Chapter 43

The uproar caused by Wang Xiuqin's disruptive behavior in the classroom spread like an unexpected plague throughout Class 3 of Grade 11 and even the entire grade. Although Lu Baiyan temporarily suppressed the situation with a tough stance, rumors and strange looks, like an invisible spider web, still entangled Xu Nianlei.

She became even more silent, barely communicating with anyone. Even when Li Yue and Zhang Xiao cautiously showed concern, she only shook her head in response. She completely shut herself off, like a wounded snail retreating into its hard shell. The only things that could make her lift her head were the mountain of review materials on the table and the notebook filled with Lu Baiyan's handwriting.

For her, the final exam was no longer just a test of knowledge, but a do-or-die battle to defend her dignity and prove her innocence.

Lu Baiyan knew how much pressure she was under. He didn't try to comfort her with words anymore; that would seem pale and powerless. All he could do was ensure that her final days of review were not disturbed in any way, so that she could go into that battlefield without gunfire in the best possible condition.

He subtly increased the "protection" around her. Privately, he also spoke with Zhao Qiang and a few other boys who lived nearby, seriously asking them to ensure Xu Nianlei's safety on her way home from school, especially to watch out for strangers or... her mother harassing her again. He even "casually" mentioned to the homeroom teacher that he was worried some rumors circulating in the class might affect the pre-exam mindset of some students, and hoped the teacher could pay appropriate attention.

The homeroom teacher recalled Wang Xiuqin's madness that day with lingering fear. He deeply agreed with Lu Baiyan's reminder and emphasized a few words to the class without naming names: "Focus on preparing for the exam and don't believe or spread rumors." This can be considered a kind of invisible support.

On the last day before the exam, evening self-study ended. Students packed up to leave, preparing to recharge for the next day. Xu Nianlei, however, remained seated, staring intently at a complex chemistry equilibrium problem, her brow furrowed, fine beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Her eyes were filled with exhaustion and an almost obsessive stubbornness, as if she wanted to stare right through the workbook.

Lu Baiyan didn't urge her. He sat quietly beside her, looking at the dark night sky outside the window, until only the two of them were left in the classroom.

"Let's go." He finally spoke, his voice sounding somewhat low in the empty classroom.

Xu Nianlei seemed not to hear, her pen unconsciously scribbling on the draft paper.

Lu Baiyan stood up, walked to her desk, reached out, and gently pressed her still trembling hand that was holding the pen.

When her cool fingertips touched his warm skin, Xu Nianlei trembled violently as if she had been burned. She suddenly raised her head and met his calm, watery eyes.

“Some problems, if you can’t solve them for now, don’t mean you can’t solve them forever.” Lu Baiyan looked at her, his gaze deep, his tone calm yet carrying a strange power. “Sometimes, you need to put them aside for now.”

He gently pulled the pen out of her clutches and placed it on the table.

"Get a good rest tonight." He looked into her eyes and said, word by word, "Tomorrow's exam doesn't require you to prove anything to anyone. Just be true to yourself for all the sweat you've shed these past few days, and... all the grievances you've suffered."

The grievances suffered.

Those four words were like a key, instantly unlocking the floodgates of Xu Nianlei's suppressed emotions. Her eyes suddenly welled up with tears, and her vision blurred rapidly. She hurriedly lowered her head, biting her lip tightly to keep from crying out loud.

Lu Baiyan didn't say anything more to comfort her. He simply packed her books and stationery into her bag, then picked it up and handed it to her.

“Go home.” His voice left no room for argument.

Xu Nianlei took the schoolbag; it was heavy, just like her current mood. She stood up, head down, and followed him out of the quiet teaching building.

The night breeze carried a chill, caressing her burning cheeks. The two walked silently along the tree-lined path leading to the school gate, the streetlights casting long shadows that intertwined and then separated.

As they approached the school gate, Lu Baiyan stopped, turned around, and looked at her. The lamplight behind him outlined his clear features, but his expression was hidden in the shadows, making it difficult to see clearly.

"Xu Nianlei." He called her name, his voice soft but clear enough to reach her ears.

She looked up at him, her eyes blurry with tears.

