The resort provided quite a lot of meals in its breakfast buffet, together with Western and Chinese language. Shen Shao picked his favourite meals and put them on his plate. Earlier than he may flip round, a teenaged boy sporting the varsity uniform of Jingcheng No. 1 Excessive College walked as much as him, checked out his plate filled with native Chinese language meals, and mentioned with a well mannered smile, “Good day. Are you not used to Western delicacies?”

Shen Shao picked up a cup of milk and smiled on the boy. “Thanks, I choose Chinese language-style breakfast.”

The boy turned to the aspect and politely let Shen Shao stroll previous. The smile on the boy’s face light after Shen Shao walked away.

“Shen Shao, what did that child from No. 1 Excessive College say simply now?” Seeing Shen Shao carrying his breakfast, Zeng Ping moved over to make room. He pushed up the glasses on the bridge of his nostril. “That man’s a bit bizarre.”

Shen Shao smiled carelessly and sat down beside Zeng Ping. “It was nothing. He simply mentioned good day.” He’d seen individuals like that in his earlier life. The boy clearly despised every part about Shen Shao, however he was well mannered to his face, and his each gesture revealed “aristocratic” class.

Shen Shao wouldn’t say that he disliked such individuals, but it surely was arduous for many who walked totally different paths to journey collectively. What’s extra, he’d met that boy in his earlier life.

The younger man who performed the piano in entrance of a floor-to-ceiling window had been a shadow that Shen Shao couldn’t let go of when he was younger.

“I’ve been asking round. I heard that he’s thought of a genius in No. 1 Excessive College. He’s one of many finalists this time,” Zhang Li mentioned. She had a cheerful character and was widespread among the many feminine college students taking part within the competitors, so she’d already heard some gossip. “They are saying his title is Xiao Ji and his household is well-off. He’s extraordinarily well mannered and good-looking. A whole lot of ladies in No. 1 Excessive College have a crush on him.”

Shen Shao gave a dry cough. Xiao Ji, little rooster? What a particular title. So catchy and simple to recollect.

“However I feel he simply acts that approach.” Zhang Li lowered her voice. “Possibly I’m imagining it, however I preserve considering that though he seems well mannered, he secretly feels contempt for everybody.”

Shen Shao raised his eyebrows. He didn’t suppose a younger lady like Zhang Li can be so perceptive. He took a sip of milk and smiled. “No matter he does, it has nothing to do with us.”

“You’re proper.” Zhang Li nodded. “Shao Ge, you need to do your finest later! Jiayou!”

Shen Shao picked up one of many thin-skinned, stuffed steamed buns and silently took a chunk. If non secular energy may manifest visually, he’d be surrounded by a mountain of power proper now.

Earlier than the remaining contestants entered the sphere of battle, Vice Principal Yao and the 2 lecturers earnestly instructed Shen Shao to not be nervous, they’d watch for him exterior, and so forth.

Shen Shao thought they had been much more nervous than he was, however he nodded dutifully. He turned again and smiled on the group of 5 as he entered the world.

After Shen Shao walked inside, Vice Principal Yao sat down within the ready space. He observed there was a digicam beside him and did his finest to behave relaxed. It was solely the tapping of his proper index finger that exposed his feelings.

After the ten members entered the world, they went to face on the numbered desk that corresponded to the tag they had been sporting. After introducing themselves, they waited for the competitors to start.

The host was a veteran of youth applications on the TV station, and her Mandarin didn’t have the slightest accent. Each time an image of an merchandise appeared on the display, she learn the worth with out slowing down. After itemizing twenty totally different gadgets, she paused.

“I’ll now ask the contestants to have a look at the gadgets on the large display. Please write down the full worth in thirty seconds.” The host swept a look on the ten younger individuals. “The countdown begins now.”

As quickly because the bell rang, Shen Shao lifted his pen and shortly wrote the worth on his writing board.

“Time’s up. Contestants, please show your solutions.”

“Surprisingly, two contestants have totally different solutions than the others. Let’s all check out what the right reply is,” the host mentioned mysteriously. “Please take a look at the large display.”

A few of the print reporters standing across the stage had been shocked by the candidates’ efficiency, and their jaws dropped. There was no approach they themselves may bear in mind the costs of all these gadgets. Even when they did, they couldn’t calculate the right reply so shortly. These highschool college students had been demons, plain and easy.

