Study Monster Cultivation System

Chapter 186: Memorize the 185 four-character mantra

After hastily changing his clothes, Jiang Qinghua was blocked outside the door, trailing behind Liu Xiaodong, Sun Xiubin, Tang Zhifei, and several other teachers, and could only watch the staged photography in the classroom from afar, grinding his teeth.

The theme of the staged photography was undoubtedly "Li Zheng studying hard."

And throughout the shooting, it was all very pretentious.

During this process, Yu Hong and Tang Zhifei also put on a show of teaching for several minutes.

Each student listened intently, not looking away, which was extremely nauseating.

Li Zheng himself was also utterly disgusted.

Lin Yujing was even more nauseated, barely managing not to fall asleep.

However, what came next was even more revolting.

That was the individual interviews.

To make it appear natural, everyone was supposed to stay in the classroom, pretending it was during a break.

Li Zheng then stood in a place convenient for filming, taking the interview.

Every word he said could be clearly heard by the whole class, which was extremely embarrassing.

Despite such embarrassment, Li Zheng gave enough face to the principal, trying his best to credit everything to the school and teachers, claiming he was just studying normally.

Originally, these question and answers were all clichés, the kind of words that all competition champions and top scholars would say.

But when asked one question, Li Zheng unconsciously became serious.

"So, Li Zheng, will your future goals be related to chemistry?" the lady reporter asked.

Li Zheng calmly replied, "Not necessarily related to chemistry, but definitely related to scientific research."

"Oh? Why so sure?" the reporter grew interested, "You might go abroad, enter a corporation, or even start your own business, why are you so certain about engaging in scientific research? Has this been your goal since childhood?"

Li Zheng faced the camera and sighed.

Occasionally, speaking a sincere truth felt right.

Unconsciously, his expression sharpened.

The lady reporter hadn’t even reacted yet when Li Zheng had already begun speaking:

"Most audiences will only see this news—"

"Someone from our city has won the national first place in the Chem Competitions."

"From the news, the audience will see the school’s cultivation, my efforts, the teachers’ help, and so forth."

"But none of these is the most fundamental factor."

"There’s only one fundamental factor—"

"Money."

At this point, the reporter began to panic.

The teachers and students also panicked.

But ultimately they weren’t too panicked, since it wasn’t a live broadcast.

Li Zheng, now in a ’speak the truth if you want’ mode, continued.

"Competition champions don’t just pop up out of nowhere."

"They are produced by national money."

"For a single Chem Competition, from the preliminary rounds to the finals, then to training and international finals."

"Organizational costs are counted in tens of millions."

"This does not even count the investment of energy and time preparation from so many famous teachers nationwide."

"Now, as a champion, I am bound to enter one of the top universities."

"Investment in a university student by the country each year is also counted in millions."

"Add up the investment from my family and the state’s investment in me during the compulsory education phase."

"A so-called competition champion like me, from elementary school to university graduation."

"The educational funds consumed won’t be less than five million."

"At the same time, I am using the country’s top educational resources."

"Indeed, through my own efforts, I managed to break through various selections to have these."

"But I am very clear that these aren’t gifts from the heavens, but given to me by the entire society."

"Of course... the heavens did grant me some things... but society gave me more..."

"Forget it, delete this part, let me rephrase..."

"...given to me by the entire society."

"Without the collective, there would be no me."

"This is how a competition champion is made, this is me."

"As someone who has been granted so many opportunities."

"I also only want to do things that only I can do."

"Going abroad or starting a business, everyone can make their own choices, but that’s not my first choice."

"My choice is to stay here, step by step towards a more exceptional me."

"To become the most unique me."

"To embrace the truest me."

"So, I want to engage in physics... my aspiration lies in scientific research."

"Incidentally, this is also the best way I can give back to society."

"That’s it, these are my genuine thoughts."

"..."

"Oh, just one last thing to add."

"I hate socializing based on interests, and I like when everyone discusses and learns together."

"..."

"Wait… there’s more——"

"I love physics."

"..."

"Okay, that’s all."

"..."

"There, I’ve really finished now. You can ask the next question."

It took a while for everyone in the classroom to regain their composure.

The reporter swallowed hard before saying, "You… that statement of yours... we need to go back and digest it a bit, can’t promise it’ll be aired…"

"No worries, I’ve said everything broadcast-friendly at the beginning." Li Zheng nodded and smiled, "It’s probably time to interview other students and teachers, right?"

