Chapter 27 - Do You People Have Any Humanity Left?
The next day, Wednesday:
After Chen Yu dropped off his three younger sisters at their respective schools, he carried his small backpack and entered Sixth High as usual.
There was still some time before class started. As a result, the students of Class 2 remained boisterous and playful, fully venting their boundless, youthful energy. Only after class started would they quiet down and recuperate, waiting for the next time they could release their youthful energy.
After arriving at his classroom, Chen Yu made his way to his seat and stuffed two paper balls into his ears. He then dug through his backpack, picked out an English textbook for primary five students, and started earnestly reading it.
"Brother Chen! You… Did you hit your head or something?" When Li Liang noticed Chen Yu reading something that wasn't a comic book, he was astonished. "This is…an English textbook?"
"Mhm. It's the second volume for primary five English," Chen Yu explained.
"Primary?" Li Liang was stunned by Chen Yu's words. "You're already in high school, yet you're still reading primary stuff?"
"When do you finish class in the morning?" Chen Yu suddenly said as he read an English sentence found in the textbook.[1]
"Hah?" Li Liang could not take in Chen Yu's words.
"Aren't you a high schooler too? You don't even understand such a simple question, yet you still have the gall to laugh at me?"
"…"
"Turn away. Your bald head is too shiny. It's hindering my studies," Chen Yu scolded as he shooed Li Liang away in annoyance.
"I-I'm not hearing things, right? You're actually studying?" Li Liang could not help being stunned once more.
"Is there a problem?"
"Didn't we agree before that we'd stack bricks once we graduated?"
"You do that yourself. I'm going to Tsing-U or Peking-U."
"Do Tsing-U and Peking-U need people to stack bricks for them?" Li Liang asked in doubt.
"I'm going there to study!" Chen Yu declared as he angrily smacked his table. "Stop interrupting my studies. I could've memorized at least two more words during the time I spent chatting with you!"
Li Liang: "…"
After pushing Li Liang's bald head away, Chen Yu resumed reading the phrases recorded in the English textbook.
There were only two weeks left before the next monthly test started. For this first week, he needed to grasp all the learning materials available for primary and middle school. Afterward, once he received the future product, he would use it to aid himself in conquering high school learning materials. He would thoroughly utilize these two weeks to evolve from academic trash.
No matter what, he could not do sports for the rest of his life.
While he didn't have the opportunity to do so in the past, now, all he wished to do was to be a good student.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Twenty minutes later, the bell signaling the start of classes rang throughout the school.
After Class 2's form teacher entered the classroom, he went up to the lectern and sent a glance at Chen Yu, who was studying earnestly. Sneering, he loudly declared, "Students! Let me tell you a piece of good news. Our school will be holding an autumn sports festival. Aside from the third year's top class, every other class must participate."
Upon hearing the form teacher's announcement, the students in the class remained silent for half a second before breaking out in cheers.
As for Chen Yu, he covered his face with his hand as he gnashed his teeth in anger.
What sports festival?
It was obvious that this sports festival targeted him.
"Silence! Students, silence!"
The form teacher took nearly five minutes before he managed to suppress the classroom's excited atmosphere. After doing so, he gleefully looked at Chen Yu before continuing, "Students, this will be our Sixth High's biggest sports festival yet! It is time for you to squeeze out all your strength and gain honor for Class 2!"
"Whoa!"
The entire class went into an uproar once more at the form teacher's words.
"I'll start calling out names now! Every student named must choose a sport to take part in. This is for the class's honor, so nobody can opt out of this!" the form teacher said as he took out a registration list. "Once you've registered, you cannot cancel. This name list will be submitted to the higher-ups. Now, let's start the roll call. First up, Student Chen Yu!"
Upon hearing Chen Yu's name, every other student in the class promptly shifted their gaze to him.
Placing his English textbook down with trembling hands, Chen Yu slowly stood up from his seat and looked at his form teacher with a look of disbelief.
"Chen Yu, what sport do you choose?"
"…"
"Chen Yu, say something. Everyone's waiting for you."
"You… You people…" Chen Yu opened and closed his mouth repeatedly as he looked at his form teacher. After some time, however, he sighed and said, "What sports are available?"
