Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation Chapter 1692 - 922: A Bona Fide Tool (2)

She dashed back to the classroom in a hurry.

Wang Longlong declared Yang Sheng the victor of the wager.

"Following Class 8's standard rules, since no stakes were set prior to the match, it defaults to the losing side handling seven chores!" Wang Longlong laid out the regulations.

Though defeated in the contest, Gong Jin didn't crumble like Senior Brother Ouyang from downstairs. He held onto his elegance with a grin: "Sure."

He'd been fretting over ways to draw near Yang Sheng, and this wager provided the ideal opportunity to bond. Simple chores wouldn't faze him—his elite family hadn't turned him soft. How else had he managed to nab a bamboo rat?

Wang Longlong pulled out a tiny notebook and fountain pen, set to make notes.

In the final row near the window, Xin Youling observed Wang Longlong grabbing all the attention. Her sharp eyes, set above her charming dark circles, flashed scorn at his behavior, even as she mulled over stealing his duties to seize control of Class 8.

Gong Jin had stayed perfectly poised right up to now.

Just then, Yang Sheng chimed in: "How many chore slots do I have remaining?"

Wang Longlong turned the page: "Report! You've got 876 left."

Yang Sheng flicked his hand: "Sell off today's seven times."

Wang Longlong: "Alright!"

Wang Longlong bellowed: "Hey, passersby! Auctioning the new student's seven chore turns—don't miss it, it's the fresh face!"

Gong Jin's grin stiffened: "What's going on here?"

The allure of the newcomer swiftly drew a crowd of eager classmates.

Pang Jiao eyed the new guy closely, growing fonder by the second, and blurted out: "Ho ho, count me in for the bid!"

Wang Longlong: "Great, great! With folks gathered, auction starts now. Seven chore slots, open at 1 yuan, top bid takes it—no sale's fine, but win without paying means penalty chores added!"

Pang Jiao jumped in right away: "3 yuan!"

Her fierce eyes bulged wide, daring others: "Who dares challenge me! Courting death!"

Gong Jin avoided her gaze. She'd been joyfully singing and dancing at school start when he arrived, but now her vibe had shifted wildly, like a mythical Taotie beast.

Lu Qiqi threw in her bid: "10 yuan!"

She stared lovingly at Gong Jin: "I'll snag you for sure! Absolutely!"

She'd shield him no matter what!

Pang Jiao: "20!"

Lu Qiqi: "50!"

Pang Jiao's eyes turned bloodshot: "You actually dare vie with me for a guy!"

Lu Qiqi pushed hard: "80!"

80 yuan remained a hefty amount for high schoolers, even a decade on—enough for two full days' food. Pang Jiao held back.

Wang Longlong: "80 once, 80 twice!"

"80 three..."

Suddenly, a rich bidder stepped up, yelling: "100 yuan, my bid's 100!"

Lu Qiqi spotted her and fumed: "Yu Wen!"

"Yu Wen, you're truly opposing me?"

Meanwhile, Lin Zida from the next-door lab class dragged Zhuang Jianhui over to Class 8 seeking Gong Jin. He'd dropped by their room last period, after all.

This break, they'd lingered in their classroom without spotting him.

Lin Zida figured Gong Jin's arrogance and flair for drama meant he'd wait for them to seek him out.

Thus, Lin Zida strolled to Class 8's hallway, cheerfully hollering: "Gong Jin, your pal's here!"

Yu Wen's gaze dripped disdain: "When did I oppose you? Gong Jin seems solid for chores, and I've got cash handy. He'll handle my tasks later—win-win, right?"

Lu Qiqi boiled with rage: "Fine then! You're deliberately clashing with me?"

Yu Wen stayed cool: "Wang Longlong, 100 from me. No higher bids? Deal it."

Wang Longlong was on the verge of calling it.

Lu Qiqi clenched her jaw: "One hundred fifty!"

Yu Wen tossed out casually: "Two hundred."

Lu Qiqi's heart ached: "Two hundred fifty!"

Yu Wen frowned slightly and upped it big: "Five hundred."

Lin Zida stared in confusion: "What's all this?"

Zhuang Jianhui's face showed mixed feelings: "Barring surprises, it's an auction underway."

