Chapter 12

Wen Shuran finished speaking, then handed Yun Zhuoqing the answer sheet from the coffee table. “Congratulations, you passed the test. You’re officially one of us now.”
“By the way, if it’s not too much trouble, can I ask you a question?”
Yun Zhuoqing took the paper, unsurprised to find every answer checked off in bright red, not a single mistake, yet the final score read only sixty-eight.
Once Yun Zhuoqing had seen her score, Wen Shuran finally spoke up: “You only answered the first part of every major question. I’m curious, why did you do that?”
The reason she didn’t score full marks was obvious: Yun Zhuoqing hadn’t finished the paper. She wasn’t the least bit surprised by this result.
“Because the instructions said, ‘Do what you’re able.’” she replied.
Wen Shuran gave a soft laugh. “But come on, we both know you could’ve done all the questions. Even the last one, the hardest, sure, you only solved the first part, but that’s enough to prove you’re more than capable. There’s no way someone who can do that would get stuck on the earlier ones.”
Of course, had Yun Zhuoqing insisted she simply couldn’t do them, even Wen Shuran would’ve been stumped. But he knew she’d never say that.
And sure enough, Yun Zhuoqing said, “Oh, I was in a hurry to get back. Passing was enough for me.” She said it outright, with not a hint of shame.
For the Math Olympiad club, getting a passing grade was all that mattered, there was no requirement to outscore anyone. Yun Zhuoqing didn’t care for those weirdly competitive types who have to come out on top every time, so she just answered the first question to finish up faster.
“That’s how it is.” Wen Shuran didn’t seem angry or the least bit disappointed. In fact, he didn’t think there was anything wrong with Yun Zhuoqing’s approach or attitude. After all, every step was meticulously written out; her paper could have passed for a textbook answer key, especially compared to the other one he’d seen today, which skipped half the work and just tossed out the result. No one could possibly accuse her of slacking off.
“You did an excellent job. Hardly anyone takes the time to write out every step so clearly,” Wen Shuran praised her, his compliments so genuine you could hardly doubt his sincerity.
Yun Zhuoqing, totally missing any subtle signals, nodded blankly. Okay, and?
“Next time we have club, could you finish the rest of those questions for me? I want to print them up as a reference answer for the team.”
“Honestly, your solution’s way clearer than the one in the textbook.”
Not wanting to eat up her free time, Wen Shuran suggested she do it at the next club meeting. Could he have been any more considerate?
“Or, if it’s too much of a hassle, skip the earlier questions. I can handle those.”
Yun Zhuoqing finally realized what Wen Shuran was up to.
Lazy shortcuts always catch up with you in the end. To make sure every new club member understood each concept, Wen Shuran even went this far to test himself.
Yun Zhuoqing made no more excuses. She nodded, “I’ll bring it next time.”
Meanwhile, Wen Shuran, blissfully unaware his good intentions had been lost in translation, cheerfully took out his phone and exited their previous chat: “Let’s add each other, yeah? If you have any questions, just ask.”
Yun Zhuoqing quietly took out her phone to exchange contacts.
Just before leaving, Wen Shuran, as if suddenly remembering, added an explanation for what happened before: “About the other day, sorry you had to see that. Hanyue and I grew up together, we’re just friends. Think of us like siblings, not whatever rumors are going around.”
Yun Zhuoqing understood and gave him a look to set him at ease. “Don’t worry. I’m not the gossiping type.”
Watching the door close, Wen Shuran suddenly found himself doubting everything.
Why did it feel like… this wasn’t how the story was supposed to go?
Yun Zhuoqing stepped out and immediately ran into someone.
Well, “ran into” was generous. The person was slightly shorter than her, and Yun Zhuoqing stopped the moment she noticed him, keeping a safe distance between them.
That little avoidance only made Yun Gu’s face darken. He couldn’t help blurting out, “Why did you leave half the answers blank on purpose? Are you looking down on me?”
Yun Zhuoqing looked up, startled by his accusation. “...Why would I look down on you?”
What she didn’t say: Are we even that familiar?
If she remembered right, this was only their second ever meeting, so why did he act like she’d betrayed eight centuries of devotion?
But Yun Zhuoqing held her tongue. If she’d said anything, Yun Gu might have stormed off instead of standing there, overanalyzing her every move with a martyr’s gloom.
“We took the test together, but you clearly didn’t try your hardest. You think I’m not a threat to you, don’t you?” Yun Gu glared intensely at her.
