163: Only by standing at the highest point

Under the shade of the trees, those students from Jinling High School were still discussing.

"Still guarding against plagiarism?"

The tall boy unscrewed the cap of the Perrier water in his hand and took a casual sip.

"There are only two spots nationwide. Beijing taking one is due to the foundation of the Imperial Capital.

You're saying the other one is in Jiangcheng? What does that place have besides factories? They can barely gather three large bookstores.

I suspect... there might be some exaggeration involved!"

"Whether there's exaggeration or not, we'll see the real results in the semi-finals."

The shorter boy fiddled with the admission ticket in his hand and pouted.

"We'll know if it's a horse or a mule when we take it out for a spin.

People who win awards based on a flash of inspiration or sheer luck,

usually reveal their true colors during the on-site essay section of the semi-finals, which is a direct clash.

If they end up writing something at a B-level or even C-level then, it'll be hilarious."

They exchanged knowing smiles.

Less than two meters behind them.

"Tss—"

A crisp sound of gas depressurizing suddenly rang out, interrupting their casual talk.

Lin Que pulled the tab on the can with one hand, and white bubbles surged out of the opening.

His expression was calm as he tilted his head back and took a swig of the ice-cold cola.

The carbonated bubbles burst in his throat, washing away the heat from his journey.

He didn't even spare those few people a glance,

pulled down the brim of his cap, turned, and walked toward the assembly point.

"Who was that?"

The tall boy frowned,

the annoyance of being interrupted made him subconsciously look over.

He only saw a back wearing a blue and white school uniform, one hand in his pocket,

the other hand holding a cola, walking with a casual gait,

exuding an indescribable sense of ease that clashed with the surrounding students anxiously preparing for the exam.

"Is that? The uniform of Jiangcheng No. 1 High School."

The girl next to him, who hadn't spoken, suddenly opened her mouth, her gaze fixed on that back, looking somewhat stunned.

"What's wrong? Do you know them?"

The tall boy asked.

"No... just feels a bit familiar."

The girl hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.

"Maybe I saw him on the list for some provincial Olympiad or joint exam; I can't recall."

"Jiangcheng No. 1 High School? At best, they're just a local powerhouse.

Besides that lucky premium selection winner, everyone else is just filler."

The tall boy withdrew his gaze and checked his watch.

"Let's go, it's almost ten. Don't keep the teacher waiting."

...As Lin Que walked to the lawn beside the North Building,

a figure darted out from the shade of the trees on the side and stood squarely in front of him.

He was holding a thick stack of printed materials,

with faint dark circles under his eyes, clearly showing he hadn't slept much recently.

"Lin Que."

Zhao Zichen called out, his voice somewhat dry.

Lin Que stopped, shaking the cola in his hand:

"What, are you going to buy me a drink?"

Zhao Zichen didn't take the bait. He took a deep breath, as if making a huge decision:

"My preliminary round score, I got an A-."

Lin Que raised an eyebrow.

An A-, given that elimination rate, was definitely above average.

"That's quite good."

Lin Que nodded.

"It's not good."

Zhao Zichen stared into Lin Que's eyes, his tone carrying a stubbornness.

"I reread your 'listening to snow' twenty times.

Although I couldn't see that piece, 'fan jin passes the imperial examination,' I spent this past month

deconstructing every single article you've published before.

Your word choices, your structure, even your... that detached, objective perspective that I can't quite describe."

He clenched the materials in his hand, wrinkling the paper:

"I admit, I am not as good as you right now. That premium selection, you deserved it."

Lin Que was somewhat surprised.

This kid used to be incredibly arrogant,

but unexpectedly, after being hit once, his spirit had been tempered into stability.

"But."

Zhao Zichen's tone shifted, his eyes becoming sharp.

"I won't keep losing. In this semi-final, I will give it my all."

Lin Que looked at the serious youth before him and the corner of his mouth curved slightly upward.

In this world barren of arts and entertainment,

it was rare to find someone who competed so purely for the sake of writing.

"Then run faster."

Lin Que stepped past him.

"Before that, report in, or Teacher Fei will 'waste' you first!"

...As night fell, the lights of Jinling gradually lit up.

The treatment for Jiangcheng No. 1 High School this time was quite good,

they were staying at the Zhuangyuan Lou Hotel near the Confucius Temple.

Although it was a standard room, the view outside the window was of the Qinhuai River—a superb night scene.

In the lobby, Shen Qingqiu gathered the nineteen students.

