I'm Pretending to Cultivate in Kindergarten

Chapter 93: Chapter 93: The Second Young Miss’s Curiosity Syndrome

In a two-story villa in Wisteria City, Jiang Jingshi, the eldest daughter of the Jiang Family, sat on the living room sofa in a dress and high heels, sipping coffee.

Both sisters had inherited their parents’ first-rate looks. However, compared to the icy Jiang Qian, her older sister, Jiang Jingshi, had a much gentler personality, truly embodying what it meant to be an older sister.

She sat demurely, her legs pressed together. Steam rose from the coffee in her hand, and she blew across the surface before taking a delicate sip. ”How many days has it been since Qianqian came out of her room?”

Fang Meng, also on the sofa, was pouring coffee, fixing a cup for herself as well. ”Exactly three days. This is the longest she’s ever done this.”

Jiang Jingshi took another sip of her coffee.

”Is her opponent really that tough this time? Qianqian has had rivals she couldn’t beat before, but she’d usually find a solution after holing herself up in her room for half a day at most. To think she’d lock herself away for three days without eating or drinking...”

Fang Meng lifted her coffee. ”This time really is different. Whether it’s looks, physique, grades, special talents, background, age... even piano, which Miss Jiang is best at... the other party completely crushes her in every single aspect. He’s the most brilliant boy I’ve ever seen.”

Hearing Fang Meng’s string of praises, Jiang Jingshi was a little surprised. ”He’s that ridiculously talented in every way? And it’s a boy?”

Fang Meng nodded, her gaze drifting to Jiang Qian’s bedroom on the second floor. ”But even if her opponent is that strong, I know Miss Jiang’s personality. She’ll always find a way to come out on top.”

She recalled many childhood memories. In her eyes, Jiang Qian might get knocked down, but she always managed to get back up on her own. She had the kind of personality that could never be truly defeated.

Just as they finished speaking, Jiang Qian’s door suddenly moved. Jiang Jingshi and Fang Meng both turned to look up at the second floor.

The door swung all the way open.

It revealed Jiang Qian in her pajamas, her hair a mess. She was as beautiful as ever, just a bit listless.

Her sister, Jiang Jingshi, smiled gently. ”Qianqian, did you have a breakthrough?”

Jiang Qian looked down at the two of them in the living room. ”No, I’m just hungry from not eating for three days. Meng, hurry and get me some breakfast. I’m starving.”

Fang Meng stood up. ”Got it, Qianqian. Are you eating in your room, or will you come down?”

Jiang Qian answered impassively, ”In the dining room. And a glass of milk.”

”Alright.” Fang Meng gave a faint smile. ’I thought she was going to continue her seclusion, but it looks like she must have thought of a good plan.’

A short while later, Jiang Qian came downstairs in her pajamas and took a seat at the dining table.

Fang Meng brought her breakfast over and helped smooth out her messy hair. Jiang Qian, with surprising elegance for her speed, wolfed it all down. ”Another serving.”

Fang Meng was stunned. ”Right... one moment.”

She brought another serving, and again, it was wolfed down in a flash. The hunger in her stomach was finally sated, and the color returned to her face.

Seeing her sister was back to her usual self, Jiang Jingshi finished her coffee in relief, glanced at the time, and got up to leave. ”Since you’re alright, I’ll be heading out. Qianqian, when are you going to school?”

Jiang Qian turned to her sister. ”This afternoon, I guess.”

Jiang Jingshi said, ”You can do it!” and left the house.

Fang Meng sat beside her. ”So, Qianqian, how are things?”

”How are things with what?” she asked, confused.

”I mean with that boy, Lin Zhengran.”

Jiang Qian froze. At the mention of his name, a blush suddenly crept across her face, and she stared down at the table without a word.

Fang Meng was baffled. It was the first time in her entire life she had ever seen such a bashful expression on Jiang Qian’s face.

Of course, what Jiang Qian felt for Lin Zhengran right now wasn’t exactly adoration. It was more that her long seclusion had given her a case of ”Hyper-Curiosity Syndrome.”

In other words, for the past three days, Miss Jiang hadn’t been spacing out aimlessly in her room. Instead, her brilliant mind had been working from every possible angle, trying to figure out how to surpass Lin Zhengran.

She had come up with thousands of potentially useful strategies, including but not limited to: frantically cramming literature, staying up all night to practice piano on only two hours of sleep, and adding even more time to her workouts—all practically life-threatening methods.

But after running all sorts of simulations in her head, she still felt the gap between her and this boy was as vast as the one between a stream and the ocean.

He was truly insurmountable.

