Suddenly, a host page popped up on the big screen, with someone moving the mouse. After several operations, it displayed a folder named “8th David Cup Competition Questions.”

The folder was encrypted, but the person controlling the computer quickly opened it and clicked on a document. At this point, everyone discovered it contained the second trial questions from earlier.

However, Qing Ye stared at the screen, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the desk before suddenly stopping. Something was wrong – these weren’t their second trial questions, or rather, they were very similar but with some differences.

She carefully reviewed the questions and suddenly froze. These must have been the second trial papers before Xing Wu tampered with them. Somehow he had restored the question bank. Could the person remotely controlling it now be… Xing Wu?

Qing Ye nervously looked around. Though Xing Wu wasn’t here, she knew he must be somewhere nearby. Upon realizing this, her heart began racing, the excitement making her eyes bright, though she had to pretend to be as clueless as everyone else.

Old Zhu, who had already stood up, turned back. He discovered the oddity in the questions almost at the same time as Qing Ye. Unexpectedly, the next second he suddenly strode toward the Education Department staff member, snatched the unsealed papers, and quickly began searching through them.

No one realized what was happening, only seeing Old Zhu directly throwing the papers in front of Sun Guang Quan. This time Old Zhu didn’t mind the students’ presence and directly exploded with anger questioning him.

The nearby teachers and Education Department staff all gathered around. The stage erupted in chaos, and the students below, not understanding the situation, also erupted in discussion.

Only Qing Ye remained quietly seated, lips slightly curled, coldly watching everything unfold.

Old Zhu proved quite capable – having memorized the graded answers, he directly found among the papers the one with answers completely matching the questions on the screen and shoved it in front of Sun Guang Quan.

By now Old Zhu was too angry to deal with Sun Guang Quan and turned to argue his case with the Education Department staff member. The surrounding teachers’ expressions grew increasingly grave as they listened.

Qing Ye thought that since the matter had been exposed, these leaders would have to decide how to handle it. She guessed the worst outcome would be canceling all David Cup scores. Even if they came away without any rankings, exposing this behind-the-scenes manipulation would be satisfying.

Time ticked by minute by minute. Half an hour later, the Education Department staff member returned to the stage and announced the cancellation of the 92-point score from the second trial. This year’s David Cup winner was An Zhong High School Class 3(2) Qing Ye with the highest score of 96 points, and second place was Jin Zhong International Class’s Ye Jing Jian with 88 points.

Surprisingly, third place with 84 points was also from An Zhong – a short boy from the class next to Qing Ye, much to Old Zhu’s satisfaction.

An uproar erupted below, everyone asking why the 92-point score was canceled. Small Ling Tong in the back casually mentioned the leaked questions, and the incident quickly spread among students.

He just had a loose tongue, saying whatever came to mind, but this time he’d hit the mark. The 92-point paper that Old Zhu had singled out had answers matching their previously used, highly incorrect answer key. More strangely, it also matched the second trial paper shown on screen. All evidence indicated this student had advanced knowledge of the second trial content, so even with changed questions, they could still write answers identical to the answer key. Therefore, after discussion, this person’s score had to be canceled.

Other papers showed no abnormalities upon individual review, so after this 92-point disqualification, the David Cup proceeded as usual. Probably to protect student privacy, the leaders didn’t announce who the disqualified student was. Qing Ye didn’t know if there would be any subsequent punishment or explanation.

But after Small Ling Tong’s comment, An Zhong students who had long suffered unfair treatment directly exploded, pointing and cursing at Sun Guang Quan. Normally Old Zhu wouldn’t allow such behavior, being a role model teacher who couldn’t let his students be so disrespectful.

But today, he just stood aside with hands behind his back, too angry to intervene. After all, he’d long wanted to say some of these things himself but couldn’t as a teacher.

He had led students to several David Cups before. Though he’d previously suspected the competition’s fairness, without evidence he couldn’t make baseless accusations. Today with evidence before his eyes, Old Zhu felt thoroughly vindicated!

Qing Ye went on stage to receive the David Cup and certificate from the Education Department staff. Fat Hu was so excited he nearly stood on the table, shouting at Qing Ye: “Look here, smile!”

He held up his phone aimed at Qing Ye, with Shi Min and Fang Lei also raising their phones. Qing Ye looked at them over the crowd, showing a flawless smile – a perfect finish.

