"Ziyu, why aren't you saying anything? I was just kidding, I didn't really mean for you to let me copy..."

"It's not that." Zhao Rong shook his head, "I'm just a bit worried."

"Worried about what?"

"Worried that I might write it wrong, making you get it wrong too."

Fan Yushu felt touched, "Ziyu is the best... Actually, I'm also worried about that, so I was just saying it, don't take it seriously."

Zhao Rong nodded, thinking to himself, "Are you testing me?"

He turned his head and asked, "By the way, where is Brother Tengying?"

Fan Yushu sighed, "Don't mention him, he disappeared early in the morning. Jia Tengying is really too unreliable. As soon as exams approach, he vanishes without a trace. Even if we bump into each other, he pretends not to see me, like he's afraid I'd disturb him, and the other classmates are the same. If I want to ask about a Classics issue, only Senior Yu and Brother Xueyou are willing to respond patiently."

Zhao Rong glanced at Fan Yushu, who was following him and complaining, and understood a little, "Brother Tengying is smart."

Fan Yushu was puzzled, "What did you say?"

Zhao Rong waved his hand, "Nothing, let's hurry up and get to the examination room earlier."

He thought that although Brother Yushu had many flaws, he was sincere to others, for instance, he never took people's modesty and politeness seriously and was never distant with friends... Quite nice.

Soon, the two of them arrived at Mochi Academy.

This morning was the Classics test of the mid-month exams, and Mochi Academy was bustling, with students talking or reciting along the lakeside corridor that ran through the academy.

Zhao Rong and Fan Yushu's arrival didn't attract much attention, and they blended into the crowd in the corridor.

This exam's venues weren't set inside the academy but outside in open spaces.

The halls were empty because almost all the seats were moved outside to set up examination rooms.

The students from the Six Halls were randomly assigned to ten open-air exam venues, each having their own venue number and seat number, and just needed to sit in order.

The distribution of these ten open-air exam venues wasn't crowded, but they were laid out along the corridor by the lakeside from the outside in.

The venue numbers were named after the ten Heavenly Stems: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui...

The Jia venue was quite close, not far from the main gate of Mochi Academy, but Mochi Academy was large, and the venues were quite far apart, so the Gui venue, which was last, was near the back of the academy, close to the hill, requiring some walking effort.

This time, Fan Yushu's wish was not granted; he and Zhao Rong were not assigned to the same exam venue, so naturally, there was no chance to sneak a peek.

Zhao Rong lowered his head and looked at the number on the exam card Yu Huaijin had given him yesterday:

Ren Character-Number Eleven.

Fan Yushu's exam card number was Geng Character-Number Twenty-Seven.

Their exam venues were next to each other, separated by just one venue.

However, it was the same route for them, since they all had to walk along this lakeside corridor to enter and exit regardless of which venue, Fan Yushu just got to his venue earlier because his number was ahead of Zhao Rong's.

Sharing the same path, they continued to walk together towards the inner exam venues of the academy.

On the way, Fan Yushu looked around at the somewhat crowded flow of people.

"Hey, Ziyu, why are our assigned venues so far, it's like drawing the short straw, and later when the exam ends and we go to eat, it'll be another crowd, so packed," he sighed.

Zhao Rong realized that as soon as it's exam period, Fan Yushu habitually whines, feeling sorry for himself.

He shook his head and smiled, comforting, "It's fine, Brother Yushu, let's write quickly, hand in the exam early and leave, don't wait for everyone to finish together."

Fan Yushu's eyes lit up, "Good idea, Brother Ziyu! That's a specialty of ours, though it might make us stand out a bit, hmmm, I'm afraid Senior Yu might hit me after the exam, but... just make sure she doesn't see. I just hope she's not in the venue before ours..."

Zhao Rong nodded.

In a way, the two of them reached a tacit understanding.

As they chatted along the way, they finally reached the Geng venue, where Fan Yushu said goodbye to Zhao Rong, leaving the corridor's crowd first, and walked into the venue next to the corridor.

Zhao Rong continued to head to his Ren venue, and soon arrived.

The Ren venue was near the back mountain, the scenery around the open space was fantastic, close to a clear pool, or rather, Mochi Academy itself was built amidst beautiful lake and mountain scenery, the view inside was not bad at all.

Zhao Rong found his seat in the venue, at the back of the open space, right near the waterside of the clear pool, he put down his book box and arranged his paper and pens in a good mood.

After Zhao Rong finished arranging his things, he finally had the time to observe the other students in the venue.

"Brother Xueyou?" He turned his head and gave a small surprised sound.

Li Xueyou was sitting almost parallel to Zhao Rong, just one seat ahead, to his right slightly forward.

Between them, there was also a row of students.

Li Xueyou was silently reciting, holding a classic book in her arms.

At this time, Zhao Rong was at her side-back, so this slender girl in the student's uniform, which seemed too large, didn't notice him as she slightly closed her eyes, reciting her book.

While Zhao Rong hesitated on whether or not to greet her, Fan Yushu came looking for him again, standing in the corridor outside the venue, waving at him.

