Chapter 11: Steps That Feel Unsteady

Yesterday’s events were too overwhelming – she had truly forgotten!

Mrs. Su interrupted her. “How could you forget this? You scored 68 out of 150 in English? Not even half! What are you so preoccupied with every day? Don’t these things matter to you at all, Su Tian!”

Mr. Su tried to mediate from the side, “Xiaojing, something came up last night, so it’s normal that she forgot…”

“Su Yunhong, you can watch but you have no right to speak.” Mrs. Su shot him a cold glance.

Mr. Su gave Su Tian a helpless look.

Su Tian felt extremely wronged, her eyes reddening: “I really did forget.”

“Fine, you forgot. Let’s not talk about that.” Mrs. Su took out her phone, “Su Tian, do you know what rank you got in this monthly exam?”

“No…” Su Tian answered timidly.

She only knew that everyone in the class had performed poorly, and the rankings hadn’t been posted in class.

“Come look.”

Su Tian walked over and took the phone.

Her name wasn’t in the top ten, which Su Tian was mentally prepared for, guessing she might be around eighteenth or nineteenth.

But her name wasn’t in the top twenty either.

Su Tian panicked, checking twice in disbelief when she couldn’t find her name in the top twenty, so she continued looking down.

Not in the top thirty either.

Su Tian suddenly froze.

Rank 35, name: Su Tian.

She had dropped from ninth place to thirty-fifth.

She kept reviewing the list over and over, constantly checking the scores, but the error she hoped to find didn’t exist.

Mr. Su had learned about this last night and patted his daughter’s shoulder, consoling her: “It’s normal to do poorly once. Staying at the bottom for a while helps you better remember what it feels like to be at the top.”

Mrs. Su glared at him, then turned to Su Tian. “Go get your test papers.”

Su Tian felt like she’d been struck by lightning. She put down the phone and headed upstairs with her head down.

Her steps felt unsteady.

Mr. Su checked the time and reminded them. “Bring your schoolbag too, Tian Tian, it’s time for school.”

Mrs. Su also glanced at the living room clock but said nothing.

Su Tian quickly brought down her schoolbag and spread the test papers on the table.

At Yangming, monthly exams were hand-graded, with scores written in bright red in the score column – more emotionally impactful than cold printed numbers.

It was especially striking for parents with high expectations for their children.

Mrs. Su was clearly furious, her breathing quickened. Yet even now, she maintained her elegant composure, only slightly furrowing her brow without showing obvious anger.

Mrs. Su didn’t pick up the papers, instead looking down at them coldly from above, like a deity passing judgment.

After what seemed like forever, Mr. Su’s phone suddenly rang. He glanced at it and answered with a swipe: “Hello… yes, I’m about to reach the office… okay… sure… wait for me.”

After hanging up, he looked at Mrs. Su, “Xiaojing, if Tian Tian doesn’t leave now, she’ll be late. It’s just a small monthly exam, don’t put so much pressure on the child.”

Before Mrs. Su could object, he turned to Su Tian, “Tian Tian, put away your papers carefully, I’ll drive you to school.”

Mrs. Su crossed her arms and quickly went upstairs.

Su Tian finally breathed a sigh of relief, looking at her kind father with hurt in her eyes, “I really did forget.”

Mr. Su ruffled her hair, “Let’s go. I have a meeting this morning, I’m already twenty minutes late.”

Su Tian knew this was just an excuse her father made up to help her, so she stuffed the papers into her backpack through tear-filled eyes, hastily wiped them away, and said, “I’m ready, let’s go!”

During the drive, Mr. Su didn’t mention the monthly exam again.

Due to morning rush hour traffic and the usual congestion at the school entrance, and since they had enough time, Mr. Su dropped her off an alley away from school.

Su Tian was completely dejected. She had expected to drop several ranks, but never imagined falling to thirty-fifth place.

The people now ranked above her were those whose names she had barely noticed on previous score sheets.

She thought everyone in class had done poorly, including herself – that everyone had just taken a step back together.

But that wasn’t the case. Some had pushed forward against the current, steadily advancing while others let their guard down and fell behind.

Su Tian pressed her lips tightly together.

As she was giving herself a little internal lecture, she suddenly felt a pain at the back of her head. Su Tian yelped “Ah!” in pain, hunching over and holding her head.

From the corner of her eye, she saw someone in black track pants standing beside her – from the shoes, clearly a male student.

“Brother…” Su Tian started to say as she looked up, then stopped short, “Jiang Chiyu?”

Jiang Chiyu paused briefly, asking casually, “Who did you think it was?”

Su Tian listlessly lowered her hand and continued walking, barely having the energy to respond. “We’re still so far from school, why do I have to see you already? Go away.”

Jiang Chiyu crossed his arms, “You could have waited to see me at school, but unfortunately, someone’s legs are too short, even though I tried to walk slowly.”

Su Tian couldn’t be bothered to respond.

Seeing her expression, Jiang Chiyu also fell silent, and they walked wordlessly toward the school gate.

With many students coming and going at the entrance, including some familiar faces, Su Tian suddenly stopped, standing still in the tree’s shade.

Su Tian lifted her chin slightly, “I can’t walk anymore, my bag’s too heavy. Jiang Chiyu, you go ahead.”

Jiang Chiyu looked her up and down, ignoring her words. Instead, he stepped back and grabbed her bag’s strap, his voice low and lazy, “Let Brother Ah Yu check just how heavy it is.”

It wasn’t heavy at all – just a few test papers and one book inside.

Su Tian suddenly felt very tired and said quietly: “Can’t you tell I’m making an excuse? Let go.”

The words came out harsh, and Su Tian herself froze for a moment after saying them.

Jiang Chiyu seemed completely unfazed by her tone, his expression unchanged and voice still teasing: “It is quite heavy. How about this – call me Brother Ah Yu, and I’ll carry it for you.”

Since he didn’t react, and Su Tian knew she shouldn’t take her mood out on him, she tried to move past it. But faced with his playful comment, she didn’t know how to respond.

Still, she definitely didn’t want to enter the school gates with him.

Su Tian glanced at his uncovered face and suddenly had an idea. Gripping her bag straps, she asked, “Are you going to let go or not?”

Jiang Chiyu’s face clearly said: what-can-you-do-if-I-don’t~

“If you won’t let go, I will!” Su Tian suddenly pulled her arms out of the straps and ran forward, waving back as she went, “Thanks for taking my bag to class, deskmate!”

Jiang Chiyu stood there holding her bag, momentarily stunned.

It was a sunny day, everything lush and vibrant.

The girl’s hair and skirt hem fluttered along the green-shaded path, dappled sunlight filtering through tree leaves flowing over her like a filter, making her shine like a jewel.

Jiang Chiyu lowered the hand holding the bag, slowly curving his lips into a smile.