"Yes… It’s about time…" the reporter followed Li Zheng’s lead and put down the microphone for the moment, "Those things you just said… did you come up with them yourself?"

"Yes, I think fast," Li Zheng tapped his head and continued, "Actually, it wasn’t impromptu. It’s more like I thought about it for an hour or so… pretty much the effort it takes to write a Chinese essay."

"Oh? Are you also good at Chinese?"

"So-so, my essays are decent."

"Would you mind providing one or two of your best essays for us to explore a bit?"

"Sure, my proudest essay is titled ’Grand Strategy—Beyond the Light Cone of…’"

Before he could finish stating the title, Tang Zhifei had already rushed over.

"Alright, alright, interview me. I’m the class teacher."

Tang Zhifei, sweating profusely, bodily blocked in front of Li Zheng, stopping his risky statement.

"But…" The reporter was still curious, looking around, trying to communicate with Li Zheng, "At least the name of the essay..."

Tang Zhifei naturally wasn’t going to give her the chance, and in order to usher Li Zheng away, he turned around and stuffed a key into his hand.

"Quick, go to the music classroom." Tang Zhifei then turned to Lin Yujing and said, "Lin Yujing, the music teacher is looking for you."

Lin Yujing was still immersed in Li Zheng’s outrageous statements.

Upon hearing this, she immediately went "Hmm?"

The music teacher?

Our school has one?

Though it was odd, avoiding the camera was ultimately great, so Lin Yujing set out as instructed.

Just as the two left the classroom, Liu Xiaodong, who had been secretly observing from the doorway, approached them.

"Hard work indeed, go rehearse now."

Although Li Zheng’s subsequent words were rather hardcore, he did say all the polite things earlier, and Liu Xiaodong was quite pleased to promptly send Li Zheng and Lin Yujing off to be alone in the music classroom.

Thus, under the principal’s lead, the other teachers also knowingly cleared the way.

Only Jiang Qinghua at the back had a face full of suspicion and coldness, "A show? You two have a show? When did..."

"Okay, don’t overthink it," Li Zheng stepped forward and took off his school uniform, "Quick, change back; they might still want to interview you."

After saying that, Li Zheng handed the key to Lin Yujing, "I’ll go change with Qinghua first, wait for me in the music classroom."

"Music classroom?" Lin Yujing took the key, still looking confused, "Is there such a place?"

"Outside, the small building next to the auditorium," Liu Xiaodong pointed out and laughed, "The reputation of our school lies in your hands now."

Lin Yujing squinted her eyes, sensing that the situation was not simple.

But however she thought about it, going to the music classroom was more comfortable than facing the cameras here.

So, she reluctantly complied.

...

After changing clothes with Jiang Qinghua, Li Zheng quickly exited the academic building and saw from afar that the door of the small building next to the auditorium—the music classroom—was open.

Li Zheng jogged all the way, and as he approached the door, a piano melody floated from the classroom.

Initially, it was just a chordal accompaniment, somewhat lazy, as if searching for the beat.

At a comfortable moment, the main melody surged in with a high note.

The two melodies intertwined as if dancing together.

This slowed Li Zheng’s pace down significantly.

He was clueless about music,

but he could still discern some level of beauty.

This comfortable, lazy, yet natural piano sound could obviously only be achieved by a master.

The atmosphere felt vintage, like something you’d hear in a small bar or café.

But at the same time, it had an ethereal romance.

By the end, even someone as musically ignorant as Li Zheng found himself nodding to the rhythm, engulfed in a sense of floating in the air.

Wonderful.

As the music approached its end, while he was immersed in it, an unexpectedly sweet voice suddenly appeared, catching him off guard.

"In other words~~~"

"I love you~~"

As the song ended, so did the piano melody.

The sudden singing left Li Zheng completely stiffened on the spot.

This was truly...

It was incredible...

My whole body tingled, and I got goosebumps.

Could it be... Lin Yujing...

Li Zheng, leaning on the wall, made his way to the door, then suddenly widened his eyes.

In the classroom, only Lin Yujing was sitting in front of the piano, swinging her legs while looking at her phone, seemingly searching for sheet music.

"Ha!" Li Zheng immediately jumped in, "How can you be this good and not perform?"

"!" Lin Yujing shuddered, instantly closed the piano, and turned to glare at Li Zheng, "Eavesdropping?!"

