Volume One, Chapter 12: The Failed Exam

I heard Fu Xiaoya’s voice and quickly went to the door. She was still dressed flamboyantly, wearing leather jacket and pants, but now with a pair of large earrings. “Sister!” I greeted her with a smile.

Fu Xiaoya’s expression remained cold. She pulled a slender box from her bag and tossed it into my arms. “Get a good grade, or else be ready to get beaten!” she warned, glaring sharply before slamming the door and striding away.

“Xiaoya!” Xu Li stomped angrily, then fixed her gaze on the small box in my hands.

I slowly opened it to find a brand-new Hero brand fountain pen worth several hundred yuan. Fu Xiaoya had come all this way just to give me a pen. The shining words “Hero” inspired me with courage, filling my heart with excitement.

I vowed to use this pen to write a beautiful future.

For a moment, I forgot about Xu Li until I heard her long, helpless sigh, bringing me back to reality.

Xu Li hated her daughter behaving this way and didn’t want her to get along with me. Therefore, she hated me even more. We both knew this truth but masked it with feigned politeness.

“Get some rest early,” Xu Li forced a smile and gave a hypocritical reminder. “Don’t forget to set your alarm. Don’t be late tomorrow morning.”

I nodded, clutching the precious pen like a treasure, and went upstairs.

I immediately filled the pen with ink and tried writing. On the paper, I wrote “Fu Xiaoya” dozens of times, clear and flowing strokes. Then, silently, I tore the paper into pieces and threw them into the trash.

Placing the pen beside my pillow, I gently caressed it, feeling immense satisfaction before drifting into sleep.

The alarm woke me. I packed up, dressed, and went downstairs.

Xu Li had prepared a rich breakfast, including a bowl of glistening eight-treasure porridge.

“Xiao Yan, I got up at three to make this porridge. Drink it quickly,” Xu Li smiled, wearing a red qipao with a high slit revealing her snow-white, slender legs.

“Thank you!” I quickly looked away, lowering my head to eat, gulping down the porridge.

The porridge, which should have been sweet and glutinous, tasted strangely bitter and hard to swallow.

Catching Xu Li’s watching eyes, I forced myself to finish it, wiped my mouth, and hurried out the door.

Everything went smoothly; I arrived at the exam hall on time.

When the bell rang, I held my new pen and began writing furiously, concentrating on the exam.

Suddenly, I felt a rumbling in my gut, an inexplicable stomach ache.

I gritted my teeth, trying to continue, but the pain worsened, and the urgent need for diarrhea was unbearable.

“Teacher, I need to go to the bathroom,” I said weakly, raising my hand, drawing a wave of disdainful looks.

Seeing my pale face, the female proctor did not make things difficult and allowed me to leave temporarily, accompanied by two invigilators to the campus public restroom.

Severe diarrhea!

I felt utterly drained; when I came out, I was dizzy and almost fell.

Biting my lip, I struggled back to the exam room to continue.

Soon, the intense urge struck again.

I asked to leave again. This time, the proctor was unsettled but agreed and also called the temporary doctor stationed at the exam hall.

The doctor examined me after I came out of the restroom.

“Have you experienced constipation recently?”

“No, I’m clearly having diarrhea,” I said, clutching my stomach in pain.

“This looks like a case where a constipated patient blindly took laxatives like Croton seed powder, which is very harmful,” the doctor diagnosed.

Why would I take laxatives before the college entrance exam?

I shook my head weakly, disbelief and denial flooding me.

Suddenly, I recalled the porridge from the morning, Xu Li’s gaze, and my heart sank with a chilling realization.

No matter how cautious, I had fallen into Xu Li’s trap.

She was so cruel—worse than a wild beast, even less than an animal.

To sabotage my exam, she had slipped laxatives into the porridge, explaining its bitter taste.

“This condition is best treated with an IV drip at a hospital,” the doctor advised.

