Chapter 13: Who Is Yang Qi

The knowledge points in the textbooks were no longer a problem for Yang Qi. During classes, he was basically wandering in space, practicing his Meditation Technique. His sitting posture was very peculiar—his bottom was always a few millimeters off the seat. It looked like he was sitting, but he was actually squatting. Yet, it was well-concealed; even his deskmate Lu Liangjie didn’t notice. This was Yang Qi practicing the Body Forging Technique.

After class, Yang Qi would still go to the playground to run. He also had an additional place to go: the school library. The library at Ruiyun High School was quite large with an extensive collection of books. Yang Qi had visited a few times before, always borrowing books to read elsewhere. Now, however, he stood in front of the bookshelves and could finish flipping through a book in no time. He read a wide variety of books, but once stored in his mind, the information automatically arranged itself systematically, forming orderly and logical databases.

Time flew by. On Thursday afternoon, after classes ended, Yang Qi finished his meal and prepared to go to the library when Chen Gong stopped him.

Chen Gong approached Yang Qi and asked quietly, “Brother Yang, what should I say when my girlfriend says so-and-so is so handsome? Sometimes she gets infatuated, but that kind of talk is really hard to respond to. Please suggest a suitable reply.”

Although it didn’t trigger a task that could award points, Yang Qi was still happy to answer others’ questions. After a brief thought, he said, “If it happens again next time, just say, ‘So what? His girlfriend isn’t as pretty as mine.'”

Chen Gong pondered over it carefully, then gave Yang Qi a thumbs-up. “All-powerful Brother Yang, I give you thirty-two likes.”

This was one of the reasons why Chen Gong, who was usually quite timid, dared to approach Yang Qi even though he knew Yang Qi had a grudge with Qin Muchu.

Watching Chen Gong leave happily, Yang Qi smiled faintly. Chen Gong and his girlfriend had gotten together in their first year of junior high, and it had been almost six years now. They both seemed like little kids; it was hard to believe they had been in such a long-term relationship. Youth was just so magical—different flowers bore different fruits, and different fruits brewed different wines.

They say the library is one of the best places for romantic encounters, and indeed, there were too many boys and girls holding books, longing for knowledge and even more for love. Most were freshmen or sophomores. It was extremely rare for a senior like Yang Qi to hang out in the library. Chen Xiaoxiao was another one of those rare few.

She had been standing there watching Yang Qi for over ten minutes. She was utterly speechless and puzzled about what this guy was doing. He was holding a book, flipping through it so fast. In less than fifteen minutes, he had already finished flipping through two fairly thick books. Others came to the library to read books; he came to flip books! Could he be any weirder?

Chen Xiaoxiao had no idea that Yang Qi could read twenty lines at a glance and had a photographic memory. Finally unable to contain her curiosity, she walked over and said softly, “Is this how you read? Just flipping through? You’re not using reading as a pretense to secretly watch girls, are you?”

“I’m checking if there’s any money tucked inside these books,” Yang Qi said with a laugh. “And incidentally standing here for the girls to secretly watch.”

“Who’d want to watch you?”

“Whoever wants to, watches.”

“So thick-skinned.”

Chen Xiaoxiao snorted and walked away. She hadn’t spoken with Yang Qi many times, but not once had she felt happy after their conversations.

“This Goddess classmate is still a tsundere.”

Yang Qi felt speechless and continued flipping through books. As the evening self-study session approached, Yang Qi finally put down the book and prepared to leave the library. He noticed Chen Xiaoxiao was still sitting nearby, reading a book in her hand. Moving a bit closer, Yang Qi saw the words on the page. The content was about the Three Kingdoms period. He hadn’t expected this Goddess to like books about the Three Kingdoms. Could she, like that ferocious girl, also have a hero complex?

“What are you looking at!”

Chen Xiaoxiao sensed someone behind her, turned her head, and saw it was Yang Qi. She couldn’t help but glare at him.

Yang Qi glanced at the content on the page and teased with a smile, “Xiahou Dun plucking out the arrow and eating his own eye. I never thought a Goddess would be into this; that’s pretty hardcore.”

“What do you know?” Chen Xiaoxiao said seriously. “‘A father’s essence, a mother’s blood, cannot be discarded.’ This shows Xiahou Dun’s bravery and fearlessness, and further reflects the ancient Confucian concept that ‘our bodies, to every hair and bit of skin, are given by our parents, we dare not injure or wound them; this is the beginning of filial piety.'”

Seeing Chen Xiaoxiao’s serious expression, she almost launched into the typical textbook question-and-answer mode about the central theme and what it aimed to express. Yang Qi found it utterly adorable.

Yang Qi couldn’t help feeling a bit playful and said, “That’s just a fictional version made up in the novel; it’s not real. However, I do know a true anecdote about Xiahou Dun.”

“So fake ones can’t be read? I’d like to hear what’s interesting about your so-called true anecdote.” Chen Xiaoxiao gritted her teeth; this guy was really somewhat detestable.

Yang Qi’s voice, though low, was extremely magnetic and full of infectious charm. He said, “The story goes that during the Three Kingdoms period, at the front of Changban Slope, Cao Cao and Liu Bei were confronting each other. Hearing that another fierce general had been slain, Cao Cao asked who else was willing to go into battle. All the generals knew Zhang Fei was ferocious; no one dared to respond. Cao Cao secretly thought only Yuanrang could be a match, so he shouted, ‘Xiahou Dun! Xiahou Dun!’ At that moment, a voice from a corner drifted over, saying faintly, ‘After Xiahou squats, the Chancellor squats.'”

