Chapter 19: The Cold School Beauty’s Fierce Love
The class Tao Ning was assigned to was chaotic, a whirlwind of activity, a constant stream of distractions.
Moreover, they were all familiar faces. Even though they were in different classes, they still greeted each other upon entering.
“You’re good at math, let me copy your answers during the exam, and I’ll show you my English.”
“Who needs to copy English answers?”
“You might as well show me your math. I have a special talent for guessing multiple-choice questions in Chinese reading comprehension, seven out of ten correct.”
“Damn, boss, carry me…”
“It’s National Day holiday after the exams, where are you guys going?”
“I borrowed a yacht from my uncle, want to try sea fishing.”
The guy sitting in front of Tao Ning turned around: “Want to join? I’ll share the answers with you too, since I’m such a nice guy.”
Tao Ning looked at him. This was the one who was supposedly “good at math.” His last score was 62, which, compared to his other subjects scoring below 60, excluding English, was indeed relatively outstanding.
Tao Ning said, “No, thanks.”
The guy wasn’t surprised by the rejection. Tao Ning never copied answers, she didn’t engage in their shenanigans. She had a higher calling – submitting blank papers.
They would get scolded for submitting blank papers, but Tao Ning wouldn’t. Thinking this, the guy looked at her with envy.
Tao Ning, somehow understanding the emotion in his eyes: “…”
Soon, the exam began. Two teachers entered the classroom to proctor, distributing the test papers.
After the first subject, it was lunchtime. They gathered for a meal, no one mentioning the exam.
In the afternoon, as the next test paper was handed out, Tao Ning’s first action wasn’t to write her name and ID, but to flip through the questions, a knowing look in her eyes.
Returning to the first page and writing down her information, Tao Ning said, “As expected.”
520, the professional exam companion, asked: [As expected of what?]
Tao Ning: “She predicted the questions.”
Without needing a name, 520 knew who Tao Ning was referring to. Besides Xu Qiuyi, who else could predict the exam questions?
Since Xu Qiuyi had put in so much effort, Tao Ning couldn’t bear to do too poorly. She picked up her pen and started writing.
The proctoring teacher walked around, intercepting small, flying paper airplanes. These young masters and misses couldn’t be scolded or reprimanded, so this was the only way.
Suddenly, the teacher’s gaze was drawn to a test paper, his eyes lighting up. He stopped and observed it for a moment.
Most of the answers were correct, not bad at all. How did this student end up in the bottom class?
The teacher looked up at the name on the desk: Tao Ning.
He continued walking, hands behind his back, trying to recall if he had heard this name before. Then he stopped abruptly, almost scaring the student next to him, who was about to throw a paper ball, out of his wits.
Hmm? Tao Ning?
The exam ended, and the teacher instructed the students to stop writing, collecting the papers from back to front.
Receiving Tao Ning’s paper, the student in front thought he was hallucinating from exam stress, then placed his own paper on top in a daze.
Filling out a Chinese test paper wasn’t difficult, but filling out a math paper as well was something else.
However, the shock from the back row didn’t stop there, and by the end, he was numb.
After the last subject, the student finally couldn’t hold back: “You didn’t tell me you had transformed! Do you know how shocking this is for a struggling student like me?”
Tao Ning: “…Maybe because I have the protection of a study god?” If she said she had tried her best to control herself and not be too outrageous, would that hurt his feelings too much?
After all, jumping from the bottom to the top ten, regardless of character consistency, would be strange for anyone, especially with her sensitive status as the chairman’s daughter.
The three days of exams passed quickly, and the students returned to their normal lives.
As soon as Xu Qiuyi entered the classroom, her test papers were borrowed for comparing answers. Cheers and groans erupted from the crowd, happy if their answers matched Xu Qiuyi’s, groaning if they didn’t.
Lü Xinxi’s groans were the loudest: “Seriously, I felt like I knew every question, but I couldn’t solve any of them.”
Jin Yue calmly pointed out, “This question is A, both Xu Qiuyi and I chose A, but you chose C. Tell me, how did you arrive at that?”
Lü Xinxi was shocked: “What! I was most confident about this question!”
Having a study god predict the questions was one thing, remembering the solution and applying it was another.
