With Yao Tang’s aptitude, she would probably be qualified to compete for the college entrance exam performance on the provincial level. If that happened, then Xi Yan would reap the benefits without even having to sow anything!

  Luo Hua took a deep breath to ease his anger. When he was calm at last, he made his way over to Class 1.

  Mrs. Lu and Mrs. Meng were both present for their children.

  At present, Lu Yanwas standing next to her mother with a blank face.

  Mrs. Lu forced a cheery smile. All the wealthy ladies who called themselves her friends hadn’t even approached or spoken to her since learning of Lu Yan’s exam results. They were likely wary of saying the wrong thing and earning her mother’s wrath.

  Mrs. Meng, on the other hand, was scolding her son as usual. She kept telling him not to slack off and to continue studying hard.

  Meng Yang smiled tightly and agreed, but his eyes were darting back and forth, looking for a familiar figure.

  “Mrs. Lu, Mrs. Meng,” Luo Hua greeted them with a wide smile.

  Mrs. Meng said nothing and only looked him up and down. She knew him; this teacher had bullied her son too many times to mention. He was an ambitious and greedy man, and it didn’t take much for people to see through his fake facade. Ironically enough, this only made him all the more disliked.

  “Teacher Luo,” Mrs. Lu said politely.

  Just then, Yao Tang appeared in the quadrangle square, and Meng Yang snapped to attention. “Mom, I’m going over there to talk to my classmates. Remember to go to the classroom after this.”


  Before his mother could even say anything, he was already sprinting across the grounds.

  The corner of Mrs. Meng’s mouth twitched, but she gave nothing away. “Well,” she said quietly to Mrs. Lu. “I shall head over there as well. Don’t be too mad by this. Every great general had to suffer a loss at some point. I’m sure Yan’er will take first place next time.”


  Mrs. Lu pursed her lips and nodded lightly.

  Her reaction seemed to please Mrs. Meng, because her lips curved into a genuine smile. She shrugged her

  shoulders and sashayed away in Yao Tang’s direction.

  It was common knowledge that Cheng Yan was considered to be a prominent figure in the city’s celebrity circle. As it was, countless women, students and guardians alike, flocked to him.

  As for Yao Tang, she was wearing her signature black cap to hide most of her pretty face, though she was still eye-catching nonetheless. She was chomping on a lollipop as she sauntered forward without a care in the world.

  A lot of boys had never seen her before today.

  Naturally, their eyes were peeled open on the lookout for the campus belle.

  They stood to the side and ogled her in silence.

  On the other hand, a group of girls had also assembled nearby. But unlike the boys, they were deep into animated conversation.

  “Damn! Who is that guy? He’s so handsome!” One of them exclaimed, her eyes fixed on Cheng Yan.

  The girl who stood beside her couldn’t take her eyes off him, either. “I have no idea. Is he Yao Tang’s guardian? A relative or something?”


  “What kind of immortals are these people anyway? Why the hell are they all so good-looking?!’


  Mrs. Meng passed by them and overheard their discussion. She wasn’t sure how to feel about it. Some people’s fates were predetermined by their genes, but that didn’t mean their personalities always matched their gifts.

  “Yao Tang,” she called out to the girl.

  Yao Tang pushed the lip of her cap with her forefinger, revealing her delicate eyebrows and deep, dark eyes. It also showed the wicked tint to her gaze. Her voice was cold and clear when he said, “Mrs. Meng.”


  Beside her, Lin Xin offered a polite bow. “Hello, Mrs. Meng.”


  The woman smile kindly and acknowledged both Cheng Yan and Lin Xin.

  Cheng Yan tucked one hand into the pocket of his black, punk coat and narrowed his eyes at the balloon arch in the distance. “So parents and students are supposed to walk down the red carpet together, through that

  arch, and up on the stage? To sign a bunch of papers?”


  Meng Yang nodded in dread. ‘I l wonder who organized this event. It’s so flashy,” he said disdainfully.

  “Well, I think this set-up is rather interesting,” Mrs. Meng said. “It’s as good as giving you guys a coming-of-age ceremony.

  Yao Tang casually leaned on her leg and took out her phone to play games. She wasn’t paying attention to them anymore.

  As she did this, Mrs. Meng suddenly caught sight of the scar on the back of the girl’s hand. “What happened to your hand?” she asked worriedly.

  Yao Tang flipped her hand and glanced at the jagged line on her skin. “Ah, I accidentally scratched myself with a tree branch.”


  “Oh, you have to be careful in the future.” Mrs. Meng breathed a sigh of relief before turning to her son.

  “Meng Yang, go and buy some band-aids.”


  The boy blinked at his mother. He almost wondered out loud if he really was her biological son.

  He had also fallen from a tree some time ago, and had even broken his leg. His mother had been less worried about him than she was now over a healed wound.

  More to the point, Yao Tang didn’t need any kind of treatment at all. At least, not now. “Are you serious, Mom? Don’t you see it’s already healed? What good would a band-aid do?”


  Mrs. Meng looked taken aback by that.

  Meanwhile, Cheng Yan was staring at the woman, his eyes deep and unreadable.

  Sensing something, Yao Tang looked up and shot him a warning look.

  Mrs. Meng cleared her throat then, seemingly embarrassed by her behavior. She promptly changed the subject.

  “Did any of you check the almanac for today’s affair? It was promising, I must say. You can tell by this good weather. See, the sun is shining so brightly…”


  At the school gates, Yao Yuan had just arrived. He had come to attend on Yao Ran’s behalf, of course.

  However, when he found out that Yao Ran hadn’t ranked first place in the exams, his good spirits instantly sank……