Otaku Translation: Literary Genius: This Kid Was Born Smart C44

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Chapter 44: Class Five Is Truly Amazing

The classroom of Class Five was bustling with energy.

Under Gu Lu’s direction, over thirty students worked methodically, progressing several times faster than before.

The birthday celebration for Mr. Li, initiated by Chen Na and Zhao Juan, had garnered participation from the majority of the class.

Especially noteworthy was Zhang Yudong, who had contributed 35 yuan—a hefty sum for a ninth-grade student!

As for why Chen Na hadn’t asked Gu Lu to donate anything or chip in money, it was unclear whether she had simply forgotten or if Zhao Juan had chosen not to bring it up…

Decorating the classroom proved more challenging than anticipated, largely due to the lack of planning when purchasing and bringing items. Even after basic arrangements were made, the process remained tedious and time-consuming.

Zhou Lin kept glancing at her wristwatch, using its time as the benchmark for all activities.

The young girl couldn’t hide her anxiety; her worried expression was evident as she muttered under her breath, “Hurry, hurry, the evening reading is about to start.”

“We still have plenty of time,” Gu Lu reassured her.

If everything continued smoothly, they would finish soon.

But as expected, an unexpected hiccup occurred. Around 4:40 PM, loud knocking echoed from outside the door, accompanied by a shout: “It’s me! It’s me! Mr. Li is here—I saw him from far away near the flower bed!”

It was Cheng Hong, the "Speed Warrior," delivering the message! He hadn’t let down the trust of his classmates in Class Five.

“Sister Nana, it’s your turn to take the stage,” Gu Lu said immediately, then paused, realizing the phrase sounded familiar—like a line from somewhere.

“I’ll do my best,” Chen Na said, picking up the props prepared in advance.

As both an excellent student and the class monitor—and arguably the top-performing student in the class—Chen Na now faced immense pressure to stall the teacher.

Don’t panic, don’t panic. She’d learned on TV that running could help ease nervousness, so she hurried downstairs in a flurry of movement. Though her speed paled in comparison to Cheng Hong’s and Gu Lu’s, Cheng Hong had thankfully given her ample time. She intercepted Mr. Li just as he was about to enter the building.

“Mr. Li, I don’t quite understand this reading comprehension passage. Could you explain it to me?” Chen Na hadn’t picked just any random extra-curricular text—it was genuinely difficult.

The passage described the life of a rural family of three, only revealing at the end that their small boat was docked on a dried-up riverbed.

“This passage is deceptive. Many people mistakenly think it’s about paternal love…” Mr. Li immediately began explaining the question.

“Mr. Li, maybe we should go to the office to discuss it,” Chen Na suggested nervously.

“Hmm?” Mr. Li gave her a curious look.

“Well, standing here at the entrance isn’t ideal,” Chen Na offered a weak excuse.

Something seemed off, but Chen Na’s nerves betrayed her, making her stutter. Still, Mr. Li didn’t refuse and nodded in agreement.

Chen Na quickly led the way, heading toward the left staircase.

There were two staircases in the building—the teachers’ office was located in the last room on the south side of the corridor.

Typically, Mr. Li preferred taking the right staircase, passing by the classrooms of Class Six, Class Five, Class Three, Class One, and Class Seven to check on the students before returning to the office.

Success! Chen Na and Mr. Li arrived directly at the teachers’ office without passing the classroom.

Mr. Li casually tossed his textbooks and newspapers onto the desk—what had once been organized chaos was now just chaotic.

“The bulk of the description focuses on how hardworking the father is, working as a porter until his back bends. But what caused all this?” Mr. Li began explaining without even sitting down properly.

“Because the river in front of their house dried up, they had to abandon their livelihood—fishing. The real theme of this passage is environmental protection. It’s normal not to see it at first glance because this reading comprehension has appeared multiple times.”

“Oh, I see now. That makes sense,” Chen Na exclaimed in feigned enlightenment.

Your epiphany seems a bit fake.

After tidying up the documents on the desk, Mr. Li suddenly asked, “Chen Na, is there something you want to tell me?”

Throwing caution to the wind—for the sake of the plan! Whether out of excitement or nervousness, Chen Na’s cheeks flushed pink like the blush of a peach.

