Once Cheng Yi officially accepted the case, the relevant staff at the research institute promptly began contacting Qin Chuan and the hospital where his mother was being treated. At that moment, Qin Chuan was seated on a bus, just leaving the research institute, when his phone rang. He was taken aback and stared at the screen for a moment before answering.
"Mr. Qin, are you there?" a voice on the other end inquired.
"Yes, I'm here. Please go ahead," Qin Chuan replied, his tone revealing a mix of surprise and excitement.
"We need to arrange for your mother to be transferred to our research institute. Please expedite the process for the transfer and any related surgical procedures."
"Okay, understood."
"Do you have any questions, Mr. Qin? If not, we will discuss the transfer details when we're ready to admit your mother."
"Can I ask one question?"
"Of course, please ask."
"Why has the institute suddenly agreed to take my mother's case?"
"I apologize, Mr. Qin, but I am only responsible for contacting you. The decision to take on your mother's case was made by our research personnel, and I'm not privy to the reasoning behind it."
"I see. Thank you," Qin Chuan replied, somewhat confused. He hung up, still perplexed as to why the institute had suddenly accepted his mother's case.
As he pondered this question, an image of Jian Yiling at the entrance of the research institute flashed through his mind. However, he couldn't connect the dots on how it related to the current situation. The Hui Ling Research Institute was not known for bending its policies for any corporation, not even for prominent families like the Jian family. If that were the case, how could someone like Jian Yiling possibly influence the institute's decision?
---
Monday arrived, and Jian Yiling attended school as usual. Upon entering the classroom, she noticed Hu Jiao Jiao looking visibly anxious.
"Yiling, this is bad, really bad! The monthly exam results are coming out today!" Hu Jiao Jiao exclaimed, her expression a mix of dread and despair.
Before the results were released, Hu Jiao Jiao could still deceive herself with false hope. However, now that the moment was here, she had no choice but to face reality. One by one, the exam papers were distributed.
As Hu Jiao Jiao glanced at her scores, each red mark seemed to stab at her heart. "The cold wind blows, the snowflakes dance; my heart, it feels so weary," she lamented, burying her face on the desk.
After a moment of despair, she managed to pull herself together and sneak a glance at Jian Yiling's paper.
Mathematics: 90 (out of 150).
English: 90 (out of 150).
Physics: 72 (out of 120).
Chemistry: 60 (out of 100).
…
Each score was exactly at the passing mark—no more, no less. Jian Yiling had perfectly met the passing standards!
Hu Jiao Jiao was both astonished and envious. "Yiling, which deity did you pray to before the exam? How did you manage to scrape by in every subject?" she exclaimed, still in disbelief.
She remembered telling Jian Yiling before the exams that they should work hard just to pass. The irony was that Jian Yiling had indeed passed all her subjects—exactly.
"You said to work hard to pass," Jian Yiling replied matter-of-factly.
"Uh…" Hu Jiao Jiao was at a loss for words, unable to refute that statement. She had indeed said they should aim to dream big, just in case fortune smiled upon them.
But Jian Yiling seemed to have hit the jackpot, while she felt like she had drawn the short straw. The pain in her heart deepened as she continued to scrutinize Jian Yiling's results. She noticed Jian Yiling's Chinese score: 96 out of 150. The passing mark for Chinese was 90, so Jian Yiling had exceeded it by 6 points.
This was a missed opportunity for Jian Yiling, as she had accurately predicted her scores in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology. However, when it came to Chinese, she had miscalculated.
Feeling both admiration and a twinge of jealousy, Hu Jiao Jiao couldn't help but ask, "Yiling, what's your secret? You've managed to do so well, even in Chinese!"
Jian Yiling shrugged lightly, a hint of a smile gracing her lips. "It's just about knowing where to focus your efforts. Sometimes it's not just about studying hard; it's about studying smart."
With this, the day progressed as the classroom buzzed with students anxiously discussing their results, each feeling a mix of relief and dread, while Jian Yiling contemplated her next steps and how she could continue to excel in her studies while balancing her responsibilities at the research institute.