Chapter 4 — I Set a Trap for a Copywriter

Having said that, the teacher looked towards Trinh Y Hoan.

“This proposal is from Trinh Y Hoan.”

“As class monitor, she can proactively think about the whole class's exam preparation, which is very commendable.”

Trinh Y Hoan stood up.

“I just feel like we can't always do homework in a relaxed state.”

Her voice was very sincere.

“The real test is the ability to improvise on the spot.”

The whole class complained, but no one doubted her motives. After all, she is at the top of the block. Study advice given by the best person is always more convincing than others. Only I know. She didn't do it for the whole class. But to force me to continue giving her the answer. The homeroom teacher continued:

"In addition, after the next comprehensive practice exercise, the school will re-statize the top twenty of the block."

“The results this time are also included in the evaluation phase of the spearhead training program.”

The atmosphere in the classroom immediately changed. Key training program. This year the school only has one recommendation. The selected person can directly participate in the internal selection round of a leading university. During the past half year, Trinh Y Hoan has always been the number one candidate. I fluctuated between third and fourth. To her, this time-limited practice test is more than just an ordinary exam. She had to win. After class, Tran Du Xuyen turned his chair around.

“Do you want to change your strategy next week?”

“What strategy?”

“Make a question in advance.”

He shook the pen in his hand.

“There are only one hundred and thirty minutes, who dares to start from the last difficult question?”

I looked at the summary paper on the table. Say nothing. Twenty minutes shortened. Completing the first three low-scoring essay questions will take at least fifteen minutes. With the remaining time, I'm not sure I can complete all the questions. But if you don't do that, the system will take away the three most difficult questions. I realized it for the first time. Knowing the rules doesn't mean you've won. Trinh Y Hoan has been parasitic on me for a year. She understood my homework habits better than anyone, and also knew how to force me to return to my old path. Monday next week. The time-limited Natural Science general exercise officially begins. The ticket was sent down, I looked at the clock on the wall. One hundred and thirty minutes. Twenty minutes less than the normal exam time. I turned to the essay section. The three low-scoring questions ahead have cumbersome steps, but the scores are not high. The last three difficult questions have a total of thirty-seven points. I held the pen and never put it down. Cross in front, Trinh Y Hoan did not do his homework. She sat there quietly. Like a spider guarding the middle of a web. She is waiting. Wait for me to choose. Waiting for my achievements to once again solve the three most difficult questions for her. The supervisor reminded:

“The exam started five minutes ago.”

I took a deep breath and turned back to the first low-point calculation question. Fifteen minutes later, the system's third prompt sounded. 【The number of copies in this exam has been used up.】 I immediately turned to the last page. But when I finished the second difficult question, I only had twelve minutes left. The last sentence has thirty points. I didn't even have time to read the entire question. The moment the bell rang, the last page of my answer sheet was still half blank. And Trinh Y Hoan has closed the pen cap. She turned her head and looked at the white part of the answer sheet mine. The corners of the lips slowly curled up.

03

Results are announced very quickly. Trinh Y Hoan, two hundred and eighty-seven points. Standing first in the block. Me, two hundred sixty-nine points. Ranked eighth in the entire block. The eighteen point gap almost all comes from the last blank essay sentence. The homeroom teacher projected the scoreboard on the screen, his eyes stopped on my name for a few seconds.

"Co Nam Kieu, is there a problem with the order of your homework lately?"

I don't say.

“In two consecutive exams, I spent a lot of time on questions with low scores first.”

“Last time there was enough time so the impact wasn't too big.”

“What about this time?”

The teacher picked up my answer sheet and turned to the last page. The large white space was exposed to everyone's eyes.

“Full thirty points.”

"It's not that I don't know how to do it, it's that I simply don't have time to write."

The whole class was extremely silent. The homeroom teacher sighed.

“Exams are not to show off technique.”

“It's not about winning or losing with anyone.”

“Which question is done first and which question is done later must consider score and time.”

The teacher's voice is not heavy. But it makes people even more uncomfortable than blunt criticism. Because what you said is not wrong. In this exam, no one forced me to do the three low-scoring questions first. It's my choice. In order to prevent Trinh Y Hoan from taking the difficult questions, I personally gave up the rhythm that best suited me. As a result, she still ranked first. And I fell from fourth place to eighth place. Trinh Y Hoan sat at the head table, looking calm. When the teacher read the names, she didn't even turn to look at me. As if everything was within her prediction. After class, Tran Du Xuyen turned his chair around.

“What are you trying to do?”

I raised my eyes.

“What?”

“Don't pretend.”

He pointed at my exam paper.

“In the past, every time you received a general test, within the first twenty minutes you would definitely finish scanning the last two Physics questions.”

“But this time I did the opposite, choosing sentences with few points and many steps to write first.”

“You don't look like you're adjusting the order.”

“It looks like you're wasting time on purpose.”

Tran Du Xuyen ranked third in the entire grade. After transferring from the excellent student team to studying the cultural program, his biggest advantage was not that he could do his homework quickly but that he was good at calculating. Calculate whether each sentence is worth doing or not. Calculate how many points can be redeemed per minute. Also calculates the status of each surrounding opponent. I looked at him.

“So why do you think I did that?”

“I don't know.”

He leaned against the back of the chair.

“But I know your current behavior is very stupid.”

I do not object. He pulled out a piece of scratch paper and drew three horizontal lines on it.

“If you don't want to finish your essay too early, don't finish it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Every sentence is written until the last step.”

“After listing the formula, writing the process, just leave the final conclusion blank.”

“Wait until you finish all the questions before adding your answers at the same time.”

My finger stopped. The system copies the three essay sentences that are completed first. As long as the final conclusion has not been written, it is not considered complete. At least, I can try. Tran Du Xuyen threw the pen back on the table.

“That way you don't waste time and don't need to change the order.”

“But I remind you of something.”

“Don't just do it for Trinh Y Hoan once got eighty-two on the exam and really thought she didn't know how to do the test.”

I looked at him. Tran Du Xuyen laughed.

“Even without those three difficult questions, she wouldn't have come last.”

“Her real advantage is that she almost never loses points on the basics.”

“If you want to win against her, don't destroy yourself first.”