"Ziyu, Ziyu... over here, over here..."

Li Xueyou opened her eyes, her ponytail swaying as she turned her head, immediately noticing Zhao Rong.

Meanwhile, Zhao Rong stood up helplessly and walked towards the door. On the way, he turned his head and smiled at Li Xueyou looking over at him as a greeting.

The other person's small face flushed.

At the door.

"Why have you come again?"

"Ziyu, I'm in big trouble!" Fan Yushu had a bitter look on his face.

"What's wrong with you..." Zhao Rong asked curiously, "Did you forget to bring paper and pen for the exam again? I can lend you some."

"No, no, am I that unreliable?" Fan Yushu punched his own palm in frustration, "And by the way, take out that word 'again'."

Zhao Rong silently swallowed his retort of "then what is it," but nodded and encouraged him to continue.

Fan Yushu looked utterly defeated, "I ended up in the same examination room with Senior Yu."

He never expected that even before the mid-month exams started, he was already finished.

Zhao Rong: ......

"Uh, isn't that good? Usually Senior Yu takes good care of you."

"You call that taking care? She's like a feudal patriarch! Even watching over me during the exam, how can I handle this." Fan Yushu wiped his tears in a melodramatic manner.

As if remembering something, Zhao Rong chuckled, "Who told you to jinx it before entering the exam room."

"Ziyu, I can't leave early with you this time, I've lost the freedom of being a first-class student."

Zhao Rong remained expressionless, "Bringing you lunch is out of the question."

"Oh come on, so heartless!"

Then, Fan Yushu glanced at the Ren Character Examination Room behind Zhao Rong and asked curiously, "How about you? Any familiar faces in your exam room?"

Zhao Rong casually replied, "I saw a few students from Justice Hall that I know, oh and... Brother Xueyou."

"You're actually in the same exam room as Brother Xueyou!" Fan Yushu said with envy, jealousy, and resentment, "What kind of luck is this, Ziyu? I get stuck with Senior Yu, while you secretly get to be with Brother Xueyou!"

Zhao Rong remained impassive, "Speak clearly, don't misuse words. And... we're separated by a row, not that close."

"Separated by a row? Hey, Ziyu, I don't know whether to say your luck is good or bad..."

Fan Yushu wiped his face and sighed, "This just reminds me of the last big exam."

Zhao Rong asked, "Also with Yu Huaijin in the same exam room?"

"Nonsense, no! Last time I was in the same room with Brother Xueyou, she was right next to me." Fan Yushu boasted proudly.

"And then?"

"And then Brother Xueyou was kind enough to give me a little hint."

Zhao Rong's mouth twitched, "Don't influence others."

"I didn't, Brother Xueyou is always at the top in our Shuaixing Hall, it's just that she's not outstanding in Classics, but her Chess Skill and Music Art are excellent. Sometimes, even if I'm still guessing, she's already finished writing."

Zhao Rong could picture the scene clearly in his mind.

For example, on one side, Fan Yushu biting his pen frantically scratching his head, while on the other side, at the next seat, Brother Xueyou had already finished her paper, behaving like a good student tidying her stationery, and then the two, worlds apart, turned their heads simultaneously, staring at each other across the aisle...

Zhao Rong laughed and nodded, "So to say, Brother Xueyou is indeed great."

Fan Yushu nodded in agreement, "That's right, so this time, it's a pity for you, Brother Ziyu, not being next to her, hey."

He glanced again at the quiet girl reciting in the hall, complimenting, "Brother Xueyou is sweet, quiet, and shy, with top grades in seven skills, she's the default favorite in our Shuaixing Hall... The most important thing is, she's very righteous, always helping us downtrodden ones. If I weren't already engaged, I'd definitely pursue her and repay her well for a lifetime."

Zhao Rong laughed, "If you want to repay her, I suggest staying away."

Fan Yushu: ......

He found this very displeasing, and sternly said, "Then you too, Ziyu, stay away from her. Aren't the two Fairies and Miss Su enough for you to trouble?"

Zhao Rong adjusted his sleeves, looked up at the sky with a smile, and said, "Who says? Sir, please stop boasting, I have a peaceful family, okay?"

"Peaceful family?" Fan Yushu asked suspiciously, "Is that referring to a blanket washed and sun-dried twice?"

Zhao Rong glanced at him without explaining further.

He simply nodded, "Washed and sun-dried twice, I'm happy, my wives are diligent, nothing more a husband could wish for, deeply satisfied."

Fan Yushu looked at him, speechless.

Zhao Rong laughed, "Alright, the exam is about to start, Yushu, you should hurry back, Senior Yu might be 'missing' you."

"Oh come on, don't say scary things like that."

Fan Yushu walked off grumbling, his pre-exam stress-relieving chit-chat concluded, heading towards the exam room with a heroic yet tragic back.

Zhao Rong couldn't help but chuckle, then turned back to the Ren Character Field.

On the way back to his seat, because some students had already taken their spots, he had to choose a different path, just happened to pass by Li Xueyou's seat...

...

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PS: Yesterday, I had some insights and was adjusting the outline and my schedule, so I lazed around for a day.

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