By the point the reporters took out their calculators to attempt to decide the reply, the second query had already been requested.

On digicam, the efficiency of Shen Shao and Xiao Ji was probably the most exceptional. The second the countdown bell rang, they wrote the right reply with out hesitation. It was significantly conspicuous amongst a number of contestants who stood there considering with their eyes closed.

There have been 5 questions within the first spherical, every of which was price ten factors. The 2 candidates with the bottom scores had been eradicated.

The second spherical of competitors started quickly after. This time, along with the earlier twenty gadgets, one other thirty gadgets had been added. Essentially the most excruciating factor was that some gadgets had the identical model title and measurement, however barely totally different packaging colours and costs. For instance, a sure shampoo got here in seven colours, sufficient to summon a rainbow if you happen to collected all of them.

The second spherical was extra intense. After the 5 questions had been answered, three extra contestants had been eradicated. Solely 5 college students remained.

At that time, the TV station took an promoting break and the contestants had been capable of relaxation.

“The remaining contestants are—Xiao Ji from Jingcheng No. 1 Excessive College, Zhou Lu from Yanghe No. 3 Excessive College, Shen Shao from Furong No. 3 Excessive College…” After the stay broadcast resumed, the host launched the 5 contestants left on the sphere. “The competitors is getting increasingly more intense. I don’t know who the champion might be. Please preserve watching to seek out out.”

100 gadgets. Choose a number of, then calculate the full worth. It was an virtually unattainable activity for odd individuals.

Yesterday’s competitors confirmed everybody what it meant to be a genius, and at this time the scores saved rising the second the stay broadcast started. Up to now, China didn’t have many reveals of this nature. Though there have been varied competitions that examined intelligence, the type was totally different and the members weren’t the identical.

Lately, the information media and varied governmental departments paid increasingly more consideration to training. As the usual of dwelling step by step improved over time, individuals had been extraordinarily involved concerning the training of their kids. For a lot of mother and father of this technology, they’d relatively skimp on meals and clothes for themselves than on their kids’s research. Subsequently, when it got here to the subject of geniuses, that they had a pure curiosity.

Due to this concern and all of the dialogue round it, the scores of the present naturally picked up. Everybody concerned within the competitors felt completely satisfied. In spite of everything, this was a form of reform too. Who mentioned a math competitors couldn’t be attention-grabbing?

After all, as quickly as yesterday’s session was broadcast, some individuals criticized the competitors for being too unprofessional. They thought it was tainted with the odor of copper, which degraded the entire idea.

Whatever the feedback of the surface world, it was an irrefutable indisputable fact that there was much more consideration on Sunday’s recreation.

The primary query of the third spherical was answered appropriately by all 5 college students. Shen Shao’s faculty uniform bow tie was a bit tight, so he loosened it with one hand. The truth is, their regular faculty uniforms weren’t this handsome. The garments they had been sporting proper now had been chosen particularly for the competitors. Shirts, ties, and black jackets with the badge of their faculty. The one factor that was the identical as their regular faculty uniform was most likely the varsity brand.

“Please take a look at the large display. You will have fifteen seconds to reply the query.”

There have been six gadgets on the display: a beverage, a flooring mop, a bottle of shampoo, a packet of cookies, a hair dryer, and a rice cooker. Half of the gadgets had been produced by the sponsor, and there was a giant close-up of the emblem.

When he noticed the gadgets, Shen Shao’s mind instantly flashed by way of the costs of all of the merchandise. When the bell rang, he shortly wrote down the reply.

He puzzled if any candidates tried to memorize the costs of the sponsor’s merchandise earlier than this morning’s competitors. In Shen Shao’s opinion, it will be a waste of time. The conglomerate produced all kinds of issues, and it was unattainable to memorize all of them in only a few days. What’s extra, these gadgets had been intentionally combined in with generic issues like fruit and brooms. If there was a single worth you didn’t bear in mind, the full can be unsuitable.

Subsequently, this seemingly easy course of was a real check of their reminiscence, response velocity, and psychological calculation expertise. All three had been indispensable.

