No Undisclosed Secrets

Early May, the sun was scorching.

They say June has the hottest days of the year, but May wasn't far behind. In mid-April, it was only twenty-four or twenty-five degrees, but by May, the temperature could easily soar to thirty.

It wasn't even nine o'clock yet, and it was already twenty-seven degrees. By two in the afternoon, it would probably hit thirty-two or thirty-three.

Seriously, just looking at the sun made you feel like you were going to explode and melt.

Temperature can affect a person's mood. Even with the air conditioning on, Shen Nian still felt a trace of irritability.

Perhaps the noisy environment also had something to do with it.

Today was the Joint Provincial Exam.

The Joint Provincial Exam was highly formal. All high schools across several provinces took the exact same papers. It was arguably the most serious exam right under the College Entrance Examination.

The classroom speakers, air conditioners, fans, clocks, and so on had all been thoroughly checked, with any broken ones replaced. Starting last night, the classrooms had been arranged into exam halls, and students were barred from entering.

Rumor had it that even the invigilators were randomly assigned from other schools.

It was a rare treat for everyone to sleep in until a little past seven. With the exam starting at nine, there was more than enough time left to brush teeth, wash up, and eat breakfast.

This time, Shen Nian was assigned to the third floor, in the same classroom as Li Shiyan and a few other classmates, while Xia Yanchun was assigned to the sixth floor.

Fortunately, the exam ended earlier than the regular school day for the freshmen and sophomores, so there was no need to worry about waiting in lines.

If the Joint Provincial Exam was really that easy, Shen Nian figured Xia Yanchun would definitely hand in her paper half an hour early—and of course, he would do the same.

It would be even better if they could hand it in an hour early.

A few of them leaned against the corridor railing, chatting casually as they waited to enter the classroom.

Shiyan, can you wish me that I know everything on the test, and guess right on everything I don't?

Does that kind of thing really work?

Hurry up, if you don't bless me, I'll lie on your bed and chat when we get back to the dorm.

Ugh, fine. I wish that you know everything on the test, guess correctly on all the rest, remember all the dictation perfectly, and get full marks on the essay. Happy now?

Wow, with a top student's blessing, I'm totally set.

Han Wenxin held Li Shiyan's hand and swung it back and forth, looking absolutely delighted.

Shen Nian glanced sideways. He remembered that Xiaoxin's grades weren't bad either—over six hundred points. Who would have thought that someone scoring over six hundred points would resort to this kind of superstition now.

Am I not a top student too? Why don't you ask for my blessing? Shen Nian tilted his chin up.

Oh, come on, I was just too embarrassed to ask. Since you brought it up, give me your blessing too!

Then I wish you get more and more badass with every exam.

That sounds a bit weird, but thanks anyway.

Shen Nian scratched his cheek. With the incredibly lucky Li Shiyan and his own Luck +5 buff, this silly melon Han Wenxin might actually be completely set for this exam.

Of course, you shouldn't take superstition seriously.

I did a tarot card reading for you last night. Shiyan, you'll definitely have good luck today! Before even entering the classroom, Han Wenxin pulled Li Shiyan along, chattering away.

Li Shiyan blinked her big eyes, patted Han Wenxin's hand, and said earnestly, Xiaoxin, you can't take things like tarot cards seriously.

Who says? They're really accurate, okay.

Li Shiyan sighed, hesitating to speak, stopping, and then wanting to speak again.

Han Wenxin, you absolutely must never delete my contact in the future, Shen Nian grinned, showing his teeth.

Why?

So I can sell you health supplements when we're old.

Screw you, Shen Nian!

Ahem, time to go into the classroom.

Han Wenxin gritted her teeth. I'm so mad, Shiyan. I'm absolutely furious right now.

Hahaha, that's just how Shen Nian is...

Talking too much to Shen Nian was likely to shorten one's lifespan.

