“Here, your favorite. It should be enough to last you a week.” Cheng Yan handed Yao Tang a huge box of candy. His voice was cool and pleasing to the ears.
“Hm,” she replied faintly, but the man continued to speak.
“Once you’re done with the exams, I’ll have more candy waiting for you. Do well, kid!” Cheng Yanlet out a soft chuckle.
As an acting guardian, he naturally had to make sure that his ward was flourishing in her studies.
Yao Tang rolled her eyes and nodded, but a smile was dancing on her lips. “All right, I’m going to the dormitory now.”
“Go ahead. You’ll ace the exams, I know it.”
Her smile widened. “Don’t worry, old man. I won’t let you lose face over this.”
…
The next day.
The residents of the dormitory woke up early and had a hearty meal in the cafeteria. Soon, they all left to go to their respective examination venues.
Yao Tang trudged to Class 11, carrying only the bare necessities—a set of pens and her examination booklet. She didn’t look nervous about the tests at all.
She walked to the door, only to run into Jiang Huai.
He was carrying the same materials, but in addition to that, he was also wearing a baseball cap that covered the upper part of his face.
A smirk appeared in Yao Tang’s eyes, but her expression remained blank.
The two stared at each other for a few seconds without saying anything. Jiang Huaiwas the first to avert his eyes, his face twisting in hatred.
Yao Tang ignored him and strode through the door. The invigilator used a metal detector to inspect her before letting her into the room.
As soon as she entered, all heads turned to her. The students then started whispering among themselves.
“It’s her!”
“That must be Yao Tang!”
“She’s really pretty, just like a celebrity!”
“The videos don’t do her beauty justice!”
The invigilator stepped up to the podium and glared at them. “Stop talking,” he scolded in a loud, booming voice. “Everyone, stay in your seats and wait for the exams to commence. If you make one more noise, it will be counted as cheating, and you will be sent out of the room!”
Everyone immediately shut their mouths and straightened in their seats.
Jiang Huai walked inside. He was gripping his pen case tightly, and his movements were stiff and awkward. He never once looked in Yao Tang’s direction.
Ten minutes later, the first test finally began.
Most of the examinees looked calm and well-prepared.
When Yao Tangreceived the questionnaire, she tilted her head and read through the page.
And then she picked up her pen and started to scribble rapidly on her answer sheet. The other students glanced surreptitiously at her, and even the invigilator raised an eyebrow.
A short while later, she had finished the entire test. She flipped her exam papers so that they faced downward, then walked to the front of the room to submit them.
Jiang Huai was seated behind her. He smirked when he noticed her getting up from her seat.
It looked like Yao Tangwasn’t doing well in these exams, after all.
She didn’t look like someone capable of high marks to begin with, anyway. It was foolish of her to think that she could compete with his Ranran!
Jiang Huai’s spirits finally lifted, and he got back to answer his test paper with more confidence.
The hours ticked by.
At last, the bell rang, signaling the end of the exams.
The invigilator loomed over the class to make sure no one was doing anything suspicious, while another teacher walked around and collected their papers.
Yao Tang handed her answer sheets, eager to call it a day.
The teacher glanced at them, noting how neat and delicate her handwriting was. It was distinct and easily recognizable. The papers were full of writing as well, meaning that the student had answered all the questions.
They were dismissed, and the students filtered out of the classroom. Yao Tanggathered her things and exited through the back.
Jiang Huai sneered at her as she passed, butYao Tangdidn’t even bother glancing at him.
…
The friends met up later in the day and shared a meal.
“How did you do, Sister Tang? I think I did pretty well, actually.”
Meng Yang sounded smug as he grabbed his bowl and stuffed a mouthful of food in his mouth. He had been starving since this morning.
Qin Jing scoffed at him and said, “It’s probably just your assumption. I bet you didn’t even score past the passing mark.”
Meng Yang swallowed his food and glared. “What did you just say? Are you looking down on us just because we’ve been doing poorly until now? We studied really hard, you know!”
He was proud of his progress, no matter how little, especially since studying had never come easy to him.
In order to even have a chance at passing, Meng Yanghad to write several composition papers and memorize ancient poems.
“I’m just astounded at people like you who have no qualms bragging about your meager IQ,” Qin Jingretorted, shaking her head.
In her eyes, people like Meng Yanghad it easy. All they had to do was to pass their tests.
Top students like her, on the other hand, had to take care not to be complacent. Getting low scores was not an option, let alone failing the tests.
Whenever Qin Jingscored lower than her previous marks, she felt as though her intelligence was also declining.
She sighed, not wanting to bicker with Meng Yanganymore, and turned toYao Tang. “How about you,Sister Tang? How did you do?”
Yao Tang held her chopsticks in her slender fingers and gracefully picked at her bowl.
For some reason, she gave an impression of a high-born lady that even Yao Ranwasn’t capable of pulling off.
It came naturally to Yao Tang, as if she had been born with it.
“It was all right,” she said without raising her head. She brought a piece of meat to her mouth and chewed slowly while she reached for a cup of milk tea.
