The teacher entered the room holding two exam papers. The students were eager and restless.
"Looks like someone is about to be kicked out," someone whispered.
"Hahaha, we’re about to see a good show."
Chu Yunyun glanced in Li Jiu’s direction and offered a provocative smile. Competing with her? What a delusional fool. She was the young lady of the Chu Family now; what did Li Jiu have? A background from the slums? It was absolutely laughable.
As the teacher unfolded the exam papers, Chu Yunyun suddenly stood up. "I think this is a very serious matter. If the school suddenly expels a student, it will surely cause public outcry. Why don’t we... gather the whole school to see the scores together?"
Once Chu Yunyun spoke, everyone agreed.
"Good idea! That way, no one can try to wiggle out of it!"
"The Chu Family’s young lady is certainly quick-witted. Let’s call the whole school to watch the spectacle!"
The school was full of gossip-mongers, so as soon as word spread that the scores would be announced publicly, everyone gathered. In a meeting hall spanning several hundred square meters, the teacher stood solemnly behind a table placed on the stage.
Li Jiu remained perfectly calm.
When the teacher saw the score on the paper, the expression on his face froze.
"It’s definitely a zero again!"
"The teacher is too embarrassed to even read it out loud. How humiliating!"
Chu Yunyun raised an eyebrow, adopting a condescending posture. "Li Jiu, maybe you should just leave on your own. Once the teacher announces your score, you’ll be completely disgraced."
"Is that so?" Li Jiu smiled faintly. "What gives you the right to speak to me like that, Miss Chu?"
Li Jiu spoke in a relaxed tone, deliberately emphasizing the title at the end.
"I’m doing this for your own good!" Chu Yunyun frowned.
"Then listen carefully to what comes next..." Before Li Jiu could finish her sentence, the teacher shouted in excitement: "710 points... it’s actually a perfect score!"
"What? A perfect score? That’s impossible..."
"How could it be a perfect score?!"
The room erupted instantly. Even the highest score in their entrance exams had only been 630; how could anyone get a perfect score?
"No, she must have cheated." In her panic, Chu Yunyun forgot the occasion and blurted it out.
"That’s right, she must have cheated," those around her echoed.
Duan Qili’s eyes darkened, and he instinctively looked at the girl who remained so composed. He knew the difficulty of this exam; even college students would find it hard to solve. Yet, she had managed a perfect score. As he suspected, her "innocence" was all just a facade.
Li Jiu said nothing. She knew someone would speak up for her. Sure enough, the next second, the principal rushed in.
"Quiet, all of you!" the principal’s voice trembled. Through the crowd, he spotted Li Jiu, and his legs went weak; he nearly dropped to his knees. Fortunately, Li Jiu reacted quickly, using a single glance to urge him to steady himself.
"These test questions were jointly developed by several professors. The final problem was an unsolved riddle from the past, and to my surprise... student Li Jiu actually solved it," the principal said, pausing to catch his breath and take a drink of water before he could finish the sentence.
The students were stunned to hear the principal speak this way. They had been at this school for a long time and had never even seen the principal. Those who understood the school’s history knew that the principal was mysterious, held a special status, and rarely appeared in public. For him to personally clarify Li Jiu’s results meant everything.
"The score is absolutely authentic because... it is impossible to cheat," the principal stated, each word resonant and clear.
Impossible to cheat. That was the weight of Li Jiu’s achievement. If even the professors didn't know how to solve the problem, who could Li Jiu have cheated from?
Duan Qili’s pupils constricted. He had guessed that Li Jiu wasn't as harmless as she appeared, but he never expected her to be on par with his own level. The corners of his lips curled into a smile as he narrowed his eyes at Li Jiu. This time, it was admiration. A very impressive young lady.
Li Jiu stood there, looking out over the crowd, shining in her ordinary school uniform.
"The principal is personally vouching for her... it must be true." Everyone looked on in shock. They hadn't expected the "country bumpkin" who started with a zero to be a hidden genius.
"Student Li Jiu, welcome to our school," the principal said, walking over to shake her hand.
Li Jiu remained reserved. "Thank you for clearing my name, Principal."
The principal was inwardly thrilled. This young girl was incredibly intelligent. Now that she had joined his academy, he would certainly look after her in the future.
Li Jiu noticed a gaze fixed on her and raised an eyebrow. "Principal, there was another student who took the exam with me. What was his score...?"
Duan Qili: ...
"Ah, Student Duan..." The principal cleared his throat, but eventually said it: "The same as last time, thirty points."
Li Jiu’s eyes narrowed slightly. If she wasn't mistaken, Duan Qili had only answered the final problem, and that problem was worth exactly thirty points. In other words... it seemed he was also playing the "fox in sheep's clothing" game.
Li Jiu nodded. "Impressive."
"Brother Li, is that little bumpkin mocking you?" Jiang Zhi chimed in, gloating.
Duan Qili glanced at Jiang Zhi, who immediately fell silent. He hadn't realized Brother Li’s gaze could be so terrifying.
"This... how is this possible?" Chu Yunyun stared in disbelief. She had clearly heard that Li Jiu’s grades were terrible, and the results hadn't even been made public before. She couldn't understand why the principal would come out to verify them now.
Seeing the results announced and the crowd beginning to disperse, Li Jiu spoke, her voice not loud, but carrying enough weight to make everyone instinctively pause.
"I remember we have a wager..." Li Jiu’s lips curled upward.
At the mention of the wager, the students in the class instinctively lowered their heads.
"Damn it, that bumpkin actually remembers!"
"She really thinks she's something."
"Now... please honor our agreement and crawl around the playground once," Li Jiu said, blinking innocently as she repeated the terms of their original pact.
"Principal, look! Li Jiu is forcing us to do this, you must stand up for us!"
"Yes, yes, this Li Jiu is not being a team player; she needs to be taught a lesson."
The principal coughed, then spoke: "This was a private wager you made amongst yourselves. I have no authority to interfere. You can continue your game; I’ll be going now." Having said that, the principal ran off with surprising speed.
Li Jiu raised an eyebrow. "Are you planning to go back on your word?"
Duan Qili slammed a chair onto the ground, shattering it instantly. Everyone took a step back in fear.
"I hate people who don't keep their promises the most. Anyone who backs out will meet the same fate as this chair," Duan Qili said, flexing his wrists nonchalantly.
Everyone swallowed hard. They knew Duan Qili’s nature; he was never one to joke about things like this.