She was his light
The final bell had long since rung, but Hao Nan remained slumped in his chair, as if all his strength had been drained. His mind was blank.
A familiar voice came from the doorway: "Hao Nan, it's time to go." It was Ting Xubai.
He looked in the direction of the sound and saw his friends waiting outside the door.
He struggled to his feet, joined the crowd, and silently followed everyone out of the school gate.
"Let's go to the internet cafe and play some games together." Tingyue patted Hao Nan on the shoulder, trying to liven up the atmosphere.
Hao Nan was about to politely decline when, before he could even utter the words "I won't go," his gaze fixed on a familiar figure running towards them in the distance.
The gloom on his face vanished instantly, and he unconsciously softened.
Qi Xu and Xu Sheng stood in front of everyone.
"Xu Xu." Tingyue immediately rushed over and hugged her. "You must be exhausted. You look so thin." Her tone was full of concern.
"It's alright," Qi Xu smiled, his gaze sweeping over everyone. "Didn't we say we were going to an internet cafe? Let's go."
Wan Xiaoyi asked with concern, "Are you getting along well with everyone in the competition group?"
Xu Sheng spoke first, with a hint of boasting: "Don't worry, I've taken very good care of Qi Xu."
After saying that, he even glanced at Wan Xiaoyi.
Wan Xiaoyi pretended not to see it, her gaze still fixed on Qi Xu, waiting for her answer.
"Yes, everyone is doing well," Qi Xu replied briefly.
Seeing Xu Sheng's attitude and Wan Xiaoyi's indifference, Ting Xubai couldn't help but let out a sneer.
All eyes turned to him, but apart from Hao Nan, his gaze remained fixed on Qi Xu.
After hearing Bai wave his hand to indicate that he was alright, everyone looked away.
The group walked side by side: Tingyue, Qixu, Hanxue, Tingxubai, Xusheng, and Wan Xiaoyi, with Hao Nan walking on the outermost side.
Target: Internet cafe.
Han Xue quietly nudged Qi Xu's elbow, gesturing for her to look at Hao Nan.
Qi Xu glanced at him and saw that his eyes were lowered and he was shrouded in an unyielding melancholy, which was out of place with the relaxed atmosphere around him.
She naturally slowed her pace and moved to his side: "What's wrong? Did you not do well on the test?" Her voice was very soft.
Hao Nan turned his head at the sound and met Qi Xu's gaze. The gloom in his eyes was instantly brightened, and a trace of genuine joy appeared: "Yeah, a little."
"There's still more than a year left, there's plenty of time, don't put too much pressure on yourself," she comforted.
The light in his eyes dimmed again, and he remained silent for a long while without responding.
Qi Xu keenly noticed the fluctuations in his emotions, his gaze lingered on his face for a moment, and then he suddenly smiled and said, "You've become more handsome."
Hao Nan's eyes suddenly lit up, like sparks that had been ignited.
Her smile deepened, her tone playful yet confident: "Really, with your looks, you have the potential to be the school heartthrob."
"Your praise is so exaggerated, I don't know if it's true or not." Hao Nan said, but the gloom between his brows had quietly dissipated, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up.
"Honestly," Qi Xu emphasized, "If I grow my hair a little longer and get one of those trendy hairstyles online, I'll definitely charm a lot of girls."
"And what about you?" Hao Nan blurted out, his heart skipping a beat. "If I really became handsome, would you like me?"
"Of course," Qi Xu answered frankly, with an appreciative smile, "Who doesn't like a handsome guy?"
An irrepressible smile bloomed on Hao Nan's lips, as if dispelling all the gloom. The group arrived at their usual internet cafe.
He logged into the game, and a familiar ID sent him a team-up invitation—it was the girl he used to often team up with. Hao Nan habitually declined.
He turned to Qi Xu and asked, "What's your ID?"
“I just invited you,” Qi Xu said, looking at the screen and typing rapidly on the keyboard, “and you declined.”
Hao Nan turned his head sharply, staring incredulously at the bright profile picture, his voice slightly strained: "You are 'Long Live the Free Purple Butterfly'?"
Qi Xu nodded, his attention still focused on the intense game: "Wait until I finish this round."
"Qi Xu, Qi Xu, come quickly!" Ting Yue called out urgently in the earpiece.
"Coming." Qi Xu responded quickly, his movements becoming even more swift.
Hao Nan stood frozen in place, overwhelmed by immense shock and regret.
No wonder, no wonder she was so angry when he called her a newbie. He almost wanted to punch himself.
