Chapter 44
The campus after the final exams was like a pot of water that had suddenly stopped boiling; the surface was calm, but inside surged the anxiety of waiting for the results and the exhaustion of being relieved of a heavy burden. Students gathered in twos and threes, excitedly looking at the answers, some groaning and some rejoicing; the air was filled with a restless excitement as if they had survived a catastrophe.
Xu Nianlei didn't participate in any discussion. She silently packed her bag, declined Li Yue and Zhang Xiao's invitation to go for ice cream, and left school alone. She didn't go home; that place would only make her feel more exhausted and suffocated. She went to the county library, that quiet corner that held so many complicated memories for her.
She needed some time and space to process these long and agonizing days, to calm her heart, which had been repeatedly torn apart and was now only numb and filled with a faint hope.
Lu Baiyan watched her walk away alone, without following her. He knew she needed to be alone. He could also imagine Wang Xiuqin's anxious waiting at home, or the brewing of a new storm. But he was powerless to do anything for the time being; any intervention before the results were in might backfire.
When he returned home, Zhao Mei, unusually, didn't immediately ask him how the exam went. She simply looked at his slightly tired expression, sighed, and told him to get some rest. Lu Baiyan responded and then locked himself in his room.
He turned on his computer, but couldn't concentrate on studying. The scene of Wang Xiuqin rushing into the classroom kept replaying in his mind, as did Xu Nianlei's desperate and humiliated eyes, and her silent yet resolute appearance as she nodded slightly to him outside the exam hall.
A profound sense of powerlessness intertwined with an even stronger resolve within him. He realized that protecting her solely within the school limits was insufficient. Wang Xiuqin, the biggest destabilizing factor, was like a time bomb buried beside her, ready to explode at any moment from the slightest spark, shattering the little confidence and peace she had painstakingly built up.
He had to find a way to fundamentally weaken Wang Xiuqin's control and the harm she caused her. This was difficult, almost an unsolvable problem. But he had to try.
Two days later, the results were announced.
Lu Baiyan unsurprisingly secured first place in the grade with a near-perfect score. But all eyes were on another name—Xu Nianlei.
Her name appeared prominently at number 48 on the overall grade ranking!
The classroom erupted in an uproar!
"Xu Nianlei? She made it into the top fifty?"
"Really? Forty-eighth place!"
"My God, she performed exceptionally well this time!"
Surprise, disbelief, and even a hint of barely perceptible jealousy spread among the students. No one had expected that this usually quiet girl, with above-average grades, would unleash such tremendous energy in the crucial final exams, propelling her into the honors class!
Xu Nianlei was stunned when she saw the list herself. Standing in front of the crowded bulletin board, looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar name followed by the number "48," her heart felt like it was being clenched tightly, then began to pound wildly. Blood rushed to her head, making her dizzy.
She...she did it? She really...squeezed in?
A tremendous, unreal joy surged through her like a tidal wave, instantly washing away the numbness and exhaustion of the past few days. Her eyes quickly welled up with tears, and she hurriedly lowered her head, pressing the back of her hand to her lips to keep from losing control.
Li Yue and Zhang Xiao excitedly surrounded her, hugging her and jumping and laughing: "Nianlei! You're amazing! You really got into the honors class!"
"I knew you could do it!"
Various complex gazes were cast around her. Some were genuinely happy for her, some were surprised, and some, like Liu Yiduo, had unpleasant expressions and unfathomable eyes.
Amidst the clamor of congratulations and whispers, Xu Nianlei instinctively searched for that figure. She saw Lu Baiyan standing on the outskirts of the crowd, calmly watching her. His face showed no obvious expression, but in his tranquil eyes, a clear sense of… relief? And a hint of a sense of liberation?
Their eyes met, separated by the noisy crowd. Xu Nianlei saw him nod to her very slightly, almost imperceptibly.
At that moment, all the grievances, all the hardships, all the perseverance seemed to find their final compensation and sublimation in this silent affirmation. Tears finally welled up and spilled over. But this time, they were tears of joy, tears of release.
She did it. She not only entered the examination hall, but she also won this battle that seemed almost impossible to win.
However, joy is always fleeting, especially in her world.
When she returned home with her report card, Wang Xiuqin saw her ranking of "48". Instead of joy, her face instantly lit up with an almost fanatical, distorted excitement.
"She made it! She really made it!" Wang Xiuqin snatched the report card, staring at the number repeatedly as if it were a priceless treasure, muttering to herself, "I knew it! I knew you could do it! Now it's all right! Now it's all right!"
She abruptly raised her head, her eyes fixed intently on Xu Nianlei. That gaze was no longer filled with the previous harshness and resentment, but instead carried a chilling, controlling expectation: "The honors class! That's wonderful! Nianlei, you must work even harder this senior year! You can't slack off at all! You must get into the best university! Do you hear me?! From now on, Mom is counting on you!"
This heavy, suffocating "It's all up to you" was like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing the flame of joy that had just ignited in Xu Nianlei's heart. Looking at her mother's face, which was somewhat neurotic due to excessive excitement, what welled up in her heart was not pride, but a deeper sorrow and helplessness.
She rushed into the top class, but it seemed that she did not gain freedom and a breather. Instead, it was as if she jumped into a more exquisite cage imprisoned by higher expectations.
The class assignments were officially announced the next day. Five students from Class 3 of Grade 11, including Lu Baiyan and Xu Nianlei, were admitted to the honors class. The homeroom teacher held the last class meeting, the atmosphere was somewhat sad, but also filled with anticipation for the future.
After class, the students said goodbye to each other and promised to keep in touch. Xu Nianlei quietly packed her things. This classroom, where she had spent two years, had witnessed too much darkness, but also left some...warm memories.
Lu Baiyan walked to her desk and placed a thick, beautifully packaged notebook on it.
"This is for you." His voice was calm. "Good luck in your senior year of high school."
Xu Nianlei looked up at him. His eyes were still calm, but there seemed to be something more than before, a complex emotion of farewell and expectation intertwined.
She picked up the notebook; its cover was a deep blue, with an abstract image of a silver seedling growing towards the sunlight. She opened the title page; on it was only one line of his clear, powerful handwriting:
"The road ahead is long, but also bright."
There was no signature, no extra words.
The road ahead is long, but also bright.
Xu Nianlei pondered these words repeatedly, her heart filled with mixed emotions. She understood the meaning of "Manman" deeply. "Cancan"... could she really see it?
But she knew that this was his blessing to her, and also his belief in her.
"Thank you," she said softly, clutching the notebook tightly to her chest.
Lu Baiyan nodded, said nothing more, and turned to say goodbye to the other classmates.
As Xu Nianlei watched him talk to his classmates, his profile, though still cool, now showed a hint of gentleness. The barren land in her heart seemed to be infused with a faint but tenacious vitality because of this notebook and those words.
She knew that her second year of high school was over. A school year filled with pain and struggle, yet also quietly changing because of one person's presence, had come to an end.
She will be leaving this familiar class and entering a more intense and unknown battlefield. Wang Xiuqin's shadow still looms over her, and the pressure of the future will only increase.
But when she touched the brand-new notebook in her arms, the silver seedling on the cover seemed to be reminding her of something.
Lu Baiyan, I know the road ahead is long. As for whether I can achieve anything... I will carry everything you have given me and see how it goes.
She slung her backpack over her shoulder, took one last look at the classroom, straightened her back, and walked out.
The summer sun was intense and dazzling, casting a long shadow on her. Though still slender, that shadow seemed far more resolute than the girl who had huddled in the corner two years ago.
A new phase has begun. But the story of protection and growth is far from over.
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