Free Web NovelChapter 13: Chapter 13: Ossai Test Paper
The teachers’ office.
Old Yang was grading math homework, a frown etched on his face.
’These kids,’ he thought. ’They can recite the differentiation formulas by heart, but the moment they see a composite function, they’re completely clueless...’
Just then, Jiang Yang burst in, looking frantic.
Old Yang looked up at the panting Jiang Yang.
"What’s wrong, Teacher Jiang?"
Jiang Yang rushed over to Old Yang’s desk in just a few strides.
"Li Dong! Li Dong has to compete in the physics competition!"
Hearing it was about this again, Old Yang’s frown deepened.
He took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose, his tone laced with resignation.
"Teacher Jiang, I know you have a quota to meet, but can’t you find another sheep to fleece?"
"Li Dong has some serious momentum in math right now. As long as he stays on track, he has a real shot at a high score on the college entrance exam. His physics grades are decent, sure, but that’s just decent for Seventh Middle School. In a city-wide competition..."
Old Yang shook his head.
"So why waste the time and energy? To neglect his exam prep for a competition he has no chance of winning a prize in... that would be incredibly irresponsible to him."
In Old Yang’s eyes, for a student from Seventh Middle School, any competition that didn’t serve the goal of scoring high on the college entrance exam was just pointless and irresponsible.
"No!"
Jiang Yang’s face was red with urgency as he cut Old Yang off.
"He’s not just ’decent,’ he’s a genius!"
With that, Jiang Yang spun around, walked to his own desk, and pulled a brand-new test paper from a drawer.
This was a real paper from a past high school Physics Ossai preliminary round. Its overall difficulty was slightly higher than the final, most challenging questions on the college entrance exam, and that chain problem had been lifted from one of its multiple-choice questions.
"Teacher Yang, I’m done arguing with you."
Jiang Yang said, holding the paper as he walked out.
"When he’s finished with this paper, I’ll come back and shove his score in your face!"
Old Yang watched Jiang Yang leave, a look of utter confusion on his face.
’This Jiang Yang... What on earth is he up to?’
...
Senior Year, Class (2) Classroom.
The bell hadn’t rung yet, and the classroom was filled with a noisy buzz.
Everyone was talking about Teacher Jiang suddenly running out, while some were mocking Jiang Yizhou’s earlier embarrassment.
"Hey, look at the expression on Jiang Yizhou’s face..."
"Serves him right. Who told him to pretend he knew what he was talking about."
Jiang Yizhou was currently slumped over his desk, listening to the commotion around him.
Every taunt from his classmates felt like a direct stab to his heart.
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps sounded at the door.
Jiang Yang was back.
He walked up to Li Dong, a test paper in his hand.
WHAP!
The paper slapped down on Li Dong’s desk.
"Li Dong, do this test. Right now."
Li Dong had been reading a Chapter in his *Feynman* book about photon interference and was startled by the commotion.
He lowered his head, his gaze falling upon the test paper.
*The 38th National High School Physics Competition (CPhO) Preliminary Exam*??
The CPhO?
Li Dong raised an eyebrow, a little baffled.
’What’s going on?’
He remembered that the competition he was supposed to sign up for wasn’t the Ossai, but something called the "Huaxuan Cup National Applied Physics Competition."
"Teacher, this is..."
"No more questions." Jiang Yang glanced at his watch.
"On second thought, class is about to start. Come with me to the office and do it there."
"Bring a pen and scratch paper!"
Resigned, Li Dong picked up his pen and stood up under the shocked gazes of the entire class.
At that moment, the class bell rang.
Jiang Yang paid it no mind, simply walking to the lectern with Li Dong’s monthly exam paper.
He picked up a piece of chalk and began writing on the blackboard. SCRAPE, SCRAPE, SCRAPE.
In less than a minute, a concise and clear derivation appeared on the board.
It was the correct solution to the chain problem.
F_total = G + F_impact = (λx)g + 2λgx = 3λgx
That big "3" was like a mocking symbol, stinging certain people’s eyes.
After finishing, Jiang Yang addressed the dumbfounded students below.
"This is the correct solution for the problem you were asking about."
"You have nothing else to do this period but study this solution! And go over every problem you got wrong before and correct it! I’ll be back to collect them before class ends!"
He looked toward a figure in the second row.
"Jiang Yizhou."
"You will copy it too."
