Before the college entrance examination, the high school third year students had their final mock exam.
This time, all the test papers were very difficult. They were jointly prepared by the excellent teachers from Fifth High School and First High School. Some teachers were very keen on predicting the exam questions, and this time, they didn’t hold anything back. Ning Zhiyu remained the top student in Fifth High, while Ye Wenxu was the top student in First High. Their scores were very close, with only a three-point difference.
During this semester, under Ning Zhiyu’s guidance, Jiang Yumo also showed improvement in her grades. However, her foundation and aptitude were still there, and it was impossible for her to make a drastic improvement and reach the top ten of the class in just one semester. Nevertheless, Jiang Yumo was very satisfied with her progress, and the teacher was also satisfied with her.
With the college entrance examination approaching, the teachers suddenly became more lenient with the students. It seemed they were afraid that some students might buckle under the pressure at this critical moment. So, they didn’t push them to do more practice papers, and even the evening self-study sessions became more relaxed. Boarding students could revise in the classrooms, while non-boarding students could go home directly after school.
After school, the four girls went together to the nearby milk tea shop.
Ning Zhiyu’s relationship with them was getting better and better. They were almost inseparable.
The milk tea shop was quite crowded at this time, mostly with students from High School Five, and some from the first and second grades. The four girls went upstairs and found an empty booth to sit down. The owners were familiar with them and went to attend to other customers first.
Yan Qing opened her school bag and took out a fan. “You know, starting from our batch, they’re going to use two versions of the exam papers, A and B. I see many classmates are anxious, but there’s no use worrying since you can’t predict the questions in the college entrance exam anyway.”
“I’m not worried about that,” Sun Mengting said, resting her chin on her hands and lowering her voice. “I heard it from the third year students last year. During the exam, the security check is very strict. They won’t allow any metal objects on you, or else the detector will beep. Should we go shopping at an underwear store later?”
At first, Jiang Yumo didn’t catch on, but after a moment, she exchanged a glance with Ning Zhiyu, and both of them instinctively covered their chests.
“No way, really??”
“I heard that too. In the previous batch, there was a guy who wore a belt, and he was asked to take it off on the spot,” Yan Qing said. “Well, it’s better to be safe than sorry. We’ve all thought it through. Let’s go shopping later and buy two items without underwires. It’s just two days, after all.”
“Uh… okay,” Jiang Yumo glanced at her phone and remembered something. She warned Yan Qing, “Stop it. Later, when we tell them we’re going shopping at the boutique, you’re not allowed to say those weird things in front of Duan Ye, got it?”
“Hehe,” Yan Qing rubbed her hands together, “I actually want to ask, can I say it?”
“You’re so mischievous!” To prevent Yan Qing from coming up with strange ideas, Jiang Yumo quickly changed the subject and looked at Ning Zhiyu, “By the way, Zhiyu, when I came to find you today, I saw your homeroom teacher talking to you. Was it about being recommended for admission?”
Ning Zhiyu chuckled, “No, it’s not. It’s too late to talk about that now.”
Fifth High does have a recommendation quota, but Ning Zhiyu didn’t like the universities available through it, so she politely declined after discussing with her teacher.
She still wanted to participate in the college entrance examination and get into her ideal university.
“My homeroom teacher told me to study hard,” Ning Zhiyu smiled, looking very happy, “He said our school has adjusted the scholarship this year, and the rewards for the top three students are slightly higher than last year. He also mentioned…”
At this point, she became a little embarrassed.
“Go on, tell us!” The other three urged her.
Ning Zhiyu was afraid of others overhearing, so she leaned in and gestured with her three friends, instantly creating an air of mystery at their table.
“The homeroom teacher said that if I become the top scorer in the city in this college entrance exam, the school will give me an additional generous bonus. He also inquired, and some local industrialists have set up scholarships. And… you know about the celebratory banquet, right? The city’s top scorer gets free meals at certain restaurants every year.”
