Chapter 101: I’m Almost Like Her Uncle
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Li Yu furrowed his brow and turned his attention to his assistant. “I know what you want to say. It’s about Ling’er and Li Yan, isn’t it?”
The assistant smiled awkwardly and replied, “Mr. Li, Miss Jiang hasn’t officially broken off her engagement with Li Yan yet. Your father won’t be too pleased if you get too close to her. You know this. Your current behavior could damage Miss Jiang’s reputation.”
Li Yu’s expression grew serious upon hearing this. After a moment of contemplation, he stated, “I’m almost like her uncle. What’s wrong with wanting to see her?”
The assistant continued, “The way an elder looks at a junior is vastly different from the way a man looks at a woman he’s interested in.”
Li Yu couldn’t help but feel a bit uncomfortable and rubbed his temples. He had to admit that what his assistant was saying made sense.
The assistant added, “Unless Miss Jiang and Li Yan sever their engagement, people will undoubtedly start gossiping.”
Impatiently, Li Yu said, “Fine, I understand. You can go now.”
The assistant picked up the signed documents and left the office.
The following morning at 9:30 a.m., the results of the provincial examination were announced, and Jiang Ling’er once again secured the top position.
The students erupted in astonishment. Jiang Ling’er had maintained her first-place ranking.
Students gathered around the result board, their admiration for Jiang Ling’er evident.
Bai Xue, positioned at the back, listened to the surrounding students praising Jiang Ling’er, fueling a surge of jealousy within her. She glared at the results sheet with frustration. Had some divine intervention occurred that made Jiang Ling’er the eternal first place? This was beyond problematic!
Old Wang, standing nearby, asked, “Little Xue, are you alright?”
Concern filled Old Wang’s eyes as he, too, silently blamed Jiang Ling’er. He couldn’t fathom how she consistently achieved these results. Did she memorize the answers or something? How could she always be number one?
Bai Xue quickly regained her composure and feigned gentleness. She replied, “I’m fine. I’m just a bit surprised that Ling’er secured the top spot again.”
Old Wang was taken aback. Her attitude changed so swiftly. Nevertheless, he appreciated Bai Xue’s more gentle demeanor.
Old Wang remarked, “Indeed. 1 wonder if Jiang Ling’er has all the answers engraved in her mind. With so many students in the country, how does she manage to remain in the first place? I’m not sure if these results are just for our province or nationwide.”
Bai Xue’s displeasure deepened upon hearing Old Wang’s words. She suppressed her emotions and explained, “It’s for the entire country. Only the top 20 students can participate in the national examination, and Ling’er is still at the top.”
Seeing that Bai Xue was genuinely happy for Jiang Ling’er, Old Wang immediately felt displeased for her sake. Old Wang said, “No matter how lucky one is, there will be a time when she runs out of luck.”
When Bai Xue heard Old Wang’s words, she immediately felt much better. But she still had to put on her front and said, “Brother Wang, don’t spout nonsense. Ling’er didn’t achieve this through luck.”
Old Wang disdainfully replied, “Is that so? I’ve always been number one, and I find this situation quite odd.”
Bai Xue tried to reason, “Don’t speak like that, Brother Wang. There are countless students nationwide. How can there be a mistake?”
Old Wang, being serious, said, “Little Xue, you’ve seen the power of connections.”
At this point, a female classmate couldn’t remain silent any longer. She interjected, “Here we go again. Every time someone excels, there are always people who resort to negative talk.”
The surrounding students nodded in agreement.
“Yeah, why can’t people just acknowledge when someone is exceptional?” “Remember when she was wrongly accused before? A certain someone even publicly apologized to the entire school, but it seems that person still hasn’t let it go. Now you’re starting rumors again, suggesting something’s wrong with her achievements. If you have a problem, report it officially instead of spreading baseless gossip!”
Old Wang responded coldly, “Why can’t we say that Jiang Ling’er is cunning? Her performance is so outstanding, yet she doesn’t even attempt to hide it. She’s just showing off, seeking everyone’s praise.”
The initially outspoken female classmate rolled her eyes at Old Wang and retorted sarcastically, “It’s common knowledge that intelligent people often downplay their abilities. She’s from the Jiang family. If she wasn’t shrewd and strategic, how could she navigate high society? Only someone clueless would openly flaunt their talent.”
Old Wang’s expression darkened. “What’s got you all riled up? Are you trying to get on Jiang Ling’er’s good side? Does she even know you’re standing up for her like this?”
Jiang Ling’er, approaching from a distance, chimed in, “I’m truly honored to receive recognition from this student. However, are you equally thrilled to engage in such admiration for other girls?”
She shot Old Wang a cold glare, her eyes dripping with sarcasm. Old Wang had previously spread rumors that the Jiang family had pressured Bai Xue. Now, he dared to fabricate baseless stories..