Chapter 187: The Exam’s End
After the incident, Yu Linna trended on Weibo, becoming a minor celebrity. Her beauty, her academic prowess, and the unfortunate incident with the torn answer sheet had made her a compelling story, capturing the public’s attention.
She was dubbed the “Most Beautiful Exam Taker,” a title she found overly flattering.
She hadn’t expected to become an internet sensation, especially not for something unrelated to her writing.
Weibo was flooded with news about her, the once obscure girl now a trending topic, the torn answer sheet incident making headlines.
“Doesn’t this Yu Linna look familiar?”
“Oh my god! Doesn’t she look like that extra in Searching for Your Past Life?”
“Was there such a character?”
“Yes! I’ll find it for you.”
Some netizens, with too much time on their hands, unearthed Yu Linna’s brief appearance in the film Searching for Your Past Life, a ten-second cameo with no lines, her image having been used as a wallpaper.
Her name hadn’t appeared in the cast list, and no one had paid attention to her back then; she was a nobody.
Now, her brief appearance had been rediscovered, a strange twist of fate.
“Holy shit, it’s her!”
“So, the actress who played the younger version of the female protagonist was Yu Linna! And she’s a genius in real life!”
“This is crazy! Everything trending today is about the girl whose answer sheet was ripped up…”
No one had expected her to become so popular.
Netizens, always eager for a good story, couldn’t resist the drama, digging for more information about Yu Linna, though some details, protected by privacy laws, remained elusive. However, her status as a top student at First Municipal High School was confirmed, her frequent absences and consistent top ranking in her class a testament to her academic prowess. And despite her mixed-race appearance, she wasn’t a foreign student.
Yu Linna, once again, was trending.
Hearing about it from Fang Jiangning, she simply rolled her eyes, wondering why people were so obsessed with her. What was so interesting about her?
She returned to her studies, ignoring the online frenzy.
Nothing was more important than the gaokao.
The next day arrived, the second day of the exams, Yu Linna’s name and story now widely known, even the examiners treating her with a mixture of pity and respect, apologizing for the incident. She, however, remained calm, confident in her abilities, unfazed by the lost hour. They clearly didn’t know what she was capable of.
The comprehensive social studies exam in the morning was easy, requiring only an hour and a half to complete. She submitted her paper early.
The English exam in the afternoon was even easier. She excelled in English, a perfect score, or at least a 140, within reach.
Meanwhile, Nangong Ying, in another exam room, was also hard at work. As an arts student, her admission requirements were lower than regular students, but that didn’t mean she could slack off.
She had seen the news about Yu Linna on Weibo, the torn answer sheet incident, initially worried, then remembering Yu Linna’s abilities, her calmness returning. But…
Seeing Yu Linna’s photo, she recalled their time together, Yu Linna’s declaration of wanting to be famous, to be recognized. Had she, in a way, achieved that dream, even if it wasn’t through stardom?
Nangong Ying missed her, missed their time together, their shared struggles.
But it was too late; their paths had diverged.
Yu Linna, sitting in the exam room, looked out the window, a gentle breeze rustling her hair, the time passing quickly, another year gone. She remembered receiving that flyer from Nangong Ying, signing up for the singing competition, the event that had changed her life, her journey from an unknown girl to a published author, a remarkable transformation.
The ups and downs of her life had given her a sense of perspective, a calmness in the face of adversity.
She had never intended to attend university, her focus on working, earning money, but life had other plans. She was going to university.
She had never experienced university life; she was curious. She had heard it was more relaxed, a time for romance… she would find out.
Having finished her English essay and filled out the answer sheet, she reviewed her work one last time, completing the exam within an hour, waiting impatiently for the remaining thirty minutes, then submitting her paper, the first to leave the exam room.
Stepping outside, she breathed in the fresh air, stretching, the warm sun on her face, her eyes closing in contentment. It was over. The pressure, the anxiety… it was all gone. So, this was what it felt like.
She thought about her senior year, the events that had shaped her: the singing competition, Nangong Ying’s betrayal, the train station rescue, the Wenqing New Talent Awards, her unexpected victory, her debut as a novelist, the publication of her two novels, solidifying her position at Wenqing.
From having nothing to achieving financial success, her life had been a whirlwind of change.
She had expected a simple, ordinary life, but it had turned out to be far more… interesting.
She thought she might write an autobiography one day, sharing her story with the world. But it was still too early for that.
As she left the exam hall, reporters swarmed her, eager for an interview, blocking her path.
“Miss Yu, what are your thoughts on the incident yesterday, with your answer sheet being torn up?”
“Huh?”
Was that really so important? She couldn’t understand their obsession. These reporters had too much time on their hands.
“Miss Yu, that boy who cheated… he’s a monster! He’ll face the full force of the law! What do you want to say to him?”
“…Nothing. He’s just… unlucky.”
Yu Linna wanted to escape; these reporters were annoying.
“Do you think this incident affected your performance on the exam?”
“No.”
“Why are you so confident?”
“Because… it didn’t affect me at all. I usually finish the math exam in an hour anyway. I should be grateful they had spare answer sheets.”
“…”
This must be the world of geniuses, the reporters thought. We wouldn’t understand.
They had researched her background: a top student at First Municipal High School, the only one capable of rivaling the students from the Experimental High School.
First Municipal High School was a hidden treasure trove of talent. First, the celebrity Nangong Ying, and now, this super-genius, Yu Linna, whose beauty and charisma could easily launch a career in the entertainment industry.
“Miss Yu, you’re a student at First Municipal High School. Do you know Nangong Ying?”
Lacking a more sensational angle, the reporters resorted to other questions, this charming student a guaranteed viewership draw. For their salaries, they had to endure.
“Of course, she’s a celebrity. Everyone knows her.”
“Have you ever considered… being in commercials, or films? You have the looks; you could even rival Nangong Ying.”
“No, thank you. I’m not interested in acting. I’m terrible at it. I have no talent for it. Besides studying, I’m useless. Anyway, I have an appointment. Can I go now?”
Yu Linna, eager to escape, brushed them off and quickly left.
The reporters hadn’t gotten anything useful.
She was truly afraid of them. It was a good thing her identity as a novelist was still a secret; if they knew, they would be hounding her day and night. These reporters… they were more like paparazzi.
She wouldn’t be leaving her apartment anytime soon, waiting for the media frenzy to die down. This level of exposure was too much. Why had she ever wanted to be a celebrity, to be recognized by everyone? She wouldn’t even be able to leave her house.
“You’re done?”
Ye Zhiyun, emerging from the exam hall, saw Yu Linna escaping the reporters and, smiling, approached her.
“These reporters are relentless… It’s just a torn answer sheet; they’re treating me like a celebrity…”
“Isn’t that what you always wanted? To be recognized?”
“Not like this.”
They chatted as they waited for Fang Jiangning, who always submitted her papers at the last minute, emerging from the exam hall just as the bell rang, rushing towards them.
“Linna, we’re finally free! Time to have some fun!”
Fang Jiangning hugged Yu Linna, her joy palpable. After a year of intense pressure, the exams were finally over. Now, all she had to do was submit her university applications and wait for the results.
“It seems you did well.”
Yu Linna smiled, gently pushing Fang Jiangning away.
“The questions were a bit tricky, but thanks to your help, I think I did okay.”
Fang Jiangning beamed, confident in her performance, optimistic about her chances of getting into a good university.
“Zhiyun, Linna, the exams are over! Let’s celebrate! Dinner’s on me!”
“Sure, let’s go!”
“Okay.”
As the sun began to set, casting long shadows, the gaokao came to an end…
