The Reward for Academic Ascension

In stark contrast, Ji Chuxing remained blissfully unaware of the commotion around her.

She breezed through all the multiple-choice questions in under five minutes. After a quick glance at the ancient poetry and reading comprehension sections, she dove back into writing with swift strokes. Half an hour later, she flipped her test paper to the final page: the essay question. She read the prompt, tilted her head thoughtfully for a few seconds, then turned to the blank lines of the answer sheet. Without hesitation, she laid her head on the desk and drifted off into a peaceful slumber, her soft snores filling the room.

The other students in the exam room were stunned: "What just happened?!"

Ji Chuxing is on another level! While the rest of us mere mortals struggled, she not only finished early but also dared to sleep—especially with the principal as the proctor! If caught, we'd be writing a three-thousand-word self-criticism!

Teacher Li sensed something was amiss. Sure enough, when Old Huang and the principal walked by, they spotted Ji Chuxing fast asleep at her desk. However, to maintain the integrity of the exam, proctors were strictly limited to distributing, collecting, and managing test materials. They were not permitted to intervene in any other way, including waking sleeping students.

Teacher Li paced back and forth near Ji Chuxing several times, but the girl remained undisturbed. She noticed that Ji Chuxing's essay paper was completely blank—not even a title. Oh dear, this was a topic-based essay; even a title could earn her a point! And in a competitive exam like this, one point could make all the difference.

Old Huang and Principal Qin, passing by outside the exam room, were growing increasingly anxious. How could Student Ji fall asleep at a time like this? But Ji Chuxing was in a deep sleep, oblivious to the world around her. Finally, the bell signaling the end of the exam rang, and Ji Chuxing stirred awake, still groggy. Teacher Li shook her head and collected the blank essay paper. She had observed that the girl had completed the multiple-choice section in under five minutes, seemingly guessing her way through. Despite her reputation for excelling in science, her performance here was shockingly lopsided.

Ji Chuxing, however, was unfazed. As soon as the exam ended, she left the room. Bo Yanchen was waiting for her at the school gate, ready to treat her to a sweet lunch. He had reserved a table at Nan Cheng Hotel, thinking the exam must have been exhausting for her. When they arrived, the dishes were served perfectly warm, all tailored to Ji Chuxing's sweet tooth. Ten dishes, each one sweeter than the last.

After scanning the menu, Ji Chuxing quietly added a few dishes for Bo Yanchen. His smile deepened. See, his Star Baby always had his back!

Bo Yanchen had been observing her and couldn't resist asking, "Star Baby, how did the morning exam go?"

While waiting, he had seen the trending topic on social media about the citywide unified exam for senior high school students in Nan Cheng. The Chinese language exam was reportedly extremely challenging, with questions designed to be harder than the college entrance exam. Each question was a trap, a hallmark of Nan Cheng's first joint exam, which always exceeded the difficulty of the national test. He worried that the little girl might struggle and lose confidence.

As he spoke, Bo Yanchen placed a piece of sweet and sour pork on her plate. "It's okay if you found it tough. This exam was brutal, and everyone else is struggling too."

Ji Chuxing, her cheeks stuffed like a little hamster, nodded. "Mm, it was fine." Her voice was muffled, her focus entirely on the delicious meal. She showed no signs of distress, her carefree demeanor making Bo Yanchen want to ruffle her hair. It seemed the exam hadn't dampened her spirits, and he felt relieved.

After a moment, he added, "But since this exam was so tough, no matter how you did, Big Brother has a reward for you."

Ji Chuxing's eyes sparkled instantly. The little tuft of hair on her head perked up. Candy company, candy company!

Her excitement was written all over her face. Bo Yanchen chuckled and finally gave in, pinching her slightly plumper cheeks. "That's right, the candy company is yours."

Previously, Zhang Bao had owned several food production and processing businesses, including a candy company specializing in children's sweets. With his arrest, many of these assets were seized. Since he had wronged his little girl, Bo Yanchen wanted to make her happy by giving her something special. After reviewing the options, he decided on the candy company.

He wanted his little girl to have everything others had—and more. He wanted to give Ji Chuxing everything she loved in the world.

Ji Chuxing was thrilled, her little head bobbing with joy. From now on, she could eat whatever she wanted, in any flavor, and as much as she desired! No more worrying about the fridge being empty when she got home late.

Bo Yanchen, as if reading her thoughts, said slowly, "However, Star Baby, you're not yet an adult, so you can't run the company. Big Brother will manage it for you for now and make sure you don't overindulge."

Ji Chuxing: "!!"

She glared at him, like a child whose favorite toy had been taken away. Bo Yanchen found it amusing and patted her fluffy tuft of hair, his tone gentle. "Be good, too much sugar is bad for your teeth."

"Hmph!" Ji Chuxing turned her face away. She knew medicine and could take care of her own teeth!

Bo Yanchen coaxed, "But if you do better than last time, Big Brother has another reward for you."

Ji Chuxing perked up, her ears standing tall.

"I won't tell you what it is, but it's something you'll like even more than candy."

Ji Chuxing glanced at him. "You better keep your word."

Bo Yanchen: "Do we need to pinky swear?"

Ji Chuxing: "…"

Childish!

After a satisfying meal, Ji Chuxing took a peaceful nap in Bo Yanchen's car and returned to the exam room in the afternoon for the math test. Old Huang and the principal had planned to talk to her about her sleeping during the morning exam, but they couldn't catch her. Half an hour into the math exam, they went to check and found Ji Chuxing, just like in the morning, fast asleep at her desk, her soft snores filling the room.

Principal: "…"

Old Huang: "…"

Even Teacher Ouyang, who had come to check, was at a loss. Oh, what to do now!