Despite finishing the exam early, Shi Li didn't turn in her paper ahead of time.
First, she was someone who took exams seriously, and she could use the remaining time to double-check her answers.
Secondly, Shen Qinglin had a meticulous personality and would absolutely never turn in his exam early.
Finally, the bell signaling the end of the exam rang, concluding the day's ordeal.
Walking out of the exam room to an area with cell signal, Shi Li called Shen Qinglin again. "Want to grab a celebratory meal now that the exam's over?"
Shi Li assumed Shen Qinglin had other reasons for refusing her invitation at lunch, not that he was unwilling to eat with her.
Shen Qinglin was a very reserved person, and to be friends with someone like that, she had to take the initiative.
After two seconds of silence, the voice on the other end of the phone said, "Congratulations on finishing the exam."
Shi Li thought to herself, what kind of response is that? We both finished the exam, why are you only congratulating me?
"I didn't participate in the competition today."
Upon hearing this, Shi Li immediately asked, "Did something happen at home? Is there anything I can help with?"
Shen Qinglin replied calmly, "No, my application for the competition wasn't approved by the director. He said I didn't meet the qualifications to participate."
How could he not qualify? Both Shen Qinglin and she were among the top two in weighted scores from various tests.
Moreover, that competition application was just a formality; only those eligible could apply in the first place.
On this early November evening, Shi Li stood outside holding her phone, but she couldn't feel the slightest chill. Her entire body was filled with surging anger.
They weren't children anymore. Director Zhu's high-sounding words were actually just a way to make Shen Qinglin give way to others.
Shi Li suddenly thought of Liang Rongrong, whom she had seen in the corridor outside the exam room. She unconsciously cursed under her breath.
Shen Qinglin seemed to have already accepted the situation, "Don't make yourself sick over such a small matter."
Shi Li was truly angry at his lack of fight. Winning a certain number of influential awards in the competition would give Shen Qinglin a chance to secure early admission to university.
But Shen Qinglin had neither the right to be angry nor the qualification to fight.
He had no powerful backing to support him; his parents were just ordinary people.
And he was studying at Qianpu School without paying tuition, even receiving subsidies and scholarships from the school.
"So where are you now?"
"I'm reading in the library."
The library had a good environment – warm in winter, cool in summer, and particularly quiet, suitable for studying.
Most importantly, it was free.
He lived with his grandfather in an old shantytown area, a place that was cold in winter and hot in summer. Next door was a game room where people played mahjong during the day, continuing until two or three in the morning.
This environment wasn't suitable for studying, but he had studied in such conditions until he started middle school.
It wasn't until middle school that he learned from classmates that he could study for free at the library.
Cycling from home to the library not only exercised his body but also saved on transportation costs.
"Then I won't disturb your studying."
She had originally wanted to invite him out for dinner, but considering their current relationship was just average.
It seemed a bit strange to eagerly suggest having dinner together, so she decided against it.
Moreover, now wasn't really the time for a meal. Shen Qinglin was currently discouraged about not being able to participate in the competition, and for her, who had just taken part in it, to show up in front of him might seem a bit insensitive.
"With your abilities, you'll definitely be able to participate in the next competition. We can go together in the future."
After hanging up the phone, Shi Li no longer felt like lingering around.
She hailed a taxi and went straight home.
The housekeeper, Aunt Zhang, knew Shi Li had an exam today, and Shi Li had mentioned in the morning that she didn't need dinner prepared for her tonight.
"Didn't Shi Li eat with her classmates?"
"My classmate had something come up."
"Then what would you like to eat tonight?"
"Please make whatever you think is best."
Aunt Zhang noticed Shi Li's poor expression and assumed she hadn't done well on the exam.
Shi Li went up to her bedroom, changed into her home clothes, and the more she thought about it, the more unsettled she felt.
So she dialed her physics teacher's number.
Teacher Wu's family was having dinner, but when he received the call from his student, he put down his chopsticks and left the table.
"What's the matter, Shi Li? How was the difficulty of today's exam?"
Teacher Wu thought Shi Li was calling to discuss the day's exam paper.
"It was fine, I didn't think it was difficult."
"Teacher, do you know who was supposed to participate in the competition with me?"
"Shen Qinglin, right? Is there something wrong?"
Teacher Wu wondered why Shi Li would ask this question when she already knew who was participating with her.
"It's not him. I just found out that Director Zhu said he wasn't qualified and rejected his application. Shen Qinglin didn't take the exam today."
Teacher Wu understood the implications faster than Shi Li.
He taught physics to both Class 3 and Class 1, and was quite proud of having produced two competition participants.
Now, hearing that one of his prized students had been replaced, Teacher Wu was furious, to say the least.
"When I was at the exam venue today, I vaguely saw that new transfer student from Class 3."
Teacher Wu was burning with anger; it was obvious who had been given that spot.
Even though Liang Rongrong was also his student, there was a clear difference between a genius pupil he had taught for several months and a transfer student who had just arrived at the school a week ago.
Even on an emotional level, his attitude towards the two was different.
"Her physics level isn't even as good as Fu Huixing from your class. Who gave her the courage to participate in a physics competition?" He scoffed, as if the physics competition was some kind of paper airplane contest for kindergarteners.
Fu Huixing was the class troublemaker in Shi Li's class, spending most of his time sleeping during lessons, yet he always managed to maintain a middle-ranking position in the class.
Comparing the sleeping-in-class Fu Huixing to Liang Rongrong – Teacher Wu was being quite harsh.
From the perspective of the school's honor, choosing Liang Rongrong to participate in the competition would affect the school's performance and ranking, and there was even a team award among the prizes.
"That Shen Qinglin, he should have told me, his teacher, when something like this happened."
But then he reconsidered, feeling that the boy was actually being considerate, not wanting his teacher to get into an argument with Director Zhu over this matter, so he simply didn't complain to the teacher.
"Teacher, have the results of our monthly exam come out yet?"
Teacher Wu could easily guess Shi Li's intentions.
He said, "When Class 3's results come out, I'll send you a copy."
Having her thoughts seen through, Shi Li didn't feel the least bit embarrassed. She chuckled and said, "Thank you, teacher."
Before hanging up the phone, Shi Li added...
"I can't be certain that Liang Rongrong is the one replacing Shen Qinglin. You'd better confirm it yourself."
Teacher Wu had her own network of connections. Without needing to specifically ask the grade director, she managed to find out who the other person replacing Qianpu School in the competition was.
Shi Li's guess was correct.
At the same time, Teacher Wu sent the information she had gathered to Shi Li.
Along with this message, the results of Class 3's monthly exam were also sent.
As the physics teacher, Teacher Wu only sent the individual physics scores.
The scores were arranged from highest to lowest, with Shen Qinglin at the top.
In the latter half of the rankings, Shi Li finally found Liang Rongrong's name.
Since the last phone call with Teacher Wu, there was one thing Shi Li couldn't understand.
Liang Rongrong's physics score was barely passing. Who gave her the courage to take someone else's spot and participate in the physics competition?
Moreover, in the original story, Liang Rongrong was portrayed as a pure, kind-hearted, and non-confrontational ingénue. How could she do something like stealing someone else's competition spot?
Most crucially, her grades were quite mediocre.
If her grades were good, taking someone else's competition spot could be explained as having a reason and potential benefit.
With her current physics score, participating in an off-campus competition would be like running around naked—just embarrassing herself.
What on earth was she thinking?
