Chapter 104: Chapter 104

After the middle school entrance exam, those who took the test felt relieved, but what followed was the issue of results. This was especially true for those who didn’t do well, like Song Mei and Jiang Yan, whose faces had looked unpleasant since walking out of the exam hall.

When Ye Ling returned to the compound and took a different path than Zhao Guodong and the others, she unexpectedly saw Shen Bin walking toward her. Remembering the incident last time, Ye Ling was initially somewhat embarrassed to face him. However, she quickly thought that it was just a first kiss and an accident, so what was there to feel guilty about? She confidently walked forward without intending to greet him.

Just as she was about to brush past him, feeling victory was near, Shen Bin unexpectedly called her.

Ye Ling thought there must be something wrong with her ears. She planned to just walk past, but she was stopped by the voice. Her ears might have heard wrong, but her eyes couldn’t be mistaken. Staring at Shen Bin standing in front of her, Ye Ling was sure she hadn’t misheard.

"What’s up?" Ye Ling suppressed the panic in her heart and looked at him with indifferent eyes.

"I heard your sister didn’t take the entrance exam. She must be very upset, right? Someone just gave me a few boxes of cookies. Why don’t you take them and share with your sister?" Shen Bin handed Ye Ling the two boxes of cookies he was carrying in a net bag.

Ye Ling didn’t accept them, "Since they’re for Ye Qian, you should give them to her personally. Besides, if you want to comfort someone, it’s better to speak to them yourself. I don’t need them. I don’t like eating these kinds of things."

Seeing Shen Bin suddenly so concerned about Ye Qian surprised Ye Ling. In her memory, Shen Bin was always a silent type, never meddling in others’ affairs. Even if he saw something unfold before him, he wouldn’t ask. For someone like him to suddenly care about Ye Qian was indeed strange to Ye Ling.

"I have something to do." Shen Bin put the things on the ground and walked away briskly.

Ye Ling looked at the things on the ground and turned to watch Shen Bin walking away. This person was really strange. In the end, she had no choice but to pick up the cookies and head home. Although she said she didn’t eat cookies in front of Shen Bin, he couldn’t see what she did at home. After returning home, Ye Ling kept a box for herself and left the other on the table, telling her father where the cookies came from.

Ye He Ping cracked a rare smile over the past few days, saying, "Shen Bin is quite something. He’s reached his position at such a young age and performs well in the company too."

He only said this much and didn’t add anything further.

Ye Ling then asked about going to the company. Ye He Ping didn’t avoid the topic, even with his wife in the West Room, "We’ll go after the results come out in a few days. It’s not too late then. I’ve already taken leave from the company this time, so it won’t hurt to ask for a few more days."

With that, Ye Ling understood and returned to the East Room.

In the past few days, her father slept in the East Room with her. As for whether he talked to her mother after she left, she didn’t know. However, over these days, her mother never came out of the West Room, and it was Ye Qian who took meals into the room. Ye Ling guessed that when she wasn’t home, her mother likely stayed inside the whole time.

In the days waiting for results, Ye Ling met Zhao Guodong, who asked her to help borrow first-year high school books. He planned to read them during summer break. Zhao Guodong patted his chest in assurance, and the next day he had borrowed all the subjects’ books.

Ye Ling was quite surprised, "There are only a few people in the compound going to high school, and you don’t get along with them. Where did you borrow these from?"

"I don’t get along with the people in the courtyard, but I’m on good terms with others in higher grades. Borrowing a few books from them is no big deal."

Ye Ling thought about it and agreed, laughing, "Then, thank you. Since borrowing books is so easy, why don’t you also borrow a set and read during summer break?"

"By the way, what do you plan to do during the summer vacation?" Several people were sitting on a bench by the small grove in the compound as they talked. Zhao Guodong casually leaned back in the bench, looking up at the sky.

"My dad says he’ll take me to the company for a few days." Ye Ling flipped through the math book in her hands, noting that it was similar to her set of review materials.

"Going to the company? When was this decided? How come I didn’t hear about it?" Zhao Guodong’s voice heightened.

Ye Ling looked up in puzzlement, "My dad mentioned it at the guesthouse before the exam."

"It’s nothing." Zhao Guodong looked unhappy, unable to contain it, "We’re a team, but you make plans on your own without discussing with us?"

"When did I become part of a team? All you guys do is fight. How could I hang out with you and expect to get married in the future?" Ye Ling joked, not taking it seriously.

Zhao Guodong stood up angrily, "You’re impossible to talk to."

He said that and stormed off.

Zhang Linong also stood up, "Don’t take it to heart. You know his temper."

"I’m fine, you go ahead." Ye Ling was already used to Zhao Guodong’s unpredictable moods.

Watching Zhang Linong leave, Ye Ling sat for a while longer before tucking her book away to go. But before she could stand up, Song Mei and Jiang Yan came over from the back of the small grove. It was clear they had heard the earlier conversation.

"You haven’t even made it to high school yet and are already reading high school books. It’ll be pretty embarrassing if you don’t pass after all," said Song Mei, who hadn’t done well. Seeing Ye Ling borrow books made her quite envious.

Ye Ling hugged her book, raising her head to scrutinize Song Mei, "You know about my not-so-good reputation. If you’re envious of my good results and just want to make snide comments when you see me, I advise you to say it behind my back. I’m afraid if I’m in a bad mood, I’ll make a move, see the bruises on my face? Do you want to try?"

Song Mei’s face alternated between green and white, "Self-awareness is good. Since you know you’re not good, don’t wander around shaming yourself."

Though her words were tough, Song Mei left faster than a rabbit, clearly scared. Ye Ling sneered, seeing her cowardice. Thinking back, she remembered in the last life Ye Qian passed, but Song Mei and Jiang Yan didn’t seem to make it. This life, Ye Qian didn’t take the exam; she wondered if Song Mei and Jiang Yan would fail again like before.

When the results came out, it was exactly as Ye Ling knew. In the compound, besides Ye Qian who didn’t take the exam, Song Mei and Jiang Yan didn’t pass. Meanwhile, Gao Tian and Liu Rui, who often hung out with them, did pass.

What shocked people even more was that Zhao Guodong and his group passed. They were the ones people thought definitely wouldn’t make it. Surprisingly, those expected to pass didn’t, and Ye Ling, who had been tutoring them, scored first in the city.

When Ye Ling achieved the top score in the city, Bai Xue felt a chill upon hearing the news. Although Ye Qian had been holding back, her eyes were still red. The happiest was Ye He Ping, who felt that with so many bad things happening at home recently, his eldest daughter’s top score finally brought some joy to the family. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to vote for it at Qidian (qidian.com), as your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com for reading.)