It wasn't the high-pressure pre-exam mobilization they might have expected.

Shen Qingqiu had changed into casual clothes.

She looked at these young and slightly anxious faces with a gentle gaze.

“I know that today on the Jinling University campus, you saw many impressive peers.”

“Their school uniforms might look better than yours, and the topics they discuss might be more sophisticated than yours,

and even the way they look at people carries a sense of superiority.”

In the crowd, several students lowered their heads.

Indeed, this sense of pressure emanating from the top-tier school in the provincial capital

was intangible, yet omnipresent.

“But.”

Shen Qingqiu’s voice lowered.

“An essay doesn't look at the brand of the school uniform, nor does it care which big city you come from.

Once you enter the examination hall, the truth is revealed under the brush tip.”

“Words are the fairest things.

In the exam room, no one knows if you are from Jiangcheng or imperial capital,

no one knows if you are wearing Nike or Li-Hui.

What the grading teacher sees is only the genuine writing from your heart.”

Shen Qingqiu walked up to Zhang Ya, helped straighten her slightly messy collar, and then looked around at everyone:

“Don't be intimidated by the affluence of this city.

Write what is in your hearts, write about the warmth and cold of this land.

Remember, the fact that you fought your way out of so many people to stand here already makes you strong.”

The atmosphere, which had been somewhat subdued, seemed to reignite a spark because of these words.

“Alright, everyone go back to your rooms and rest.

No staying up late tonight; clear your minds.

Gather at 7:30 tomorrow morning, dismissed!”

...Back in the room, Li Bowen tossed his schoolbag onto the bed,

and collapsed onto the mattress in a spread-eagled 'Big' shape.

“Phew—Teacher Shen’s pep talk came exactly when needed.”

Li Bowen took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Today on the Jinling University plaza, I was almost suffocated by the aura of those top students.

That was real confidence; they were all talking about guaranteed admissions and Ivy Leagues. Listening to it gave me a headache.”

Lin Que walked to the window and pulled open the curtains.

The shimmering light of the Qinhuai River rippled in the night, and the lanterns of the pleasure boats were reflected in the water.

“Lin Que.”

Li Bowen suddenly flipped over and sat up, crossing his legs, looking seriously at Lin Que's back.

“Tell me... if you get the guaranteed admission qualification this time, where do you want to go?”

“Jinling University? Or Dongda University?”

Li Bowen counted on his fingers.

“Jinling University’s School of Literature is an established powerhouse with deep roots.

Although Dongda University is strong in engineering, its overall strength is also formidable.

If we can get into either of these two, we can bring glory to our alma mater.”

Lin Que looked out at the prosperous night view through the window,

but his gaze pierced through the misty rain of this Six Dynasties capital, aiming further north.

Jinling University is good, and Dongda University is not bad.

But for someone who wants to reignite the flame on this cultural wasteland of a world,

these places were still too secluded.

He needed a higher, bigger platform whose voice could carry further.

“Are there no other options?”

Lin Que didn't turn his head, his voice very light.

Li Bowen froze for a moment, then seemed to realize something incredible,

his mouth slowly widening:

“You... you couldn't possibly be thinking of...”

“Qingbei?”

The two words, spoken aloud, felt almost scalding on Li Bowen's tongue.

That was the ultimate dream of every scholar in the nation, the pearl at the very peak of the pyramid.

Especially Qingbei’s Literature Department—it was the undisputed leader of the national literary scene.

Those who emerged from there were either literary giants or high-ranking political figures.

“Why? Is it impossible?”

Lin Que turned around, leaned against the windowsill, and looked at him with a half-smile.

“It’s possible... but the difficulty...”

Li Bowen’s glasses almost slipped off his hand as he stared at Lin Que.

“That’s Qingbei!

Not to mention our Jiangcheng, our province doesn't even have three digits of students who get in every year.

That is truly a battle among gods.”

Lin Que offered no further explanation.

What he intended to do—'passing the torch'—was not as simple as writing a few best-selling books.

He needed the highest-level academic resources, the most authoritative voice,

and he needed to stand within the circle that made the rules.

Only by standing at the very top could the seeds he scattered follow the wind and burn across the entire wilderness.

Just then, the phone on the bedside table suddenly vibrated.

It broke the brief silence in the room.

Lin Que walked over and picked up the phone.

The screen lit up, showing a string of eight unread messages.

The sender's avatar was a rabbit frantically smashing a piano.

【Fugitive Beethoven】: [Image]

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