Two days later, the results of the surprise exam were released.
This exam held a special purpose for Yuying School. This semester, they were to partner with Shangjing International Middle School, a prestigious institution for the elite, and the two schools were using this test to gauge the gap between their students. Consequently, both schools had taken the exact same set of papers.
The exam was exceptionally difficult, especially the three core subjects, where those scoring above 100 were few and far between.
Yet, one particular class unexpectedly produced two students with remarkably high scores: Class 5 of the second year.
These two students stood far ahead of the rest of the grade level: Qu Youyang and Li Luo.
The teachers were already well aware of Qu Youyang’s academic prowess. Having transferred from Shangjing, he had consistently maintained his rank as the top student in the grade. This time, however, his top position had finally been usurped.
Although the teachers knew Li Luo was excellent, they had not expected her to be so astonishingly brilliant.
Aside from missing a perfect score in English by only two points, she had achieved full marks in every other subject—and this, knowing she had handed in her papers in less than half an hour.
The entire faculty was stunned. Old Wu, the homeroom teacher, was so excited he was practically dancing. His usual composed and reserved demeanor had vanished, replaced by a gait that saw him practically skipping with every step, as if he might take flight at any moment.
Old Wu stood on the podium, his face flushed with excitement as he looked out at the students below. At that moment, he felt like a master judge of talent, his eyes burning as he scanned the group of thoroughbreds before him.
"I will now announce the exam results," Old Wu said, his voice trembling.
The students below felt that Old Wu was acting quite abnormally today; usually, such behavior was the prelude to one of his outbursts.
"What’s wrong with him? Maybe we did so poorly that he’s about to lose his temper."
"I bet it’s because of Li Luo. She handed in her paper in less than half an hour; she must have turned in a blank sheet and embarrassed Old Wu in front of the other teachers."
Old Wu cleared his throat. "Students, your exam performance is as abysmal as ever."
A chorus of groans rose from the room as the students braced for the impending storm.
"However," Old Wu continued, his tone suddenly impassioned, "there are two students who, single-handedly, pulled up the class average. Our class ranked second in the grade for this exam, second only to the honors class! These two students are Qu Youyang and Li Luo, who have placed first and second in the entire grade, respectively."
"Wow, Li Luo just got here and she’s already second in the grade? Her grades are too good, especially given her age."
"Qu Youyang is still first. It seems no one can break the curse and force him into second place."
The students whispered among themselves.
Old Wu glared from the podium before beaming with joy. "The top student in the entire grade this time is Li Luo!"
"And aside from English, she got full marks in every single subject!"
"Is she even human?" Xu Jiaojiao wailed. "I told you, she’s from another planet."
"Li Luo is still a little behind in English, though. Qu Youyang gets full marks on every English test."
Li Miao poked Li Luo and whispered, "I didn't realize you were so capable. I never even see you studying at home. Why didn't you get full marks in English?"
Li Luo looked indifferent. "I don't like English, so I deliberately got one question wrong."
Li Miao pouted, squinting at her as she muttered, "Comparing yourself to others will just be the death of you."
When she looked up again, Old Wu’s lecture was drawing to a close. Li Miao only caught the final sentence: "We will form pairs through a drawing of lots.""What did he say? What do you mean by free pairing?" Li Miao asked, looking completely bewildered.
"We’re pairing up with Shangjing International School. They’re drawing lots across four grades, from the second year of middle school to the second year of high school," Li Luo replied. Even though she had been talking to Li Miao the entire time, she hadn't missed a word the teacher said. Was this the difference between a genius and an ordinary person?
The entire class instantly shook off the gloom of their exam results, throwing themselves into a heated anticipation of their new pen pals.
Someone immediately rattled off the names of the top three campus beauties and heartthrobs from Shangjing International Middle School.
Among the campus beauties, first place was Luo Xue from the second year of high school, second place was Jiang Dina from the first year of high school, and third place was Li Qian from the third year of middle school.
Hearing that name, Li Luo’s mind went blank, as if an explosion had gone off inside her head. A flash of intense hatred flickered across her eyes; she hadn't expected them to be in Shangjing City.
Li Luo steadied herself, continuing to listen to the others’ chatter.
The campus heartthrobs were led by Shen Nanchu in first place (second year of high school), followed by Zhang Zicheng in second (second year of high school), and Ye Luo in third (third year of middle school).
"How wonderful. Both of them are in the same place. That saves me from having to look for them everywhere," Li Luo muttered, her head bowed as she clenched her fists tightly, suppressing the hatred that threatened to spill over.
In her previous life, she had met Zhang Zicheng when he was already in university. He had been visiting the city when he encountered sixteen-year-old Li Luo and was immediately captivated by her striking beauty. He launched a frantic pursuit; initially, Li Luo hadn't paid him any mind. Back then, she had been trafficked and was doing the most menial of jobs, feeling unworthy of someone as accomplished as Zhang Zicheng. Later, worn down by his relentless romantic offensive, the girl who had never known warmth finally fell—and she fell completely.After learning about Li Luo's background, Zhang Zicheng had brainwashed her every day. This caused Li Luo, who had already begun to develop genuine affection for her adoptive parents, to start resenting and hating them once more. She came to view Zhang Zicheng as her absolute and only support in the world, even harboring the delusional dream of marrying him. On one occasion, when Zhang Zicheng attempted to take their relationship a step further, Li Luo refused him, still clinging to her last shred of boundaries. Yet ever since that day, Zhang Zicheng gradually began to distance himself from her, and after returning to university, he stopped writing to her altogether. She had no idea what she had done wrong; but in this lifetime, Li Luo finally understood that it had all been intentional—a deliberate game of playing hard to get designed to hook her in.
Later on, Li Luo saved up two months' worth of wages and traveled to the university where Zhang Zicheng was studying, bringing gifts along with her. It was on that trip that Li Luo finally surrendered herself entirely to that scoundrel. They spent a full week dallying together in a hotel near the campus. Only after his classmates called him countless times did he finally leave the hotel with a sense of satisfaction, promising before he left that he would surely marry her.
Li Luo returned to that small town wrapped in sweet, beautiful illusions, calling him every few days to ask when he would come to fetch her. One time, over the phone, she actually heard the voice of an unfamiliar woman—a voice that sounded lovely, delicate and soft. When Li Luo asked who it was, he grew somewhat flustered, and then impatiently replied that she was his cousin. He went on to accuse Li Luo of prying into his privacy and restricting his freedom, saying that he loathed people like that the most. Panicked, Li Luo immediately apologized to him, promising never to ask again. From then on, Zhang Zicheng gradually began to find fault with her, claiming that his parents looked down on Li Luo for her poor family background and humble job.
Then, out of the blue, Zhang Zicheng came to see her. After a few days of frenzied intimacy, he told her that he had found her a high-paying job, and that once she worked there for two years and saved enough money, they could get married. Ecstatic, Li Luo agreed without a second thought. That was how Li Luo's journey into hell began—a journey from which she never returned.