The next day, Ji Yanting flew to the capital to record a single.
Rong Yu and Ji Zhouye went to school as usual.
As they entered the school gates, numerous eyes fell on Rong Yu, and hushed discussions broke out among groups of students.
"I never expected Rong Yu from Class 20 to become an overnight sensation after joining that talent show. She even snatched resources from Zhou Yachen—impressive."
"It’s not that she’s impressive, it’s that Zhou Yachen messed up. The sponsors had no choice but to let Rong Yu take the lead."
"Her name has been trending for two whole days over the weekend. She’s really famous now."
"I thought Rong Ruoyao would always be number one, but now it’s not so certain. Rong Yu’s momentum is too strong—Ruoyao might lose her top spot."
"Rong Yu sings well, dances decently, and has top-tier looks. Why shouldn’t she be first?"
"..."
Walking among the crowd, Rong Ruoyao’s sweet smile froze.
Before, no matter where she went on campus, she was always the center of attention.
Now, that spotlight had shifted to Rong Yu.
The stark contrast made her blood boil.
But in public, she couldn’t show any negative emotions. Forcing a smile, she greeted passing classmates.
Then she spotted Song Huai.
But his gaze was fixed on Rong Yu.
Her scalp prickled, and she hurried over. "Song Huai."
His expression was complicated.
While everyone else was talking about Rong Yu’s fame, he was the only one wondering—why had the Fourth Aerospace Research Institute publicly endorsed her?
Just because she scored full marks in the physics competition?
But—
He had also aced it.
Why hadn’t the institute invited him?
He wanted to ask Rong Yu, but the crowd was too thick—there was no chance.
Rong Yu was swarmed by her classmates as they entered the classroom.
The moment she sat down, Pei Yaru stepped onto the podium, beaming, holding a thick stack of exam papers.
Only then did Rong Yu remember—last week’s monthly exams. She had only taken the Chinese test, leaving her essay unfinished before being abruptly called away.
"For the second monthly exam of the senior year’s first semester, our class has made remarkable progress!" Pei Yaru’s voice brimmed with joy. "Almost every student has improved significantly. Now, I’ll announce the rankings."
"Class monitor, first in class, sixty-third in grade."
The usually composed monitor nearly fell off his chair in shock.
He always ranked first in class, but in the entire grade, he hovered around the 110s—his highest ever being 101.
He had never broken into the top 100.
Now, he’d skyrocketed to sixty-third. It was unbelievable.
He turned to Rong Yu, eyes filled with gratitude.
"Study committee member, second in class, seventy-ninth in grade."
"Class secretary, third in class, eighty-fourth in grade."
"These three students have entered the school’s top 100! Let’s give them a round of applause!"
The class erupted in thunderous clapping, the excitement lasting several minutes before settling.
"Everyone else has also climbed steadily!" Pei Yaru continued cheerfully. "Former last-place Chen Nian is now thirty-seventh in class."
Chen Nian stood up, dazed.
In middle school, he had been an outstanding student, always ranking in the top five—that’s how he earned his spot at Haicheng No. 1 High School.
But after being placed in the underperforming class and struggling with financial difficulties at home, he had given up, and his grades plummeted.
Yet when he put in effort, he could still scrape together some points. Jumping over a dozen ranks wasn’t surprising.
Eyes red, he said, "Teacher, from now on, I’ll study hard."
Pei Yaru smiled warmly. "Sit down. Next is former second-to-last Ji Zhouye—now forty-first in class. A huge improvement. Well done."
Ji Zhouye stood up smugly, basking in the class’s attention.
Most of his points came from Chinese and English.
He had memorized poetry daily, and his short essays weren’t bad—he scored 103 in Chinese.
As for English, his frequent travels abroad gave him a decent foundation—113 points.
But math and science? A disaster. Best not to mention them.
Pei Yaru’s smile faded as she turned to two boys, stern. "You two—second-to-last and third-to-last. What’s your plan to improve next time?"
Second-to-last: "Isn’t there still a last place?"
Third-to-last: "Yeah, who’s the new bottom of the class?"
Rong Yu coughed. "That would be me."
"Don’t compare yourselves to Rong Yu," Pei Yaru cut in. "Last place doesn’t reflect her ability. We’ll continue our group study sessions and peer mentoring. Let’s aim even higher next time. Now, let’s review the exams. This afternoon, the school is holding a parents’ meeting for seniors."
After class, Rong Yu’s desk was surrounded.
The monitor, secretary, and study committee member were practically worshipping her.
Haicheng No. 1 High was a prestigious school. Breaking into the top 100 almost guaranteed admission to a top-tier university.
Before, they had struggled outside that threshold.
Now, with just a little guidance from Rong Yu, it was like their potential had been unlocked—progress came shockingly fast.
"Don’t look at me like that," Rong Yu said, unnerved. "If it were Ji Zhouye, even a hundred explanations wouldn’t help. You improved because you’re quick learners."
Ji Zhouye huffed. "I’m not that dumb, okay? Just wait—I’ll take first place someday!"
The monitor, now his mentor, grabbed his exam papers and frowned. "Your math is terrible. Science is worse. We’ll start from the basics. From now on, stay after school. I’ll tutor you during self-study..."
Ji Zhouye: "..."
Someone save him.
Nearby, Chen Nian cursed. "Damn it, who leaked the grade rankings online? It’s trending! Rong Yu, how are you this famous? So what if you’re last? Why are netizens making such a big deal out of it?"
Ji Zhouye quickly checked his phone.
"Rong Yu Last Place" was the top trending topic.
"LOL, celebrities should never pretend to be geniuses. It’s been what, a few days? Already exposed."
"Out of 750 total points, she only scored 80-something? Is her brain underdeveloped or what?"
"Haicheng No. 1 is one of the best schools. How did a loser like her even get in?"
"Pay the admission fee, duh. Not that hard."
"Check the arts rankings—first place is Rong Ruoyao! Is that the same Ruoyao from the show?"
"Rong Ruoyao is the real genius. She’s been first since kindergarten. True scholars don’t need fake personas."
"Rong Ruoyao has won first prize in national piano competitions, second prize in calligraphy, and gold medals in painting... A true academic prodigy, unshaken by rumors."
"..."
