As a student, what feelings wash over you after a major exam?
Some are anxious. Some are full of hope. Some feel crushed. Some are confident. I belong to a rare group: my heart is calm as still water.
The moment test papers landed on my desk, I filled in my name, class, and ID. Then, I felt like I’d slipped inside that thin sheet of paper. My mind focused only on solving problems. I forgot time. I forgot where I was.
Like a wuxia master transferring energy to a disciple, I blocked out all distractions. I poured myself into the exam. Near the end, my internal clock kicked in. I finished just in time.
Afterward, I knew my mistakes. I knew where points were lost. Even without the answers, I had a rough score. So yes—my heart stayed calm as still water.
Some say exams are ruined by surroundings. A proctor staring too long makes you nervous. A classmate turning in early breaks your rhythm. But for the truly focused? Trivial.
During my high school entrance exam, I sat in the last row of a classroom at City No.3 High. Beside me sat a reeking trash can. Only after all tests did I realize—I’d taken my first big exam perched on a garbage heap.
…This time, I felt I’d done pretty well.
A few days after finals, the school posted rankings and class lists on the bulletin board by the teaching building entrance.
I stood behind the crowd, hands in pockets. I waited quietly for the noisy humans to check scores and scatter. Then, alone, I approached the rust-stained board to find my name.
Wow—so many Lu Fans in our school! Three of them.
After seeing that, I only sighed.
A too-common name causes trouble.
Better check by student ID. I scanned from bottom to top.
The D-class Lu Fan wasn’t me. Thank goodness. D-class meant no progress. My year of effort wasted.
The mid-tier C-class Lu Fan wasn’t me either. Could I be in B-class?! My heart fluttered a little.
But the B-class Lu Fan near the bottom had an ID off by one digit. Did the teacher mix up the numbers? I frowned, conflicted.
“Bro Fan! You’re in A-class! So strong!”
Guo Tong, still searching beside me, suddenly yelled.
“What!? Impossible!”
I hadn’t dared glance at A-class scores. Those genius-level numbers were terrifying. Not humanly possible.
“Look! Right here!”
Guo Tong jabbed a finger at the top section.
?!
I saw it. Dead last in A-class—a guy named Lu Fan. This guy had studied like a maniac all year.
“Heh heh heh—”
I let out several eerie laughs.
Nearby girls glimpsed my face and fled. Guo Tong edged away, eyes wide with fear.
“What’s wrong?”
I finally noticed their reactions after calming my exploding heart.
“Bro Fan, your laugh was scary,” Guo Tong shivered, forcing himself to stay. “Like Dongfang Bubai mastering the Sunflower Manual.”
“Die! I’m happy for once, and I’m Dongfang Bubai? Ridiculous. Which class are you in?” I punched his chest lightly.
“Same as you, Bro Fan! We’ll be desk mates all three years.” Guo Tong rubbed his chest, a blush spreading on his face.
“Don’t be so cheesy.” It gave me chills.
I scanned upward. A few names above sat Guo Tong’s.
Geniuses are geniuses. He’d only reviewed an extra week yet hit A-class level? His potential ran deep. If he studied daily like me, who knew how high he’d soar?
“Sigh. As the class slacker, I can’t slack off. Last in A-class—I might get demoted anytime.”
I must work harder. Since I’m no genius like Guo Tong, I’ll walk this path step by step.
“Bro Fan, you’ve worked hard enough,” Guo Tong smiled, patting my shoulder.
“I need to work harder!” I replied with a wry grin at the list.
Curious, I checked familiar geniuses.
Top student Wang switched to liberal arts? His science scores were stellar—a pity. But maybe humanities suit him better.
Li, always top ten, stayed in A-class. A tough rival ahead.
Well, I’m sticking to science’s bright path—all the way to the end.
“Hey, Bro Fan—why’s Jiang Muqing’s name missing? Weird. Did they skip her?” Guo Tong paused after searching.
“You care about her a lot,” I teased.
“She’s pretty and smart. Pretty smart girls are rare. Those ‘dinosaurs’ in A-class scare me—but if I’m in A-class, maybe I’ll be Jiang Muqing’s classmate. I’m kinda excited.” Guo Tong’s eyes sparkled.
“You studied hard half a month just for girls?!” I felt our friendship boat rocking.
Jiang Muqing—a genius transfer from City No.2 High. I’d forgotten her. Curious, I searched the list with Guo Tong. Still no trace.
“Did she skip the exam?” A chill crept down my spine.
“No one took leave during exams,” Guo Tong confirmed, rechecking the list numbers. “Total students match. Only her scores are missing.”
“Strange.” I frowned, weighing possibilities.
Suicide? No. She promised me and Mom she’d be fine. She keeps her word.
Sick? For such a crucial exam, she’d push through illness.
Only one reason left: her exam paper had issues. After years as a student, she shouldn’t mess up basics. Even with a wrong ID, they’d trace her score.
“What’s she doing?!” I couldn’t figure it out.
Just then, a shove hit my back. I turned, expecting Guo Tong—but class monitor Mo Shiyu stood there.
“Lu Fan. Mr. Li wants you in his office.” Her tone was icy.
The single-ponytail girl faced me, deliberately avoiding my eyes.
“What for?” I asked blankly.
Since I made A-class, Mr. Li—math department head—would be my homeroom teacher. The deputy head likely took liberal arts top class.
Maybe he’d encourage his new disciple. I guessed.
“To have tea.”
