Volume 1: Elementary school 2004-2005 (5)
Lin Zhixia’s ninth birthday fell on September 24, 2004.
Jiang Yubai firmly remembered this date.
Prior to this, Jiang Yubai had acquired a new private tutor — a teacher who graduated from the province’s top university. This university ranked in the top five nationwide, with its School of Mathematical Sciences ranking in the top three.
Jiang Yubai asked the new teacher, “Have you studied physics?”
The teacher adjusted his glasses and replied, “I attended a competition class in high school. I participated in math and physics competitions.”
“Very good,” Jiang Yubai nodded in approval. “Please recommend to me the most challenging physics competition problem set. It must be the hardest and most recently published, not the average difficulty.”
The teacher questioned, “At the competition level in high school? You might find it too difficult… Why do you want to buy it?”
Jiang Yubai gripped his pen and lightly tapped on the paper, “I need a copy of the latest, hardest physics competition problem set ever published.” He deliberately mimicked his father’s tone, “I’m sorry, it involves personal privacy, so I can’t answer your question in detail.”
The teacher was perplexed, but he was a professionally cultured math tutor. Soon, he recommended a series of excellent physics problem sets to Jiang Yubai, including “International Young Physicists’ Tournament,” “Princeton University Physics Competition,” “British Physics Challenge,” “University of Waterloo Physics Olympics,” and others.
These names sounded quite challenging! Jiang Yubai gathered his spirits and began writing vigorously.
He looked at the list he had compiled, anticipating that Lin Zhixia would soon be tearful and give up in the face of such difficulty.
On September 24, 2004, Jiang Yubai carried his backpack and a heavy briefcase.
He successfully collected all the compiled problem sets — in both Chinese and English. Moreover, Jiang Yubai spent the entire night tearing out all the answers from the books.
Yes, he tore out the answers.
He knew it was an immoral, undignified, and dishonest act. His conscience was tortured.
In the end, his desire to win slightly took over.
At 7:17 in the morning on September 24, Jiang Yubai slowly walked into the classroom of Class 1, Grade 4, carrying a heavy bag. His expression looked the same as usual. But there was already a huge wave in his heart, and it was raging and overwhelming.
He guessed that Lin Zhixia might cry.
His movements in placing the exercise books became hesitant.
If she cries, what should he do? He can’t make his deskmate cry, let alone be too cruel. He should be a good person and become a good man when he grows up.
Jiang Yubai glanced sideways at Lin Zhixia.
Lin Zhixia’s cheeks were white and rosy, and the clear morning light made her eyes shine with stars. She opened her notebook and was writing “Human Observation Diary”.
Lin Zhixia wrote: “September 24, 2004. Today, I will continue gathering material. My deskmate Jiang Yubai is still struggling to understand complex number theory. He hasn’t truly grasped the vector significance of complex space. It might take him some more time before he can apply mathematical tools to real-world theories. Yesterday, I explained my understanding of string theory to Jiang Yubai, and I discovered that Jiang Yubai is completely ignorant of the famous general theory of relativity…”
The four large characters “completely ignorant” stung Jiang Yubai’s eyes.
Put away your pity, Jiang Yubai warned himself. Pity for your enemy is cruelty to yourself.
He clenched his fists, made up his mind, and shouted in a cold voice from hell: “Lin Zhixia.”
Lin Zhixia was writing quickly, as if guided by inspiration. She casually asked, “What is it?”
Jiang Yubai emptied the contents of the briefcase onto the desk.
The selections from the most challenging international physics competitions in history—such as the “China Physics Olympiad,” “International Young Physicists’ Tournament,” “Princeton University Physics Competition,” and “British Physics Challenge”—were fully revealed to Lin Zhixia in that instant.
“I gave it all to you,” Jiang Yubai said slowly, like a devil, “I tore up all the answers.”
Lin Zhixia lifted her head and gazed into his eyes.
He added, “I tore them out of every single book, completely and cleanly.”
Just as Jiang Yubai expected, Lin Zhixia’s eyes were filled with mist, and tears accumulated, filling her eyes.
The roots of her ears also began to turn red, like the sunset in midsummer. She even trembled slightly, as if she had turned into a fish caught by someone by the lake. Her nose was sore and she couldn’t help crying. The more she cried, the more she couldn’t stop crying. Her beautiful eyes were covered with tears, and she secretly complained to him in a pitiful tone: “I know I shouldn’t cry, but, but, some emotions are uncontrollable… Last week, you asked me when my birthday was. I thought about whether you wanted to give me a gift… This is the first time I received a birthday gift from a classmate… I have never… no one has treated me like this before…”
Jiang Yubai didn’t expect her reaction to be so big. He has lost the joy of winning.
