Chapter 69: The Seasonal Exam Results

Another period of time passed, bringing the day of the school’s closing ceremony.

“Little one, are you confident about this seasonal exam?”

Hua Yan strolled towards the academy, holding the pink-haired girl’s hand, a radiant smile gracing her lips. She had posed the same question on the day of the exam a few days prior.

Back then, Hua Xiangrong had been brimming with confidence, patting her small chest as she guaranteed a top spot.

In the following days, Hua Yan had been overjoyed. Not only did she boast to every parent she knew, but she also bought her little girl many new toys.

On the day the seasonal exam concluded, she even specially prepared a grand meal for Hua Xiangrong with Yun Xueshang.

“Hmm… it was… it wasn’t bad…”

Hua Xiangrong’s gaze darted around nervously.

?

This starkly different attitude from a few days ago stirred a flicker of doubt in Hua Yan’s heart.

‘Why does Rongrong look exactly like I did when I told Grandmother I’d done well, just before my seasonal exam results came out?’

She vaguely sensed that something was amiss.

‘Perhaps I’m overthinking it. Didn’t the master praise Xue Shang and me for teaching Rongrong well that day?’

She comforted herself mentally.

Of course, the credit for teaching Rongrong well was mostly not her own, but rather that of the ‘Yun Xueshang’ from another world.

‘Who knows how *she* from that other world would react upon discovering Rongrong missing… She must love Rongrong dearly; she would surely be heartbroken for a long time…’

The thought of the Yun Xueshang from another world possibly weeping sorrowfully over her lost child made Hua Yan’s heart clench suddenly. Her grip on Hua Xiangrong’s hand tightened involuntarily.

She turned her head to look beside her—this world’s Yun Xueshang was holding Hua Xiangrong’s other hand.

“Yan’er, what’s wrong?” Yun Xueshang asked softly, noticing her gaze.

“Nothing, I just wanted to look at you.”

That inexplicable pang of unease caused Hua Yan to blurt out something she would never usually say proactively.

Yun Xueshang paused slightly, gazing at the tenderness and concern in the red-haired girl’s eyes.

“Mm.”

“I say, if you two want to show affection, go do it at home. Can you not block the entrance?”

A cold, detached voice suddenly broke the silence. The group turned to see Ji Ling, clad in black robes, standing there with Ning Sixteen, whose rabbit ears drooped, a restless expression on her face.

“Our apologies, Elder Ji.” Yun Xueshang was still the first to back down, stepping aside to clear the path.

Ji Ling strode into the academy. Ning Sixteen cast a quick glance at her, then turned back to Hua Yan and Hua Xiangrong, mouthing a silent ‘sorry’ before hurrying after Ji Ling.

“Let’s go in too.”

Hua Yan watched their retreating figures disappear, then turned to speak.

“Mm.”

The family of three strolled into the academy. Passing through a subtle spatial ripple, they appeared within a spacious hall. Inside, sixty desks and numerous meditation cushions were neatly arranged, precisely the size for one class.

The Carefree Sword Sect’s academy, much like Hua Yan’s flying boat, naturally contained its own hidden dimensions.

“All students and parents, please take your seats.”

Many parents and children had already arrived in the hall. The academy’s old master stood at the front podium, holding a talisman from which clear, steady instructions emanated.

Hua Xiangrong led Hua Yan and Yun Xueshang through the crowd to her desk. And then they saw it—

Ji Ling, her face grim, sitting directly behind the adjacent desk.

This was, in fact, inevitable; Hua Xiangrong and Ning Sixteen had always been good friends and desk mates.

“Tsk.”

Ji Ling glanced at Yun Xueshang, who took the meditation cushion from Hua Yan and squeezed onto the same desk as Hua Yan and Hua Xiangrong. She let out a soft scoff, then said no more.

Once everyone had settled, the old master, estimating that the time had come, put away his talisman and cleared his throat.

“Cough, cough, all parents and students gathered here, it is truly a splendid assembly…”

A drowsy, meandering speech slowly drifted through the hall. Hua Xiangrong, below the stage, almost suspected this master was her former principal reincarnated—even the speaking style was identical, just delivered in classical Chinese.

Hua Yan on her left yawned repeatedly, yet Yun Xueshang on her right sat perfectly straight, listening intently, truly the picture of a model student.

“Next, this old man shall announce the results of this seasonal exam…”

Here it comes!

Hua Yan, who had been on the verge of dozing off, instantly perked up, sitting upright as she looked towards the stage with anticipation.

‘Rongrong said she’d get first place! My daughter is so promising; I must listen carefully!’

