Even Top Students Fail

The Nerd's Rise to Glory

Lily wasn't stressed about the college application deadline. She'd long ago set her sights on MIT. But the thought of bumping into William at school made her want to hide like a turtle in its shell.

She'd considered skipping altogether. After all, she could submit her application solo. But Linda had insisted she come. Lily's test results were stellar - second in the province for science. Though not officially top scorer, the actual first-place student had received bonus points, making Lily the de facto champ. As a regular class student, Lily's performance had shocked everyone, making Linda proud.

The school always rewarded top scorers. This year, with both champions from their school, the administration was thrilled. Lily got a 10,000 yuan prize, with strings attached - she'd have to give back to her alma mater, mainly sharing study tips with underclassmen.

Linda was over the moon lately. She'd known Lily was bright but never imagined this. Seeing the advanced class teachers' awkward faces filled her with smug satisfaction.

Though all educators, the advanced class teachers had always acted superior. This time, Lily had really helped Linda settle the score.

With her homeroom teacher calling personally, Lily had no choice but to go. She peeked inside the classroom stealthily. No sign of William. She sighed in relief.

She honestly didn't know how to face William. In TV shows, the heroine usually slaps the guy after a forced kiss. But that was fiction. Lily felt conflicted - she wasn't the one who'd misbehaved, so why did she feel guilty?

When Linda spotted Lily, her serious expression bloomed into a smile. "Come in! We're discussing college applications. Even though you've decided on MIT, you should still listen."

Linda was guiding students on choosing schools. Not everyone could simply pick their dream school like Lily. Linda had known about Lily's MIT plans for a while. Though MIT was excellent, Harvard and Oxford were still considered the most prestigious. While Lily's choice was great, Linda couldn't help feeling a tinge of regret.

But she quickly cheered up. No matter what, this child was exceptional. This decision was probably best for her. Seeing Lily's sweet, obedient smile, Linda couldn't help but think of her rowdy nephew at home. William's test results were decent, and the family had gathered to discuss his college options. But William had stubbornly declared, "I don't want any of these schools. If I'm going, I'm going to the best." He was determined to study another year and retake the exam.

Linda knew William's abilities better than anyone. This score was already an overperformance for him. Only Linda and her husband truly understood why he insisted on retaking. But William's grandfather was delighted, praising his eldest grandson's ambition. He specifically instructed Linda to arrange William's repeat year.

As the eldest son and grandson, William had always been the family's treasure, especially adored by his grandfather. Even Linda was fond of this nephew. Though extremely proud, he was also very sensible. But Linda wasn't sure whether to support or discourage this fuss over young love. At eighteen, William wasn't exactly a child anymore, but he wasn't quite an adult either.

Linda had even talked to William about it. As both his aunt and homeroom teacher, she felt comfortable addressing the issue. She'd dealt with many lovestruck teenagers before. Her stance was that William could repeat a year if he wanted, but not out of spite. College was a life-changing decision.

But when she saw her usually arrogant nephew looking so dejected and pale while discussing this matter, when she heard him timidly asking if a year of extra study could get him into Oxford or Harvard, Linda's heart melted instantly.

She even regretted her past hints to Lily about avoiding romance and focusing on studies. Though she valued Lily greatly, William was the child she had watched grow up. He had always been domineering, and seeing him so pitiful now almost brought her to tears.

So instead of discouraging him, she ended up offering words of comfort. If not for her years of experience as a homeroom teacher, she might have even promised to help him win back his girlfriend.

Lily was oblivious to Linda's complex emotions. After discussing schools with her classmates - Yue had done well, and her roommates Barbara and Elizabeth had performed as expected - she prepared to make a quick exit. But before she could leave, Candy blocked her path.

Candy looked upset, which Lily understood given her exam results. Rumor had it she was planning to retake the exam. Lily wasn't sure if this was good or bad. In her past life, Candy had done quite well. This time, her poor performance might partly be due to Lily's butterfly effect.

"Lily, I'm so jealous of you. I'm jealous to the point where your every move affects me," Candy began, tears streaming down her face. "I don't understand. I work harder than you, I put in more effort, but your grades are so much better. I don't get why the more I try, the worse I do. I neglect my appearance and put everything into studying, but it's still not enough. You spend far less time and energy on studies, you even have a romance, yet I can't surpass you." By the end, Candy was almost hysterical.

Truthfully, Candy was incredibly dedicated to her studies. Her level of diligence was rare even at their prestigious school. Rumor had it she studied with a flashlight under her covers until one or two in the morning, woke up at five, and never took afternoon naps. She was literally studying with her life. But Lily knew that it was precisely because Candy pushed herself so hard that she couldn't handle any failure. Even one person outperforming her had a huge impact.

In her past life, Lily had advised Candy to relax a bit and not push herself so hard, but it hadn't helped much. In this life, with their relationship being so distant, Lily knew that even if she said something, Candy wouldn't accept it. She might even think Lily had ulterior motives.

"I just wanted to tell you, I won't give up," Candy continued. "Even if I did much worse than you this time, I won't admit defeat. Just you wait and see." Without waiting for a response, Candy turned and left. Lily watched her walk away, back ramrod straight. She wished Candy success next year and a bright future, but also hoped their paths wouldn't cross again. Less contact would be better for both of them.

"You dummy, always letting people bully you," William's voice suddenly came from behind her. Though it had been a while since William's drunken incident, Lily's face turned bright red at the sight of him, her ears burning. The heart-pounding feeling from that night seemed to return instantly.

William felt awkward too. He had only intended to steal a few glances. The prep class for repeating students started early, and once it began, it would be completely closed off. Lily would be leaving for college in early September, making it difficult for them to meet again before the New Year. He had overheard her conversation with Candy. Usually, he wouldn't bother listening to girls talk, but since it involved Lily, he had caught a few sentences.

He found Candy unreasonable, blaming others for her own poor performance. Truly, ugly people cause more trouble. Lily was like a soft, fluffy white rabbit - even when provoked, she'd only scratch lightly. Look at her, still staring after Candy long after she'd left. Worried she might be upset, William had hesitated before revealing himself. He had planned to comfort her, but those words had come out instead. Seeing Lily lower her head, avoiding his gaze, William wanted to slap himself.

Lily's heart was racing like a little rabbit. After William's initial comment, he fell silent, creating an awkward atmosphere.

Last night, tossing and turning in bed, she had pondered how to handle a potential encounter with William. After much deliberation, she decided on the most effective strategy: avoid if possible, run if not.

Knowing William's pride, she was certain he wouldn't chase after her if she ran. If not for being drunk that night, he would never have shown such vulnerability.

One, two, three... Lily counted silently, then took advantage of William's moment of self-reproach to make a run for it. She had never quite figured out her feelings for William, and right now, she didn't want to. She just wanted to get as far away from him as possible.

She hadn't noticed before, but ever since that night, her heart would skip a beat at the mere mention of William's name. Seeing him in person made it race even faster.

Noticing Lily's attempt to escape, William reached out and grabbed her, exclaiming in embarrassed anger, "You're running? If you dare run, I'll kiss you again!"