Chapter 35

Time entered May. Cicadas began to chirp noisily on the branches. The temperature grew higher and higher.

The hotter the weather, the more ice-cold the well water drawn up from underground became.

Qingshui County lay within the eight-hundred-li range of Dongting Lake. In this area the groundwater was extremely abundant. The water quality was clear and good. The well water drawn up even had a sweet taste when drunk.

At this time materials were not abundant, yet Ge Yuan always had ways to obtain all kinds of fresh fruits. Thrown into the well water to chill for a bit, eating them was even more comfortable.

For example the clear-sweet black mulberries, the fresh and juicy red peaches, and also the plums that were especially fragrant and crisp with one bite, and the fragrant melons that the moment they were cut open filled the nose with fruit fragrance…… Ye Wanqing had always liked eating fruit. In the intervals of studying eating a few pieces of fruit while incidentally relaxing the eyes counted as resting.

In the courtyard the cicadas chirped continuously. In the room Ye Wanqing after eating the fragrant melon chilled with well water wiped her hands and lips and again immersed herself in books.

She sat at the desk in front of the window reading. Ge Yuan in the courtyard followed Old Zhong in studying. It was just that he always could not help stealing glances at her again and again. Only when Old Zhong could not endure it and directly smashed a volume of books onto his head would he quiet a bit.

Every time this happened Ye Wanqing would raise her eyes and look toward his direction once, press her lips into a smile.

At this time May First was not yet a long holiday—only one day of holiday. The still relatively leisurely May First passed in the blink of an eye. The next day Ye Wanqing had to welcome her first monthly exam.

—

Early in the morning Ye Wanqing was sent by Ge Yuan to the entrance of No. 3 Middle School. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and got out of the vehicle. First she waved goodbye to her family’s tall man before walking into the campus together with Wei Jun and Wei Hong.

The moment she walked under the teaching building Ye Wanqing discovered quite a few people secretly looking at her as if still discussing something.

Walking into the classroom, with the gossiping Jiang Lili present Ye Wanqing only then knew what the situation was.

It turned out Yi Yuan for some reason had heard of the ultimatum Teacher Zeng had given her. Therefore now everyone was guessing how her exam results this time would be and whether she would be driven out of No. 3 Middle School.

She turned her eyes toward Yi Yuan. Yi Yuan just happened to also be looking at her. Seeing her gaze icy she shrank her neck and turned her head away.

Ye Wanqing: “……”

Why did she feel Yi Yuan’s emotions were a bit off? Previously so arrogant—now so low-key. Could it be that behind the scenes she was brewing some storm, wanting to drive her out of No. 3 Middle School in one stroke?

Ye Wanqing’s gaze sank a bit.

“Wanqing, do you have confidence?” Jiang Lili was a bit anxious. “Teacher Zeng said you need to test into the top twenty of the class. I…… my grades are not good. I’m often in the thirties. Even wanting to test a bit worse to help you I have no way.”

“It’s alright.” Ye Wanqing comfortingly smiled toward Jiang Lili. Her gaze was firm. “Before the result comes out who knows how it will be?”

Right now the arts subjects only tested Chinese, mathematics, foreign language, and politics, history, geography—six subjects. Chinese, mathematics and foreign language she had confidence in. The only worry was politics, history and geography because the memory time was too short and the review incomplete, leading to lost points.

Anyway do one’s best and leave the rest to heaven. When the matter is at hand being anxious is also useless.

Ye Wanqing this calm, Jiang Lili also followed and calmed down. As if injected with chicken blood she fiercely clenched a fist. “Wanqing, you worked so hard—you will definitely test well!”

“You believe me this much?”

Jiang Lili’s face collapsed again. “If…… if you test not well then we together go beg Teacher Zeng? I truly cannot bear for you to leave……”

Ye Wanqing: “……”

—

Because the two senior-year classes had to take the monthly exam the first-year grades were given one day off. The emptied classrooms were given to the senior year as examination rooms.

The senior-year classmates first moved half the desks of their own class onto the corridor, then arranged the remaining desks separated by the length of one desk. They also arranged the two first-year classrooms in the same way. The examination rooms were considered arranged.

Ye Wanqing was arranged to take the exam in a first-year class on the first floor. She also did not mind. Anyway taking the exam wherever was still taking the exam.