The Jin Zhong side was dejected, all looking at each other, with everyone except Ye Jing Jian appearing suspicious of question leaks.

This was An Zhong’s first David Cup victory. Even team leader Teacher Dong was excited, announcing through a megaphone before dispersal: “The bus is at the school gate. Go to the bathroom if needed – the bus will go straight back to school. Report to me if you’re not returning to school.”

Jin Zhong also began dispersing. Qing Ye walked toward Fang Lei’s group with the trophy but saw Fang Lei repeatedly pointing at Wei Dong in her direction. Probably because it was too crowded and noisy, he couldn’t hear her calling, so she asked Qing Ye to help call him.

Qing Ye happened to pass by Wei Dong and tapped him. Wei Dong, perhaps lost in thought, was startled and looked up at Qing Ye in surprise. She pointed toward the door and told him: “Fang Lei is calling you.”

Only then did Wei Dong belatedly turn back. Fang Lei waved to tell him she was leaving, and Wei Dong also raised his hand to wave back.

Qing Ye’s gaze fell on the scratch paper in front of him. Wei Dong withdrew his gaze, looked up at Qing Ye, quickly crumpled the scratch paper, and smiled: “Congratulations.”

Qing Ye also showed a faint smile: “Thanks.” Then walked toward Fang Lei’s group.

The group walked out of the venue chatting and laughing around Qing Ye. She asked Shi Min her first trial score – Shi Min embarrassedly said 76. Fang Lei got 65 and asked Qing Ye if there was hope for her.

Qing Ye looked down at her feet, lost in thought, not answering.

Fang Lei immediately panicked, grabbing Qing Ye and asking: “You’re not going to tell me to give up, are you?”

Qing Ye raised her head and suddenly looked at her strangely, making Fang Lei’s heart creep. But soon she showed a confident smile: “Take me as your teacher. Your master absolutely won’t let her disciple face an uncertain future.”

Fang Lei’s gloom instantly cleared as she clung to Qing Ye’s arm fawningly. Fat Hu wondered beside them: “Hey? Wh-where’s my Bro Wu?”

Just as he finished speaking, they saw Xing Wu sitting on the curb ahead waiting for them, sleeves rolled up. Fat Hu ran over in a few steps shouting: “Br-Bro Wu, where’d you go? How c-could you miss such an im-important moment? Qing Ye won the Da-David Cup!!!”

Bright sunlight fell on his clear profile as his lips curled into an arc looking at Qing Ye behind Fat Hu. Qing Ye’s gaze swept almost imperceptibly over the backpack beside him, and she smiled knowingly.

She walked straight to him and extended her hand. Xing Wu raised his hand to high-five her. To others, it looked like they were celebrating winning the David Cup, but only they knew they were celebrating their joint success in overthrowing this disgusting behind-the-scenes manipulation.

Xing Wu picked up his backpack and stood. Qing Ye smiled and glanced at him sideways, handing him the David Cup. Xing Wu lowered his eyes to look at it as he took it.

This was their shared trophy – he had cleared all obstacles for her, and she had seized the crown.

An Zhong’s people walked with heads held high, their two days of gloom swept away.

Xing Wu and Qing Ye fell behind the others. He asked: “What was the result?”

“Thanks to Old Zhu’s insistence, that person was disqualified.”

“Know who it was?”

Qing Ye looked at him silently for a moment before finally letting out a long breath and replying: “It doesn’t matter anymore.”

Then she playfully asked him: “What was your score?”

Xing Wu said leisurely: “62.”

Qing Ye excitedly said: “Damn, Shi Min finally surpassed you, not easy!”

“…” Xing Wu’s face darkened, suspecting her excitement wasn’t about him passing but about Shi Min surpassing him.

It was still early. Xing Wu asked Qing Ye: “Going to town?”

“What for?”

“Don’t you need a phone anymore?”

Only then did Qing Ye remember she was now phoneless, so she nodded decisively: “Let’s go.”

They reported to Teacher Dong and then parted ways with the group outside Jin Zhong. Jin Zhong was quite remote, making it hard to get a car. They stood by the road waiting for a while. Qing Ye bent her head to see him zooming out the map more and more without finding a single car.

