"Holy shit, we're so damn good?"
"I thought it'd be way harder to play!"
"Yuzhou Silver Elephant is just average!"
In the days following the match, Lin Wanxing kept hearing these remarks.
Whether during football practice, meals, or while watering plants and tending vegetables, the students would suddenly burst out with such exclamations mid-conversation.
Sometimes when she passed by, the boys would exchange glances and couldn't help but laugh.
The atmosphere felt slightly peculiar.
Yet they were genuinely happy—whenever they remembered defeating Yuzhou Silver Elephant, grins would spontaneously spread across their faces.
During that period, the students were exceptionally joyful.
They trained with excitement every day and grew increasingly serious about their studies.
Lettuce seedlings grew into short sprouts, and harvested green onions regrew new leaves.
The autumn wind swept across the rooftop under a crystal-clear blue sky.
During smooth times, anything seemed possible. Even Chen Weidong's intention to leave the football team seemed to vanish into thin air after their victory.
Chen Weidong attended training punctually every day but left immediately afterward.
He never participated in Yuan Yuan Cram School classes, claiming he used that time to practice his main track and field events.
To the other students, Chen Weidong was an anomaly.
He hadn't joined the self-governance committee when it was established, so its decisions didn't bind him.
Qin Ao had always resented this, feeling Chen Weidong came and went as he pleased.
In Qin Ao's own words: "Last time we picked trash, he skipped the next day because it was tiring—total lazy ass with zero team spirit!"
Qin Ao repeatedly tried to propose motions demanding the committee regulate such undisciplined behavior.
But fundamentally, Chen Weidong had only joined the football team to "help" make up numbers, and he still trained properly, so Qin Ao could never actually bring it up.
Victory has that effect—it washes away worries and smoothes over conflicts.
——
By late October, the school's monthly exams arrived as scheduled.
After receiving the school's notification, Lin Wanxing went home that evening and relayed the specific dates and arrangements to the students.
Standing in the Yuan Yuan Cram School classroom, she distributed printed exam schedules.
"Exams start at 8:30 AM. You must arrive by 8:00 at the latest. Since you'll be assigned to different exam rooms, check the posted lists at the entrance first—don't just rush to your usual classrooms." She paused, then added, "Also, check your stationery before bed. If you forget anything, come ask me in the storage room."
Lin Wanxing meticulously reminded them of all precautions before realizing she was being overly verbose.
Qin Ao promptly cut her off: "Alright, teacher, it's not our first exam. No need to fuss."
Lin Wanxing was speechless but couldn't refute him.
She reflected that her verbosity might stem from subconscious worry that the students—having "indulged" too long outside school—would resent returning to exams, hence her excessive reminders.
Unexpectedly, the boys seemed quite eager for the upcoming monthly exams.
For instance, Yu Ming and Lin Lu, who previously feared poor grades would force them back to full-time studying, were now whispering excitedly.
Still uneasy, Lin Wanxing asked one more question: "We haven't had mock exams. Do you want me to provide practice tests?"
"No need! Who hasn't taken exams before?"
"Stop nagging, teacher!"
"Don't worry, we've got this—we won't embarrass you!"
The boys waved her off, asserting full control.
——
Early autumn had brought cooler weather.
The senior year monthly exams were highly formalized, simulating the national college entrance exams.
During the last monthly exam, Lin Wanxing was new and hadn't been assigned proctoring duties. This time, she was naturally included.
The day before exams, Lin Wanxing attended a mandatory training session.
Held after work, the session was led by a young physics teacher named Jin Ziyang.
Rumor had it Jin Ziyang graduated from a top-tier university's physics program—an elite scholar who also held the title of Hongjing No. 8 Middle School's "School Adonis," meaning he was both capable and handsome.
In the training classroom, the male teacher leaned against the lectern in a white shirt and dress pants, delicate features accentuated by black-framed glasses. His Apple laptop sat on the lectern, connected to a projector.
Lin Wanxing took a seat, carrying twenty steamed buns bought from the cafeteria.
Jin Ziyang's gaze swept over and landed on the mountain of buns before her. Not just him—other teachers in the training session also glanced over.
Lin Wanxing offered an awkward smile.
"Are you hungry, Teacher Lin?" the male teacher on the podium asked.
"Uh, I didn't eat much at lunch," Lin Wanxing replied.
"Our training will be brief. It won't interfere with your dinner," he said.
Lin Wanxing nodded, stuffing the plastic bag of buns into her desk.
Despite his assurance, the training progressed slowly.
The PowerPoint had over a dozen slides covering exam procedures, detailed rules, and handling emergencies—all explained meticulously.
This only covered general exam requirements. As novice teachers, they were assigned assistant proctoring roles. Next, Jin Ziyang detailed six key responsibilities for assistant proctors.
By the time Lin Wanxing finished listening attentively, dusk was falling.
Jin Ziyang concluded by announcing times for classroom preparation and seat label posting before dismissing the session.
The other teachers left together.
Lin Wanxing wasn't close with anyone, only exchanging brief pleasantries with Teacher Xu.
After Teacher Xu departed, she carried the buns intended for the students, thinking she could finally clock out.
But as she descended the stairs, the male teacher who had just packed up called out from behind.
"Lin Wanxing."
Surprised, she turned.
