Chapter 14: Number One in the City

Zhang Ran paused for a moment, then said, "No matter what, you were really impressive just now."

The judges on stage were still quietly discussing something, occasionally glancing at Lin Qianfan, clearly impressed by his performance.

"This group's presentation was very organized, especially that last student—his logic was clear, and his verbal skills were strong."

"Yes, especially his on-the-spot formula derivation; his thinking was incredibly sharp."

After the competition ended, Lin Qianfan and his classmates walked out of the venue.

"Lin Qianfan, you really made a big contribution this time," Zhang Ran said, patting him on the shoulder with barely concealed excitement.

Lin Qianfan carried his bag without slowing his pace, casually replying, "It was okay."

But Zhang Ran wouldn't let it go, quickly catching up. "You don’t know, the judges kept praising you, saying your logic was clear, your thinking meticulous, calling you a mathematical genius."

"Really?" Lin Qianfan stopped and glanced sideways at him, but his hand didn’t stop holding the bag.

"Of course it’s true," Zhang Ran nodded seriously.

Lin Qianfan made no comment, as he never cared much for empty titles. He was more focused on how to leverage the opportunities this competition might bring.

"Alright, let’s go back," he said, lifting his bag to signal Zhang Ran to stop nagging.

Zhang Ran pouted but fell silent, though the excitement on his face lingered.

The two descended the steps outside the competition hall, with other classmates trailing behind in small groups, discussing the problems from the contest or praising Lin Qianfan’s recent performance.

The atmosphere on the bus remained lively. The school leaders sat in the front row, frequently glancing back at Lin Qianfan with unmistakable pride on their faces.

Leaning back in his seat with his eyes closed, Lin Qianfan could still hear the whispers around him.

"Lin Qianfan is definitely the school's hero this time."

"Yeah, I heard the principal took this competition very seriously."

"I bet the school will reward him handsomely once we're back."

Lin Qianfan was too indifferent to open his eyes or respond.

He knew well that these so-called rewards meant little to him; what mattered more was the resources he could gain from this competition.

Three days later, the math competition results were announced.

Lin Qianfan sat in the classroom, head down working on exercises, when the classroom door abruptly opened and his homeroom teacher, Fang Zhengyang, hurried in.

"Lin Qianfan!"

His voice carried an excitement he could barely contain, causing the other students to pause and look toward the door.

Lin Qianfan raised his head and saw Fang Zhengyang with a rare smile, holding a sheet of paper.

"The results are out!"

Fang Zhengyang stepped up and slapped the sheet onto Lin Qianfan’s desk.

"You took first place in the entire city!"

The classroom fell silent for two seconds before a buzz of murmurs erupted.

"First place? Seriously?"

"Damn, Lin Qianfan is amazing!"

"First in the city—that's incredible!"

Lin Qianfan glanced at the sheet, his name clearly listed with the words "First Place" beside it.

A flicker of emotion stirred within him, though it didn’t show; he simply reached out and pushed the paper back.

"Got it."

Fang Zhengyang frowned, noticing his muted response.

"Lin Qianfan, this is first in the whole city! Why aren’t you excited at all?"

At that moment, the principal approached with a broad smile, his voice rising in enthusiasm.

"Qianfan, you’ve really made the school proud this time!"

Lin Qianfan paused, looking at the award certificate the principal handed him.

He skimmed the certificate and found a bonus check tucked inside.

"I know, Principal. Homeroom just told me," he said calmly.

The principal’s face blossomed into a grin.

"The judges couldn’t stop praising your performance, saying you not only had clear logic but also demonstrated exceptional adaptability on the spot."

Pride tinged his voice.

Lin Qianfan looked down at the number on the check and felt a slight satisfaction.

Though the prize money wasn’t much, it was better than nothing and at least could help cover some living expenses.

"Thank you, Principal," he said, stuffing the certificate and check into his bag.

The principal patted his shoulder cheerfully. "Rest assured, the school will remember your contributions!"

Lin Qianfan simply nodded without a word.

Seeing this, the principal smiled and said, "Get back to your studies now. I have to go."

With that, he turned and left the classroom.

Fang Zhengyang followed him out.

Xia Ruo turned quietly and whispered, "Lin Qianfan, you’re really amazing!"

Lin Qianfan grinned mischievously. "It’s nothing special, just a small achievement."

Feigning modesty, he added, "But I’m glad you think so."

A rosy blush spread across Xia Ruo’s cheeks as she lowered her gaze, avoiding his eyes.

Lin Qianfan laughed softly, finding her shyness utterly endearing.

He stopped teasing her and stood up, heading toward the restroom.

In the corridor, a few girls standing by the window whispered and giggled upon seeing Lin Qianfan, quickly covering their mouths.

"Congratulations, Lin Qianfan! You’re the pride of Class 3-2!"

Lin Qianfan nodded without responding and continued walking forward.

Just as he reached the corner, a commotion rose from downstairs.

"Where’s Lin Qianfan? Tell him to come out!"

Lin Qianfan paused and peeked down to see Gu Haotian standing at the stairwell, flanked by several boys.

"What are you doing, Gu Haotian?" a female classmate nearby asked sharply.

"Doing? I heard someone got first place, so I came to see what this 'genius' is really capable of," Gu Haotian sneered.

Lin Qianfan descended the stairs and stood before him.

"Got something to say?"

Gu Haotian smirked coldly. "I heard you performed well in the competition?"

Lin Qianfan glanced at him indifferently. "It was okay."

Gu Haotian stepped forward, his tone laced with provocation. "Lin Qianfan, don’t get cocky just because of a competition win."

"Oh?" Lin Qianfan raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Am I cocky?"

Gu Haotian was momentarily speechless; his face darkened.

"Don’t get too arrogant."

Lin Qianfan ignored him and strode back toward the classroom.

Gu Haotian snorted coldly. "Lin Qianfan, just you wait."

Lin Qianfan paid no attention and went straight into the restroom.

Back at his seat, Lin Qianfan sat down.

Xu Qian approached from the back of the classroom, arms crossed, standing beside him.

"Lin Qianfan, I really didn’t expect you to have this kind of skill."

"But no matter how good you are, you’re still just a poor student. What good is that? You’ll still have to live off scholarships."

Lin Qianfan looked up at her and lazily picked up his textbook.

"Xu Qian, if you’ve got nothing better to do, don’t just stand there and get in the way."

Xu Qian’s expression stiffened; she bit her lip and turned away.

The surrounding classmates couldn’t help but laugh.

"Lin Qianfan’s awesome—he even stands up to Xu Qian now!"

Lin Qianfan ignored them, burying himself in his studies again.