In the pavilion,
Qiao Ying took out the solved problems and gave them to Qiao Lingling.
Qiao Lingling received them and flipped through them eagerly, overjoyed, "That was so fast, sister you're too amazing!"
Qiao Lingling hugged the notebook tightly in her arms as if hugging life-saving medicine: "Sister, can I still come to you when I have problems I can't solve in the future?"
Qiao Ying just smiled without answering.
She didn't say anything.
"When I give these to the teacher and get the scholarship, I'll give it all to you, thank you sister. I'll come find you again later." Qiao Lingling desperately controlled her emotions, calling her "sister" affectionately.
After speaking, she waved goodbye to Qiao Ying and hurriedly left, her mood rising and falling dramatically. She had thought she was facing death, but unexpectedly there was light at the end of the tunnel. Qiao Lingling's guilty conscience had not completely calmed down yet, and she didn't quite dare stay with Qiao Ying for too long or say too much.
Qiao Ying stood in the same spot, watching that happy, running back moving farther and farther away. Her eyes gradually grew colder.
Soon after, she followed along.
"President Zhang, leaving so soon, where are you going?"
Zhang Chengyong was walking when he suddenly saw Qiao Ying coming up behind him.
He was happy, "Oh, Qiao, why did you come to this building? Don't tell me you came here specially to find me? Do you have time to eat with me? I was thinking that if you didn't come find me soon I would have to take the initiative to find you."
Qiao Ying: "Just passing by."
Zhang Chengyong: "Then that's perfect, let's go together. I'll introduce you to some new friends." President Zhang enthusiastically invited her.
Qiao Ying: "What new friends?" Her feet were already following along.
"A girl as special and capable as you, an undisputed math genius."
"Oh yes, she's also surnamed Qiao like you, also from Yun City. Your Yun City really has outstanding people and heroes appearing in batches, quite remarkable."
"This time she just solved a difficult problem for the professors again. I'm going over to take a look, encourage and praise the child."
Qiao Ying: "A math genius? I'm quite interested."
President Zhang smiled, "Our Capital University is really fortunate this year to have welcomed you two outstanding talents."
As the two spoke, they arrived at the graduate research building.
At this time, Xu Zhiyi's lab was exceptionally lively.
Seven or eight professors and four or five math graduate students were loudly praising Qiao Lingling and her notebook.
"A true heroine emerges in her youth, our math world will surely reach new heights, this is extremely welcome news!"
"One math genius plus one female math genius, a match made in heaven, a perfectly compatible pair!"
"Yes, yes, their genes must be exceptionally strong!"
Xu Zhiyi was completely focused on the math problem. Hearing the professor's words, his face grew somewhat uncomfortable.
On the other hand, Qiao Lingling shyly glanced at him, then lowered her head.
This reaction led to teasing from the professors and students, telling Xu Zhiyi not to only focus on problems all day and neglect emotional aspects of life.
"Erm, you just solved this?" Xu Zhiyi changed the topic to ask Qiao Lingling.
Qiao Lingling had wanted to say yes, but remembering Qiao Ying had actually only spent a few minutes, vanity made her inexplicably bold, "No, I already solved it a couple days ago."
Hearing this, everyone applauded and marveled.
Xu Zhiyi had not expected Qiao Lingling to solve it so quickly. Remembering his previous doubts about her, he now felt guilty.
"Everyone's here? Did I come late?" Zhang Chengyong laughed as he walked in.
After taking the notebook handed over by Xu Zhiyi, Zhang Chengyong nodded as he looked through it, his eyes full of admiration for Qiao Lingling.
The lab echoed with cheerful voices and laughter. Qiao Lingling was completely immersed in it all, enjoying the glory.
Suddenly, a figure unexpectedly appeared in her line of sight.
Qiao Lingling's smile instantly froze as she saw Qiao Ying leaning lazily against the doorframe, arms crossed, an inscrutable smile directed her way.
In an instant, Qiao Lingling felt as if she was looking at the grim reaper. Her brain buzzed loudly and she even forgot to scream.
Then, in Qiao Lingling's terrified gaze, Qiao Ying stood up straight and slowly walked towards her.
As Qiao Ying approached step by step, Qiao Lingling was so frightened her legs went soft and she almost fell over.
She barely managed to prop herself up against the table to steady her body.
