Rebirth: A Cinderella's Counterattack

Chapter 179: Chapter 167: Trouble Comes Knocking

Luo’s Mom couldn’t hide the joy on her face when she understood her children’s attitudes. When they went to work together, Mother He couldn’t help teasing her, ”Are you in high spirits because of the happy event?”

Luo’s Mom covered her mouth with laughter, not arguing, then suddenly realized something, ”By the way, hasn’t Xiao Yu been coming over to play recently? Qianqian hasn’t mentioned anything—did they have a falling out?”

Mother He frowned, ”That shouldn’t be it. Xiao Yu was still talking about what to get Qianqian for her birthday these past two days. It’s probably because there’s too much homework and no time to play, especially now that she’s a middle school student.”

Luo’s Mom let go of her worries. Though important matters in life were imminent, they couldn’t compare to the importance of her children.

After Luo’s Mom left, Luo Qianqian opened her eyes and covered her left eye, ”Why has my left eye been twitching non-stop? Isn’t it said that the left is ominous and the right is auspicious? Could something be about to happen?”

When Luo Shufan came into the room to call his sister to get up, he found that she had already changed her clothes and tidied up the bed, looking astonished, ”Did the sun rise from the west today?”

Luo Qianqian rolled her eyes, ”Didn’t you check the weather forecast? It’s supposed to turn cloudy with light rain today.” After speaking, she covered her left eye again, ”Brother, my left eye keeps twitching. Does that mean something bad is going to happen? Didn’t grandma say that ’the left is ominous and the right is auspicious’?”

Luo Shufan frowned at his sister, ”Since when did you become so superstitious? Isn’t there also a saying that the left eye twitching means wealth and the right means disaster?”

”Which one is accurate then?” Luo Qianqian asked with her mouth open, having never heard of it before.

”If the left eye twitches, then ’the left means wealth and the right means disaster’ is accurate. If the right eye twitches, then ’the left is ominous and the right is auspicious’ is accurate. Isn’t that obvious? Are you dumb? Go wash up quickly; I’ll heat up the food. We’re not having porridge this morning; we’re going to eat meat.” He chuckled a few times as he finished.

Luo Qianqian was also full of anticipation. Luo’s Mom’s cooking, especially these few dishes that she and her brother loved, were incredibly delicious—comparable to big restaurants. She quickly went to wash up and then ate. Only after eating her fill did she leave for school.

Upon arriving at school, she noticed something off about the classroom atmosphere, especially among her close friends who seemed overly tense?

”What’s wrong? Do we have another test today? You all seem so nervous.” Luo Qianqian got no response even as she approached, so she patted Li Qi’s shoulder as she spoke.

”The results are out,” Li Qi said with a panicked face. ”I’m even more scared now than when I was taking the test.”

”No matter how nervous you are, the results are already out. Your fear can’t change the scores now. You might as well read a book instead,” Luo Qianqian laughed after knowing the reason, finding it rare to see such an atmosphere in Class Nine, ”But how come so fast? The teacher isn’t even here yet; how do you know?”

”Who says that if the teacher hasn’t come to class, they haven’t arrived?” Li Qi rolled her eyes irritably, ”Pei Yuhao heard it when he went to the office to deliver something with a friend today. He overheard some teachers saying the average score this time was not bad. If the average score is out, then the results must be out.”

”You’ve been so tense half the day just because of that piece of news?” Luo Qianqian’s mouth twitched with disbelief as her left eye twitched uncontrollably again. She grabbed her bag tightly and returned to her seat.

Soon, the class teacher Xiu Xian entered the classroom with a beaming smile, holding a stack of papers despite it being reading time, ”This time’s test scores are good for everyone, especially our class’s math scores, except for Luo Qianqian. We have five people who made it into the top two hundred, and seven who made it into the top three hundred in the comprehensive scores, which is very good and a great distance ahead of Class Ten.”

”I must be one of them.” Pei Yuhao whispered from behind, pulling on Luo Qianqian’s clothes, ”I definitely made it.”

Luo Qianqian rolled her eyes, but her left eye was still twitching. Was this just nerves?

”Our class’s top scorer, Luo Qianqian, got a perfect score of one hundred and twenty in math, one hundred and fifteen in Chinese, and a perfect score of one hundred and twenty in English, totaling three hundred and fifty-five—first in the grade,” Xiu Xian said. ”Excellent performance in math, avoiding the trap. Only two people in the entire grade solved that trap question correctly. Forty-three people got full marks in English across the grade, and our class alone had four, with Luo Qianqian obtaining the first place in all three subjects and overall—very good.”