However the examinee sitting behind her actually was Yi Yuan……

This made her a bit vigilant!

Last time she had pointed at Yi Yuan’s nose and said she was ugly, satirizing triangular eyes and upturned brows for a stretch, lecturing so fiercely. Girls of this age all cared very much about others’ evaluations of their appearance and held grudges?

Looking at it she needed to be careful!

Ye Wanqing maintained high vigilance. Even going to the bathroom beforehand she carried the stationery bag, unwilling to have people make a move on this.

Yi Yuan instead remained very quiet the whole time and did not make any trouble.

The first examination was Chinese. With the foundation of the previous life plus suddenly reciting quite a few texts Ye Wanqing did it relatively smoothly. It was just that for knowledge points she had not recited—what she did not know she truly did not know and could only rely on random guessing.

The examination went relatively smoothly. Yet when there were still twenty minutes remaining Ye Wanqing discovered her stool leg was being kicked by someone.

Again and again her train of thought was interrupted. She could not help frowning.

Yi Yuan?

What did she want to do?

Turning her head she unhappily glared at Yi Yuan once and lowly warned, “Don’t move!”

Move again and she would not be polite!

Yet Yi Yuan clearly had no intention of giving up. Again and again she perseveringly kicked her stool leg and from time to time lowly called her, “Hey hey hey……”

This person simply needed a lesson!

Ye Wanqing could endure no longer. She lowered her eyes and stared at her feet. When Yi Yuan extended her foot again she bit her lip and with rapid movements stepped on Yi Yuan’s foot, directly pinning Yi Yuan’s foot down.

“Ah!”

Yi Yuan from pain let out a low cry and seemed to still “ying ying ying” cry twice. Ye Wanqing also did not make things difficult for her and very quickly released her foot. The world finally quieted once more.

Twenty minutes was very short. It passed in Ye Wanqing continuously checking for omissions and filling gaps.

When the clock downstairs was struck Ye Wanqing finally checked once whether she had written her name and class well. Determining everything had no problem she directly stood up and went to the platform to hand in the paper.

After handing in the paper and returning to the desk Ye Wanqing was packing the stationery and schoolbag when she saw Yi Yuan angrily confront her.

“You stepped on me—it hurts so much!”

Ye Wanqing did not even lift her eyelids. “If you did not come disturb me I also would not do that. Did you think me stepping on you once does not waste time?”

Yi Yuan became even angrier. “What do you know?! I…… wasn’t I just afraid you would test not well and wanted to let you copy a bit of my answers!” Speaking to the end her face even reddened.

“……” Ye Wanqing was astonished at this. “What ghost are you playing at again?”

Her face reddened—definitely lying and becoming nervous like this? The one speaking idle talk at school was her. The one telling classmates about the “test into the top twenty of the class” requirement proposed by Teacher Zeng was also her. Now she said she was kind-hearted?

No—definitely deceiving people.

“What ghost can I play?” Yi Yuan angrily asked.

Ye Wanqing: “Deliberately telling me wrong answers, taking the opportunity to drive me out of No. 3 Middle School, taking revenge for yourself?”

“……” Yi Yuan’s face was black. “Do I look like that kind of person?”

Ye Wanqing observed her for a moment and seriously nodded. “Like!”

Yi Yuan: “……”

Her mouth pouted aggrievedly. A thin layer of water mist even floated in her eyes. As if knowing she could not persuade Ye Wanqing she angrily “hmph”ed once then grabbed her schoolbag and charged out of the classroom.

Ye Wanqing let out a breath.

To speak truthfully children of seventeen or eighteen when they acted up truly acted up. Because they were older the destructive power was also especially large. If possible she truly was unwilling to waste time on this.

If everyone were as cute as their family’s Brother Yuan it would be good. Taking a step back—having Wei Jun and Wei Hong that cute would also be fine!

—

The examinations continued for three days in a row.

Apart from the time on the examination field Ye Wanqing’s entire rest schedule was no different from before.

Sleeping only four or five hours every day for others might not be endurable. Yet her energy was vigorous and she could still endure it.

Thinking of the previous life—every day at three or four in the morning she had to get up to occupy a stall outside the bus station, still set up the stall from daytime until evening, and in the evening after returning home still cook and do housework. There was simply not much rest time.

At that time she also supported it. There was no reason that sitting in front of a desk studying she still could not persist.

