Part 41: Formula, Note, and Answers

[BGM: Air]


Alright, we've got another puzzle here with two separate sections for the pieces to go in, similar to the previous one where Chang was trying to get a firearm to go save Kang. Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of possible outcomes for this one due to how many pieces are in play, so let's not waste any time.

That being said, there are still a few rules to keep in mind before we begin. The numbering of the pieces does keep things somewhat structured- the person coughing, Jimmy going ape on his test, and either of them looking out the window will always be first, followed by a black piece (which will change but always represent a period of time between the start of the test and the note being given), and then lastly the bottom pieces, which are the note pieces that can't share a side- after all, one person will always have to leave the note and the other be the one to receive it, right?





Another thing to note- Ms. Yang doesn't actually have any other Bad Endings besides the default, so we're going to be seeing her endings as we progress through this puzzle- starting with an E.

[BGM: Whispered Feeling]


A thought that had never occurred to me appeared in my head.
Should I just... copy it? But I had never cheated in my entire life...
But if I didn't, I would have to stay in detention for extra study sessions after school...
I didn't want to stay... I just wanted to go back home as soon as I could.

I took a peek at Ms. Yang. She seemed to be lost in her own thoughts.
I made up my mind... and decided to copy Jimmy's answers.
I never knew that Jimmy was such a genius. No one ever paid much attention to him.

The time for the exam soon ran out.
I took out another exercise book after the exam, but my mind wasn't in it.



I left a note.

After school Ms. Yang came into the tutoring room as expected.
I confessed to her about everything involved in cheating on the exam.

She crossed her arms in front of her and stared into my eyes.

“Why did you do it?”
“Because... I couldn't solve any of the problems.”

She kept staring at me with an even more intense look.

“It wasn't a hard exam. At least not for you.”
“I... I couldn't focus... and I have somewhere that I have to be tonight, so I was worried about having to stay for study sessions...”



I couldn't think of any convincing lies right on the spot, so I told Ms. Yang the truth about everything.
About why I couldn't solve the problems.
About why I was unwilling to stay after school.
Even the truth about... him.

I fell into silence when I finished. I grabbed onto my skirt tightly, and lowered my head.
I couldn't look Ms. Yang in the eyes.



“Aren't you neighbors? You should be able to see him any time you want, right?”
“I... I just have a feeling... that I have to, I must see him as soon as I can, otherwise I might...”

I had no idea what I was talking about.
But Ms. Yang laughed. She was laughing, but tears were coming out of her eyes.

“Kids these days... I'm really envious of you. You know what, I guess you could call it a sixth sense... Mr. Wen... he's got cancer.”
Ms. Yang wiped away her tears.

“Stomach cancer. Late stage.”



[BGM: Green Fog]


Just when my mind came back from wandering, the bell signaling the end of the exam had just rung.
Everything had gone well.

A note had been left on my desk, asking me to go to the tutoring room after school.

After school I came to the tutoring room as Li Wen had asked.
I knew many senior students were going through a lot of pressure.
But there were probably less than 10 students who would be willing to talk to their teachers about it.
Nevertheless, I was thrilled that Li Wen had come looking for me.



We were chatting casually about the day's test when she suddenly started crying.
She was sobbing when she told me that she had cheated during the exam.

What surprised me most was her reason.

I was at a loss.
Once upon a time, I might have had the same honesty and courage as she had.
But at some point I had turned into this middle-aged woman who would be gossiping about other people in the office.
I knew it was just a waste of time.
I knew those fake compliments we kept telling each other meant absolutely nothing.
But I had still locked myself into this mundane life, day after day after day.



That day, Li Wen and I talked so much, like we were truly best friends.
About cheating.
About Gaokao.
And about W.

Sorry, W...
I broke my promise.



Let's try something else.



If we order it like this, maybe Li Wen will get distracted and not feel tempted to cheat? Will that change things? (Shellception's guess results in this ending for both.)

[BGM: Air]


Why would he resign?
Did he not like this job?
Or was it because of...

My mind was drifting farther and farther away.
The ending bell for the exam pulled me back to reality.

I couldn't even look at myself when I turned in the paper...
I had only solved... two problems...

I left a note.

After school Ms. Yang came into the tutoring room as expected.

“Anything I can help you with?”
“Well... Ms. Yang... Do you know why... Mr. Wen resigned?”

Ms. Yang gave me a look.
”I thought you were about to ask me about your grades this time. Take a look at your own paper!”

I picked it up... it was a disaster...

“I honestly don't know what is going through you kids' minds these days...”

Ms. Yang gave me quite a tongue lashing.
That sucked...



[BGM: Broken Dream 1]


I looked at Li Wen, who was sitting by the window.
She seemed to be staring at the test blankly.
Was it really so hard?

A note had been left on my desk, asking me to go to the tutoring room after school.

After school I came to the tutoring room as Li Wen had asked.
I knew many senior students were going through a lot of pressure.
But there were probably less than 10 students who would be willing to talk to their teachers about it.
Nevertheless, I was thrilled that Li Wen had come looking for me.

