Yao Tang paid her no mind and continued to sleep.

Yu Shu seethed. Without thinking twice, she leaned over and knocked violently onYao Tang’s desk.

Many of the examinees were still in the middle of answering their test papers, and they all turned to Yu Shuwith similar looks of anger and frustration. Even so, no one dared to call her out on her behavior.

She was an invigilator, after all. They had no choice but to tolerate her, or she might make things difficult for them throughout the remainder of the exam.

The noise finally woke Yao Tang. She looked up and stared directly atYu Shu, who faltered and unconsciously stepped back.

She felt a chill race down her spine, as if her entire body was suddenly submerged in an icy bath. What a formidable aura!

Not to be outdone, Yu Shumustered all the courage and gaveYao Tangher fiercest glare. “What are you putting up an act for, huh? How dare you sleep during an exam? Do you think you’re an A-student or something? How absurd.”

“You’re being a nuisance,” Yao Tangsaid softly before turning to the other teachers assigned to the room.

“Excuse me, but this invigilator has bothered me time and time again. If this keeps up, I’m going to file a complaint to the school administration and have her investigated. She seems to be deliberately targeting me, but her actions are jeopardizing everyone else’s exams altogether.”

Her words rang loud and clear throughout the examination hall.

Once she finished speaking, the others chimed in with their complaints.

“That’s right, that’s right! I’m still halfway through my papers, but this teacher just keeps yelling and yelling. It’s so annoying!”

“Exactly, what kind of invigilator does that? Did she volunteer for duty just to disrupt the exams?”

“Sir, I believe she is here with ill intentions, so I would like to formally request an investigation on her!”

“Yes, please take her away to the administrative office so that we can all get back to our tests. Causing such a ruckus… Is she willing to take responsibility for my losses if I failed these exams?”

They were all looking at Yu Shuwith thinly-veiled animosity, as though they were going to pounce on her and beat her up at any second.

This exam was indeed a big deal to most of these students, as some of them had pinned their futures on a favorable result.

And so, they considered it a great misfortune, indeed, to have an invigilator like Yu Shu.

Yu Shu’s eyes darted from side to side, her expression morphing from arrogance to one of grievance. She had barely said a few words, so why were they ganging up on her like these?

‘These damn examinees have gone crazy! They don’t even have basic manners. If this happened at the capital, I would have had Yao Tangdragged outside already!’

The thing was, Yu Shu never had to take a single exam all her life. She had always paid her way into the most prestigious schools.

She had absolutely no idea why these people cared so much about their scores.

…

Qin Hao had lost count of the times his stomach had growled.

“Brother Cheng, why isn’t Yao Tangcoming out yet? I’m so hungry, I could die!”

He was slumped inside the car, rubbing his belly like a starving vagrant. One of the worst combinations for a city boy such as himself was hunger and exhaustion. Qin Hao doubted he could last another hour of this torment.

“Let’s wait a little longer,” Cheng Yansaid, his eyes fixed on the school gates.

“The exam should be over soon. I’m guessing the students aren’t allowed to hand in their papers early. I didn’t see a single examinee come out since we got here.”

He glanced down at his watch, then gingerly exited the car and walked to the gates. He was holding the cup of milk tea he had bought for Yao Tangat a nearby shop.

Qin Hao sighed as he watched the other man go. He would have just ordered takeout, but alas, he wanted a proper, decent meal after a long day’s work.

A crowd of parents was gathered at the entrance of No. 1 High School. They were all peering through the bars eagerly, holding umbrellas and bags of snacks as they waited for their children to come out.

Cheng Yan stayed a little to the side to avoid the commotion. Before long, he caught sight of a familiar figure and began to stride towards her.

Noticing this, Qin Hao craned his neck outside the car window to get a better view. Sure enough,Yao Tangwas sauntering through the gates as she fiddled with her pen in one hand.

Sunlight fell on her delicate face, lending her an almost ethereal glow. She was so beautiful that she didn’t look like a real person at first glance.

A long shadow darkened her path, followed by the faint scent of tobacco.

Yao Tang looked up to findCheng Yanstanding before her, his head cocked to the side, a smile playing on his lips.

She opened her mouth to say something, but a wave of nausea washed over her in the next instant. Her knees buckled, and she fell to the ground before she could catch herself.

Cheng Yan was unable to act on time. With a forbidding expression, he pickedYao Tangin his arms and carried her back to his car.

“Who are you?” An alarmed voice suddenly called after him. “What is your relationship with Yao Tang?”

It was Xi Yan, and she was running afterCheng Yan, her face etched with worry.