Xie Qian had never worried about Wen Ying doing poorly in Chinese.
The moment he left the exam hall, he received her text. A softness filled his eyes. He had just drafted a “keep it up” reply when someone called his name nearby.
“Xie Qian, we’re in the same exam hall!”
Zhang Nan jogged over, her voice brimming with delight.
Zhang Nan had no idea she would be assigned to the same hall as Xie Qian. This sudden encounter set her girlish heart racing.
Hehe, this must be fate between her and Xie Qian~
Xie Qian nodded. “Guoce is in this hall too.”
The blunt straight man unceremoniously punctured Zhang Nan’s rosy bubble.
Fortunately, Zhang Nan had a big heart, and years of rejection from Xie Qian had toughened her skin. She paid no mind to his coolness and chattered on. “I didn’t spot him then. By the way, I thought this year’s questions were quite easy. Peng Guoce should be able to get into a 211 university, right?”
Peng Guoce’s bold claim of aiming for a 211 had long spread through their circle.
Zhang Nan did not really care if Peng Guoce made it. She was not that close to him; she got on better with Tai Wu.
But Xie Qian had gone to Rongcheng for high school, and Peng Guoce had transferred there too. Mentioning Peng Guoce now gave her a shared topic with Xie Qian.
Zhang Nan herself had not needed to take the Gaokao. Her family wanted to send her abroad to study, but she refused.
What was the point of studying overseas?
It would mean at least finishing her bachelor’s before returning home.
The timeline was far too long. With Xie Qian’s devastatingly handsome face wandering a university campus, forget four years; he might not even last four months before getting snapped up!
Zhang Nan would rather die than agree. Her family had no choice but to let her sit this year’s Gaokao.
Spotting Xie Qian outside the hall filled Zhang Nan with the thrill of a bee finding nectar. Her eyes and thoughts were all on him. She hovered around, trying to pry out which university he planned to apply to after the exams.
Three years of high school with Xie Qian away; she had endured it somehow. Now Zhang Nan schemed to be classmates again, of course. Xie Qian’s grades were stellar, though; she might not make the cut for his choice.
The campus did not matter; what counted was being in the same city as Xie Qian.
Zhang Nan gazed at him expectantly. Xie Qian felt a headache coming on.
To discourage her would be harsh; they had grown up together, after all. With just the first subject, Chinese, done, Xie Qian worried it might rattle her and affect the rest.
Not to discourage her, though, and her one-sided chatter was driving him mad.
“I haven’t decided yet.”
Xie Qian gave a neutral answer, shutting down further talk. Zhang Nan suspected nothing. “Fair enough. Scores won’t be out for a while after the exams. Plenty of time to think~”
Peng Guoce had been so nervous during the test that his first act after handing in was a dash to the loo, delaying his meet-up with Xie Qian.
Overhearing Zhang Nan and Xie Qian, Peng Guoce was at a loss for words.
It was not that he looked down on his childhood friend; he just thought Zhang Nan’s pursuit of Xie Qian was doomed!
She had crushed on him for years, had she not?
Plus the kindergarten connection.
How could she not know Xie Qian at all!
With Xie Qian’s personality, how could he reach Gaokao day without a plan for university?
Even Peng Guoce knew Xie Qian was 100 per cent headed to Modu for school, but he dared not say it in front of Zhang Nan, lest it stir trouble.
Still, Peng Guoce had no mind to tease Zhang Nan’s folly. Thinking of the Chinese paper he had just done, he fretted. “Xie Qian, I don’t think I did well. What now?”
Zhang Nan’s expression turned odd.
As a notorious slacker, doing poorly was par for the course. Did he really need to point it out?
Xie Qian looked down on slackers, Zhang Nan figured. Peng Guoce was in for a scolding, surely. Instead, Xie Qian pondered and offered reassurance from an unexpected angle. “From childhood to now, your hunches have rarely been right. Don’t look at me like that. Am I wrong? Think about it: during the exam, how many of those guesses do you reckon you got right?”
“Er…”
The angle was so fresh that Peng Guoce followed Xie Qian’s lead and brightened at once. “I usually guess two out of ten multiple-choice right. Three is rare, four impossible… so my feelings are always off, yeah!”
Peng Guoce burst out laughing, drawing stares from nearby candidates.
One parent picking up their child sighed outright. “Poor thing, another one’s lost it.”
Mrs Peng elbowed through the crowd and shot the loose-tongued parent a fierce glare.
“Who are you calling mad!”
Reaching Xie Qian, she switched to a beaming smile. “I spoke to your mum. She’s tied up today, so couldn’t come. I’m dropping Guoce anyway; I’ll take you too. Come on, I’ll treat you lads to lunch!”
“Thanks, Auntie Zhu.”
Truth be told, Xie Qian felt he needed no special escort.
Whether Zou Weijun came today was something mother and son had discussed beforehand. In the end, she respected his wish.
Mrs Peng, ferrying her son, offering to include Xie Qian too; he thought it over and did not refuse.
Mrs Peng was a delight; anyone with her ended up in high spirits, Xie Qian included.
Zhang Nan, thick-skinned as ever, tagged along too. Mrs Peng nodded cheerily. “No bother having you. Just ring your family, so they don’t fret.”
The Zhangs doted on her; they would surely have arranged a pick-up today.
A black Honda idled at the kerb. Zhang Nan’s eyes sharpened. “Eh, Uncle’s back from abroad?”
The words “back from abroad” pricked Xie Qian’s nerves. He looked up and recognised the car.
It was Zhang Zhijun’s.
The thought had barely formed when the door swung open, revealing Zhang Zhijun, unseen for half a year.
Zhang Zhijun remained as poised and generous as ever. Spotting Mrs Peng, he smiled. “If I’d known Nan Nan was with you lot, I wouldn’t have bothered coming.”
Zhang Nan pouted.
She usually adored this uncle, but could he not read the room right now?
She had finally snagged alone time with Xie Qian!
“Uncle Zhi!”
“Uncle Zhi.”
Xie Qian greeted him along with Peng Guoce. Zhang Zhijun’s gaze fell on his wrist. “Don’t you like the watch I gave you?”
Xie Qian’s face stayed neutral. “I do, but it’s too valuable. Not convenient for school, so I put it away.”
Xie Qian’s excuse was flawless. Zhang Zhijun nodded despite himself. “My oversight. Forgot you’re still in high school; too flashy for campus… but after Gaokao, no need to hold back. Your background is what it is. Who could fault you for luxury in daily wear? I know you don’t care for such things, but you can’t shun the privileges you deserve.”
Zhang Zhijun seemed to imply more. Xie Qian nodded lightly. “Haven’t thought that far yet. Gaokao first.”
With outsiders present, Zhang Zhijun could not press. He took Zhang Nan and left.
Zhang Nan boarded her uncle’s car, glancing back every step.
Once the Zhangs were gone, Mrs Peng muttered, “Zhang Zhijun’s a queer fish. Spending time with him leaves me uneasy.”
Xie Qian could not hide his surprise.
No wonder Mrs Peng had stayed silent earlier; she actually disliked Zhang Zhijun?
That was rare.
Mrs Peng was a social butterfly, smiling at everyone. She seldom voiced dislike so plainly.
Could Mrs Peng know something?!
