Chapter 65: Winning the Exam by Comparing Sizes!
Since agreeing to accompany Qingcu to finish reading the remaining chapters of "The Legend of the Immortal Boat," Chen Mi's life rhythm has quietly changed. What used to be a routine of going between Jingyuan's house, Shence Mansion, and the training ground has now taken on a new route—Suiyuan.
From then on, she shuttled between four places every day, working almost non-stop, and her exhaustion was genuine. But whenever she sat in the corridor of the Yanxi Hall, listening to the familiar songs being sung on stage, she felt a sense of comfort, as if those things were her only link to the real world... and her fatigue seemed to melt away little by little.
Moreover, she had indeed gained many valuable things during this time. Not only the experience she gained from the sweat she shed on the star raft, but Shen Mi felt that this substantial growth made all the hardships seem insignificant. In addition, her companionship with Qing Cu had expanded her social circle, and gradually she became a little lazy, feeling that maintaining the status quo seemed like a good choice.
More importantly, she recently obtained the ingenious tools to deal with the Suiyuan authorities.
The end of the month is approaching on such days.
The practical test venue is still set up on a large floating platform, surrounded by light screens, with obstacles simulating the air conditions. The surrounding protection is tight, with examiners and recorders each performing their duties. Each starship has an accompanying examiner sitting in the co-pilot's seat, which is consistent with the third part of the driving test, all to ensure that the students do not have any accidents.
As Shen Mi sat in the driver's seat, his fingertips gently caressed the steering wheel, his heartbeat quickening involuntarily.
Before it started, she kept encouraging herself and telling herself not to be nervous, but she was always worried that she wasn't prepared enough. She wasn't sure if she could handle it because the terrain generated for each test was random.
But the moment the signal to start the exam sounded, Chen Mi's mind went blank. The worries from a few seconds ago vanished, and all he could see was the desire to pass.
The Star Chariot exam doesn't test speed, but rather a series of interconnected and comprehensive reactions. One wrong step, and all your previous efforts are wasted. Hesitating for even a second at a crucial point will result in the system deeming the action incomplete, even if you haven't made a mistake.
She didn't pursue speed or skill, only stability. As the star raft traversed the terrain, she precisely avoided obstacles half her height, accelerating and decelerating within a reasonable range to complete the entire process.
The entire 20-minute run was flawless, and Chen Mi steadily arrived at the starting point.
The system reads out the exam results: "Exam score - 100 points. Practical assessment passed, obstacle handling judgment excellent, passed."
At that moment, Shen Mi breathed a sigh of relief, sweat streaming down her forehead, but she didn't bother to wipe it away. After getting off the Star Chariot and walking out of the exam area, she stood still and looked up slightly, gazing at the place where she had taken the exam, at the sea of clouds dyed gold by the setting sun. It was as if she had suddenly stopped running in a daze, and for the first time truly realized that the most dazzling moment in life was nothing more than this.
That wasn't because she relied on anyone's protection, nor was it luck that allowed her to get away with it; it was the result of her own hard work.
Shen Mi stretched out his hand towards the sun: "A little test, pass it!"
*
It was already late when I left the examination center.
Shen Mi changed trains twice at the public starship station. Only when she leaned back in her seat did she realize that she had brought her exam number back with her. The cabin was quiet, with only the low hum of the engine and the sound of the wind whistling through the cabin walls. She stared at the lights below, which looked like stars on the ground.
When I finally stepped into Jingyuan's house, the warm lights were already on inside.
Chen Mi took off his coat, walked into the entryway, and casually tossed his bag onto the sideboard by the shoe cabinet, as if all his strength had been released with it.
"You're back?" Shang Jingyuan's voice came from the living room.
Shen Mi gave a soft "hmm," and because he hadn't drunk any water all afternoon, his voice was so hoarse that even he himself felt unfamiliar with it.
Jing Yuan walked over with a glass of water, his gaze sweeping over her face: "You passed?"
Shen Mi took the water, took a big gulp, his cheeks puffed out, he didn't smile, but his eyes couldn't hide the pride in them.
"Looks like you passed." Jing Yuan's tone was filled with pride as he reached out and ruffled her hair. "Go take a shower, eat something, and get some rest today."
Shen Mi softly said "Okay".
The hot water in the bathroom enveloped her from head to toe, washing away the sweat and fatigue. She stood under the running water for a long time until her limbs were completely relaxed before she finally came out. When she changed into clean clothes, her movements were much slower, not because she was tired, but because of the sluggishness of suddenly slowing down from a high-speed operation, like a gear in a machine that continues to turn slowly after the power is cut off.
The table was already set with food, a full spread of her favorite dishes: roast duck from Xia Mu Ming Bu Shi restaurant in Chang Le Tian, Qiong Shi bird skewers, and stinky tofu that could only be bought on Xuan Ye Street. Chen Mi sat down, ate a couple of mouthfuls of rice, and then suddenly smiled to herself.
The smile was light, yet its depth was like a ripple falling into a lake of the heart.
Perhaps someone silently remembered what she liked to eat. Even if she didn't pass today, the table would still be filled with delicious food, whether it was a celebration or encouragement, silently saying, "Thank you for your hard work."
