Rebirth: My college entrance exam score was stolen? I turned the tables and made a billion.

"Of course not!"

Liu Guangming shook his head, then fell silent again.

Zhao Xiaojun panicked: "What do we do? Brother, say something! We're in a real crisis!"

Liu Guangming did not immediately respond.

He was well aware that, frankly, he was being far too calm.

How could an ordinary 18-year-old rural high school student not even flinch when he heard such a life-changing bombshell?

So Liu Guangming deliberately turned around and strode over to the well.

He gripped the iron handle of the hand pump with both hands and pressed down hard, making a creaking sound.

Cool well water gushed into the large plastic bucket, splashing water all over the ground.

The sound was particularly loud in the courtyard in the middle of the night.

After filling the bucket with water, Liu Guangming turned his back to Zhao Xiaojun and let out a long breath.

"Xiaojun, come here first."

Zhao Xiaojun walked forward blankly.

Liu Guangming grabbed a towel, scrubbed it a couple of times in the bucket, wrung it out until it was half dry, then grabbed a bar of soap and tossed it directly to Zhao Xiaojun.

"Wipe your face! Look at you, covered in black mud."

"If you're out on the street in the middle of the night, the patrol officers will definitely arrest you as a vagrant."

Zhao Xiaojun took it, but was taken aback!

"Brother! At a time like this, you're still concerned about whether I'm clean or not? How can you be so careless!"

"wash!"

Liu Guangming raised his voice and pointed at the bucket.

The shout made Zhao Xiaojun shrink back.

Under the dim light bulb, the two of them washed their faces and bodies with the cool well water.

The icy well water splashed on him, and Zhao Xiaojun shivered, finally calming down the surging passion in his head.

Ten minutes later, the two changed into dry clothes.

Liu Guangming poured the dirty water into the drain in the corner of the yard and clapped his hands.

"Let's go outside and talk."

Outside the large iron gate of the staff dormitory was a dark alley.

The summer night breeze swept through the hall, bringing a cool sensation to the skin.

Liu Guangming leaned against the brick wall and spoke.

"Xiaojun, I've thought about it, and actually, there's really no need to rush this."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xiaojun's eyes widened again.

"No rush? Isn't there a rush?"

Liu Guangming nodded.

"Xiaojun, what you just told me contained a lot of information."

"But think about it carefully, why did Chen Jianguo choose me to be the scapegoat?"

Zhao Xiaojun scratched his head and thought for a moment.

"He said you have no parents, and your four older sisters aren't very successful either. You have no family background or connections, and you're just a pushover."

"We don't have the means at home to let you make a scene or petition."

"right."

Liu Guangming nodded. "That's their confidence."

"In their eyes, I'm just a peasant."

"Even though my grades are good, given my background, even if someone else took my place, where would I even begin to investigate?"

"They can easily cover this up with a little manipulation."

The more Zhao Xiaojun listened, the more aggrieved he felt, and he gritted his teeth and punched the wall.

"These bastards are just bullies who prey on the weak!"

"What's the use of just analyzing these things? People are already doing it!"

Liu Guangming smiled, ignoring his comment, and instead posed another question.

"Xiaojun, you grew up in the compound and have more experience than me. You even mentioned to me before that you and he were tutoring together."

"Tell me honestly, what scores does Chen Defu usually get on tests at school?"

Zhao Xiaojun curled his lip, his face full of disgust.

"That son of a bitch? What achievements has he made?!"

"After class every day, I would go to the video arcade, or follow those two lackeys to the skating rink to film women."

"If he gets over 400 points in total, his ancestors' graves will be emitting auspicious smoke!"

"Otherwise, his family wouldn't be so envious of your 500+ points, Brother Guangming!"

"That's right."

Liu Guangming immediately stood up straight.

"However, we are liberal arts students after all, so there's a lot of rote memorization involved!"

"If Chen Defu, with his background, scores over 500 on the college entrance exam, even if people have doubts, they'll probably just say a few sarcastic remarks."

"After all, if you insist on attributing it to good luck or exceptional performance, there's nothing you can do about it."

Liu Guangming paused, then suddenly lowered his voice.

"But what if my score were high enough to puncture this well in Songyang County..."

"In fact, his fame was so high that newspaper reporters from the city and even the province would camp out in front of Chen Jianguo's house every day to conduct interviews."

"Do you think Chen Defu, with that incompetent brain, would dare to accept such a high score?"

"Can Chen Jianguo and his gang still cover up this enormous hole?"

After hearing these words, Zhao Xiaojun froze on the spot.

His mind raced through Liu Guangming's train of thought, and a chill ran down his spine.

Yup!

The premise of taking the blame is that you have to be able to cover up the result!

If you really get an unprecedentedly high score, you won't be able to keep a low profile even if you want to!

With everyone watching, if any high school teacher came down and asked a couple of questions, Chen Defu would probably be exposed on the spot.

