Yi Lianfan’s hand paused. He had a feeling that Huo Yao was out to get him and turned to look at her. However, she looked completely normal, so he veered his eyes away.
Was he being oversensitive at the moment?
“Oh yes. After the exam, do you want to go and explore Tsing University together? My cousin studies there, so he can show us around,” said Yi Lianfan casually.
Huo Yao was holding two plates of food. “No, thanks. I’m busy in the afternoon.”
Yi Lianfan did not insist.
The other students came in for breakfast before long. Huo Yao did not go back to her room but headed straight downstairs to the lobby to wait.
*
The exam started at 9:00 am, and the hotel was only 150 meters away from Tsing University. All it took was a few minutes’ walk to get there.
Since Tsing University was no ordinary school, there were many areas that were strictly off-limits to students.
The Dean gave them last-minute reminders as he led them to Tsing University, especially not to wander around the campus when they got there.
Tsing University was the number one university in the country, and it was every student’s dream to study here. Just standing outside its gates, looking at the inspirational stone steles stirred passion in their hearts. The school’s century year old history filled them up with deep veneration.
Huo Yao raised her head and looked at the Tsing University plaque hanging over its lofty entrance. She did not know how the others felt, but she was certainly overwhelmed with emotions right now.
Sure enough, it felt entirely different to study on campus.
Huo Yao had never experienced it previously. In this moment, her love for studying was reiterated even further. She looked at the place reverentially.
Soon, all the contestants reached Tsing University in an orderly manner. Few teachers of Tsing University were waiting at the gates to receive them.
Due to strict rules, each student had to go through registration before entering. Also, they needed to produce their National Quiz Contest ID cards, or else they wouldn’t be allowed in.
The serial numbers on their cards were their exam hall seat numbers.
The seating was a random arrangement and was not based on their results. Huo Yao’s number was 11 while Yi Lianfan’s was 40, so they weren’t going to be sitting in the same exam hall.
Since they were the students with the greatest potential this year and were from the same middle school, they had been segregated intentionally.
Before long, all the students participating in the contest were led to the teaching building in the west wing by the Tsing University’s teachers.
After entering the exam hall, all other nonessentials like their phones had to be handed over. There were infrared monitors placed at the entrance, making it impossible to smuggle in cheat sheets or gadgets.
Huo Yao found her seat in the third room from the back. All the contestants had already entered by now. She realised that she was the only girl out of a dozen contestants in the hall.
She was the only flower amid a sea of trees!
Shortly after, the invigilator walked in with the question papers and handed them out one after another.
After Huo Yao received the paper, she skimmed through the questions. Half of them were related to chemistry, while the rest were from the field of physics. Judging from the questions, they seemed tricky and profound.
Huo Yao raised her brow slightly and a serious look arose in her eyes. The last few rounds of the contest had been a child’s play. Finally, the examiners came up with tougher questions. This was more like it.
Fortunately, she did not share her opinion out loud. If the invigilator or the other contestants had found out her true thoughts, they would have lynched her.