“I won’t go. I must continue the exam,” I staggered to my feet, tears flooding down.

The doctor hesitated but gave me a dose of medication to stop the diarrhea, warning me to see a hospital after the exam because severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalance could be life-threatening.

I returned to the exam and, unable to hold it, asked for another bathroom break.

Precious exam time was wasted again and again.

In the end, I couldn’t even finish the essay and reluctantly handed in my paper.

High scores were impossible.

I had lost my chance at top-tier universities.

So, I resolved to apply to Pingchuan University, whose admission scores were not too high.

This must be my fate with Yu Qingman, I comforted myself, gathering strength.

With little money and unwilling to return home for fear of more schemes from Xu Li, I found a nearby clinic and got an IV drip.

The diarrhea finally stopped.

Xu Li hadn’t given me a large dose—otherwise, I would have fainted and been hospitalized, completely missing the exam.

That was her cunning—committing a crime without leaving evidence.

With stomach discomfort, I ate only a steamed bun for lunch.

Dragging my weak body, I persevered through the afternoon exam.

Afterward, other students lamented how difficult it was.

I felt like walking on clouds but smiled, believing I performed well enough for a perfect score.

I refused to let Xu Li ruin me.

Youthful bodies cannot be easily broken.

No matter what, I had to complete the college entrance exam and leave all this turmoil behind.

Afraid of Xu Li’s treachery, I ate dinner alone outside and bought a bottle of mineral water before returning home.

Xu Li appeared calm, smiling as she asked how the exam went.

“How?” I retorted inwardly. I hadn’t even finished the essay!

Annoyed, I directly asked, “Did you poison my porridge?”

Xu Li’s face twisted with anger. She slammed her small palm hard on the tea table and shouted, “What nonsense are you talking about? Why would I poison you? Where’s your proof?”

Without proof, Xu Li was a scheming woman who surely had cleaned the bowl meticulously, leaving no trace.

“I had severe diarrhea today and almost died at the exam,” I shouted.

“Don’t blame everything on me. I’m not buying it. Who knows if you ate something dirty outside,” Xu Li snorted coldly, suddenly slapping herself twice and bursting into tears.

“I’ve been such a fool, raising a white-eyed wolf all these years. No matter how much I give, I get no gratitude. Women, never be a stepmother,” she sobbed pitifully as if deeply wronged.

To me, Xu Li was acting, and her acting skills were impressive, almost believable.

“Don’t expect me to cook for you again. If your father isn’t happy, then divorce. I’ve had enough anyway,” Xu Li said through gritted teeth.

I said nothing, only coldly watching her madness.

“Remember, don’t lay a finger on my daughter. With your cowardly demeanor, you’re not worthy!” Xu Li’s eyes were full of contempt; she had never respected me.

“I didn’t! She’s my sister,” I said, embarrassed and angry.

“Do you think I’m deaf and blind? What goes around comes around; beware of divine retribution!” Xu Li cursed, then stormed off to her room, slamming the door heavily.

My hatred for Xu Li reached new heights, a deep, heartfelt loathing.

I even wanted to take a knife and kill her.

This deceitful woman ruined my family and sought to destroy my future.

There was another exam tomorrow; I could not lose my composure.

I suppressed my negative emotions desperately and went to bed early, drifting into a restless sleep.

The next morning, as expected, Xu Li didn’t make breakfast. I didn’t care.

Standing by the roadside, I exhaled deeply. Leaving this home, Xu Li could no longer harm me.

I instinctively glanced back. Behind the curtains, a face flashed briefly.

My heart skipped a beat.

Beep beep!

A plain black sedan approached, with a red sign on the windshield indicating it was a “College Entrance Exam Volunteer Car.”

Before I could wave, the car stopped on its own.

The window rolled down, revealing a middle-aged driver who smiled and greeted me: “Are you a student taking the exam? This is a free ride to support exam takers.”

I hesitated but got in, opening the rear door—and immediately felt something was wrong.