It was just that she felt she could endure it yet the family people all worried about her.

Ge Yuan heard people say eating walnuts supplemented the brain and specially went and obtained several jin of walnuts to place at home.

The walnut shells at this time were very hard. Using a door panel to clamp them might still break off a piece of paint from the door—incomparable to the paper-shell walnuts of later generations.

Wanting to eat the meat inside the walnuts required using a hammer to hammer or stones to smash and also needed clever strength. Otherwise a fierce smash would also smash the meat bad. This way wanting to find the walnut meat from a pile of broken shells was truly not easy and the mouthfeel when eaten was also not good.

Altogether five jin of walnuts. Ge Yuan took almost one jin to practice. Afterward the walnuts smashed out could be looked at. Although not whole pieces of walnut meat at least they were not broken too much.

As for the one jin of practice walnuts they were divided by Wei Jun, Wei Hong and Ge Yue the three people. The two bigger ones yielded to the little one. Ge Yue ate the most.

Ge Yuan also gave Ge Yue a few large pieces of walnut meat to place in her small water bucket, letting her go show off in front of her little companions and also conveniently let her divide some for her little brothers—counting as rewarding her for being especially well-behaved recently and not going to greatly disturb Ye Wanqing.

Ye Wanqing every day was fed very well and only needed to concentrate on studying.

Three days quickly passed. After the last subject was finished Ye Wanqing walked toward the school gate under the residual glow of the setting sun to meet with the Wei siblings. Her eyes swept once and indeed saw Ge Yuan waiting not far away walking toward her.

Also at this time Wei Hong only dared to ask one sentence. “Sister, how did you test this time?”

The matter of Ye Wanqing being advised to withdraw if she could not enter the top twenty of the class had quietly spread at school. Wei Jun and Wei Hong had also heard of it. Previously they could not ask well. Now that the examinations were all finished they also could not quite suppress it.

After all they still worried.

The moment Wei Hong’s words came out three pairs of lines of sight all nervously looked toward Ye Wanqing.

Ye Wanqing smiled gently. “What—worrying about me?”

“Yes!” Wei Hong pulled her hand and acted spoiled. “Sister, tell us a bit! However I feel you definitely tested well. You look just like a general who is victorious in every battle on the battlefield—not to mention how calm and majestic!”

“Only you know how to describe.” Ye Wanqing’s almond eyes slanted at Wei Hong once.

Wei Hong “hehe” continuously laughed.

Ye Wanqing also had no intention of keeping people in suspense. After thinking she said, “After all I only studied for this long. Chinese, mathematics and foreign language I still have a bit of confidence because previously I studied them not badly. Yet politics, history and geography all rely on rote memorization and need consolidating memory at every moment. I lost this half year plus…… perhaps the results are not ideal.”

Wei Hong upon hearing this immediately worried. “Then what to do?”

“Go back and eat.” Ge Yuan indifferently opened his mouth. Supporting Ye Wanqing onto the vehicle when speaking to her he became much gentler. “After finishing the exam don’t think so much. Rest a bit on the vehicle. Tonight also relax a bit. You can’t push yourself too urgently. Even if not as wished there’s no fear. There’s still Old Zhong.”

Ye Wanqing smiled until her almond eyes curved. “I listen to you.”

After finishing this monthly exam she also had some weariness and needed to give herself a bit of breathing time to properly adjust. Moreover just like Ge Yuan said—with Old Zhong present as long as she observed discipline and rules at school who could truly drive her out of No. 3 Middle School?

Did Old Zhong not want face?

Did the principal of No. 3 Middle School not want face?

The class teacher of the science class Teacher Wang did not yet have that large an influence that with one groundless matter he could slap the principal of No. 3 Middle School in the face.

Moreover before the final moment whose face was being slapped was also not certain.

—

Returning to the small courtyard while Ye Wanqing rested Wei Hong had already burned the hot water ready.

She mixed cold water with a bucket and standing at the kitchen doorway raised her voice calling Ye Wanqing. “Sister, I prepared the water for you. You can bathe!”

Seeing no response from Ye Wanqing Wei Hong prepared to go knock the door of Ye Wanqing’s room and call. As a result she was blocked by Old Zhong.

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to call my sister.” Wei Hong did not understand what Old Zhong wanted to do and explained, “The water left a while will cool. I’m calling her to move faster.”

