Exam Cheating!

"This guy is an idiot."

Everyone thought so.

Li Mu Yang's academic performance had been answered most cruelly by countless major and minor exams.

He was first in the class, first in the grade. Of course, all counted backward.

He hadn't passed a single subject, not even the simplest Xifeng Sayings. Clearly, not even the god of destiny was willing to stand by his side, perhaps afraid of being contaminated by his bad luck.

Yet, such a guy actually threw a textbook at someone and said, 'Test me, come test me.' What else could he be but an idiot?

Otherwise, why would a normal person do such a thing?

Zhang Chen thought the same. He first stared wide-eyed at Li Mu Yang, surprised he would do something so foolish. Then he burst into laughter, doubled over with mirth.

Zhang Chen's friends around him laughed along, and the whole class joined in.

Cui Xiaoxin was also smiling, but her smile was fainter and held more meaning.

Zhang Chen pointed at Li Mu Yang and said, "Li Mu Yang, I heard you were sick these past few days. Did your head get burned? If your brain wasn't fried, why would you do something so crazy? You want me to test you? Test you on what? What do you know? Why would you do something so self-humiliating for no reason?"

"Brother Chen, since Li Mu Yang wants you to test him, you should test him properly. We're all classmates, don't be so rude—"

"Exactly! Classmates should learn from each other and improve together. Brother Chen, ask Li Mu Yang a few simple questions. Maybe he can actually guess the right answers?"

—

Zhang Chen's buddies egged him on.

Li Mu Yang sneered inwardly, thinking that soon he would blind their dog eyes with his profound knowledge and brilliant answers.

Zhang Chen picked up the textbook, looked at Li Mu Yang suspiciously, and asked, "Do you really want me to test you?"

"Go ahead," Li Mu Yang said with a serious expression, exuding a calm and collected demeanor as if he were in complete control.

Although it looked like Li Mu Yang had casually tossed a book, it was a book he felt he understood best: "History of the Xifeng Empire." Cui Xiaoxin had recounted it to him entirely while he was in the hospital these past few days, and she had repeatedly explained and confirmed some key knowledge points with him.

Li Mu Yang felt he wasn't foolish anymore!

Zhang Chen opened the book, fumbled through it for a moment, and then asked, "In which chapter and on which page does the name of the first Imperial Emperor appear in the textbook?"

Li Mu Yang's expression stiffened slightly, and he protested, "Does that even count as a question?"

"Of course. Didn't you say I could ask anything?" Zhang Chen said with a sly grin, then continued, "In what year and on what day was Song Annan, known as the 'Holy Light Saint,' born? And in what year and on what day did he die?"

"—Questions like that would never be on an exam!"

"Who knows? What if the exam setter puts that question on this year's test? You're not the exam setter, how do you know it won't be?" Zhang Chen said contemptuously. "How many people did the Imperial Soaring Great General Bai Youwei massacre when he participated in the 'Battle of Qinghe'? What were the names of those massacred people?"

Li Mu Yang's face turned ashen with anger, his body trembling. He pointed at Zhang Chen and cursed, "You're deliberately making things difficult and have no scholarly integrity at all—How can there be a despicable person like you among classmates? I'm truly ashamed for you."

Zhang Chen looked around smugly and laughed heartily, "Everyone, look, look! He forced me to test him, and when I actually asked him questions, he couldn't answer any of them—"

The crowd laughed even more heartily.

Zhang Chen threw the textbook on the table and looked at Li Mu Yang, saying, "Li Mu Yang, it's best to just be happy. Everyone should do what they're good at. Since you like sleeping and are good at sleeping, then just sleep well. It's only a few days until the written exam, and you suddenly jump up acting like you love studying. Everyone is very unaccustomed to it. Right?"

"You—" Li Mu Yang's ashen face turned purple, then red. "You're going too far."

The smile on Zhang Chen's face froze. He leaned his head forward, staring intently at Li Mu Yang, and said, "Li Mu Yang, I'm bullying you, so what? Do you think you still have hope of being saved? There's only a month left. After a month, everyone will go to their ideal schools, and you? You'll just go back to knead dough for your mom, right? But that's not bad either—being a small pastry shop owner, that kind of life should be quite peaceful and comfortable, right?"

"Zhang Chen, I will definitely score better than you—"

"A fool's dream," Zhang Chen interrupted Li Mu Yang impolitely. "Enjoy it while you can. This is the last time you'll be classmates with us. After a month, you'll be nothing—"

Zhao Mingzhu entered with a stack of test papers. Seeing Li Mu Yang and Zhang Chen arguing in the classroom, she called out, "What's wrong? What happened again? Zhang Chen, Li Mu Yang, what are you two doing?"

Zhang Chen turned to Zhao Mingzhu and explained with a smile, "Teacher Zhao, Li Mu Yang said he wanted me to test him. After I finished asking the questions, he couldn't answer any of them and is now getting angry and causing trouble for me."

