At the same time as angry voices in the group denounced the wild spread of false news, the Year One office at No.1 High was already in chaos.
Xu Jing: “Who got into Ming University? Say that again?!”
Zhao Tiejun’s neck shrank back; the imposing air of the year director was instantly pressed down a notch, his speech faltering: “J–Jiang Fuyue…”
“Bullsh*t! She got seven hundred fifty! Seven hundred fifty! Do you know what that means? She can pick any major in any university in the entire country!”
“So she picked Ming University…” came the weak reply.
Xu Jing suddenly burst out laughing, “Old Zhao, Old Zhao, even you’ve learned bad habits? Trying to fool me? Impossible! You think I’ll buy that?!”
As he spoke, he unscrewed his tea cup, crossed one leg, leisurely swung his foot twice, and sipped at his tea with ease.
Zhao Tiejun’s feelings instantly grew complicated, and even his gaze carried a trace of sympathy.
Just then Meng Zhijian walked in from outside. Seeing the scene, he let out a “yo”: “What’s going on? The atmosphere’s so tense…”
Zhao Tiejun walked over to him, speaking with grave weight: “Jiang Fuyue was admitted to Ming University.”
“Another online joke? What meme are they playing this time?”
Zhao Tiejun: “…”
Meng Zhijian: “Why are you looking at me like that? Don’t tell me Ming University put out some soft ad, trying to leech off Jiang Fuyue’s popularity?”
“…”
“That absolutely won’t do! Jiang Fuyue is our No.1 High’s living banner. A trash school like Ming University must not cling to her!”
“…”
“Old Zhao?” Meng Zhijian’s smile froze. “That’s enough, even a joke has its limits. Besides, this isn’t funny at all. Netizens these days are way too bored!”
“…”
Meng Zhijian swallowed hard: “You… don’t mean it’s true, do you?”
Zhao Tiejun: “Do I look like I’m joking? One of you, Old Xu, the other you—you both don’t believe a word.”
“Jiang Fuyue admitted to Ming University?!” Meng Zhijian’s pupils shook violently, his pitch shooting up, “That Qiming University in the capital?!”
“Yes.”
“N–No way…” Meng Zhijian shook his head, stumbling back two steps, nearly losing balance.
His eyes instinctively sought confirmation from Xu Jing. But the Old Xu who had just been all smiles and ease was now trembling all over, his face black enough to drip ink.
“It’s really Ming University?” His voice carried the weight of a storm about to break.
Zhao Tiejun nodded: “Honestly, I don’t understand it either. How could it end up being Ming University…”
So many universities in the country—Jiang Fuyue could have picked blindfolded, and it wouldn’t have landed on Ming University!
Yu Wenzhou had just stepped into the office when he heard the words “Ming University.” He couldn’t help asking curiously: “What about Ming University? Don’t tell me a student from our school actually filled it in?”
“…” Silence.
Yu Wenzhou blinked: “Someone really did?!”
“…” The silence now was tacit confirmation.
“Who filled Ming University?”
Zhao Tiejun: “…Jiang Fuyue.”
“Pfft—” Yu Wenzhou spat tea all over. “Who?!”
“Jiang Fuyue!”
“No… You’re joking, right? She’s sitting on a full score of seven hundred fifty, and instead of B University or Q University, she chose Ming University?!”
Zhao Tiejun: “That’s the fact.”
“Impossible! Definitely a mistake!” Yu Wenzhou denied immediately. “Could it be someone tampered with her application in secret? Things like that have happened before.”
That guess instantly lit up the eyes of Xu Jing and Meng Zhijian—
“Right! With her score, it’s impossible she’d report Ming University. Unless someone messed with it!”
“And the chances of it being someone she knows are very high! Hurry, call Jiang Fuyue right now, ask her in detail, see if she suspects anyone. If necessary, we’ll have to call the police! In any case, by all means, this mistake must be corrected. Otherwise…”
Jiang Fuyue’s perfect score on the college entrance exam would be completely ruined!
…
When Jiang Fuyue got the call, she had already logged in online and checked the admission results.
Qiming University—the school she had once founded with her own hands, meant to be bright and full of promise, but which had lost its due honor after her departure.
