Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Study Hard, Improve Every Day, and You Will Be the Next Top Student
Mortir Quincy glanced at his watch. It was only eight-thirty, so they could still go over her test. "Did you bring back your math midterm paper?"
"Hubby, do we really have to go over a test on a day like today?" Holly Winslow asked, blinking.
Mortir Quincy arched an eyebrow. "Can you score a perfect one-fifty in math?"
And so, the two began their test review session.
They stopped after getting through half the paper. Mortir Quincy left her to digest the material while he went to take a shower.
When he ca out, Holly Winslow still had her head down, working through problems. She looked as well-behaved as a grade schooler. The corners of his lips curled up. He took out his phone, snapped a picture, and posted it to his feed.
He added a caption: Today’s grade schooler.
A mont later, the "Little Fairies" group chat was abuzz with discussion.
Anna Willow: OMG, Holly’s life is so tragic. Doing howork on Singles’ Day of all days.
Iris Kensington: So much for Holly escaping singlehood this year.
Iris Kensington: Anna, why do you think her handso cousin is posting about Holly instead of a girlfriend?
Anna Willow: He’s using Holly as a cover.
Iris Kensington: Makes sense.
Iris Kensington: Hahaha, I know it’s an, but I can’t help laughing at the thought of Holly doing howork.
Anna Willow: *evil laugh*
1.
...
Holly Winslow saw the unread ssages on her phone, and the corner of her mouth twitched. She typed back a short reply: You guys don’t get it. This is how top students date.
Anna Willow: Hahahaha
Iris Kensington: Hahahahahaha, fair enough. You do you, Holly. Continue your "date."
Holly Winslow: "..." She then looked at Mortir Quincy’s post.
Brother Drinks Loneliness: Not bad, already luring your girlfriend ho. Heh heh heh...
Brother Alden: Stop flexing on us single people.
Rocket Class Head Teacher replied to Brother Drinks Loneliness: Student, which class are you in?
Brother Drinks Loneliness replied to Rocket Class Head Teacher: The real world, Class One.
Brother Alden replied to Brother Drinks Loneliness: Hahahaha...
Rocket Class Head Teacher replied to Brother Alden: Zeke Zane! That’s Mortir Quincy’s cousin!
Brother Alden: ...Oh, so it’s his cousin.
Seeing the head teacher debunking things online, Holly Winslow burst out laughing. "Mortir Quincy, why is the head teacher on your friends list?"
Mortir Quincy ruffled his damp hair. "Old Shaw said he wanted to counsel
about giving up on puppy love."
"And what happened?"
"A score of 744 shut him up."
Holly Winslow cracked up just imagining the scene. She praised him with mock sincerity, "Wow, Scholar Quincy, you’re so amazing."
"I can be even more amazing. Want to try it out?" Mortir Quincy said, his face deadpan as he made the suggestive joke.
Holly Winslow: "..."
’If she couldn’t figure out what he ant by "more amazing," then all their years of marriage would have been for nothing.’
Suddenly, her phone rang. It was Wyatt Winslow calling. Holly Winslow answered imdiately, and her father’s stern voice ca through the line. "What took you so long to answer? What are you doing?"
Holly Winslow: "..."
"Dad, I was doing my howork."
"Oh." There was a mont of silence on the other end. "Make sure you lock your door when you go to sleep. Call
if you need anything."
Though his worry seed a bit excessive, it ward Holly’s heart. Her tone softened. "Okay, Dad. Don’t worry about , I’m fine. Aren’t you going to bed?"
Wyatt Winslow held the phone, taking a drag from his cigarette. Holly was his only child; of course he was going to worry.
He said, "I’m about to turn in."
Holly Winslow smiled. "Go to bed soon, Dad. Saranghaeyo!"
Wyatt Winslow didn’t know what that ant, but he still grunted in acknowledgnt. After hanging up, he searched online: *What does ’sa-what-hey-yo’ an?*
Answer: Did you an *saranghaeyo*? It’s a common phrase from Korean dramas. In English, it ans "I love you."
’Dad, I love you.’
He stubbed out his cigarette butt and smiled.
...
