Stepping into Qihai No.1 Middle School, the exam venue, Ye Zhibai was in high spirits.
She might have kept her poker face on without missing a beat.
But deep down, she was so thrilled she wanted to do a gleeful spin on the spot!
Just kidding—she had to stay elegant. Elegance never went out of style.
The Gaokao entry experience? Top-notch!
When the sisters parted ways with Ye Qinghe, the accompanying maid handed each young miss an exquisite pencil case.
That pencil case instantly became Little Zhibai’s new source of joy!
You could never understand the profound satisfaction of a frugal soul from a past life—who’d only ever owned a single ballpoint pen—upon discovering ten different styles of pens and highlighters inside.
All along the way, she kept admiring the flashy transparent pencil case.
She stared at the pencil case.
While Ye Zhiyun, for her part, spent the entire walk gazing at her radiantly charming sister.
Yun’er was truly grateful to this world!
“Why does Sister look so ethereal even in casual clothes… Ah, I really am…! I feel like after the Gaokao, I need to go to a temple and burn some incense. Seeing Sister’s beauty every day must be tempting fate!”
Guang Yu: Tempting fate? Nah. Just give Little Bai some pocket money so she can buy us a drink.
Otherwise, we’ll spike your cup with wasabi! (That’s tempting fate.)
Ye Zhibai herself thought it was a bit over the top.
For the sake of convenience, she’d dressed in a plain taupe T-shirt and coffee-colored capri pants, paired with short socks and blue canvas sneakers.
What a relief to skip the skirt for once!
Yet even in this simple outfit, Ye Zhibai noticed the incoming students around her erupting in exaggerated gasps now and then, along with sharp intakes of breath like they’d seen a ghost!
No doubt about it—these reactions were all because of Ye Zhibai’s presence on campus.
If you’re nervous about the Gaokao, just say so!
Don’t suck in air like you’re about to keel over!
Ye Zhiyun kept a cold expression as she scanned the surroundings, her student council president aura on full blast.
That presence alone deterred most of the stares.
Yun’er muttered under her breath, her gaze icy.
“These students… They go to Qihai No.1 Middle School but don’t even know basic manners? If they keep gawking at Sister, I’ll rip up their admission tickets!”
“!”
Way too ruthless!
Students, guard your admission tickets with your lives.
They hurried toward the exam hall!
Ye Zhiyun was just venting with tough talk.
As she shielded Ye Zhibai from the front, she didn’t forget to chat about everyday things to ease any tension her sister might feel.
“Sister, by the way, why were all the green onions in the yard gone this morning? Don’t you like onions? Did you pull them up?”
“No, it was the cat we keep at home. It snuck out at night and chewed them all up. So annoying.”
“Oh, got it. Alright, Sister, don’t worry—I’ll beat it when we get home.”
Guang Yu, who was walking along with her hands behind her head, glancing around idly, suddenly shivered!
What? Beat who? Beat the adorable little kitty? What did the little kitty do!
They were almost at the exam hall, but Ye Zhibai’s good mood hadn’t faded a bit.
Truth be told~ the biggest reason wasn’t the fancy pencil case.
No, just moments ago, at the school gate, she’d spotted Chi Yuliang standing in the crowd.
She’d really kept her promise and shown up.
Sister Liang had dressed specially in a light green dress today, giving Ye Zhibai a subtle wave from a discreet angle.
Per their agreement, Ye Zhibai didn’t make a fuss. She just nodded back and entered the school.
But Ye Zhibai knew what it meant.
Wearing light green to the exam hall—knock the test out of the park, all green lights ahead!
Thanks, Sister Liang. I’ll treat you to… uh, dinner sometime! Not wasabi… pfft!
These past few days, Guang Yu had led her astray!
Ye Zhibai’s exam room was on the third floor of B Building.
Ye Zhiyun’s was on the first floor of C Building.
Not too close, but Ye Zhiyun insisted on escorting her sister first.
Ye Zhibai stowed her phone in the temporary storage bag at the exam room door and turned to instruct Yun’er.
“Yun’er, go take your exam. I’m fine here.”