It had been silent for twenty years. It should not continue to decay.
So, she had sent Xiao Shan to be its president.
Now, applying with the halo of a perfect score was her opening volley in leading Ming University back into the ranks of first-class universities!
It had to be loud enough to catch the world’s attention.
Four years—that was the time Jiang Fuyue had set for herself.
If she kept low-key, advancing step by step, who knew in what distant year Ming University would ever shed its “trash school” label?
So she had to go heavy.
“Indeed, heavy enough,” Xiao Shan’s voice carried a smile over the phone, whether more in joy or in teasing was unclear.
No one knew the shock he felt when the admissions director had rushed to him, pale and flustered, stammering out that this year’s nationwide full-score student had applied to Ming University.
He knew who it was.
No one else would dare do something so crazy.
As a double master’s degree holder in math and psychology from B University, Xiao Shan prided himself on being a genius. But even he couldn’t have abandoned the aura of a top school to apply—with the country’s top score—to what the world saw as a trash school.
It was like… a swan lowering its head to eat filth, a phoenix drinking foot-washing water.
Not everyone had that courage. Not even Xiao Shan himself.
But Jiang Fuyue had done it.
And while others might not know her true intent, he understood clearly—
She wanted to prove to everyone that “filth” was not filth, and “water” was not just foot-washing water.
Even if it meant people misunderstanding her: that the swan was no longer pure, the phoenix not so noble.
She was sacrificing herself to raise Ming University up.
If once he had faced this mysterious girl with awe and curiosity, now what he felt was only admiration and reverence.
“Have you thought about how you’ll explain to your parents, your teachers, your relatives, your friends—and all those fans online?”
Her voice on the other end was indifferent: “I don’t need to explain my decisions to anyone.”
Xiao Shan: “…” You’re fierce.
The call had barely ended when another came through—Xu Jing.
“Hello.”
“Are you alright?” Xu Jing asked cautiously.
He thought, if her application had been tampered with, tricking her into a trash school, her mood must be awful, maybe even crying secretly.
But what he heard was: “I’m fine.”
Xu Jing hesitated, then, faltering: “Did you… see the admission result?”
“Mm, just checked.”
Her voice was too calm. So calm it frightened him.
A ridiculous thought flashed across his mind…
No! Impossible!
“Jiang Fuyue, listen to me, your application must have been tampered with. Think carefully—who could it be? The school suggests reporting to the police right awa—”
“Teacher Xu,” the girl cut him off. Her cool, clear voice carried a steadiness beyond her age. “First, thank you for your concern. But Ming University was my own choice. No one tampered with my application.”
Clatter—
Xu Jing’s grip slackened, his phone crashed onto the desk.
Meng Zhijian and Yu Wenzhou rushed over—
“Old Xu? Are you alright?”
“What happened? Say something!”
But Xu Jing stood there like a wooden post, expressionless, stiff, like all emotion had drained from him.
“Old Xu—” Zhao Tiejun pushed his shoulder.
Finally he moved, but the look of shock and heartbreak in his eyes scared the others.
Meng Zhijian, getting no response, simply picked up the still-open phone call and pressed it to his ear: “What did you just say? Old Xu looks like he’s lost his soul!”
Jiang Fuyue: “…I applied to Ming University of my own accord.”
Clatter!
The poor phone hit the desk again. This time it was Meng Zhijian’s turn to be stunned.
Yu Wenzhou: “?”
Zhao Tiejun: “?”
One dumbfounded face after another.
Yu Wenzhou refused to believe it. He grabbed the phone, but before he could even say a word, the voice from the other side made him too “fall in battle.”
Immediately, Zhao Tiejun’s look toward that phone changed entirely…
…
Within half a day, news that Jiang Fuyue had been admitted to Qiming University spread throughout No.1 High.
Not only the graduating seniors knew, but even the underclassmen still in school had heard.
“My god! Did Senior Jiang slip with her hand?”
“Even if it slipped, could it slip that far? From B University and Q University all the way down to Ming University?”
“Must be a rumor, right? A perfect 750 into Ming University? Sounds like a meme.”
“I bet she filled it while drunk.”
“Witchcraft makes more sense.”