In the first year of middle school, the three subjects were only tested up to a perfect score of one hundred and twenty each, making a total score of three hundred and sixty.

Luo Qianqian’s lips twitched as she turned her head to look out the window, where light rain had begun to fall.

”Second, class monitor Li Qi, with ninety in math, ninety-five in Chinese, and one hundred and twenty in English, for a total of three hundred and five points, placing ninety-ninth in the grade. One of the only two to enter the top hundred of the grade—very good, keep it up, especially in math.”

”Third, Pei Yutian, with ninety-four in math, eighty-two in Chinese, and one hundred and seventeen in English, for a total of two hundred ninety-three points, placing one hundred seventy-second in the grade. His improvement in mathematics has been significant.”

”Fourth, Shen Yan, with ninety-seven in math, seventy-five in Chinese, and one hundred and twenty in English, for a total of two hundred ninety-two points, placing one hundred eighty-sixth in the grade. There is a need to strengthen Chinese.”

Luo Qianqian looked back at Pei Yuhao’s changing expression and silently laughed to herself.

”Fifth, Xia Qi, Mathematics 88, Chinese 90, English 100, total 278, rank 223 in the grade.”

”Sixth, Han Lei, Mathematics 88, Chinese 60, English 102, total 268, rank 278 in the grade.”

”Seventh, Pei Yuhao, Mathematics 105, Chinese 60, English 100, total 265, rank 299 in the grade.”

”...”

Luo Qianqian’s eyes widened, unable to believe it. Pei Yuhao had hit some kind of jackpot, narrowly missing the top 300. However, seeing her good friends were all smiles, pleased with their scores, Luo Qianqian also felt quite relieved.

Yet, below Pei Yuhao’s ranking, there were no satisfactory scores in Mathematics. Luo Qianqian suddenly felt a chill on her back and her hair stood on end.

”Now that you know your scores, if you have any questions, come to the office after class. Oh, and Luo Qianqian, your Chinese teacher wants to see you in the office.” Xiu Xian checked the time and then let the class monitor lead the morning reading session.

”Qianqian, I’ll treat you to a meal this weekend.” Li Qi leaned in close to Luo Qianqian, winked, and watched her leave the classroom.

With a puzzled face, Luo Qianqian knocked on the Chinese department’s door: ”Reporting in.”

”Come in, Luo Qianqian.” The old Chinese teacher smiled warmly. ”Qianqian, your essay was quite good. Would you be interested in submitting it for publication? You can get paid for your manuscript.”

Luo Qianqian looked at her essay, a dark line forming on her face. It was hastily written and barely two marks short of full score.

”I’ll leave it to the teacher to decide,” Luo Qianqian said sweetly.

”Luo Qianqian, you know the essay competition is coming up...” The old lady blinked, her face showing distress: ”But no one from our school has signed up yet.”

Luo Qianqian frowned, realizing the previous mention of manuscript fees was a sugar-coated ploy, but still nodded: ”Well then, teacher, I’ll sign up.”

”Hehe,” the old lady chuckled until her eyes nearly shut, the wrinkles on her face bunching together like a blooming chrysanthemum: ”It’s fine as long as you participate, I’ll notify you when the time comes.”

Luo Qianqian nodded: ”Is there anything else, teacher?”

”That’s all for now, you can go back. Take this apple with you, eat it later.” The old lady glanced at her desk and picked up the large red apple: ”I’m old now, and my teeth aren’t so good.”

”Thank you, teacher.” Having said this, how could Luo Qianqian refuse? She returned to the classroom, carrying the apple.

”The Chinese teacher called you just to give you an apple? Why didn’t I get such a lucky break?” Pei Yuhao looked at the apple in Luo Qianqian’s hand, full of envy.

”When you get first in Chinese for the grade, you might get this treatment,” Pei Yutian said mockingly on the side.

Pei Yuhao thought about his failing Chinese score and shrank his neck.

At lunch break, rumors started to spread.

”Did you hear about Luo Qianqian, the top of our grade, from Class Nine?”

”I know, I know, she stole the exam papers and even shared them with her friends. It’s said that the reason so many from Class Nine passed Mathematics is because Luo Qianqian shared the papers. Stealing the answers, that’s bold.”

”Her classmates couldn’t stand it and told us. Let’s see how she has the face to keep hogging the top spot in the grade.”

When Luo Qianqian stepped out of the restroom, she saw the faces of those girls turn pale, but she just snorted twice and quickly left.