Holly Winslow waved dismissively at Mortir Quincy, who was standing in the doorway. "Shoo, go on. I’m locking the door."
Mortir Quincy arched an eyebrow, bracing a hand against the doorfra. His tone was light and teasing. "Are you sure you don’t want
to warm your bed, wifey? The service is free. I only take paynt in person."
Holly Winslow: "..."
SLAM! She shut the door in his face.
’Mortir Quincy might talk a big ga, but he would never actually co in to sleep with her, not when his grandparents were in the house.’
’In certain situations, Mortir Quincy was a man of principle.’
...
Back at school, Holly Winslow saw Anna Willow and Iris Kensington looking exhausted. She grinned mischievously. "What were you two up to? Stealing cattle?"
"Grabbing deals," Iris Kensington yawned. "The Double Eleven sales are insane. I bought a sweater. If I hadn’t run out of money on my card, I would’ve bought a pair of pants too."
Holly Winslow had a bank card with about a thousand yuan saved up recently. "I have so money. You want to buy them?"
"Yes! I’ll pay you back in cash."
Iris Kensington used Holly’s phone to search for the pants. As she browsed, she asked, "Aren’t you buying anything, Holly? There are great deals."
"Nah, I still have plenty of new clothes at ho I haven’t even worn." Holly Winslow shook her head. Then, she suddenly thought of Wyatt Winslow and Mortir Quincy. "I’ll buy sothing for my dad."
After Iris bought the pants, Holly Winslow picked out an item for her dad, and then one for Mortir Quincy. The one for Wyatt was a little more expensive; Mortir’s was over a hundred yuan cheaper, otherwise she wouldn’t have had enough for both.
"Holly, who are you buying that for?" Anna Willow asked curiously, looking at the black n’s jacket on the screen.
Holly Winslow clicked the "buy" button. "My cousin."
Iris Kensington nudged her shoulder, joking, "Holly, is your cousin secretly your boyfriend or sothing?"
Holly Winslow’s heart skipped a beat. For a split second, she thought they’d found her out. Then she answered with complete honesty, "Yep."
Anna Willow and Iris Kensington burst out laughing.
...
「Evening Self-Study」
Julian Carlton began his tirade. "This exam was a disaster. What on earth were so of you thinking with your scores? A whole pile of you got thirties and forties. And then we have the real characters... if you don’t know the answer, fine. But to draw a duck on your test paper?"
"When I hand back the papers, I’ll be sure to let everyone admire this student’s artwork..."
He went on criticizing them like that for several minutes.
Following his usual carrot-and-stick approach, he then switched to praise. "However, so students did do very well. Our class’s physics average was number one among the parallel science track classes. That’s excellent. Keep up the good work. To encourage all of you, I’ve bought lollipops out of my own pocket. The class president can co pick them up after class. The only rule is: no eating them during class."
It was no mystery what the next two periods would be: physics class, where they would go over the test.
’Holly Winslow ntally estimated her score on the physics test. She figured she should get around an eighty.’
...
The next day, the graded tests for every subject were handed back, and the class rankings were posted.
The students of Class 8 discovered that Sean Hayes, who had been the unshakable first in their class, was now second. The new number one was Holly Winslow—who was also second in the entire grade. Her perfect score in English left the whole class thunderstruck.
’To be honest, I’m shocked myself. Just like that, I’m second in the grade?’ Holly Winslow thought.
’Her perfect score in English had given her a massive advantage.’
’If she could just improve her math a little more, or bring up her language arts score, she could take first place in the entire science track.’
The student in first place had lost ground to her in English; he had only scored a ninety-eight. His math and comprehensive science scores were outstanding, and he’d even gotten a perfect score on the notoriously difficult physics test.
"Holly, you must be possessed by the spirit of your handso cousin!" Anna Willow exclaid, once she got over her shock.
Iris Kensington nodded vigorously in agreent. Then she threw her arms wide and tilted her head back. "I want to be possessed by the handso cousin too! Please, save my 388-point total!"
Holly laughed at their antics, rapping them both lightly on the head. In a mock-serious tone, she said, "Study well and you will improve every day. The next top students could be you."
Reviews
All reviews (0)