Jiang Qi Huai’s predictions were extremely accurate. All the memorization questions and obscure characters on the test were basically within the range he had marked out for her.
Before this, Tao Zhi had always been lazy about writing Chinese language exam papers. Unlike other subjects, Chinese required a lot of writing, which was exhausting, and at the end, you still had to write an essay of over eight hundred characters.
It was truly both mental and physical torture.
She hadn’t focused this intently on an exam paper in a long time.
She read every question and tried her best to answer each one completely. For the essay, she carefully analyzed the writing style. Tao Zhi recalled the paragraph template she used in middle school — introduction to present the theme, body paragraphs to expand the discussion, and conclusion for summary and emotion. She managed to write it quite smoothly.
When she put down her pen, there were still a few minutes left before the exam ended. Almost no one in the class was still writing, with rows of heads resting on desks taking naps.
Tao Zhi flexed her sore fingers and twisted her neck, only to see Song Jiang from the row next to her staring at her in shock.
Tao Zhi raised an eyebrow, communicating with him through eye contact: What?
Song Jiang mouthed: Why did you write for so long?
Because I love studying.
Even princesses love studying.
Tao Zhi turned her head away, ignoring him, and flipped back two pages of her test paper to check her previous answers.
When the end-of-exam bell rang, the teacher supervising from the back row got up to collect the papers.
As soon as collection was done, Song Jiang bounced over and planted himself on her desk: “I watched you the entire damn exam.”
Tao Zhi organized the pens and papers on her desk: “Why were you watching me take the exam?”
“Seeing how you’ve quietly become so impressive lately, even putting effort into exams,” Song Jiang looked her up and down, “Is our Boss Tao planning to return to her peak?”
“Just writing casually,” Tao Zhi waved her hand, “Ji Fan is back now, so I have to score at least two points more than him.”
Tao Zhi said delightedly: “Timely Rain, Ji Fan can only score nine points in math.”
Song Jiang mocked her: “Then what are you worried about? You scored eleven points higher than him last time.”
Tao Zhi looked at him appreciatively: “What I mean is, this school finally has someone who can replace your position as eternal last place.”
Song Jiang: “…”
Chinese and English were the only two subjects Tao Zhi had seriously reviewed. As long as you had the basics, it was possible to score points.
After finishing the day’s exams, she felt quite good about her performance. She tried her best in the morning session and did what she could in the afternoon. She got all the points she could manage. For the comprehensive science and math problems she couldn’t solve, there was no need to force it — just pick the longest answer for multiple choice questions with three short options and one long one.
The important thing was participating. Scores were just numbers anyway.
Because of the National Day holiday schedule adjustment, tomorrow would be their last day of classes before the break. After the last subject was finished, Wang Zhe Zi called them all back to the classroom early to put the desks and chairs back in place.
When Tao Zhi and Ji Fan meandered back, quite a few people had already returned to the classroom. Groups of students were huddled together comparing answers using their scratch paper.
As soon as Jiang Qi Huai entered, he was surrounded by Li Shuang Jiang and Zhao Ming Qi.
Though it was just the two of them.
Jiang Qi Huai used to be from Affiliated High School. Although his reputation preceded him, since transferring to First Experimental High School, he hadn’t properly taken any tests. His usual homework and quizzes didn’t reveal much.
In Class 1 of First Experimental, any random student had decent grades they could be proud of. Good students always had their own pride. Although they called him a study god, without personally experiencing it, they weren’t that close to or convinced by Jiang Qi Huai.
Only people missing a screw like Li Shuang Jiang, plus the fact they had gotten familiar with Jiang Qi Huai at the birthday dinner last time, would think “our Brother Huai is the most awesome.”
They mostly discussed comprehensive science and math. Tao Zhi didn’t understand a single question. She found Fu Xi Ling’s desk and her own at the back of the classroom and pulled them back one by one. Jiang Qi Huai was talking to Li Shuang Jiang while also pulling his desk back.
He had to take a makeup exam later, so Li Shuang Jiang didn’t disturb him for too long, just asked about a few questions before leaving.
Teacher Wang hadn’t returned yet, and the classroom was noisy. Tao Zhi pulled her chair back and sat on it backwards, turning around: “Your Highness.”
Jiang Qi Huai lowered his head.
“This exam should be a bit easier than last semester’s mock exam, right?” Tao Zhi asked him.
Jiang Qi Huai made an “mm” sound.
