Chapter 90 — Taking It Out on the Exam Papers
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
Most of the boys in the class secretly dreamed of one day getting to grade Gu Mengyao's or Shen Yushu's paper. It was only a single sheet of paper, true, but the thought that they had worked through it themselves, that traces of them surely still lingered on it—well, in this roundabout way they could claim a brush with beauty and indulge in a satisfying little fantasy.
Unfortunately, every time, Shen Yushu's and Gu Mengyao's papers were swapped between the two of them for grading. Over time this had begun to look like Shen Yushu abusing her position for a little cheating, but nobody was going to stir up trouble by calling it out.
This time, though, Shen Yushu had handed Gu Mengyao's paper to Wei Zhao, keeping his own paper and hers for last. She meant to leave Wei Zhao's paper to Gu Mengyao and manufacture a little coincidence.
Once the papers were all distributed, Shen Yushu carried the last two back to her seat, plunked them down in front of Gu Mengyao, and said with a grin, "Yao-yao, you pick one."
"What do you mean? Don't we always grade each other's?" Gu Mengyao asked, looking at Shen Yushu in puzzlement.
"Uh... this time... I accidentally handed your paper out..." Shen Yushu explained. "So..."
"Forget it..." Gu Mengyao knew that Shen Yushu always did things this way and was bound to slip up now and then—a moment's inattention and a paper could go astray. "Anything's fine. Either one."
Since it was not her own exam paper, Gu Mengyao naturally paid it no mind.
"Oh, then take this one," Shen Yushu said, tossing Wei Zhao's paper to Gu Mengyao, then quietly slipping her own paper out of sight.
"Wei Zhao?" Gu Mengyao glanced at the name on the paper and gave a slight start. Then, understanding dawning on her, she turned and looked at Shen Yushu, who was sitting there with her head down, solemnly pretending that nothing at all was going on. In an instant she knew it was her doing. "Xiaoshu—"
"Uh... what is it, Mengyao-jie?" Shen Yushu lifted her head with a beaming smile, the very picture of innocence.
"Let me see your paper." Gu Mengyao eyed the paper Shen Yushu was covering up so completely, and made a grab for it.
"Huh? What's so interesting about that..." Shen Yushu's conscience gave a guilty twinge, and she pressed her hand down all the tighter.
"Give it here." Gu Mengyao wrested Shen Yushu's paper away by force. Afraid the paper would tear, Shen Yushu had no choice but to let go. One look at the paper now in her hands told Gu Mengyao it was Shen Yushu's own, and she glared at her in a fury. "Xiaoshu, where did you put my paper?"
"Uh... I gave it to Wrigley-ge... let him have his fun with it..." Shen Yushu thought wickedly, yes, his fun...
"I'm so mad I could die!" Gu Mengyao was left rather speechless by this behavior of Shen Yushu's. Fortunately, she was used to her by now and knew she was the sort who relished chaos above all else, so she could hardly say anything more.
Even so, Gu Mengyao's eyes were fixed hard on Wei Zhao's paper. She picked up a red marker and, without giving it a second thought, began drawing "X"s all over Wei Zhao's exam paper—right or wrong, she did not care in the least; she simply marked it from beginning to end, and finally scrawled a great big "0" across the top of the sheet. Only then did she fling the marker aside and let out a long, heavy breath. She had vented all her anger on that paper.