"Who married the sensitive you, who comforted the crying you... who tied up your long hair, who made your wedding dress." A song called "Deskmate's You" quietly became popular across the campus, and Li Chencan's name once again echoed throughout the school.
In this era, with the internet being highly developed, someone recorded "The Brother Who Slept Above Me" and posted it on some forums. In an instant, countless comments and emotions poured in, and many people learned that the author was a talented boy from Rongcheng No.1 High School.
But at this moment, in this place, Li Chencan was just a boy sitting in the examination room.
The last subject of the monthly exam was Chinese, just like the college entrance exam.
The subjects for liberal arts students were three: mathematics, comprehensive liberal arts, and Chinese. In this world, the modern Han culture of the empire covered the globe, and only foreigners learned Chinese, not the other way around.
The Chinese exam after the empire's reform was the most criticized, as it lasted three and a half hours, and no one was allowed to submit their paper early in the first two hours. Moreover, it included content such as writing ancient poems...
Writing ancient poems was worth 30 points, only 20 points less than the essay. This led many to criticize the empire for over-zealously promoting the revival of ancient literature, but regardless, it was still an important part of the exam.
In the afternoon examination room, time quietly passed. Although it was an exam, it made him feel as if he had returned to twenty years ago.
For the previous mathematics and comprehensive liberal arts exams, Li Chencan wrote swiftly. His mind was twice as sharp, and he had memorized all the textbook content from both his past and present lives. Thus, he naturally performed exceptionally well in the exams.
And now, it was time for Chinese.
Li Chencan finished his essay and then began to read the poem.
The requirement was to write a travelogue, a seven-character regulated verse, and preferably use alliteration.
For many students, this required deep thought. Often, they would struggle to come up with a poem, let alone use alliteration.
However, Li Chencan recalled his past life and smiled. He wrote a poem with a flourish.
...
"Is there any good poetry in this monthly exam?"
Yu Feng, the Chinese subject leader of Li Chencan's grade, was grading Chinese exam papers with a few other Chinese teachers when he noticed that Principal Wu Chuan had come to the office and asked a question.
Wu Chuan was a member of the Ancient Poetry Association of Tianfu Province and held a certificate as a second-level ancient poetry researcher. He was well-known throughout Tianfu Province and had a deep love for ancient poetry. However, although the empire's exams were not entirely exam-oriented, they were still quite similar. Many people wrote ancient poems just to get points and meet the requirements.
Especially in such monthly exams, how could there be any good poetry? Therefore, Wu Chuan could only leave disappointed time and time again.
"No," Yu Feng said helplessly, "Principal Wu, you always come to check, but you should be prepared for the outcome." The citizens of the empire had a certain pride and would not kowtow just because someone was the principal.
"You've only graded two-thirds of the papers, right? There might still be a chance," Wu Chuan said, though he already knew that there was little hope of finding any good poetry, but he still held out a glimmer of hope.
"The rest are here," Yu Feng said bluntly to Wu Chuan, "Why don't you take a look yourself?" This was just a monthly exam, and the grading was not as strict. Since Wu Chuan was the principal, he could certainly take a look.
"Alright, I'll take a look myself," Wu Chuan said, itching to do so, and began to go through the papers.
However, as Yu Feng had said, most of the poems were a mess, even including ridiculous verses like "From afar, Mount Tai is black and dark, with a fine top and a thick bottom." Wu Chuan was furiousâcould the best high school in Tianfu Province produce such people? Was the revival of ancient literature in the empire so far off?
Until he saw a few lines of elegant running script on the line.
The poem was titled "Evening Return to the Boat" (Oral Composition, Repeating the Previous Rhyme).
"Oral composition, repeating the previous rhyme?" Wu Chuan became interested, but he did not believe that a high school student could really write this well... it might just be a failed attempt.
As he read on... Wu Chuan's disbelief turned into extreme surprise!
"Boat returning to the west of the stone bridge, fishing lights aligning on the empty river. The wind at the end of the reeds is bone-chilling, the smoke at the treetops half enveloping the embankment.
The jade tower's songs and dances are just beginning to intoxicate, the winding shore's cattle and sheep paths are about to get lost. In the evening, I seek a solitary inn, washing off the spring mud under the lamp in my blue robe."
Not only did it meet the requirements of oral composition and repeating the previous rhyme, but every word was a gem. This poem vividly described the feeling of rowing a boat at dusk. The line "fishing lights aligning on the empty river" vividly portrayed the vast river scene, and the entire poem conveyed a sense of loneliness and vastness, drawing the reader into the poet's emotions.
"Who wrote this? Who?!" Wu Chuan suddenly slammed the table, startling Yu Feng.
Yu Feng inwardly sighedâcould this student have written something that offended Wu Chuan? However, with freedom of speech in the empire, if the student could write such poetry, it could even bring fame in the world of ancient poetry. He was not worried that the student would offend Wu Chuan...
"Let me take a look."
Yu Feng examined the handwriting to determine the student's identity. In that moment, his eyes scanned the poem, and he also slammed the table, "What a great poem!"
He finally understood why Wu Chuan was so excitedâit was because the poem was so well-written! The other teachers, hearing the commotion, gathered around and marveled.
Wu Chuan felt a bit ashamedâalthough he held the title of second-level ancient poetry researcher, he might not have been able to write such a poem.
Thus, Wu Chuan became even more excited, "Tell me quickly, who is this? I want to see him!"
Yu Feng nodded, looked at the handwriting, and was a bit skeptical, but this handwriting... could only be Li Chencan's! But Li Chencan's grades had plummeted recently. Could it really be his?
Yu Feng carefully opened the sealed name and saw that it was indeed Li Chencan! Wu Chuan also saw the name "Li Chencan" and was surprised, "Wasn't Li Chencan's grades plummeting? How did he write such a poem now! But, he did write it! I'll go see him!"
Seeing Wu Chuan's behavior, Yu Feng was helpless, "The students are on holiday today. Let's go tomorrow!"
"Alright," Wu Chuan was a bit disappointed but nodded in agreement, his composure as a principal re-emerging.
...
"This is the last monthly exam of our high school years. I believe most of you are taking it seriously," the teacher, Ms. Zuo Hong, said confidently from the podium. She was a woman in her forties who liked to wear high heels and black stockings in an OL style, but her poor figure often made people dislike her.
"However, some students, whose grades have dropped significantly, do not strive to improve but instead spend their time on side activities like writing and singing songs. Students, we are a key high school! Everyone should strive for Tsinghua University and Peking University, not waste time on such side activities!"
Everyone knew she was talking about Li Chencan.
Li Chencan's "Deskmate's You" and "The Brother Who Slept Above Me" had amazed everyone and earned him high praise from the school's music teacher, Xue Feiyang, who said he had "never heard such beautiful folk songs." This also put Li Dong, who had caused trouble that night, in his place.
Ms. Zuo Hong, who was Li Dong's homeroom teacher and aunt, usually disliked Li Chencan by association. After Li Chencan's grades dropped, she not only did not comfort him but also mocked and ridiculed him. Many people could not stand it and spoke up, but this only made the situation worse.
Ye Huanxue frowned as she listened. After "Deskmate's You," she had developed a different feeling towards Li Chencan.
But now, Ms. Zuo Hong was scolding Li Chencan in front of everyone.
However, Li Chencan remained unmoved... he was just writing something in a notebook.
At that moment, someone knocked on the door. Then, everyone saw that the Chinese subject leader, Yu Feng, was standing there, and even the school principal, Wu Chuan, was at the door.