Yun Zhuoqing was quiet a moment before saying, “Did you forget? Even if my grade’s higher, it can’t get you kicked out, same goes for you and me. So, do you actually threaten me?”
She was honestly confused, but all Yun Gu heard was a challenge in her words.
Suddenly Yun Gu remembered, long ago, a friend he’d thought was a genuine pal, someone who always praised his high marks… until the day that friend finally beat him, and behind his back said, “I was just letting him win before. Like he could really beat me.”
And here he’d thought she was different.
Yun Gu’s whole expression iced over. He turned to go.
Two steps away, he realized her footsteps were already headed in the opposite direction, she had zero intention of stopping him.
Usually, after he called people out, they’d make up a flimsy excuse, or at least try to defend themselves. No one just turned and walked off without a word.
Suddenly, as if sensing his glare, Yun Zhuoqing turned back and looked at him.
Yun Gu froze, then immediately wanted to run for it.
But then again, they were in the same club; they’d have to see each other again. Yun Zhuoqing relented and called out, “You’re not my rival. I have no reason to worry about you.”
Yun Gu wasn’t dumb, for all his issues, his IQ was sky-high. He got what Yun Zhuoqing meant almost instantly.
So what she was saying was: she never saw him as a rival, never looked down on him, never tried to hide her skills, none of that applied?
As Yun Zhuoqing’s figure faded into the distance, Yun Gu finally let go of his inexplicably wounded pride and called after her, “Wait, I need to talk to you!”
Yun Zhuoqing didn’t stop.
Not that Yun Gu was surprised. If anything, he seemed used to it, and when he chased after her, he didn’t notice how his boundaries with Yun Zhuoqing had slipped even lower, yet again.
He barreled forward, overtaking her easily, she hadn’t even tried to compete with him, then planted himself right in front of her, blocking her path.
Somehow, that made Yun Gu breathe easier. Did this mean she wasn’t really trying to ditch him?
The thought soothed him a little, and he awkwardly asked, “So why only do half the test? Weren’t you worried you might not pass?”
Of course Yun Gu knew she wouldn’t have left things blank unless she was confident of passing. He just had no idea how else to keep her there and blurted out the lamest excuse he could think of.
Yun Zhuoqing couldn’t even be bothered to humor him; her answer was just as perfunctory: “If I don’t pass, so be it.”
Seeing Yun Gu still refusing to quit, Yun Zhuoqing decided to make things crystal clear: “Look, I know you’re really enthusiastic, but I want to go back now. If it can wait, let’s talk next time.”
By “next time,” she definitely meant: please forget about this by then.
Yun Gu got the subtext, but right now, all he could think about was her calling him “enthusiastic.”
“...You, you really think I’m enthusiastic? Outgoing?” Yun Gu’s expression twisted. He was close enough to see there wasn’t even a flicker of mockery in Yun Zhuoqing’s eyes. So, her last “review” of him wasn’t sarcasm, she actually thought he was warmhearted, maybe even gave him points for it?
Yun Zhuoqing sighed, “Sure, whatever you want.” Kids focus on the weirdest things. Usually, when she said stuff like that, people just let her go, why was this guy actually getting more fired up?
“No, it can’t just be ‘whatever.’” Yun Gu was inexplicably stubborn.
“Fine, as you wish. I’m outgoing. Super enthusiastic.” He gave her a strange little smile. “Don’t forget it, okay?”
Now stuck and unable to escape, Yun Zhuoqing was already zoning out.
Yun Gu tugged her sleeve and looked her straight in the eye. “And, when you finish that second half of the answers, I get to see it first, not Wen Shuran. Since you’ve discovered my ‘secret,’ you owe me compensation.”
He didn’t bother hiding that he’d been eavesdropping before, and even flaunted the secret he overheard to get his way.
Yun Zhuoqing had no idea how his logic wound up back here, but since his demand wasn’t unreasonable, she just agreed.
Yun Gu was finally satisfied.
Meanwhile, Wen Shuran had no clue his request had just been hijacked by some random kid.
At last, Yun Zhuoqing could return to her dorm. Yun Gu, for once in a good mood, headed out to go home.
All that good mood evaporated when he caught sight of a certain car by the school gate.
The spot where his own ride usually waited now held a different car entirely.
The window rolled down, revealing a smiling middle-aged couple waving at him: “Little Gu, come here, your cousin is coming back! Let’s go get things ready for her!”
Yun Gu gave a cold laugh and blurted out, “She’s just an adopted daughter, how is she my cousin?”