“Then,” Tao Zhi tentatively asked, “Li Shu Jia’s usual grades are pretty good too, right?”
Jiang Qi Huai dragged his chair over, looking at her with raised brows.
Tao Zhi cleared her throat and continued: “So Li Shu Jia might be able to score 700 points this time too, right?”
Jiang Qi Huai curved his lips: “Why don’t you go ask her?”
“Why would I ask her? I’m asking you,” Tao Zhi said seriously, “Didn’t you say before that you’d only consider accepting someone’s confession if they scored 700 points?”
Jiang Qi Huai searched his memory for five seconds, certain that he had never said such a thing.
His silence seemed like confirmation to Tao Zhi.
Jiang Qi Huai just liked students who were good at studying. Li Si Jia was cute, and her personality was cute too. If she could score 700 points on top of that, she would be flawless.
Perfectly matching Jiang Qi Huai’s criteria for choosing a partner.
Tao Zhi couldn’t think of any reason to refuse. If she were a guy, she would like girls like Li Si Jia too — gentle, well-behaved little white rabbit who would bravely confess to someone she liked.
Tao Zhi frowned, wracking her brains trying to figure out how to make him give up this idea when Teacher Wang came in and called him out for the makeup exam.
Jiang Qi Huai grabbed two pens from his desk and followed Teacher Wang out.
Teacher Wang stood at the door and patted the first row desk: “Alright, stop comparing your answers. The results will be out tomorrow, it won’t kill you to wait one more day. Zhao Ming Qi, what are you howling about? Instead of howling, you should do a couple more practice problems before the next exam. Once you’re done cleaning up, you can all go home.”
Tao Zhi took one last look at the door, then slowly packed up her bag.
First Experimental High School teachers were very efficient at grading papers. The next morning, as soon as Tao Zhi entered the classroom, she heard Li Shuang Jiang dancing around.
“I just asked Teacher Wang! The papers are all graded, and the results will be posted this morning!” Li Shuang Jiang said excitedly but nervously, “Teacher Wang’s attitude towards me today was practically warm and friendly. Did I get a perfect score in physics?”
His deskmate rolled his eyes: “Can you stop daydreaming all the time?”
Fu Xi Ling nodded: “You can definitely get a perfect score! Your physics is so good, no problem at all.”
Li Shuang Jiang looked at her gratefully.
His deskmate pointed behind them: “See that? Professional bootlicker Fu Xi Ling. The higher she lifts you up now, the harder you’ll fall later. She’ll throw your self-esteem from the twentieth floor and shatter it beyond repair.”
Li Shuang Jiang immediately deflated, looking somewhat hurt.
Fu Xi Ling felt quite wronged too, as she had spoken from her heart.
The teachers took the exam papers home to grade overnight. It took the morning to organize, unseal, and compile the results into rankings. In the last morning class, Teacher Wang came in with the results in hand.
Teacher Wang seemed to be in a good mood today, his expression not as wrinkled as usual, with fewer creases on his face.
Tao Zhi tilted her head and whispered to Fu Xi Ling: “Looks like the results are good. Teacher Wang can change his name now, from Wang Zhe Zi (Wrinkly Wang) to Wang La Pi’er (Face-lifted Wang).”
Fu Xi Ling covered her mouth, unable to hold back her laughter.
Teacher Wang stood at the front, cleared his throat with the results in hand, and waited for the class to quiet down before speaking: “This exam’s questions were much simpler than last semester’s final mock exam. Our class’s students generally did quite well. We have four students who scored above 700 points, including one who got perfect scores in both math and physics, with a total of 711 points, which is also the highest score in the grade — Jiang Qi Huai.”
Teacher Wang looked over in their direction.
The whole class followed his gaze. Li Shuang Jiang applauded enthusiastically at the front. Jiang Qi Huai’s expression remained flat, without the slightest change, as if he had just been asked whether he wanted fried rice for lunch.
Teacher Wang continued: “There are three other students: Wu Nan with 702, Li Shuang Jiang and Li Si Jia with 701. Li Shuang Jiang, your English is impressive, showing rapid improvement. The English teacher specifically came to praise you to me just now. Keep it up.”
Li Shuang Jiang responded with full vigor.
Tao Zhi hadn’t heard anything else, her mind stuck on what Teacher Wang had just said.
Li Si Jia 701. Li Si Jia 701. 701.
Teacher Wang cleared his throat and continued: “There’s another student I want to especially commend. Although the score isn’t high, the improvement is remarkable — Tao Zhi.”
