<h4>Chapter 57</h4>


    Hai City will select five candidates to represent the city in the provincialpetition. High School No. 1 directly took four spots, breaking the school''s record.


    "Awesome!"


    "Quick, look at the rankings. Fu Yan is actually ranked first, Ren Ran second, then someone from High School No. 2, fourth is Lv Bo, and finally Kong Lian."


    "Kong Lian is actually rankedst."


    "Wasn''t it said before that she was very capable? This level!"


    "Do you think she was lying before about being invited by the principal?"


    "Hard to say about that."


    "Hey, don''t think too badly of her. Maybe she''s just a bit vain and wanted to make herself look good." Zhao Yi said with a smile.


    Guo Tongwen was taken aback, "Oh my, I was just about to unsheathe my great sword."


    "Fu Yan taking first is really unexpected."


    "I heard from Old Zhao that he''s really good at math."


    "Our Ren Ran is even more capable. Not biased towards any subject, excellent at everything. Morals, wisdom, physique, aesthetics, all-round development."


    Whether it was because of the previous Mingshan Ind incident, or the recent efforts to promote Ren Ran and denigrate Kong Lian''s image, Kong Lian''s reputation had plummeted. Everyone looked down on her.


    Even after advancing, no one had any hope for her.


    "Kong Lian, this dead weight probably has no chance at the provincialpetition. Fu Yan and Ren Ran at least have some hope of making the finals."


    Hu Xiyue, Ji Qing, and Tan Jia gathered around Kong Lian to congratte her, but the discussions around them made their congrattions seem miserable.


    "Kong Lian, you have to work hard and surpass them at the provincialpetition, see how arrogant they remain."


    Kong Lian smiled gently, "It''s fine, their mouths are on their faces, let them say as they wish. I have a clear conscience."


    "Kong Lian, you really are too kind. If it were me, I would have fought them already." Hu Xiyue fawned over her, deliberately currying favor.


    She just smiled back, "I want to do more practice questions."


    "Alright, we''ll leave you be."


    The few tactfully left.


    Kong Lian lowered her head and continued doing questions. Her previously gentle, smiling eyes shed with bizarre light.


    Humph, gloat while you can! You just keep on gloating!


    If you don''t gloat now, you won''t have a chance to gloatter.


    Guo Tongwen nced at Kong Lian. Seeing her quietly doing questions, she felt something was off. She nudged Zhao Yi with her elbow.


    "Do you feel like Kong Lian is a bit different?"


    Zhao Yi looked and didn''t notice anything different. "What''s different?"


    Ren Ran also nced over and noticed what was different. "Too quiet."


    "Right." Guo Tongwen''s eyes lit up. "That''s it. Kong Lian has been too quiettely. After everything that happened, she still acted like nothing was wrong, showing off andughing away. But recently, if she''s not doing questions, she''s reviewing material."


    "I got it, she''s preparing to surpass you on the next monthly exam." Guo Tongwen seemed to have found the truth.


    Zhao Yi nodded in agreement.


    While notpletely right, this reasoning was at least half true.


    "Ren Ran, hurry and do more practice questions. We won''t disturb you, just don''t let her overwhelm you."


    The people gathered around Ren Ran were shooed away by Zhao Yi and Guo Tongwen.


    For the provincialpetition, they would arrive at the provincial capital three days in advance to get familiar with the environment and perform better.


    Arriving at the meeting point, Ren Ran only saw Kong Lian and Lv Bo. There was no sign of Fu Yan.


    The teacher leading the team was still Old Zhao.


    As soon as Old Zhao arrived, he nced at the three and gestured for them to get on the bus.


    "Teacher Zhao, where''s Fu Yan?"