"There are two categories: track and field and ball games. Which one will you choose?"
"Ball games," Chen Yu answered, choosing the latter without hesitation.
Sports involving balls, regardless of what type of sport it was, were very fun.
Moreover, ball games took up less time than track-and-field events, so participating in one shouldn't affect his studies by much.
"Ball games include basketball, football, ping pong, and badminton. Which one do you choose, Chen Yu?"
"Basketball."
"Very well. Sit down," the form teacher said, smiling while making a tick on the registration form. Afterward, he continued, "Next student, Student Chen Yu."
"???"
Before Chen Yu could even start warming his seat, he stood up in astonishment once more. "Huh?"
"Huh? What 'huh'? There are track and field and ball games. Which do you choose?"
"Bu-Bu-But, didn't I just choose one?"
"There aren't many in our class that love sports. We won't be able to fill many of the sports categories, so we naturally need to have those capable contribute more," the form teacher said as he revealed a demonic smile. "That's why we'll have to trouble you. Now, track and field or ball games?"
"…Track and field."
"Hundred meters, two hundred meters, four hundred meters, eight hundred meters, fifteen hundred meters, high jump, long ju—"
"Hundred meters! I choose the 100-meter sprint!" Chen Yu said, interrupting the form teacher.
The 100-meter sprint took up the least amount of time to complete, so it wouldn't affect his studies even if he participated in it.
"Very well, I'll have it recorded. Please sit down. Next student, Student Chen Yu."
Chen Yu: "…"
At this moment, aside from Chen Yu, everyone else in the class similarly had their heads filled with question marks regarding the current situation.
"Chen Yu, track and field or ball games?"
"Didn't I already choose two events?!"
"An able man should work more." Waving his hand, the form teacher said in consolation, "This is also for the sake of Class 2's honor."
"…I choose the 200-meter sprint…"
"Very well, please sit down," the form teacher said as he revealed an embarrassed smile at Chen Yu. At this point, even he thought that this was a little too much. In the next moment, however, he took up the registration list once more and said, "Next person, Student Chen Yu!"
Bang!
Suppressing the urge to flip his table, Chen Yu smacked his table and shouted, "Hey! Don't you think you're going a little overboard?!"
"A-Able men should work more."
"That doesn't mean they should work to such an extent!"
"Uh… I guarantee that this is the last one."
"I refuse. Participating in three events is more than exhausting already," Chen Yu stated sternly.
"Student Chen Yu, this is where you're wrong," the form teacher said as he put on a straight face. "This is a rare opportunity for you to put in some effort. Are you not willing to sacrifice yourself for the class?"
Chen Yu: "…"
"Can't you see that everyone in the class is looking at you? These are all looks of anticipation!"
Chen Yu: "…"
"If you don't choose, I'll register you for the 1,500-meter run."
"No! Chief, you win! Show some mercy! I'll apply for the high jump!"
"Alright," the form teacher said, smiling while registering Chen Yu for his fourth sporting event.
Five minutes later, the form teacher finally filled up the entire registration list.
A total of 12 students from Class 2 would be participating in the autumn sports festival, of which nine were male and three were female. And the one thing tying these students together was that all 12 of them were very poor at studying.
Seeing this, Chen Yu got a bad feeling.
"Alright, the registration for the sports festival is done," the form teacher said as he put away the registration form. He then continued with a serious expression, "The sports festival this time is very important. Even the heads of the education department will be spectating the festival, so all students participating in the festival must go through training with our PE teacher every day."
"What?" Chen Yu frowned deeply upon hearing the teacher's words. "What about our studies?"
"You are our class's glorious athletes! Set aside your studies for now and focus on training!" the form teacher said as he waved his hand. "As for the students who aren't participating in the sports festival, you need to fully utilize your time! You mustn't relax even when you're on break! Prepare for the upcoming test with all you have!"
"Do you people have any humanity left?"
TL Notes:
[1]"When do you finish class in the morning?" Chen Yu suddenly said as he read an English sentence found in the textbook.
-note that Chen Yu and Li Liang are speaking in Chinese normally.