"How did she get out?!"
Lan Jiaojiao stared at the girl standing next to Lu Chenyu on stage as if she had seen a ghost.
The girl's dark hair cascaded naturally, her exquisite face enhanced by light makeup, which softened her original aloof demeanor, making her appear gentle and charming.
She wore Kaiwei Academy's deep blue winter uniform, her long, straight legs adorned with black boots under the pleated skirt, turning the ordinary uniform into something akin to a fashion show.
Lu Chenyu also wore light makeup, his neat short hair styled with wax. His slim-fit deep blue uniform exuded a sunny, handsome aura.
Together on stage, they looked like a perfect golden couple.
The audience erupted in applause, and the media snapped photos with their cameras, flashes continuously strobing.
Lan Jiaojiao's eyes widened in fury, her fists clenched. She had clearly locked the dressing room door from the outside!
She immediately got up and, unnoticed, slipped back backstage.
She found the dressing room where Yu He had been, the lock still on the door. How had Yu He gotten out?
"It was you, wasn't it?" A female voice suddenly came from behind her.
Startled, Lan Jiaojiao turned around to see Pei Shiyi, who had appeared behind her at some point.
Pei Shiyi had previously warned Yu He to be wary of Lan Jiaojiao, and as she suspected, she had caught Lan Jiaojiao causing trouble.
Lan Jiaojiao felt a pang of guilt but quickly reasoned that with so many people coming and going backstage and the hallway surveillance she had tampered with, she could play it cool.
She straightened her back and said, "Class Monitor, why are you here? Aren't you watching the speech?"
"I was waiting for you specifically," Pei Shiyi said, pushing up her thick black-rimmed glasses and fixing Lan Jiaojiao with a sharp gaze.
Lan Jiaojiao felt uneasy under her seemingly piercing stare. "Is something wrong?"
"Teacher Ji is looking for you. She wants you to go to her immediately."
Seeing that Pei Shiyi didn't mention the lock, Lan Jiaojiao secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"I understand," she replied, turning to leave the backstage area.
Her plan hadn't unfolded entirely as she'd hoped, and she felt a surge of anger.
It must have been Pei Shiyi who let Yu He out, allowing her to make it to the opening ceremony of the school anniversary.
However, she had prepared a backup plan.
Checking the time, the National Informatics Olympiad should be ending around now.
She had previously arranged for someone to register Yu He for the competition. She was waiting for the media hired by Gu Ze to report on Yu He's deliberate absence, which would lead to her expulsion from the school!
Lan Jiaojiao envisioned Yu He being kicked out of Kaiwei Academy and spat out a breath of resentment.
She walked briskly to the office and found Ji Yun.
"Teacher Ji, you were looking for me?"
Ji Yun saw her and frowned. "Lan Jiaojiao, what's going on? If you weren't going to compete, why register?"
Lan Jiaojiao feigned confusion. "Compete in what?"
Ji Yun slammed her tablet in front of her. "Look for yourself!"
Lan Jiaojiao felt a bad premonition and picked up the tablet.
[Live Report: Kaiwei Academy's Second Year Class One Student Skips Informatics Olympiad.]
Scrolling down to the absentee student information: Lan Jiaojiao...
Lan Jiaojiao: ! ! !
How could it be her?!
She hadn't registered for the competition at all!
"Teacher, this is just media hype! I didn't register!" Lan Jiaojiao's voice was sharp.
"Hype? This is the list of absentees issued by the competition organizing committee!" Ji Yun swiped the screen.
This media outlet was formidable; below the news, they had even attached the list of absent participants issued by the organizing committee.
Although the names were partially obscured, the combination of "Lan*" and "Kaiwei Academy's Second Year Class One" could only refer to Lan Jiaojiao!
Lan Jiaojiao was stunned.
How could this have happened?!
She had hired hackers to register Yu He and had personally confirmed the information. Yu He wasn't on the absentee list, so why was she?
Where had it all gone wrong?!
"If you can't take the exam, don't register for the competition! This news not only embarrasses you but also the century-old reputation of Kaiwei!"
Ji Yun scolded her sternly. "Call your parents. We will await the academy's disciplinary action together!"
Lan Jiaojiao stood frozen, as if struck by lightning.
--
Meanwhile.
Yu He and Lu Chenyu's speech and performance had concluded.
She watched the flashing camera lights of the media, her brow furrowed. A small worry suddenly crossed her mind.
If Qin Beiting saw their photo together, would he start complaining again, saying they didn't have a photo together and demanding one?
After the opening ceremony of the school anniversary, there would be a meeting for representatives from various prestigious schools in the afternoon, and tomorrow would be the entrance exam for the preparatory class.
In the afternoon, the list of students whose applications had been approved for tomorrow's exam was posted on the school's bulletin board.
The students whose applications were approved were mostly third-year students. There were only two spots for second-year students: Pei Shiyi and Yu He.
As soon as this list was posted, the school forum exploded.
[Is anyone else as curious as I am how the school beauty managed to get through the preparatory class application review?]
[Even though the school beauty's pure voice is top-notch, her grades aren't great, right?]
[More than half a semester has passed, and she gets zero on every test. She can speak English but can't write it.]
[Must have used connections.]
[Academic overlord Lu even broke off his friendship with Gu Ze for Yu He. Getting her a backdoor entry isn't exactly a novel thing.]
[Senior Lu's efforts aren't impressive. Getting through the application review is useless; Yu He's abilities won't impress the delegation. She should have been directly nominated for a guaranteed spot.]
[I like the school beauty's looks, but can she just be a pretty vase and stop causing trouble?]
[Me too. The preparatory class exam results are for the school delegations to see. Don't embarrass us abroad.]
[To avoid disgracing the academy, I propose the administration cancel Yu He's eligibility for the preparatory class exam.]
...
Second Year Class Eleven. Da Feng Novel Network.
Chu Ying finished scrolling through the forum and turned to look at Yu He with a serious expression.
"Boss, if Teacher Zhang is forcing you to register for the preparatory class exam, blink twice!"
Yu He: "..."
"Yu He, your application for the school review has been approved!" At this moment, Teacher Zhang rushed over, her belly protruding.
She instructed Yu He with deep meaning:
"For tomorrow's exam, don't hand in a blank paper again. At least fill in the multiple-choice questions, especially the selection questions. If you don't know, remember the mnemonic:
'Three long, one short, choose the shortest; three short, one long, choose the longest; two long, two short, choose B; all long or all short, choose A; uneven lengths, choose D; unevenly staggered, C.'"
Chu Ying looked shocked. "Teacher Zhang, you always said this mnemonic had no scientific basis!"
How could she be the one to suggest using it first?
Teacher Zhang: "In an emergency, use what you can. Absolutely do not hand in a blank paper!"
Yu He: "..."
Seeing this, Chu Ying thought: So, it wasn't that Teacher Zhang forced her boss to act, but that her boss registered herself?
Her boss is about to make a big move!