“Wow! That’s amazing!”
It was the first time the three of them had heard such detailed rewards.
Almost every aspect was taken into consideration.
For the celebratory banquet, many restaurants were eager to foot the bill for the city’s top scorer.
Besides the school scholarship, the local authorities and some industrialists also made arrangements. Even some local travel agencies provided free travel packages for the top scorer in the city.
When Duan Ye and his group arrived, they saw the four girls toasting with four bottles of mineral water, as if they had won a five-million lottery. Yes, with the college entrance exam just days away, their parents had repeatedly warned them to endure and not eat outside food or drink milk tea. If they got a stomach problem and it affected their exam results, it would be too late to regret!
So, even though they came to a milk tea shop, they didn’t order anything. The owner was familiar with them and sent over four bottles of mineral water.
Ning Zhiyu was also influenced by them and blushed, whispering, “If it really happens… when the time comes, I’ll treat everyone to a meal.”
The three boys didn’t know what they were talking about but laughed along with them.
They had some business to attend to, so after chatting for a while, the four of them were ready to leave. Duan Ye called out to Jiang Yumo and said to the other three girls, “Could you wait for a moment? It won’t take long. I need to talk to her about something, at most five minutes.”
“Brother Duan, you’re too polite,” Yan Qing said, with one arm around Sun Mengting and the other around Ning Zhiyu. “We don’t mind waiting at all. Five minutes or even fifty minutes, it’s all fine.”
Jiang Yumo said, “Hey!”
Duan Ye pulled her back behind him and smiled at her three friends. “Five minutes means five minutes. You can time it, and if I exceed even a second, I’ll apologize.”
“How will you apologize?”
“After the college entrance exams, I’ll treat you all to a meal.”
Yan Qing chuckled, “That’s great! We’ll start the timer now!”
Duan Ye turned his head to Jiang Yumo and whispered, “Let’s make the most of this time.”
Jiang Yumo felt a bit nervous now and quickly followed Duan Ye to another corner of the alley. There were hardly any people at the entrance of the alley, just the two of them.
“What’s the matter?” Jiang Yumo asked him.
The weather had already become somewhat hot, and since they had just left an air-conditioned milk tea shop not long ago, she felt a bit sweaty.
Duan Ye took out a piece of paper from his bag and handed her a pen.
She took it, opened it, and looked surprised, “Mock exam score sheet?”
“Yes.”
Jiang Yumo was shaken by the sense of responsibility of Class 10’s homeroom teacher. The final mock exam was essential, but the students’ mindset was even more crucial. Therefore, most teachers wouldn’t be too concerned about the grades at this time, nor would they put pressure on the students to take the report cards home for their parents to sign.
However, their Class 3’s homeroom teacher had a nonchalant attitude towards the mock exam results and said to them, “It’s just an ordinary monthly test, don’t worry too much about it.”
Surprisingly, Class 10’s homeroom teacher also reminded the students to show their report cards to their parents and get them signed.
“Your teacher…” Jiang Yumo pondered for a moment, “is quite persistent.”
Duan Ye chuckled, uncapped his pen, and handed it to her.
Jiang Yumo was already used to it. She took the pen, looked around, and was about to press the report card against the wall to sign it when Duan Ye bent down in front of her and said, “Just sign it on my back.”
“Sure.”
He was tall, so she had to bend down and lower her head to do it.
Jiang Yumo pressed the report card against his back. Strangely, even though there was a piece of paper in between, she felt a warmth coming from his back.
Her eyelashes quivered slightly, she took a deep breath, and gripped the pen again.
Just as she was about to sign Wu Meiyun’s name with a clear mind, he suddenly turned his head slightly and whispered, “Don’t sign my Mom’s name this time.”
When Jiang Yumo snapped out of it, the pen in her hand nearly touching that report card, so she quickly pulled back the pen and curiously, yet surprisingly, asked him, “If not Aunt’s name, then… whose name should I sign?”
