On the morning of July 4th, David Bennett didn’t go to school. He stayed home reading until after 8 o’clock, then took some money and rode his bike to the city’s electronics street.

Several times at the internet café, after finishing their games, Henry Jordan would browse mobile phone info online. Henry Jordan liked cell phones, and David Bennett had found a breakthrough to win Henry Jordan over.

David Bennett had thought long and hard about asking Henry Jordan for help.

As a middle-aged man who had been in society for over ten years, David Bennett believed in friendship, but believed even more in interests.

He felt that if he relied solely on friendship to ask for help, it might work, but then it would become a kind of charity, with uncertainty and instability. For David Bennett, the college entrance exam was a one-shot deal; he never considered wasting a year of his rebirth to repeat, so he had to avoid uncertainty.

So, he needed to turn the request for help into an exchange, or a purchase.

He didn’t look too closely—cell phones in 2001 were antiques to David Bennett. After visiting three stores in a row and finding little price difference, David Bennett spent 1,160 yuan on an Ericsson T18sc.

He bought this phone for two reasons: the price was relatively low, and Andy Lau’s endorsement ad was well done. He believed Henry Jordan must have seen that ad: “Turn around and you’ll know, my heart is only for you.”

After testing the phone, David Bennett bought a SIM card at the store, loaded it with 50 yuan of credit, put the phone box in his backpack, and rode back to school.

He waited a while at the bike shed. When he heard the class bell, David Bennett walked toward the teaching building.

At the stairwell, he happened to see Henry Jordan coming downstairs. David Bennett pulled him to a small restaurant at the school gate.

It wasn’t mealtime, so the owner, seeing it was just two students, didn’t pay much attention and went to the kitchen to prepare lunch.

They found a table and sat down. David Bennett handed his backpack to Henry Jordan. “Take a look, do you like this model?”

When he saw the phone box in the backpack, Henry Jordan’s eyes lit up. But he wasn’t sure, so he opened the box, saw the phone lying quietly inside, took it out and stroked it a few times, then put it back.

“What’s this?”

David Bennett moved his chair closer to Henry Jordan, put his arm around his shoulder and said, “Help your buddy out during the exam!”

“How? The proctors are strict during the real exam, not like the usual mock tests.”

Hearing there was a chance, David Bennett leaned in: “I checked out our exam room. We’re both in the row by the window, you’re in front of me, you’re at the third desk, I’m at the fourth.” Seeing Henry Jordan listening curiously, David Bennett continued, “I don’t need you to pass notes or let me see your paper. Can you spin a pen?”

“I can.” Henry Jordan nodded.

“Spinning pens isn’t forbidden in the exam room, right?” David Bennett asked.

“The teachers never said anything about it, I don’t think they care,” Henry Jordan said.

“Can you spin with your left hand?”

“I can.”

“That’s good.” David Bennett took a capped gel pen from his pocket and started demonstrating to Henry Jordan...

The school bell rang for class, but neither of them moved.

After David Bennett finished, Henry Jordan looked at the pen on the table, then touched the bag in his hand, staying silent for quite a while.

He was a very cautious and rational person.

Now David Bennett was sure that if he hadn’t prepared this phone, there would have been no chance.

Seeing Henry Jordan still hesitating, David Bennett gritted his teeth: “I’ll handle the other subjects myself, you just need to give me the answers to the math multiple-choice questions.”

There are 12 multiple-choice questions in the college entrance math exam, each worth 5 points, totaling 60 points. These 60 points were crucial for David Bennett.

Hearing that David Bennett only wanted the math multiple-choice answers, Henry Jordan’s expression softened. He picked up the pen David Bennett had just demonstrated with, spun it a few times, and asked David Bennett, “Like this?”

“Yes.” David Bennett looked at Henry Jordan and said.

“We’re buddies, say no more. I’ll head back to the dorm first, and return to class next period.”

Henry Jordan asked the owner for a few newspapers, wrapped up the phone box, and left first.

Finally settled!

David Bennett let out a long breath and walked back to class with his empty backpack.

...

Scott Dalton had been watching David Bennett’s seat. Seeing that David Bennett had just arrived and Henry Jordan wasn’t in the classroom, she couldn’t help but worry for David Bennett.

During the break, Scott Dalton shooed Dylan Gordon away and quietly said to David Bennett, “Go to Henry Jordan’s dorm and look for him.”

David Bennett handed her an envelope with the 600 yuan he’d prepared for Scott Dalton on the way: “Thank you, but no need. I’ll rely on myself. The college entrance exam isn’t like other tests, the risk is too high.”

Scott Dalton took the envelope. “Is it because of pride? Didn’t the two of us drink with him yesterday? He drank too. Now’s not the time to worry about pride. At least ask him—if it works, great, if not, just pretend you never asked.”

Looking at the girl in front of him, who was so concerned for him, David Bennett really wanted to hug her tightly, tell her he’d already settled things with Henry Jordan, tell her he knew quite a few of the big questions on the exam, tell her he knew the final cutoff score.

However, David Bennett controlled himself, smiled at Scott Dalton, and didn’t say a word.

During the fourth period in the morning, all the subject teachers, as if they had agreed beforehand, came into the classroom one after another, encouraged everyone with a few words, and then wished everyone success in the college entrance exam and to make the honor roll.