He simply stopped operating the game and sat to the side, quietly watching Qi Xu's focused profile and the character on the screen until the game ended.
"His skills have improved a lot," he exclaimed sincerely.
"Come on, I'll invite you." Qi Xu exited the settlement interface and sent the invitation again.
Hao Nan quickly joined, but then immediately left the room, created a new room for himself, and invited Qi Xu again.
"Why did you leave?" Qi Xu asked, puzzled.
"Go into this." Hao Nan's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible tension.
Qi Xu accepted the invitation. She then pulled Tingyue in as well.
Hao Nan reacted quickly, kicking Tingyue out and immediately starting matchmaking. He only needed to duo queue with Qi Xu.
Tingyue looked at the system notification that she had been kicked out of the team, then glanced at the focused profiles of the two people next to her, pouted, and helplessly went to play solo queue by herself.
Looking around, good heavens, there were Bai and Han Xue, Xu Sheng and Wan Xiaoyi, while Wan Xiaoyi looked disgusted and kept avoiding him, but that didn't affect Xu Sheng's happiness at the moment.
They all played in their own teams. She sighed and also embarked on her solitary gaming journey.
The day of the competition finally arrived.
Early in the morning, the five students, carrying the hopes of the entire school, stood at the school gate, ready to board the bus to the competition venue.
Teachers and students from Mingde Middle School spontaneously gathered to see them off.
A loud and unified shout suddenly erupted, resounding through the sky:
"Go Mingde Middle School! Beat Experimental Middle School! Qi Xu! Xu Sheng! Qi Huan! Gao Xinpeng! Ye Tao! Go! Go!"
The surging sound drew snickers from the teachers and students of the Experimental Middle School across the street.
Beside the teacher leading the group, a flamboyant girl named Chen Yihe crossed her arms and looked disdainful: "Hmph, Mingde doesn't even dare to compare itself with our Experimental School. What a pipe dream."
The teacher leading the team said in a deep voice, "Chen Yihe, don't underestimate them. Mingde has been gaining momentum in recent years."
Another boy, watching the lively atmosphere at Mingde School, muttered to himself, "Their school is quite united." His tone carried a hint of barely perceptible envy.
Chen Yihe glared at him coldly, and the boy immediately fell silent.
The students from the Experimental Middle School boarded the bus in silence.
Mingde and Experimental Schools have very different styles.
Mingde School pursues learning through play, and the campus is often filled with laughter and joy from its activities; Experimental School, on the other hand, adheres to a pure "college entrance exam-oriented" approach, where silence is the norm under high pressure.
Students living opposite Mingde High School often look up from their sea of practice problems, listening enviously to the lively youthful sounds coming from outside the walls. After the high school entrance exam, parents who hope their children will succeed often place more emphasis on the school's impressive college entrance rate and admission scores.
Hearing the thunderous cheers behind them and seeing the enthusiastic faces of their teachers and classmates, the five members of Mingde felt a surge of warmth and strength in their hearts.
They smiled at each other and waved vigorously to the crowd: "Wait for our good news."
The Experimental Middle School's bus had been waiting by the roadside for a moment. Chen Yihe looked out the window at the lively farewells on the Mingde side and impatiently uttered two words: "So long-winded."
The teachers and students of Mingde finally boarded the bus. As they traveled, the bus seemed to carry two worlds: on the Experimental Middle School side, the teachers and students were silent, the atmosphere as cold and distant as strangers; on the Mingde side, the teachers and students chatted and laughed, as harmonious as friends.
Upon arriving at the grand competition venue, contestants from various schools gathered. During the registration and entry process, Chen Yihe deliberately blocked Qi Xu's path, her gaze sharp as a knife, and lowered her voice: "Our Experimental School is determined to secure the spot." With that, she shoved Qi Xu aside.
Qi Xu was prepared. Not only was he not pushed aside, but he also used his shoulder to push her, causing her to stumble.
Qi Xu steadied himself and returned Chen Yihe a calm yet slightly disdainful smile.
Chen Yihe was almost knocked down by the impact, and turned around to glare fiercely at Qi Xu.
"The people conducting the experiment are too arrogant." Qi Huan was so angry that she wanted to vent her anger on the spot.
The teacher in charge urged them promptly, "Hurry up and get in, it's time."
Gao Xinpeng was the first to extend his hand, palm down. The others understood and placed their hands on top of each other.
"Go for it!" Five low shouts combined into a single force.
Everyone took their positions. Easels, paints, paper—all the tools were ready.
