Two days later, Sunday morning.
The sun shone brightly, and the weather was warm and pleasant!
A middle-aged woman, carrying a basket of vegetables, walked into an old residential area. The buildings here were all low-rise, five-story structures, still made of brick and tile. Moss and ivy had overgrown the walls.
As she passed a pavilion, she noticed that many people were sitting there, enjoying the cool breeze since it was a day off.
"Guo Qin's back from the market!" someone called out.
"Mm."
The woman nodded and forced a smile before heading into the stairwell of Building No. 3.
Beneath the pavilion, a curious voice asked, "Huh! The sun's come out from the west today. She's usually the one to joke around, but today, she's completely silent. What's going on?"
"You haven't heard? Her son's gone mad."
"Mad?"
Several curious onlookers gathered around to hear more.
"It was just a couple of days ago. Her son, Jiang Fan, ranked last in the entire school. He couldn't take it, so he snapped!"
"No way! Jiang Fan? Everyone knows him—he's been so smart, obedient, and a top student. We used to call him a child prodigy. How could he end up with the lowest score?"
"Well, you know what they say—'brilliant as a child, not necessarily so as an adult!'"
"Such a pity."
A middle-aged woman said with a face full of pity, though secretly, her heart rejoiced. "Ah, how the tables have turned."
At Jiang Fan's house.
Li Guiqin set the vegetable basket down and knocked on Jiang Fan's door. "Son, come out and eat something. Stop overthinking it. It's just one exam. If worse comes to worst, we won't have to send you to school anymore. Your father and I can take care of you for the rest of your life."
Jiang Fan had been lying in bed for two days. No matter how his parents spoke to him, he remained silent, refusing to eat.
Seeing that her son still wouldn't respond, Li Guiqin gave up for the moment. She sat in the living room, staring at the wall covered with awards, and couldn't help but wipe away a tear. Her son had always been her pride, clever and obedient, excelling in his studies.
But she couldn't understand why, after entering the third year of high school, he had changed so drastically. He no longer socialized with classmates, and when he did speak to them, it was only out of necessity. The time he saved was all spent buried in books.
He had been working a hundred times harder, but his grades had gone from top of the class to near the bottom, consistently around 300 points.
Seeing her son work so hard, Li Guiqin didn't want to pressure him any further, fearing it might add to his burden.
As she reminisced about the past, a knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.
At this hour, Jiang Fan's father should still be at work. Who could be at the door?
Li Guiqin wiped away her tears and stood up to answer the door.
When she opened it, a tall and graceful girl stood before her, her delicate features stunning Li Guiqin with surprise.
With eyes like autumn water, a perfect nose and lips, a slender waist, and long legs, she looked like a fairy.
"Hello, Auntie. I'm Chu Ruoxi, Jiang Fan's classmate. Is he home?"
Only then did Li Guiqin realize who she was.
"Yes... yes, he's at home. Please, come in!"
Li Guiqin invited Chu Ruoxi into the living room. She decided to call Jiang Fan, hoping that maybe a conversation with his classmate might help him feel better.
"Son, your classmate Chu Ruoxi is here to see you..."
She called out for a long time, but there was no answer from inside.
Sighing, she looked at Chu Ruoxi sitting on the couch and shook her head helplessly.
"Sorry, dear. This exam hit Jiang Fan hard. He's been in bed for two days. I'm sorry for making you come all the way here, but thank you for visiting him."
"Auntie, may I have a word with Jiang Fan?" Chu Ruoxi asked politely.
"Of course, but..."
"It's fine. I'll talk to him through the door."
"Thank you, dear."
Chu Ruoxi stood at the door to Jiang Fan's room and spoke through the crack.
"Jiang Fan, hello, I'm Chu Ruoxi. You probably don't know me, but that's alright. I just wanted to say that you're not the fool people think you are. In fact, you're incredibly intelligent.
Although I don't know what's happened, I hope you can pull yourself together. High school isn't over yet, and the college entrance exam is still part of it! I hope you'll take the exam and show those who look down on you..."
Jiang Fan suddenly jerked upright in bed.
That's right!
The college entrance exam is part of high school—it's another test.
If I can control my score to about 300, it's like passing the system's test. That'll activate the system!
Excited, he mentally called out to the system.
"System, are you there?"
"Ding: Yes, I'm here."
"Can the college entrance exam be considered a test?"
"Ding: Of course!"
Amazing!
It's like the heavens have opened a path for me!
Jiang Fan's excitement knew no bounds. He jumped out of bed, rushed to the door, and grabbed Chu Ruoxi's hand.
"Thank you, classmate! You've saved the country, saved the future of the country. I, on behalf of the nation, deeply thank you!"
Chu Ruoxi was startled by Jiang Fan's sudden behavior. Could he really have lost his mind?
As she processed what had just happened, she realized that Jiang Fan was still holding her hand, and quickly pulled it away, her face turning crimson.
As the campus belle of Lingzhou No.1 High, she had never been held by a boy like that before.
Jiang Fan, noticing her discomfort, immediately felt embarrassed. "Sorry, Chu Ruoxi. I got a bit too excited. What you said to me was really important. Thank you so much."
"It's... it's okay. I'm just happy you're feeling better!" Chu Ruoxi replied, still a little flustered.
"Don't worry, Chu Ruoxi. I won't let you down!" Jiang Fan said earnestly.
Seeing his determined eyes, Chu Ruoxi couldn't help but feel hopeful. She believed that Jiang Fan would definitely shine in the college entrance exam.
"Yes, I believe in you. You'll prove everyone wrong."
"Mm!" Jiang Fan nodded firmly.
...
Back at school, Jiang Fan studied even harder. However, this time, he was no longer fighting alone. Chu Ruoxi had asked the teachers to let her sit beside him.
No matter how late Jiang Fan stayed at school to study, Chu Ruoxi, determined and strong, would stay with him.
She believed in one thing: if Jiang Fan could do it, so could she.
And so, another "study fanatic" appeared at Lingzhou No.1 High, and this one was the campus belle.
Time flew, and the day of the college entrance exam arrived.
All the third-year students prepared for the exams, ready to show their skills.
When the last exam finished, everyone sighed in relief.
As they rushed out of the exam hall, some jumped for joy, others did flips, and smiles were on everyone's faces.
But a few students didn't perform well and looked dejected.
Among those exiting was Jiang Fan. His brows were relaxed, his expression calm and natural—he was like a different person from the one who had buried himself in studying every day.
Suddenly, someone clapped him on the shoulder.
"Hey, Lin, how'd you do?"
Jiang Fan turned around to see Chu Ruoxi and smiled brightly.
"Perfect."
Seeing Jiang Fan smile at her so suddenly, Chu Ruoxi felt an inexplicable warmth in her cheeks.
"How about you?" Jiang Fan asked.
"I should be fine with 700 points," Chu Ruoxi replied.