“Mr. Li, I—I’m worried I’ll make the same mistakes during the high school entrance exam as last time. I’m terrified!” Chen Na’s words were genuine, though she normally wouldn’t reveal such fears.

Seeking help from a teacher wasn’t easy for students, which was also one reason many cases of bullying went unreported.

To stall the teacher, Chen Na gave it her all.

Ah, so that’s it. Mr. Li understood. He knew that test-taking mentality greatly influenced performance.

“I used to be afraid too…” Mr. Li began with the classic words of comfort.

Time ticked by minute by minute. Evening reading was about to begin, and under Ren Jie and Wang Jianhua’s leadership, the classroom of Class Five erupted in the sound of recitation.

Truthfully speaking, Ren Jie was one of the struggling students, usually mouthing along silently during morning readings, let alone evening study sessions. By the way, according to class rules, even struggling students residing on campus were required to attend evening study sessions.

Ren Jie hadn’t felt knowledge flowing loudly from his mouth in ages.

“Hurry up, hurry up! Sister Nana can’t hold on much longer,” someone urged as it neared 5:30 PM. With no risk of other classes visiting, Tang Jingjing darted back and forth between the office and the classroom, acting as both a lookout and messenger.

Tang Jingjing was truly a natural-born gossip columnist.

“Stop rushing! You’re killing me! We’re almost done,” Zhang Yudong said while steadying a stool for Wang Hongming.

They hung the final balloon, completing the task.

“One, two, three—done!”

“All set!”

“Incredible! You reached that high? Must be all that dancing helping you grow taller!”

Before Wang Hongming could catch his breath, Zhang Yudong started celebrating wildly, waving his arms around.

The stool wobbled—

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold it steady!” Wang Hongming snapped to attention.

Thankfully, the tall pillar of the class, Wang Hongming, landed safely without incident.

Wang Hongming looked at Gu Lu. “What do you think? Good enough?”

“Absolutely perfect!” Gu Lu gave a thumbs-up.

Many classmates turned their gaze to Gu Lu. He had directed the start of the operation, and it seemed fitting for him to say a few closing words.

It was a bit exaggerated, but before Gu Lu could react, Fan Xiaotian playfully nudged him onto the platform.

“Wow—we, Class Five, are truly amazing!” Gu Lu declared.

That single sentence ignited the entire class. Indeed, within just a few hours, the 36 students present had pulled together to achieve this feat.

But the cheers grew so loud they even reached the neighboring class—

Students in the adjacent class continued their evening reading, unable to leave the room, but their teachers came over to investigate, wondering if these students were causing trouble.

Meanwhile, Chen Na had completed her mission and returned to the classroom with Mr. Li, only to find two teachers standing outside their door… Mr. Li tensed up. What mischief had his students gotten into now?

Quickening his pace, Mr. Li was greeted by a wall filled with “Happy Birthday, Mr. Li” spelled out with small balloons.

The long fluorescent lights and the long-unused ceiling fans were now adorned with colorful decorations.

“Today’s Mr. Li’s birthday—happy birthday!”

“The students in your class really put thought into this, unlike ours, who only know how to cause trouble.”

“The whole class celebrated. This birthday must feel special for Mr. Li.”

The three teachers standing at the doorway spoke enviously.

“They always come up with these ideas instead of focusing on evening study sessions,” Mr. Li said with a grin threatening to split his face. His words rang hollow—he was clearly touched.

As Mr. Li stepped into the classroom, he noticed a blackboard poster depicting him grading assignments in the office, with the caption: [Mr. Li, thank you for your hard work].

When the teacher walked up to the podium, the entire class sang in unison: “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you…”

He couldn’t hold it back anymore. Despite being a man of dignity, tears welled up in Mr. Li’s eyes.

He needed to divert attention—if he cried in front of the students, where would his authority stand?

“Ahem, ahem. I also have some good news. This is the newspaper—the June issue of Young Pioneer Newspaper. In May, Gu Lu was interviewed by The Vanguard, and many of you may already know about it.” Mr. Li held up the paper. “I didn’t expect this issue to come out so soon. Thanks to Gu Lu and other students who won essay awards, our class will be awarded the title of Outstanding Class during next Monday’s flag-raising ceremony.”

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