Chapter 10: The Lucky Girl at the Front Desk Before the Exam

Nine o'clock, the exam officially began.

After the test papers were handed out, the girl hunched over her desk and began filling in her information.

The sunlight dyed the edges of her ponytail golden. The strands of hair were slightly split at the ends. With her left face slightly turned, fine downy fuzz was visible, making her look all the more serene and gentle.

Jiang Nian pulled his gaze back from her pale neck, his mood lifting.

To say he wasn't nervous would be a lie. Although he had relied on his memory time to imprint every knowledge point of every subject he could remember into his brain, this was after all the exam that would decide his placement in Gao San.

But the girl at the desk in front was a beauty—maybe it was a good omen.

The two days of exams slipped by in a flash.

The girl at the front desk really did bring him good luck. From Chinese all the way to the final subject, English, he performed normally—somewhat even above normal.

After a bit of back and forth, Jiang Nian also learned the girl's name: Zhang Ningzhi.

During the math exam he borrowed an eraser.

Before the English exam, Jiang Nian thought about how he'd been mooching off someone else's luck. Once the exam ended he'd probably never see her again, so after much deliberation he decided to do something.

So, along with expressing his thanks, he gave Zhang Ningzhi a carton of fruit-milk.

That stuff, if offered outside of school, no girl would dare accept it—after all, what girl would dare drink something handed to her by a strange guy? But inside school, the risk wasn't that big.

Zhang Ningzhi hesitated for a moment, said thank you, and accepted it.

He didn't give it much thought. In the final English exam, the classroom was so quiet only the rustling of papers could be heard.

Smelling the ink drifting up from the test paper, Jiang Nian's hands trembled slightly. Probably because this was the last exam, and possibly also because of his half-soaked short-sleeve shirt.

The mountain wind blowing past the door outside made a row of his snow-white teeth knock together, sore and numb.

His heart pounded like a war drum, his head burning hot.

"It's fine," he muttered quietly while working on the paper. "Chinese is probably a guaranteed hundred, math should be a hundred, the science comprehensive above two hundred and ten..."

"Get twenty on the English essay, lose ten on listening, English is a stable hundred and thirty."

Five hundred and forty was only his estimated guaranteed score. For a paper with a perfect score of seven hundred and fifty, it wasn't a particularly high number, but in a regular class it was already very high.

If these few exams really were the gaokao, getting into a non-elite first-tier university would be more than enough.

Jiang Nian estimated that once this placement exam ended, he should be able to get first in class. If things went smoothly, moving up to the science competition class shouldn't be a problem.

At half past four in the afternoon, they left the exam hall. Everyone packed up their things and prepared to head back to the classroom to sort out their desks.

The weekend had two consecutive days of exams, so the usual Sunday evening self-study period was normally used as a holiday. In other words, starting from now that the exams were over, the entire evening was free.

The classroom was in an uproar. Some chose to head straight for the internet cafe, some chose to restore their seats before leaving.

The classroom, the corridors, the entire Gao San building were exceptionally noisy and lively. Some discussed the test papers. Some gathered around teachers chatting, occasionally clapping or regretfully thumping their chests.

Plenty of people were also slipping into other classes; the classroom was full of new faces. Some huddled over scratch paper double-checking calculations, some laughed and talked loudly, some made plans to go to the internet cafe together.

Jiang Nian bent down and easily lifted his heavy book basket. Just as he straightened his back, he saw Zhou Yuting walk in, her gaze searching the classroom—probably looking for someone to help move books.

As they brushed past each other, Zhou Yuting called out to him.

"Jiang Nian, could you help me move some books? They're really heavy, I can't carry them."

--《When an opposite-sex acquaintance you've actually fallen out with but haven't officially fallen out with asks you for help, it's best to pretend you didn't hear》

Jiang Nian turned a deaf ear, walked forward two steps, then looked back.

"Huh? You calling me?"

"Mm, could you help me move some books?" Zhou Yuting said. Probably because of the weekend exams, she was wearing a white cotton dress. "And help Yingying move hers while you're at it."

Sun Yingying was Zhou Yuting's fair-weather best friend, and she had designs on Liu Feipeng.

"Oh, why not find Le Zhi to help you?" Jiang Nian glanced at her, the corner of his mouth curving up. "He'd definitely be more than happy to help you move books."

Zhou Yuting choked up at his words. Of course she knew Le Zhi would help her. But Le Zhi was too annoying. Jiang Nian wouldn't nag and chatter, and he was good-looking too.

Although Zhou Yuting wouldn't consider dating a poor guy like Jiang Nian, having one more good-looking simp would also raise her value.

"He's too annoying. Finding you is better."

Jiang Nian had originally wanted to bring up the incident at her birthday party last time and take the chance to mock her back. But on second thought, he was about to move up a class—why waste his breath on this.

Making a girl cry wouldn't be a victory for him either.

"Mm."

He responded coldly, turned around with his book basket, and left.

Zhou Yuting stood there. She'd originally thought Jiang Nian would put down his books and come back to help her. But after waiting a long while without seeing hide nor hair of him, she went out to look—and nearly bent her nose out of shape with anger.

Jiang Nian had gone to the next classroom to help a girl move books.

She swore she would never look Jiang Nian in the eye again. And she would never say another word to him. Did he think she'd get all anxious and insecure over something like that!

"No need, I can move them myself." Xu Qianqian glanced at the gazes around her, a little embarrassed. "In a bit they'll come find you to move theirs together."

"Moving is moving, it's no trouble." Jiang Nian looked completely indifferent.

"That won't do, their books are too heavy." Xu Qianqian frowned. "In a bit you should just leave directly, wait for me at the school gate, I'll be over soon."

Without realizing it, Xu Qianqian had already gotten used to going home with Jiang Nian.

"Alright then."

After moving the books, Jiang Nian left the teaching building and looked back at his own classroom. He suddenly felt a little anticipation—anticipation for the day the results came out.

Today was Sunday; by tomorrow everything should be out, and the class reassignment would be next week.

After a while, Xu Qianqian came out with her backpack on, looked left and right, and spotted Jiang Nian. So she tightened her backpack straps and walked toward him.

Nearby classmates who saw this scene stopped and stared.

They'd originally thought they'd get to see some puppy-love gossip, but the two just walked by so plainly—and even pulled out test papers.

"Can you get five hundred and forty this time?" she asked, frowning. "I heard that under normal circumstances, moving up from the lower class requires at least five hundred and fifty to be safe."

The two walked side by side. Jiang Nian's heart nearly stopped at her words.

No way, buddy, I literally have a cheat, and you're still playing me like this? You competition-class people... are every single one of you freaking Ultramen? Not a single one of you got in through connections?

When Xu Qianqian learned of Jiang Nian's shallow thoughts, she couldn't help but snort.

"It's precisely because there are connections that higher scores are needed. Other people get into the competition class with four hundred points—what does switching classes have to do with them?"

Too realistic—this is how the relationship-based society of a small county town works.

"Fine, let me compare English answers with you." Jiang Nian took a deep breath. "How did you do on English this time? Full marks again, right?"

Xu Qianqian snorted, revealing three parts mockery, three parts smugness, three parts nonchalance, and one part proud little swan.

"What do you think?"

Neat rows of power lines sliced through the dusk as night quietly descended.