Chapter 31.1
Tomorrow’s schedule would be much tighter.
In the morning, the results of the second round would be revealed directly, followed immediately by the third round. The mental consumption would probably be very high. Logically speaking, they should rest early and conserve their energy.
But who would have thought that, without realizing it, it had already passed midnight.
They should be resting…
But the young girl on her shoulder put Xie Shuyun in a difficult position.
Should she wake her up now?
Or…
A struggle flickered across her face. Xie Shuyun pressed her lips together tightly as she looked at the young girl’s quiet sleeping face. She really did not want to disturb her sleep.
“I don’t have any bad intentions. Absolutely no bad intentions, really… I won’t do anything…”
Muttering this under her breath, as if cheering herself on, Xie Shuyun slowly turned sideways. Then, carefully, she lifted Cheng Lingxue in a princess carry, letting Cheng Lingxue’s head rest against her chest.
After confirming that she was absolutely steady, she slowly stood up.
The other girl was still just as light. And this way of carrying her was completely different from the times she had carried her on her back before.
Xie Shuyun felt that the sweet fragrance of the person in her arms kept rushing into her nose. Not only did it tug at her nerves, it also stimulated her heart.
That soft, fluffy feeling was like cotton candy. It made one reluctant to let go.
Xie Shuyun had carried girls before in the past, but no one had ever made her heart stir the way Cheng Lingxue did.
Was it because the other girl was an omega?
Holding onto this tiny question, Xie Shuyun tried her best not to sway as she slowly arrived at Cheng Lingxue’s room. Carefully using Cheng Lingxue’s bracelet to open the door, the young girl’s temporary boudoir entered her view.
After all, it was the opposite room. In terms of equipment and decor, there was not much difference from Xie Shuyun’s room.
The only difference was that the air seemed to carry the faint fragrance belonging to the young girl.
Upon arriving here, Xie Shuyun felt as though she had been surrounded by this scent and wanted to sink quietly into it.
She shook her head, throwing this inappropriate thought away.
Xie Shuyun carried the person in her arms to the bed. Sure enough, an extremely eye-catching giant shark was lying on it.
She could not help curling her lips.
When she looked at the shark, there was a trace of jealousy in her eyes.
This thing slept with Cheng Lingxue every day.
How nice!
On the other side was the heart-eyed bun plushie they had caught together. It looked as if it had been carefully cherished and often stroked. Its surface was very round and smooth.
Unlike Xie Shuyun’s angry bun, which got punched every time she passed by and was now already uneven all over.
From this, it could be seen how different the treatment on both sides was, making a little guilt rise in Xie Shuyun’s heart.
No more thinking. No more thinking.
She had to hurry out. Staying here for too long would be improper.
There was a difference between alpha and omega!
She placed Cheng Lingxue on the bed. The soft mattress sank slightly under the young girl’s weight.
Perhaps sensing the comfort, the young girl gave a light hum.
That sound made Xie Shuyun’s body stiffen slightly, and her heart almost jumped out of her chest.
Fortunately, the young girl merely turned over with her back facing her. It seemed she had not woken up.
Xie Shuyun let out a breath of relief, but immediately afterward, her face reddened again.
The young girl’s movement of turning over was ordinary enough, but her falling hair revealed her slender, snow-white nape. Her looser clothes also opened slightly because of it, revealing the pale pink skin beneath. Even the hem of her skirt lifted a little, showing her tender white thighs.
The tip of Xie Shuyun’s nose immediately felt itchy. She quickly covered it and turned her face away, no longer daring to look at such a tempting scene.
With a wrinkled expression, she pulled the blanket beside her over and covered Cheng Lingxue’s body.
Only when everything except the girl’s head was hidden did she finally let out a long breath.
She raised her hand and touched her forehead, only to discover that in this short period of time, a lot of cold sweat had seeped out.
This task was too hard on the heart.
Although the young girl was fragrant and soft, if this happened a few more times, she would probably develop heart disease.
Xie Shuyun scratched her head. After finally confirming that Cheng Lingxue was fine, she turned and quickly left the room.
She needed to take another shower.
What Xie Shuyun did not know was that the instant the door closed, the young girl who had been breathing peacefully with her eyes shut opened her eyes. There was still a trace of sleepiness in her black pupils.
Turning over to face the door, Cheng Lingxue looked at the closed door. Complexity flashed through her eyes, along with a tiny bit of disappointment she herself did not notice.
Cheng Lingxue slowly propped herself up. The blanket slid down from her body.
She lightly stroked her own arm, as if feeling the lingering heat left behind there.