The whistle pierced the air sharply, and for a moment the only sound in the room was the scratching of pens on paper.
Seven times, concentrate your mind and calm your breath.
Inspiration, like a pearl covered in dust, needs to be polished. As her chaotic thoughts settled, her father's weathered yet loving face clearly appeared before her eyes—the warmest image of "home" in her heart, a beautiful memory she longed to protect. The lead of the 2B pencil gently kissed the paper, and flowing lines began to outline that heavy longing and aspiration…
...
With the last stroke, she signed her school name and personal name in the corner of the drawing paper and handed it in.
On the judging panel, the eyes of several admissions officers from prestigious universities lit up simultaneously when they saw this portrait.
The figure in the painting has hands marked by the passage of time and large knuckles, and a profound expression on his face that is a mixture of hard work and satisfaction. The painting is vividly depicted, full of the texture of life and a silent story.
The painting was carefully set aside for evaluation.
Qi returned to the meeting point, where the teacher in charge handed him a bottle of water: "How are you feeling? Nervous?"
She took the water, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip: "Just do my best."
Qi Huan then handed in her paper, practically lunging forward to grab a bottle of water and gulp it down. She stamped her foot in frustration, "It's over, it's over, I messed it up. My hands were sweating so much I could barely hold the pen."
Gao Xinpeng patted her on the shoulder: "Just do your best. Winning an award in a competition of this level would be fantastic."
Ye Tao nodded in agreement: "I just glanced at the others, and their skill levels are actually about the same."
"Relax," Xu Sheng comforted him, "There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. Just consider this as gaining experience."
Qi Huan's tense nerves relaxed slightly after her friends comforted her.
On the bus back, a mix of exhaustion and relief filled the air. The intense training that had lasted for several days had come to an end, the five-person group disbanded, and everyone returned to their original classes.
Qi Xu and Xu Sheng said goodbye at the classroom door. She called out "Report!" and returned to her seat.
Her deskmate, Wan Xiaoyi, immediately and tacitly pushed the unfolded test paper towards the center to make it easier for Qi Xu to see, and asked eagerly in a low voice, "How did it go? What prize did you get?"
"The results haven't been released yet," Qi Xu explained as he took out his books. "The person in charge said the results will be out in a few days."
Wan Xiaoyi was taken aback. In her memory, these kinds of competitions were usually judged on the same day. She thought that Xu Xu was saying this because she didn't win an award, so she quickly comforted her: "It's okay, it's okay, Xu Xu, don't be sad."
"Hmm?" Qi Xu looked at her in confusion. "What's wrong?"
"Didn't you fail to get elected?"
"No," Qi Xu chuckled, "it's just that everyone's results haven't been announced yet."
"Phew~" Wan Xiaoyi breathed a sigh of relief, her face instantly brightening, and she whispered excitedly, "I knew it! How could someone as amazing as you not achieve anything?"
Qi Xu smiled faintly, his attention already back on the podium and the exam paper.
When the bell rang, Wan Xiaoyi was called out by the class monitor of the neighboring class. When she came back, she was carrying a stack of newly printed report cards, which she distributed to the subject representatives.
Instantly, the class representatives' seats were completely surrounded by a surging crowd.
Qi Xu sidled up to look at it with Wan Xiaoyi. Wan Xiaoyi's name was prominently listed first in the class, tied with Han Xue.
Han Xue remained calm and composed in her seat, clearly already aware of her ranking.
Hao Nan had just returned from outside when he saw several groups of people.
He instinctively wanted to squeeze in to check his grades, but when his gaze fell on the familiar figure next to Wan Xiaoyi's seat, he suddenly stopped and silently shrank back.
Qi Xu's gaze followed the names down the report card. Finally, she found Hao Nan's ranking at number 30 in the class. A bright smile appeared in her eyes.
She looked up at the hesitant figure standing outside the crowd, her voice clear and encouraging:
"Hao Nan, ranked 30th, has made tremendous progress."
Hao Nan turned his head abruptly, his eyes filled with disbelief. He practically rushed to Wan Xiaoyi's table, looking anxiously at Qi Xu, his voice trembling slightly: "Really...really?"
"Of course it's true!" Qi Xu pointed to the report card with a bright smile. "And look, I passed all the subjects."
The immense joy, like a surging tide, instantly washed away all the gloom of failing the exam and the fatigue of the past few days.
A happy smile appeared on Hao Nan's face.
That smile was like sunlight breaking through the clouds, dazzlingly bright.
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