Chunzhou First People’s Court.
The Feng Chi murder case begins deliberation, with Xie Beichun and Xu Lang appearing as defendants.
The trial is broadcast online in its entirety, given its severe impact, drawing nationwide media coverage.
At noon, the news about the case was being broadcast on the television in the cafeteria.
Xie Beichun was sentenced to life imprisonment, while Xu Lang, as an accomplice, received a twenty-year prison term.
In the footage, the two who once stood tall and resplendent, now sat in the defendant’s seat, clad in prison uniforms, bound in shackles, their expressions hollow.
When the judge’s gavel fell, the verdict was announced in court.
Xie Beichun broke down immediately, shouting he was wronged, and was forcibly subdued by the court bailiffs at the defendant’s seat.
Xu Lang, on the other hand, sat frozen, his eyes vacant, utterly shattered.
Watching this elicited sighs and murmurs from the audience.
"Who would’ve thought Xie Beichun would ever face such a day?"
Dai Niantong remarked pensively.
Across from her, Luo Yunqi tightened her grip on her chopsticks, her lips pale.
Life imprisonment... This was after the Xie family had pulled every string they could.
Xie Beichun’s sentence marked the definitive downfall of the Xie family.
No one could’ve imagined that in just a few months, the once powerful and influential Xie family of Chunzhou would collapse completely.
Deep inside, Luo Yunqi felt an undeniable fear. Seeing it firsthand only amplified her trepidation.
It was as though she needed to cling to something to give her heart a semblance of steadiness.
Someone called out to her a few times before Luo Yunqi returned to her senses.
"Why is your face so pale? Are you feeling unwell?" Dai Niantong asked worriedly.
Luo Yunqi smiled faintly, "I’m fine."
"By the way, the math competition is coming up next week. Did you sign up?"
Luo Yunqi nodded, "Of course I did. My mom hired a top-notch math tutor for me. I’ve been taking four hours of lessons every day after school."
This year’s high school math competition winners would be invited to participate in the CMO, the National Mathematics Olympiad held in Jingzhou during winter, also known as the National High School Winter Camp for Mathematics.
The top 30 performers in the CMO are invited to join the national training team to compete in the IMO.
The IMO is the highest level of international competition. Aside from mathematics, there are competitions in physics, chemistry, biology, informatics, linguistics, and more, spanning from state to national to international levels. The more achievements one accumulates, the stronger the position when applying to prestigious domestic universities or receiving offers from top international institutions.
However, many competitions overlap in schedule, and because students have limited energy, they often focus on the contests they have the best chance at or that offer the most value. For instance, this month’s schedule included the high school math competition on the 22nd and the state-level physics competition on the 28th.
The math competition serves as the entry point to the CMO, while the state-level physics competition serves as a warm-up to the IPHO (International Physics Olympiad).
Many students weigh the pros and cons and choose to forgo the physics competition in favor of focusing on the math competition.
Some participate in both, hoping to gamble on luck.
Luo Yunqi signed up for the math competition. While she wasn’t confident in her ability, she was determined to give it her all.
Dai Niantong poked lethargically at her plate of rice when she spotted Shen You’an’s silhouetted figure not far away and couldn’t help sighing, "If only I had Shen You’an’s intellect."
Luo Yunqi furrowed her brows, "When God opens a window for someone, He inevitably closes a door."
Dai Niantong thought for a moment, then suddenly laughed.
"True enough. If I had to trade a background like hers for a sharp mind, I’d rather not. Thinking about it that way makes it easier to accept."
Luo Yunqi’s expression was indifferent, her gaze filled with disdain, "Outside of school, we’ll never cross paths with her."
A penniless orphan. From the moment she was born, her class was predetermined. No matter how intelligent she is, it changes nothing.
Still, Luo Yunqi frowned deeply in thought.
There was one thing she couldn’t quite figure out.
Back in Chunzhou, Shen You’an was staying at the presidential suite of the Blue Sky Hotel, an expense that wasn’t small over the course of a month.
From what she had learned about Shen You’an these past few days, she had earned numerous scholarships from elementary school to high school, and the Lanya Group even spent millions to groom her.
Logically, Shen You’an shouldn’t be short on money.
Yet for someone of her background to stay in the top-tier luxury suite, it can only suggest that Shen You’an is inherently vain.
But she is undeniably clever, as evident in her approach to Leng Yunyang—she’s mastered the art of playing hard to get.
Even Jiang Shengyao seemed to hold an ambiguous, flirtatious attitude toward her.
Liu Runxi’s seat was positioned very close to hers, causing Luo Yunqi to purse her lips and grip her chopsticks tightly.
The exam day fell on a Saturday. Students were randomly assigned by the system, with test sites spread across high schools in Qingzhou.