Chapter 24: Entering the Scholar Mode

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“No way, he actually gave the answer.” Lin Siyu’s mouth hung open in surprise.

Tan Xiaoxiao, on the other hand, curled her lip and said nonchalantly, “What’s so surprising about that? He probably just said something at random—there’s no way it’s correct!”

“No, that’s not it.” Lin Siyu shook her head and handed her workbook to Tan Xiaoxiao.

On the pages, a string of mathematical formulas and the detailed process of solving the problem were written out.

“Look,” Lin Siyu urged.

“Look at what?” Tan Xiaoxiao frowned, puzzled.

Unlike Lin Siyu, who was a top student, Tan Xiaoxiao had absolutely no interest in mathematics. The dry formulas alone made her head spin.

“When Mr. Gao posed this problem on the blackboard earlier, I copied it down and solved it… Here, look at this, the answer.” Lin Siyu, well aware of her best friend’s situation, pointed emphatically at the final answer to the math problem.

“x=1/5?”

Seeing the answer, Tan Xiaoxiao was stunned for a moment, then whispered in amazement, “That fraud, he actually calculated the answer in his head?”

Lin Siyu nodded.

The math problem Mr. Gao had written wasn’t particularly difficult. As long as you paid attention in class and listened carefully, you could solve it using the formulas. The issue was, Li Sicheng hadn’t verified his answer on the blackboard or scratch paper; he merely glanced at the problem and immediately gave the answer…

Such skill was astonishing! It showed not only powerful mental calculation and memory, but also a thorough understanding of mathematical formulas—at least those taught in today’s lesson! Otherwise, it would have been impossible.

“I didn’t expect this fraud to actually know math… The bar for con artists these days is set awfully high,” Lin Siyu muttered quietly. Her gaze toward Li Sicheng lost some of its hostility and gained a hint of curiosity.

Even Gao Zixi was taken aback by Li Sicheng’s mental calculation. After a moment, she asked, “Did you review the material I planned to teach today?”

“I suppose so,” Li Sicheng nodded.

“This kid must have studied the textbook in advance, and self-studied quite well. When I was teaching, he felt he’d already mastered everything and didn’t need to listen, so he slacked off and slept at his desk…” Gao Zixi thought to herself.

The more she pondered, the more convinced she became.

“Reviewing is good, but to become complacent and think there’s no need to listen anymore—that’s a huge mistake! No, I must humble this boy a bit, let him see he still has much to learn. Otherwise, if this goes on, a promising seedling will be ruined!”

In Gao Zixi’s eyes, Li Sicheng had already become a budding talent in mathematics.

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To master the formulas and apply them accurately just by reviewing, and to solve the problem with mental calculation and give the correct answer—what else could he be but a talent?

Precisely because he was a promising student, he needed stricter discipline!

Turning around, Gao Zixi picked up a piece of chalk and wrote another problem on the blackboard. “Li Sicheng, solve this one. If you can, then you may sleep or read whatever you wish during my class in the future. But if you can’t, you must pay close attention from now on. Should I catch you distracted, your punishment will be several times harsher than the others!”

Seeing the new math problem on the board, Lin Siyu couldn’t help but gasp. “Mr. Gao actually brought out this one! The fraud is really in trouble now.”

“Why, is this problem very hard?” Tan Xiaoxiao asked, curious.

For someone like her, utterly hopeless at math, this problem was as incomprehensible as the last. She had no way of telling which was more difficult.

Lin Siyu shot her a look. “This problem appeared in last year’s Mathematical Olympiad. Hardly anyone nationwide got it right—so what do you think? Xiaoxiao, I’ve told you many times, you really ought to put more effort into math. Favoring humanities over sciences won’t do!”

Tan Xiaoxiao replied carelessly, “What’s the big deal? I’ll just major in humanities later. Math just isn’t my thing. Honestly, I’m not going to be a mathematician when I grow up, so what’s the point of learning all these formulas? I bet you, outside of school, they’ll never be useful.”

Then, she perked up. “So this is a tough Olympiad problem? The fraud definitely won’t be able to solve it!”

Lin Siyu shook her head, not giving a clear answer. “At least I can’t solve it.”

Tan Xiaoxiao said, “Siyu, you’re the best student in our class. If even you can’t solve it, then the fraud definitely won’t! Let’s see him make a fool of himself—he’s been flaunting his skills for long enough!”

“That’s not necessarily true…” Lin Siyu murmured inwardly.

Meanwhile, Li Sicheng stepped up to the podium. He wrote “Solution” below the problem, then paused, not immediately starting to solve it.

“Don’t know how to approach the problem, do you?” Gao Zixi smiled, pleased with the result.

She turned, picked up the water cup from the lectern, and took a sip, speaking slowly, “That’s why, whether in life or learning, complacency is dangerous. Don’t ever think you know everything. In truth, what you know is but a drop in the ocean… Eh?”

When she set down the cup and turned back, she was astonished to see Li Sicheng beginning to solve the problem. His writing was swift, his thought process seemingly uninterrupted. Mathematical symbols and formulas flowed from his chalk like water, graceful and effortless.

Gao Zixi was stunned.

Not only her—every student in Class Three, Grade One was stunned.

But the students were stunned because they couldn’t understand what Li Sicheng was writing.

“Siyu, didn’t you say this problem was really hard? How does he know how to solve it? Wait… what are those symbols and formulas? I’ve never seen them before—did he make them up?” Tan Xiaoxiao wondered aloud.

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Lin Siyu was equally puzzled. “I’ve never seen those symbols and formulas either…”

The other students whispered among themselves, debating whether Li Sicheng was simply scribbling nonsense.

“He’s just making it up, those formulas are completely unfamiliar!”

“I don't think so. Even though these formulas and symbols look strange, there's something impressive about them I can't quite explain.”

At that moment, Li Sicheng finished the problem. He lightly tossed the remaining stub of chalk, landing it neatly in the chalk box.

Clapping his hands, he smiled and said, “I’m done, Mr. Gao, is my answer correct?”

“Yes…” Gao Zixi nodded reflexively, then turned back, incredulous. “How do you know linear algebra?”

The students couldn’t recognize the formulas, but as a top student from a prestigious teacher-training university, Gao Zixi instantly recognized that Li Sicheng had solved the problem using linear algebra!

That’s a college-level math course! And even university students struggle with it. How could a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old first-year high school student not only know it, but use it so proficiently?

“Linear algebra? Damn, buddy, you’re actually a top student? That’s awesome! We’ll rely on you for exams from now on!” His desk mate, Zeng Yi, was so shocked he blurted out his thoughts without realizing.

No one laughed at him.

Because everyone was still lost in stunned disbelief.

Lin Siyu was dumbfounded.

She had always been considered a top student by teachers and classmates, and she believed it herself. But after witnessing Li Sicheng’s performance today, she suddenly felt that her reputation as a “top student” was somewhat undeserved…

“It’s really not that impressive. I just did a bit more research in mathematics because of my job,” Li Sicheng said, scratching his head shyly.

“Job? What do you mean? Aren’t you a student? How do you have a job? Are you working part-time after school? What kind of part-time work requires linear algebra?” Gao Zixi asked curiously.

Li Sicheng smiled without answering, changing the subject. “Mr. Gao, do you keep your word?”

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