"Are you blaming me?" Xu Aiqin was not pleased. "How could I have known she was so capable? Besides, with her personality, even if we treat her well, does she know how to reciprocate? So many things have happened at home, one after another. Did she lift a finger to help?"
"Stop arguing, both of you!" Lu Muyao had had enough. Her parents kept bickering in front of her, making her feel annoyed and confused.
Only now did Xu Aiqin notice her daughter's mood and softened her tone. "Muyao, don't take today's events to heart. Scoring 601 in the college entrance exam is already impressive! Your dad and I are proud of you!"
Lu Muyao felt extremely dissatisfied. That idiot managed to become the top scorer in the college entrance exam, and here she was, only scoring 601! It was embarrassing!
"I'll go upstairs first!" At this moment, Lu Muyao just wanted to change her clothes quickly. Earlier, she had mistakenly thought that the prestigious university's teachers were looking for her and had dressed very extravagantly. Now, it seemed like a joke!
At the Bi'an Lake Villa,
Li Yusha descended the stairs in a flowing nightgown, holding a tablet in her hand. She asked gently, "Zhang Ma, can you check what's wrong with the internet? Why do we suddenly have no connection at home?"
The Wi-Fi couldn't connect, and the 4G wasn't working either. It was precisely the moment to check the exam results.
"Don't worry, Miss Yusha. I'll go and find out what's going on right away," Zhang Ma replied.
Zhang Ma knew that today was the day to check the college entrance exam results. Could it be that Qing Yan's results were poor, and someone intentionally sabotaged the network to avoid comparing her scores with Miss Yusha's?
With this thought, Zhang Ma hastened her pace, eager to see Qing Yan's embarrassment.
Not long after, Zhang Ma returned to the living room looking as if she had seen a ghost. She rushed back with one of her slippers flying off and an extremely excited smile on her face. "Miss Yusha, the Master received news that admissions officers and professors from over a dozen prestigious universities are on their way. Rumor has it that the top scorer is here at our Bi'an Lake Villa!"
She paused to catch her breath and continued with excitement, "Some professors from other top universities are also hurrying here using various means of transportation! In the entire villa, only you and Miss Qing Yan are in the third year of high school!"
Li Yusha's face lit up upon hearing this. Did this mean that she had a good chance of being the top scorer?
A maid nearby couldn't help but say, "Could the top scorer be Miss Yusha? She has always been excellent in her studies! She even got first place in the last mock exam!"
"Miss Qing Yan attends an ordinary high school, so even if her grades are usually good, it's difficult to become the top scorer, right?"
"I think the possibility of Miss Yusha being the top scorer is higher."
"I feel the same way."
"Whoever it is, let's freshen up and change into appropriate clothes first. I heard that some teachers, who are quite punctual, will be arriving at the lakeside villa soon!" Li Yusha had a faint feeling that she might be the top scorer, but she didn't want to show it too clearly. Suppressing her excitement, she asked, "Where are Mom and Dad?"
"They went to the hospital early to deliver medicine to the elderly gentleman and lady. They are on their way here now," Zhang Ma replied.
"Then I'll go change my clothes first."
After Li Yusha went upstairs, Lan Auntie became anxious and went to Qing Yan's room, feeling torn.
Qing Yan had stayed up all night working on her design drafts and had also spent a long time preparing the antidote. She had just laid down to rest.
Not long ago, she had told Lan Auntie not to wake her up or call her for lunch. She had a very bad temper when she didn't get enough sleep.
Lan Auntie hesitated at the door for a while before finally sighing and going back downstairs, unwilling to disturb Miss Qing Yan.
When Li Yusha came downstairs in her new clothes, Zhang Ma smiled and praised, "Miss Yusha looks stunning! That grace, those features, no one in this world can compare!"
The other maids around thought of Miss Qing Yan's extraordinary beauty, acknowledging that she surpassed Yusha in that aspect, but they didn't want to dampen the mood or cause any conflict.
After all, Yusha was also quite good looking...
"Congratulations, Miss Yusha! You must be the top scorer!" someone laughed and asked, "Have you decided on a major yet?"
Li Yusha modestly replied, "I'm not sure if it's me yet. What if it's my sister..."
"Miss Yusha, your results are evident to all. It must be you!" Zhang Ma said confidently with a smile. "You are the one I've raised. Who else could it be?"
Just then, one of the maids exclaimed with excitement, "The internet is working! Miss Yusha, the internet is back! You can check your results now!!"
Li Yusha quickly grabbed the tablet from the sofa and entered the familiar examination number and ID.
A group of servants surrounded her, chattering non-stop.
"Why isn't the webpage loading?"
"Is it because too many people are checking their results, and the system can't handle it?"
"I'm so nervous, even more than when I checked my own college entrance exam results..."
"Miss Yusha's score must be very high..."
The page was taking a long time to display the results, and one of the maids comforted gently, "Regardless, Miss Yusha is undoubtedly the top scorer. No doubt about it! Everyone, don't worry; the system just needs some time to buffer."
"Congratulations in advance to Miss Yusha! You've given the Master and Madam face!"
"Congratulations, Miss Yusha..."
"Miss Yusha, congratulations!"
Li Yusha knew that the top scorer must be herself, but she still waited for the official confirmation, keeping her eyes fixed on the page without looking away. With a gentle demeanor, she said, "Don't congratulate me too soon, what if it's not me..."
"It's definitely you!" Zhang Ma retorted with a smug tone. "We have two college entrance exam takers in our family. If one becomes the top scorer and the other fails miserably, the difference would be too significant! If I fail, I'll dig a hole in the garden and bury myself. I'd rather die than live in such disgrace."
Everyone present understood that Zhang Ma was mocking Miss Qing Yan, but due to Zhang Ma's high status, no one dared to speak up.
Only Aunt Lan stepped forward, expressing her disapproval. "Zhang Ma, the scores haven't been announced yet. We don't know who the top scorer is."
"Hmph, once it's out, someone's face will be burning with shame!" Zhang Ma sneered, looking at Aunt Lan. "I wonder what benefits Miss Qing Yan has given you privately for you to rush to her defense like this. How about a bet? Dare to gamble?"
Aunt Lan felt a bit angry and puzzled. "What do you want to bet on?"
"Let's bet on all the household chores, up and down in this family! If anyone guesses wrong, the rest of us won't have to do any chores, and everything will be handed over to that person to do alone! Let's bet on today's result, what do you say?"
"Deal!" Aunt Lan felt she couldn't back down. No matter what, she couldn't let Qing Yan be insulted and looked down upon by Zhang Ma.
Just then, someone excitedly shouted, "It's out, it's out! Miss Yusha's scores are out!"
They huddled closer together!