Song Yitang spun around like a top from dawn to dusk, with the league competition now drawing near.
The competition was divided into two rounds: a written test and a quick-response round with questions posed by the teachers, scored on a point system.
Class 1 had three members: the class president Mu Rongfeng and Li Ge, plus Song Yitang.
Mu Rongfeng was the team captain. His foundation was solid, his thinking meticulous, and he was very attentive.
By contrast, the two girls, Song Yitang and Li Ge, although quick to respond, were rather careless, often losing points on basic questions.
The three competitors from their class arrived early at the small auditorium.
"Don't be nervous, just relax," Wang Lei paced back and forth, nervously advising the trio.
"It's just a simple competition. Winning or losing isn't important; what matters is participation, you know?"
Li Ge joked, "But Teacher Wang, just yesterday you were urging us to fight for every point as if our lives depended on it!"
"And Teacher Wang, you've buttoned your shirt wrong."
Wang Lei glared at Li Ge, then looked down to check and hurriedly made adjustments.
Song Yitang let out a chuckle and chimed in, "Exactly, don't worry, we definitely won't shame you!"
Wang Lei rubbed his hands nervously, continuing to remind the three of them.
How could he not be nervous? This was the school's first ever league competition, and teachers from both schools had come to observe.
The people from School No. 2 arrived not long after. Seven or eight of them alighted from a small blue and white bus.
Looking at the four peers, three boys and a girl, Li Ge wondered, "How come they have four people?"
"Could there be a substitute player?"
Song Yitang followed her gaze and was instantly captivated by the boy bringing up the rear.
The youth carried himself with an upright posture, his features were handsome, and his eyes round and bright. His smile showed off a set of white, tidy teeth, exuding a natural youthful spirit. He was joking and laughing with the people next to him, still smiling when he noticed their gazes.
Song Yitang turned her head away, refusing to look at him any further.
"Tangtang, you can't deny it, the guy over there is really good-looking!" Li Ge, clearly excited, tugged at Song Yitang. "Tsk, tsk, a young master from a Wealthy household."
After a brief introduction upon meeting, they learned that he was the principal's cousin and had come from the capital.
"Wow, from the capital..." Li Ge whispered in awe.
Song Yitang curiously asked, "Even people from the capital are short of money?"
"..."
Li Ge just rolled her eyes at her.
They soon found out he was just there to watch, not to compete.
Song Yitang breathed a sigh of relief inside. Fortunately, he was only observing; he looked smart.
She didn't want to let an opportunity slip through her fingers.
After the leaders from both sides took their seats and exchanged pleasantries, the competition began.
In the first half, Song Yitang and Li Ge each missed a basic question. The contest for the bigger problems was tight, and their team was trailing by ten points.
"In the next forty minutes, each side shall solve three questions, with the teachers from both schools each providing one."
The final question was supposed to be chosen randomly, but they hadn't anticipated the sycophantic tendency of the school leadership.
"I suggest letting this young friend pose the question."
"I've heard a bit about the educational standards of the capital, and I wonder if you would honor us by posing a question?"
"It would also be an opportunity for us to broaden our horizons, don't you agree?"
Song Yitang and her two teammates stood there stunned, exchanging glances. They had never expected the usually dignified and serious principal to engage in flattery with a student.
Receiving the leader's signal, the others started praising him, leaving the young man with no choice but to nod in agreement.
The youth ascended the stage and pondered, the chalk in his hand turning. Quickly, he took up the chalk and wrote a question on the blackboard.
As soon as the question was posed, it stumped the math teachers from both schools, and neither team could find a foothold.
As time kept on slipping away, Song Yitang recalled a similar question that had flashed across her mind.
She wasn't sure if she could calculate the solution but, for the sake of 100 yuan, she charged ahead!
The familiarity with the type of question in Song Yitang's mind became clearer, and she decisively began to write.
```
After filling half of the blackboard in a flurry, she finally put down the chalk.
She clapped her hands together, wiping off the chalk dust, and asked, "Is that right?"
The student's pupils trembled slightly as they stared intently at the blackboard, and then nodding, said, "It's correct."
"However, your approach to solving the problem..."
Having received the answer, Song Yitang excitedly rushed back to her team and embraced Li Ge in celebration.
"We won, we actually won!"
The student wanted to follow and ask for clarification, but seeing the girl's happiness, they couldn't bear to interrupt and thus gave up.
In the end, School No. 1 won the competition thanks to Song Yitang's efforts. During the award ceremony, Song Yitang's hands trembled with excitement as she accepted a brand-new hundred-yuan note.
With a smile in her eyes and on her lips, she looked at the money and chuckled softly, a gleam of triumph shining in her eyes.
Another 100 yuan added to the piggy bank!
After the competition, both teams stayed to take photos together.
Song Yitang became the school's hero, admired by juniors and seniors alike, with even the third-year students clamoring to get into her special tutoring classes.
Zhang Rui often came to bother Song Yitang but was eventually chased away by Xue Qing, harboring feelings of resentment.
"Zhang Rui, your sister is here."
Hearing that Zhang Ting had come to visit him at school, Zhang Rui dashed toward the school gate.
Zhang Ting came to bring things to Zhang Rui at the behest of Li Ping.
Zhang Rui, eager to vent, told his sister Zhang Ting everything about Song Yitang's changes.
Zhang Ting instead twisted Zhang Rui's ear, scolding, "You little rascal, go and apologize to her properly and beg that damned girl to help you out."
"I already begged, but it was completely useless," said Zhang Rui, extremely frustrated.
"That's right, that bitch is heartless, daring to quarrel with her family and demand a split even at such a young age."
"Even so, she is considered quite a character within miles."
"Work hard in your studies and aim to get to the capital for college, so your brother-in-law can find you a job. Don't spend all day dreaming of living off others."
Zhang Rui listened impatiently to Zhang Ting lecturing him.
A split in the family? Su Meimei had just walked out of the guard room and immediately stopped in her tracks upon hearing this.
"What a coincidence, Zhang Rui, is this your sister?" Su Meimei purposely approached to make conversation.
"Yes, this is my older sister," Zhang Rui introduced proactively, "Did your family also send you something?"
Flattering, Su Meimei opened her mouth to compliment, "Your sister is really beautiful."
"Mom brought some small things. I just overheard you talking about a family split? Who were you discussing?"
Although Zhang Ting saw right through Su Meimei's petty tricks, she nevertheless very much enjoyed the praise.
She also wanted to make use of Su Meimei's hand to deal with Song Yitang and let her know the Zhang family was not to be trifled with.
"Who else could it be but that bitch Song Yitang? She's nothing but an ingrate,"
"My brother almost drowned in the river trying to save her. Not only did she not show gratitude, but she also had the audacity to blame our family."
"At home, she caused chaos just by being discontent, pressuring the old couple into splitting the household and running off with half the family assets to fool around with some educated youth in the team."
Upon receiving this information, Su Meimei wished she could shout it from a megaphone to expose Song Yitang's true colors to the entire school.
She feigned composure, repressing the joy within her.
"No wonder her grades improved so quickly. It turns out she relied on..."
Su Meimei's eyes filled with contempt.
Zhang Rui watched in confusion as his sister twisted the truth; he wanted to speak up to correct her, but her stern gaze silenced him.
After obtaining the information she desired, Su Meimei quickly made an excuse and left in a hurry.
Watching Su Meimei's retreating figure, Zhang Ting warned Zhang Rui, "Stay away from that girl."
"Why? Meimei is really nice," he said.
Zhang Ting did not elaborate further and simply instructed Zhang Rui to study hard, assuring him that as long as he made it to the capital for university, a job would not be a problem.
```