After the National Day holiday ended, the senior third-year division soon held its next monthly exam.
At this point in their studies, they sometimes could barely tell midterms, monthly exams, and final exams apart. In essence, there wasn't much difference between them.
The two-day exam ended, and by the third or fourth day, the results were already out. The report cards had all been printed and posted on the bulletin board at the back.
Everyone's scores seemed to be steadily improving.
Li Pingqiu's mindset had always been stable. His scores hadn't changed much; he was always that outstanding.
As for Lu Shuai, his math and science scores were still as stable as ever, but his English had dropped a lot, landing directly at 90. He was a little depressed, but didn't take it too seriously. After all, his goal was just to get into a key first-tier university. He didn't ask for anything more.
Besides, he really hadn't studied English seriously. It would have been abnormal if he had improved.
Ding Yebai, meanwhile, held his English paper and looked somewhat glum.
His math and science scores were still perfect, and he had scored 129 in Chinese.
That all looked pretty good.
But when he flipped through the papers and reached the last one, he saw his English answer sheet.
When he saw that bright red [117], he even turned the answer sheet over and back again, checking to see whether he had picked up the wrong one.
"That's one point higher than last time..." his deskmate said indifferently as she leaned over.
Ding Yebai glanced at her, seemingly unable to summon much energy. His eyelids drooped. "Yeah."
"But everyone agrees this paper was difficult. Scoring this high is actually pretty impressive."
"Even if it's difficult, it won't be as difficult as the Gaokao."
With that offhand remark, he put the answer sheet away.
His female deskmate knew that he desperately wanted to score higher and improve. She knew he felt awful, so she didn't say anything else.
About ten minutes later, Ding Yebai took out the answer sheet and papers again. He compared them with the correct answers, marked his mistakes, and analyzed them one by one.
His expression remained cold and unreadable. No one could tell what he was thinking.
When he went home for lunch, Ding Yuerong looked at his scores. She thought they were excellent.
After all, his total was 696, which was enough to get him into Huaqing University.
"Are you unhappy?" she asked worriedly.
Ding Yebai glanced at her and continued eating. "I'm fine."
Ding Yuerong: "..."
That made sense, too. He had worked hard for more than a month, studying day and night, hoping to see some results...
In the end, he had only improved by one point. It did feel a little like he had stayed in place.
Even a block of ice as seemingly heartless as Ding Yebai would feel a little disappointed.
The siblings didn't say much more. That day's lunch was unusually quiet and heavy.
Evening
Yang Zhi walked alone through the snack street, thinking of grabbing something to eat before heading straight to Ding Yebai's place to tutor him.
By chance, she ran into Ding Yuerong, who was on her way to the company. She waved and greeted her cheerfully. "Senior."
When Ding Yuerong saw her, she jogged over and stuffed a piece of stinky tofu into her mouth.
"Tasty?"
"Mm."
"Having dinner here?"
"Mm. I'll go straight to your place after I eat."
At that, Ding Yuerong's face immediately fell, and she looked troubled.
Yang Zhi asked, "What's wrong?"
When Ding Yuerong brought up the subject, even the stinky tofu no longer tasted good.
"My little brother scored 117 in English on this monthly exam, and he doesn't seem to be in a very good mood. That guy has an ice-cold face, but I can still tell when he's happy or unhappy."
She turned and saw the worried look on Yang Zhi's face, then quickly added, "Ah, but he isn't the depressive type. At most, he's disappointed. He won't become listless. He isn't the kind of person who gets melodramatic, either."
Yang Zhi quickly looked around. When she spotted a toy store, she went inside and pointed at a cow-shaped hand puppet. "How about that one?"
Ding Yuerong followed behind her and asked in confusion, "Why do you want that? I didn't know you liked this sort of thing."
Yang Zhi shook her head. "I want to buy two and bring them over later. Oh, right, does Ding Yebai have a favorite animal?"
Ding Yuerong froze on the spot.
Yang Zhi said, "Don't tell me you don't know."
"Being biological siblings doesn't mean we know everything about each other! He's never said."
As she spoke, she scanned the hand puppets in front of them. In the end, she randomly picked up an elephant-shaped one and handed it to Yang Zhi.
"This one. I guess my little brother will like it."
"...Really?"
Yang Zhi narrowed her eyes and smiled awkwardly but politely.
In the end, since they had no idea what else to buy, they bought the elephant and the cow.
Seven in the evening.
Yang Zhi was already sitting beside Ding Yebai.
As she took her books out of her bag, she secretly glanced at his profile, checking his current expression.
"Did you have a good National Day holiday?"
"Hm?"
Ding Yebai clearly hadn't been listening. He looked up and blinked blankly.
Yang Zhi could tell that his mind was elsewhere. She gave him a gentle smile. "You don't seem to have much energy."
"The monthly exam results are out. I got 117 in English, just one point higher than last time." He paused, and his tone sank. "I was even confident that I could get over 120 this time. Thinking about it now, I'm still far behind."
Yang Zhi sat in the chair beside him and listened to him seriously and patiently. When he finished, she took the hand puppets she had bought from the toy store out of her bag.
Ding Yebai frowned in confusion.
Yang Zhi casually put the cow hand puppet on her left hand, then held her right hand out toward Ding Yebai. "Lend me one hand."
Ding Yebai glanced at the elephant hand puppet sitting at the corner of the desk and immediately understood what she wanted his hand for.
How childish.
What a childish toy.
That was what he thought.
But he still held out his hand, if only because Yang Zhi could personally put that silly puppet on him.
After they had both put them on, Yang Zhi manipulated all five fingers, bringing her cow hand puppet to life.
"Looks like something's troubling you, Mr. Elephant. Moo~"
He hadn't expected her to change her voice while operating the puppet, deliberately imitating a cow in a ridiculous, comical tone.
Ding Yebai froze. He instinctively looked at Yang Zhi.
Yang Zhi pointed at her left hand with her other hand. The look in her eyes clearly said, This thing is talking to you, not me.
"So silly..." Ding Yebai couldn't hold back and complained.
Of course, there wasn't the slightest trace of malice in his voice.
Yang Zhi continued smiling brightly. Seeing that Ding Yebai didn't seem inclined to play along, she took the initiative and made the cow hand puppet bump against Ding Yebai's elephant hand puppet.
Huh?
Ding Yebai stared at the hand hanging over his thigh, the one wearing the elephant hand puppet.
He stared blankly and rigidly.
Huhhhhhhhhhhhhh?????????
Although there was a hand puppet between them, he could still feel the warmth coming through.
Seriously, what was she trying to do?!
A moment of awkwardness flashed through Ding Yebai's eyes. He looked at Yang Zhi, confused yet expectant.
Yang Zhi moved her fingers and opened the cow puppet's mouth. "Hello, Mr. Elephant~"
Ding Yebai continued staring at Yang Zhi's face until she imitated the cow and let out another comical "Moo~"
"Pfft..."
She made him laugh.
Yang Zhi was stunned when she saw his smile, then smiled as well. "Looks like Mr. Elephant, I made you laugh."
With a smile still on his face, Ding Yebai raised his arm, making his elephant hand puppet face the cow hand puppet.
He knew perfectly well that she was trying to cheer him up. The method was truly ridiculous.
But why was he willing to act silly along with her?
Before you continue