She muttered: “Should we maybe take the school bus back first, then go to town?”

Xing Wu put away his phone: “Too roundabout. Let’s wait a bit.”

Just as he finished speaking, an Audi stopped in front of them. After the window rolled down, Ye Jing Jian got out from the back seat and asked: “You haven’t left yet?”

Qing Ye looked at him and replied: “We’re going to town.”

Ye Jing Jian was quite polite: “Oh, I’m heading home. Why don’t I give you a ride on the way?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Qing Ye grabbed Xing Wu’s sleeve and tossed back: “Thanks then.”

Then directly pulled Xing Wu into the Audi’s back seat and closed the door.

Ye Jing Jian stared dumbfounded at their lightning-fast operation before sheepishly circling to the passenger seat.

On the way, Ye Jing Jian asked why they were going to town. Qing Ye told him to buy a phone.

Speaking of buying phones, Ye Jing Jian specially wrote down his number for Qing Ye, asking her to add his WeChat after getting her phone – he had some questions he wanted to discuss with her.

Qing Ye’s lips twitched as she looked at Xing Wu. Xing Wu narrowed his eyes looking back at her. Having gotten a free ride, Qing Ye still symbolically accepted his note, casually putting it in her bag.

The car stopped at the entrance of the county’s largest mall. Qing Ye and Xing Wu got out. She turned back to greet Ye Jing Jian: “Thanks.”

Just as Ye Jing Jian was about to speak, someone suddenly called out from nearby: “Jian Jian.”

Ye Jing Jian looked out the window, then got out and said to the middle-aged man who had called him: “Uncle, what are you doing here?”

“Business.”

Qing Ye and Xing Wu looked over together, seeing that the man standing beside Ye Jing Jian’s uncle was Boss Jiang.

Before Boss Jiang could speak, Ye Jing Jian’s uncle suddenly pointed at Qing Ye: “Mozart?”

Qing Ye stared bewildered at this older man, certain she didn’t know him. Xing Wu turned to ask Ye Jing Jian: “What’s your uncle’s surname?”

“Jia.”

They both realized this uncle of Ye Jing Jian’s was President Jia who wanted to hear Mozart at the nightclub. Birds of a feather really do flock together – what a peculiar family!

Qing Ye and Xing Wu exchanged glances, smiling at them. Boss Jiang said to Xing Wu: “Here to play?”

Xing Wu replied: “Buying some things.”

Boss Jiang seemed to have business with President Jia and didn’t linger, opening the back car door. Only then did they see Shu Han walking out from the nearby mall, wearing an elegant wine-red fur coat, followed by a man carrying shopping bags in both hands. The man put the bags in Boss Jiang’s trunk while Shu Han walked directly toward Boss Jiang with her small purse.

When she got close, Boss Jiang put his arm around her waist and glanced toward the distance, saying: “Your Brother Xing.”

Shu Han turned her head. Seeing Xing Wu and Qing Ye, her gaze paused for several seconds before she finally just nodded at them expressionlessly and got directly into Boss Jiang’s car.

Boss Jiang closed the door, adjusted his jacket, and said to Xing Wu: “We’re off. Come drink at my place sometime.”

Xing Wu called out: “Take care.”

Boss Jiang went around to the other side and got in. Qing Ye and Xing Wu still hadn’t moved. After the car started, Shu Han lowered the window, staring emptily outside as Boss Jiang put his hand on her shoulder. Even in that brief glimpse, the car had already disappeared from their sight.

Qing Ye looked up at Xing Wu. His brows furrowed slightly, but it was just a fleeting expression before returning to normal as he said to Qing Ye: “Let’s go.”

But Qing Ye kept watching his expression, tentatively asking: “Are you feeling uncomfortable?”

Xing Wu turned to look at her: “Uncomfortable about what?”

“Sister Shu still ended up with Boss Jiang.”

Xing Wu smiled faintly: “That was her own choice.”

Regarding Shu Han, this was Xing Wu’s only comment. No matter how much Shu Han had struggled before, how much she regretted, in the end, she had given in. Though Qing Ye felt quite unfair seeing Shu Han get into Boss Jiang’s car, after all their previous worry about her situation, she still ended up with Boss Jiang.

But Xing Wu was right – in the adult world, there’s no right or wrong, only advantages and disadvantages. This was her own choice.