Having said that, without waiting to see if Chen Xiaoxiao had caught on, Yang Qi, stifling his laughter, walked straight out of the library.

Chen Xiaoxiao stared blankly at Yang Qi’s retreating back, then quickly realized what he meant. She nearly charged forward to tear his mouth. What kind of true anecdote was that? A true anecdote, my foot! However, the phrase “Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Dun, after Xiahou squats, the Chancellor squats” lingered in her ears like a demonic chant.

“Immature!”

Chen Xiaoxiao spat the words at Yang Qi’s back, then burst out laughing despite herself.

…

“One more shot!”

Passing by the basketball court, Yang Qi heard a loud shout. A group of people were fiercely playing basketball. One of them dribbled past half-court, passed two defenders, faked a move, stepped back behind the three-point line, jumped high, and the basketball arced beautifully toward the net. However, “Clang!” A crisp sound echoed as the ball hit the rim, bounced high, flew out of bounds, and rolled right to Yang Qi’s feet.

“Hey, classmate, could you throw the ball back? Thanks.”

After teasing a girl, especially one of Goddess caliber, the mood was definitely not bad. Hearing the call, Yang Qi was naturally willing to help. He picked up the basketball, squinted toward the basketball court, smiled slightly, flicked his wrist, and threw the ball. And then…

Swish.

Into the net.

“Holy crap!”

Everyone on the basketball court froze for a moment, then uttered a curse. The basket was at least twenty meters away from Yang Qi’s position. Considering the entire court was only twenty-eight meters long, he had just made that shot, and it seemed like a clean swish too. This guy was way too savage!

The three-point line is about seven meters from the basket. Calculating like that, this was practically an unbelievable nine-point shot.

“That’s some ridiculously awesome luck!”

A burly, tall guy picked up the basketball and hurled it forcefully toward where Yang Qi stood. He shouted in a rough voice, “Hey, buddy, dare to make another one like that!”

The basketball flew fast and fierce, arriving before Yang Qi with a whoosh. The tall guy throwing it definitely had great strength; even from that distance, most people probably wouldn’t dare to catch it. Yet Yang Qi caught it easily with one hand and then threw it back with that same hand.

Swish!

The basketball, under everyone’s watchful eyes, went through the net again. The group’s eyes instantly went wide, their mouths hanging open.

“Oh my freaking god!”

The burly tall guy yelled, “Can you be any more godlike!”

The others wore the same expression.

“Hey, where did that guy go!”

Looking back again, the shooter had vanished.

After making the shot, Yang Qi had left while everyone was still staring at the basketball.

“Old Niu, since when did such an insanely awesome sharpshooter appear at our Ruiyun?”

The burly tall guy was a student from Ruiyun, but not a current one—he had graduated several years ago and was now a basketball player on the Jiangzhe Province provincial team. He had come to his alma mater to catch up with his former basketball coach but got dragged by the coach—whom he called Old Niu—to be a practice partner for the Ruiyun school team. He never expected to witness such an incredible scene. With his experience, he could naturally tell that making two shots from that distance, hitting both, wasn’t something achievable just by good luck.

Coach Old Niu, hearing this, shook his head, also looking bewildered. “I don’t know who that is either.” He then looked at the students and asked, “Do any of you recognize that person?”

Most shook their heads, but one suddenly said, “I remember who that is. It’s the guy I told you about a few days ago—the Lift-Crazy Yang Qi.”

“The one you said lifted Xun Tuizhi and dangled him outside the window? The legendary Fool Yang who suddenly became smart?” Someone remembered, having some impression.

“What’s all this about?” Coach Old Niu and the burly tall guy looked completely confused.

That person quickly explained, and the crowd got a rough idea.

“Are you sure the guy just now was Yang Qi?”

The burly tall guy asked again, and the person nodded with certainty.

Old Niu and the tall guy exchanged glances, both seeing the same thought in each other’s eyes. They were both people who cherished talent. How could they miss such an excellent sharpshooter? Of course, they still needed to verify it once more.

Yang Qi naturally knew nothing about what happened on the court. He had just taken two shots in good spirits, letting loose a bit of youthful exuberance.

Meanwhile, in the senior grade office not far from the classrooms, another discussion about him was taking place.

The head of the academic affairs office pushed the door open and entered. All the homeroom teachers in the senior grade office looked over.

“The results of the Ten-School Joint Examination are out,” the head of academic affairs said, waving the file folder in his hand. “Same as previous years, our school’s average score is still first place. We also account for more than half of the top hundred students. Compared to last year, there’s improvement.”

All the teachers applauded and breathed a sigh of relief; this was related to their performance evaluations.

“What about the top ten? And who is the top scorer this time? Is it from our school?” the senior grade dean asked.

Since there was no division into arts and sciences, the so-called top ten referred to the top ten total scores among all students from all participating schools.

The head of academic affairs’ face darkened slightly. “Among the top ten, our school only has four. That’s three fewer spots than last year! However, fortunately, the top scorer is still from our school. Otherwise, Dean, you’d have to resign to take responsibility.”

His expression easing a bit, the head said with some confusion, “Only, this time, the top scorer is a name I’ve never heard before, and who never even made the school’s top hundred in previous exams. This student is called Yang Qi. Who is he?”