She was the first in the domestic Mathematical Olympiad!
Even without systematic training…
Although Xie Yingying was complaining about her when they came here, she actually acknowledged Xue Xi’s abilities in her heart! After all, she had been utterly defeated in every examination in the Golden Autumn Camp.
Hence, if even she could win the first prize, how could Xue Xi not?
However, she did not have the opportunity to continue thinking these thoughts because there were already staff members coming over to remind her to go on stage to receive the award.
Xie Yingying was still rooted to the ground. In a panic, she said to the staff in Chinese, “You must have made a mistake. You must have made a mistake, right?”
The staff could not understand. He waved his hand and spoke in English.
Xie Yingying looked at Xue Xi anxiously again.
Just as she was about to say something, Liang Gan walked over. Since Xie Yingying was taking a long time to go on stage, she had already attracted the attention of the people around her.
Liang Gan immediately chided, “Hurry up and go up. Don’t you want to receive the award?”
After being reprimanded, Xie Yingying could only look at Xue Xi. Just as she was about to say something, Xue Xi patted her hand. “Go.”
Xue Xi’s expression was very calm, and she was only frowning slightly.
The IMO had given only six questions. After the examination, the teachers had also given them the answers. She was sure that she got everything right, so how could she not get the first prize?
She was also a little confused.
While she was thinking, Liang Gan sat beside her.
Liang Gan was overjoyed!
When she saw the group of red-haired people clamoring behind her, she really thought that this Xue Xi had some capability. However, she did not expect her to not even get the first prize?
She sat beside Xue Xi with a cold expression.
On the stage, the Math Olympiad president distributed the awards to everyone and reported their scores. Xie Yingying did well.
After receiving the award, everyone came down, then another person with high credentials went up to award the second prize winners.
As the other five Chinese first-prize winners returned to their seats, the people on the stage were already exchanging pleasantries with the second-prize winners.
Seeing that everyone had returned, Liang Gan mocked, “It’s true that China hasn’t obtained a gold medal in eleven years, but you really broke the record this year! You broke the record of all its representatives getting first place! Xue Xi, are you really here to give China face? The second prize… Even when China only came in fourth in last year’s examination, no one had scored so low as to get only the second prize. Do you know that a second-prize win like yours might cause China to miss out on the fifth prize this year?!”
Xue Xi: “?”
Xie Yingying could not help but say, “Ms. Liang, perhaps Xue Xi did not perform well. Don’t say anything more. She did not do it on purpose. Who doesn’t want to do well if they can do well?!”
When Liang Gan heard this, she looked at Xie Yingying. “Do you think I want to criticize her? I’m just feeling aggrieved for you guys. We could have won the first prize this year. I mean, look at Li Xuekai’s score. He’s only two marks away from full marks! How high is that? I’m feeling indignant for you guys!”
After saying that, she sighed heavily and her eyes turned red. “Do you think I’m willing to reprimand a student? I’m just too sad and regretful. I was simply agitated just now.”
After saying that, she turned around and wiped her tears with a tissue.
Xue Xi looked at her and twitched her lips speechlessly.
When this person saw that Xue Xi did not get the first prize, she was clearly very excited, yet she still acted like this. During all of her past actions, she had always spoken in a delicate tone as though she was speaking for Xue Xi’s own good. With one look, however, one could tell that her thoughts were not pure.
Yes, how should she describe her current state? In Qin Shuang’s words, she looked like a b*tch. She was simply a huge white lotus!
She was comparable to Qin Shuang’s sister, Qin Lu.
With Liang Gan crying, Xie Yingying could not say anything else. “Hey, don’t cry. It’s we who didn’t get first place. We should be the ones feeling sad!”
Zhang Hao said, “Ms. Liang, don’t cry! It’s all someone else’s fault. She’s too arrogant and disdains training… We trained hard with the national team in the capital, but what about a certain someone? She’s so careless yet still wanted to occupy a spot. If any other person from the national team had come, they wouldn’t have given such a result!”
He was really sad. Everyone else had been working hard except for Xue Xi.
Forget it. If she’d done well, he would not have any complaints. The problem was that Xue Xi did not work hard at all!
How could he not be angry? How?
Aside from Zhang Hao, the rest of the candidates, except for Li Xuekai, were probably furious! This was a matter of fighting for the country’s honor!
If she really simply did not perform well, they would not blame their teammates. However, the problem was that Xue Xi had never trained with them!
Even Xie Yingying felt a little resentful.
The crowd was in low spirits.
Li Xuekai suddenly said, “She might have been first, you know.”
He lowered his head and showed the paper in his hand. “This is the total score of the current high scorer. If Xue Xi has the highest score for the second prize, she might also have been first.”
Everyone turned to look at the podium.
After the guest presenter finished speaking, he started reading the names on the list…
Everyone held their breaths and focused. They wanted to hear Xue Xi’s scores… but! Even when the second-prize winners were announced, they did not hear Xue Xi’s name!
The Chinese team fell silent.
After a while, Xie Yingying held Xue Xi’s hand and patted it. “It’s fine.”
It’s fine… We’re all in the same team. It’s useless to complain now. Moreover, the person who’s the most upset because she didn’t do well should be Xue Xi, right?
Xue Xi frowned when she heard Xie Yingying’s words.
She did not think that she was really among the third-prize winners. Instead, she stared at the podium and recalled the situation just now. There was not a single person who’d scored full marks among the first-prize winners…
Liang Gan stared at Xue Xi and sneered.
How badly did she score? She actually did not even get the second prize?
She could not be bothered to mock Xue Xi anymore. She stood up and walked toward Professor Thor. Professor Derry was no longer in his seat.
When she reached Thor, he asked concernedly, “What happened?”
Liang Gan pretended to be sad. “Xue Xi only scored good enough for a third prize.”
When Thor heard this, he did not have any expression. After all, the Goddess of Wisdom’s chemistry was very good, but it was normal for her mathematics to not be top-notch.
Liang Gan continued, “If she got the third prize, Professor Derry will definitely not make an exception and accept her.”
Thor paused.
Liang Gan revealed a smug expression.
Her getting the third prize was really unexpected. If Liang Gan had known that it was to be this bad, why would she have targeted her? Such a small figure was not even deserving to be looked at!
…
Backstage, the staff was speaking to Derry. “Professor, there’s a student who scored full marks for this year’s examination. We want you to be the last to go on stage and personally give her the award.”
Derry was pleasantly surprised. “There’s actually someone with a perfect score?”
“…”
