Rebirth 08: A Happy Life Begins in Elementary School

Perhaps it was Li Zhao's confrontation with Zhao Pengwei that made everyone somewhat wary, because after Li Zhao returned to the classroom, he felt that awkward sense of awe again.

Even Chen Nian was hesitant.

Why do you look like you're afraid to talk to me?

"I don't know, I just feel like you'll suddenly give me a lecture."

"...I'm not your father."

"Hey, that's right!" Chen Nian exclaimed excitedly, "The feeling you give off right now is just like, just like..."

"Just like your dad?"

Chen Nian realized he had driven himself into a dead end, and could only grit his teeth and sigh.

In his previous life, Li Zhao married late, and his daughter hadn't even started first grade yet.

It's not that they would treat a sixth-grade student like their own son.

It wasn't until school was over that someone finally walked towards Li Zhao's seat.

It is He Shuyao.

"How are you getting home tonight?"

How could this be the problem?

Chen Nian, who was originally worried about how to tell his parents that he had come in ninth place again, immediately perked up his ears.

Liu Mingyu, who was holding the questions and preparing to ask Li Zhao for help, pulled Jiang Qi, who was walking further ahead, and shushed her.

Ma Yingying glanced over here, quickly packed her things, and left.

Elementary school students actually make a lot of big movements, but they always feel that others can't see them.

"Take the bus."

"So you have to walk to the bus stop?"

"right."

"Together."

Chen Nian silently pulled out his schoolbag and carefully walked towards the door.

"Chen Nian, what are you doing? Aren't you waiting for me?" Li Zhao called out to him.

"what?"

"Let's go together, the three of us."

As soon as the three of them stepped out of the school gate, they found the core trio of the class's bad boy gang posing against the wall.

The skinny, dark-skinned boy Cai Chao was the leader, with the tall Liu Jie and the tall Wu Haoxian serving as his left and right protectors.

The three of them looked up when they saw Li Zhao. "Oh, isn't this our talented student, Li Zhao?"

Such a rigid fault-finding.

By inexplicably seeking attention in front of you, saying strange things in an odd tone to make you feel embarrassed and uncomfortable, and then taking the initiative to cause trouble, they have a reason to escalate the situation.

These words were even a direct compliment to Li Zhao. If Li Zhao had nodded happily, they would have been the ones getting anxious.

In the adult world, one must remain calm and composed when faced with sarcastic and hurtful remarks.

Li Zhao even felt that they needed to provoke others first as a reason to attack, which was very ethical.

During his time competing for the department manager position in his previous life, he was subjected to baseless attacks without any regard for ethics.

Three childish devils.

Li Zhao smiled slightly and gave them a gentle look.

He's practically a father watching other people's kids play around.

To Cai Chao and his two companions, that look was absolutely terrifying.

"Can't you guys be a little more mature?" He Shuyao suddenly said to them with a cold face.

"He Shuyao is protecting her husband..." Cai Chao immediately prepared to activate his skill.

"Idiot."

He Shuyao speaks clearly and distinctly.

Wu Haoxian immediately broke down, looking extremely flustered, and immediately broke away from the trio and headed home.

Even Chen Nian, who was on the same side, was dumbfounded. He quickly signaled Cai Chao and the others to chase after Wu Haoxian, otherwise they would lose all face.

Do you really hate them?

The three of them were walking on the pedestrian street when Li Zhao asked a question.

"Not really, I just think it's too childish."

He Shuyao looked preoccupied, probably holding something back.

The old-fashioned gossip radar beeps and beeps.

The pedestrian street just finished today's construction. The original asphalt road surface has been mostly removed, and more and more shops along the street are being fenced off.

"Li Zhao." After a brief silence, He Shuyao finally spoke up.

"What's wrong?"

Why pretend to be mediocre?

Li Zhao had to admit that his eyes lit up for a moment.

He Shuyao's expression was very serious, and her eyes were sparkling, reflecting her exploration of the world.

"Why do you ask that?"

"English, today's English test, those words, you couldn't possibly have learned them all in just one winter break. And math, I'm not good at math, but you didn't always get 100, and you couldn't always solve difficult problems. But now you even know how to use differentiation! I went back and asked my dad, that's high school level knowledge!"

The only plausible explanation is that he's pretending to be mediocre.

"Yes, I was faking it before."

"Huh?!" Chen Nian was the first to get excited. "Ah Zhao, why?"

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Great things come from small beginnings"?

"Mmm." He Shuyao nodded.

"I've actually been accumulating knowledge and learning ahead of time all along," Li Zhao said, looking into the distance. "However, I don't want to use this knowledge until it forms a knowledge system of my own."