“Am I the only one who thinks she just randomly typed in a code and hit submit?”
“Most confusing act of the year!”
“No wonder she’s my Goddess Yue—when she doesn’t move, nothing happens. When she moves, the sky collapses.”
“Bet the teachers are bawling in the bathroom right now.”
“A once-in-a-lifetime full score, matched with a trash school—I’d faint too!”
“Are we sure this isn’t a prank?”
“Jiang Chenxing, why did your sister do this? Do you know?”
Little Brother Jiang: “?”
…
Class 3, Senior Year, group chat.
The chat still showed Liu Bowen’s last message: [Sister Yue at Ming University? No way! A comet hitting Earth is more likely! If it’s true, I’ll twist my head off and use it as a stool.]
After a moment of eerie silence—
[So, Liu Bowen, when are you planning to twist your head?]
[Will you do it yourself, or should we help?]
[Can I sit on the stool after?]
[I kind of want to, too…]
[Where are you? @Liu Bowen]
And then came a flood of @’s.
But no response.
[Oh, he ran.]
At that moment, Liu Bowen sat clutching his phone, staring at the screen full of messages demanding he twist his head, shivering.
Inside, the shock was enormous.
Jiang Fuyue actually applied to Ming University?!
That Ming University!
D*mn—
He couldn’t figure it out.
For what? Its bad reputation? Its lousy dorms? Weak faculty?
He opened WeChat, found Jiang Fuyue’s profile, and sent a message to confirm—
[Sister Yue, did you really apply to Ming University?]
Half a minute later came the reply: [Oh.]
It was true! Liu Bowen froze.
[But why?]
[Because I feel like it.]
That answer was so Jiang Fuyue.
So willful it made your heart ache.
The seven hundred fifty points so many students dreamed of—perhaps to her it was just another number.
….
Ling Family Villa.
As usual, Zhou Qin saw her husband off to work, then turned back into the living room and asked the housekeeper, “Has Ah Xuan gotten up yet?”
“The young master’s been up for a while—he should be in the basement gym right now.”
“Working out this early?” Zhou Qin frowned.
The housekeeper nodded. “Lately, except for meals, the young master spends almost all his time in the gym.”
Zhou Qin recalled that some overseas universities required physical fitness tests before finalizing their offers. The thought brought her a small measure of relief.
She had already decided—once her son went abroad, she would finally have her hands free to focus on that matter between her and Ling Qingzhou.
“Send the light saline water from the kitchen down to him, and remind Ah Xuan to rest.”
“Yes, madam.”
—
Basement, Level B1.
This space had been set aside as a private gym, fully equipped, even with a ping-pong table.
Ling Xuan repeatedly increased the treadmill speed, his strides growing faster and faster.
When his body finally hit its limit and sweat stung his eyes, he began to slow down, until at last he stopped.
He stepped off the treadmill, braced his hands on his knees, and bent forward, panting heavily.
Sweat dripped onto the floor, one drop after another.
He had kept at it for more than ten days.
It seemed only through the extreme strain of exercise could he momentarily forget the sting of heartbreak.
But once his body calmed and his breathing steadied, that sharp pain in his chest would surge back again—unstoppable.
Ling Xuan knew exactly why—
He was unwilling, frustrated, even resentful!
Jiang Fuyue’s merciless rejection had been like a knife, long poised, that now struck straight into his heart.
He couldn’t get what he wanted; he tossed and turned, restless.
He missed her with a thirst, a fever.
And he had to admit—he was someone who couldn’t stand losing.
“Young master, this is the saline water madam asked me to bring.”
Ling Xuan straightened, his tone flat. “Just leave it.”
The housekeeper obeyed and left.
Ling Xuan walked over, picked up the bottle—and noticed that his phone screen was glowing, notifications from a group chat popping up nonstop.
He had it on silent, so he hadn’t realized.
While drinking, he unlocked his phone and tapped open the class group—
The next second—clang!
The bottle fell to the floor, making a loud crash.
The saline water spilled everywhere.
But Ling Xuan didn’t notice at all. Every one of his senses was seized by what he saw in the chat.
——
“Which university are you applying to?”
“Ming University.”
“Qiming University?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re kidding, right?!”
