Chapter 39: EXAM

Ling Wu lowered the arm that had been shielding his eyes and saw that the person who had approached was Yu Shixue. He only found it strange; this person had shown hostility toward him from the moment they first met.

Why had he been hovering around him so much lately?

"Class F."

"Class F, huh?" Yu Shixue said, "I can take you there."

Ling Wu politely declined: "No need. I know the way and can go myself; I won't take up any more of your time."

Yu Shixue did not speak, his gaze merely falling upon him with a burning intensity. Ling Wu was wearing the Academy's navy blue school uniform, the buttons of his shirt fastened meticulously. His features were refined and clear, his brows and eyes appearing soft and translucent as if veiled in snowy mist, his temperament like a snowy peak above a thousand miles of frozen earth—inviolable.

"Alright then."

Yu Shixue shoved his hands into his pockets and stepped back on his own. The tip of his tongue swept over his lower lip, like a well-intentioned reminder, or perhaps a demon's whisper: "I wish you a good score."

"Oh, and when you're out and about, always watch your safety."

Ling Wu gave him a deep look, then set off toward Class F.

Class F.

At Sike Academy, the three subjects of mathematics, physics, and chemistry were all tested together, from 8:30 in the morning until 12:30 in the afternoon; generally, one could check their scores and rankings by the following day.

Ling Wu's seat in the classroom was neither at the front nor the back. As he entered, he locked eyes with Xie Qingge in the back row, who gave him a resentful look. Many people arrived one after another, and after waiting for about five minutes, the Academy's bell rang.

"Clang!"

Wei Ranxu pushed the door open, sat down behind Ling Wu, and propped up his chin, poking Ling Wu's back with his finger.

Seeing that Ling Wu truly had no intention of paying him any mind, he stood up again, leaned toward his ear, and whispered maliciously: "Hello there, desk-mate in front."

Ling Wu turned his head to see five fingers with neatly trimmed nails currently hooked onto his shoulder. He gripped that wrist and threw off the movement of Wei Ranxu leaning in.

"Don't touch me if you have nothing better to do."

That voice was so cold it sounded like it was about to freeze.

But it was also undeniably alluring.

"Tsk." Wei Ranxu's brows and eyes were filled with a smile as he teased deliberately: "Don't be so cold and heartless. Are you still holding a grudge about last time?"

"Isn't that why I haven't come to cause you trouble?"

Ling Wu ignored him.

"If you ignore me this time, we'll still meet in the same exam hall next time."

Wei Ranxu looked ahead, lost in deep thought: "How does that saying go... Oh, right, don't underestimate the bond between academic underachievers."

"Hey, Ling Wu, stop wasting your effort. No matter how you try to get close to the Special Student or try to attract his attention, Jing Du will never like you."

"Just give up, don't fight me for him."

Ling Wu: "Who said I like him?"

"It's you who likes him, isn't it?"

Wei Ranxu froze for a moment, then came to his senses and found it absurd: "You don't like him? Then why were you always hovering around him before, and even bringing him water? Photos of it were even posted on the forum."

A long silence.

"He doesn't like underachievers."

Wei Ranxu felt a bit dejected when he said this. Jing Du had a good family background, good looks, and good grades; he was almost flawless, and no one could help but like him, himself included.

And the Wei Family had raised him since childhood specifically to curry favor with this heir of the Jing Family and facilitate a marriage between the two families.

Ling Wu: "So that's why you're still sitting in the same classroom as me?"

Wei Ranxu pondered for a few seconds before realizing that Ling Wu was taking a roundabout way to insult his poor grades.

His expression turned gloomy: "So what?"

"Our two families are going to be joined by marriage soon anyway. With our family interests tied together, it's no longer about liking someone. Money and power are far more enduring than love."

"Is that so?" Ling Wu turned his body to face Wei Ranxu, stating it like a fact: "Then congratulations to you both in advance."

Wei Ranxu: "?"

Was this the attitude one took toward a romantic rival?

Or was it that Ling Wu really didn't like Jing Du, and his intelligence was wrong?

Before he could ask again, the proctor began distributing the test papers.

Wei Ranxu took the paper, glanced at it roughly, found it boring, and laid his head on the desk to sleep. After half an hour, he began to spin his pen out of sheer boredom.

He caught a glimpse of Ling Wu in front of him writing, and a mocking laugh spilled from his nose.

Both of them were underachievers.

What was he pretending for?

He tore off a piece of scratch paper, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it at Ling Wu's back. The paper ball hit the floor with a faint sound.

"Pat!"

"Pat!"

This scene was witnessed by Xie Qingge in the back row.

Wei Ranxu was born into a wealthy family and raised with indulgence; the more he couldn't get something, the more he had to have it. He was quite rebellious...

He harassed Ling Wu over and over again, never tiring of it.

Ling Wu was like a somber mountain, welcoming the ceaseless circling of birds and the withering and flourishing of trees, remaining completely unruffled.

Wei Ranxu kicked his chair twice more.

"Screech—"

The sound of the chair scraping against the floor.

Ling Wu stood up with a "whoosh," looked down at him coldly with his beautiful face, and spat out two words from his elegant lips: "You're sick."

There was clearly a look of disbelief in Wei Ranxu's eyes. In his stereotype, Ling Wu was someone raised in an atmosphere of books, refined and gentle, bright and clear—after all, that face told him so superficially.

But what had he just heard?

Ling Wu cursed him for being sick.

The first reaction was not anger.

Fun, this is just too fun.

Ling Wu picked up the three test papers on the table, walked to the podium, and handed them to the proctor, his tone returning to calm and easygoing: "Teacher, I want to submit my paper early."

The proctor glanced at the clock: "It's only 9:40 now, are you sure you want to submit your paper, student?"

Ling Wu: "Sure."

The proctor did not stop him anymore, simply assuming he was a slacker wasting time who was just waiting to be sent abroad for further studies after graduation, and let him go after a sigh.

Seeing him about to leave, Wei Ranxu clamored a couple of times: "Don't go, little front-desk-neighbor, curse me a couple more times for me to hear!"

Ling Wu didn't even turn his head as he walked out of the classroom door.

Wei Ranxu kicked his chair hard in indignation.

Ling Wu, what are you being arrogant for?

Your father doesn't ask about you, your younger brother doesn't like you, who are you putting on that "keep people at a distance" act for?

I'll kill you after school.

"Clang!"

The examinees around who were buried in answering questions looked up, and Wei Ranxu roared: "Damn it, what are you looking at?!"

"Is the commotion that good to watch?"

Seeing that it was the young master of the Wei Family, everyone consciously lowered their heads, knowing they couldn't afford to offend him.

"Can't afford to offend him, can't afford to offend him..."

"Stop looking, hurry up and answer the questions."

"Everyone stop looking."

"......."

Ling Wu exited Class F; because of the exams, the Academy was empty and exceptionally quiet, a pool of water like a bright mirror embedded among the lush vegetation, and the European-style ancient castle sat quietly in the garden, appearing cold and desolate.

He wandered aimlessly through the Academy.

He pushed open the door to the rooftop.

"Creeak!"

On the rooftop was a wooden swing entwined with white rose flowers and a white piano; often, quite a few students would come here to play the piano during the quiet afternoons.

Ling Wu sat before the piano, his fingertips skillfully playing the "Moonlight Sonata," the youth's eyelashes lowered, his profile fair and handsome, his soft hair gently stirred by the wind, a melancholic temperament faintly clinging to him.

The melody was melodious and profound, carrying contemplation and melancholy within the tranquility.