Hua Yan, who had never received any honors or praise in literary subjects, beamed with delight. It was as if she, not her daughter, was about to step onto the stage to receive an award, her back unconsciously straightening a few inches.

Yun Xueshang, observing her excitement, blinked softly.

*Blink.*

“First place—”

‘Mmm, mmm!’

Hua Yan’s lips curved high, filled with expectation.

“Luo Qiu! One hundred points!”

‘Huh?’

‘Who is that?’

Hua Yan’s smile instantly froze. From the crowd, a burly man laughed heartily, ascended the stage to receive the exam paper from the master, and cupped his hands in greeting to the familiar parents offering congratulations. A tall, slender boy followed beside him.

“Second place—” the old master continued to announce.

‘Forget it, even if she didn’t perform well, second place isn’t bad.’

Hua Yan consoled herself mentally, simultaneously casting a comforting glance at Hua Xiangrong.

For some reason, the pink-haired little girl seemed not to notice her gaze, her eyes drifting towards Yun Xueshang instead.

“—Ning Sixteen! Ninety-nine points!”

Ji Ling, at her side, rose and went up to receive the exam paper, nodding faintly to the congratulating parents around. On her usually gloomy face, a subtle, uncontrollable smile actually tugged at the corners of her lips.

She shot a glance at Hua Yan, who was now utterly stiff. For some reason, Hua Yan distinctly read a hint of smugness in those sharp eyes.

“Third place—” the old master continued calling names.

‘Oh well, third place is also quite good.’

“—Li Dong! Ninety-eight points!”

A genial middle-aged man, holding a folding fan, covered his lips with it and ascended the stage with a smile to receive the exam paper, profusely thanking those around him. A quiet boy followed beside him.

“Fourth place—”

‘Actually, top five is pretty good!’

“—Zhang Meimei! Ninety-six points!”

A middle-aged man in brocade robes rose and steadily walked onto the stage.

“Sixth place—”

‘Top ten, top ten is great!’

“Eleventh place—”

‘Top twenty isn’t bad either!’

“Fifty-first place—”

Hua Xiangrong felt Hua Yan’s expression growing increasingly grim beside her. She was trembling uncontrollably, on the verge of tears.

“099! If you had helped me cheat, would I have scored like this?!”

[Host, cheating is not advisable. The system cannot provide assistance in such matters.] The voice quickly echoed in her mind.

“Then you should have said so earlier! If I’d known, I wouldn’t have boasted to Mother and Mommy!”

‘Wuwuwu…’

‘Looking at Mother’s face, my dinner tonight will definitely be ‘stir-fried pork with stick’…’

[Host, I thought you would have anticipated your results, having read Yuri novels and comics for almost half a semester during class.] The system replied faintly.

“I thought I could rely on you! Who knew you were so unreliable! How would I know all these classical phrases and cultivation world knowledge?!”

Hua Xiangrong truly found it hard to explain. She had originally thought that with the system’s help, getting a perfect score would be effortless, which was why she had boasted to Hua Yan and Yun Xueshang earlier about getting first place.

Who knew that on the day of the exam, the system refused to help no matter what. This left her, a top student in performing arts in her previous life, staring blankly at pages filled with classical Chinese and cultivation world knowledge.

Only the math section could she ensure a perfect score; the rest was mostly guesswork, even leaving large sections blank.

“Fifty-seventh place—Hua Xiangrong! Thirty-two points!”

The moment her ranking was announced, a slender hand gripped Hua Xiangrong’s shoulder. She stiffly turned her head, meeting Hua Yan’s face, which held a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Rongrong~”

The red-haired girl’s voice was sickeningly sweet.

“Is *this* what you told me… first place? Hmm?”

“Um… Mother… let me explain…”

Hua Xiangrong forced a smile, attempting to struggle.

“Don’t give me that! I used all those excuses myself back in the day! We’ll settle this properly when we get back!”

“Ying…”

Yun Xueshang went up to receive the exam paper, then walked back. She looked at the exasperated and embarrassed Hua Yan, then at the pink-haired girl, who was shrinking her head and looking pitiful, and blinked.

‘It seems… what Yan’er said earlier wasn’t quite right?’

‘Rongrong’s score… is more like my own when I was little?’

***

That night, on Sleeping Cloud Peak.

“I’ll teach you for lying! For bragging! For scoring terribly! For not paying attention in class!”

Hua Xiangrong’s muffled sobs, accompanied by the crisp sound of a bamboo switch, drifted leisurely across the entire peak.