In the living room of the Qing family.
Qin nervously keyed in the examination ID number. Her hands were trembling.
Qing Cheng waited beside her, smiling. "Don't be nervous. Mianmian went there only as practice."
Despite saying this, his gaze was still firmly stuck on the iPad screen.
Ding Xian sneered. "It's impossible for her to get a good ranking anyway. I don't know what you're nervous about. That's true, though. Scoring too low would be a disgrace..."
In the next instant, Qin shouted, "295! My Mianmian is truly too smart!"
Qing Cheng was also stunned. "What?"
Ding Xian was surprised. "How can it be that high? You must have seen wrongly!"
Qing Cheng took the iPad to look for himself and was also astonished. "It really is 295 marks!"
Ding Xian frowned. She took a step forward, still distrusting them. When she saw the marks displayed, her jaw tensed up. "How can it be... This should be impossible..."
At school, the forum opinions had taken a one-eighty.
Curve wrecker image established! I have knelt!
Study God, do you still need a thigh accessory?
Amid the praises, a differing voice appeared.
"Who knows if this result is real? Even a broken clock is right twice a day."
Alas, Qing Mian had repeatedly used her results to win over the crowd. Hence, the moment this comment was out, it was instantly responded to with ire. After five minutes, the comment was silently removed by the original poster.
This person just loves to suck up to Qing Qin and Lu Rui. I wonder who this account belongs to? Totally disgusting!"
She was about to enter the Mathematics Olympiad class when someone nearby scooted over. "Qing Mian, did you really score 295 marks?"
Qing Mian nodded.
That person extended a hand. "Study God, may I shake hands with you? Please let me get some luck for today's Physics mini-test!"
Qing Mian slowly turned to look at the other party and raised her hand, and the person quickly shook her hand and released it.
Qing Qin walked in and coincidentally witnessed the scene. She balled up her fists in ire. She sat directly in front of her and smiled, saying, "Sister, did you know? City H University just gave Lu Rui a call, saying that if he wants to be admitted to their school, he can enjoy a lower cut-off of thirty marks. Did they offer that to you?"
Qing Mian peered at her. "...No."
The other instantly raised her chin. "It's likely because you didn't take part in the Mathematical Olympiad in Junior Year and so the admissions office doesn't have much impression of you. They don't actually place much importance on someone who scores well only once."
Qing Mian: "..."
Mr. Ling had called up her paper from the system today and realized that the 5 marks deducted were all working marks. The things she learned by herself were unstructured and, hence, she had left out two equations that could have scored her points. Mr. Ling had said that she had to do more questions to solve this tough problem!
In the International School, other than the two experimental classes, the majority of the population had plans to study overseas. Hence, little importance was placed on academic competitions.
In Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry competitions, they were always ranked below First High and Third High. However, with the dark horse-win this year, Mr. Ling was given huge praise by the headmaster. Even his steps had become light.
When Qing Qin, Qing Ziqi and Qing Mian returned home, the sky was already dark.
It was almost the end of summer. Hence, there was a teeny bit of coolness amid the humidity.
The moment they entered the house, Qing Qin made a beeline for the stairs and shut herself in her room.
Qing Mian totally ignored her and returned to her own room to study.
Qing Ziqi walked to his room nonchalantly.
Inside the exquisitely-renovated room, the purple curtain swayed.
Qing Qin lay flat on the bed and held her phone as she cried. "...It's fine if only her math is average! What should I do? All the limelight is stolen by her. Dad, I'm going to be angered to death! Wu wu wu..."
A capable male voice was heard from the phone. "Qinqin, you're thinking of it wrongly."
Qing Qin paused and stood up as she cleaned her tears and mucus with the tissue paper on the desk. She turned on the phone's speaker mode as her father rationally analyzed, "Qinqin, do you know what the difference is between international schools and normal schools?"
Qing Qin threw the mucus-soaked tissue paper into the bin and replied with a nasal voice, "Don't know."
"You guys have won on the starting line. Most of the students in international schools are going overseas. Other than studying, you guys are going to school to open your horizons, expand your connections, and nurture your capabilities. She is a country bumpkin and has received an examination-oriented education since she was young. She wants to use knowledge to change her life. Aren't you inviting humiliation by trying to compete with her in studies?
"A person's inner qualities and sophistication don't simply depend on studies. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"
She was suddenly enlightened. "Dad, I got it! No matter how good she is in her studies, she's merely a nerd while I'm the daughter of an eminent family and I even want to enter the entertainment industry. Why should I compete with her in studies? My piano, dance, and art are the best!"
The other party reminded her, "The most important thing is self-cultivation. If you keep getting angry so easily, it'd be embarrassing."
Qing Qin reignited her fighting spirit. "I got it. Dad, now that she is in the apple of everyone's eyes, I'm no longer as well-to-do as before."
The Qing family had a rule. Children who were in high school could only get a hundred thousand yuan as pocket money every month. Back then, however, when she was the only girl, Qing Qin only needed to act cutesy and she would get more. Now that Qin was prioritizing fairness, she was receiving the same treatment as that country bumpkin. That won't do!
Upon hearing her words, her father said gently, "I'll give your uncle a call."
Qing Qin's eyes brightened up. Her father was going to take action!
She happily hung up the call.
On the other end.
Ding Xian was getting into a half in her room. A mere country bumpkin and everyone is treating her like a treasure!
Just as she was feeling vexed, her phone rang. Looking at the Caller ID, she hurriedly picked up. "Hubby, when are you coming back?"
Qing Ming smiled. "I'll be back next week. I'm trying to get you a present so I'm bothering you for a while."