Chapter 516 - 176: The 80s Drama Queen is Forced to Become a Top Student (11)
Chapter 516: Chapter 176: The 80s Drama Queen is Forced to Become a Top Student (11)
When school let out at noon, Sheng Leyun was walking out with her backpack on, surrounded by a group of what others would call "bad kids."
"Sheng Leyun, we’ll all listen to you, but you have to promise that in seven years, we can earn our freedom fair and square!" The kids, their hearts a mix of confidence and anxiety about the future, repeatedly sought her reassurance.
Sheng Leyun nodded. "As long as you’re obedient enough, I promise you’ll not only get your freedom early, but you’ll also become that model child other parents talk about when they scold their own kids!"
’Huh, the model child other parents talk about?’
The kids mulled it over. They were spoiled at home, sure, but they could also be incredibly irritating at times. Their parents had, on more than one occasion, brought up how so-and-so from a certain family was doing so well.
They hated hearing it but couldn’t argue back. After all, that other kid really was outstanding and deserved to be held up as a role model.
But who doesn’t want to be praised?
Adults have egos, let alone kids this young.
Their parents were always busy with work, sometimes going an entire day without seeing them. Already feeling guilty, they did their best to satisfy their children’s every demand.
This even applied to the painful chore of studying. The parents’ mindsets weren’t exactly progressive; they figured that if their kids didn’t want to study, they could just coast through school. After more than a decade of soaking in that environment, they couldn’t possibly end up illiterate, right? And in the meantime, the parents would have already carved out a world for them!
Under this kind of spoiling and indulgence, it was no wonder the children had grown up a bit too wild.
Come to think of it, they had never tasted the sweetness of being praised for their own skills and abilities, much less being a role model.
The kids imagined it now: finishing their schoolwork ahead of schedule, with no one able to "imprison" them for any justifiable reason. And on top of that, they’d become role models for others. The mere thought of this scene was enough to make them giddy with delight!
"Oh man, I’m gonna hurry home and ask if there are any good tutors!" The kids were getting impatient, ready to grab their backpacks and bolt for home.
Sheng Leyun laid out her requirements. "We have to find a suitable place to study at night. The tutor has to have real knowledge and skill, and they must focus on study strategies, not just rote memorization."
"Not many people can meet that standard, but that’s okay. Taking the time to prepare now will save us work later. We’ll just try them out one by one and see which tutor is the best fit for us!"
"Also, I’ll only take lessons from good-looking people. It makes the whole experience much more pleasant, you know!"
The kids were speechless. ’Do teachers get hired based on their looks now?’
’What’s more important, studying or having fun?’
She had just been telling them things like, "You have to endure the bitterest hardships to rise above the rest," and "If you don’t suffer the hardship of studying today, you’ll suffer the hardship of life tomorrow."
But she didn’t sound like someone who was planning to buckle down and work hard at all.
Still, the little group all nodded and then took off running. Not long after they left the school, the only ones left with Sheng Leyun were three boys heading the same way. They ambled along casually, lagging a step or two behind her.
Just as they were passing through an alley, a short, stout boy and a tall, dark-skinned, sturdy boy suddenly jumped out, blocking Sheng Leyun’s path and sizing her up.
"So you’re the new country bumpkin?"
"Not much to look at, are you..."
"Heard your new dad treats you pretty well..."
Before they could finish, the three boys from behind let out a shout and rushed forward.
"Well, well, look what we have here. Who dares to bully our friend!" a little boy in a plaid shirt sneered, crossing his arms and rising onto his tiptoes.
Sheng Leyun could hardly bear to watch. ’If they were eleven or twelve years older,’ she thought, ’I could grudgingly accept the term ’hero saving a damsel in distress.’
But these little pipsqueaks weren’t even old enough to have all their adult teeth, and the sight gave her an overwhelming urge to burst out laughing.
All their tough-guy posturing... Sheng Leyun covered her mouth, her eyes watering as her shoulders shook uncontrollably.
The three boys thought she was scared, and their little faces grew grim.
This was their new friend. How could they let her get bullied right after she joined them? It would be a complete slap in the face!
Pang and the dark-skinned boy may have looked big and sturdy, but when faced with three of the most notorious boys in their grade, they deflated like punctured balloons. Hunching their shoulders, they backed against the wall and chuckled obsequiously.
"Third Brother, Seventh Brother, Eighth Brother, hey! We—we didn’t know Sheng Leyun was with you guys..."