Chapter 195 – Chiaki Matsushita

"That's a very good question," Chabashira said, her expression softening slightly as she praised Matsushita. She couldn't understand why Ayanokouji and Horikita, whom she had high hopes for, were unexpectedly silent at this moment.

Ayanokouji was understandable; he always tried to stay hidden, wishing to disappear from everyone's sight. But Horikita's unusual silence was rather strange.

With these two keeping quiet, Chabashira was almost ready to give up. After all, she had given up on many D classes in previous years.

If this workplace special exam ended up at the bottom, so be it. There would be no problem. But unexpectedly, just as she had mentally prepared for the worst, Matsushita suddenly stood up and demonstrated a broader perspective and wisdom that ordinary students lacked. Chabashira couldn't help but feel like she had discovered a gem.

Surprised and delighted, even the usually aloof Chabashira felt compelled to praise Matsushita Chiaki.

"Thank you, sensei, for your kind words," Matsushita replied calmly, gracefully dismissing the praise. Unlike most high school girls who were often flustered, she remained as composed as a pine tree.

With her chestnut-colored wavy hair cascading like a waterfall and blue eyes sparkling with a subtle smile, she exuded a blend of innocence and young elegance unique to a young lady of her stature.

Her ever-present faint smile revealed dimples on her cheeks, adding a touch of sweetness akin to honey. Her slender, white neck was partially hidden by a large blue bow, her delicate shoulders leading to a sudden, unexpected fullness that words couldn't describe.

Her slim waist seemed to invite a gentle grasp, her pleated skirt exuding youthful vitality. Her smooth, well-proportioned legs radiated the vibrant glow of youth, while her feet, lightly covered in stockings, added a touch of feminine charm. Her graceful posture and overall aura of nobility carried a hint of allure.

Facing the class and Chabashira's gaze with a tranquil smile, Matsushita's heart was not as calm as her appearance suggested. It seemed she couldn't hide her true self any longer and had to step forward.

Although she usually mingled with Karuizawa's girl group, spending her days shopping and playing, contributing little during special exams or sports festivals, and maintaining only average grades, she had more depth than she let on.

But in reality, Matsushita was just concealing her true self. She was born into a relatively affluent family, and her parents were enlightened, without the traditional preference for sons over daughters. They doted on her, their only child.

Whatever she wanted, her parents would buy for her. They didn't strictly manage her allowance. Matsushita wasn't spoiled by her parents' love; instead, she wanted to repay them and make them happy.

As a result, she consistently ranked at the top in school and tutoring classes, often securing the first place. Her parents were grateful for her gratitude, and she was grateful for their nurturing, creating one of the best family relationships in the world.

In such an environment, Matsushita had already planned her future path. With her outstanding appearance and excellent grades, she aimed to join a top-tier company in a management position and meet an ideal partner to continue this beautiful family relationship.

However, her future path took a significant turn when she entered Advanced Nurturing High School.

Originally, she thought that with her abilities, she could easily graduate from this well-known school in Sakurajima and secure her ideal job.

But the reality of the school caught her off guard: "Only by graduating from Class A can you gain the privilege of choosing any university or job."

This rule shattered all of Matsushita's plans. The rule was explained by Chabashira in May, a month after enrollment.

In retrospect, Matsushita believed that if she had known this in April when she enrolled, she could have stepped up to unify the class, at least preventing Class D from squandering all their class points within a month and falling into the red.

But by the time she knew, it was too late. The class points had already hit zero, and even the most capable person couldn't achieve anything without resources. Even if she stood up then, it was too late.

She didn't want to brag, but in terms of physical ability, knowledge, and vision, Matsushita rated herself as extremely talented, probably in the top ten of the entire first-year class.

However, the group she mingled with—Karuizawa, Shinohara, Satou, and other girls—lacked strength. Fearing jealousy and ostracism, Matsushita chose not to reveal her abilities.

Matsushita herself wasn't used to being high-profile and subconsciously hid her true self, so she never stood out and always remained average.

At the same time, her self-awareness was very clear. She only saw herself as an "excellent talent" rather than a "leader," so she was waiting for someone in Class D to step up as the leader so she could support them.

But after looking around, she couldn't find a single leader in Class D!

Hirata at the beginning? He was fine as a person and had some abilities, but his overly nice personality and lack of outstanding skills held him back. And then Horikita? She had the skills but was not accepted by the class, becoming nearly universally blamed and isolated.

So, after much consideration, Matsushita realized reluctantly that she might be the only one who could step up and take charge. With this workplace special exam, she knew she couldn't hide anymore.

She had been hiding for more than a semester. If she continued to stay hidden, she might remain in Class D for the next three years without any chance of advancing.

Therefore, she decided to step up and test herself against the leaders of other classes. Matsushita didn't believe she would necessarily lose. Even if she was likely to lose against the formidable Yukio, she could still learn a lot from the experience!

Chabashira didn't know about Matsushita's internal thoughts; she was just pleasantly surprised and particularly satisfied. However, shaking her head with a slight smile, she said, "No matter how good the question is, I can't answer it."

"Even as your homeroom teacher, I only received the special exam details and am responsible for explaining them to you. As for the specific location and name of this eel farming site, I don't know either."

"You'll have to wait until next Monday when you gather to take the bus. I'll get the details then and inform you."

"Wait, wait." Satou, the loud gyaru, couldn't hold back anymore. She glanced between her good friend Matsushita and Chabashira at the podium, saying, "Chiaki, what are you talking about with Chabashira-sensei?"

Matsushita remained gentle with her friend: "It's like this. The basis of the project is for us to work hard, essentially like a part-time job."

"The core task is to formulate strategies to increase revenue. This is the most crucial point."

"If we need to increase revenue, it means that this farm is already on a downhill path, operating poorly. If it were doing well, there would be no need for us to get involved, and they certainly wouldn't have us first-year students step in."

"So, I was thinking, if we could find out the name and location in advance, we could look it up online, identify the fundamental reasons for its poor performance, and then solve the problems to increase its revenue."

For a moment, Class D was speechless, impressed by Matsushita's logical and well-founded analysis.

This, this Matsushita Chiaki, is she really this smart?

"Wow, that's amazing, Chiaki!" Satou couldn't help but blink in amazement, genuinely praising Matsushita.

***

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