Thinking of the scorching touch that had almost wrapped around her just now, as well as the fruity lime wine scent lingering at the tip of her nose, a faint blush appeared on the young girl’s cheeks.
Her fingertips gently kneaded the blanket until a small patch of wrinkles appeared. Only then did the girl, whose gaze had become somewhat unfocused, return to herself.
“…What am I thinking…”
Lightly rubbing the space between her brows, Cheng Lingxue gave a soft sigh.
She sat sideways on the edge of the bed, bent down, and took off the white socks on her feet, revealing her rounded, pink-white toes.
After placing the socks into the basket beside her, her toes lightly touched the thick white carpet on the floor.
The two different shades of white reflected each other and seemed to blend together.
The young girl stepped toward the bathroom with a faintly cheerful pace. Lightly walking across the plush carpet, she was like a bird, leaving behind shallow footprints.
What happened last night was like a secret in both their hearts.
Xie Shuyun did not mention it, and Cheng Lingxue did not say anything either.
The atmosphere between the two could be said to carry a trace of ambiguity, while also being somewhat strange.
The driver and teacher in front exchanged glances. They looked left and right, and finally decided not to involve themselves in the matter between the two young girls.
After all, they could not control it either.
When they arrived at Z University, the place that had originally been packed was now much emptier.
There was no way around it. The first round had directly eliminated the majority of the competitors. Only thirty teams could advance. At full count, that was only sixty people.
Among these people were also Momo and Wang Kai.
The moment both sides’ gazes met, sparks seemed to shoot between them.
Xie Shuyun could understand Wang Kai’s one-sided hostility toward her.
But she kept feeling that the atmosphere between Cheng Lingxue and Momo was strange too. She did not know if it was her imagination, but it seemed even more intense.
At this moment, Xie Shuyun noticed the ranking board beside them. It listed all the top thirty teams that had made it onto the board, including scores, individual rankings, and total points.
First place: Cheng Lingxue (1), Xie Shuyun (3), total score 934
……
Third place: Wang Kai (4), Lin Momo (7), total score 823
They were actually third.
And Wang Kai was actually fourth.
Although Xie Shuyun did not discriminate against betas and did not think betas were worse than alphas or omegas, honestly, with Wang Kai’s half-crazed personality, being able to get such a good result was truly surprising.
But fourth place, huh…
No wonder his hostility was even stronger today…
Xie Shuyun touched her head, ignoring the gaze that seemed as if it was about to spit fire. She looked at her watch.
It should almost be time to draw lots.
She did not know what ranking their opponent in the second round would have.
Perhaps it really was fate, because among the two teams facing Xie Shuyun and Cheng Lingxue this time, Wang Kai and Momo appeared again.
At this, Xie Shuyun was almost exhausted.
Why did they run into this man and woman everywhere?
The atmosphere between their two teams was tense and hostile. As for the third team, their faces were ashen.
They had never expected to draw lots against the first-place and third-place teams. Their luck was truly terrible.
There were three stations on the stage. In the middle of each station was a buzzer for抢答. Whoever pressed first could answer first. On the table were new paper and pens for calculations.
Above their heads was the video feed, recording in 360 degrees with no blind spots to prevent cheating.
During the match, the other competing teams would sit below and watch. So the people on stage not only had to show everyone their problem-solving strategy on the spot, but also withstand everyone’s attention.
Moreover, each question had a maximum time limit of five minutes. It depended on which team could give the answer first.
If no one answered, all three teams would lose points.
Everyone left here was an outstanding student. If they could not answer, it would be embarrassing. It could be said that there were multiple layers of pressure.
After two rounds of matches passed, it was finally Xie Shuyun and the others’ turn.
When Wang Kai brushed past Xie Shuyun, he gave a cold laugh.
“The first round was just your good luck. You won’t be so lucky this time.”
Xie Shuyun almost could not suppress the urge to roll her eyes. She could only look away and pretend not to see him.
Because of this, she did not notice the contact between Momo and Cheng Lingxue.
“Looks like you’re more capable than I imagined. But this time, I won’t lose.”
Clenching her small fist, Momo looked at Cheng Lingxue with eyes full of fighting spirit.
At first, she had not expected the other girl to be first place. But this was fine too. It made her even more motivated.
The fruit snatched from the other girl’s hands would surely taste even sweeter.
Thinking this, Momo could not help glancing at Xie Shuyun. Her eyes were full of coveting.
So her name was Xie Shuyun…
What a nice name…
Hiss.
Xie Shuyun felt a chill on her back, as if someone was plotting against her. She could not help rubbing her arms, trying to stop the goosebumps from rising.