Li Shiyan smiled faintly. She actually wanted to tell Han Wenxin the same thing, but it seemed a bit impolite. She didn't expect Shen Nian to say it first.

She also wanted to sell health supplements to Han Wenxin in the future.

By the way, you've been deskmates with the class monitor for so long. Are there any hidden little secrets?

What? Li Shiyan tilted her little head, confused.

I mean, hehe, what's the relationship between the class monitor and Shen Nian? You've been deskmates for so long, hasn't she revealed anything to you? Han Wenxin's mouth didn't stop. Don't you think the two of them have some unspeakable secret?

Going to school and leaving together every day, occasionally going off-campus for lunch together, and even... even asking for time off together. If they said there was nothing going on between them, Han Wenxin wouldn't believe it for a second.

About that... Little Chun hasn't told me anything.

No secrets at all?

None...

Although she felt that the two of them were very ambiguous, Xia Yanchun hadn't said she was in a romantic relationship with Shen Nian. Therefore, she couldn't say that Xia Yanchun and Shen Nian were dating, otherwise, it would be spreading rumors.

No matter how ambiguous it was, it was still just ambiguous.

Ah... there's really nothing?

What exactly are you so disappointed about?

Oh, I just think the two of them look like a couple.

I think so too.

Right? Right?! Han Wenxin patted Li Shiyan's back. I knew I wasn't the only one who felt this way.

Alright, let's head into the classroom too!

Li Shiyan cut the topic short and pulled Han Wenxin into the classroom.

...

At nine o'clock, the exam bell rang.

The first subject was Chinese. Shen Nian only gave it a rough skim, and upon seeing the essay prompt, he already determined the difficulty of the entire paper.

It was the same difficulty as the midterm exam—pure and simple.

The essay barely even required analyzing the prompt; he could tell at a glance what needed to be written.

While others were still working on the multiple-choice questions, he had already started the dictation section. While others were on the reading comprehension, he had already written half of his essay. The tip of his pen scratched rapidly against the answer sheet, never stopping.

After a rough check, excellent, he could now lie on his desk and sleep.

The invigilator frowned as she looked at Shen Nian sleeping on his desk.

How long had it been, and there was already a student sleeping on his desk? Weren't the students of Second High School supposed to be outstanding? She saw the students, but where was the outstanding part?

However, as an invigilator, she had no reason to wake the student up. She just needed to do her job.

Bored, she took a walk around the classroom.

When she passed by Shen Nian, she glanced at his exposed answer sheet.

Hmm?

How was the essay already finished? The handwriting was neat, there were almost no corrections, and he had even standardly left the last three lines blank.

It hasn't even been an hour and a half, and you've already finished the essay?

The invigilator was filled with sudden respect.

...

At eleven o'clock, Shen Nian handed in his paper early.

Perhaps because the exam was easy, there were many more people handing in their papers early. After the early submissions, only half of the candidates remained in the exam hall.

Li Shiyan and Han Wenxin also handed in their papers swiftly.

Let me check my answers against yours! Han Wenxin reached out to Shen Nian.

Here.

The Joint Provincial Exam wasn't the College Entrance Examination, after all. Since the teachers still had to review the papers later, students were allowed to take the question papers and scratch paper with them.

Shen Nian handed his paper to her.

Han Wenxin frowned as she compared the multiple-choice questions. Twelve questions, three points each. After comparing them, Han Wenxin felt her future was bright.

Boohoo, it must be because of the blessings you two gave me that I got all the multiple-choice questions right!

You'd rather believe someone else's blessing worked than believe you have the ability to get them all right yourself? Noted. When I start a company in the future, I'll hire you to do the work. It'll be a practical opportunity the company provides you, so you should pay the company a training fee.

Hehehehe—

Li Shiyan laughed heartily, but then she remembered she was out in the corridor. Realizing her voice might carry into the classrooms where exams were taking place, she quickly covered her mouth, terrified that a proctor would come out, drag her into the office, and give her a severe scolding.