Chapter 154: Collector's Edition Book!

For most of them, their first exposure to study materials from Mianzhong High School was due to Gu Zhiran's previous generosity.

Even then, they had only been able to access three photocopied test papers!

Yet now, stack after stack of genuine Mianzhong materials were piled directly in front of them!

At first, some still suspected the materials were fake, but when a student who had once been fortunate enough to obtain Mianzhong materials from Guoxing couldn't help flipping through the pages and spotted the unique watermark within, they all simultaneously fell silent.

They were real!

Every single stack of Mianzhong materials before them was completely authentic!

Recalling how solemn Gu Zhiran had acted over those three test papers earlier, everyone couldn't help but wonder: if Gu Zhiran saw these priceless materials, would her heart skip a beat too?

The girl's eyes had turned entirely red!

Not only were her eyes red, but her entire face, right down to the roots of her ears, was flushed crimson.

Aside from jealousy, she felt a profound sense of regret and humiliation!

She never expected that the words she had just uttered would result in her being slapped in the face so quickly!

The materials inside Gu Ci's backpack really were things Gu Zhiran could never hope to attain!

Seeing the girl completely struck speechless, Wen Zixin let out a triumphant little snort from her nose. Holding her head high, looking at people with an air of arrogant superiority, she crossed her arms and boasted, "Sister Ci, tell them what book Gu Zhiran took from you!"

Gu Ci gave Gu Zhiran a cold, indifferent glance. "Mianzhong Mathematics, Olympiad Collection."

Instantly, someone drew in a sharp breath. The students who were about to participate in the Olympiad, in particular, couldn't help casting sidelong glances toward Gu Zhiran's desk compartment.

One had to know that the book Gu Ci mentioned was an archive-grade collector's item for mathematics competitions in Mianzhong every year!

Forget being impossible to buy with a thousand gold pieces; there were probably fewer than three copies in the entire Songdu! One or two of those might even be older editions from several years ago...

Some people had once complained: since a portion of them could somehow manage to get their hands on Mianzhong's materials, why couldn't that group pool their resources, photocopy everything they acquired, and share it with everyone else?

On the one hand, the college entrance examination was like crossing a single-plank bridge; at a time like this, who would willingly and selflessly share hard-earned study materials with others? Everyone hoarded them tightly.

On the other hand, photocopying books without permission was piracy—who would dare do such a thing so blatantly? Moreover, Mianzhong graduates were spread across every elite profession; if caught, the offender would be sued to the point of having no place left to stay in the entire province...

Some had even denounced Mianzhong for being overly selfish, unwilling to share its school materials so that students across the province could progress together.

Back then, the principal of Mianzhong made a stern and unyielding statement.

"These materials are painstakingly compiled by generations of our teachers, specifically tailored to our teaching methods and pace. If we are to let students across the province progress together, shouldn't our teachers also go teach every child in the province?"

"Furthermore, Mianzhong enrolls students nationwide. As long as your child has the ability to pass the entrance exam, all our materials are fully open to them!"

"So if you want Mianzhong's materials, pass the exam and get in!"

Ever since then, no one ever dared utter a single word of criticism against Mianzhong's practices.

Under such circumstances, having even one or two archive-grade Mianzhong materials in the entire Songdu was already considered an extraordinary feat.

Now, another copy of the Mianzhong Mathematics Olympiad Collection had appeared in Gu Ci's hands—how could this not turn everyone green with envy?

Gu Zhiran was ruthless indeed; of all the books she could have taken, she had gone straight for this archive-grade treasure.

Wen Zixin repeated it to Gu Zhiran once more, "Mianzhong Mathematics, Olympiad Collection. Hear that?"

Unbothered, Gu Ci packed her books back into her backpack one by one, her voice calm and detached. "Hand it over. My patience is limited."

Gazing at Gu Ci's backpack, the crowd felt a mixture of envy and jealousy.

Gu Ci was clearly nothing more than a country bumpkin!

Yet her backpack contained so many materials they could never hope to get!

At this thought, they couldn't help glancing back at the group from Class 12, their eyes burning with even greater intensity.

Could it be that all of Gu Ci's materials... were given to her by the people in Class 12?

A country bumpkin like Gu Ci had somehow blundered her way into Class 12 and won their favor—she really was lucky...

Meanwhile, Gu Zhiran's face gradually turned somewhat ashen.

"Zhiran, your desk drawer... you don't actually have that book, do you?"

Noticing the subtle, lingering glances directed at her desk, Gu Zhiran clenched her fists even tighter.

Right now, she had two choices...

The first option was to stick with her previous narrative, continuing to lead everyone into believing that Gu Ci had lent the book to her.

However, if she did that... she would have to return the book to Gu Ci afterward!

How could she ever reconcile herself to that?

This was the Mianzhong Mathematics Olympiad Problem Collection!

Thinking of the Mathematics Youth Olympiad she was scheduled to attend this weekend, Gu Zhiran bit down hard on her lower lip.

Ultimately, she decided to go with the second option!

She took a deep breath and spoke in a soft voice, "I do have this book."

With that, she slowly pulled the Mianzhong Mathematics Olympiad Problem Collection out from under her desk.

The moment the book appeared, Gu Zhiran could clearly feel the expressions of those around her shift. On one hand, their gaze was fixed on the book; on the other hand... it was fixed on her.

She raised her head and declared to everyone, "But this book is mine! It's something my father went to great lengths to get!"

Hearing this, the crowd was baffled and didn't understand what she meant.

Without explaining further, Gu Zhiran suddenly whipped her head around to glare at Gu Ci. "So, Cousin, you had all of this planned out before you even did this, didn't you? Just because my mother mentioned this book when she went to your house a few days ago?"

Gu Ci raised an eyebrow.

She watched as a hint of sarcasm crept into Gu Zhiran's eyes. "So, the whole purpose of you coming here today was to blatantly rob me of this book in broad daylight? You clearly already have so many books from Mianzhong, why won't you let go of even the single copy I managed to get?"

A subtle realization began to dawn upon the crowd.

According to Gu Zhiran's version of events, the book belonged to her all along. Gu Ci had somehow found out about it a few days ago and deliberately orchestrated today's entire spectacle for the sole purpose of seizing the book from her hands!

Yet now, the onlookers were once again unsure whose story to believe.

The next second, they saw Gu Zhiran flip the problem collection wide open. "Everyone, take a good look! My name is written right here, and the problems inside are solved in my handwriting! There is no second person's handwriting in this book!"