“…You won’t have a chance.”
The faint words entered Momo’s ears, making her freeze. She subconsciously turned back to look at the cold young girl who was leaving.
That person’s aura seemed a little different.
Just like Xie Shuyun yesterday, it was full of aggression.
Only, Xie Shuyun’s aggression was in the open, while Cheng Lingxue’s was in the dark.
But because of this, it was even more chilling, making one feel as if something bad was going to happen.
No, no.
Impossible.
She would absolutely be fine.
Momo shook her head, throwing away the messy thoughts in her mind. Only then did she stand beside Wang Kai.
After the teacher in charge confirmed the contestants’ identities and that there was nothing wrong with the equipment on the table, he waved his hand, and the screen above them that displayed the questions lit up.
“Then, everyone, prepare to begin. Now, the first question!”
The question instantly flashed onto the screen.
Xie Shuyun swept her eyes over it a few times and immediately had a general idea. But just as she began writing out the calculation, a slender snow-white wrist suddenly lifted and slapped down on their buzzer.
Ding-dong!
The answer time paused.
From beginning to end, only about thirty seconds had passed.
Not only Xie Shuyun, even the teacher in front froze for a moment. Even the contestants who were writing lifted their heads, their eyes full of confusion, as if they did not understand what had happened.
“Uh… this contestant, since you pressed the buzzer, regardless of whether it was accidental or not, you must answer. Please state your answer.”
Not far away, Momo watched Cheng Lingxue. Her gaze changed from confusion to ridicule.
It seemed her words had made the other girl anxious.
She was so eager that she had rushed to answer. When Cheng Lingxue made a fool of herself later and made Xie Shuyun hate her, that would also benefit Momo.
But it had only been thirty seconds. Just reading and understanding the question would take about that long. How could it possibly be solved just like this…
The smile on Momo’s face had not fully spread when she suddenly met Cheng Lingxue’s gaze.
In those dark pupils, there was none of the panic, impatience, or anxiety Momo imagined.
There was only calm.
Like dead water without ripples.
Yet Momo felt a chilling cold from it, making her shiver. A bad premonition rose in her heart.
It couldn’t be real…
Under everyone’s gaze, Cheng Lingxue appeared calm and unruffled. She slowly spoke the answer.
“2√2.”
The teacher lowered his head and looked at the answer card in his hand. His expression paused. Then he nodded.
“Correct.”
“How is that possible…”
Wang Kai’s eyes widened slightly. He had only written one line of calculation, and the other person’s answer had already come out?
“It must be luck. Just luck…”
Momo did not know whether she was comforting Wang Kai or herself. She mumbled indistinctly.
The people below also let out sounds of astonishment and began whispering among themselves.
The teacher gave a dry cough.
“Quiet. Next question.”
However, this state did not end.
No one knew what had gotten into Cheng Lingxue. Her answering speed became faster and faster. There were even times when Xie Shuyun had only just finished reading the question, and Cheng Lingxue’s answer was already out.
Naturally, some people wanted to question the truth of it.
But when the teacher asked how Cheng Lingxue had obtained the answer, Cheng Lingxue did not even move her brows. She opened her mouth and gave a whole series of solution methods.
If one method was not enough, she gave two, then three.
After that, she simply attached the solution method to every question she answered, making everyone present more and more numb.
This round had practically become Cheng Lingxue’s stage.
Even her teammate, Xie Shuyun, became a supporting role.
They also became the fastest team of this round, the only team to get all thirty questions correct. It could be said to be unprecedented.
“The match is over. The team entering the third round is Team One.”
The result appeared without suspense, and thunderous applause broke out below.
Looking at the zeroes under the other two teams, such miserable results made Xie Shuyun feel a little sympathy for them.
They felt like sacrifices beaten into the ground by the queen. Weak, small, and pitiful.
The two from the third team did not feel much, though. Their scores had already been inferior to the other four, and they had prepared themselves for the worst. Besides, hadn’t the third-ranked team also gotten zero? No one was better off.
Compared to the third team’s open-mindedness, Wang Kai and Momo had clearly been struck hard. The pen in Wang Kai’s hand was almost snapped in half. His resentful gaze did not make it clear whether he was glaring at Xie Shuyun or Cheng Lingxue.
Momo beside him had slightly unfocused pupils, and her mouth kept muttering,
“Impossible… impossible…”
But even if she wanted to convince herself, Cheng Lingxue’s image kept surfacing in her mind.
She did not know if it was her imagination, but before every answer, Cheng Lingxue had deliberately glanced at her. The mockery inside became thicker and thicker with each question, as if saying,
For such simple questions, you solve them this slowly?