Jin Ziyang stood on the staircase, laptop tucked under his arm, one hand in his pocket.
"Let me treat you to a simple meal," Jin Ziyang said.
"Why?"
His gaze fell on her bag of buns. "The training delayed your dinner."
"Ah, it's fine," Lin Wanxing declined politely. "I just craved the school's carrot-beef buns and wanted to take some home."
At this, Jin Ziyang simply nodded slightly and said, "Alright. See you tomorrow."
——
Jin Ziyang was merely an interlude. Though Lin Wanxing wondered why he wanted to dine alone with her, she didn't dwell on it.
The school's monthly exams commenced as scheduled.
Half the desks were moved to the back of classrooms, and exam rooms were reassigned. Lin Wanxing's proctoring location was predetermined: Room 309, also known as Class 9 of Senior Year 3.
Following proctoring guidelines, Lin Wanxing inspected the classroom and stood at the entrance of Room 309 to greet exam-taking students.
She checked each student's stationery and exam permits.
The permits were specially designed by the school to familiarize seniors with the gaokao rhythm.
The students were well-behaved, most saying "Thank you, teacher" when she returned their permits.
Lin Wanxing returned one female student's permit and accepted the next, freezing when she saw the name "Wen Chengye."Black AJs on his feet, a hollowed-out mechanical watch rarely worn by students—Lin Wanxing looked up into an icy-cold face."
She hadn't seen Wen Chengye since he agreed to join the match but stood her up. What a coincidence.
Wen Chengye looked unchanged from over a month ago.
His uniform was impeccably neat, expression frigid. His phoenix eyes had drooping lids that cast shadows over his pupils, intensifying his aloofness.
Lin Wanxing returned his permit. "Your seat is 2-10."
Wen Chengye walked straight to his desk without glancing at her, as if she were invisible.
——
Aside from Wen Chengye, none of the football team members were assigned to Lin Wanxing's exam room.
Following proctoring rules, Lin Wanxing distributed test papers and sat at the back—the assistant proctor's station.
The exam bell rang. Lin Wanxing leaned against the wall.
Students bent over their papers; she could only see their uniformed white backs.
Amid the rustling of pens and flipping pages, she suddenly felt dazed.
Less than a year had passed since she truly left her previous life.
Now, she was genuinely sitting in a high school exam room as a teacher.
Everyone imagines their future path, but among all the trajectories Lin Wanxing had envisioned, none resembled her current reality.
She led a group of football students, engaging in practical work she'd never imagined before.
It felt real, yet surreal.
Life has such moments.
Amid busy days, you suddenly find yourself idle—unable to even check your phone due to work constraints, left only to daydream.
Various thoughts drifted through Lin Wanxing's mind. With nothing else to do, she spent the entire Chinese exam lounging against the back wall, casually observing the students' backs.
Most were diligently answering.
The Chinese exam had substantial content, especially the essay section, keeping students constantly "writing, writing, writing." When tired, they'd vigorously shake their hands.
Each student had their own rhythm. Some scribbled furiously, seeming impatient, hastily crossing out mistakes with ballpoint pens as if fearing they'd miss the submission deadline.
Others worked methodically. Though Lin Wanxing couldn't clearly see their progress, she inexplicably worried some wouldn't finish.
Among all students, only Wen Chengye struck her as peculiar.
Wen Chengye sat by the window.
Lin Wanxing noticed his answering frequency was unusual.
"Answering frequency" was a rhythm hard to describe.
It was like everyone taking the exam—some fast, some slow, some careful, some hasty—so you could never expect uniform pacing across the room.
Yet overall, most students maintained similar speeds.
When it was time to turn pages, students around the room would do so collectively.
But Wen Chengye was different.
He wrote rapidly most of the time, but occasionally paused for unusually long intervals.
This inconsistency in "fast-slow" rhythm within one person felt distinctly odd.
Since Lin Wanxing had nothing better to do, she began patrolling the exam room.
She walked from front to back, passing each row of desks until she reached Wen Chengye.
The boy sharply looked up at her.
Narrowing his phoenix eyes, Wen Chengye watched her warily.
Lin Wanxing scanned his test paper and found him working on the final reading comprehension section—the language application questions.
His black pen scribbled and circled parts of the reading material, appearing intensely focused.
But upon closer inspection, Lin Wanxing realized Wen Chengye's markings bore little relation to the questions—seemingly random doodles on the exam paper.
Perhaps she stood too long, irritating Wen Chengye. The boy simply set down his pen, spreading his hands in a "inspect all you want" gesture.
Lin Wanxing noted his expression—slightly raised eyelids with a fleeting threat in his eyes, like a wolf cub.
Though startled by his gaze, Lin Wanxing wasn't intimidated. She rechecked his desk and test paper.
His transparent pencil case revealed nothing suspicious inside. The test paper showed no issues either—Wen Chengye even deliberately lifted his paper, letting her check underneath.
The rustling of flipped pages drew attention from surrounding students.
Lin Wanxing glanced at the head proctor, who also noticed the commotion.
Finding nothing amiss for now, and not wanting to disturb others, Lin Wanxing returned to the lectern.
"What happened?" the head proctor asked.
"Nothing," Lin Wanxing replied, withdrawing her gaze from Wen Chengye.
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