To be precise, they were not the exact questions, but they were very similar and had the same solutions.
One or two questions were acceptable. After all, Ning Li had made those notes from the papers that Zhou Fei had given them before.
However, after Ning Li added those extended topics, it just became too much of a coincidence!
After doing the paper, Ye Ci even wondered if Ning Li had seen this exam paper before.
The scope of the physics competition was so wide that even Zhou Fei might not have been able to guess all the questions that would be on the paper.
However, Ning Li’s notes coincidentally included almost all of the questions on today’s exam paper.
Ye Ci walked out of the examination room as she pondered this.
“Brother Pei!”
The boy waved at Pei Song, who was not far away.
“Brother Pei, how was the paper this time?”
Pei Song looked as calm as ever.
“It’s fine.”
“I knew you’d say that.”
The boy sighed helplessly.
“I guess I’m out of the game…you and Ning Li are the only hopes of winning the prize!”
Ye Ci looked up and saw Ning Li walking past her.
She hesitated for a moment, before quickly walking over.
She called out, “Sister Ning Li!”
Ye Ci walked over to Ning Li with a smile on her face, but her eyes were full of skepticism and scrutiny.
“You probably did very well this time, right?”
Ning Li raised her eyebrows and laughed.
“When have I not done well in an exam?”
Ye Ci choked.
Ning Li was so frank that Ye Ci did not know how to react.
It was very suspicious that Ning Li could predict most of the questions on this paper, yet she was so calm and collected that there was no trace of cheating.
Moreover, if Ning Li had already seen the exam paper a long ago, why would she have given Ye Ci all those questions?
Pei Song’s distant and cold voice came from the side.
“Mr. Zhou has talked about a lot of the questions before, so it’s not that difficult if you studied them thoroughly.”
The other boy sighed and said, “Yeah, yeah, I know…That’s easy for you to say, but it’s hard for us mere mortals! I clearly remember reviewing those questions before, but I just couldn’t remember the solutions in the exam room!”
Ye Ci’s mind wavered again.
Perhaps she was mistaken?
She paused for a while before saying softly, “Sister Ning Li, I really have to thank you for this. If it wasn’t for that notebook of yours, I probably wouldn’t have been able to do many of the questions. You’re just too good at predicting the questions!”
Ning Li did not seem to hear the underlying meaning behind Ye Ci’s words and answered lightly, “There’s nothing else that could possibly have come out anyway.”
Ye Ci pursed her lips. It looked like she would not be able to pry anything from Ning Li…
Ning Li looked at her phone and said, “I have labs in the afternoon, so I’ll go first.”
After saying that, she paid no more attention to Ye Ci and left alone.
Ye Ci frowned.
…
The afternoon lab exam went quickly.
Ning Li finished the exam early and left the examination room.
As soon as she came out, she spotted Zhou Fei, who was waiting outside the cordon.
“Ning Li!”
When Zhou Fei saw her, his eyes lit up and he immediately waved.
For once, Ning Li saw that he was not playing with his phone.
“Mr. Zhou.”
Ning Li walked over and greeted him.
Zhou Fei looked expectant. “So, how was it?”
He already knew that Ning Li would come out before the exam was over, but her speed still exceeded his expectations.
Ning Li smiled.
“It should be good.”
Hearing her say that, Zhou Fei’s tense heart settled.
He was most optimistic about Ning Li and Pei Song.
Moreover, these two students were both very calm.
Now that Ning Li said that it was okay, then there should be no problems.
“That’s great!”
Zhou Fei rubbed his hands together.
“If you get into the top five, I’ll treat you to dinner!”
As he said that, he raised his eyes and saw Pei Song, who had just walked out. He added, “You too, Pei Song! I’ll treat you to dinner if you get into the top five!”
Pei Song’s eyes swept over the two of them, probably already having guessed what Zhou Fei was talking about.
Another boy, who followed behind Pei Song, teased his teacher. “Mr. Zhou, you’re too biased! You only invited Ning Li and Pei Song for dinner and not us?”
Zhou Fei rubbed his chin and smiled charmingly.
“Whoever makes it to the national finals will be invited to dinner! Is that fair enough?”
He said this because he was certain that both Ning Li and Pei Song could make it to the finals.
As soon as the boy heard this, he shrugged and said, “Mr. Zhou, there are only five slots in the entire province, so aren’t you deliberately making it difficult for us?”
They all knew Ning Li and Pei Song’s standards, so their chances of getting to the national finals were great.
As for the others…getting to the provincial finals might not be a problem, but the national finals were a little too far out of their reach.
Having two slots from Yunzhou Second High in the top five of the province was already more than one could hope for. How could they expect more?
Zhou Fei said, “Be optimistic! Maybe one of you guys will exceed expectations and make it to the finals?”
The corners of Ning Li’s lips curled up as she looked at Ye Ci, who finally walked out of the examination room, and murmured, “Or maybe some people are just that lucky.”
…
The exam was over, so the gates of Second High were finally opened.
Exam candidates came out one after another.
There were quite a few teachers and parents waiting outside.
Ning Li walked out with the crowd and headed left.
Ye Ci hurriedly asked, “Sister Ning Li, aren’t you going home?”
Su Yuan and Zhou Hua were already waiting over there.
Ning Li did not even turn to look back.
“I have something to do.”
Ye Ci wanted to say something but stopped.
She knew that it was impossible to ask anything from Ning Li.
It was better to wait and ask about that paper later.
Seeing Ning Li’s figure gradually disappear, Ye Ci withdrew her gaze and turned to leave.
…
“Lil Ci, how was the exam? ”
As soon as she saw her, Su Yuan immediately came up to Ye Ci and took her backpack.
“You must be exhausted from taking exams all day, right?”
Ye Ci smiled and shook her head.
“Thanks, Mom. I’m not tired. The exam felt fine.”
Su Yuan knew that Ye Ci had been staying up late recently in preparation for this exam. Hearing her say so, Su Yuan was both heartbroken and proud.
“Our Lil Ci is so smart. The exam certainly won’t be a problem! Mommy will cook for you today, okay?”
“Yay!”
Ye Ci smiled and answered.
Su Yuan stroked Ye Ci’s hair and looked up behind her with slightly furrowed eyebrows.
“Aren’t the exams over now? Where’s Ning Li? Why isn’t she out yet?”
Ye Ci relaxed her voice. “Oh, Sister Ning Li said she had something to do, so she won’t be going home with us.”
Su Yuan had already guessed this.
Her face turned cold for a while.
“Then, let’s forget about her. We’ll go back first.”
Su Yuan had thought that Ning Li was starting to behave herself, but who knew she was still the same as before.
Ye Ci took her hand.
“Mom, don’t be angry with Sister Ning Li. If it wasn’t for her this time, I might not have been able to pass the exam.”
She smiled with her eyes as she was happy and thankful.
“Many of the questions on today’s paper were in Ning Li’s notebook!”