This led her to a new question: how on earth did Lin Zhengran, a boy from an ordinary family, reach such a level?

Even if he possessed extraordinary talent, even if he really was a one-in-a-million genius, to be better than her in every single way, he must have put in an incredible amount of effort.

And so, in her mind, her simple curiosity about Lin Zhengran began to grow. It became more curiosity, then extreme curiosity, then... hyper-curiosity.

In the end... the girl had successfully filled her mind with nothing but the image of Lin Zhengran. Coupled with three days of not eating, which had thrown her system out of whack, it was only natural that Jiang Qian developed a strange sense of admiration for the boy.

A realization dawned on Fang Meng, and her face filled with terror. ”Qianqian! I’m calling a doctor for you right now! You’re sick!”

Seeing Fang Meng pull out her phone, Jiang Qian, blushing, stopped her. Thankfully, she still had some sense left. ”You don’t have to. I’m just... a little interested in him, that’s all. It’ll pass in a few days. Really.”

It was still the first time Fang Meng had ever seen Jiang Qian like this. ”But the look on your face right now... Alright, fine. I hope it really does pass in a few days.”

At that moment, Fang Meng had a sinking feeling... ’Something strange is about to happen.’

Jiang Qian took another nap that morning. After getting dressed and washed up, she was completely refreshed.

On the car ride to school, Fang Meng noticed that she seemed no different than usual and breathed a sigh of relief.

But then, after they arrived at school, the two girls happened to spot Lin Zhengran in the distance, walking from the dorms to the classrooms.

A blush spread across Jiang Qian’s face.

Fang Meng was dumbfounded.

”Qianqian! Are you okay?!”

Jiang Qian shyly looked away, her tone dripping with girlish bashfulness. ”I-I’m fine.”

”It really doesn’t seem like you’re fine... Are you sure you don’t need to go to the hospital?”

Jiang Qian covered her flushing face with one hand. ”I’m really fine.”

Fang Meng: ”Don’t be like this, you’re scaring me...”

Once inside the academic building, Jiang Qian didn’t go to her classroom but instead went to find their homeroom teacher to request a seat change.

Jiang Qian’s reason was perfectly normal, and her expression was its usual self. ”Teacher, I believe my academic performance will improve even more if I sit next to Lin Zhengran. I hope you’ll consider adjusting my seat so I can be his deskmate.”

Surprisingly, the homeroom teacher picked up the new seating chart for after the military training and said:

”Actually, I’ve already made that adjustment. I’ve also decided on the class president and vice president. After all, both of your grades are just too outstanding, and your depth of knowledge far surpasses the other students. So, I also felt it would be best for you two to sit together.”

Jiang Qian saw the new seating chart and the class officer assignments.

It read: Class President: Lin Zhengran. Vice President: Jiang Qian.

Jiang Qian didn’t say a word, but this was, without a doubt, the first time in her life she had ever played second fiddle to someone.

The vice president.

Back in the classroom, the teacher announced the new seating arrangements at noon.

And also announced the class president, vice president, and other committee member appointments.

Lin Zhengran wasn’t too surprised to hear that Jiang Qian would be his new deskmate. Unlike middle school, high schools paid close attention to grades, so seating wasn’t completely random.

It was common for them to pair up high-achieving students.

It was just that... after the seating was arranged, Lin Zhengran noticed Jiang Qian. Her face was flushed, but she still radiated an unapproachable aura as she flipped through a book.

He was a little taken aback. ’Does she have a fever? She looks both hot and cold at the same time. What a strange state...’

Out of the blue, Jiang Qian suddenly asked, ”Class President, how much time do you usually set aside for studying?”

Lin Zhengran noted her serious expression and answered casually, ”It’s not a set amount. Basically, whenever I have free time, I study.”

”Same as me. Thank you for your answer.” Jiang Qian mentally filed away the information, her brain a personal notebook for Lin Zhengran’s habits.

She continued, ”You’ve already started on books for higher grade levels, haven’t you? May I ask what you’ve been reading lately?”

Lin Zhengran blinked. ’What’s with this familiar feeling of deja vu...?’ he thought.

”Research Methods and Experimental Design in Ecology.”

’This is exactly like when Han Wenwen used to keep track of my habits. It’s just... Jiang Qian’s focus isn’t romance, it’s academics.’

Jiang Qian froze. ”That’s not a high school book, is it?”

”Mm, it’s not. It’s for a required course for a Master’s in Ecology. I’m just flipping through it.”

Jiang Qian: ”...”

In her eyes, a massive chasm appeared, as wide as a thousand-meter canyon.