He stammered: “Yes, I’m sorry, Lin Zhixia, I didn’t throw away the answer. I… this afternoon…”
I will definitely bring you all the answers in the afternoon.
Before these words were spoken, Lin Zhixia wiped away her tears and said to him: “Thank you, thank you! This is the best birthday gift I have ever received! Jiang Yubai, you are my best friend!You will always be my best friend! Jiang Yubai! You are so kind!”
Jiang Yubai was a little confused.
Lin Zhixia was so happy that she even held his wrist: “I never look at the answers… I don’t like looking at the answers. I hate the answers. Because the ideas in those answers are completely different from mine. I just need to find the problem , questions can help me think, the thinking process is the most important. You understand me well, you really understand me. Thank you for helping me tear up all the answers! Thank you, Jiang Yubai.”
Jiang Yubai withdrew his hand. He looked at the tabletop of the desk quietly, and finally understood that Lin Zhixia was crying with joy just now.
Lin Zhixia’s eyes were red, like a little rabbit’s. She kept on chattering, “There are no answers, and the book has become lighter. I am so happy! Today I will continue to teach you about superstring theory! Yesterday we said that superstring theory combines general relativity and quantum mechanics! You know’ Tachyon’? ‘Tachyon’ refers to a subatomic particle that exists in theoretical physics and moves faster than the speed of light. It will never slow down to a speed close to the speed of light… The supersymmetry of superstring theory refers to The symmetry between fermions and bosons is so interesting! Can you imagine the connection between supersymmetry and tachyons…”
Jiang Yubai grabbed a tote bag and stuffed it into Lin Zhixia’s drawer. He said, “Use this for your books.”
Lin Zhixia nodded, “Okay.”
Jiang Yubai propped his chin on his hand and muttered to himself, “I won’t lose.”
Lin Zhixia was puzzled, “Lose at what?”
Jiang Yubai kept his secrets secret. He wasn’t going to let Lin Zhixia realise too early that this was a competition crisis.
Lin Zhixia had tears on her face. She pulled out a napkin and wiped her face. She sat in the corner of the last row, and none of the classmates in the front row noticed her violent mood swings. After a while, Lin Zhixia seemed to have regained her composure. Jiang Yubai looked at the world outside the window and changed the topic: “A plane just flew by.”
Lin Zhixia said: “I have never flown on a plane.”
Jiang Yubai was surprised: “Really?”
“What’s it like to fly?” Lin Zhixia asked him.
At this time, squad leader Dong Sunqi, who also serves as the “mathematics class representative”, is collecting homework.
Dong Sunqi stood next to Jiang Yubai and issued important instructions to each group: “Those who have not handed in their homework! All names will be remembered! There is no need to discuss!
Then, Dong Sunqi answered Lin Zhixia’s question, “Before flying, you have to buy a ticket. Once you’re at the airport, you need to choose a seat at the check-in counter…”
Jiang Yubai interrupted Dong Sunqi, “You don’t need a ticket for a private jet.”
Dong Sunqi, holding a stack of maths homework, looked down at Jiang Yubai, “Do you have a private jet at home?”
Jiang Yubai replied humbly and modestly, “I didn’t buy it.”
“Of course not,” Dong Sunqi questioned, “How could you buy a plane?”
Jiang Yubai, spurred by his competitive spirit, said, “When I grow up, I’ll definitely buy one myself.”
Dong Sunqi immediately upped the stakes, “I’ll buy one too! I’ll buy ten!”
Zhou Bufeng, sitting in the front row, joined the competition, “I’ll get twenty Boeing 747s.”
Dong Sunqi put down the stack of maths homework and fully engaged in the battle, “I’ll buy thirty domestically-made J-8 fighter jets, thirty American-made Lightning fighter jets! I’ll also get an aircraft carrier, a missile destroyer, and intercontinental missiles…”
“Why do you need all that?” Jiang Yubai questioned him.
Dong Sunqi was stumped and couldn’t give a clear answer.
Jiang Yubai coldly mocked, “Do you think you’re playing Age of Empires?”
Age of Empires was a popular computer game among all the boys in the school. Players accumulate resources like gold, food, wood, and population, produce armies and military weapons, and fight against enemies to achieve ultimate victory.
Dong Sunqi was left speechless by Jiang Yubai’s words. He walked away and resumed urging everyone to turn in their homework.
While collecting the assignments, Dong Sunqi’s mind didn’t stop working. He finally came up with an idea. He ran back to Jiang Yubai and solemnly announced, “Jiang Yubai, want to come to my house this weekend? I have a computer with Age of Empires on it. I also have a DVD player and complete disc sets of Slam Dunk, Inuyasha, Pokémon, and Detective Conan. Have you seen them?”
“I’ve seen Inuyasha, Pokémon, and Detective Conan!” Lin Zhixia exclaimed in delight, slapping the desk.
