Waking up as a top student, Zhou Rui felt completely refreshed.
Instead of immediately rushing to fill the empty task bar, he decided to take a moment to calm down.
He called his mother to confirm that she was still staying in Qiyun Mountain and that everything was normal. Once reassured, he packed his schoolbag, whistling softly as he prepared to head out.
Zhou Rui was in an exceptionally good mood—better than winning the lottery.
In the corridor on the first floor, he saw the notice about the house being sold again. With his new "top student" status solving the crisis of the college entrance exam, Zhou Rui felt it was time to start making progress in other areas as well.
The song invitation from the "working group" in northern Beijing? That could also be arranged now.
From today onwards, studying would no longer monopolize his time. Now, he could control how much effort to allocate and where. After all, he had the system—how could he not feel invincible?
He almost wished there was a quiz today so he could stun Huang Dewei. Unfortunately, this seemed unlikely. As the college entrance exam approached, teachers were cautious about assigning tests, worried it might affect students' confidence.
"Alas, if you don't flaunt your success when you're thriving, it's like wearing fine clothes in the dead of night!"
He couldn't just stroll into class with a random test paper, finish it in 30 minutes, throw it at Huang Dewei, and say: "Don't underestimate the poor kid!"
It sounded pretty awesome in theory, though.
With a fresh haircut and a confident smile, Zhou Rui walked to campus. In his eyes, even the chirping birds in the trees looked more cheerful today.
As he passed the barber shop, the lady boss spotted him and called out with a grin, "Xiao Zhou, off to school so early? You've been working so hard!"
Zhou Rui replied with a bright smile, "It's not hard. Just enjoying life!"
The lady boss blinked in surprise but quickly turned to her customer inside. "Handsome, right? I cut his hair!"
The customer hesitated for a moment and muttered, "Why don't you rinse this foam off my head first? I'm feeling a bit dizzy."
"Hey, hey, coming right up!"
---
After grabbing breakfast, Zhou Rui arrived at school, his spirits still high, a faint smile lingering on his lips.
The biggest problem of his rebirth—the impending college entrance exam—had been completely solved. Through sheer effort and the system's help, he had gone from almost dropping out to becoming a "top student." How could he not be elated?
"Zhou Rui, good morning!"
He turned his head to see Han Zinyin, her hair tied in a neat ponytail, smiling at him.
"Morning!"
The two of them, being seatmates, naturally walked side by side into the campus.
Many heads turned to look at them, marveling at how well they seemed to match.
Han Zinyin's beauty was undeniable, and Zhou Rui, with his fresh haircut and renewed confidence, now exuded a radiant charm.
As they entered the classroom, the students of Class 7 couldn't help but stare.
Zhang Xin, the top-ranking student in the class, broke down once again.
If his defenses were breached every time Zhou Rui surprised him, Zhang Xin's heart would already be riddled with scars.
---
The first period was math. Zhou Rui initially listened intently for the first ten minutes.
But he quickly realized something: for someone who had acquired the "Academic Master" entry, classroom teaching no longer provided much value.
It felt like asking a master craftsman to practice with beginner tools—completely unnecessary.
Most importantly, the knowledge instilled by the system was deeply embedded in his mind. It was impossible to forget, as if welded into his memory. There would be no need for review or revision in the future.
Understanding this, Zhou Rui decided to withdraw from the lecture—not due to boredom, but to make better use of his time.
So, he pulled out a blank sheet of paper, and soon, a melody began to flow through his mind.
---
Han Zinyin was quietly reading a novel hidden behind her textbook. Since she "didn't need" to study, she spent her time this way.
She noticed, however, that Zhou Rui, who was normally more dedicated than anyone in the class, seemed to be doing something entirely different today.
Glancing over, she saw him drawing dense lines on a blank sheet of paper with a ruler.
What was he doing?
It didn't take her long to realize—he was creating sheet music!
Zhou Rui knows how to read sheet music?! But what is he trying to do?
Han Zinyin, who had learned the violin for a short time back in Shanghai, was familiar with musical notation. Her curiosity grew as she observed Zhou Rui silently from the corner of her eye.
After finishing the staff lines, Zhou Rui paused, closed his eyes, and seemed to ponder for a moment before drawing a treble clef in one corner of the page. It was elegant and precise, like the swirl of a cello.
Then, slowly and meticulously, he began adding notes to the staff.
Han Zinyin was utterly stunned.
"He's writing a song?!"
Her eyes widened in disbelief, and she bit her lip to stifle her reaction.
Zhou Rui, oblivious to her gaze, continued working. He wasn't yet proficient in musical notation, so each sequence of notes took time to transcribe. After every eight beats, he paused to mentally reconstruct the melody before moving on.
It took him an entire class period to finish three pages of sheet music.
Once done, he carefully blew on the ink to dry it and inspected his work. Satisfied, he filled in the lyrics in the blank spaces.
"Past achievements are our confidence!
The new era must win the battle of the new era."
The lyrics alone seemed formal and patriotic—hard to imagine as part of a catchy pop song. Yet, Zhou Rui knew this composition had both substance and widespread appeal.
Since much of the original lyrics in his previous life wouldn't fit the "60th Anniversary" context, Zhou Rui adjusted them accordingly. He removed the more modern "rap sections," feeling they were too avant-garde for this era.
By the end of class, a refined "red song" had taken shape—a creation that combined a nostalgic melody with a contemporary touch.
---
As soon as class ended, Zhou Rui planned his next steps: he would scan the sheet music, apply for copyright, and record a demo with Song Bin and Li Wenqian tomorrow.
His ultimate goal was to submit the song to the "60th Anniversary Literature and Art Guidance Working Group." Not only would this save him the hassle of dealing with external pressures, but it could also secure a stable income for years to come.
---
Once Zhou Rui had finished his work, Han Zinyin finally mustered the courage to whisper, "Were you writing a song just now?"
Her soft voice, so close to his ear, sent a slight tickle through him.
Zhou Rui turned to her and whispered back, "Yes."
Han Zinyin's eyes sparkled with amazement.
A high school boy capable of composing music—how could that not leave an impression?
"What's it called?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly with excitement.
Leaning in just a little closer, Zhou Rui's lips almost brushed her ear as he replied:
"Youth."