However, she quickly recovered, her focus shifting to holiday plans.
Ming Rui, not wanting anyone to have a peaceful holiday, released the exam results the day before the break.
Entering the school gate that morning, students could see a crowd gathered in front of the display board near the senior high building.
From snippets of conversation, Tao Ning learned that the exam results were out. She walked over and immediately saw Xu Qiuyi’s name at the very top, her total score a few points higher than last time, a ten-point gap between her and the second place.
Another landslide victory.
Further down were a few familiar names, and then, at 50th place, she saw Nangong Yunfei’s name.
He hadn’t been doing well lately, too busy with family matters and vying for favor to focus on his studies.
Jin Yue, arriving a bit later, also joined the crowd and found her name at the bottom of the list.
However, she was satisfied. Last time, her name was at the very bottom, now it was at the top of the bottom section.
Oh, and there was Lü Xinxi’s name too.
After searching for a while, Jin Yue couldn’t find Tao Ning’s name. She asked, “Where are you? I can’t find you.”
Tao Ning pointed: “There.”
Jin Yue followed her finger and almost cursed, but she held back, grabbing Tao Ning’s shoulder and shaking her: “Ningning, you did it! You jumped two hundred places from the bottom!”
Tao Ning remained calm: “It’s alright, it’s nothing.”
520, seeing her nonchalant attitude, really wanted to show her the transcript it still had.
Noticing something from the corner of her eye, Tao Ning suddenly asked, “Zero Zero, how do friends celebrate good news?”
520 instantly responded: [Ding ding! According to research, people celebrate good news or pleasant surprises by hugging their friends.]
Tao Ning: “Okay, I got it.”
After parking her bike and walking towards the classroom as usual, Xu Qiuyi saw someone run out from the crowd in front of the display board.
Carrying a light fragrance, a smile as warm as the sun, the person suddenly hugged Xu Qiuyi.
Xu Qiuyi froze, her hands awkwardly raised.
Tao Ning didn’t hug her for long, quickly releasing her and holding her shoulders: “Xu Qiuyi, you’re amazing! I improved so much, I’m 300th place!”
So that was it.
Xu Qiuyi smiled too, being dragged to see the results and showered with praises.
Perhaps it was the good mood brought by the good results, but Tao Ning was especially clingy today. The teacher also praised Tao Ning for the most significant improvement, attracting surprised looks from the entire class.
They couldn’t help but think Xu Qiuyi was truly amazing, even managing to pull up the bottom of the class. Many students immediately tried to poach her.
Most students at Ming Rui weren’t short of money, and the offers they made were increasingly tempting. However, Xu Qiuyi’s initial agreement to tutor wasn’t solely for the money, so she rejected them all.
However, the news eventually reached Tao Ning. The young miss took action, and all the would-be poachers scattered, unfazed even by being accused of monopolizing the study god.
Someone complained, “Come on, Tao Ning, it’s just fair competition, no need to be so aggressive.”
Tao Ning said to the students trying to poach Xu Qiuyi, “What fair competition? Xu Qiuyi is mine.”
“Xu Qiuyi is so capable, it doesn’t matter if she tutors a few more people, right?”
Tao Ning scoffed: “Of course Xu Qiuyi is capable, and I’m capable too. I recognized her talent. You didn’t notice her before, and now you suddenly do? Does she even have time to study with all of you bothering her? Go away, all of you.”
Seeing that they couldn’t persuade Tao Ning, they turned to Xu Qiuyi: “Tao Ning is cutting off your income, don’t you have anything to say?”
Xu Qiuyi: “I can’t chew more than I can swallow. I’m happy with the way things are.”
Neither side could be persuaded, so they dispersed.
Tao Ning, having chased away the poachers, said to Xu Qiuyi, “You can’t agree to tutor them.” She couldn’t let her hard-earned female lead be corrupted.
Xu Qiuyi chuckled and shook her head: “I won’t.”
Tao Ning: “I know you won’t.”
Today was over, and tomorrow was the start of the seven-day holiday. For the past month, they had even spent their weekends studying together, and holidays weren’t included in the contract.
Tao Ning was thinking of a way to keep Xu Qiuyi close. After the bruise incident, she was truly worried.
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