There'll be no need to go to the provincial capital to file a complaint; the higher-ups will investigate thoroughly on their own!

Zhao Xiaojun rubbed his hands together excitedly, but his excitement lasted less than half a minute before it quickly dissipated.

He looked Liu Guangming up and down, his face full of suspicion and confusion.

"Brother Guangming, your idea is absolutely correct."

"But the question is... how did you achieve such a high score that caused a sensation throughout the province and city?"

Zhao Xiaojun was so anxious that he kept scratching his head.

"It's not that I look down on you, brother. But to achieve that kind of result, you'd at least need to be the top scholar in our Songyang County, right?"

"No! I don't think even being the top county scorer is a sure thing. After all, in a small place like ours, the attention we receive is limited."

"You'd better at least get the top score in the city!"

"But I know your usual grades. Although you're always among the top students in your class, and getting into a university is definitely not a problem, as for becoming the top student in the county or the city..."

Zhao Xiaojun didn't continue, and his meaning couldn't be clearer.

That is, there's still a long way to go.

Liu Guangming chuckled to himself as he watched Zhao Xiaojun scratching his head in frustration.

Top scorer in the city?

You haven't broadened your perspective yet.

This time, I'm aiming for the top score in the entire province—a perfect essay.

However, he naturally couldn't say anything definitively, lest he scare Zhao Xiaojun into having a heart attack.

Liu Guangming patted Zhao Xiaojun on the shoulder, his tone exuding confidence.

"Don't worry about the grades."

"I went to see our teacher and carefully checked the estimated score."

"Some of the questions in this year's college entrance exam were actually quite obscure, but... many of the more challenging questions just happened to be right up my alley."

Liu Guangming made up nonsense without even blinking.

"Based on past years' records, my estimated score wouldn't even qualify me for the top score in the county, let alone the top score in the county."

"Even if we were to take the top score in the liberal arts exam in our city, it would be a sure thing."

"Holy crap... Really?!"

Zhao Xiaojun suddenly raised his voice.

After saying that, he grabbed Liu Guangming's arm and trembled with excitement.

"The city's top scorer?! Holy crap! Brother Guangming, you're not kidding me, are you?"

Liu Guangming slapped his hand away.

"Xiaojun, when have I ever lied to you?"

Do you see me as someone like Chen Defu, constantly spouting nonsense?

Zhao Xiaojun was stunned for a moment.

As for studying, there's no need to mention it.

Just look at how shrewd Liu Guangming was when he was selling melons today, calculating the accounts, and how composed he was when dealing with those thugs.

This is something a person who talks nonsense would never do.

Thinking of this, Zhao Xiaojun let out a long breath, feeling as if the heavy stone pressing on his chest had finally been lifted.

"I understand, Brother Guangming."

"But according to you, we don't need to do anything now, we can just sit and wait for the results?"

Liu Guangming nodded, his expression turning serious.

"Yes, remaining inactive is the best counterattack."

"Xiao Jun, remember what I'm about to say."

Liu Guangming extended a finger and touched Zhao Xiaojun's chest.

"In the time leading up to the results, just pretend you didn't hear anything tonight."

"Eat and drink as you please at home."

"If your father scolds you, just listen to him obediently, and don't talk back or bring it up."

"Absolutely, absolutely do not give yourself away in front of them, not even the slightest bit."

"What we need to do now is to keep them calm. Let them think the plan is foolproof, and let them go ahead with all the procedures for the substitution."

"On the day the results are announced, we'll make sure they climb as high as they climb, and fall as hard as they fall!"

Zhao Xiaojun nodded forcefully, gritting his teeth and making a determined gesture.

"Don't worry, brother! I understand what you mean!"

"For the next month, I'll play the fool and absolutely won't interfere with your plans!"

After the two finished their discussion, it was already late at night.

A few distant barks could be heard, and the wind in the alley grew increasingly cool.

"Alright, hurry up and ride your bike back to get something to eat, then go to sleep."

Liu Guangming pushed Zhao Xiaojun toward the alley entrance.

"Also, just a reminder, don't oversleep tomorrow morning at 5:30."

Zhao Xiaojun had only taken two steps when he suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked puzzled.

"5:30, where are we going?"

Liu Guangming raised an eyebrow.

"What for? Going to the farmers' market to buy watermelons."

"Even the top student in the city has to pay tuition, right? Are you suggesting they just lie at home and starve for a month?"

"Right, I almost forgot!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xiaojun's eyes lit up, and the excitement he had felt during the day surged back up.

"Alright! See you at 5:30 tomorrow morning!"

After saying that, he mounted the old-fashioned bicycle without a chain guard and turned to leave.

Just then, the clear sound of a bicycle bell suddenly came from the other end of the alley.

Immediately afterwards, a blindingly bright flashlight shone directly into their faces.

A deep male voice came from behind the bright light.

"What are you two doing here so late?"