Chapter 283: Busy Line

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Zhang Yanyan’s words were extremely blunt.

Many people looked at each other with blank faces.

The classroom fell into an awkward, almost suffocating silence.

Everyone here was participating in the physics competition, so they all knew what Zhang Yanyan meant by this.

There was something fishy about Ye Ci’s preliminary round results.

In fact, Zhang Yanyan was not the only one who had doubts about this.

Everyone had spent all this time around each other, so they all knew each other’s level.

Obviously, Ye Ci was an anomaly in this winter camp.

Everyone was suspicious about her performance, but no one had been as direct as to say it.

If it had not been for Ye Ci’s attitude, Zhang Yanyan would not have put her on the spot.

Ye Ci gritted her teeth and quickly walked forward to grab her paper from the other girl’s hand.

The girl was startled as she was caught off guard, but Ye Ci did not care.

She merely returned to her seat with a cold face and slammed her things on the table.

“Of course the preliminary round’s results were due to my own efforts. If you don’t believe me, feel free to ask Mr. Li and the other teachers. If I ever hear that any of you falsely accuse me without evidence again, I won’t let you get away with it!”

Ye Ci was very righteous and sounded as if she had been wronged.

Everything had already been made clear in the office earlier.

Anyhow, she had not cheated.

It had been her own achievement.

Zhang Yanyan scoffed. “All I did was casually ask how you got this grade. Why are you so worked up?”

‘Is she feeling guilty?’

“Besides, I’m not interested in your business. I’m here to participate in the national finals, not to talk to you, so I don’t care if you actually learned anything or if you get 37 or 41 marks.”

Zhang Yanyan was a straightforward person, and her words were unforgiving.

She looked down on Ye Ci, and since Ye Ci had caused this scene, Zhang Yanyan did not want to be polite to Ye Ci anymore.

Her words were sharp and extremely sarcastic.

Ye Ci was about to speak when they heard footsteps approaching.

All of them immediately returned to their seats with a tacit understanding.

Zhao Ping pushed open the door and swept a glance at the crowd. “What’s wrong?”

He had heard a bit of a commotion while he was in the corridor earlier.

Cao Jingxuan immediately said, “Mr. Zhao, it’s nothing.”

It was not good to make a big deal out of this kind of thing, so Ye Ci kept her mouth shut.

Zhao Ping knew that there would be a little friction between students at times, but as long as it was not excessive and they could solve it themselves, the teachers would not interfere too much.

He looked at Ye Ci and Zhang Yanyan.

Their voices had been the loudest earlier, but he did not expose them and only nodded and said, “That’s fine. Don’t forget what you’re all here for. Please continue studying.”

After saying that, he turned around and closed the door to leave.

Zhang Yanyan glanced at Ye Ci with unconcealed mockery on her face.

Ye Ci took a pencil out from her pencil case with the intention of doing some practice questions.

However, she used so much force that the tip of her pencil broke off.

Ye Ci closed her eyes and replaced it.

…

Even though this issue was not that big, everyone knew that Ye Ci had gotten 37 marks in the last exam by now.

Moreover, judging from her little episode today, there was quite a big difference in the way she had presented herself compared to previously.

This led to a subtle change in many people’s impression of Ye Ci.

Some students remembered the relationship between Ning Li and Ye Ci, so they turned back to look at Ning Li.

Ning Li sat in the corner of the classroom and looked over her notes without an expression on her face.

It seemed like she did not care about Ye Ci.

Actually, Ning Li just seemed unconcerned about everything besides studying.

Ning Li was indifferent to this situation. After all, they were merely a reorganized family, and there was no blood relationship between Ning Li and Ye Ci, so no one expected much from Ning Li.

…

The evening study period ended, so everyone went back to the dorms.

Ye Ci left a little faster than usual.

Cao Jingxuan had originally wanted to follow her, but when Ye Ci said she was going to make a phone call, Cao Jingxuan stopped in her tracks.

Ning Li packed her bag and walked out of the classroom.

She looked down at her phone.

Yu Pingchuan had sent her a few messages saying that he would return to the Capital in two weeks’ time. He told Ning Li to stay in the Capital for a few more days to wait for him.

Ning Li agreed.

In fact, she had accounted for this.

Even if Yu Pingchuan had not messaged her, she would still have stayed in the Capital for a while longer.

Besides that, there was also a missed call from an unfamiliar number as well as a text message.

[Sister Li, I’m back.]

It had been sent at 3:00 pm.

Although there was no signature, Ning Li knew who it was.

By now, she had already walked to the first floor.

She looked at the text message and hesitated for a moment before walking in the opposite direction of the dormitory.

Pei Song glanced at her and quickly withdrew his gaze.

Ning Li walked to a quiet location, sat down on a bench, and made a phone call.

Beep…

After just one ring, the phone was answered.

The clear and gentle voice of a young man came from the other end of the call. “Sister Li.”

…

Lu Mansion.

Lu Huaiyu was playing chess with his grandfather as he urged him to get some rest. He then put away the chess pieces into the jar one by one.

His phone was right next to him.

After he finished collecting the white chess pieces, his phone was still silent.

Lu Huaiyu looked at the time.

Ning Li’s evening study period should have been over by now.

He picked up the phone and dialed a number.

Beep…

“I’m sorry, but the number you have dialed is currently busy. Please try again later.”

Lu Huaiyu looked at his phone with slightly narrow eyes.

‘Busy line?’