64: The Preliminary Test

The Preliminary Test

A lot of information about the National Quiz Contest popped up on her phone very quickly. 1

Song Ning was all smiles when she saw how popular her daughter's quiz was. The moment she hit search, so many hits appeared online.

But Song Ning's smile gradually froze before long.

Did her daughter not say it was a dumb quiz that did not even offer a prize?

How could a quiz that involved city, province, national and international qualifiers, which was co-organized by a few major colleges in the capital and the Education Association be considered insignificant?

Although there was no cash prize, the winner walked off with a recommendation to one of the nation's top universities, Tsing University, and that alone was clearly more impressive than money.

Song Ning was stunned and deeply suspicious that this was not the same quiz that her daughter mentioned.

So she opened her internet browser and ran another search…

***

The National Quiz Contest was split into many districts, starting from the preliminary tests at the city level, followed by the provincial level before making it to the national stage. Finally, the top five students in the nation would represent the country to compete internationally.

The quiz was not restricted to a single subject, making it far more difficult.

After all, students who specialized in the sciences would be far weaker when it came to the humanities and vice versa.

A preliminary test conducted by the province's Education Association was carried out at the city level prior to the heats, and those who passed it, earned their right to compete.

The preliminary test was taking place on Wednesday, and all the third-year seniors, who had signed up were to take the test in the school examination halls.

There were a total of ten senior classes. Apart from the three people from Huo Yao's Experimental Class, almost every class had sent five to eight contestants.

The vice-principal was very surprised when Chen Yu submitted the application forms.

In a blink of an eye, it was Wednesday.

The test would commence in the morning. The form teacher, Chen Yu, informed Huo Yao of her candidature number before she headed to the examination hall.

Since there were many candidates from the No.1 Middle School, they were split into two examination halls, and Huo Yao was assigned to the second one.

She and the two boys from her class were assigned to the same hall. Boys were not as competitive as girls, so they cheered for her bashfully before going to their seats.

Unfortunately, Lu Xia was assigned to the second examination hall as well.

Since Lu Xia was the school belle, a bright student, and part of a somewhat famous girl band, she attracted a lot of male attention.

Most of the contestants were boys, and barely a third of them were girls. Huo Yao and Lu Xia happened to be the only girls in the second examination hall.

Huo Yao leaned back lazily in her seat while she twirled the pencil in her hand unhurriedly. She did not look up even once when Lu Xia entered the hall. It was as though she was quietly immersed in her own world.

On the other hand, Lu Xia smiled warmly like a dream girlfriend or a goddess. She was very graceful. There was something ethereal about her. In comparison, Lu Xia and Huo Yao's personalities were distinctly different.

"Who do you think is better looking? The campus belle or the new transfer?"

"The school belle. She looks sweet and innocent, is kind to her peers, and has excellent grades."

"I think the new transfer is more beautiful. Although she appears distant, she has such an incredible aura that it is overwhelming for both boys and girls."

"That's true as well. Haha!"

Since Lu Xia was sitting in the first row, she caught wind of the conversation behind her. She lowered her eyes slightly and seemed to be completely indifferent to it.

pqdm.com