Translator: Inschain     Editor: Inschain
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow and nonchalantly let out an âOh.â
Seeing Elizabethâs indifference to her studies, Jack was deeply distressed. But she wouldnât listen to him.
âWell,â he thought, âsheâll understand once she faces some setbacks.â
The next day.
Before the quiz results were released, the classroom buzzed with students discussing their performances.
âI think I messed up this time; I got an answer wrong.â
Ben sheepishly asked Linda, âLinda, how did you do? Feeling confident?â
Linda smiled, âIt was okay, I guess. Should be fine.â
âAlways so modest! Youâve been the top scorer in the past exams.â
Lily chimed in, glancing at Elizabeth, who sat quietly in her seat, seemingly detached from the world.
âI might not like her,â Lily remarked, âbut I have to thank her, in a way.â
Puzzled, Linda asked, âWhy do you say that?â
With a sarcastic tone, Lily responded, âIf she wasnât around, Iâd probably be at the bottom of the class again.â
As she spoke, Lily noticed Elizabeth looking her way, her dark eyes piercing as if seeing straight through her.
Feeling inexplicably guilty, Lily instinctively looked away.
Regaining her composure, she felt angry.
She thought, âI didnât say anything wrong! Why should I feel guilty?â The bell rang, signaling the start of class. The teacher entered the room, his face beaming.
Without any suspense, he began, âYou all did great in the recent quiz. Our class ranked first in the grade. Many of you improved significantly, with one student making an especially remarkable contribution. Of course, some didnât do as well. â
âIt must be Linda. Who else could it be?â
Renee whispered, looking reassuringly at Elizabeth, confident that even if her score was poor, Elizabeth would be the lowest.
Most of the students turned their gazes toward Linda.
Linda, sitting gracefully, responded with a modest smile amid all the admiration.
Papers were distributed, sparking a flurry of discussions.
âHow much did you get?â
âLet me see.â
Checking her score, Linda felt relieved and informed Lily and Ben, âItâs within my expectations, 130 points.â
Considering the total was 150, she was only 20 points shy of a perfect score. Ben looked at her admiringly. âWhat a genius she is!â
Renee sighed in relief, âPhew, I was one point away from failing,â her eyes darting toward Elizabeth.
Renee saw Elizabethâs calm demeanor upon receiving her paper.
She wondered if Elizabeth had done poorly.
After hesitating, Renee finally asked, âHow did you do? Did you pass?â
Elizabeth responded, âYeah.â
Renee assumed Elizabeth had barely made the cut, just like her.
But waitâ¦
Then she remembered Elizabethâs swift answering during the quiz, devoid of any drafts.
Was she lying?
After everyone received their papers, Frank motioned for silence. âNow, announcing the top ten scorers in our class, starting with the top spotâ¦â All eyes automatically landed on Linda.
With a smile plastered on her face, Linda reveled in the attention and admiration.
âThe first place goes to Elizabeth, just five points shy of a perfect score.
Excellent work! Keep it up.â
Frankâs words sent the room into silence, every pair of eyes now fixed on Elizabeth in astonishment.
Elizabeth, the top scorer??
Did Mr. Berwick make a mistake??
Wasnât it said she never attended school before? And yet she got first place?
Was this the legendary blowout of nowhere?