Old Zhong put on a stiff face and super seriously said, “Call what call. Your sister is not a child. When she wants to bathe she will naturally go. Right now…… she is discussing important matters with your brother-in-law. You a child just don’t go disturb them—know?”

Wei Hong: “……”

Wei Jun was a bit older and understood some. With a completely red face he pulled her sleeve and lowly said, “Don’t…… don’t go call.”

Wei Hong still could not grasp the idea. “Why? What important matters does she have with Brother-in-law? I also never heard……”

Moreover the water was almost cool. Whatever matter—saying it a bit later was the same?

Under the tree on the stone stool Ge Yue holding a fragrant melon and gnawing looked at this one with large eyes then looked at that one. With one effort she jumped down from the stone stool. Taking advantage of the adults not paying attention she quietly slipped under the window of Ye Wanqing’s room to peek. After looking a few seconds she covered her mouth and ran back with small steps.

“You all can’t guess—only I know!” Her eyes were bright. Shallow-yellow fragrant melon seeds stuck on her face that she had not had time to wipe. She especially happily and proudly said, “They’re kissing oh—I saw it!”

She even imitated, imitating vividly and lifelike. “Wanqing, I want to kiss one more time…… momo momo…… no, already kissed quite a few times…… doesn’t matter…… momo momo…… hee hee! I’m so awesome!”

Wei Hong: “……”

Wei Jun: “……”

Looking at a little brat pouting and “momo momo”—truly…… a bit complex feelings, five flavors mixed.

Old Zhong took a puff of smoke and revealed a gratified smile. He lightly coughed once, put his hands behind his back and left the courtyard.

In the room Ye Wanqing still did not know she had been “sold out” by a certain little dumpling. She shyly pushed the man’s chest. “Wei Hong called me. I’ll first go bathe.”

“Don’t want to let go.” Ge Yuan lowered his head and fiercely kissed once on her lips. Not satisfied he again followed her slender white neck downward and bit. Through her thin spring shirt he bit once on that soft cotton below her delicate collarbone.

“Mm……” Ye Wanqing’s whole body lightly trembled. Her voice even changed tone. In her heart she was a bit panicked. “Brother Yuan, release me.”

Ge Yuan neither said release nor said not release.

He tightly held her. His head buried in the crook of her shoulder and deeply breathed two breaths. When his mood and body both recovered quite a bit he only then slowly released her.

“Go.” He huskily said. After releasing her he still could not help lightly biting once on her earlobe. “One day Ge…… hu, Ge must definitely kill you.”

Ye Wanqing: “……”

Even no matter how thick-skinned upon hearing this sentence full of aggressive meaning her white pretty face also dyed a stretch of scarlet.

“Don’t randomly speak!” Pushing Ge Yuan Ye Wanqing picked up clothes and walked toward the door.

After carrying the water into the room she drove Ge Yuan out and prepared to bathe.

Bathing was a matter that could very much wash away fatigue and could relax the spirit. Ye Wanqing enjoyed such a moment. Unfortunately halfway through bathing outside came Ge Yue’s “wah wah wah” crying sound and also Ge Yuan’s furious scolding sound.

“Ge Yue, your guts have grown fat ah!”

“Wah…… I’m Little Moon. I’m beautiful. Wuwuwu……”

“Whether Little Moon or Little Sun—today if I don’t beat your butt into blooming flowers I’m not your brother!”

“Wuwuwu…… don’t hit. Butt hurts. Wuwu……”

“Not hit? See if you still randomly speak in the future!”

“None. Little Moon is good. None!”

“Still saying none?”

“Wah……” Ge Yue cried until she was out of breath. Her temper also rose. “Only you are allowed to kiss Beautiful Sister-in-law—I’m not allowed…… You’re bad. You close the door and kiss and don’t let us kiss……”

Ye Wanqing: “……”

The shame in her heart was like magma erupting, about to burn her into ashes!

Heavens!

The little person in Ye Wanqing’s heart vigorously stomped feet.

Originally she was still very anxious in her heart, wanting to quickly finish bathing and go persuade Ge Yuan a bit. Now…… she—should she just grow in the room?

This bastard Ge Yuan—don’t hit Little Moon ah! Is this wanting the neighbors to all hear?!