Shen Mi lowered her head, picked up a piece of roast duck, and Xia Muming's signature sauce was still rich and fragrant. With one bite, the crispy duck skin and the succulent meat flavor exploded in her mouth, filling her taste buds with a familiar taste. She felt as if she had been gently lifted up by something, and even the heavy day seemed to soften.
Take another bite of stinky tofu, and the crispy exterior and tender interior, along with its salty, savory, and spicy aroma, almost makes you want to squint your eyes and sigh.
Halfway through the meal, my phone lit up slightly; it was a short message from Qingcu:
How did the exam go? Don't tell me you failed, or I'll really become a stumbling block on your path to success.jpg
Shen Mi chuckled, paused in his action of picking up his chopsticks, and replied:
Don't worry, I passed with flying colors. I was the first one to pass.
The other end replied instantly with an exclamation of "Wow!", accompanied by a picture of a little person with an awesome emoji.
Most of Shen Mi's close friends knew that he was going to take an exam, and they had teased him more than once about the fact that the two of them were going to Suiyuan to watch a play so close to the exam.
Shen Mi gently put down her phone. In front of her was a bowl of red bean pudding that had just been taken out of the refrigerator and was still steaming cold. Strangely, the pudding that was a whole block in the morning was now missing a third of its size.
Shen Mi followed the outstretched arm and looked up. Jing Yuan was standing by the dining table, having just come out of the bathroom, his body still smelling of shower gel.
Shen Mi looked up at him and saw him holding a spoon, eagerly scooping a large piece of pudding from the bowl. Just as he was about to put it in his mouth, he noticed Shen Mi's gaze, stopped moving, and froze on the spot, looking like a kitten caught stealing food.
Shen Mi couldn't help but chuckle, a smile curving his lips as he blinked: "This is... my pudding?" Why is there a piece missing?
Jing Yuan's Adam's apple bobbed, as if he were seriously considering whether to confess. In the end, he slowly put the spoon away and said calmly, "I was just checking the sweetness."
"Oh? Are you satisfied with the inspection?" Shen Mi raised an eyebrow at him.
"Not bad." He nodded seriously. "But I'd be more confident if I tried another bite."
Shen Mi finally couldn't help but laugh out loud. She pushed the bowl towards Jing Yuandi and said, "You can have it all."
"You're too kind," Jing Yuan said, pulling out the chair next to her without hesitation.
Shen Mi nodded: "I originally made this for you, but I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get the sweetness right, so I only made one. Since you think it's fine, then you can have them all."
Upon hearing this, Jing Yuan paused in his actions and suddenly said, "Then let's each have half."
Then he picked up another clean spoon and began to carefully distribute the pudding, his movements as meticulous as if he were handling official documents.
As Shen Mi ate, she stole glances at him. The white cat, who had just taken a bath, still had slightly damp hair at the ends, his sleeves were half-rolled up, and his knuckles were clearly visible as he held the spoon.
Shen Mi suddenly realized that he could only hold half of the bowl, while Jing Yuan could easily hold the whole bowl in his palm.
She looked at her own, then at his.
"What are you looking at?" Jing Yuan's gentle voice rang in my ears, his tone carrying a casual smile.
Shen Mi paused, but didn't bother to hide it. He simply raised his hand and said, "I was thinking, your hands seem to be much, much bigger than mine."
Jing Yuan raised an eyebrow: "Really?" As he spoke, he put down the spoon, stretched out his right hand and placed it on the table, palm up, "Let me see."
Shen Mi placed her left hand next to him, but saw Jing Yuan shake his head and say to her, "I can't tell from this comparison."
Shen Mi wondered, "It's so obvious who's older and who's younger, can't you tell?"
"Then how do we compete?"
"Like this." Jing Yuan leaned closer and gently placed his right hand on her left hand, their palms pressed tightly together.
Shen Mi's heart skipped a beat.
The moment our palms touched, it felt like fireworks exploded in my ears, and my whole body trembled slightly.
Jingyuan's hands were large; compared to Danheng, his bones were more robust, yet his palms were unexpectedly warm. He didn't use force, but simply gently covered her hand, as if unwilling to disturb the beautiful atmosphere of the moment.
Shen Mi shyly tried to pull his hand away, but as soon as he moved, his fingers slowly closed up, as if silently trying to hold him back.
"Don't move," Jing Yuan said in a low voice.
Shen Mi looked up at him.
Jing Yuan looked down at their intertwined hands, a smile playing on his lips, like a small joy after achieving his goal. This intimate contact was enough to satisfy him.
"Looking at it this way, your hands are really small."
The night was perfectly quiet.
Their intertwined hands were still on the table, time seemed to stand still, and all that could be heard was their breathing.
Shen Mi's heart pounded like thunder. She could only look up at him, and he seemed to be getting closer and closer in her eyes. She could almost touch his breath with the tip of her nose.
The next second, there was a sound coming from the door, as if someone was ringing the doorbell.
The two of them were startled almost simultaneously. In an instant, Shen Mi's soul returned to its place, and he jumped up from the chair as if leaping, stammering, "I...I'll go open the door!"
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Author's Note: Here I am!!! I'm late today!!! [Starry eyes][Starry eyes][Starry eyes]
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