21 Submitting the Exam

"I told you the monthly exam was coming, but you didn't believe me," Chen Ran said with a smirk.

"Pack your things."

Teacher Gao stood on the podium. Despite his youth, he commanded enough authority as the homeroom teacher that the students remained silent. They packed their belongings quietly. Chen Ran took out his fountain pen and ink, setting them aside. The class monitor was busy sticking the exam room assignments onto the wall, and Chen Ran finished packing quickly. Teacher Gao announced in a loud voice, "Listen up. We have Chinese this morning, math this afternoon, and English tomorrow morning. Classes will resume tomorrow afternoon. For this day and a half of exams, you are free to go home as soon as you finish your papers."

"Monitor, collect the weekend homework before letting them head to their exam rooms."

"The afternoon session starts at three o'clock. You have two hours, so keep an eye on the time and don't be late." Teacher Gao still seemed uneasy. "Also, I will reiterate: if anyone cheats, I will be the first to hold them accountable."

After a long-winded series of instructions, Chen Ran placed his homework on the desk, shouldered his bag, and walked to the wall to check his exam room.

His grades weren't too bad, so he was assigned to take the exam in Class 6. Several other classmates were also staying in their own classroom, but Wang Weidong had to go to the science building.

Though it was called the science building, there wasn't much equipment; it was mostly filled with miscellaneous items. Students who ranked lower in the grade were usually assigned to take exams there. Wang Weidong stood by his side, and Chen Ran nudged him, saying, "Good luck!"

"Yeah!" Wang Weidong nodded gently. "Shall I wait for you later?"

"Sure."

Wang Weidong left with a carefree, confident stride.

Chen Ran arrived at Class 6, which had already been set up for the exam—much faster than his own Class 5. He found his seat, tucked his bag under the desk, and arranged his pen and ink, waiting for the proctor to arrive and distribute the papers.

There weren't many students there yet, though he recognized a few familiar faces from Class 6. Chen Ran didn't know their names, and while they nodded in acknowledgement when they saw him, neither side could identify the other.

The exam was at 9 o'clock, but it was only 8:00 AM. With an hour to spare, many students were busy cramming. Chen Ran, feeling bored, took out the physics book he had borrowed from the library and started reading.

He didn't even notice when the proctor entered the room.

"Everyone, pack your things away. This isn't your first monthly exam, so the old rule stands: no whispering, no cheating."

Chen Ran looked up. The teacher wasn't one of their usual instructors; he was likely a teacher from the honors classes. He looked stern, and his mood seemed rather poor. Without further ado, he began handing out the papers. Chen Ran took his, glanced at it, and realized the seventh-grade Chinese exam wasn't difficult at all. To him, it was incredibly simple. He could vaguely recall taking this exact test years ago, though the memory was hazy. Yet, as he looked at the paper, the experience felt as fresh as if it had just happened, and memories rushed back to him like a tidal wave.

Without hesitation, he picked up his pen and began to work.

Class 6 was a relatively good exam room among the ordinary classes; no one spoke, and the only sounds were the scratching of pens on paper. After some time, Chen Ran looked up to find everyone else still hunched over their desks. He raised his hand, and the teacher walked over, whispering, "Yes? Is there something you need?"

"Teacher, may I hand in my paper now?"

Chen Ran had double-checked his work and felt confident there were no major errors, aside from his essay, which he hadn't written particularly well, and his handwriting, which was a bit messy.

"Are you sure?" the teacher asked.

Chen Ran nodded gently. He wasn't sure how much time had passed. "Teacher, what time is it?"

"A little past ten. You still have a few dozen minutes left." The proctor's expression remained indifferent. "If you want to hand it in, pack your things and leave the paper on the podium."

"Thank you, Teacher." Chen Ran sighed with relief, placed his paper on the desk at the front, and slipped out quietly.

Once outside, he sat on the steps near the playground. He figured Wang Weidong wouldn't be out for a while, so he rested his chin in his hands and watched the older students running and sweating on the field. The winter sun felt warm, filled with the flavor of youth. He didn't know how long he had been watching until Wang Weidong suddenly appeared beside him.

"What are you looking at?" Wang Weidong asked, looking toward the field with curiosity. "Do you want to play ball?"

***

Chen Ran shook his head. "No, I'm just waiting for you." He put on his backpack and asked, "Shall we go? Want to come to my house for lunch?"

"No thanks, I'll just go home," Wang Weidong said, hands in his pockets. He wore his backpack over one shoulder, looking relaxed, a smile still on his handsome face.

"What's up?" After they walked out of the school, Chen Ran asked curiously, "Did your parents make up?"