Li Zheng laughed as he entered, "Stop pretending, you play the piano at this time just so I can eavesdrop."

"..." Lin Yujing gritted her teeth, wanting to curse but couldn’t.

Sure enough... a master of emotional intelligence.

Such deep, hidden thoughts, and he guessed them in an instant.

On Li Zheng’s end, as soon as he entered the music classroom, he excitedly started rummaging around.

Ha, just when I was worried about not having a good act.

Lin Yujing’s piano skills and singing voice are right here.

If everyone cooperates, how could we not make a show stopper?

"You’re so good, that settles it." Li Zheng said as he flipped through the drawers in the back of the classroom, "I won’t hide it from you, in elementary school, I was the lead triangle player in the school choir, perfectly suited to accompany you."

"... Tri... triangle?" Lin Yujing was stunned.

You can even bring that instrument up?

"Yeah." Li Zheng replied confidently, "Because I was so out of tune when singing, I could only play the triangle during the choir, and I did it for six years. I also mastered the tambourine and cymbals."

Lin Yujing looked at the self-amused Li Zheng and suddenly felt a bit sorry for him.

Being forced to play the triangle is not pitiful.

Enjoying it, now that’s pitiful.

"Um..." Lin Yujing couldn’t help but sigh.

"It’s nothing." Li Zheng finally dug out a triangle set from the drawer, struck it with a "ding," turned around with a smile, and said, "You handle the playing and solo, I’ll just chime in timely with a ’ding.’"

Lin Yujing felt increasingly sorry for Li Zheng.

Because the harsh reality is, whether it’s choir or piano performances.

They never require a triangle.

It’s completely just a backdrop to fill the number.

Lin Yujing ultimately didn’t have the heart to speak the truth, simply turned her head and said, "Don’t."

"Oh come on, don’t pretend, let’s collaborate just once," Li Zheng approached boldly, "With your playing skills and my rhythm skills, we’d definitely bring honor to the school."

Rhythm skills?

Think, Li Zheng.

With so many people in the choir.

Who would hear the triangle’s sound?

Did your elementary school music teacher really deceive you like this?

Lin Yujing almost cried out of pity.

"... I came here to avoid interviews, not for people to listen," Lin Yujing, afraid that Li Zheng might see her pity, quickly put on the cat-ear hoodie and dropped her arm over the piano to lie down.

She didn’t know that this action would impact Li Zheng even more.

"Don’t... don’t..." Li Zheng stared at the pair of cat ears, once again stiffened, "Don’t wear that..."

"Hmm?" Lin Yujing laid there and turned her head slightly, touched the top of the hoodie cautiously, and suddenly smiled, "Meow?"

Li Zheng went crazy.

His whole face changed.

"Hahaha," Lin Yujing started to chuckle, "Meow, meow, meow."

"Enough... enough, enough..." Li Zheng turned sharply back, clutching the triangle and yelled, "Why are you so annoying?"

"Haha, make me perform again, and I’ll meow."

"..." Li Zheng, turning his back, asked reluctantly, "Then at least tell me, what was that song just now?"

Lin Yujing giggled, "You don’t even know this, really a music idiot, meow."

"Don’t add weird quirks!"

"Meow? You, trying to control me, meow."

"..." Li Zheng turned back with a resigned face and said, "I’m going back to give away the rocket model, to... to Jiang Qinghua!"

"No!" Lin Yujing scared hurriedly removed the hoodie, stood up nervously, "No more messing around."

"Hmph." Li Zheng then turned back, pulled a chair to sit down, wiped his face, and earnestly asked, "Let’s not talk about the performance, I just genuinely want to know what that song was."

Li Zheng at that moment thought very clearly, if Lin Yujing refused to perform, he would just have to go on alone.

While playing the triangle earlier, the [Music Performance] relaxation prompt had already popped up, allowing skills to be purchased with coins for all instruments present.

Though he could easily become a performance expert, he remained a music ignorant, totally clueless about what great music pieces there were.

Therefore, if possible, he wanted to pick the song he just heard, it really appealed to him.

Seeing Li Zheng so determined, and thinking of how pitiful he was, Lin Yujing couldn’t bear to deceive him any longer.

"That one just now, did you really like it?" Lin Yujing asked looking out the window, "What did you like about it?"

"Yes, liked..." Li Zheng pondered for a long time, then shook his head, "Can’t explain it, just liked it, if I say it smells like space, would you believe me?"