“Remember,” his voice sounded particularly firm in the night wind, “no matter what the outcome is tomorrow, the fact that you’re walking into the exam hall is already a victory in itself.”

The fact that you're walking into the exam room is already a victory in itself.

These words were like a ray of light, piercing through the heavy gloom and self-doubt in her heart. Indeed, after experiencing such humiliation and pressure, to still be able to sit here, to still be able to walk into the examination hall—that in itself required immense courage.

A surge of hot, sour liquid rushed into her nostrils, almost suffocating her. She nodded forcefully, tears finally streaming down her face, but she made no sound.

Lu Baiyan watched her cry silently, and his heart felt as if something had clenched painfully. He didn't say anything more, but simply raised his hand and gently wiped away the tear from the corner of her eye with his fingertip.

The movements were so fast it was almost an illusion.

Then, he turned around, walked out of the school gate first, and disappeared into the night outside.

Xu Nianlei stood rooted to the spot, the cool yet burning sensation still lingering on her face where he had touched her. She watched his figure disappear into the night, her heart filled with a complex mix of emotions. Fear, resentment, unwillingness, and a faint yet incredibly resilient courage ignited by his words intertwined within her.

She raised her hand, forcefully wiped away the tears on her face, took a deep breath, straightened her slightly hunched back, and stepped out of the school gate.

For many, this night was filled with pre-exam anxiety and sleeplessness. For Xu Nianlei, it was even more so. But unlike before, she was no longer consumed by anxiety; instead, she repeatedly pondered Lu Baiyan's last words—"Walking into the exam hall is victory."

The final exams began as scheduled the next day.

The examination room was solemn and quiet, with only the scratching of pens on answer sheets. Xu Nianlei sat in her seat, took a deep breath, and opened the exam paper. When she saw the familiar question types and knowledge points, her chaotic heart strangely calmed down.

She remembered that quiet afternoon in the library, the warm milk on the rooftop, the clear notes on the USB drive, the brief touch he touched her as he wiped away her tears at the school gate last night, and his words, "Walking into the exam hall is victory"...

All the images eventually converged into a single force, supporting her as she gripped her pen tightly.

She stopped thinking about Wang Xiuqin's curses, the rumors around her, and the unattainable "elite class." Her eyes were focused solely on the problem at hand, and her mind held only one thought—to be true to herself.

The pen moved smoothly across the answer sheet, transforming the knowledge and thinking accumulated through days and nights of hard work into clear answers. When faced with difficult problems, she no longer panicked as easily as before. Instead, she took a deep breath, recalled the methods Lu Baiyan had taught her, analyzed them step by step, and tried to break through.

Two days flew by in a state of high tension and focus.

When the bell rang to signal the end of the last exam, Xu Nianlei put down her pen and let out a long, silent sigh. Unlike the others, she didn't immediately cheer or discuss; she simply sat quietly in her seat, watching the bright sunlight streaming through the window.

A huge emotion, mixed with exhaustion, relief, and a faint sense of accomplishment, enveloped her.

She did it. Regardless of the outcome, she fought the battle completely and persistently.

Stepping out of the examination hall, she was greeted by a cacophony of voices. She saw Lu Baiyan standing under a tree not far away, talking to some classmates. He seemed to sense her gaze, looked up, and turned to look at her.

Their eyes met briefly in the air, separated by the bustling crowd.

He didn't come over or say anything, but simply nodded almost imperceptibly at her.

There was no questioning, no expectation in those eyes, only a calm, knowing certainty.

Xu Nianlei understood his gaze. She pursed her lips slightly, nodded almost imperceptibly, then turned and joined the flow of people leaving the examination hall.

The sunlight was a bit dazzling, but she felt that the sky was exceptionally blue today.

Lu Baiyan, I've finished this battle. Whether the outcome is victory or defeat, at least I haven't let you down, nor... let down the self that still desperately crawled forward in the darkness.

Her silhouette, bathed in the bright summer sunlight, though still slender, seemed to possess a refined, silent, and resilient strength.

As Lu Baiyan stood under the tree, watching her figure disappear into the distance, his tense heart finally began to relax.

Leilei, congratulations! You've won your first major battle. And this is just the beginning.