Seeing everyone trying to match his older brother with Qiao Lingling, Xu Zhiyi felt depressed. Then he saw Qiao Ying arrive.
"Qiao Ying, why did you come here?"
Xu Zhiyi happily called out and hurriedly got up to welcome her.
"President Zhang said there was an amazing female math genius here with the same surname and hometown as me. I came to broaden my horizons." As Qiao Ying spoke, she walked over to size up Qiao Lingling.
"Qiao Ying? The one who got full marks in the college entrance exam that you went to recruit personally?" A professor asked Zhang Chengyong.
"That's right." President Zhang nodded.
Just as he was about to properly introduce Qiao Ying to everyone, Qiao Ying reached out and took the notebook from his hands.
This action made everyone feel she was rather rude.
After all, President Zhang was an elder and the university president while she was his junior and a student.
But President Zhang just smiled at everyone to indicate he didn't mind at all. On the contrary, he beamed at Qiao Ying.
Although President Zhang was always kind to students, his indulgence towards Qiao Ying was clearly greater than for normal students.
Qiao Ying looked through the notebook, "Not only are we from the same place and have the same surname, even our handwriting is very similar."
As she spoke, she turned to the first page.
Qiao Lingling's name was written on the first page of the notebook.
Seeing this handwriting, Qiao Ying gave a mocking laugh.
Qiao Lingling instantly became extremely nervous and uneasy.
In order to perfectly impersonate her, she had bought stacks of copybooks over summer to painstakingly imitate Qiao Ying's writing. But she had still only managed 70-80% similarity.
She was still practicing copying every day, but no matter how much she tried, she couldn't match Qiao Ying's bold, vigorous, and imposing style.
Compared to Qiao Ying's, hers looked traced.
The others didn't detect the mockery in Qiao Ying's tone.
"For a freshman to solve problems of this level of difficulty, she can indeed be called a genius. Did this math genius also get full marks in the college entrance exam for math?" Qiao Ying asked Qiao Lingling after looking it over.
Zhang Chengyong: "Qiao Lingling was exempt from taking the college entrance exam."
"Exempt from the exam? As her older sister, how come I don't know about such a joyous event?" Qiao Ying looked at her, "Didn't you say you scored 700 points on the exam?"
"Huh? You two are sisters?" Zhang Chengyong looked at them in surprise. He thought to himself that they looked nothing alike at all.
At the same time, he noticed Qiao Lingling's face was frighteningly pale, so President Zhang caringly asked if she was okay.
Qiao Lingling barely managed a smile uglier than crying, "Yes, she's my older sister. We're twins."
They were even twins? They looked even less alike.
They must be fraternal twins.
Qiao Ying and this girl were twin sisters? Xu Zhiyi felt even more depressed. He couldn't help but say, "Then why did she pretend not to recognize you on the first day of school?"
Qiao Ying asked again, "Was it admission through exemption or a score of 700?"
Zhang Chengyong: "It was admission by exemption--this is extremely fortunate. Qiao Lingling, there is no need to be so modest about such great news." Though he spoke like this, in his heart he wondered.
The others also looked at Qiao Lingling puzzledly.
They thought that perhaps the sisters did not have a close relationship. So even for such a major event like qualifying for exemption, she didn't know?
But there was also no need to claim she scored 700 points.
Qiao Ying: "She is indeed modest. She's kept the title of 'math genius' quite hidden too. I'm also quite interested in math. I wonder if this genius can explain her thought process in solving the problem to us?"
Qiao Lingling panicked.
Feeling everyone's gazes focused on her, Qiao Lingling desperately tried to stay calm. "I, I'm not feeling well and am a bit tired. Next time, sister."
She called Qiao Ying sister while pleading to her with her eyes.
Qiao Ying: "You were fine just now. It's just explaining your thought process, how could that be tiring?"
"Sister, I really don't feel well. Can you go back to the dorm with me to rest? I also happen to have something to tell you." Qiao Lingling was nearly in tears. Cold sweat beaded her forehead and she felt dizzy.
Seeing Qiao Lingling's poor complexion yet Qiao Ying's unrelenting, sarcastic attitude, Xu Zhiyi stood up for Qiao Lingling. "Miss, she already said she's unwell."
Qiao Ying glanced at him, "None of your business."
Then she looked back to Qiao Lingling and coldly demanded, "Is it because you're tired or because you can't solve it?"
