Quickly, the final exams arrived.
They were the first set of final exams for all graduating high school seniors in Jing City.
The Education Bureau took it very seriously, even coordinating a multi-school joint examination where every district’s schools used the same test paper.
The East District, where Third High was located, was considered a highly competitive area.
Sitting in the examination room at that moment, Jiang Cheng’s heart was still filled with unease.
His grades had always fluctuated, and he had missed a term of lessons. How could he possibly compete with those who had been trained for an entire term?
Additionally, this was an eight-school joint exam, which meant the test papers were quite challenging.
He had already made a bold claim in front of his sister—if he performed poorly, how embarrassing it would be.
Jiang Cheng took a deep breath, unfolded the Chinese language test in front of him, and shakily picked up his pen.
Unexpectedly, he found himself answering particularly smoothly.
Essays that had previously seemed obscure and difficult now appeared to be clearer, and even his weakest point, the composition, flowed with inspiration.
Come the second exam of mathematics, Jiang Cheng grew even more confident.
This had always been his strong suit, and after doing a whole month of practice problems on the Deserted Island, everything suddenly became clear.
He handed in his test paper a half-hour early.
The two days of exams passed quickly, and following the school’s arrangements, he joined his classmates for a museum exhibition.
On the third day, the results were announced, and just about all high school students in Jing City began their holiday.
As agreed, Jiang Li was already waiting early at the gate of Third High.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, she had Ji Yanbai drive a very inconspicuous car and stopped it by the roadside.
Before long, Jiang Cheng walked out, surrounded by a group of classmates.
His popularity had increased considerably; almost everyone at Third High knew him, and the bolder students even went up to greet him directly.
"Ah, Jiang looks even more handsome in person than on the variety show!"
"Help me, I’m so jealous. Why am I not in Class Three!"
"Wake up, Class Three is for the top students—we couldn’t test into it."
"Jiang Cheng, doesn’t your family live in that area? It seems we’re on the same route, let’s go together."
"I’m along the way too, Jiang. Come with me."
Jiang Cheng appeared many times better than before, full of energy.
When his gaze finally rested on that car parked under the roadside tree, his chin lifted even higher, and he said quite proudly,
"No need, my sister has come to pick me up."
"Sister?! Is it Jiang Li?!"
"Oh my god, your sister is too good, so busy and still finding time to pick you up!"
"I’m going home to scold my brother, always saying he’s too busy, yet look at the superstardom sister who still has time to come!"
And so, surrounded by envious glances, Jiang Cheng walked confidently and proudly into his family’s sedan.
—This feeling of not having to worry about concealing my identity is truly nice!
Inside the car was fragrant, with a faint scent of gardenias.
Jiang Li was sitting in the front passenger seat, with an open book on her lap.
"Are the exams over?" freewebnσvel.cøm
Jiang Li’s voice made Jiang Cheng startle, and then he slowly took off his backpack.
"They’re, they’re over."
"Have the results been released? How did you do?"
"I..." Jiang Cheng licked his somewhat dry lips, "I scored first in the eight-school joint exam!"
Upon hearing this, even Ji Yanbai, who was driving, couldn’t help but have his eyebrows shoot up.
"Was it the joint exam paper? I heard it was quite difficult, and the Second Young Master actually scored first in the entire district?"
Jiang Cheng inflated with pride, took out his report card, and handed it to Jiang Li.
"I have to thank my sister for supervising my studies on the island, or else I would have been ranked last in our class."
Jiang Li took his report card and glanced at it.
As expected from the first place, his grades were very impressive.
He almost got full marks in math and the three minor subjects, scoring just two short of perfect in language at 130, and only three points shy of full marks in English.
However, compared to his past performance, this was already a great improvement.
"Not bad," Jiang Li said with a nod, then pointed towards the back seat, "Under the seat there’s a gift for you, on the right."
Jiang Cheng, already happy from her praise, got even more excited at the mention of a gift, his brows lifting as he hurriedly bent down to search.
A minute later, he held a delicate red box in his hands.
Jiang Cheng, full of anticipation, opened the box to reveal an exquisitely carved little tiger.
Instantly, he understood Jiang Li’s intention, feeling a sting in his nose.
Without turning her head, Jiang Li spoke, "I saw how much you liked the golden lion Grandpa gave Shi Xu, so I asked that master to make you a little tiger, consider it a belated coming-of-age gift."
"Sister..." Jiang Cheng gripped the golden tiger and choked up, "Thank you, I really like it."
"As long as you like it. Next year, do your best on the college entrance exams. If not, I’ll have to confiscate it."
Jiang Cheng knew Jiang Li was joking and happily accepted the little tiger.
But then, something occurred to him, and he looked up.
"Sister, did you prepare this gift a long time ago? But what if I had botched the exam? Would you still have given it to me?"
Jiang Li remained unfazed, "If you had botched it, there would still be a gift, under the seat to your left."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Cheng laughed and hastily bent down to search again.
Half a minute later, he fell silent gazing at the brand new feather duster in his palm.
Jiang Li was still undisturbed.
"How do you like it?"
Jiang Cheng: "......"
He couldn’t bring himself to like it at all.
Jiang Li did not go home, instead taking Jiang Cheng to a nearby restaurant for lunch.
After the meal, seeing that Jiang Li still showed no intention of returning home, Jiang Cheng grew curious.
"Sister, aren’t we going back today? Are you planning to keep me out and entertain me?"
Jiang Li methodically wiped her mouth.
"It’s not for fun. We have serious business in the afternoon."
"What kind of business?"
"To get your adoption certificate processed."
Jiang Cheng froze, gripping the chopsticks in his hand.
Jiang Li continued, "Since you’ve decided to stay with the Jiang Family, it’s only proper that we make it official with an adoption certificate."
"But..." Jiang Cheng bit his lip.
He knew about the procedures for an adoption certificate.
Both parents had to be deceased for it to be issued.
But his biological mother...
Xu Ning was already in that condition, could they still go through legal procedures?
Even if she hadn’t become like that, she would never go through legal procedures to have him adopted.
She despised him, blamed him for ruining her entire life. How could she ever willingly watch him live well in this world?
Jiang Cheng let out a cold laugh.
"Sister, don’t expect that woman to cooperate with you. It’s impossible."
Back then, the elder had not been able to secure custody rights, which was why they had confined her in the sanatorium, in a sense.
The image of Xu Ning screaming and wailing in court, desperately clinging to her custody rights, was etched deeply into his heart.
That woman tormented herself into madness, and she was determined to drag him down with her.