Chapter 281 - Flipped Through

Ning Li’s voice was light as if she really felt that Ye Ci could get a good score in the final exam.

However, when Ye Ci looked into Ning Li’s clear and calm eyes, she inexplicably felt humiliated.

It was at this moment that she suddenly realized that Ning Li did not even see her as a rival.

Ye Ci had relied on Ning Li’s notes to get into the top five in the province and enter the winter camp.

If this had been someone else’s notebook, they would certainly have been quite proud of themselves and taken some credit for it, even if they did not announce it to the world.

However, Ning Li had never commented about Ye Ci’s achievement.

Ning Li seemed to be completely detached and did not care about it.

She could have used this to ease her relationship with Su Yuan and please Su Yuan, but she had not.

It was as if anything Ye Ci did would not affect her.

Ning Li was not afraid that another person would compete with her, nor was she afraid that Ye Ci would make an issue of this notebook.

That was because to Ning Li, Ye Ci simply was not qualified to be her opponent.

It was also because of this that Ning Li had unexpectedly spoken for Ye Ci.

To Ning Li, this was just a small thing that was not even worth mentioning.

When Ye Ci thought of this, her face felt hot. Anger and resentment surged in her heart.

However, these teachers were next to her and Ning Li’s words were indeed crucial for her to continue staying in the camp.

Sure enough, Li Guangyuan and the others were taken aback when they heard Ning Li’s words.

“Ning Li, you agree with letting her stay?”

Ning Li withdrew her gaze and smiled.

“What I mean is that this is ultimately her choice. No one can make this decision for her. I respect the teacher’s opinion, but at the same time, I also respect Ye Ci’s wishes.”

Ning Li paused briefly.

“After all, if Ye Ci doesn’t work hard on her own, even that notebook won’t be of much use, will it?”

Of course, Ye Ci had only been extra attentive to that notebook because she had wanted to compete with Ning Li.

More importantly, there had only been a few questions in that notebook.

Ning Li had given Ye Ci a long time to prepare for those few questions on the preliminary round. If she had still failed, that would have been strange.

However, no one needed to know about this.

The teachers looked at each other.

Ning Li’s words seemed reasonable…

After thinking about it for a while, Li Guangyuan finally said, “How about this…Ye Ci, we’ll let you think this over tonight. Give us your final answer tomorrow morning.”

One night should be enough for her to think clearly.

At the very least, it was enough time for her to discuss the matter with her family. However, if she did not want to do that, that would be her own decision.

As teachers, they had already done all they could.

Ye Ci breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Mr. Li.”

Li Guangyuan put the test papers away.

“Alright, you girls can go back.”

Zhao Ping handed the two notebooks back to Ning Li.

“By the way, don’t forget your notebooks.”

Although one of the notebooks had been brought by Ye Ci, they belonged to Ning Li.

Ning Li took it.

Ye Ci’s gaze lingered on the two notebooks for a moment, and a trace of hesitation flashed in her eyes.

The two girls walked out of the office one after another.

…..

By this time, the evening study period had already started.

Ning Li went back to the auditorium.

Ye Ci was a few steps behind Ning Li and finally could not help but speak. “Sister Ning Li.”

Ning Li paused in her footsteps and looked back with little expression on her face.

Ye Ci took a deep breath and gathered the courage to speak. “I’m really sorry for what happened today. I didn’t want to get you involved…”

Ning Li looked at her quietly.

The rest of Ye Ci’s words were suddenly stuck in her throat.

When she met Ning Li’s calm eyes, Ye Ci felt like she was just a joke to Ning Li.

The situation today had been so embarrassing that Ning Li probably wanted to laugh at her.

“If you have time, why don’t you call your family and think about Mr. Li’s proposal,” Ning Li said in a light voice.

Ye Ci’s lips were pursed.

She was already having a hard time. Was Ning Li deliberately using this to mock her?

“Ye Ci, Ning Li! Why aren’t you guys coming in?” Cao Jingxuan’s voice came from the back.

The evening study period was a self-study session. Cao Jingxuan had just come out to use the bathroom and had not expected to bump into the two of them.

Cao Jingxuan looked at Ye Ci somewhat strangely.

“Ye Ci, did you need to make a call?”

“No.” Ye Ci reflexively denied it, her voice sounding a bit shrill.

Cao Jingxuan froze.

Ye Ci seemed to notice that she had lost her temper a little. She calmed her voice and forced a smile.

“It’s nothing. Mr. Li asked if I wanted to call home about my gastroenteritis. I didn’t want to worry my family, so I refused. It’s not a serious matter, so it would just make them worry for nothing.”

Cao Jingxuan nodded in understanding and looked concerned.

“Yeah…but you still have to pay more attention to your health.”

The corner of Ning Li’s lips curved into a very faint smile. She turned around and went into the classroom first.

Ye Ci did not dare to look at her and only responded to Cao Jingxuan in a low voice.

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m really fine. Let’s just go in.”

Ye Ci then went into the classroom behind Ning Li.

…

However, just before arriving at her own table, Ye Ci’s expression changed.

The papers on her desk had been flipped through.

At first glance, everything looked neat and tidy, but Ye Ci remembered very clearly that she had not placed her things that way before she had left.

Her exam paper was stuffed in that book.