"Sorry, Professor Min, I already have a teacher."
Rong Yu's words made Min Shenyan pause momentarily before he chuckled.
"You might not fully understand," he explained patiently. "The teacher you're referring to is likely your regular course instructor. But if I become your mentor, I would guide you in research and help you scale the heights of mathematics. This means you’d have access to cutting-edge mathematical studies and even participate in national-level classified projects. Do you understand?"
Wu Su's blood rushed with excitement.
What mathematician wouldn’t dream of engaging with the most advanced research? Who wouldn’t want to contribute to national-level projects?
This was the very dream he had been chasing relentlessly.
Yet here it was, effortlessly handed to a mere high school student like Rong Yu.
Rong Yu nodded. "I understand, but I truly already have a mentor guiding me in mathematical research."
"Can the teacher you acknowledge even compare to Professor Min?" Wu Su whispered urgently. "Professor Min is an academician, one of the foremost mathematicians in the country. If you become his student, you might not even need to take the college entrance exam—just one recommendation letter from him could secure your admission to the top universities. Do you really not get it?"
He didn’t understand why such an esteemed scholar would take an interest in a high school student.
But he knew that when an opportunity like this arose, one should seize it with everything they had.
Yet Rong Yu shook her head again. "Professor Min, I truly appreciate the offer, but I have no intention of changing mentors."
Min Shenyan had over thirty students under his guidance.
This was the first time he had encountered such a stubborn young mind.
Still, he reasoned that her youth and simplicity might be clouding her judgment.
"Let’s exchange contact information first," he said. "If you ever change your mind, you can reach out to me anytime."
Rong Yu took out her phone, and they added each other on WeChat.
As a busy man, Professor Min left shortly after their conversation.
Wu Su looked at Rong Yu with exasperation. "You just missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I don’t even know what to say to you..."
Rong Yu met his gaze. "So, the parabolic derivations you previously asked me to work on were meant for a journal publication. While academic achievements matter, integrity matters more."
"You—you’ve misunderstood..." Cold sweat broke out on Wu Su’s forehead. He couldn’t fathom why he felt intimidated by a student.
Stammering, he explained, "I did ask if you wanted to be my assistant, and you refused. But I had already decided that even if you declined, I would still credit you in the published paper."
Rong Yu said nothing further and walked away.
Wu Su sighed as he stared at the derivation formulas left on the desk.
For years, he had believed himself underappreciated, stuck teaching Class 20, fantasizing about making a breakthrough that would earn him respect.
The truth was, he simply lacked the capability.
He wasn’t even on par with a high school student.
"Congratulations, Teacher Wu!"
A crowd of teachers burst into the room.
"Professor Min personally came to see you—what an honor!"
"With Professor Min’s favor, you’ll probably be recommended for a better position soon."
"No more wasting time teaching those hopeless slackers in Class 20. Your hard days are over, Teacher Wu—congratulations!"
Pei Yaru glanced at the speaker—Teacher Yang, the homeroom teacher of the elite science class.
With over 90% of her students admitted to top-tier universities annually, Teacher Yang looked down on everyone.
Pei Yaru usually avoided confrontation, but this time, she couldn’t hold back.
"As an educator, do you really think it’s appropriate to label students as 'hopeless'?"
Teacher Yang scoffed. "The top student in Class 20 barely ranks past 100th in the entire school. What else would you call them?"
"Academic rankings don’t define a student’s worth!" Pei Yaru suppressed her anger. "Education is about helping students grow, not slapping demeaning labels on them—"
"Enough!" Teacher Yang cut her off impatiently. "Spare me the idealistic nonsense. Schools care about grades and admission rates, not your lofty principles. I have lessons to prepare—no time for this."
Pei Yaru’s eyes reddened.
Truthfully, she too preferred high-achieving students.
But that didn’t mean she would ever demean those who struggled.
Unaware of the commotion, Class 20 remained focused.
With midterms just over a week away, even their classroom buzzed with tension.
Rong Yu buried herself in calculations until the school bell rang.
Finishing her derivations, she sent them to her senior before packing up to leave.
Ji Zhouye, too broke to afford gaming cafes, obediently drove her home in his luxury car.
The million-dollar vehicle drew stares as it rolled past the school gates.
Another car idled at the entrance.
Rong Ruoyao walked over and slid into the backseat.
Rong Wangtian was at the wheel, while Shen Lin sat in the passenger seat.
"Ruoyao, are you sure Secretary Lan is home?"
The Rong Corporation was facing financial strain and needed a major capital infusion to stabilize.
For months, they had been trying to forge ties with the Ji family’s empire, but opportunities were scarce.
Rong Ruoyao nodded. "A director I met during a show told me Secretary Lan is on leave, planning to get married and become a full-time homemaker."
The same director had also provided Secretary Lan’s address.
"Connections really do open doors," Shen Lin remarked with a smile. "Seems Secretary Lan is marrying into wealth. Building a rapport with her could greatly benefit Rong Corporation’s dealings with the Ji family."
Rong Wangtian agreed. "This first meeting isn’t about business—it’s about establishing goodwill."
Shen Lin understood perfectly.
After a pause, Rong Wangtian added casually, "I overheard students talking about the physics competition results. Didn’t Rong Yu sign up for that?"
Rong Ruoyao pressed her lips together. "She passed the preliminaries."
"Didn’t expect her to have that in her," Rong Wangtian mused, slightly pleased. "At least the money I spent getting her into this school wasn’t wasted."
"But..." Rong Ruoyao hesitated. "She scored full marks. Only three students achieved that. Some are saying she cheated, though the teachers haven’t commented. Probably just jealousy."
Rong Wangtian’s face darkened instantly. "What kind of disgraceful habits did she pick up in the countryside? Cheating? She’s an embarrassment to the Rong name!"
Shen Lin interjected calmly, "Let’s not dwell on this. We’re almost at Secretary Lan’s place."
Their car soon arrived at a gated villa community.
Rong Ruoyao stepped out first, sweetly informing the security guard, "Uncle, we’re friends of the homeowner here for a visit."
