Percy was so thrilled that his clean, rebellious black eyes sparkled with excitement. Afraid Scarlett might back out of her promise, he immediately wrote up a contract, signed his name, and then handed it over for Scarlett to sign. Scarlett was a bit speechless. It was rather childish, but she still signed it. Percy folded the agreement and tucked it into his pocket, then smugly bit the pen cap and said, “Just wait, I’m going to crush you!” This was just a regular elite math test, and it wasn’t going to be a challenge for Percy. When Scarlett saw him start working seriously on the problems, she smiled and quickly got to work herself. The students in the front row turned around in shock to see the two of them actually doing the test. Everyone knew Percy was the type who would sleep through exams. What was going on today? Was he planning to actually put in some effort? Someone jokingly called out to Percy to play games. Without even looking up, Percy snapped, “Don’t bother me!” To their surprise, Percy was actually being serious. Seeing this, some students who were torn between playing games and doing the test started focusing on their papers as well. Mike had only stepped out for a moment, but when he returned and saw that more than half the class was working on their test papers, his face lit up with surprise and excitement. He knew that this group of kids had endless potential. No one should give up on them. At that moment, the school’s dean, Herbert, walked in. Seeing the class unusually quiet, he pushed open the door and asked, “What’s going on in Class F? Why aren’t you in class?” Mike, who was still working on his test paper, didn’t respond immediately. Someone from the class replied, “We’re doing elite math questions!” Herbert was surprised at first, but after scanning the room, his expression shifted to one of disdain. “So, you really are doing elite math questions… How many of you actually understand any of it?” He scoffed and turned to Mike. “Mr. Sawyer, I’m not trying to be harsh, but you’re wasting everyone’s time. Even if you want to find two students for the competition, do you really need to pick from this class? Why not just give me your two spots? Class A has plenty of students who want to participate in the Elite Math Tournament.” His tone was full of condescension and disdain for the class. Mike stood up, wearing a serious expression “Mr. Riggs, I believe these kids deserve equal opportunities. Just because they’re in a lower-performing class doesn’t mean they should miss out on this chance. It only takes one class period to complete the questions, and maybe one of them has what it takes to compete in the Elite Math Tournament. Even if they don’t win, it’s still an opportunity to broaden their horizons.” Herbert gave him a disbelieving look. “Class F’s math scores are always at the bottom. Don’t you see that? If you still believe in them, then keep your faith. But don’t say I didn’t warn you—if you don’t get the recognition you’re hoping for, you know the consequences.” Herbert cast a glance around the room, his eyes pausing on the students still glued to their phones. With a disappointed shake of his head, he turned and walked out without another word Mike’s eyes flickered with concern, but he quickly pulled himself together and smiled. “Don’t worry, everyone. Just focus on your papers. Even if none of you end up qualifying, I can still choose two students from other classes.” Some of the students who had been playing games reluctantly put their phones away and picked up their papers. Out of the corner of her eye, Scarlett noticed Percy flipping his test paper over. In no time, he was already ahead of her, scribbling so quickly it looked like his ballpoint pen might catch fire. It seemed like Herbert’s words had triggered something in him. In the past, Herbert had frequently provoked Class F, but back then, Percy was either asleep or skipping class to go to the internet café. The other students were no better. They would show some temporary effort, but it was only fleeting. Soon enough, it was back to playing games and slacking off. In her previous life, when Mike made his final picks, he chose her and another student from a neighboring class. On the day of the tournament, it poured. Lily and Jonah stayed at a hotel near the test center. Scarlett couldn’t afford that, and she didn’t want to ask them for money again, so she returned to the Quinn residence instead. When it was time to leave, she couldn’t even find a single umbrella in the entire villa. She ended up soaked, squeezing onto a crowded bus in the rain. By the time she finally arrived at the test center, she was already an hour late. She never even made it through the doors. Not only did she let down Mike’s efforts and expectations, but she also fell seriously ill because of it.