—Could it be his biological father’s name?
Although she had only heard him mention his biological father once, she could sense his strong aversion to that paternal relationship.
Duan Ye chuckled.
His laughter carried a warmth that matched the summer day, causing Jiang Yumo’s ears to instantly turn red.
Having known each other for so long, they were very familiar with each other. So much so that sometimes, she could anticipate what he was going to say before he even spoke.
“Is it okay?” blushing, Jiang Yumo asked him.
Duan Ye nodded, “Sure, it’s the last time anyway.”
Jiang Yumo seriously contemplated for a few seconds.
It seemed that his daring proposal had also stimulated her—truly stimulated her. Yes, the last time, this would be her last time signing on Duan Ye’s report card.
Why not?
This was what she wanted to do, right?
With full concentration, she held the pen and wrote a name on his report card—
Jiang Yumo.
After all, she might as well be Duan Ye’s ‘parent’ or, more precisely, perhaps a ‘family member.’
Through the clothes and report cards, Duan Ye can still feel the strength of her signing. He smiles, feeling like he has accomplished something remarkable. Since the first time he asked her to sign for him during their sophomore year, he had wanted to do this, and today he finally did.
As Duan Ye walks out of the alley with Jiang Yumo, her blush has not faded.
Yan Qing wants to whistle, but she doesn’t know how, so she claps her hands instead. “Brother Duan is amazing! Did you time it perfectly for five minutes, not a second more, not a second less!”
Duan Ye’s lips curl up. “Yes, I’ll treat you all to a meal after the college entrance exam.”
“Thank you, Brother Duan!”
The next day, the most important thing for everyone in Fifth High is the upcoming college entrance exam.
Duan Ye takes his report card and leaves the classroom, heading to the teacher’s office.
Class 10’s homeroom teacher is busy arranging the entrance exam admission tickets. He is surprised to see Duan Ye coming and, when Duan Ye hands over his report card, he pauses for a moment, then smiles and says, “This time, there’s no need for a signature, and it’s not an important exam.”
While speaking, he takes the report card, intending to glance at it casually. However, when he sees the signature on it, he genuinely smiles and laughs, “Well done, Duan Ye. Even at this time, you haven’t forgotten to challenge the teacher.”
Duan Ye also laughs, “It’s not a challenge.”
Indeed, it’s not a challenge, and Class 10’s homeroom teacher is well aware of that. He carefully folds the report card and puts it in the drawer. “Duan Ye, Teacher might not remember the students with the best grades ten years from now, but I will definitely remember you. When you get married in the future, don’t forget to send a message to Teacher.”
Duan Ye was startled and respectfully bowed to the teacher, saying, “Thank you, Teacher.”
The homeroom teacher put down what he was holding and walked up to him, sighing, “You grew up eating good stuff, you’re so tall.”
Duan Ye was 185 centimeters tall, while the homeroom teacher was only 170 centimeters.
The homeroom teacher patted his shoulder, cheerfully saying, “No matter what career you pursue in the future, always stay down-to-earth. There are very few people who achieve great success and fame in this world. As long as you can live up to yourself and those around you, that’s enough. A bigger goal would be to live a happy life. Remember, as long as you stay on the right path, every road can be fulfilling.”
Duan Ye nodded, accepting the advice, “I will remember that.”
After Duan Ye left, another relatively new intern teacher asked the homeroom teacher curiously, “Do you really think they will get married? Aren’t they too young?”
Class 10’s homeroom teacher had a profound and enigmatic look on his face and replied, “When I was young, I studied some metaphysics and understood a bit. Haha, I’m not kidding with you. As for other things, I’m not sure, but after three years with Duan Ye in my class, how could I not see what kind of person he is? As for whether they will get married or not, that’s indeed far into the future. But as teachers, apart from teaching, we also have to make these children believe that there are many good things waiting for them in the future.”
Aww 🥺