Studying Makes Me Rich - Chapter 6

After returning to the Xi family, Zhou Xiu's first action was to go out for a run, leaving her schoolbag behind. The butler had intended to ask her for a favour, but before he could say anything, she disappeared with a blink of an eye.

He had wanted her to teach Auntie Niu how to make the Plum-flavored Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs, but after seeing the young master, who was eating only half a bowl of rice and emitting a cold aura, he sighed silently.

Zhou Xiu checked her watch and reminded herself while sweating profusely, "【An hour is enough】."

System: "【You can choose to exercise tomorrow】."

"【Ding- you have earned 5 RMB for exercising for an hour today】."

Zhou Xiu shook her head, "【No】."

For Zhou Xiu, once she started something, she would persist until the end. Consistency in doing the same thing is not easy, and missing a day or even a minute doesn't count as consistency.

"I said I need money."

On a cold winter night, after blowing cold wind for a while, Zhou Xiu's sweat dried up. She was starving and needed to replenish her energy.

However, due to the young master's cleanliness habit, she still insisted on taking a bath before eating.

By the time she finished washing up, the dining table was already empty, and the food had gone cold. Zhou Xiu reheated the food and started to think about another daily task.

In order to catch up with writing her self-reflection essay, Zhou Xiu had missed out on exchanging notes with her classmates. Although she was willing to ask Xi Shaoyuan for help, she preferred to give up the reward.

She was satisfied with their current relationship, which was clearly defined and without any conflicts. Xi Shaoyuan had no objections to her, and Zhou Xiu wouldn't try to seduce him for money.

Zhou Xiu didn't feel regretful about it; she was just upset about missing out on the reward she could have earned.

System: "【...】"

It had seen poor students before, but not as poor and miserly as this one.

At this point, when Zhou Xiu had finished her meal, the Xi family's Auntie finally couldn't help but call her.

"Xiu Xiu, can you teach Auntie Niu how to make the 'Plum-flavored Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs from yesterday?"

Zhou Xiu put down her chopsticks and her eyes lit up at the request.

Excitedly, she said, "It's not about teaching, Auntie Niu. Let's exchange ideas. I also want to learn how to make Osmanthus Cake."

Auntie Niu happily agreed. She was a well-trained professional chef and held a senior technician certificate, but she couldn't quite replicate the taste that Zhou Xiu had achieved. It always felt like something was missing.

Zhou Xiu showed Auntie Niu how to make the dish step by step, saying, "The red yeast in the sauce is the secret weapon that gives it a red and shiny color."

"Auntie, watch me mix the seasoning."

Zhou Xiu finely chopped garlic, scallions, vinegar, and rock sugar, emphasizing that the ideal ratio of sugar to vinegar was the key to success.

Auntie Niu murmured, "So that's how it's done. No wonder I couldn't get it right."

Zhou Xiu smiled.

Auntie Niu took out some osmanthus sugar, dissolved fish gelatin powder in water, and boiled it. The water in the pot began to boil, and a sweet fragrance of osmanthus filled the kitchen.

Auntie Niu scooped up the hot osmanthus syrup and patiently instructed Zhou Xiu, "Put it in the fridge to cool down, and you can eat it tomorrow."

Zhou Xiu nodded and said, "I got it! Thank you, Auntie Niu."

As soon as she finished speaking, a notification sounded, "【Receive 5 RMB for exchanging notes five times a day】."

Auntie Niu looked at the smiling girl and was charmed by her sweetness. She remembered her own worries and felt embarrassed.

At the same time, a voice sounded in Zhou Xiu's mind, "【Good cooking skills can improve the quality of life. Please learn how to make 'Coconut Osmanthus Cake' for a reward of 5 RMB】."

Zhou Xiu yawned and prepared to go to bed.

But when she heard the voice, she became instantly alert.

She prepared another set of ingredients. The process for making coconut osmanthus cake was complicated. It required adding a layer of coconut milk every thirty minutes during cooling, repeating the process five times. This resulted in a beautiful yellow and white coloration.

After making the cake, Zhou Xiu put it in the fridge to cool down. Instead of wasting time waiting, she worked on her homework. She brought her textbook and papers and reviewed her work. Every half-hour, she went to the kitchen to add a layer of coconut milk.

After repeating this process several times, Zhou Xiu was too tired to keep her eyes open.

She rested her head on the table for a while.

Xi Shaoyuan came downstairs to get some water and saw this sight.

The living room downstairs was left lit, and the soft light fell gently on the girl, who was wearing a pink fluffy pajamas. Her cheek had a mark from the textbook.

Her plain face was serene like never before.

Xi Shaoyuan remembered how she looked when she went crazy, and how she looked when she couldn't be driven away. He moved his gaze away slowly, not daring to look at her again.

It was best for her to maintain this obedient appearance; otherwise, he would definitely kick her out of the Xi family!

Xi Shaoyuan took the water and went back to his room.

...

The next day, Zhou Xiu opened the fridge and took out the coconut osmanthus cake she had made. It was like solidified cream, transparent and lustrous.

The frozen osmanthus cake looked as delicate as a painting. Taking a bite, it was chewy and refreshing, mixed with the fragrance of coconut and osmanthus. Eating it in the early morning was very refreshing, except for being a bit too cold. After finishing it, Zhou Xiu felt cold and shivered. She steamed some of the remaining cakes and brought them to school.

