"Ah— you jerk, why did you have to remind me, why! Couldn’t you have let me play for a couple more days?"
"Today is already Wednesday. Do I need to remind you who has been skipping evening self-study these past three days?"
"The school didn’t mandate that we must attend evening self-study, did it? Can’t we relax a bit right after exams~~~~"
"Face reality. Do you think you’re still an underage little girl?"
Ye Xiaohui unabashedly rolled her eyes at her, meaningfully stating, "Just because you have the look of a Lolita doesn’t mean you can muddle through."
Cheng Ranran was most annoyed when people commented on her looks; this was like stirring up a hornet’s nest.
"Ye, I’m going to kill you!!!"
Tang Shu calmly picked up the textbook from her desk and moved over a seat to the left to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.
With the rhythmic ringing of the class bell, Chen Lu walked in holding a kraft paper bag, followed by a delighted Zhao Haixue.
"Classmates, the results of the midterm written exams are out. I’ll distribute them now."
Immediately, everyone sat up straight, their gazes toward the podium a mix of hope, despair, and indifference.
Chen Lu opened the kraft paper bag, took out the exam papers, and began reading out names and scores one by one.
"How is this any different from a public execution?"
Cheng Ranran wailed and collapsed on her desk, not wanting to move.
"Well, you don’t have to be stabbed with a knife, right?"
"I beg you to shut up."
Ye Xiaohui decisively closed her mouth and stopped provoking her.
"Yang Yang, 89 points."
"Li Lingling, 75 points."
"Cheng Ranran, 92 points."
"Ye Xiaohui, 95 points."
The two quickly retrieved their own papers and were reasonably satisfied with the scores they saw.
"Now I’m relieved. It’s not too bad."
The next second, the voice from the podium sounded again, "Zhao Haixue, 98 points."
"She must be the top of our class, right? Worthy of being the class president!"
"98 points, could it be that she only got one multiple-choice question wrong?"
As the students chattered, Zhao Haixue, with her head held high and chest puffed out, took the exam paper from Chen Lu’s hand. As she passed by Tang Shu, she snorted coldly.
Cheng Ranran was so irritated that she crumpled up the paper in her hand.
"Acting all high and mighty, nerd!"
Ye Xiaohui knocked on her head, "She’s no nerd. During the practical classes, Doctor Shen Lan had a very good impression of her; she’s likely to score high there as well."
"You’re turning your elbow outwards; it’s almost treasonous!"
"It’s called knowing the enemy and knowing yourself; you can win every battle, thank you very much."
Cheng Ranran turned her head away, and behind her came the chatter of several female classmates.
"Haixue, you’re the top of our class, aren’t you?"
"’Basic Chinese Medicine Clinical’ is always tough to score in. 98 points is already very high. I’ve checked past exam results, and this should be the top score in the department."
"It must be the top. Haixue was very happy when she came in with the instructor!"
Zhao Haixue modestly nodded her head, "I only asked the instructor about my own score, and she said I only got one small question wrong."
"Wow, then you must be the first! Teacher Chen was very happy!"
As several voices congratulated her, the instructor’s flat voice sounded for the last time, and in her hand was only one remaining paper.
Chen Lu paused, her gaze showing a hint of complexity, "100 points."
"Damn! Am I hearing things?!"