Pretending to Cultivate in Kindergarten

Chapter 84: The Original Fiancé

Amid the gasps and exclamations from their classmates, He Qing, Jiang Xueli, and Han Wenwen from Class 3 also turned their attention toward the commotion.

He Qing had been secretly keeping an eye on Lin Zhengran all along. The moment she saw his name at the top, she cheered excitedly, “Lin Zhengran got first place!”

Jiang Xueli blinked, feeling a bit shy but still impressed by that idiot’s strength. “He totally showed off again… but with his abilities, it’s not like anyone else stood a chance.”

Han Wenwen didn’t praise him outright. Instead, she carefully observed the reactions of the surrounding girls, especially the ones from wealthy families—their starry-eyed gazes were particularly concerning. The little fox bit her thumb, looking like a miniature Sherlock Holmes.

“Something feels off… I have to nip this in the bud before it gets out of hand.”

—

The sports competition lasted the entire day, covering multiple events. At first, Jiang Qian thought that even if she had lost in sprinting, she could still outshine that boy in sit-ups, long jump, or other events.

But to her shock… she didn’t win a single one.

Even more frustrating, Lin Zhengran wasn’t even out of breath after each event, while she had given it her all.

After the competitions ended, Jiang Qian sat on the steps in her military training uniform, staring blankly ahead. Her cold, determined eyes were now dull, her fighting spirit completely crushed by reality.

Her assistant, Fang Meng, crouched in front of her, awkwardly glancing at the stats she had recorded.

“Qianqian, based on my observations, that Lin Zhengran is an absolute genius. His physical endurance, coordination, and reflexes are all top-tier. And combined with his academic record…”

Jiang Qian looked utterly defeated. “No need to tell me. I don’t care about any of this…”

Fang Meng: “…”

Fang Meng tried to console her. “But Qianqian, you didn’t lose to him in everything. Don’t forget, after military training, there’s the Freshman Talent Showcase! You’re planning to perform a piano piece and send the recording to your uncle, right?”

Jiang Qian’s eyes flickered slightly as she looked at Fang Meng.

Fang Meng smiled. “You’ve been practicing piano since elementary school and have won several competitions in middle school. Studying and sports may not be your strongest suits, but when it comes to piano, no one can beat you. This time, you definitely won’t lose.”

Jiang Qian glanced toward Lin Zhengran, who was casually watching the competitions from the sidelines. After today’s events, quite a few girls had started approaching him.

The boy was undeniably good-looking, with a tall and athletic build. His charisma far exceeded that of his peers. This one competition alone had already earned him a group of admirers, including some upperclassmen.

But instead of being discouraged, Jiang Qian said:

“No. I did a little background check on him. He’s from an ordinary family. If I beat him at piano, it wouldn’t even be a fair fight—he probably hasn’t even practiced before. And even if I lose? So what? I’ll just take first place in the next mock exam.”

With that, she stood up and headed toward the restroom, as if she truly didn’t care.

Fang Meng blinked and muttered to herself, “Still so dishonest… But one of Qianqian’s best qualities is that she never takes advantage of someone’s weaknesses. That’s pretty admirable.”

Fang Meng stood up and followed her, already anticipating what would happen next—

That night, Jiang Qian would hole up in her room, staying up late to cram for the next exam.

Sure enough, when Jiang Qian’s older sister, Jiang Jingshi, came home, she was startled. “Oh? Qianqian’s been studying so hard these past few days?”

Fang Meng gave a slight bow. “Welcome back, Miss Jiang. Second Miss has indeed been unusually dedicated lately—she barely gets any sleep at night.”

Jiang Jingshi chuckled warmly. “Looks like she’s found herself a strong rival again. Qianqian’s competitive streak is as fierce as ever. Just let her be—she’ll figure it out herself.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Oh, by the way, I heard from Grandpa that Qianqian has an arranged marriage? Has she met the guy yet? What’s he like?”

Fang Meng explained, “Second Miss isn’t interested in the matter. She hasn’t met him yet.”

Jiang Jingshi nodded thoughtfully. “Hmm. I suppose I could meet him in her place. After all, he’s the grandson of Grandpa’s old friend. We shouldn’t ignore the engagement entirely—it would be rude. Besides, I was originally supposed to be his fiancée. It was only because he was born later, the same age as Qianqian, that Grandpa reassigned the engagement to her.”

She added, “Remind her again in a few days. If she really doesn’t want to meet him, I’ll go instead.”

Fang Meng nodded in understanding.

With that, Jiang Jingshi turned and left, her high heels clicking against the floor. Her wavy, waist-length hair swayed gently with each step.

—

The next morning, the sun shone brightly, marking nearly two weeks since the start of school.

High school was different from middle school. In middle school, boys and girls were just beginning to develop an awareness of romance, but many boys still didn’t think much about relationships. At most, they were just experiencing their first stirrings of attraction.

High school, however, was a completely different story.

By now, everyone’s minds were maturing, and boys were quick to notice which girls were the most beautiful in a crowd.

A single glance could imprint a girl’s face in their memory. A simple smile from the right person could make her the center of attention.

In just these two weeks, students had already started exchanging notes on which class had the most beautiful girls.

—

During a break after the morning training session, the instructor gave Class 1 students a twenty-minute rest.

Even though it was autumn, standing outside all morning was exhausting. The students were all parched, and Lin Zhengran sat down to rest.

A male classmate plopped down beside him. “Lin Zhengran! Aren’t you tired at all? You’ve been training all morning, and you’re barely sweating!”

Lin Zhengran responded casually, “I’ve gotten used to it after a week of training.”

The boy nudged him with an elbow.

“Used to it or not, it’s still exhausting. But man, you’re built differently. By the way, do you have a girlfriend? I noticed you don’t really respond much when the girls in our class talk to you.”

Lin Zhengran chuckled. “Not interested.”

Another classmate, a guy with the surname Pan, joined in.

“Honestly, the girls in our class just don’t stand out, especially with Jiang Qian and Fang Meng around. Compared to them, everyone else seems kind of average. Lin Zhengran, you’re so good-looking—you probably have high standards, huh? But did you know? Apparently, Class 3 has the most beautiful girls.”

The first guy nodded eagerly. “Yeah! I heard there’s a girl named He… He Qing, right? Super pretty! I saw her once, and wow, she’s gorgeous!”

Pan chimed in, “He Qing is definitely beautiful, but there’s also Jiang Xueli with the twin ponytails! She’s even cuter! And she’s so bubbly—she’s basically everyone’s dream girl.”

Another boy overheard the conversation and joined in.

“Nah, the prettiest one has to be Han Wenwen. Haven’t you guys heard? Tons of guys have been giving her love letters these past few days. Even some upperclassmen confessed to her! But of course, pretty girls aren’t easy to chase—she apparently rejected all of them, saying she already has a boyfriend.”

Throughout Lin Zhengran’s life, there had been countless times when classmates had tried to befriend him.

Some of them had even gotten close to becoming actual friends.

But in the end, it always played out the same way.

Just like right now—

As the guys were chatting about girls, they suddenly noticed a shy He Qing walking over, clutching a freshly sealed bottle of lemon water.

And she was heading straight for Lin Zhengran.