章 14: The Midterm Exam
Unaware that she had caught someone's attention, Shen Ting could only dwell briefly on the two-month deadline for her mission before immersing herself in the intense preparation for the upcoming exams.
Though not as grueling as the university entrance exams, the period leading up to the midterms was still quite exhausting.
As the weather gradually warmed, even the best conditions at First High School couldn't guarantee air conditioning in every classroom; the limited resources were reserved for the teachers.
Inside the classroom, only two ceiling fans whirred uselessly, doing little to alleviate the heat. Instead, they added to the students' frustration, making things worse rather than better.
Day after day, the teachers handed out exams and reviewed them, while the students endlessly wrote and corrected test papers. The final review before a major exam felt like monotonous factory work—dull, mechanical, and utterly tiresome.
During Fang Qin's stay in the hospital, an unspoken bond formed between Shen Ting and Fang Kelou, a relationship of shared meals and refuge.
Fang Kelou didn't know how to cook, so during Fang Qin's hospitalization, it was Shen Ting who not only prepared the meals but also bought the ingredients. Sometimes, when Fang Kelou felt uneasy or troubled, she would confide in Shen Ting.
At first, Fang Kelou felt a bit embarrassed, but over time, she grew more comfortable. After dinner, she would head straight to Shen Ting's room, lie on her bed, and talk about the things she had no one else to tell, watching as Shen Ting worked on her test papers.
Shen Ting didn't always respond. Sometimes she would say a word or two, enough to prevent Fang Kelou from feeling like she was talking to herself, yet not so much as to interrupt her too often.
In this way, they peacefully coexisted for nearly two weeks. On the eve of the exam, Shen Ting received a notification from the system that she had successfully completed her random mission, earning 1,000 points.
With 100 points repaying her previous debt, she now had 915 left. She carefully examined the beauty tools on the system's interface, noticing that with her increased points, only three colored items were available.
The first was a small white porcelain bottle of beginner's whitening lotion, which, as the name implied, could brighten the skin. However, being a beginner-level product, its effects were far from miraculous. It required 500 points.
The second item was a green fruit called the Pigment Fruit, which could enhance one's complexion and subtly improve their appearance. It cost 400 points.
The third was a sheet of paper detailing a set of body-sculpting exercises. Shen Ting found the movements to be remarkably similar to those of the fitness routines she had seen in her previous life, with only minor differences.
The system, however, assured her that this body-sculpting method was crucial. If practiced consistently, it could stimulate secondary bone growth and help achieve the perfect body proportions.
Upon hearing this, Shen Ting hesitated. Initially, she had intended to purchase both the whitening lotion and the Pigment Fruit to change her appearance as quickly as possible.
Yet the body-sculpting method was tempting too. Though it promised long-term results, the cumulative effects over time would be astonishing.
The body-sculpting method required 300 points, and Shen Ting didn't have enough points to buy all three items. She could only choose two out of the three.
After much deliberation, she decided on the whitening lotion and the body-sculpting method.
There was no other choice. At her age, her body was still growing, and it was the best time to regulate her skeletal development. Her dark skin made whitening a crucial goal, while her overall poise and charm could be cultivated later.
The small bottle's liquid was colorless, odorless, and as dull as plain water.
Only after drinking it did Shen Ting suddenly wonder if it had any side effects—after all, she had an exam the next day!
[Rest assured, host. If any items have side effects, the system will indicate them clearly.]
Shen Ting breathed a sigh of relief. Ten minutes after drinking it, she rushed to the bathroom to check her reflection. There was no change in her skin.
Half an hour later, she looked again—still no change. Why wasn't there any effect?
[The whitening lotion takes time to react. You have an exam tomorrow. It's advised that you rest early.]
Only then did Shen Ting realize how late it had gotten. She needed to go to bed.
Still unwilling to give up, she checked the mirror one last time. Seeing no difference, she knew she couldn't rush the process and climbed into bed to sleep.
Her mind was restless throughout the night, causing her to sleep poorly. In the morning, she groggily climbed out of bed and went to wash her face and brush her teeth.
Last night, Shen Ting had been so eager to see the changes in the mirror, yet that morning, with her head in a fog, she forgot to check her reflection before heading to the kitchen to make breakfast.
It was Fang Kelou who first noticed the difference. She saw that Shen Ting's hands had grown noticeably whiter and softer, then realized that her neck and face had also lightened. Fang Kelou jokingly teased, "Since when did you start wearing makeup? Are you dating someone now?"
Shen Ting, who had been stuffing food into her mouth, paused, suddenly recalling something. She raised her hand to her face, and her usually calm expression began to shift—it had really worked.
Her hand clenched tightly under the table in excitement, and Shen Ting struggled to contain the urge to laugh or cry with joy. Instead, she smiled lightly at Fang Kelou. "Enough with the teasing. Eat quickly. You have an exam to sit for today as well."
Fang Kelou, sensing Shen Ting's unusually good mood, walked beside her with a spring in her step, almost like a little bird. Could it be that she really was in love?
Impossible, right? While Fang Kelou didn't dislike Shen Ting and actually thought she was quite nice, the idea of her having a boyfriend seemed far-fetched. Most men nowadays were drawn to beautiful women, and even if they couldn't have a pretty face, they'd at least go for a perfect figure.
But Shen Ting? She had neither looks nor a figure. Realistically, what kind of man would fall for her?
Could it be a scammer? A human trafficker trying to win her trust before drugging her and selling her organs?
As Fang Kelou's imagination spiraled into a scene from a horror film, she nervously scanned the area for suspicious people. Just as she was about to grab Shen Ting and warn her, Shen Ting turned around first, waving her off with a smile. "I'm off. Do well on your exam. Don't leave anything blank. I'll make something good for lunch."
Before Fang Kelou could say a word, Shen Ting had already darted across the street, sprinting into the school grounds with her exam bag in hand.
Chinese had always been Shen Ting's strongest subject. After completing her paper and checking it once, she raised her hand to hand in her exam.
Shen Ting was the first to finish, and the proctor advised her to review her answers again, but she politely declined. Confident in her work, she didn't want to waste any more time sitting in the exam hall.
By sheer coincidence, Zhang Lan had been assigned to the same exam room. She was still in the middle of her essay when Shen Ting, calm and composed, packed up her things and walked out.
Seeing Shen Ting leave so confidently, Zhang Lan, who had previously felt calm, suddenly became anxious.
She couldn't explain it, but the once timid and unremarkable Shen Ting had transformed. Not only had her temperament changed, but her academic performance had soared to terrifying heights.
During the final review phase before the exams, it was as if Shen Ting had unlocked some hidden potential, performing better and better with each mock test. In the last test, she had even come close to surpassing Zhang Lan, which stirred a sense of crisis within her. She couldn't allow herself to be beaten.
She could be bested by anyone, but not by an ugly girl. With this thought in mind, Zhang Lan lowered her head and wrote even more earnestly.
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