"No." Wang Weidong shook his head, his smile vanishing instantly. "Make up? They've already finalized the divorce."

"..." Chen Ran didn't know what to say. It was a huge life event to share with a teenager. If Wang Weidong ended up depressed or preoccupied, his parents probably wouldn't feel too good about it either.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked," Chen Ran apologized quickly.

"It's fine," Wang Weidong said. "It has nothing to do with you. It's just that my dad is coming home for lunch today."

"My mom..." Wang Weidong hesitated for a long time. "She left. Said she's going to the capital."

Chen Ran remained silent. He didn't know how to comfort him; he had never been good at this sort of thing.

"I'll invite you to my place for dinner another time."

"Okay!" Chen Ran nodded firmly. They returned to the residential courtyard, and Wang Weidong watched Chen Ran head upstairs before turning to walk home.

When he arrived, Luo Mingxiu was busy cooking.

"Xiao Ran, you're back?"

"Mom!" Chen Ran called out, tossing his bag onto the sofa.

Luo Mingxiu walked out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. "Where's your classmate?"

"He went home."

"How were the exams today?"

"Pretty good. I should get a decent score. Math is this afternoon, and English is tomorrow."

"Clean up and let's eat."

Luo Mingxiu smiled; hearing that he did well put her at ease. Chen Ran had never been a troublesome child, and since he said he did well, she trusted that he really had.

After washing up, Chen Ran helped move the dishes to the table.

After lunch, he returned to his room to study physics. His mother was busy with chores outside. As it neared two o'clock, Wang Weidong's voice drifted up from downstairs: "Chen Ran, time for class!"

Chen Ran leaned out the window and saw Wang Weidong waving at him. Beside him stood a tall, sturdy man. He looked middle-aged, with tight lips and wearing a police cap. His brows and eyes bore a resemblance to Wang Weidong’s, though his dark face looked solemn and steady. It was likely Wang Weidong’s father.

"Coming!" Chen Ran closed the window, left his room, and told Luo Mingxiu, who was sitting in the living room, "Mom, I'm going to class."

"Be careful!" Luo Mingxiu gave a few final, worried instructions before letting him leave.

When he reached the concrete ground floor, he realized Wang Weidong's father was much taller and broader than him. The man's face wasn't just handsome; it was heroic. With a square jaw, thick brows, and large eyes, his sharp gaze seemed to pierce right through Chen Ran.

"Hello, Uncle Wang," Chen Ran greeted him politely.

***

"You're Chen Ran?" Wang Weidong's father stared at him intently, his sharp eyes scanning him up and down, which made Chen Ran feel a bit nervous.

"I am."

"Mm." The man didn't say anything else, only stating flatly, "Go to school."

At that moment, Wang Weidong's father was still in his police uniform. He took off his cap and headed straight into the building. Chen Ran stood cautiously next to Wang Weidong and whispered, "What's wrong with your dad?"

"I don't know," Wang Weidong shook his head. "He hasn't been back long."

"Oh?" Chen Ran was stunned. "What did you have for lunch?"

"My grandma came over, we ate at home." Wang Weidong patted Chen Ran’s shoulder. "Let's go, let's get to school."

"Right."

Upon arriving at school, they parted ways to their respective exam rooms.

Shortly after arriving at his room, Chen Ran sat quietly at his desk waiting for the proctor.

When the papers were handed out, even though he was prepared, Chen Ran was still taken aback by the math exam. It was simple! He didn't even know how to describe it; it was surprisingly, shockingly easy. In his memory, he had indeed taken this paper before. Even without relying on his past memories, he could easily finish it within half an hour.

To Chen Ran, the paper was so simple it felt almost surreal.

He picked up his pen and began to answer. The other students were silent, everyone quietly working on their papers. Chen Ran finished the entire test in no time. After reviewing it several times, he raised his hand.

The teacher approached him. "Yes? Is there something you need?"

"Teacher, I'd like to hand in my paper."

"Just leave it on the desk."

Chen Ran stood up, packed his pen and ink, and shouldered his bag. Whispers broke out in the classroom:

"He left really fast this morning, too!"

"Yeah, he was the first one out this morning. Is he a top student?"

"Who knows? This test is so hard..."

"What are you whispering about?" the teacher snapped. "Don't talk to each other. Focus on your own papers. If you finish early, you can hand them in and leave."

Just as Chen Ran stepped out of the classroom, he ran into the math teacher, Mr. Liu.

"Chen Ran, what's wrong?" Mr. Liu asked, looking at him with a hint of confusion.