Jiang Yubai thought Lin Zhixia was going to visit Dong Sunqi’s house. He immediately turned and looked at Lin Zhixia, “I have anime discs at my house too. Come to my place.”
Lin Zhixia was stunned.
Jiang Yubai added, “I have everything at home.”
In fact, Jiang Yubai’s driver, estate, and Aston Martin were famous throughout the entire grade.
A sixth-grade senior claimed that both his parents worked at Jiang’s company. The senior also said that Jiang Yubai’s grandfather was on the Hurun Rich List [1], and his mother’s family was in the building materials and construction steel industry in their province.
[1] The Hurun Rich List is an annual ranking of the wealthiest individuals in China, compiled by the Hurun Report, a research and luxury publishing group founded by British-born Rupert Hoogewerf. The list is similar to the Forbes Billionaires List but focuses specifically on the wealthiest people in China.
The senior’s description was profound and hard to understand.
The students of Class 4 (1) more or less knew that Jiang Yubai was very wealthy.
Jiang Yubai’s nickname became “The Richest in Class 1.”
So, what would “The Richest in Class 1” Jiang Yubai’s house be like?
Dong Sunqi was eager to find out. He bent down and put his arm around Jiang Yubai’s shoulder, asking in a friendly tone, “Can I come to your place?”
Jiang Yubai was about to refuse when Dong Sunqi suddenly said, “Jiang Yubai, you’re not going to only invite girls to your house, are you? Don’t look down on boys. You’re a boy yourself.”
“Fine.” Jiang Yubai ended up inviting four people: his deskmate Lin Zhixia, class monitor Dong Sunqi, Gan Shuli who sat in front of Lin Zhixia, and his friend Ding Yan.
Strangely, Zhou Bufeng also turned around and started rocking back and forth in his chair. His eyes were fixed on Jiang Yubai, as if he was waiting for an invitation as well. But Jiang Yubai swore to himself: I will definitely not invite him.
******
On Sunday morning at 6:00 AM, Jiang Yubai got up.
He followed a strict routine: going to bed at 8:30 PM, waking up at 6:00 AM, then washing up, doing morning exercises, taking a shower, and having breakfast.
At 7:30 AM, his piano teacher arrived to give him a lesson.
While playing the piano, Jiang Yubai suddenly thought, could he perform a piece in front of Lin Zhixia? Would she understand the melody? If she didn’t, he’d succeed.
The lingering sound was long, he pressed the last note and constructed a blueprint in his mind.
At 10:30 in the morning, Jiang Yubai was thinking clearly and neatly dressed. He left his bedroom, walked downstairs, stood in front of a floor-to-ceiling window, and waited patiently for his classmates.
The lawn outside the window stretches as far as the eye can see, the roads are wide and the street lights stand tall.
Jiang Yubai’s family sent two cars to bring students from different communities in the city. When he was studying in Singapore, Jiang Yubai never invited anyone to his home. He returned to China for less than a month to go to school, but he quickly integrated into the class, integrated into the group, and had many friends – this made Jiang Yubai’s mother very happy.
His dad said: “The soil and water support the people, and Jiang Yubai is more adaptable at home.”
His mom also said: “Our son will definitely have to deal with people from all walks of life when making decisions in the future. He cannot only know one class of people in Singapore.”
Jiang Yubai’s father was sitting on a bar-style terrace on the top floor of their estate. He picked up a glass and glanced at his watch: “It’s time for me to leave. This time I will stay in Beijing for half a month, and then go to Shanghai and Suzhou. The schedule is full…”
His wife smiled and urged: “Okay, go ahead.” The two of them kissed on the terrace where the cool breeze blew.
Until the wind stops.
Two cars drove up the road. When the cars came to a stop, five children got out—two girls and three boys.
Jiang Yubai remembered inviting only four people, so why were there five?
He scanned the group. Besides Lin Zhixia, Gan Shuli, Ding Yan, and Dong Sunqi, there was a boy he had never seen before. The boy stepped forward and introduced himself, “I’m Dong Sunqi’s neighbour. I’m thirteen years old, and my name is Nie Tianqing.”
Nie Tianqing had a clean and handsome appearance, was tall and slender, and wore the uniform of the city’s top high school. He stood on the lush green lawn.
He claimed to be Dong Sunqi’s neighbour.
Jiang Yubai’s emotionless gaze fell on Dong Sunqi.
Dong Sunqi quickly introduced: “Nie Tianqing is our senior who graduated from elementary school at the same school! He is in the second grade of junior high school this year! His family moved upstairs to my house the year before last, and I often play video games with him…”
Dong Sunqi put his arm around Jiang Yubai’s shoulders: “Jiang, the richest man, I’m bringing someone to play with you, why don’t you give me face? Next time you go to my house, you can bring as many people as you want.”
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