Chapter 44: Like a Shrew
Not only was the invigilating teacher shocked, but the students in Class F were also stunned, all looking at Xia Chenge in unison.
Xia Chenge looked serious, her pen flying across the paper, answering questions without hesitation.
They disdained cheating, yet at this moment, they had the urge to rush over and see what Xia Chenge was writing!
How could someone universally considered an idiot undergo such a significant change in such a short amount of time? Even the top student in the class couldn’t answer questions at her speed.
Xia Chenge naturally knew she had become the focus of everyone’s attention, but she pretended not to notice and continued with her exam.
Two-thirds of the exam time had passed, and Xia Chenge once again shocked everyone.
She submitted her paper early!
Under everyone’s gaze, she calmly walked out of the classroom.
The invigilating teacher was dumbfounded, his mouth agape for a long time. Only after Xia Chenge had already disappeared at the doorway did he quickly pick up her exam paper to look at her answers.
Then, his complexion changed drastically.
…
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Regarding Xia Chenge submitting her paper early, the students in Class F went from initial shock to being accustomed to it.
They had already decided that Xia Chenge was just writing nonsense to show off. Class F was doomed to lose. Out of respect for Ling Hanmu also taking the exam, they didn’t dare to express anything, but in private, they had very strong opinions about Xia Chenge.
When Xia Chenge finished her last subject, people from other classes were already waiting at the entrance of Class F.
They were deliberately there to mock her.
“Wow, I thought you were so amazing? Turns out you’re just so-so. With your negative IQ, you dare to submit your paper early. Are you afraid of losing too embarrassingly?”
“Hey, hey, hey, watch what you’re saying. We should care for disabled people, you know? She’s physically disabled but mentally strong, which is rare and commendable!”
“Physically disabled but mentally strong? Hahaha, this idiom is perfectly suited for Xia Chenge. Alas, it’s truly unbearable for Class F to once again be the well-deserved waste class. We really want that title, but our skills aren’t enough.”
Xia Chenge watched the few boys mock her to their heart’s content with cold eyes, and then unexpectedly said, “Smart people never underestimate their opponents; only incompetent people try to defeat others with words, like shrewish women!”
The few boys were stunned, and quickly realized they had just been called shrewish women.
“What did you say, Xia Chenge?” One of the boys lunged forward, wanting to get physical, but was held back by two other boys.
Xia Chenge said calmly, “Just saying. If others want to take it personally, I can’t help it. But I’ll give you a piece of advice: too much talk leads to mistakes.”
“Don’t think you can do anything just because Young Master Ling is protecting you. This time, you personally issued the challenge, so Young Master Ling has no reason to interfere. We’ll see, waste!”
“You’ll soon find out what it means to be slapped in the face.”
After speaking, Xia Chenge walked straight past the three boys without even glancing at them.
“This Young Master wants to be protective, is that any of your business?” As soon as Xia Chenge left, Ling Hanmu’s voice sounded, neither warm nor cold, startling the three of them.
They turned back, looking at Ling Hanmu with fear.
“Don’t forget, this Young Master is also in Class F. Do you want to trample Class F under your feet without asking me?” Ling Hanmu stepped forward and gently patted their heads. “I don’t really like stupid men!”
The three of them repeatedly apologized. Ling Hanmu immediately felt bored. Everyone except Xia Chenge was subservient to him, making him not even have the urge to crush them.
Ling Hanmu walked past them, his thoughts already flying to Xia Chenge’s midterm exam.
In the past, she was always the last in the grade, sometimes even submitting a blank paper. How long had it been since then, and she had already learned the content of primary, middle, and high school?
She was truly far from the Xia Chenge in the rumors. He was increasingly convinced that this Xia Chenge was not the same person as the previous one…
Since the exam was over and it was the weekend, Xia Chenge declined Ling Hanmu’s invitation and stayed home to accompany the two elders.
She and Wei En carefully carried the Old Master and Old Madam downstairs and pushed them out to the courtyard to sunbathe.
The two elders, who hadn’t seen the sun in over ten years, had frighteningly pale skin.
The Old Madam was so excited she teared up: “I thought I would never be able to go out again in this lifetime, but I didn’t expect to have a day to sunbathe.”
“Xiao Ge, push me for a walk.” The Old Master wasn’t as out of control as the Old Madam, but it was still evident he was very excited.
Xia Chenge complied and slowly pushed the Old Master around the courtyard. The Old Master would occasionally ask Xia Chenge to stop, pointing to a certain flower or grass and telling Xia Chenge when he had planted it.
Xia Chenge patiently listened to the Old Master’s incessant chatter about how to care for these flowers and grass, and promised the Old Master that she would bring him downstairs every weekend to tend to them.
Xia Chenge had no feelings for the Xia family, but it was different for the Old Master; this place was his roots, something he could never cut ties with in his lifetime.
The two elders were very happy to see the long-lost sunlight. Xia Chenge accompanied them, sitting under the flower trellis, listening to them talk about the past, and at the same time, seizing the opportunity to inquire about Xu Jingyi.
She believed that no one would know Xu Jingyi better than the Old Master and Old Madam!
“Alas, back then, we all disagreed with Minglan marrying Xu Jingyi. Grandfather has met so many people, and he could tell at a glance that Xu Jingyi had malicious intentions. It’s a pity Minglan was blinded back then and insisted on marrying him, so we had no choice but to agree,” the Old Master sighed.
“When they were about to get married, a girl came to us and told us she was Xu Jingyi’s fiancée and was already pregnant, hoping Xu Jingyi would give an explanation. We questioned Xu Jingyi at the time, and he flatly denied it.”
“Later, Minglan personally explained for him, saying that the girl had schizophrenia. We investigated and indeed she did, and it was eventually dropped.”
Xia Chenge frowned slightly, “Did you really verify this matter? What if it was true?”
The Old Madam shook her head, “Do you know where we last saw that girl? In a mental hospital. She no longer remembered who we were.”
“Then what was her name?”
“After so long, I can’t remember anymore. It’s all in the past, and it’s too late to regret it now. Minglan has become insane and unrecognizable for his sake.”
“How am I unrecognizable? Mom, how can you talk about your own daughter behind her back?” At the same time, a voice abruptly interrupted the grandfather and granddaughter’s conversation.
Xia Minglan, arm in arm with Xu Jingyi, walked over arrogantly.
“Dad, Mom, have you been feeling better lately?” Xu Jingyi asked with a smile, handing over the tonics he was carrying. “I’ve been busy outside these past few years and have never been able to serve you personally, which I feel very guilty about. Please don’t blame me, Dad and Mom, I was also doing it for the company.”
Xia Chenge pushed away his tonics, stood up, and blocked the two elders: “Since you were busy, why do you remember your father-in-law now? Are you going to say next that you plan to stay home and take care of the Old Master?”
