The second stage of the competitors was held within the banquet corridor on the second ground of the resort. When Shen Shao arrived on the venue, a complete area had been arrange. Lighting, sound, and cameras have been all in place. As a substitute of an instructional competitors, it was extra like a TV station filming a program.

He understood why the taking part faculties had protested in regards to the irrational nature of the competitors course of however hadn’t really withdrawn. All the things got here right down to cash and fame.

The sponsors needed to extend the publicity of their merchandise, the TV station needed to enhance its rankings, and the colleges needed to lift their visibility. That was why the competitors was set as much as be so slippery for the scholars.

“I don’t suppose they need to name this competitors a math league. They need to name it ‘Who’s A Genius?’ It’s much more brutal than the Math Olympiad.” Zhang Li’s sarcasm abilities had been activated. She added quietly, “Shen Shao, the face of our faculty is dependent upon you.” Though she thought she may most likely cope with the psychological math competitors, the third stage was fully past her. In spite of everything, she hadn’t entered the mysterious realm of geniuses.

When Shen Shao appeared again, he noticed that each Zhang Li and Zeng Ping have been carrying “I imagine in you” expressions. Feeling a bit helpless, he touched his nostril. “Guys, don’t have a look at me like that. I actually don’t have a clue both.” Then he sighed. “I simply hope the questions aren’t too weird. In any other case it actually shall be embarrassing.”

“Shen Shao, Shao Ge, Shen Da Ge, it’s important to maintain on ah.” Zhang Li put her palms collectively and pleaded. “The entire faculty is perhaps watching.”

Zeng Ping adopted alongside, nodding time and again.

Shen Shao: …

Abruptly the strain was so excessive. No matter occurred to friendship first, competitors second?

The competitors was structured like a “wheel conflict”. The contributors took turns primarily based on the quantity they drew beforehand. In the event that they gave the right reply inside fifteen seconds, they’d proceed on to the subsequent spherical of questions. If their reply was fallacious, they’d be instantly eradicated. This might proceed till solely ten folks have been left.

Shen Shao drew No. 14. It wasn’t lengthy earlier than it was his flip to enter the sector.

He walked in entrance of the center desk, bowed to the three judges, and waited for the query.

“Are you prepared?” the feminine lead decide requested gently.

Shen Shao nodded. “Prepared.”

“Good, then we’ll start.” The feminine decide gave him a reassuring smile and pressed the button on the desk. A random query popped up on the large display.

“The countdown has began.”

Shen Shao lastly understood why a number of the contributors’ faces have been so sad after they got here out. The judges have been staring, the cameras have been filming, and the countdown was beeping. If their psychological fortitude wasn’t ok, their mind would flip to mush. If that occurred, how may they calculate something in fifteen seconds?

The primary spherical was comparatively simple. It was only a easy multiplication drawback.

“Please reply the query.”

“164458.”

“Appropriate.”

The three judges turned on their lights in unison, indicating that Shen Shao handed. He bowed within the path of the judges and shortly walked out.

After leaving the sphere and strolling to the ready space, Shen Shao was greeted by the applause of the 5 folks in his group. He smiled shyly and sat down beside Zeng Ping. “Zhang Li, it’s nearly your flip. Go and prepare.” After saying this, he gave her a cheering gesture.

There was a giant display within the ready space the place everybody may see the folks on stage. When it was Zhang Li’s flip, all 5 of them turned nervous.

Luckily, though Zhang Li’s face was a bit pale, she answered the query efficiently. Everybody breathed a sigh of reduction.

What was extra shocking was that after the primary spherical of straightforward multiplication questions, seven or eight contributors had already been eradicated. Possibly these college students usually had no drawback with psychological math, however they have been nervous now and it affected their efficiency. In a contest, nobody cares the way you usually do. They solely care in regards to the consequence, which implies psychological power is extraordinarily essential.

This spherical of the competitors was all about psychological math means and psychological fortitude. Typically an individual’s psychology meant success or failure, and that wasn’t empty discuss.

After three rounds, many of the taking part college students had been eradicated. The questions now concerned addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division by decimal factors, and the reply time elevated to twenty seconds. Sadly, the additional 5 seconds didn’t cease most contributors from sinking into the sand.

By now, viewers who initially weren’t that on this boring TV present started to take extra curiosity. On Saturday and Sunday, a variety of adults and kids have been stress-free at house. It was pure for households to collect across the TV and touch upon every pupil’s efficiency.

“Oh, there are solely twenty contestants left?” When Gu PingWen turned on the TV, the competitors was already midway over. By the point he referred to as his brother to sit down down on the couch, one other two contestants have been eradicated.

“Furong No. 3 Excessive College has a reasonably good faculty uniform. It makes that pupil look actually brilliant and energetic. In comparison with your faculty uniform it seems to be fairly good.” Gu PingWen took the fruit reduce by the housekeeper and handed the plate to Gu NingZhao. Seeing his brother silently take a chunk, he added, “Didn’t you go to Furong Metropolis some time in the past? Was it enjoyable there?”

Gu NingZhao slowly shook his head, then nodded, after which centered on the TV.

“3763.352.”

“Appropriate.”

As quickly because the digital camera panned, there was a close-up of the title tag on the contestant’s chest.

“Shen Shao?” Gu PingWen stated with a wry smile. “That’s fairly an advantageous title to have.”

Gu NingZhao turned to have a look at him however stated nothing.

The competitors on TV continued.

At this stage, the competitors was not a check of psychological high quality however IQ. In spite of everything, contestants with poor fortitude had already been eradicated. Everybody who remained had robust psychological high quality in addition to psychological math abilities.

