"Heh! Howie, I told you I was going to get first place this time. You're the one who didn't believe me. Now, about that bet—we both know what you promised."
Doug Feng slipped out of Howie's bear hug and stretched his arms with a smile that was half proud, half teasing.
"A real man keeps his word. You said if I came first, you'd stop going to internet cafés and arcades, and you'd study properly. Oh, and no traveling out of town after the college entrance exams this summer, remember?"
Howie grimaced like someone had just snatched away his favorite video game. But he didn't argue. Instead, he let out a sheepish laugh. "Yeah, yeah, you're the top scorer in the entire school now. Whatever you say goes, oh mighty number one. Now come on—what's your secret? Teach me! Maybe I'll snatch that top spot next time!"
Doug rolled his eyes. "You think being number one is like picking up cabbages at the market? You want it? Then earn it. Hit the books, every single day, got it?"
Howie pouted dramatically, but Doug had already turned his attention elsewhere—because just then, he felt it.
A wave of attention. A sudden, undeniable shift.
It came from the girls' side of the assembly field. For the longest time, Doug had always been invisible to them—just another ordinary face in the crowd. But now?
Now, he felt their eyes on him. Curious, admiring, even a little flustered. A quick glance at his system confirmed it—nearly all the girls in his class had their favorability scores shoot up to over 70.
Unfortunately, the boys' numbers were telling a different story.
Doug could almost hear the collective grinding of teeth from the male population. Favorability levels were dropping across the board, some even dipping below 60. Jealousy was practically a cloud hanging over the field—especially from guys like Lu Xiqing and Yang Shunping, who'd always treated him as competition or simply overlooked him.
Well, life was like that. Gains here, losses there.
Still, one name nagged at the back of his mind.
"Where's Linjie?" he murmured, scanning the rows of students.
His eyes combed the girls' ranks for any sign of the class president, but there was nothing—no ponytail, no signature upright posture, no Linjie at all.
He frowned and stepped up to the front of the girls' line, addressing the group politely, "Hey, do any of you know where Linjie went?"
The girls blinked in surprise. It was probably the first time Doug had directly spoken to them like this. One of them turned to look around, then shook her head. "She was here before the principal announced the rankings… but then she just disappeared. No idea where she went."
"Hmm," Doug muttered, troubled.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Howie trotted up again with a ridiculous grin on his face. "Don't tell me you're already thinking of confessing to the class prez just because you're the big dog now?"
He clapped Doug on the back like a proud dad.
Doug gave him a sideways glance. "Weren't you just mourning your vacation plans a minute ago?"
But before either could say more, a ripple of excitement swept across the crowd.
All eyes turned toward the stage where Principal Wang Yuanhua stood. His voice boomed through the loudspeakers:
"Now, as is tradition at Zhi City No. 1 High School, the top scorer in every senior year mock exam is invited to give a speech under the national flag. Today, the honor goes to a student who has shocked and amazed us all—Doug Feng from Class 2, Grade 12! Let's give him a warm welcome!"
"Doug Feng! Doug Feng! Doug Feng!"
The chant broke out like wildfire, sweeping through the crowd like a wave. Doug blinked, stunned.
Is this really necessary? he thought. It's just first place. Linjie does this all the time and no one makes such a big deal out of it…
But that was precisely the point.
Lin Jie had always been number one. She was the poster girl for everything the school admired—diligent, polite, focused. Her victories were expected, even mundane to some.
Doug was different.
To most students, he represented the unremarkable majority—the ones who weren't the teachers' favorites, who weren't particularly gifted, who weren't grinding themselves into the ground for every percentage point. He was just… one of them.
And now, one of them had taken the crown.
It was a Cinderella story, a dark horse win, a legend in the making. For once, the invisible had become extraordinary.
The chants grew louder, more rhythmic.
"Doug Feng! Doug Feng!"
"Doug Feng! Doug Feng!"
Doug stood rooted in place, overwhelmed. He hadn't prepared anything—no speech, no witty lines, not even a generic thank you. He started to consider just skipping the speech altogether when suddenly—
"Hup!"
With a laugh, Howie and another tall, burly classmate hoisted him up from either side like a sack of potatoes.
"Come on, top dog! This is your moment! Don't forget to mention your loyal brothers down here!" Howie called as they paraded Doug toward the stage.
The students roared with laughter and clapped, turning the whole assembly into an impromptu celebration.
Once they reached the front, Howie gave Doug a solid pat on the back and whispered, "Seriously, man. Give them a good one. We're all proud of you."
Doug took a shaky breath and stepped up onto the stage.
The noise was deafening. Hundreds—no, thousands—of eyes were trained on him.
And not just students.
On the front row of the stage sat the entire leadership of the school, including Principal Wang, Vice Mayor Lin Yanzhong, and dead center—Mayor Qin Qing herself.
Doug's eyes flicked over to the end of the line—and found Ms. Fang Qingxue, his homeroom teacher. She was beaming at him with a big thumbs-up, mouthing silently, You did great! You've got this!
But it was Mayor Qin's gaze that made Doug's skin prickle.
There was something piercing in her eyes, like she wasn't just looking at him, but through him. Her expression was a strange mix—curiosity, admiration, analysis… and something that felt dangerously close to predatory interest.
Doug quickly looked away, pulse thudding in his ears. He turned toward the emcee, who offered him the microphone with a bright smile.
"Congratulations, Doug Feng, on achieving the top score in the year. Please take this opportunity to share a few words with your fellow students."
Doug accepted the mic, stepped up to the podium at center stage, and faced the sea of students below him.
His heart pounded.
No script. No plan.
But as he stood there, with the wind stirring the national flag behind him and a thousand eyes waiting in silence…
Doug took a breath.
And began his very first speech under the flag.