After finishing 5 questions, two of the 5 individuals had been eradicated, leaving the scholars of Jingcheng No. 1 Excessive College, Yanghe No. 3 Excessive College, and Furong No. 3 Excessive College. In earlier years, these faculties had been mainly the highest three, however the championship was normally received by college students from Jingcheng No. 1 Excessive College, with Yanghe No. 3 Excessive College and Furong No. 3 Excessive College competing for second and third place.

At this level within the competitors, virtually everybody anticipated Jingcheng No. 1 Excessive College to win. Some had been even able to congratulate the principal of the varsity.

“That is the ultimate spherical. Are the three gamers nervous?” The host handed the microphone to Xiao Ji. “Xiao Ji, do you may have something to say?”

“I do know a whole lot of my lecturers and classmates are watching the competitors. I’ll attempt to not allow you to down. Thanks.”

A really official reply, but it surely was uncommon for a sixteen- or seventeen-year previous to behave so naturally on TV.

“Pupil Shen Shao, do you may have something to say?”

Shen Shao regarded on the microphone in entrance of him and mentioned with a smile, “I’m not nervous, thanks.”

The host was speechless. This individual was so easy and easy, however the way in which he smiled was really uncommon.

After interviewing the three contestants, the host returned to the middle of the stage and pointed to the large display to go over the foundations of the ultimate spherical. “This time, the three contestants should not solely give the full worth of the gadgets, but in addition present the worth of every merchandise. Accuracy is important to the final decimal level. The primary contestant to make a mistake will turn into the second runner-up. The reply time is ninety seconds. Now, is everybody prepared?”

When all three gamers nodded, the host gave a cheering gesture. “OK, the ultimate spherical begins.”

The competitors was extra intense than anybody anticipated, particularly after the scholar from Yanghe No. 3 Excessive College was eradicated. Xiao Ji and Shen Shao had been virtually evenly matched. Individuals who thought Xiao Ji would win the championship started to doubt their preliminary judgment.

In the long run, the organizers displayed a loopy image which confirmed 4 containers of toothpaste with the identical model and measurement however totally different options, three bottles of shampoo in several colours, an umbrella, a bottle of vinegar, and a studying machine. Not one of the ten merchandise had appeared in earlier questions.

When Xiao Ji noticed the bottle of vinegar, his expression grew to become a bit ugly. There have been two different manufacturers of bottled vinegar among the many 100 merchandise, and in his thoughts they had been mixed in. For some time he had no concept which worth was right.

He glanced at Shen Shao, who’d already began to reply the query. The one factor he may do was grit his enamel and write down the reply in his thoughts.

“Oh, what a pity, Pupil Xiao Ji is just a bit wanting the right reply.

“On this competitors, the unbelievable efficiency of those college students has opened our eyes….”

Though Xiao Ji nonetheless had a smile on his face, he was a bit confused. How may he have misplaced?

And misplaced to a poor scholar who was inferior to him in each approach?

He initially thought that with Gu NingZhao not taking part, the championship was in his pocket. Who knew {that a} darkish horse would emerge?

Jingcheng No. 1 Excessive College’s unbroken report within the math league for a number of consecutive years was misplaced due to him?

When he regarded on the shy smile on Shen Shao’s face, Xiao Ji thought this was his most embarrassing second in additional than ten years.

TL Notes:

Competitors (2) – The unique chapter title was “赛程二”, “Schedule (2)”, however I assumed it is perhaps a mistake. This chapter is far more like a continuation of Chapter 19 (“Competitors”) than Chapter 18 (“Competitors Schedule”)

it was arduous for many who walked totally different paths to journey collectively – 道不同不相为谋 – lit. individuals who stroll totally different paths can not make plans collectively / to go separate methods (idiom)

catchy and simple to recollect – 朗朗上口 – to circulate proper off the tongue (of lyrics or poetry) / to recite with ease / catchy (of a track)

jiayou – 加油 – lit. “add oil”, come on, good luck. Principally the Chinese language model of “Preventing!”

stuffed steamed buns – 小笼包 – xiǎolóngbāo – A sort of small Chinese language steamed bun (baozi) normally crammed with pork and ready in a xiaolong, a small bamboo steaming basket. They’re pinched on the prime and usually have a cascade of ripples across the crown (Wikipedia)

the odor of copper – 铜臭 – the stink of cash; profits-before-everything mentality; profit-seeking spirit

studying machine – 学习机 – A pill or related gadget meant to assist college students research or observe math issues, and so forth.