Truly wanting to cry but having no tears.

—

After sleeping a full six hours Ye Wanqing got up early in the morning. Her spirit was very good.

She got up at five in the morning. Lightly and carefully finished washing and rinsing. Opened the courtyard gate. Like a thief she pushed the bicycle and ran outside.

Not running would not do. Did she not want face?!

Arriving at No. 3 Middle School it was only around five-thirty. The school gate had not yet opened. Ye Wanqing bought two meat buns at the street side. While eating she looked at books. After the meat buns were finished she concentrated on reading the textbooks aloud.

Only when six o’clock arrived and the gatekeeper opened the school gate did Ye Wanqing smile and greet him once before walking into the school.

The desks in the class had already been restored to original. Ye Wanqing sat in her own seat and began seriously studying.

As for other things……

Don’t think! Don’t think!

Only after past seven did classmates one after another come.

Seeing Ye Wanqing already sitting in the seat studying the ones more familiar would greet her and ask a sentence like “You came so early ah” or “How did you test” and such. There were also unfamiliar classmates who only used curious gazes to examine her twice as if judging her emotions.

Ye Wanqing turned a blind eye to these examining gazes. After answering two sentences she concentrated on studying and buried her head even lower.

Without gaze contact she need not answer so many questions—pretty good.

It was just that this quiet only continued until Jiang Lili came.

The moment Jiang Lili came over she with a face full of heartache took out an aluminum lunch box and placed it in front of her.

Ye Wanqing raised her eyes and looked at her. “What is this?”

“You open it.”

Ye Wanqing according to the words opened it and discovered inside was a full box of mung bean cakes. Looking at it they should be homemade. The appearance was not considered very refined yet smelling them there was a clear fragrance that made one’s index finger move greatly.

She pinched one piece and put it into her mouth. The fine mung bean cake melted the moment it entered the mouth. That soft mouthfeel and clear-sweet taste made one reminisce endlessly. Refreshing and not greasy—like the wind of April and May.

“Delicious!” Ye Wanqing asked, “Did your mother make this?”

“Mm.” Jiang Lili nodded. “I heard if unhappy eating some sweet snacks will make the mood better. These mung bean cakes I specially left for you. Ordinarily when my mother makes one box I finish them that same evening.”

Ye Wanqing: “……”

At this time the front-desk Jiang Wen also very telepathically turned around. In his hand was a glass jar of orange preserves that he placed in front of her. “This is for you to eat.”

Ye Wanqing: “……”

Looking at it her class’s only two little companions both did not look favorably on her.

What eating sweet snacks will make the mood better—were they giving her the last meal before execution? Ye Wanqing could not help mentally complaining yet her body was very honest, eating the mung bean cakes piece by piece.

“Mm. Not bad—very delicious!”

—

Senior year only had two classes. The volume of grading papers was not considered large. Adding the teachers being serious and responsible after finishing one examination they graded one set of papers. The day after finishing the examinations all the results came out.

The first class was Chinese class. The Chinese teacher carrying a stack of test papers walked into the classroom and instantly welcomed a wave of successive wailing sounds.

“Ah ah……”

“I feel I didn’t test well this time—won’t I get scolded?”

“Same same—everyone didn’t test well.”

“Bullshit. Every time you say you didn’t test well yet every time you’re first in the class!”

“Lucky, lucky……”

“……”

In a stretch of clamor the Chinese teacher one “Quiet” and the class instantly became silent as a crow.

The Chinese teacher began calling people to collect test papers.

“Wang Xia, 92 points.”

“Chen Jianguo, 88 points.”

“Zhou Zhao, 72 points.”

“……”

The Chinese test paper was the same as the college entrance examination scoring—all 120-point papers. Ye Wanqing silently paid attention a bit and discovered the class only had a few high scores in the 90s. Scores in the 80s were not many. Instead scores in the 70s were the majority and there were still some failing.

Slowly more than fifty people all received their test papers. Jiang Lili received a high score of 89 in Chinese. Jiang Wen as a boy also had 82 points—both counted as not bad.

Yet Ye Wanqing’s name still had not been called.

At the end the Chinese teacher’s hand only had the last test paper remaining. She picked up the test paper. Her gaze looked toward Ye Wanqing in the seat. Following her gaze all the students’ gazes in the class also concentrated on Ye Wanqing.