He Shuyao and Chen Nian: "?"

"People's cognitive abilities differ at different stages. The knowledge systems are also different in elementary school, middle school, high school, and even university. There may even be situations where what is correct in elementary school is wrong in middle school."

"Huh?" Chen Nian has a knack for being a straight man.

"Therefore, if I rashly use advanced knowledge to deal with the current questions before I have fully digested it, it may actually undermine my understanding."

"I didn't understand."

"No need to understand, the principle is that I have been studying it for a long time, but now the time is just right to apply it."

"So, you're actually a genius? A great genius!" Chen Nian concluded.

Li Zhao thought to himself that there would be plenty of opportunities to amaze him in the future, so it would be good for everyone to establish a good impression of him as a "super genius in advanced learning" now, so he nodded.

But He Shuyao frowned, her two small hands clenched into fists.

He looks... a little angry?

"Then," she stared intently at Li Zhao, "when we discussed problems before, all your questions, your doubts... even the ones you asked me on your own initiative, were they all just an act, weren't they?"

Oops.

"You were already using college-level vocabulary and sentence structures in your exam last week, but now that school's starting, you're saying you can't understand two sentences in the reading section, and you're even asking me for help."

The issue of the disconnect between before and after rebirth has been overlooked.

"Li Zhao, you used to tell me that being a friend requires sincerity." He Shuyao pouted, "Is this your sincerity?"

Chen Nian didn't even dare to breathe loudly.

He Shuyao didn't give Li Zhao a chance to explain, and with a light snort, she quickly walked forward.

"Where are you going?" Li Zhao asked.

"Bus stop!"

"Are all girls like this? Is it that hard to understand? Is it really that serious?" Chen Nian was a little confused.

"As for it." Li Zhao nodded.

So it turns out that He Shuyao's straightforward and decisive way of getting along with others stems from the saying "friends should be sincere."

Sincerity between people is precious; it's not easy to maintain, but it's very easy to destroy.

"Are you just going to watch Shuyao walk away?" Chen Nian asked anxiously.

"Let's go find the mailbox first."

"Oh!" Chen Nian narrowed his eyes. "I've found your weakness, Zhao! You don't know how to deal with girls!"

That kid was right.

Reborn at the age of 36, Li Zhao surpasses his former self in many ways, except for the aspect of "interacting with the opposite sex," where he lacks confidence.

Even though her marriage in her past life was terrible, it had a very beautiful beginning.

Until the day before they registered their marriage, his ex-wife was gentle and understanding. She shared the same hobbies as Li Zhao, was an excellent listener, and loved to be with him. In addition, with her outstanding looks and figure, Li Zhao's superiors and subordinates often expressed their envy to him.

But after they got their marriage certificate, she revealed her true colors. She started to openly and secretly complain that Li Zhao didn't care about the family, and kept asking for money under the pretext of her pregnancy, one sum after another. Li Zhao never talked to her about his hobbies again, and she almost never gave Li Zhao any emotional support.

After having a child, she stopped even bothering with the most superficial gestures, openly admitting, "I only married you for money," and her words, "I'm not what you think I am at all," broke Li Zhao's heart.

This experience can be considered a bittersweet one.

Therefore, Li Zhao understood why little He Shuyao was angry just now.

"It's not like we'll never see each other again. I'll apologize when I have the chance." Li Zhao patted Chen Nian on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it anymore, just look for your mailbox."

Actually, he hadn't figured out how to explain what he had just said. He Shuyao was very sensitive and cared a lot about the disconnect between Li Zhao's life before and after his rebirth, which was not a good response.

If you turn right after exiting the pedestrian street, you'll find the bus stop; if you turn left and walk a short distance, you'll find the mailbox.

"Who are you sending it to?" Chen Nian asked.

Li Zhao took out the envelope and quickly stuffed it into the mailbox.

"I'm just submitting articles, just for fun."

"I really don't understand you anymore. Shall we go home now? Shuyao is probably still waiting for the bus. If we walk faster, we might run into her."

Li Zhao nodded, and as soon as he turned around, he saw a flustered figure hiding behind the bushes.

The person squatted down, but the schoolbag arched up.

A pink bear backpack with a white plush rabbit doll hanging from it.

"Shuyao?"

He Shuyao stiffly stood up from behind the bushes. "I'm not, I didn't, you've mistaken me for someone else."

"What are you doing here?" Li Zhao was not fooled at all.

"I," He Shuyao's ears turned red, "I... am curious."

She pointed to the mailbox.