Jian Yiling was pleasantly surprised when she discovered that the few lines she had hastily written for the composition section, which she thought would score zero, earned her a commendable ten points for "effort." However, her responses to the reading comprehension questions, which she believed were correct, yielded a disappointing score of zero across the board.
At that moment, Hu Jiao Jiao happened to catch a glimpse of Jian Yiling's answers to the reading comprehension section. As she read them, her expression froze in disbelief.
Question: Why did the protagonist's eyes turn red in the penultimate paragraph?
Jian Yiling's answer: When the conjunctival and scleral blood vessels become dilated, congested, or hemorrhagic under certain circumstances, the whites of the eyes can appear red.
Question: What do you think about the sentence, "The fingers gripping the umbrella turned slightly white; he suddenly felt the autumn chill more intensely"?
Jian Yiling's answer: Typically, this could be due to poor blood circulation. There's no need for special treatment; one should focus on keeping warm and avoid vigorous activities and heavy lifting.
Hu Jiao Jiao stared blankly, her mind racing. Jian Yiling's thought process was truly unique!
At that moment, the class monitor, Liu Wen, approached and said to Hu Jiao Jiao, "Jiao Jiao, I really think you should go home and collect rent."
Hu Jiao Jiao had managed to fail six out of nine subjects in this round of exams. With a dramatic sniffle, she lamented, "Liu Jie, please don't provoke me! When I get home, I'll have to endure the overwhelming love from my mother. The relentless rivers of sorrow are all my tears; the chaotic world is filled with my sins."
Liu Wen ignored Hu Jiao Jiao's theatrics and turned her attention to Jian Yiling. "Jian Yiling, you've made significant progress this time! Keep it up, and aim for a good score next time. Let me know if you need my notes."
In this monthly exam, Jian Yiling had passed all her subjects. Compared to her first monthly exam, her scores showed clear improvement, officially helping her escape the failing ranks of Class 8 in her first year. Liu Wen, with her usual scholarly demeanor, maintained her attitude toward Jian Yiling based solely on her academic performance.
As for the sensational stories circulating on the school forum, Liu Wen had never paid them any mind, nor did they affect her attitude toward Jian Yiling.
Revived from her earlier despair, Hu Jiao Jiao chimed in, "Liu Jie, I also need your notes! Since Yiling has managed to pass, I need to find a way to do the same. You can't just abandon me to sink deeper into failure!"
Liu Wen replied, "You should probably find a tutor. I heard Yiling recently found one, and it seems to be working out well."
"Don't say that! Yiling's tutor can't possibly be effective. She said she hates her tutor!" Hu Jiao Jiao reminded Liu Wen, referring to a conversation she'd had with Jian Yiling a few days ago.
As Hu Jiao Jiao and Liu Wen continued their banter, Jian Yiling's phone suddenly buzzed with a message from someone who had contacted her previously:
[Dr., we have a lead on the matter you wanted to investigate. I'm not sure if we can make an exchange with you.]
The last time Jian Yiling had encountered trouble, the same person had attempted to reach out, only to be declined. As events unfolded, it became evident that she didn't need their assistance in that particular issue. Jian Yiling had clearly stated that she would consider any proposals only after they found what she was looking for.
[Video?]
[Yes, but we haven't secured it yet. What we can confirm is that it's currently in He Yan's possession; she took the storage card but did not destroy it.]
[Source of information?]
[We managed to locate the head of the surveillance footage at the Jiayun Mountain Hotel, whom He Yan bribed. We've already gotten him to confess.]
The revelation sent a chill down Jian Yiling's spine, intertwining her academic endeavors with the complexities of her ongoing investigation. She knew this development could be crucial and resolved to stay alert, balancing her studies with the unexpected challenges that lay ahead.