Genius Nursing Home

Shen Nian casually replied to the uncle’s messages to brush him off, then stuffed his phone into his pocket.

Of course, he wouldn’t take the uncle’s "v50"—after all, the uncle had medals, so catching a big fish was nothing unusual.

He trusted the uncle, but the uncle didn’t seem to trust him much. Well, nothing he could do about that.

During evening self-study, Shen Nian made his appearance in a fresh, clean look.

As he walked down the hallway, a few girls occasionally glanced back at him—his "turn-head rate" was surprisingly high.

A normal person’s reaction: Did I wear my clothes inside out or is there a hole in my pants?

Shen Nian’s reaction: The +1 Charm effect is working!

It seemed like there were always people sneaking glances at him. Those looks were fleeting, but after enough repetitions and time, Shen Nian started sensing something unusual.

The key was, when he looked in the mirror, he genuinely couldn’t spot any difference from before. Where exactly this "+1 Charm" was applied remained a mystery.

Most likely, it was in his aura—but aura follows personality, and Shen Nian’s personality hadn’t changed at all.

This was why he still couldn’t figure out the "+1 Charm" thing.

Maybe I got handsomer… but that’s kinda impossible.

+1 Charm, +3 Experience.

Xia Yanchun didn’t see Shen Nian the entire time after school and assumed he’d gone to play basketball. She was just wondering when he’d even learned to play when Shen Nian walked in, his spiky hair still damp.

One advantage of being a guy—short hair dries in no time. A few steps and it’s bone-dry.

"Here, brought you one. Be grateful to tears," Shen Nian said, plopping a cup of roasted milk tea onto Xia Yanchun’s book. The condensation from the bag left a dark, circular stain on the cover.

"I never asked you to buy it."

"Then give it back."

"You think spilled water can be taken back?" Xia Yanchun snorted smugly, stabbing the straw in and gulping it down.

The roasted milk tea was only lightly sweetened, just the way she liked it—no cloying sugar overload.

"Then what’s with the grumbling?" Shen Nian waved a hand. Mortal enemies stay mortal enemies—I buy you milk tea and you’re still not happy? And even if you’re not, you won’t give it back either.

So damn sassy. Xia Yanchun was like some bratty gremlin, begging for a good thrashing.

Maybe he should hang himself at her doorstep—make her regret it for life.

Wait… then she’d just dance on my grave.

Yeah, better just beat her up—punch her so hard she gets embedded in a wall and can’t even be pried out.

He returned to his seat. The classroom was sparsely populated—most students were still showering or hanging laundry in the dorms. Even after the bell rang, some hadn’t shown up.

The class monitor on duty sat at the podium, jotting down the names of latecomers.

Shen Nian had two tasks tonight:

1. Yan Yuzhu’s English study plan—he’d worked on it all day and was confident he had it down.

2. Su Kexi’s twenty copies of "On the Qin Dynasty."

No time to copy now, but Shen Nian wasn’t worried.

Teacher Su, you were just joking, right?

Shen Nian had nerves of steel. He never did his winter or summer break homework—sure, it was a bit scummy, but even when he did, he just copied the answers wholesale. No point in learning that way.

Only someone like Xia Yanchun, who painstakingly worked through every problem, could call it "doing homework." If he was just gonna copy, he might as well play a couple more rounds of games.

He was betting Su Kexi wouldn’t show up today.

Shen Nian gathered his materials, stood up, and quietly left the classroom. Peeking into the teachers’ office, he saw only five teachers inside—all unlucky souls assigned to night duty.

At the sight of the beautiful Teacher Yan Yuzhu, Shen Nian’s heart melted like clouds drifting in a serene sky. Who wouldn’t love a young, pretty, gentle, and responsible teacher?

At the sight of the beautiful Teacher Su Kexi, Shen Nian slightly died inside.

"Hello, teachers…" He knocked on the door.

"Come in, Shen Nian," Yan Yuzhu said with a smile, pulling out a plastic chair for him. "Sit here. Did you memorize everything I asked?"

"Yes, teacher."

"Don’t lie to me—I’ll test you."

"No problem."

Yan Yuzhu’s study plan was tailored to Shen Nian’s current level—designed for quick score improvement without being too difficult. And Shen Nian had genuinely mastered it.

