll do it.”

Feng Fei slammed the table dramatically. “Mei Jian, are you a god?! You are! From now on, you’re my second father! My meal-ticket god!!”

Yan Ze rolled his eyes. “You might want to wait until the food’s actually done.”

Xie Tingxue was surprised that Mei Jian could cook. She’d never seen him do it before. At home, his mom forbade him from doing anything other than studying. In their house, cooking was seen as a distraction.

After checking the ingredients and condiments, Mei Jian finalized the menu, rolled up his sleeves, and got to work.

Yan Ze went to grab some yogurt, then came back to set the table and quietly recite his textbook.

Seeing that, Xie Tingxue also started reciting English aloud.

Feng Fei turned green. “You people are insane…”

That’s how it is—people without strong willpower are easily influenced by their environment.

Even Feng Fei began stumbling through his text, although he kept glancing at the book every few lines.

Yan Ze said, “Feng Fei, do you feel that joy… the joy of incremental progress?”

Feng Fei moaned, “Not at all.”

Yan Ze: “I feel it. If you study like this for a week, you will too!”

Feng Fei: “I still think playing Warcraft is more satisfying…”

Twenty minutes later, Mei Jian brought out dish after dish. As he took off his apron, he muttered awkwardly, “I feel like a housemaid…”

Yan Ze raised his chopsticks in salute. “You’ve worked hard—seriously.”

Xie Tingxue stared blankly at the table, distracted by one thought: So this is what it means when they say top students excel at everything… even cooking.

Feng Fei grabbed his chopsticks and took the first bite.

“How is it?” Mei Jian asked.

Feng Fei stuffed his face. “Edible!!”

Mei Jian: “No food for you—what a lame review.”

Yan Ze laughed. “That’s actually Feng Fei’s highest praise. Give him a royal banquet and he’d say the same thing.”

Feng Fei nodded furiously.

Yan Ze gracefully picked up his chopsticks and said, “Well then, allow me to taste Professor Mei’s culinary skills.”

“Say what you will, but during those years, I was the one doing all the cooking,” Mei Jian replied. “This meal—if nothing else—will definitely suit at least one of your tastes.”

Yan Ze knew what he meant. He took a bite, and it was indeed decent—tasty for a homemade meal.

“You should be thankful for your cooking skills,” Yan Ze said. “Because of them, I’ll make sure to think twice before scolding you next time.”

Xie Tingxue had eaten a few bites too. There was a strange sense of familiarity in the flavor—she couldn’t quite place it, but it lingered in her mind.

Feng Fei, munching lettuce and sipping yogurt, gave an earnest compliment, “For food like this, I’d gladly become a rabbit.”

Mei Jian knocked on the edge of his plate, his expression serious.

“You should be saying, ‘For food like this, I’d gladly study this hard every day.’”

Xie Tingxue hugged her bowl and mumbled, “Mei Jian, you looked exactly like an auntie just now…”

The way he tapped his chopsticks on the plate, his tone and posture—it was uncanny.

Mei Jian froze and rubbed his forehead in exasperation.

Yan Ze asked, “Hey, Mei Jian—is your mom a teacher?”

“You could tell?”

“Yeah. And I bet she teaches math,” Yan Ze added. “Don’t you think different subject teachers all have their own unique aura? Your mom gives off serious math-teacher vibes.”

“Wrong,” said Mei Jian. “She teaches junior high physics.”

Yan Ze flinched. “That explains a lot.”

Mei Jian stood up. “Dinner’s over. Disband for today. Tomorrow, meet at the gate by 8:30, lessons start at 9 sharp. Any objections?”

“None at all,” said Yan Ze.

Xie Tingxue raised her hand. “Got it!”

Feng Fei leaned back in his chair, patting his belly and lazily raising a hand. “Okay… why do we sound like some underground resistance group…”

Xie Tingxue’s eyes lit up. “Then should we give our group a name?”

Yan Ze and Mei Jian exchanged glances. Yan Ze said, “The Rabbit Alliance.”

Feng Fei burst out laughing. “Alright, alright… but with that name, can we still eat meat next time?”

Xie Tingxue suggested, “How about the Good Rabbits Who Want to Eat Meat Alliance?”

Mei Jian offered, “How about the Good Rabbits Growth Alliance?”

Yan Ze sighed. “Tch. I thought you’d come up with something more intellectual… Fine, Good Rabbits Alliance it is.”

Xie Tingxue extended her hand into the middle of the table. “Then… let’s do our best, rabbits!”

Feng Fei tried to slap his hand on top but got smacked away by both Yan Ze and Mei Jian.

A crack instantly appeared in the alliance—two “good rabbits” glaring at each other.

Feng Fei noticed.

“…Damn, bros, alright, I’ll go on the bottom, okay?”

Xie Tingxue was confused. “Why?”

Yan Ze and Mei Jian spoke in unison. “No reason!”

Xie Tingxue suddenly realized, “Ah…”

She thought it was because she was a girl, and the boys didn’t want to overlap hands with her.

Flushing, she pulled her hand back and raised her yogurt cup. “Cheers!”

This time, no objections—the yogurt cups clinked together.

Xie Tingxue said, “Let’s study hard!”

________________________________________

On Monday, the school issued a disciplinary notice about Li Yuyang. After a stern reprimand, she was allowed to stay enrolled but put on probation.

Xie Tingxue was very satisfied with the result. After the first period, while collecting homework, she slipped Yan Ze a little note.

“Thank you.”

Yan Ze scribbled “Don’t mention it” in his wild, messy handwriting. While reciting formulas and chewing on his pen, he folded the note into a paper star and placed it into a tiny glass jar Feng Fei had bought.

Feng Fei protested, “Bro! That’s a wish jar!”

Yan Ze: “I’ve commandeered it.”

Feng Fei: “What are you, a feudal lord?! Even land redistribution during the revolution wasn’t this bold!”

Yan Ze: “Pop quiz: when did land redistribution happen?”

Feng Fei: “Bro, I’m sorry. My bad.”

Yan Ze lifted the jar, gave it a shake, and asked with a smile, “What did you wish for?”

Feng Fei: “If I tell you, it won’t come true!”

Yan Ze: “I bet it’s ‘do well on the midterm exams.’”

Feng Fei: “…”

Then, sheepishly, “Ahem… actually, I wished that my in-game gear could sell for a good price.”

Yan Ze: “…”

________________________________________

By Wednesday, the preliminary list for the English competition was posted beneath the flagpole.

Forty-five second-year students from Haishi High had signed up. Twelve made it to the semifinals.

During break, Yan Ze ran to check the list. Feng Fei, with sharp eyes, shouted, “Whoa, Yan Ze! You made it?! Are you even human?! What kind of score is that?!”

But Yan Ze wasn’t looking at his own name—he was smiling dreamily at Xie Tingxue’s.

“Only three from Class 7 made it,” said Feng Fei. “Damn, didn’t see that coming!”

Yan Ze grinned wider and dashed back to the classroom, announcing, “Xie Tingxue, you’re in the semifinals!!”

Xie Tingxue looked up, dazed at first, then broke into a smile. “Really? What about you?”

Yan Ze folded his arms and leaned back with a confident air. “Of course I made it too.”

Yan Yaru walked in, flicking water off her hands, and excitedly asked, “Wait, all of us made it?!”

If Yan Ze made it, surely the rest had too!

Yan Ze hesitated. “…Oh. Right. You didn’t make it.”

Yan Yaru’s smile crumbled.