Tao Zhi was still daydreaming, looking up in a daze.
“Chinese 110, English 118!” Teacher Wang announced loudly, looking as if Tao Zhi had gotten into Tsinghua University.
Tao Zhi snapped out of her daydream, only to fall into another daze as she processed these scores. Her heart was pounding so hard that all other sounds seemed quieter in comparison.
She heard Ji Fan say “holy shit” behind her, and Li Shuang Jiang turned around to stare at her in disbelief.
When she first came to Class 1, she had heard others secretly discussing her.
Saying her grades were poor, that money could buy your way into good classes, wondering how much this non-studious student would drag down Class 1’s total score.
School was always like this — good students looking down on poor students, and poor students resenting good students.
Tao Zhi was used to hearing such discussions, so at the time, she thought she didn’t feel anything.
It wasn’t until now that she vaguely realized she probably had cared a little bit back then.
Otherwise, why would she feel somewhat happy now?
It turned out that children who tried their best could really receive a little, tiny reward.
Teacher Wang looked down at the results again, saw her forty points in math and barely over one hundred points in comprehensive science, and sighed: “It’s just that your subject disparity is a bit severe.” Teacher Wang joked, “You’ll need to put in some more effort in math and science. What’s wrong, think I’m too ugly so you don’t want to listen to my class?”
Tao Zhi was still lost in her own little world, barely registering what he was saying, only hearing something about needing more effort. She nodded absent-mindedly and responded: “Ah.”
Whole class: “…”
Teacher Wang: “…”
Teacher Wang didn’t spend too much time on the monthly exam results, just posted the scores on the small blackboard in front and continued teaching.
It took Tao Zhi about half the class to come back to her senses. Teacher Wang seemed very dissatisfied with her thirty points in physics and called on her several times during class.
As soon as the bell rang, Tao Zhi struggled to control her urge to jump up from her chair. With a seemingly calm face, she turned around and tapped on Jiang Qi Huai’s desk.
Jiang Qi Huai looked up.
Tao Zhi leaned on his desk, smiling and swaying her head back and forth, looking like her tail would reach the sky.
Jiang Qi Huai closed his book and, seeing her wagging her tail seeking praise, couldn’t help but laugh.
Just as he was about to speak, Li Si Jia came running from the other side and gently tapped his chair back: “Jiang classmate.”
Jiang Qi Huai turned around.
The young girl’s face was slightly red, looking both happy and a bit shy. She pointed to the back door: “Can I talk to you for a moment?”
After speaking, she lowered her head with a red face and walked out first.
Jiang Qi Huai paused, put down his pen, and slid his chair back.
Tao Zhi felt like someone had hit her pause button.
She had been too happy earlier, completely immersed in her own joy, totally forgetting about this matter.
Her heart suddenly panicked, and she immediately sat up straight, watching Jiang Qi Huai as the young man slid his chair back and unhurriedly stood up, about to walk out.
In her panic, Tao Zhi didn’t have time to think and grabbed his sleeve.
Jiang Qi Huai stopped in his tracks and turned back.
The young girl was clutching his school uniform sleeve tightly, looking straight at him with furrowed brows, asking: “Are you going to date early?”
Jiang Qi Huai raised an eyebrow.
Tao Zhi said stiffly: “Jiang Qi Huai, you can’t date early.”
Her mind was a bit scrambled, and she couldn’t think of any reason to stop him at the moment. She could only forge ahead, making up things as she went: “You can’t date someone just because they scored 700 points, that’s irresponsible. Are you going to date anyone who scores 700 points? What if I could score 700 too?”
After she finished speaking, Jiang Qi Huai’s eyelashes lifted slightly, his expression freezing for a moment.
Tao Zhi’s expression also froze, her mind exploding with a “boom,” followed by screaming chickens running wild through every organ in her body.
What am I saying ahhhhh.
It was lunch break time, and the classroom was chaotic. A bunch of people crowded to the front to look at the results, while Li Shuang Jiang rushed out of the classroom shouting “Time to eat!”
Tao Zhi thought quick on her feet. Before he could speak, she pointed at Li Shuang Jiang who had just rushed out the back door and hurriedly said: “If that’s the case, Li Shuang Jiang also scored 700, go date him right now!”
Jiang Qi Huai: “…”
Tao Zhi didn’t even know what she was saying anymore, so she just went all in, ready to die: “Anyway, boys are better than girls, right?”
Jiang Qi Huai: “…?”
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