"!!" Lin Yujing was shockingly appalled.

Space smell!

This...you can discern all that?

"Oh?" Li Zheng bristled at once, getting excited involuntarily, "Did I get it right?"

"You guessed!" Lin Yujing hastily adjusted her hair, "The song’s name is ’Fly Me To The Moon’. Check it yourself."

When Li Zheng heard the song’s name, his eyes widened immediately.

"Brilliant!"

The artistic imagination behind this song title is actually hard to translate; forcibly, it would be ’Take Me to Fly to the Moon.’

No wonder it felt so ethereal, so soft and romantic.

Although he discerned so much, Li Zheng didn’t know this song had become famous during last century’s golden era of space exploration, even becoming the first and only song ever played on an extraterrestrial body, with the Apollo missions broadcasting it on the moon.

However, Li Zheng was just temporarily unaware; it took less than half a minute for him to find out.

Thank God for the internet, thank God for search engines.

He also discovered that this song has countless cover versions.

He promptly clicked to enjoy some.

Brilliant it was.

But it ultimately was not as good as the little bit Lin Yujing had just played.

At least, that was his own aesthetic judgment.

After listening to several versions, he sighed, put away his phone, leaned slightly forward and asked, "Would you play it again and sing it for me, not for a performance? I still prefer your version."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yujing shuddered, turned frantically towards the piano, and stiffly said, "I...I’m not as good as a professional singer..."

"Stop being modest. Just play a segment."

"No way!"

"I can accompany you on the triangle if that works."

"Get lost!"

Li Zheng watched Lin Yujing’s rigid back, his eyes shifting cleverly.

Emotional intelligence activated.

He had just confirmed that Lin Yujing had played at that time specifically so he could hear it.

And now she was refusing in every way possible.

Clearly, it was a typical case of a woman’s heart not matching her words.

Examining her back, she seemed to be secretly laughing, delightingly so.

It appeared she was waiting for him to beg humbly.

That wouldn’t do; in such a situation, continuing to plead would only put him at a disadvantage.

Just like Old Li.

Against Lin Yujing, the truly effective strategy was none other than that four-word truth—

You shouldn’t indulge her.

Once he realized this, Li Zheng purposefully let out a huge yawn: "Hmm... never mind, I’ll go and accompany Jiang Qinghua’s flute playing."

As expected, upon hearing this, Lin Yujing visibly trembled.

"...Suit...suit yourself,"

Though she said this, her tone was much weaker.

So, should Li Zheng take this at face value and actually go find Jiang Qinghua?

Of course not.

Advance when the enemy retreats, retreat when the enemy advances.

The essence of a strategic retreat is a feigned withdrawal with an actual intent to entrap.

If he truly left now, it would simply be a retreat.

And in the end, he’d get nothing but Jiang Qinghua’s company.

Thus, the only correct strategy was—

"I actually wanted to fully accompany you and let you sing the whole song," Li Zheng said with pursed lips, tantalizing her, "How about you listen to my triangle first? It’s quite unique."

"No triangle, it’s too pitiful..." Lin Yujing struggled for a while and eventually, clutching her clothes, squeezed out her words, "Can’t you play another instrument?"

"Oh?" Li Zheng narrowed his eyes, "What do you need, I can learn."

"Guitar would be best... but... there’s no time, only five days left," Lin Yujing leaned on the piano, gently caressing its surface as she sighed, "It’s not that I don’t want to win glory for the school, it’s just that I can’t do well playing the piano and singing at the same time."

She didn’t notice that while she spoke, Li Zheng had already stripped a guitar case from the top of a cabinet in the classroom corner.

This music classroom was truly amazing.

Though never used, it had everything.

Li Zheng quickly brought the dusty guitar case back, and without wiping it down, flipped it open.

A natural wood-colored guitar lay inside; it was hard to tell its quality, but the strings were so loose they almost didn’t make a sound when plucked.

Lin Yujing, hearing the noise, spun around hastily.

"What... what are you doing?"

Li Zheng caressed the strings, his face all sly smiles: "What, scared?"

"No... no way, aren’t you only good at the triangle?"

"I never said ’only’ good at it," Li Zheng lifted his arm sharply, "You go find the sheet music; I’ll tune this up."

Lin Yujing’s face instantly flushed.

Really... he’s really going for it...

It must be a lie...