Chapter 473: Chapter 30: The Cannon Fodder Stepsister Doesn’t Want to Die

Jiang Lai found the matter quite easy to handle without much effort.

The entire class was noisily discussing the latest scores.

For the eighth group, for whom merely staying on was considered exceptional performance, the content being discussed by others was somewhat beyond their participation.

In the first group, Qiao Chuweng was surrounded by people from all directions.

Everyone was eagerly asking her about their results, one after another.

As the student council president, Qiao Chuweng did indeed know a bit more than others.

“It’s not that I don’t want to say, it’s because I haven’t seen the score sheets yet. I heard they have to be sent to the provincial level for evaluation before we get them.

What I know now is only the list of outstanding students.”

The outstanding student list, which refers to the top ten in the grade.

Everyone probably knew who was on it, so continuing to ask was pointless.

Turning around, Qiao Chuweng looked at Fu Ming.

“What’s going on this time? You’re top of the outstanding student list again, didn’t you say you’d let me have a turn?”

Fu Ming glanced at her, then continued looking down at his phone.

“Mm, didn’t notice.”

A casual remark that made Qiao Chuweng chuckle involuntarily.

“I didn’t see Jiang Ci in the outstanding student list this time, so he probably performed well enough to be in the student representative list.”

Outstanding student representatives are the top of the class, and this year there were only two in the whole school, one of whom was Jiang Ci; the other, Qiao Chuweng couldn’t imagine who it might be, probably someone from the top humanities class.

As for Jiang Ci, whenever there was a parent-teacher meeting, he never showed up, just like after the end-term exams in the first year.

Since she had investigated, Qiao Chuweng knew that the memorial day for Jiang Ci’s birth mother was coming up, and he must be having a hard time during this period, likely hiding somewhere, lonely and nursing his wounds.

After the teacher said a few words, they had everyone line up orderly to go to the report hall for the second-year first-stage academic summary meeting. During the chaos, Qiao Chuweng left the line and went alone to the sports hall beside the school playground.

There, in the school’s surveillance room, she frequently observed Jiang Ci sneaking into the sports hall alone, staying for a long time before coming out.

At the tennis court in the sports hall, Qiao Chuweng saw Jiang Ci lying on the bleachers, sleeping.

It was cold and quiet here, without a sound, and the teenager’s tall, slender silhouette appeared especially lonely and desolate.

“The sun outside is warm, are you sure you don’t want to take a look?”

Qiao Chuweng said while sitting down along the side, then pulled a can of beer from her pocket and handed it directly to Jiang Ci.

“Here, drink.”

Jiang Ci slowly opened his eyes, frowning at the can of beer in front of him.

“Student council president breaking school rules?”

“Why? I’m not a goody-two-shoes.”

Jiang Ci took it.

“Isn’t today the awards ceremony? Why do you have time to be here?”

“When a good friend is hiding here to heal, shouldn’t I come to see? Go ahead and drink. There are only two student representatives this year, and you’re one of them. No one would dare say anything even if you showed up drunk.”

The moment the beer opened, Jiang Ci frowned.

“Who’s the other one?”

“Don’t know, the specific list isn’t out yet; they’re probably trying to keep it a surprise, likely someone from the humanities class.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ci, who was about to drink, put the beer down.

“Is Jiang Lai’s name on the outstanding list?”

“Hehehe… What are you thinking? It’s a miracle your sister could stay, why would you think her name would be on the outstanding list?”

“No…”

In an instant, an unmatched sparkle burst forth in Jiang Ci’s eyes, carrying a strange excitement and anticipation.

Immediately, he stood up and walked away.

Qiao Chuweng, puzzled, followed behind and frowned.

“What’s up? Isn’t it normal for Jiang Lai not to make the outstanding list?”

“Yeah, it is.”

Jiang Ci walked with large strides, and the contrast between emotions before and after left Qiao Chuweng utterly baffled.

This should be his most fragile time, yet his steps seemed not only free from desolation but also filled with excitement—what had happened?

The vast report hall was already packed, and parents sat separately from their children. Because there were so many people, even the second-floor seats were opened up.

It was called a parent meeting, but it was more of an awards ceremony.

For students with excellent grades, the school leadership has never been stingy with their attention and commendation, the level of rewards even exceeding imagination.

Jiang Zhen Sheng, following behind a few parents, listened to them discuss their children. This experience was quite new to him, and his palms nervously sweated slightly.

Before he came, he never thought he could go on stage to speak as a parent of an outstanding student, but fortunately, he was scheduled to go last, allowing him to learn from the speeches of the few parents before him.

The person standing in front of him was a striking woman. Just as Jiang Zhen Sheng contemplated greeting her, a familiar voice called out from behind him.

“Uncle Jiang, are you ready?”

Jiang Zhen Sheng turned to see it was the student council president just now, quickly smiling.

“There’s nothing much to prepare, really. I’m just planning to borrow from the previous parents’ speech content.”

Qiao Chuweng smiled.

“That’s my mom in front; you can chat with her. I have to go handle something else now.”

The woman in front turned and politely extended her hand.

“Hello, that was my daughter just now. What are your children’s names?”

“Oh, Jiang Lai, and Jiang Ci, brother and sister.”

“Ah, one boy and one girl make a perfect pair. So, they are in the same grade, are they twins?”

Seemingly unaware, the question gave Jiang Zhen Sheng a slight pause, followed by an instinctive nod.

“Well, yes, they are.”

“You are very lucky to have raised such excellent children.”

“And you too, with your daughter as the student council president, she has a brilliant future ahead at such a young age.”

After these words, the woman merely nodded and turned away, her demeanor cool and aloof, clearly uninterested in further conversation.

Jiang Zhen Sheng naturally understood the signal and quietly took some photos to send to Mao Fang.

[Our daughter made it to the outstanding student list, and I’m about to go on stage to speak]

Mao Fang quickly replied.

[You’re lucky; your first parent meeting and you get to speak on stage

Make sure to take lots of pictures for me to see]

Turning off his phone, the speakers on both sides began to hum with lively music. Looking up, in the center of the second floor protrusion of the report hall, sat Qiao Chuweng with her long hair flowing down, playing a beautiful and elegant piece on the piano.

Jiang Zhen Sheng watched, unable to help but mutter.

“Our Lai Lai is a piano prodigy; why didn’t they let her play?”

Qiao Chuweng smiled at Fu Ming below the stage, then her gaze swept over to not far away where Jiang Lai stood.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep