CHAPTER 108: CHAPTER 0108: SLAP IN THE FACE_1

Liu Ruolan looked displeased. She was very satisfied with Zhang Bin in every way and genuinely cared for him, but she was also a graduate of a prestigious university. Having a boyfriend with a lower level of education was a small regret. While she didn’t really mind, things would be even more perfect without this tiny flaw.

"Alright, alright, Zhang Bin. You’re a big man. There’s no shame in apologizing when you’ve misspoken." Although Liu Ruomei enjoyed seeing Zhang Bin in a bind, she didn’t want to see her sister unhappy. So, she tried to smooth things over, hoping a simple apology from Zhang Bin would let them move on.

"He wants to compete with me in English, doesn’t he? Perhaps I’ll lose to him, then no apology will be necessary," Bo Chengye said with a mocking sneer. He had no intention of passing up an opportunity to humiliate Zhang Bin. It would only make him look superior, and then Liu Ruomei would naturally fall for him.

Zhang Bin grew angry. He puffed out his chest and declared proudly, "It’s true that I only graduated from high school and was always at the bottom of my class. But when it comes to English, that’s my strong suit! I may not have studied abroad, but I often converse in English with my younger sister. My proficiency is on a level you can’t even hope to reach."

"Speaking English with your sister? And where, may I ask, is your sister currently employed?" Bo Chengye asked, a wary look on his face.

"My sister is in her second year of high school. Her English is excellent—she got a perfect score on her last exam! My sister says my English is good, so it must be good," Zhang Bin said earnestly.

"Hahaha... A high school sophomore says your English is good, and that makes it good?"

Bo Chengye and his classmates roared with laughter, laughing so hard they nearly choked.

The two foreigners, naturally, didn’t understand much and looked on in confusion, clueless as to what was so funny. Bo Chengye quickly translated for them, and they too doubled over, howling with laughter.

Liu Ruolan turned her head away, unable to bear watching the scene unfold.

"Sis, I’m sorry..." Liu Ruomei said apologetically.

"This has nothing to do with you. It’s Xiao Bin’s own doing. I just don’t understand why he’s acting like this," Liu Ruolan said, frustrated.

"I believe in my sister, and I believe in myself," Zhang Bin said. "Come on, let’s start the competition. Are these two the judges?"

"Yes, yes, they’ll be the judges. And Miss Liu Ruolan is a bona fide top student; she can be a judge too," Bo Chengye said with a grin.

However, Liu Ruolan declined.

Mike and Smith stood forward.

Mike spoke in English, "I’ll set the challenge. I will tell a story. You both will then repeat it in English and translate it into Chinese. The person with fewer mistakes wins. How does that sound?"

"Excellent, excellent," Bo Chengye nodded repeatedly. Then, looking at Zhang Bin with contempt, he said, "You didn’t understand that, did you? Let me translate it for you, lest you fail to even comprehend the rules..."

"Thank you for the translation. I understand now. I agree," Zhang Bin said.

A few people in the crowd sputtered with laughter. So, he really hadn’t understood before.

Liu Ruolan was on the verge of tears. Bringing Zhang Bin here today had been a colossal mistake. She was being utterly humiliated.

Mike pulled out a plastic-wrapped magazine, tore it open, and glanced at it for a moment. Then, looking at an article, he began to read aloud at an incredible speed, as fast as a torrential downpour.

Five minutes later, he finished and grinned. "This article comes with a Chinese translation. In other words, there’s a standard answer key."

Smith, standing to the side, added seriously, "Alright. Who will repeat it in English first?"

"You first," Zhang Bin said to Bo Chengye.

"You didn’t understand a single word, did you?" Bo Chengye taunted.

"And you did?" Zhang Bin retorted.

"Fine, fine. I’ll go first. Listen closely one more time. Maybe then you’ll be able to repeat something and beat me," Bo Chengye said. He then began his recitation in English. He stammered and struggled, his speech anything but fluent, and he often had to pause to think.

It took him nearly ten minutes to finish, by which point he was drenched in sweat.

"Not bad. Eighty percent of that was correct," Mike praised.

Smith also gave Bo Chengye a thumbs-up.

"Bo Chengye is incredible! I didn’t even catch half of that. How could I possibly repeat it?" one classmate exclaimed. "As expected of a top student, a brilliant graduate of Cambridge University!" "That little farmer probably won’t be able to repeat a single sentence. He’s going to make a complete and utter fool of himself."

Bo Chengye’s classmates chattered among themselves. A proud, smug look appeared on Bo Chengye’s face, and he shot a sidelong glance at Liu Ruomei. A look of admiration also appeared on Liu Ruomei’s face. She too had graduated from a university, but she had barely understood anything. Mike’s speaking speed had been far too fast.

"It’s your turn now, Mr. Zhang," Smith said to Zhang Bin, his tone teasing.

"You can still concede," Mike added with a smile.

"Zhang Bin, I believe in you. Don’t you speak English with your sister all the time?" Bo Chengye sneered.

"Just forfeit. Let’s go," Liu Ruolan whispered urgently in Zhang Bin’s ear, unable to watch any longer.

"Babe, how can you have no faith in me?" Zhang Bin flashed a mischievous grin before opening his mouth and unleashing a torrent of fluent English. He spoke even faster than Mike, and every word was crystal clear. In fact, his accent was even more impeccable than Mike’s, and he made no mistakes, not missing a single word or sentence.

"My God, how is that possible?"

Shock and disbelief were written all over Mike’s and Smith’s faces.

Bo Chengye stood frozen like a fool, his face alternating between flushed and pale. He wished a hole would open in the ground so he could crawl in and hide.

Liu Ruolan’s eyes lit up with a fiery passion, her face a mask of pure, joyous surprise. The moment Zhang Bin finished, she planted a loud kiss on his cheek. "Hubby, you’re amazing!"

Although the other classmates and Liu Ruomei hadn’t understood the English, they knew the tables had turned. It seemed this little farmer they had all looked down on was actually a master of the language.

"Zero mistakes. Zhang Bin gets a perfect score. Bo Chengye gets eighty points," Mike announced, looking at Zhang Bin with admiration and awe.

Smith, equally stunned, added, "Your accent is more standard than our national news anchors, and your memory is extraordinary. Are you sure you only graduated from high school?"

"I’m just a simple farmer. I can’t compare to certain brilliant academics," Zhang Bin said nonchalantly.

Bo Chengye felt his face burn with shame. Humiliated and furious, he screamed hysterically, "This isn’t real! It can’t be! How could I have lost? No, no, no, the competition isn’t over! There’s still the translation!"

But to his despair, Zhang Bin’s subsequent translation was also flawless, while his own was riddled with errors.

"Zhang Bin wins!" Smith declared, grabbing Zhang Bin’s hand and raising it high.

Mike applauded enthusiastically.

Liu Ruolan also clapped with excitement, her face blooming into a radiant smile.

Bo Chengye and his classmates were flushed with shame, having been completely and utterly disgraced.

Liu Ruomei just stood there, stunned into silence. She couldn’t believe Zhang Bin had actually won. How could a simple farmer have learned English so well?

Then, her face suddenly flushed crimson as she remembered her bet with Zhang Bin. If he won, she wasn’t allowed to date any man but him!

Does this mean I can only date Zhang Bin from now on?