Chapter 111: Just as the Firecrackers Faded, the Smoke of War Rose Again

Zhu Yuwen drove the car over, and the others got in. The two families across the street made a perfect group of five. Zhao Yutong sat in the front passenger seat, while the Zhang family of three occupied the back seat.

“Mom! Don’t forget, if I get into a top-tier university, you promised to buy me a car,” Zhang Wuyong reminded her.

“Oh, so you’ve been waiting here all along?” Song Mei finally understood. Her son had set her up early in the morning. “You knew you’d get the score, so you said that to me just to lock me in?”

Zhang Tao said, “Buying a car wouldn’t be bad, wouldn’t be bad at all!”

Song Mei rolled her eyes at her husband. “Even if we buy the car for our son, don’t think you’re going to use it. Are you going to drive it up to your shop and park it there every day?”

Zhang Tao shut his mouth again.

Song Mei said, “Son, it’s not that you can’t get a car after you get your driver’s license. It’s just that once you go to university, you won’t have time to drive at home.”

Cars were getting cheaper and cheaper these days, especially used ones.

Though she thought it might not be very useful, if her son really wanted one, then they would buy it.

After all, achieving such a high score was truly worth it.

If he really went to a vocational college, unless it was a public one, the tuition and living expenses would still run into tens of thousands each year.

Besides, her son had really made her proud today. With this score, she could brag in front of Liu Xiaozhen for a whole year, enough to make her run away when she saw her.

The rain had stopped outside, but the ground was still wet, and the streets were quite busy.

They arrived at the entrance of the No. 2 High School to find Vice Principal Lao Mao, Grade Director Zhong Xin, and the head teacher of the Hongzhi class, Liao Xiumei, already waiting.

Liao Xiumei looked even younger today. She had permed her hair and wore a stylish French-chic short jumpsuit, paired with white stockings and high heels.

After that night, she had changed a lot, dressing more youthfully.

The sun hats and floral white dresses she used to wear looked like a relic of a past era.

Now, she had finally caught up with the trends.

The school leaders and teachers saw Zhang Wuyong and Zhao Yutong getting out together, and the parents on both sides followed suit.

They approached, offering their congratulations repeatedly.

Song Mei smiled so broadly she could hardly close her mouth.

She had always been afraid of meeting her children's teachers, but this time was completely different.

“Really unexpected!” Vice Principal Lao Mao looked at Zhang Wuyong and sighed. “At the Hundred-Day Pledge Assembly, we had you go up to make a speech because you had a good image and had received a banner for bravery.

“We never thought you would really pull off such a comeback in the last hundred days.”

Grade Director Zhong Xin expressed his regret, “During the first mock exam, I thought he cheated. If it weren’t for Teacher Dou and Teacher Liao vouching for him, I almost called him to the office.”

Lao Mao joked, “Thankfully you didn’t! If you had, you’d have become the villain who got slapped in the face by this kid.”

Vice Principal Mao was always witty, and everyone was used to it.

Hearing this, everyone laughed along.

Zhang Wuyong smiled and said, “Old Mao, don’t mess with me! If you do, I’ll take down the entire No. 2 High School.”

At least, that’s what the system told him to say.

Zhang Tao and Song Mei were surprised by how boldly he spoke to the vice principal.

Lao Mao nodded seriously, “You’re now a role model for our school. Next semester, I’ll frame your student ID, your high school entrance exam results, your rankings and grades from the final semester’s exams, and that 'Most Improved' award, and hang it at the school entrance all year round.

“To inspire your juniors.”

Zhang Wuyong was shocked, “Please don’t!”

Just then, another car approached.

“Xueqin and her family have arrived too!” Liao Xiumei immediately recognized Yao Xueqin sitting in the front passenger seat.

Yao Xueqin and her parents got out one after another.

Zhang Wuyong and Zhao Yutong looked over and saw Yao Xueqin’s hair styled in waves, with a striking patch of yellow at the front.

Zhao Yutong inexplicably felt that it was a glaring and hostile hair color.

Yao Xueqin glanced at them and noticed that Zhao Yutong hadn’t changed much.

After the exam, more and more boys and girls had dyed their hair, but Zhao Yutong had only changed her outfit.

This made Yao Xueqin a little unsure, and she nervously touched the yellow hair, wondering if Zhang Wuyong disliked it.

The three families gathered together, exchanging congratulations.

The nearby shop had already prepared long strings of firecrackers.

They laid three strings on the ground in three rows, ready to set them off one by one.

The firecrackers looked loud, and the two girls stepped back a good distance.

Seeing their fear, Zhang Wuyong stood protectively in front of them.

The crackling and popping were deafening as the first string exploded, then after a minute’s pause, the second went off.

After three strings were set off, the school entrance was shrouded in smoke, with a few sparks still occasionally bursting.

When the smoke cleared, Vice Principal Mao brightly lit the school gate and beckoned the three of them over.

“Come, come.

“Since the three talents are all here, let’s take a photo together. At least we’ll put one on the announcement board, so when new students arrive in the second half of the year, they’ll know that even if you come to our No. 2 High School, you can still achieve great results.”

This was indeed customary, though usually only official school photos were posted.

But since the top three scorers in the grade, all with over 630 points, were here, taking a photo together made sense.

Zhang Wuyong and Zhao Yutong stood side by side by the school entrance sign.

Yao Xueqin suddenly darted over to Zhang Wuyong’s side.

Zhao Yutong bent slightly, glaring at her. “Shouldn’t you be standing on my side?”

No matter how you looked at it, the grade’s top scorer should stand in the middle, with the second and third on either side.

Yao Xueqin bent down too, meeting Zhao Yutong’s gaze over the tall Zhang Wuyong.

“Of course the tallest stands in the middle. The shortest standing in the middle would look strange. People might think it’s a parent with their child.”

Although Zhao Yutong was chosen as the class belle of the Hongzhi class and was basically recognized as the school beauty, Yao Xueqin was indeed taller.

Zhao Yutong was a bit annoyed. “Then you come over here.”

Yao Xueqin had been upset since finding out Zhao Yutong’s higher score and calling Zhang Wuyong.

Now she smiled sweetly on purpose. “If you dislike it so much, how about you stand by me and I’ll stand in the middle? By height, Zhang Wuyong is first, I’m second, and you’re third.

“By score, you’re first, I’m second, and Zhang Wuyong is third. Either way, it looks good.”

But Zhao Yutong would never move to that side and let Yao Xueqin stand next to Wuyong.

The teacher holding the camera was suddenly at a loss.

The school leaders and parents, watching the two girls glare at each other over the handsome boy, realized that although the firecrackers had gone off, the tension was far from over.

The grade’s first and second place... were they really about to fight over the third?

This situation was beyond their expectations!