Qin Xiangnuan breathed a sigh of relief, feeling an indescribable joy in her heart. She had always hoped to be in the same class as her older brother; it would be convenient for them to look out for each other, and she could even help him with his studies—taking notes would be easier if they were in the same class.
"Brother, let’s go register."
Qin Xiangnuan grabbed Qin Xiangyang and they went off to find their class teacher. The first year was on the third floor, the second year on the second, and the third year on the ground floor.
Their middle school was actually quite good; it was only built a few years ago with relatively new desks and chairs. However, the classrooms were still spartan by comparison with those of future students, lacking fans and heating—a single room crammed full of desks and chairs.
Qin Xiangyang found his name on the list. Their classroom was conveniently located near the staircase, making it easy to get to and from.
"Qin Xiangnuan, Qin Xiangyang?"
Their class teacher was a middle-aged man in his forties, Mr. Liu.
Mr. Liu’s gaze shifted several times between Qin Xiangnuan and Qin Xiangyang. "You two are siblings, right?"
"Yes," Qin Xiangyang nodded. "Teacher, we’re brother and sister."
"Hm, you do look rather alike. But there’s quite an age difference," chuckled Mr. Liu. It wasn’t unusual for someone of Qin Xiangyang’s age to be in middle school—starting school late or having repeated grades made him older than typical students.
"Do you have any special talents?" He picked up a pen and started jotting notes in a notebook. It was important to keep a record of students with special talents; they might bring glory to the class in the future.
Qin Xiangnuan shook her head. "Teacher, I don’t have any special talents."
Even if she did, she wouldn’t mention it. She just wanted to quietly finish middle school and learn the subjects that interested her.
"And you?" Mr. Liu turned to ask Qin Xiangyang.
Of course, Qin Xiangyang didn’t have anything to say either. One couldn’t expect much in terms of special talents from kids coming from rural areas; they all knew how to farm. That’s if farming counted as a special talent.
"Have you ever been a class monitor or held any other class office?" Mr. Liu continued to ask patiently, appearing to be a genuinely nice person. But Qin Xiangnuan didn’t miss the fleeting sharp look in his eyes. Perhaps he was too clever for his own good, which might explain the old saying—bald from being too smart.
Both Qin Xiangyang and Qin Xiangnuan shook their heads since they indeed had never held any such positions. Qin Xiangyang’s age was certainly a factor; already a strapping young man proficient in farming but not in being a class leader, and this was documented in his records. Qin Xiangnuan’s records simply stated she was obedient, sensible, and her academic performance was average. Mr. Liu was visibly disappointed.
However, he found the girl rather odd. Having taught many students over the years, he’d rarely encountered someone young lady—seemingly unremarkable, yet transparent, like a dusty gem hiding its inherent brilliance.
But he quickly deemed that he was overthinking. In just a short while, several more students came to register, some of whom had been class leaders or served on various committees, and their academic performance was also admirable. These would be the class officers he would focus on cultivating in the future.
After registering, they would receive their books in the afternoon. The two collected a stack of books and had to wrap them in protective covers—a task at which Qin Xiangyang excelled. With him on book-wrapping duties, Granny Lu and Qin Xiangnuan were already preparing the dough needed for tomorrow morning.
Since it was the first day, they didn’t dare to steam too much, fearing they wouldn’t be able to sell it all.