After one other spherical, the remaining dozen or so contestants had a high-quality layer of sweat on their foreheads. Shen Shao unscrewed the bottle of water offered by the organizers, took a sip, and waited for the subsequent spherical.

When it was his flip once more, there have been nonetheless 13 folks left together with himself. He walked calmly as much as the stage and continued to reply.

When the time was up, he precisely gave the reply, “15624.397”.

When Shen Shao responded accurately, the remaining twelve contestants couldn’t assist however really feel upset. In spite of everything, if yet another individual was eradicated, it could make them that a lot safer.

Quickly, one other three contestants have been eradicated. The remaining ten superior, ready to take part in tomorrow’s reminiscence competitors.

The second Shen Shao walked exterior, he was surrounded by Vice Principal Yao and the others. The three adults handed him water and wiped the sweat from his face. Everybody was beaming.

“I nearly couldn’t breathe simply now,” Zeng Ping stated with a sigh of reduction. “Thank goodness our faculty nonetheless has you within the working.”

Vice Principal Yao glanced within the path of Jingcheng No. 1 Excessive College. This time, two college students from Jingcheng No. 1 Excessive College made it into the finals. Their very own faculty was at a drawback. Furthermore, there was no actual logic to the third stage of the competitors. Even when they tried to do some teaching now, it wasn’t attainable to grasp a brand new ability in such a brief period of time. He didn’t really feel optimistic about tomorrow.

At the same time as he thought this, he didn’t need to enhance the psychological burden on Shen Shao, so he didn’t say an excessive amount of to him in regards to the competitors. Simply let him have a great relaxation. In spite of everything, tomorrow morning was the final stage. It doesn’t matter what the consequence was, they needed to make a great displaying.

“Vice Principal Yao, this pupil out of your faculty is great.” The principal of Jingcheng No. 1 Excessive College came visiting with an elder’s smile in his eyes and commenced to reward Shen Shao.

Vice Principal Yao smiled too. “In no way, under no circumstances. All the things is dependent upon luck. Your Jingcheng No. 1 Excessive College nonetheless has two college students within the competitors. It seems to be like first place shall be yours once more this yr.”

The principal of Jingcheng No. 1 Excessive College chuckled modestly. Though he stated there was little probability, the smugness in his eyes was apparent even to kids like Zeng Ping and Zhang Li. Clearly he had a variety of confidence within the consequence.

After returning to their resort room, Zeng Ping and Zhang Li have been filled with righteous indignation. They gave Shen Shao every kind of religious encouragement. All they needed was to beat Jingcheng No. 1 Excessive College into the bottom.

Shen Shao sighed. If individuals who didn’t know heard them discuss, they may have thought he was going to a Wulin grasp martial arts convention tomorrow.

After dinner, the Gu household often gathered collectively to speak, though more often than not Gu NingZhao solely listened with out speaking.

“NingZhao, I heard you watched the stay broadcast of the mathematics league in the present day?” Gu ChongZhi sat down subsequent to his youngest son. When he noticed the teenager was holding a heavy international language e book, Gu ChongZhi reached out and touched his head.

Gu NingZhao needed to maneuver away, however when he thought that this individual was his father, he held nonetheless.

Gu ChongZhi didn’t appear to note his son’s sitting posture had grown stiff. In a mild tone he stated, “In the event you like, Dad will sponsor one other one within the second half of the yr.”

Gu NingZhao thought fastidiously, then shook his head. “No.”

“OK.” Gu ChongZhi lowered his hand. “If there’s something you’d like, be at liberty to inform Dad.”

Gu NingZhao turned the pages of his e book extra slowly, then shook his head once more.

“”

As he checked out his silent youngest son, Gu ChongZhi saved the smile on his face, however he sighed to himself.

Mrs. Gu heard the dialog between her husband and son. She introduced over a plate of reduce fruit and positioned it in entrance of them. “Come on, have one thing to eat.”

“Thanks, Mother,” Gu NingZhao stated. After thanking her, he took a chunk of fruit from the plate and slowly ate it.

“You’re welcome.” Mrs. Gu smiled gently.

TL Notes:

face – 脸面 – face; self-respect; sb.’s emotions

wheel conflict – 车轮战 – a number of individuals take turns preventing one opponent to put on him down

beat (Jingcheng Excessive College) into the bottom – 满地找牙 – to be searching for one’s enamel everywhere in the ground / (fig.) to get overwhelmed up badly / to beat the crap out of (sb)

Wulin grasp martial arts convention – from 武林大会 – Wulin convention  – Refers to gatherings of martial arts masters held at sure intervals in fictional Wuxia novels. The winner receives awards and titles reminiscent of “Wulin Chief”. Wuxia is a style of Chinese language fiction regarding the adventures of martial artists in historic China (Baidu, Wikipedia)

Transliterated names, locations, and titles—new on this chapter:

Shao Da Ge – 沈大哥 – Massive Brother Shao

Gu PingWen – 顾平闻 – AKA Eldest Younger Grasp Gu

Gu NingZhao – 顾宁昭 – Gù Níngzhāo – AKA Second Younger Grasp Gu – Our ML

Gu ChongZhi – 顾崇值

Mrs. Gu – from 顾母 – Gù Mǔ – “Mom Gu”. In China, ladies don’t take their husbands’ surnames. Regardless that her surname is totally different, she’ll nonetheless be referred to as issues like “Madam Gu” or “Mrs. Gu”. I went with “Mrs. Gu” right here as a result of “Mom Gu” or “Gu Mu” appeared unusual when the creator didn’t use the male equal for Gu ChongZhi 

Mother – 妈妈 – Māmā