Chapter 35: Xu Qingzhou, You Will Regret This!

When it was time to check scores, the usually lively class group fell suddenly silent. Those who did poorly didn’t want to speak; those who scored high were too embarrassed to speak, afraid of being labeled as boastful so close to graduation.

The college entrance exam score is the first major turning point in life.

Choices of university, major, retaking the exam or settling for any school—all will profoundly shape a person’s future life.

Only homeroom teacher Liu Ying posted in the group, asking everyone to send their scores to her for statistics, and reminding them to come to school the next morning to pick up their application guides.

In Xu Qingzhou’s small circle, everyone had already learned their scores.

Song Yao: no result found.

Guo Ziyang: 624 points.

Ding Jiahui: 625 points.

She didn’t understand how things had come to this—she’d only wanted to test Xu Qingzhou; if he held firm, she might have agreed once he entered university.

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Song Yao: I won’t pick up the guide—I just saw off the Tsinghua admissions team yesterday.

Guo Ziyang wanted to curse. How had he never realized how much of a show-off Zhouzi was? In his past life, Guo Ziyang had scored 621; now he had 624. His life path had shifted slightly, and Xu Qingzhou wasn’t sure if his college application choices had changed too, so he asked: “Fatty, which school are you applying to?”

The next morning, when Xu Qingzhou woke up, Xu Shouyun and his wife were already packed and ready for work. Both had faint dark circles under their eyes—clearly they hadn’t slept well—but they looked unusually energetic, even eager.

Xu Qingzhou was now a celebrity, a favorite example teachers used to motivate everyone in the final stretch: “Look at Xu Qingzhou, the current top student in grade—once he was barely in the top 20. He stayed calm, built up quietly, then exploded.”

“740,” Guo Ziyang’s lips twitched, as if savoring the number, then he asked: “So, are you the top science student in Sichuan this year?”

Guo Ziyang: Zhouzi, let’s go pick up the application guide.

Zhang Yuxin stepped forward, clutching an application guide, blocking their path: “Xu Qingzhou!”

As expected: before the exam, you’re a treasure; after, you’re trash.

“Mom~ no breakfast?” Xu Qingzhou stared at the empty kitchen, feeling startled.

After his parents left for work, Xu Qingzhou sat on the sofa scrolling on his phone.

In the end, Xu Qingzhou and Song Yao were both bombarded with messages from Ding Jiahui, who insisted they come along to pick up the application guide.

Wang Xiaping generously gave Xu Qingzhou twenty yuan to buy his own breakfast.

Arranging the time, Xu Qingzhou set off with the twenty-yuan “fortune” his mom gave him, bought two buns on the way, and finished eating just as he reached the school gate.

Xu Qingzhou nodded. “This score… is passable, I guess.”

!.

“740.”

So from now until the application deadline on the 29th, there’d be no peace. Xu Qingzhou’s expression turned odd. Why could he even see marital vibes in text? Leaning back on the sofa, he began typing furiously.

Xu Qingzhou found it baffling, as if he were some heartless villain. He lost patience: “Zhang Yuxin, we have nothing left to say. As classmates, I hope you achieve your dreams—and stay true to yourself.”

Xu Qingzhou sighed helplessly, looking at Guo Ziyang, who nodded understandingly: “I’ll wait for you by the classroom door.”

The first two are stretch goals; the third and fourth are relatively safe; the fifth is a backup.

The group fell silent for three seconds.

Zhang Yuxin’s eyes were red, pitifully pleading: “Xu Qingzhou, are you really going to be this cruel?”

That night, Xu Shouyun’s phone rang again—it was Sun Zhaofu, reminding Xu Qingzhou he could now submit his college applications.

Zhang Yuxin was very beautiful and had been somewhat famous throughout senior year, having once danced solo at the arts evening.

Guo Ziyang still had no clear goal—he didn’t know what he wanted to study, the type who picks a school first, then chooses a major: “Tsinghua University of Transportation, China University of Petroleum, Tsinghua University of Foreign Studies.”

Ding Jiahui: Yaoyao, let’s go pick up the application guide.

Xu Qingzhou felt helpless, like the memes circulating every admissions season when he was doing his PhD at Tsinghua: “Dear professors, please guard the application portal until the deadline—Tsinghua is launching a fierce counterattack! Our signed students are being brainwashed and snatched away by Tsinghua! Attack! Attack! Defense through offense!”

Xu Qingzhou: I won’t pick up the guide—I just saw off the Tsinghua admissions team yesterday.

Then everyone realized: this was the legendary love triangle!

Even if we can’t be lovers, can’t we still be friends? Passersby among the graduating seniors glanced at the pair and wore strange expressions.

“Yeah, I’ve already submitted my applications,” Xu Qingzhou nodded.

The two emotionally wounded individuals began launching vicious attacks.

“Tsinghua teachers came to our door,” Guo Ziyang felt a surge of envy and began fantasizing: what if it were him? He couldn’t help asking: “Do you know your score?”

Rumor had it that Xu Qingzhou and Song Yao had already met each other’s parents. And now, about Zhang Yuxin—they recalled another rumor: Xu Qingzhou had once pursued Zhang Yuxin, but for some reason, they never got together.

When Xu Qingzhou reached the school gate, Guo Ziyang was already waiting. “Zhouzi, you’re definitely going to Tsinghua?”

Everyone was satisfied with this score—it was a normal performance.

Zhang Yuxin’s old dream was to become a star. She achieved it—but not the right way—and ended up discarded. After all, the entertainment industry has no shortage of girls who grow up too fast.

With that, he turned and walked toward the teaching building.

Zhang Yuxin’s face turned pale, her gaze stubbornly fixed on Xu Qingzhou: “Xu Qingzhou, you will regret this!”

Xu Qingzhou waved goodbye and walked away with effortless grace.

(End of Chapter)