Lin Zida peered inside: "Ah, so they're auctioning Gong Jin."

Since entering the class, Gong Jin had projected steady calm, but now awkwardness hit him hard, mirroring Senior Brother Ouyang downstairs.

Wang Longlong boomed: "Five hundred once, five hundred twice!"

Lu Qiqi refused to raise further. She could scrape it together if desperate, but it just wasn't worth the cost!

Wang Longlong at last declared: "Congratulations to Yu Wen for grabbing the seven-time usage rights of Gong Jin. Let’s all cheer for her!"

Cui Yu and Hu Jun clapped wildly again and again.

Yu Wen handed over five hundred yuan.

Yang Sheng whipped out three red bills right away and proclaimed loudly: "I’ll buy milk tea for everyone at the next evening self-study."

Cheers exploded once more, while Yang Sheng smacked his little butt and exited the hallway.

Yu Wen eyed Gong Jin and stated: "Gong Jin, team up with me for duty from now on."

She flashed Lu Qiqi a victorious smirk, strutting off joyfully—this is money's might, a woman's true power!

Gong Jin alone lingered there, baffled by how a single class's rules could get so elaborate. Are these kids truly here to learn?

Zhuang Jianhui slapped his shoulder, eyed the formerly smug Gong Jin, and barely stifled his chuckles: "Pal, how in the world did you pull that off? Teach me your ways?"

...

Nightfall at the river embankment, cozy little bedroom.

Jiang Ning safely delivered the honorable Tongtong back home.

Tomorrow marks the new term's kickoff; Fourth Middle School summons every student for the ‘Student Report Assembly.’ Buzz says provincial TV crews will show up for coverage, thanks to Changqing Liquid Company’s huge fame—they picked Shao Shuangshuang’s old school to spotlight the pupils’ New Year enthusiasm!

As the proverb goes, on a lucky streak even pigs soar through the air; Principal Yu isn’t just flying—he’s blasting off to the stars!

That rush of excitement surges through him, handing PE teacher Gu Wei tremendous power, even bold enough to bully the regular subject instructors!

Tongtong will speak for all second-yearers at Fourth Middle School. But she fears nothing; the speech is already locked in her memory.

"Mr. Shan picked Jiang Ning for flag bearer first, but he turned it down, so Huang Zhongfei from our class got it."

"Too bad, you’ll just have to stare up at me from below the stage!" Xue Yuantong bragged, gripping a mouse while proudly showing off her white socks.

Xue Chuchu: "Impressive."

"And you, Chuchu? With grades like yours, no stage spot?" Xue Yuantong questioned her.

Xue Chuchu pressed her lips: "Nope, our school has kids with superior scores."

Though Yuzhou’s schools rank middling in Hui Province, it’s a sprawling city of millions where plenty of her classmates snag early admits to elite universities at home and abroad before gaokao hits. Even afterward, around one to two hundred land in 985 institutions. Her scores stand out strong, but far from unbeatable.

Jiang Ning urged Chuchu: "Push harder ahead, don’t hold back me and Tongtong."

Xue Yuantong beamed happily: "Perfect! No morning self-study tomorrow, no speech to prep—you can cook us breakfast."

"What’ll you have, Jiang Ning?" Xue Yuantong inquired.

Jiang Ning: "Boiled corn, green pepper potato shreds, tomatoes scrambled with eggs, steamed cured sausage slices... Your turn—what do you crave?"

Xue Yuantong cocked her head briefly: "Sweet lotus seed coconut milk porridge, plus a plate of steamed shrimp, and a tiny bowl of sauce dotted with cilantro."

Jiang Ning nodded: "Got it, heap on extra shrimp and plate them up—I love them too."

At last, Xue Yuantong turned to Chuchu: "Your thoughts?"

Xue Chuchu tightened her lips, staying quiet for ages.

‘Am I just your servant?’ she wondered inwardly.

"Chuchu, speak up fast!" Xue Yuantong prodded, "What’s your plan?"

Xue Chuchu drew a deep breath, her sparkling eyes shimmering with moisture, and in a chilly tone declared: "I’ll slip sleeping pills into your food, so you snooze straight through to noon."

Jiang Ning and Tongtong chorused: "Chuchu, you’ve changed!"