That faint, indistinct feeling made Momo not even want to look at the questions anymore.
Her eyes, slightly threaded with red, stared fixedly at Cheng Lingxue. Seeing the other girl’s proud and spirited appearance, Momo felt that her own arrogant show-off behavior in front of her yesterday had been like that of a clown.
She had wanted to see the other girl make a fool of herself, but she had not expected herself to be the clown.
It was simply a joke!
“How outstanding.”
Momo’s pupils shrank.
She looked at Cheng Lingxue, who was preparing to step down from the stage and was watching her from the corner of her eye.
In the other girl’s eyes, Momo felt her own weakness.
Only at this moment did she realize that the other girl had never treated her as an opponent at all.
There was no reason.
It was simply because—
she was not worthy!
The difference from what she had imagined was too great, causing Momo to suffer a heavy blow. Her feet staggered back one step. Clenching her fists, she turned and rushed out.
“Momo? Wait for me… Momo!”
Seeing the girl rush out, Wang Kai could no longer care about the jealousy and resentment in his heart. He hurriedly chased after her.
Seeing the contestants leave directly without even notifying anyone made the teachers present furrow their brows slightly, a trace of displeasure flashing through their eyes.
Originally, these contestants, although some did not have ideal results, were undoubtedly outstanding students from various high schools. There was a high chance they would become future freshmen of Z University.
At the same time, first impressions were also very important.
The teacher had already heard yesterday that the members of Team Three had caused trouble before the competition. Now, leaving so suddenly made the teacher’s impression of the two fall to rock bottom.
He directly wrote in the file:
Team Three left the competition venue on their own due to personal emotional issues without informing any personnel. Competition qualifications canceled.
Once these few lines were written down, it could be said that unless the two of them produced even better scores or had other special talents, entering Z University would be hopeless.
After all, Z University did not lack talent or students.
Therefore, when it came to future freshmen, its checks on character would be stricter, and interviews were a required part.
Wang Kai and Momo’s departure did not attract too much attention.
Xie Shuyun and Cheng Lingxue found a corner and sat down, waiting for the next round of selection to begin.
“Lingxue, you were amazing today!”
As she spoke, Xie Shuyun gave Cheng Lingxue a thumbs-up. There was no anger in her eyes over the other girl stealing her spotlight. There was only appreciation and admiration.
“I got a little carried away. Sorry I didn’t give you a chance to perform.”
Cheng Lingxue pinched a strand of hair that had slipped onto her chest and spoke softly.
Without leaving a trace, she lightly touched her chest.
There…
Her heart was pounding.
Although that scheming girl did not pose any threat to her, Cheng Lingxue had not participated in a competition like this for a long time. She had been a little excited and had failed to restrain herself, causing her to stand out too much.
But pressing someone who overestimated herself into the ground and letting her know the difference between them—
That blank and powerless struggle on her face…
Thinking back on it, it was still rather satisfying.
As she thought this, the ink-black color in Cheng Lingxue’s pupils darkened a little further. Her fingertips lightly tapped the armrest, revealing a trace of lightness.
Hearing Cheng Lingxue’s words, Xie Shuyun only shrugged.
“We’re a team. That means we’re one whole. Your score is my score. There’s no difference. Besides, the feeling of being carried to victory is pretty good too. I don’t have to use my brain.”
As she spoke, she interlocked her fingers, flipped them over, and stretched them forward. By the end, she even leaned completely back against the chair, sitting in a lazy posture.
Her slightly funny appearance made a trace of amusement flash through Cheng Lingxue’s eyes. Her fingertips lightly rubbed Xie Shuyun’s arm as she said softly,
“Sit properly. That looks too ugly. What do you think you look like?”
“Okay, okay.”
Hearing Cheng Lingxue’s light scolding, the smile on Xie Shuyun’s face did not change, because she did not sense any anger in the other girl’s tone.
She sat up straight, propped her chin on her hand, and secretly looked at the cold young girl from the corner of her eye.
The other girl was quietly watching the battle between the other three teams on the stage.
That serene aura made it impossible to imagine that she was the same girl who had been抢答ing so swiftly earlier.
Without today’s experience, Xie Shuyun would not have known that Cheng Lingxue actually had such a competitive side.
She had never felt it before.
Did Cheng Lingxue like this kind of competition?
The two girls each thought about their own things, waiting like this until the end of the second round.
After simply finishing lunch and resting for a while, it was soon time for the third round.
Now, only ten teams remained.
There was no need to divide them into batches.
They would all participate in the relay round together.
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