Meanwhile, on the other side of the city…
The Dean was sitting in front of the computer waiting for the National Quiz Contest results to be released. At 8:00 pm sharp, he entered Huo Yao’s candidature number and hit enter.
He gripped the mouse tightly, out of anxiety, but was stunned when he saw her result popping up on the screen.
Even though he had guessed Huo Yao would do well… achieving full marks was simply incredible!
The Dean recalled asking Yi Lianfan about the contest after it ended in the morning. At that time, he looked like he had struggled during the exam.
“It was really tough today, especially the last Physics question. I could only solve it partially, so I don’t know if my answer was right or not.” That was what Yi Lianfan said.
Before Huo Yao entered No.1 Middle School, Yi Lianfan always ranked first and had stable grades. If even he was unsure of his answer, then it must have been seriously hard.
The Dean was in a daze. He went to the bathroom and washed his face with some cold water before he came out and checked the web page again. Huo Yao’s name still remained at the top, with full marks.
Although many brilliant students had taken part in the contest before, none of them scored full marks repeatedly.
This meant that their country would no longer be unranked in the International Quiz Contest like it was all these years.
The Dean picked up his phone and called the Principal, despite how late it was.
The Principal was just planning to check Huo Yao’s score when he received the Dean’s call and was equally shocked as the Dean. He suppressed his exhilaration as he held the phone and said, “Ah! Did you check Yi Lianfan’s results?”
The Dean slapped his forehead when he heard his question. He put the phone on handsfree.
“I got too excited and forgot to do it. I’m checking now… He scored 186 marks. It’s pretty high. I think he is ranked second.
“Mhm, I think so too,” said the Principal slowly.
The Dean put down the mouse and suddenly sighed. “In the past, the kids from the neighboring province’s middle school kept beating us. This year, we can finally stand tall.”
No.1 Middle School was one of the top five schools in the country. The other four schools had equally good grades as them.
If Huo Yao could earn a spot in the International Quiz Contest this year, then No.1 Middle School would rise with the tide and no longer remain the fifth middle school in the country.
Glory belonged to the strong.
**
Huo Yao strolled through the nearby antique shop while she waited for the noodles to be ready.
She went back to the noodle shop at the perfect time. The shop owner brought the noodles over to her and placed them on the small table before her.
“Enjoy, Miss. If you need anything else, let me know,” said the old man with a smile.
Huo Yao nodded politely before her eyes landed on the large bowl of minced meat noodles in front of her.
The soup smelled flavorful while a layer of chili oil and minced meat floated atop the thin noodles. Chopped onion adorned the noodles. Also, the vine leaf patterns around the bowl made the noodles look very appetizing.
The scent of the minced meat and chili wafted into her nose, making Huo Yao’s eyes glint. It still smelled the same. Then, she, uncharacteristically, took a picture!