——
Their earlier conversation echoed vividly in his mind.
Ling Xuan hadn’t expected that Jiang Fuyue would actually apply to Ming University!
He stood there, stunned and frozen, unable to move.
He didn’t know how long it took before he came to, hurriedly found Jiang Fuyue’s number, and called—
“Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently on another call…”
Two minutes later, he tried again—still busy.
On the sixth attempt, the call finally connected—
“Jiang Fuyue, are you really applying to Ming University?!”
“Not applying—I already applied,” Jiang Fuyue corrected him. “The admission results are out.”
“Why?” Ling Xuan suddenly realized he might never have truly understood her.
It was a question Jiang Fuyue had answered countless times, and the answer was always the same: “Because I want to.”
“Do you even know what kind of school Ming University is?”
“I do.”
“Have you looked into its reputation, reviews, or its ranking among domestic universities?”
“Of course.”
Ling Xuan opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say.
After waiting five seconds, Jiang Fuyue said, “…If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up now.”
“…Okay.”
The call ended.
She wasn’t even the least bit curious which school he had applied to?
Didn’t even ask.
Ling Xuan lowered his eyes, hiding the gloom within.
——
“Holy cr*p!” Jiang Han dropped her phone and jumped up in shock.
Across from her, her father was tallying rent with a calculator. At her outburst, he lifted his eyelids and glanced at her.
“What’s going on?”
“Dad,” Jiang Han swallowed hard, trying to calm down, “guess which university Sister Yue got into?”
“Which one?”
“I’m afraid if I tell you, you’ll faint.”
“Heh… it’s either B University or Q University, what’s there to faint about?!”
“Wrong! Neither!”
Her father frowned. “…Then H University? Or is she going abroad?”
“Nope!”
“Say it or get out!” His patience had run out.
Jiang Han gulped again, eyes wide and dazed. “Sister Yue got into Ming University…”
“What?”
“Ming University—Qiming University!”
“Hiss—why would she go there?”
Jiang Han shook her head. The class chat had been buzzing with speculation, but no one had a real answer.
Don’t ask—if you do, the only reply you’ll get is “Because I want to.”
Just then, Ge Meng called in, frantic.
Sure enough—it was about Jiang Fuyue’s admission to Ming University.
“…Sister Han, did you know that Sisi also applied to Ming University? She barely made the cutoff.”
“You mean… she guessed ahead of time that Sister Yue would apply there too?”
Ge Meng: “I don’t really know, but something about it feels… off.”
Especially that line—‘Because there’s moonlight.’
——
Jiang Da and Han Yunru didn’t find out until they got a call from Xu Jing.
They rushed home immediately, Jiang Da still wearing his chef’s hat.
“Yueyue, did you fill in the wrong school?” Han Yunru’s voice trembled.
Jiang Da looked at his daughter, nervous, wanting to speak but afraid of saying the wrong thing.
Jiang Fuyue had expected this scene. She handed them the water she’d prepared beforehand, one glass each. “You must be tired. Here, have a drink—it’s cold, helps beat the heat.”
The couple exchanged glances, then took the glasses.
They drank, but their hearts didn’t settle.
“Yueyue, you…”
“Mom, it wasn’t a mistake. I chose Ming University on purpose.”
Han Yunru froze.
Jiang Da couldn’t hold back anymore. “But why Ming University? That school…” He trailed off, unable to finish.
Jiang Fuyue said, “The school itself doesn’t matter. What matters is that I keep moving toward my goal.”
“So going to Ming University is one of your steps forward?” Han Yunru’s voice softened.
“Yes.” Jiang Fuyue nodded.
“Alright, then Mom supports you.”
Jiang Da: “? Wha—how are you already supporting her?”
Jiang Fuyue smiled.
Just then, the landline rang.
Usually, only property management called through that number.
Han Yunru was still talking with her daughter, so she gestured for Jiang Da to answer.
“Hello? Yes, this is the Jiang residence… a letter? From abroad? We don’t know anyone overseas… The recipient’s name is Jiang Fuyue?”
At those words, Jiang Fuyue’s head snapped up, her eyes instantly fixed on him.
Want to show your support? Go donate at Paypal or Ko-fi to show your appreciation! :)
