Chapter Eighty-Five: Failing to Impress, Only to Be Embarrassed

At dawn, the crimson sun revealed half its smiling face, and the weather was splendid—a scene that, viewed from afar, unfolded like a captivating landscape that soothed the soul.

Bathed in the morning light, Chen Feng slowly changed into a new set of clothes. They were bought by Xiao Yu, tailored to perfection, and specially designed by a stylist. Chen Feng had no idea what brand they were, but once he wore them, he appeared dignified and spirited. After losing weight, he had shed his former ridiculous figure, and after enduring several ordeals, his temperament had matured, imparting a sense of adulthood.

Xiao Yu sat on the sofa nearby, appraising Chen Feng. Today, she wore black suit trousers and a crisp white shirt.

"Brother, how do you feel?" Xiao Yu asked, holding her teacup with graceful composure as she watched Chen Feng.

"Not bad!" Chen Feng smiled as he gazed at his reflection in the mirror. In the past, he had never bothered with his attire—so long as clothes fit, that was enough. But now he realized the truth in the saying: "Fine feathers make fine birds, gold robes befit the Buddha." It was indeed correct.

Xiao Yu chuckled softly. "Alright, it's getting late. I'll take you to school. I suspect the TV station will be visiting your school today as well."

"Sister, aren't you busy today?" Chen Feng asked, puzzled.

"All urgent matters have been settled. I only need to devise plans; after that, others will carry them out. If any issues arise midway, I'll provide timely suggestions for revisions," Xiao Yu replied, glancing at her watch. "I still have time to take you to school. Besides, I'll probably be free for a while. But, brother, you'll be the one busy soon."

"Me, busy?" Chen Feng looked at Xiao Yu in confusion. "What will I be busy with?"

Xiao Yu smiled enigmatically and said, "Have you forgotten? Next comes the Jiangzhou King of Chefs competition, which I organized. I've already coordinated with the TV station. The show will air soon, right after your college entrance exam."

"I remember now!" Chen Feng nodded, recalling the matter. So much had happened lately, and he was engrossed in daily cultivation; he'd pushed this event out of his mind.

"Oh, and our product has begun selling in major supermarkets. Last month's sales were quite good—a dividend of two million, already transferred to your account," Xiao Yu remarked breezily.

"Two million?" Chen Feng silently stuck out his tongue. With Xiao Yu mentioning the sum so casually, he almost suspected it was two hundred, not two million.

But such was the world: the wealthy grew ever richer, while the poor struggled to save.

For Xiao Yu, two million was a trifling amount. Her initial promotional investment had been nearly tens of millions; two million was mere drizzle, seeming almost paltry. Yet the product had not truly unleashed its full potential. One could imagine, once Xiao Yu deployed her series of promotional strategies, the product's impact would be staggering.

"Alright!" Xiao Yu approached Chen Feng, smiling. "Come, brother, let’s be off!"

Xiao Yu possessed many faces: noble, assertive, capable, shrewd. Yet her alluring side was reserved only for him; he wondered how she behaved when alone with other men.

Restrain, restrain, and restrain again!

Chen Feng inwardly scolded himself and, suppressing his impulse, bit his lip and murmured, "Let's go!"

Noticing Chen Feng’s awkwardness, a faint smile escaped Xiao Yu’s lips.

Jiangzhou No. 1 High School

Today, the school was uncharacteristically closed. It was also the graduation ceremony for the third-year students. Chen Feng arrived not particularly early; by the time he reached campus, the school was already in the throes of celebration. Entering the grounds, he saw torn books scattered everywhere and students shouting joyfully, celebrating the end of their high school days.

"What a grand scene!" Chen Feng observed, suddenly realizing he had nowhere to go.

He was a second-year student, having taken the college entrance exam early; he wasn’t a third-year at all. Now that he was at school, he honestly didn’t know where he belonged. The third-years were celebrating, but where should he join in?

Someone else equally lost was An Ran.

And so, in the school corridor, Chen Feng encountered An Ran.

"Chen Feng?" An Ran was the first to notice him, subconsciously calling his name. Afterward, she frowned slightly, wondering why she bothered with him—just another nobody, why had she let him occupy her thoughts?

She bit her lip gently, knowing full well that Chen Feng’s sudden surge in exam results, tying with her for first place, had deeply unsettled her.

An Ran could ignore others; no matter how hard they studied, they could never match her, always falling far short. But Chen Feng had reversed his fate, achieving the same score as she did. Though she still considered him insignificant, she could no longer ignore his presence.

"An Ran?" Chen Feng recognized her, but without the emotional turmoil. In his view, he would not lose to her in the college entrance exam; since victory was assured, why bother about her?

"What a coincidence, Chen Feng! We meet again!" An Qi Ye, standing by An Ran’s side, immediately recognized Chen Feng, his voice tinged with hostility—he hadn’t forgotten how he’d been humiliated last time.

"It is indeed a coincidence," Chen Feng replied coolly. "So, did you get your car fixed?"

An Qi Ye’s face twitched, as if he'd been slapped hard. He longed to rip Chen Feng’s mouth apart—this little brat always hit where it hurt.

"Chen Feng!" An Qi Ye suppressed his anger, deliberately mocking, "Judging by your appearance, your exam results must be quite good!"

Chen Feng looked at An Qi Ye and truly felt that both he and An Ran were rather like chickens—quick to forget their losses, eager to strut again. Not long ago, they’d suffered at his hands, yet now they stood before him, flaunting themselves. He wondered where their sense of superiority came from.

"What does my performance have to do with you? Do you need your mediocrity to highlight my excellence? You really are quite boring," Chen Feng replied with a puzzled expression.

"You—!" An Qi Ye was instantly stifled, unable to retort. An Ran frowned slightly, realizing she hadn’t noticed this side of Chen Feng before.

An Qi Ye opened his mouth to speak, but his gaze shifted to the school gate, where several cars drove in. He recognized the license plates—city government and provincial education bureau.

Jiangzhou was the provincial capital, so it wasn’t unusual for the education bureau to appear.

Several people stepped out, accompanied by journalists and photographers. With the national top scorer for the college entrance exam emerging from Jiangzhou No. 1 High School, the keen reporters had arrived immediately.

Witnessing this, An Qi Ye quickly told his sister, "An Ran, wait here. I’ll go bring them up!"

"Hmm!" An Ran snorted softly, her gaze sweeping over Chen Feng, eyes filled with a hint of challenge, and a touch of anticipation—awaiting the moment Chen Feng fell short, so she could show him the vast gulf between them.

Chen Feng glanced at An Ran, reading her thoughts. His face also showed anticipation—he too looked forward to seeing her reaction when she realized it was all a delusion.

At that moment, An Qi Ye returned, bringing the education bureau officials and teachers to the corridor. An Ran stepped forward, addressing the principal and the bureau leader politely, "Hello, Principal!"

An Qi Ye eagerly said, "Director Zheng, this is my sister—the national top scorer in this year’s college entrance exam!"

The man addressed as Director Zheng glanced at An Qi Ye and shook his head. "Sorry, you’re mistaken. Your sister is not the top scorer."

With that, Director Zheng’s gaze shifted to Chen Feng. He strode over and addressed him courteously, "Excuse me, are you Chen Feng?"

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