Zhao Mingzhu's mouth twitched, and her expression became stern. "Zhang Chen, don't you see how many days are left until the written exam? Instead of seizing the time to study well, you're wasting it on trivial matters. Do you still want to go to Xifeng University?"

"Teacher Zhao, I was wrong," Zhang Chen quickly apologized. He looked at Li Mu Yang and said, "I originally thought that since we are classmates, even though Li Mu Yang's academic performance is poor, we shouldn't just let him go to ruin. If he's determined to study hard and make a final push, as the class monitor, I naturally have to support and take care of the underperforming students in the class—"

"Hmph, some people are like pigs' intestines that can't be propped up. Talking to him is a waste of time, and looking at him is a waste of sight," Zhao Mingzhu said unceremoniously. Because Cui Xiaoxin had followed Li Mu Yang last time and hadn't come to class for several days, she didn't want to conflict with this favored student in the class at this time. If it affected Cui Xiaoxin's mood and her performance in the written exam, it would affect her class's promotion rate and the substantial bonuses they could receive.

However, although she didn't name Li Mu Yang this time, everyone in the class knew who she was targeting.

"Some people want to be tested, right? I happen to have a set of exam papers here that I finished last night—The question types on this paper are very simple, and many of them are questions that have been asked before." Zhao Mingzhu threw the papers in her hand onto the table, her eyes chillingly fixed on Li Mu Yang. "This is considered the last diagnostic test for this semester. I hope certain people will try a little harder and not cling to the position of last place in the entire class—Can you give others a chance?"

Li Mu Yang was filled with shame.

Hearing Zhao Mingzhu's words, he also felt that he had occupied that position for far too long. He had been the undisputed champion every time, with no one qualified to compete with him.

The class bell rang, and the exam papers were distributed.

Li Mu Yang composed himself and then began to answer the questions seriously.

The blocky characters that used to make him sleepy now felt incredibly familiar.

"Strange, I know how to do this question."

"Strange, this question looks familiar."

"Strange, I feel like I've seen this question somewhere before—"

—

During the hour allotted for the exam, Li Mu Yang finished in only half an hour.

Except for two questions whose answers he couldn't fathom, he had filled out the rest of the test paper completely.

After Li Mu Yang finished the test, he began to check it carefully again.

Many of the questions felt incredibly simple to him, as if the answers were already imprinted in his mind.

However, some questions left him uncertain. He felt like he had seen them before, but he couldn't be 100% sure if those were the correct answers.

Those two completely unfamiliar questions gave him a sense of urgency. The written exam was only a month away. No matter how hard he worked during this time or how strong his learning talent was, the amount of material he could cover was still limited.

If the written exam consisted entirely of questions like these, would he have any hope at all?

Li Mu Yang secretly resolved that he would have to work twice as hard in the coming days.

Many times harder!

Zhao Mingzhu sat upright at the podium, ostensibly grading student assignments, but her eyes were scanning the classroom like radar. She had many years of teaching experience and was keenly aware of every student's every move. If anyone dared to pull any tricks during her exam, it would be tantamount to seeking their own demise.

When her gaze shifted to the student she least wanted to see, she couldn't help but pause.

That student wasn't answering questions like the others; instead, he was deep in thought with a serious expression.

"Putting on a show," Zhao Mingzhu thought contemptuously. Ever since their first meeting, when she had broken a ruler because of him, a deep and irreconcilable animosity had formed between them. She had completely given up on this student, just like many other teachers.

Recalling the incident where he had asked Zhang Chen to test him earlier, Zhao Mingzhu decided to give him a little 'surprise.'

"Li Mu Yang—" Zhao Mingzhu called out. "Did you finish your test paper?"

"I'm done," Li Mu Yang replied, looking up.

"—"

Zhao Mingzhu was furious.

She had expected Li Mu Yang to panic as he had before, his face flushing red as he handed in a blank paper smeared with saliva or some other substance.

Then she would have severely criticized him and written a large 'X' on his paper in front of the entire class.

She hadn't expected Li Mu Yang to play by different rules, to deviate from the norm and say he was 'done.'

"You're really done?"

"Well, not exactly—" Li Mu Yang said sheepishly. "There are two questions I don't know."

Zhao Mingzhu scoffed at this statement, probably thinking he meant he could only answer two questions.

"Bring your paper up here so I can see it," Zhao Mingzhu said.

Li Mu Yang put down his pen and, under the astonished gaze of his classmates, submitted his test paper.

Zhao Mingzhu took the paper, and the smile on her face instantly froze.

He had actually finished it; the paper was filled with writing.

"Let's look at the answers first," she thought to herself.

"This question is correct. Hmm, he must have guessed—"

"This question is also correct. Hmm, Li Mu Yang is quite lucky this time—"

—

After Zhao Mingzhu had reviewed all the answers, her face had turned ashen.

Bang—

She slammed her hand on the desk and roared, "Li Mu Yang, how dare you cheat?"