English was tough mainly because of vocabulary. Once you knew enough words, grammar didn’t seem so bad either.

He wrote the quiz answers in his notebook. Yan Yuzhu checked them and nodded approvingly.

All correct!

"Your reward." She pulled out a row of Wangzai milk from her drawer.

"Thanks, teacher. You know, Teacher Yan, I’ve always been your most loyal follower."

Shen Nian: My loyalty to Teacher Yan Yuzhu is absolute.

"But last time you said your loyalty wasn’t that loyal."

"As long as there are rewards, my loyalty stays loyal."

"Pfft—"

What a player’s line.

Ding!

[Side Quest Triggered: Genius Retirement Home

You’ve learned of a retirement home where many once-called genius adventurers reside. Try conversing with these former geniuses and learn from their wisdom!

Talk to 0/5 geniuses. Spend a cumulative hour learning at the Genius Retirement Home.

Reward: 1,000 gold coins ]

…Huh?

Bruh, my guy.

Shen Nian glanced around. The history teachers were the oldest—one in his forties. The English teachers were all fresh out of college, around twenty-four. The Chinese department had only Su Kexi, mid-to-late twenties.

System, come here. I gotta ask you something.

Are you telling me this "retirement home" is full of people who are practically still kids, some barely out of school?

Not even thirty and already in a retirement home?

Then at eighteen, I’m basically a middle-aged balding man?

Shen Nian facepalmed.

There were exactly five teachers in the office. Did "0/5" mean he had to talk to each of them?

I, Shen Nian, am not a smooth talker.

And now that he was about to leave, the quest popped up.

So you want me to shamelessly loiter in the office?

"Shen Nian, what’s wrong?" Yan Yuzhu asked, noticing his sudden freeze.

"Ah—nothing, teacher. Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course!"

"What was your college entrance exam score?"

"Oh… around 640, I think?" Yan Yuzhu reminisced.

"Damn, teacher. You’re amazing."

He checked the system panel—it now showed 1/5. So just initiating a conversation counted.

Easy enough. Just ask random questions to the other teachers.

Scratching his head, he nodded at Yan Yuzhu and scurried over to another English teacher.

"Teacher, can I ask you something?"

Young teachers are always passionate about their students, and being approached by a student is a form of recognition. The English teacher questioned by Shen Nian immediately brightened up.

"Go ahead, ask away! I’ll tell you everything I know!"

"Teacher, what was your score on the English college entrance exam?"

"146."

"Wow, you’re amazing! Then, do you know which teacher is setting the questions for next week’s quiz?"

"That would be me," the young teacher said proudly, patting her rather ample chest.

"So, what kind of questions are you planning to set? Can you give us a hint?"

"Well, of course—wait, no!" The teacher glared at Shen Nian. "You little rascal, trying to trick me into spilling the beans!"

Hearing this, Shen Nian looked as if he’d been struck hard, his earnest, studious gaze gradually fading into indifference.

"Teacher, how can you accuse me without proof? A scholar’s inquiry—is that really ‘tricking’ you? I asked directly! How is that scheming?"

The young teacher: "..."

And you have the nerve to call that "direct"?!

Yan Yuzhu, look at this little brat you’ve brought into my class!

"Alright, listen here," the teacher beckoned mysteriously. "I’ll just give you the answers to the quiz."

Shen Nian’s eyes lit up, and he eagerly leaned in. Who knew such luck existed?

"CDABC, ADCCD, BAAAB, CBABB—that’s the answer key for the multiple-choice section."

"Teacher, you know I’m absolutely loyal to you!" Shen Nian said solemnly, jotting it down in his notebook immediately.

This teacher? A true legend.

Yan Yuzhu beside him: "?"

What about my loyalty?

Loyalty to one teacher is hard to hide; loyalty to two requires careful concealment. But you’re not even trying to hide it—what’s that supposed to mean?

The young teacher burst into laughter, tears nearly streaming down her face.

What a gem of a student! Yan Yuzhu, why didn’t you bring him to me sooner?

"Come here, let me tell you one more thing."

"Go ahead, Teacher."

"The answer order I just gave you is scrambled. You’ll have to match them to the questions yourself."

Shen Nian: "?"