Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The end-of-semester examinations were around the corner and the students had less than two months left to prepare for them. In order to help the students be more prepared, the academic departments issued a plethora of practice questions, mock tests, as well as relevant notes to the students who had also become much more attentive and studious, for they had finally sunk into the examination mood.
Having already built her academic foundation well with the aid of the notes that Zhong Rufeng had given her previously, it was rather easy for Wen Xinya to excel in her academics. However, she was nonetheless rather worried about the upcoming major examination.
It was probably a common problem for all students.
Although the dismissal bell had been ringing for a long time, the students in the classrooms remained still in their seats and read through their notes or completed the practice questions. There were only a few who left the classroom for a short while before returning to the classroom again.
The class was completely silent, except for a few students who were whispering amongst themselves while discussing a question.
“Wen Xinya, someone’s looking for you!” said a clear, crisp voice, which caught the attention of all the students.
Wen Xinya stood up and left her seat. She walked towards the classroom door to see that Zhong Rufeng was standing outside and smiling at her.
Everyone else began gossiping and chattering in shock.
“Oh my god, it’s the former president of the student union, Zhong Rufeng. I didn’t think he’d be so close to Wen Xinya. Turns out the rumors about him and Wen Xinya that surfaced on the forum previously are true.”
“This is the first time that I’m seeing President Zhong in the flesh. Oh goodness! He’s so dashing and so much more suave than the current president Chu Jingnan. If my mother gave birth to me a year earlier, I’d get to be in the same batch as him. What a shame!”
“In my opinion, President Zhong and President Chu each have their own strengths. President Chu is gentle and soft-spoken, while President Zhong is refined and classy. They’re both very rare hunks!”
Wen Xinya looked at Zhong Rufeng and remarked teasingly. “Master Zhong is indeed very charming. Even though you’ve already graduated from Lan Feng Institute, your juniors are still in so much awe of you.”
Zhong Rufeng smiled and said, “Miss Wen, please don’t tease me.”
Wen Xinya chuckled and asked, “By the way, why did you come here all of a sudden?”
Zhong Rufeng explained, “I had something to discuss with the Dean and decided to come and take a look at you, too, since we haven’t met in such a long time.”
Wen Xinya acknowledged with a nod. Considering the fact that Zhong Rufeng had once been the president of the student union for two years, it was only normal for him to look the Dean up since he had always been in close contact with the higher authorities. She asked, “How have you been lately? I heard that University is much more stressful and the academics are tougher.”
Zhong Rufeng smiled and answered, “It’s alright. Actually, life as an undergraduate is much more relaxed than that of high school students. Well, at least… undergraduates don’t have to stay behind in the classroom to study after dismissal.”
Wen Xinya glanced at the classroom to see that her classmates were no longer studying attentively like before. Instead, they were peeking out of the window and gossiping amongst themselves while making comments about Zhong Rufeng.
Zhong Rufeng smiled and suggested. “Let’s go take a walk around the campus! Studies may be important, but so is a proper work-life balance.”
Wen Xinya agreed with a nod and headed to the crape myrtle field with Zhong Rufeng. The leaves on the crape myrtle trees had already fallen, leaving just empty branches on the tree. However, they were full of life in the freezing winter.
Zhong Rufeng looked at her and recalled the scene of her standing gracefully below a crape myrtle tree on the very first day of her admission to the Institute. He asked, “How has your academic performance been lately? It’s been a long time since you asked me for help with your assignments online.”
“I’m doing pretty well,” Wen Xinya answered. She suddenly realized that she had been spending most of her free time with Si Yiyan, whom she would seek for academic help. It had indeed been a long while since she consulted Zhong Rufeng.
“There’s still about a month to go before your examinations, right? You should be in the revision stage now,” said Zhong Rufeng, who recalled what one of his juniors had mentioned about Wen Xinya being picked up after school every day by someone driving a gray Porsche Cayenne. It did not seem to be the car that Wen Xinya’s chauffeur drove.
Wen Xinya said with a frown, “I only realized recently just how stressful examinations can be. I’m so tired of doing the massive piles of practice questions.”
She had never faced such stress when she was studying at Ching Hua High School in her previous lifetime.
Zhong Rufeng smiled and said, “The classes in Year Three are the most important. Year Three is commonly known as the year of hell. You’ll only understand how stressful examinations really can be when you’re in your third year of high school.”
Although Wen Xinya seemed to be lamenting about the stressful examinations, she actually enjoyed the sense of accomplishment that came with working hard for the results that she wanted. She also liked having the power of controlling her own destiny.
Zhong Rufeng could tell from the way her eyes glistened that she was not actually vexed about the immense examination stress. He handed her a notebook and said, “I’ve compiled all the notes for the Year One end-of-semester examination. Revision will be much easier for you with these notes.”
Wen Xinya grabbed the notebook in surprise and flipped through the pages. Touched to see how much effort he had put into compiling them, Wen Xinya exclaimed, “Thank you! Your examinations are taking place before mine. You should be preparing for them too, aren’t you? You’re so busy, yet you still spent so much time and effort in helping me collate the notes.”
Zhong Rufeng smiled and said, “It didn’t take up much time. I’ve already marked out the important points previously, I just added some details in accordance to your current curriculum.”
In fact, he had indeed spent a lot of time and energy to alter the notes due to the changes in the Year One syllabus.
Wen Xinya smiled and said, “You don’t have anything on for today, do you? It’s going to be lunchtime very soon. I’d like to treat you to lunch on the second floor of the Institute, as a token of gratitude.”
Zhong Rufeng smiled and agreed, “Alright, I happen to have an errand to run for the Dean. I’ll be done by lunchtime.”
Wen Xinya took a look at the time on her watch to see that there were merely twenty minutes to go before her next lesson. “I have to get to class soon. Let’s chat later.”
“Hurry along, class is important!” Zhong Rufeng said, shifting his gaze onto the watch on her wrist. He had recognized it to be a couple watch from Patek Phillipe. It was a limited edition model that was also the most expensive amongst all the watches belonging to the brand. There were only nine pairs of the classic couple watches which was said to have been launched on the 1st of January, 1913. The watches symbolized eternal love and had been around for more than a century. Such watches were the prized collections of the world’s greatest tycoons.
Lots of tycoons had offered to pay double the original retail price of the classic model to have Patek Phillipe manufacture a bespoke piece of the same model, but were rejected by Patek Phillipe. Reason being, their company had a strict policy that stated that the classic timepieces were not to be replicated regardless of how much money was offered, for the replication would result in the loss of the original significance.
Why would Xinya have such a watch? Zhong Rufeng wondered.
Did her mother give it to her?
He had heard about Wen Xinya’s mother, Mo Yunyao, marrying into the Wen Family with a hefty dowry which comprised of the best jewelry collections in the world.
He suddenly recalled the tag line of a Patek Philippe advertisement, which read: “No one can truly own a Patek Philip. You’re merely keeping it for your descendants!”