However, she was not here to discuss the pressure of the exam or going to college.
Instead, she asked me about W's abrupt resignation.

I was a little unprepared, but I still remembered my promise to him.
I cleared my thoughts, took out her test from today and showed it to her.
I had to let her know that,

Gaokao was right upon us. It was the only thing that mattered right now.
She should not be thinking about anything else. Definitely not that.

Her face turned red, and white, and red again.
I could still feel the awkwardness in the air after she had left the room.

I knew I might be breaking her heart. But I had to do it.
W would have done the same.



From here, most of the rest of the outcomes are... stuff we've already seen, just shuffled around, so we'll be skipping those for redundancy's sake.



Let's instead skip ahead to an A outcome for both.

[BGM: Air]


I took a peek at Ms. Yang, and she... was staring right back at me!
I was so startled that I almost jumped. And suddenly I could understand the questions on the exam again...
Thank goodness.

Whatever... I needed to finish the exam first before worrying about anything else.
If I screwed this up I wouldn't be able to go anywhere after school.

A note had been left on my desk, asking me to go to the tutoring room after school.

After school, Ms. Yang was waiting for me in the tutoring room.
She told me I did exceptionally well this time and encouraged me to keep it up.
She even told me that if I needed any advice or help with anything in life, I should feel free to come talk to her.

I kept thinking about her words on my way home.
That was the first time she had ever said anything like that to me. It felt a little strange...



It wasn't too late when I got home.
I knocked on his door softly. No response.
I sent him some more texts. No response either.

His lights were off the whole evening, too.



[BGM: Broken Dream 1]


I looked at Li Wen, who was sitting by the window.
And she was looking back at me too.
She should be focusing on her test.
I shook my head and signaled to her to get back to the test. She lowered her head.

Half an hour later, the exam was over.

I left a note.

I asked Li Wen to come and meet me in the tutoring room after school.
I knew many senior students were going through a lot of pressure.
But there were probably less than 10 students who were willing to talk to their teachers about it.

Li Wen had been through a lot with her own family. I had decided to give her some encouragement before Gaokao.



We greeted each other. I told her she had done well on today's test, and to keep it up for Gaokao in a few days.
She was barely paying attention though. She seemed distracted, and she wasn't following the conversation the whole time.
I figured I had said what I wanted to say, so I sent her off.

And then I saw her from the window, running out of the school like an innocent little deer.
That kid... she didn't have a worry in the world, did she?

Well...
W, I will make sure to keep my promise.



Funnily enough, the solution to get the S endings is very similar to this- the main difference is who leaves the note!



We want everything on Ms. Yang's side because she's got nothing at stake here- she can space out and look out the window, we want the piece with Jimmy on her side so Li Wen won't be tempted to cheat, and we want someone coughing on Ms. Yang's side as well so she'll stop spacing out and notice Li Wen during the test, so that Li Wen actually does the test!

[BGM: Green Fog]


I looked at Li Wen, who was sitting by the window.
And she was looking back at me too.
She should be focusing on her test.
I shook my head and signaled to her to get back to the test. She lowered her head.

Half an hour later, the exam was over.

A note had been left on my desk, asking me to go to the tutoring room after school.

After school I came to the tutoring room as Li Wen had asked.
I knew many senior students were going through a lot of pressure.
But there were probably less than 10 students who would be willing to talk to their teachers about it.
Nevertheless, I was thrilled that Li Wen had come looking for me.



However, she was not here to discuss the pressure of the exam or going to college.
Instead, she asked me about W's abrupt resignation.

I was a little unprepared, but I still remembered my promise to him.
I made up something on the spot, telling her that he had gone traveling abroad.
Her eyes lit up when she heard my lie.

She asked me a few other questions about schoolwork before she eventually left.
She was very polite and nice the whole time.
But the moment she closed the door, I saw her turn around and run away so fast that her hair was flying behind her.

And then I saw her from the window, running out of the school like an innocent and joyful little deer.
For a moment, I thought I had just seen... my younger self.



[BGM: Angelic Touch]


I took a peek at Ms. Yang, and she... was staring right back at me!
I was so startled that I almost jumped. And suddenly I could understand the questions on the exam again...
Thank goodness.

Whatever... I needed to finish the exam first before worrying about anything else.
If I screwed this up I wouldn't be able to go anywhere after school.

I left a note.

After school Ms. Yang came into the tutoring room as expected.

“Anything I can help you with?”
“Well.. Ms. Yang... Do you know why... Mr. Wen resigned?”

Ms. Yang gave me a look.
“Oh, him... he said he wanted to go and travel abroad for a little while. He said he'd come back in a month.”



He went traveling abroad? For a month?
Gaokao would be over by then...
I was still hoping I could ask him for advice on what colleges to apply to.

Although... as long as I could still see him, it would be okay.
Meanwhile, I need to work hard for that one last exam!



…

[BGM: New Life]






NEW MESSAGE: Three Years After School



***

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