"Take a good hard look. This is what you call physical intuition, and this is what you call Logic."
Without another glance, Jiang Yang led Li Dong out of the classroom.
As their figures disappeared, the classroom fell silent for a moment before erupting into a BUZZ of discussion.
"Holy shit! What’s going on?"
"The test Teacher Jiang gave Li Dong looked like it was for the Ossai."
"No way."
"Why not? And the solution on the board—Teacher Jiang was holding Li Dong’s monthly exam paper when he wrote it!"
"For real?"
...
In the front row, Misha stared at the smooth, elegant derivation on the blackboard, her pretty, fox-like eyes wide with shock.
’It’s happening again...’
’Just like the solution to that differentiation math problem—concise, yet straight to the core.’
Meanwhile, Jiang Yizhou’s head was buzzing.
’Impossible... Absolutely impossible...’
Back in the office.
Old Yang was still pondering what Jiang Yang had meant by "shove his score in your face" when he saw Jiang Yang hurry back in.
And trailing behind him was Li Dong, wearing an innocent expression.
The other teachers in the office also stopped what they were doing and looked over curiously.
No matter what, Old Yang was still Li Dong’s homeroom teacher, so seeing this, he naturally had to ask what was going on.
"Teacher Jiang, what on earth is happening? Why did you bring Li Dong here?"
Jiang Yang knew he had been too agitated earlier and hadn’t explained himself clearly.
He pointed at Li Dong, then at the test paper, and tried to calm himself before speaking.
"I found a preliminary exam paper from a past Ossai for him to do."
"What?"
Old Yang was so surprised his voice unconsciously rose a few notches.
"An Ossai paper? Teacher Jiang, are you mistaken? Li Dong’s physics grades are decent, but that’s on school exams. An Ossai paper... How could he possibly handle that?"
The chemistry teacher nearby also chimed in.
"Yeah, Teacher Jiang, don’t crush the kid’s confidence."
Jiang Yang sighed and gave a wry smile.
"That’s what I thought at first, too. But..."
He turned his head to look at Li Dong.
"On the last monthly exam, I accidentally included a problem that was on the level of the Ossai semifinals."
"And as a result, all several hundred students in the entire grade were wiped out."
Jiang Yang clapped a hand on Li Dong’s shoulder.
"But Li Dong solved it! And he used Calculus and the Momentum Theorem."
Now, all the teachers in the office were looking at Li Dong with a mixture of shock and disbelief.
Calculus? The Momentum Theorem?
Jiang Yang’s words instantly made Old Yang think of that beyond-the-curriculum math problem. That familiar feeling was back.
He looked at Li Dong, his expression a mix of doubt and surprise, and asked tentatively.
"Li Dong... what’s going on? When did you learn Calculus?"
Being surrounded by so many teachers, Li Dong seemed a little awkward.
He scratched his head, trying his best to look earnest.
"Um... I just saw some science videos online before, thought they were interesting, and taught myself a bit of Calculus."
"And I’m also quite interested in physics. I thought the high school methods were sometimes too troublesome, so I tried applying it, and I guess I just accidentally solved it."
"’Accidentally...’"
Hearing this, the corner of Old Yang’s eye couldn’t help but twitch.
’Last time with the math problem, you said it was to be lazy, and now it’s ’accidentally.’’
’This kid’s humblebragging skills are really improving.’
However, compared to the other teachers’ shock, Old Yang found it a bit easier to accept. After all, he’d just been shocked not too long ago; he was still on cooldown.
He gave Li Dong a deep look.
"Alright, then give it a try."
"But don’t feel any pressure. There’s no shame in not being able to solve it."
The commotion here naturally drew the attention of the other teachers in the office.
Some of them knew Li Dong, others didn’t.
The biology teacher, who knew Li Dong, had a strange expression.
"I remember this kid. He’s hardworking, but his brains... they’re just average, right? How did he suddenly have a breakthrough? And he’s doing Ossai problems now?"
The teachers who didn’t know him were asking around in low voices.
"Who’s this? Our school has a hidden top student like this? How come I’ve never heard his name before?"
"I hear he’s from Class (2). His grades used to be average."
"Tsk, tsk. Kids these days, they really know how to hide their talents."
Jiang Yang ignored the gossip. He pulled out the chair at a vacant desk and pushed the stack of homework books to one side.
"Here, Li Dong, sit."
"Don’t mind anyone else. Just work at your own pace. Do as much as you can."