The invisible Guang Yu patted her nonexistent little chest, letting out a resounding voice like clanging steel!
Yun’er thought it was construction noise somewhere.
Guang Yu meant: That’s right, don’t worry, we’ve got her covered!
Though Ye Zhiyun still felt uneasy leaving her sister to take the exam alone.
The proctors were already calling for candidates in this room to enter in order.
“Sigh… Okay, Sister, good luck! Exams are tough—afterward, Yun’er will treat you to a big meal.”
“You’re taking the exam too.” “Huh? Oh yeah, I forgot.”
Did you seriously forget you were taking the Gaokao too?!
What in the world!
Ye Zhiyun waited patiently until her sister had lined up and entered the exam hall, then she left with many a backward glance to handle her own “trifling” exam.
Ye Zhibai wasn’t a Gaokao newbie.
Someone who’d been through it once had no fears left.
Matching her admission ticket info, she quickly found her seat.
Last row, against the wall—the most reassuring spot in the whole room!
Not bad luck at all.
Guang Yu stuck close to Ye Zhibai’s movements.
No butterflies in this classroom—she wouldn’t go darting off.
Sitting down at the sturdy half-metal, half-wood high school desk, Ye Zhibai felt a rush of nostalgia!
Ah… Right now, she was back in those green days of youth, transformed into the model student charging through every challenge!
Guang Yu hopped onto the desk edge, tossed her hair, and shook a bunch of invisible fox fur from her big ears right onto Ye Zhibai’s head.
“…”
Those green youthful days shouldn’t come with foxes.
“Guang Yu, stop shaking your head. You’re ruining the vibe, you know.”
“Got it, Ye Zhibai! Today, we’re following your lead. If there’s a question you don’t know, we’ll peek at the answers for you!”
“I’ll thank the heavens if you just don’t cause trouble…”
Once Ye Zhibai sat down in the exam hall, the other candidates were in for it.
They’d been mentally reviewing the first subject, Chinese Language, but now their brains were stuck on just two idioms.
—Enough to sink fish and topple cities.
Hope they come up in the test. Otherwise, total loss.
It was the Gaokao, after all, so once seated, no one dared keep looking around. The proctors’ warning glares were no joke.
Ye Zhibai scanned the room—no familiar faces.
Cough, yeah, familiar faces.
As if. She’d never attended Qihai No.1 Middle School.
But that thought lasted only a few seconds.
Suddenly, urgent footsteps echoed in the hallway.
Some last-second crammers always showed up right on time—dedicated folks!
Ye Zhibai looked up to see who was so diligent.
But at that glance, she froze!
A flash of golden hair catching the light, a scarlet right eye gleaming with radiance.
Even in hasty steps, she exuded poised elegance.
—It was Lin Zihan!
Well, now “sink fish and topple cities” were definitely on the test.
Most students wore casual clothes on Gaokao day.
But Lin Zihan was still in her Qihai No.1 Middle School uniform.
Ye Zhibai had just mentioned her to Yun’er last night, wondering if she might be at a nearby venue.
And here she was—in the same exam room?!
Good thing you arrived late.
If Yun’er had seen her, it’d be another round of “see you once, clobber you once.”
Ye Zhibai shrank toward the wall, hoping not to be noticed.
She and Lin Zihan weren’t close; she just wanted to take her test in peace.
However… after stowing her phone in the storage bag,
Lin Zihan headed straight for Ye Zhibai’s side!
That’s when Ye Zhibai realized the seat next to hers was empty!
What were the odds?!
Lin Zihan had crammed until the last moment and rushed over, still catching her breath.
Exhausted from the run, she took deep breaths to steady her slightly ragged breathing. As she reached her seat and prepared to sit,
She tilted her head.
And saw Ye Zhibai staring at her with those big, emotionless eyes and a frosty face.
Her breathing evened out instantly.
“……”
“……”
After a brief pause.
Lin Zihan sat down.
She rubbed her uncovered right eye vigorously, shook her head, and looked next door again!
This time, she was sure.
“Little Bai’er?!”
“Uh… hi?”