Hua Xi again praised her cooking skills and said, "Whoever marries you will be lucky. Let's open a dessert shop together." Zhou Xiu replied, "Go ahead and eat. There's still so much left, you can't possibly eat it all."

Then Hua Xi asked her, "I heard from the boys that Old Huang wants you to write a 10,000-word self-reflection at Monday's flag-raising ceremony?"

Zhou Xiu nodded.

"Don't go," Hua Xi said, "If he makes you write a self-reflection, we will sue him for insulting your dignity. I'll borrow my dad's lawyer to make sure we win."

Zhou Xiu looked at Xu Qing who was sitting to her right. He had a neat buzz cut and dark hair tips like ink. His face was handsome and generous, looking like a good student. Zhou Xiu remembered his face.

"It's okay, don't worry about it," Zhou Xiu paused and said slowly, "We need to use student methods to solve student problems."

In the afternoon, it was another math class. Huang Lao always came late after the bell had rung for a while, but this time he came in right after the bell. He asked, "Zhou Xiu, have you finished writing your 10,000-word self-reflection?"

"You are all children and will inevitably make mistakes. Teachers are adults and will not argue with you. At school, there are teachers who are tolerant, but who will tolerate you when you go out into society?" Huang Lao continued his speech, but Zhou Xiu interrupted him, "I haven't finished writing it."

Huang Lao thought that Zhou Xiu had changed her ways after yesterday's admonishment, but she hadn't. He was so angry that he shouted, "Get out of the classroom, Zhou Xiu! Come back when you've finished your self-reflection of 10,000 words."

Zhou Xiu packed up her textbooks and notes and walked up to the teacher, "I don't have to listen to your class."

"But remember this day," Zhou Xiu continued, "It was you who drove out your best student."

The rest of the class was confused and didn't understand what she was talking about. Hua Xi also had a puzzled look on her face. Huang Lao was stunned by Zhou Xiu's boldness. He checked Zhou Xiu's file, saw that she had transferred from an unknown backward county high school, and had average grades. He saw that she had no background and felt relieved.

"If you're the best student, then I've wasted all these years teaching," Huang Lao said contemptuously. "Being assigned to 24th grade already proves your qualifications." How arrogant!

Although Yu De Private High School was a private high school, it was also a top-notch school with strong and top-notch faculty. After the high school entrance exam, many top students were recruited, and the elites cultivated by the school itself were not to be underestimated.

The competition is as fierce as the prestigious Fourth High School. Even the top students in the rocket class dare not speak so arrogantly in front of him, what qualifications does Zhou Xiu have?

Zhou Xiu said seriously: "So, do you want to bet, teacher? If I get the highest score in math at the end of the term, you will apologize to me and admit that I was the most outstanding student you have ever seen." "If I lose, I will apologize to you at the flag-raising ceremony and personally give you a banner."

Huang was so angry that he laughed at the little girl who hadn't even grown up. "You need to reflect, Zhou Xiu!"

"So, teacher, don't you dare to bet? Then..." Zhou Xiu slowly said: "What qualifications do you have to drive your most outstanding student out of the classroom?"

"Zhou Xiu, you're talking nonsense!" Huang roared. Hua Xu couldn't help pounding the table and laughing. Xu Qing also couldn't help laughing.

"Hahaha..." "Hahaha..." The whole class burst into laughter, and the laughter turned the ceiling over.

Zhou Xiu shrugged and walked out of the classroom with her math textbook.

After class, the 24th class was as lively as a hot pot. Hua Xu was almost laughed to death by her new classmate. After laughing, she raised her head and gave Zhou Xiu an admiring look.

"Isn't this a trick to delay the enemy?"

"Well done, who will remember him next semester."

Zhou Xiu stopped her pen, closed her textbook, and said calmly, "What do you think?" Hua Xu was shocked by her look, like a learning-impaired student who discovered a super study god.

"Do you...still want to make Huang apologize to you?"

At this time, neighbours around them turned their heads and smiled as they stretched their necks to look at Zhou Xiu. "Hello, I'm Du Fei Yang."

"I'm Tan Ming, Sister Xu's younger brother." "Xiu Xiu, and me, I'm Yu Qingyan," the girl interrupted. Zhou Xiu turned her head and nodded at them. "Hello."

Du Fei Yang, the study-impaired student, felt very satisfied. He didn't fall asleep in class for the first time in this period and listened to it very smoothly. 

He said, "Zhou Xiu, you're a study god, aren't you? Study hard and let him scold us as char siu, then hit him in the face!"

Tan Ming, the study-weak student, sighed, "Zhou Xiu, tell us the truth, can you do it?" "The top students in the rocket class are very powerful."

Zhou Xiu really wanted to be honest. Under the expected gaze of everyone, in that scorching temperature, she doubted that she might not be able to leave this classroom today if she told the truth. 

She slowly smiled. "I've made a promise, so I have to do it."

The study-impaired students suddenly became excited, as if they had taken chicken blood. Zhou Xiu said again: "It's time for class, let's go back and listen to the class well. I hope I'm not alone in this battle."

"At the end of the term, let's win back the dignity we deserve together."

Previous

Next