Chapter 41
Chapter 41: Lin Wei Lan’s Secret, Enrolling at No. 7 High School
River City No. 1 High School truly deserved its reputation as the city’s top high school. Even across all of Shen Zhou, it could comfortably rank among the top ten.
Parents fought tooth and nail to get their children in. If you could enter River City No. 1 High School, it was like you’d already stepped through the gate of a prestigious university.
Madam Lin didn’t believe for a second that Ye Wan Lan truly didn’t want to go. In her eyes, Ye Wan Lan was simply putting on a brave face.
“At least you have some self-awareness.” Madam Lin looked down at her, condescension written all over her face. “Since that’s the case, don’t bother your grandmother. Her health is poor—she can’t afford to be worked to the bone.”
She didn’t want Ye Wan Lan stealing Lin Wei Lan’s attention. It would mean one more mouth reaching for the inheritance.
“I’m not going to No. 1 High School,” Ye Wan Lan said with a faint smile. “I plan to go straight to Shen Zhou University.”
“Shen Zhou University?”
Madam Lin froze for a beat, then laughed. Her lips curled with contempt. “Do you even know where Shen Zhou University is? You think just because it’s called Shen Zhou, it’s in Shen Zhou?”
The Global Center—paradise in countless people’s dreams. Even Yun Jing’s major families fought to send their younger generation there.
Three hundred years ago, Shen Zhou had nearly been wiped out, its legacy severed. Even though it had risen again, it still lagged behind a place as pinnacle as the Global Center.
As the world’s number one university, Shen Zhou University only allocated ten seats to Shen Zhou each year.
This wasn’t about wanting it or not wanting it.
It was about whether you were worthy.
“I know,” Ye Wan Lan said calmly. “But you don’t know the saying: ‘Old and not dead is a thief.’”
“What did you just say?” Madam Lin snapped.
She didn’t understand the phrase, but she could tell it wasn’t praise.
“That line is from the Analects.” Lin Wen Li came down the stairs, his voice level. He didn’t give Madam Lin a chance to respond before turning coolly to Ye Wan Lan. “Grandmother is calling you.”
Ye Wan Lan inclined her head slightly and walked past Madam Lin upstairs.
Madam Lin’s face flushed a violent red. Her body trembled with fury.
In all her years married into the Lin Family, no junior had ever cursed her to her face like that.
But in front of Lin Wen Li, she didn’t dare lash out.
The Lin Family didn’t value sons—yet what if Lin Wen Li took River City’s Top Scorer title in the college entrance exam?
Then everything would change.
Lin Wen Li didn’t even spare Madam Lin another glance.
Just then, Lin Huai Jin came in after parking. He greeted Madam Lin with polite restraint. “Second Sister-in-law.”
Madam Lin sneered and left without lingering for even a second.
Lin Huai Jin lowered his voice as he watched her go. “Did you two say something? Her face was red like a monkey’s butt. Didn’t I tell you to stay away from her?”
“We didn’t do much,” Lin Wen Li replied evenly. “Cousin cursed her in classical Chinese. She couldn’t understand, so I translated it into modern language.”
Lin Huai Jin stared at him. Speechless.
Do you two siblings have to be this high-level? Who even taught you that?
—
On the third floor, in the study, Lin Wei Lan wore reading glasses and flipped through a history book.
When Ye Wan Lan saw the words Heavenly Music Workshop on the cover, her gaze paused.
She lowered her lashes and stepped closer. “Grandmother.”
“Oh, my precious granddaughter.” Lin Wei Lan looked delighted. She patted Ye Wan Lan’s head affectionately. “Grandmother knows you’ve been wronged, but don’t be afraid. You’re a member of the Lin Family. Grandmother will always be here.”
“I know.” Ye Wan Lan smiled.
But her fingers quietly closed around Lin Wei Lan’s wrist, checking her pulse.
It was still strange—worrisome.
She needed herbs. Something to help Lin Wei Lan recover and stabilize.
Lin Wei Lan noticed Ye Wan Lan’s eyes drift toward the guqin behind the desk. After a brief pause, she smiled. “A Lan, do you want to learn the guqin?”
The Lin Family were descendants of the Heavenly Music Workshop. In every generation, the daughters were required to learn Heavenly Music techniques. Besides the guqin, there were classical instruments like the pipa, sheng, xiao, and erhu.
But branch families desperate to return to the main line often forced their daughters to study the guqin.
When Lin Huai Jin brought Ye Wan Lan back, she was already twelve. By then, Lin Qin had been learning the guqin for nine years.
“Yes,” Ye Wan Lan said softly. “There are many things I want to learn. But more than anything, I want you to be in a good mood, Grandmother. I don’t want you worrying so much.”
Lin Wei Lan jolted. She patted Ye Wan Lan’s head again, voice gentle. “Grandmother understands.”
After talking a little longer, Ye Wan Lan left the study.
A short while later, Lin Wei Lan called Lin Wo Yu upstairs.
“Mom, if A Lan is interested in the guqin, why not let her take lessons with Qin Qin?” Lin Wo Yu suggested. “One more person means one more bit of strength. We can return to the main line sooner.”
“Yes…” Lin Wei Lan sighed. “But the main line may not be as good as you think.”
Lin Wo Yu’s expression tightened. “Mom?”
Lin Wei Lan shook her head, then smiled as if she hadn’t said anything. “Wo Yu, what do you think about me giving that guqin to A Lan? She seems to truly like it.”
Lin Wo Yu’s eyes widened. “But that guqin is the only thing you brought with you after leaving the main line. You…”
“Things are dead,” Lin Wei Lan said softly. “People are alive.”
She smiled faintly. “A guqin can only show its true power in the hands of someone who can use it. Otherwise it’s just an object, no different from any other.”
Only then could it live up to the old praise the Jiang Hu once gave the Heavenly Music Workshop: Heavenly Music players—when the strings move the five tones, even gods and ghosts are shaken.
Even now, some Direct-Line Members of the Lin Family didn’t know the instruments used by the Heavenly Music players’ subordinates weren’t meant for performance at all. Music was only the surface. The instruments were made for battle and killing.
“The guqin is yours,” Lin Wo Yu said at last. “You decide.”
She hesitated, then added, “I’ll mention it to Teacher Liang. This week, I’ll have A Lan take lessons with Qin Qin.”
Lin Wei Lan nodded. “I’m tired. Wo Yu, you should go.”
Lin Wo Yu left and closed the door.
But Lin Wei Lan didn’t rest.
She turned another page.
This one was wrinkled and stained, blotched with old tear marks.
In Shen Zhou Calendar Year 1723, during Yong Shun’s reign, Feng Yuan fell. Heavenly Music Workshop’s sect master, Lin Fan Yin, died of exhaustion.
Senior Sister Lin Wan Ci was pierced through the heart by countless arrows.
Over seven thousand disciples died in battle. Not one survived.
Thus, the Heavenly Music Workshop was destroyed.
Lin Wei Lan’s fingers trembled. She closed her eyes and pressed her hand to the page.
They were the only remaining descendants of the Heavenly Music Workshop.
They had to carry the culture forward.
Shen Zhou’s revival was urgent.
As a junior, she didn’t dare forget for even a moment.
—
Elsewhere, at River City No. 7 High School.
In the physics office, the admissions director spoke carefully. “Teacher Ren, we’ve recruited a student. I need you to put together a physics test.”
He hesitated, then added, “Her uncle said to use the hardest questions—but please don’t make them too vicious.”
No. 7 High School’s overall student quality was already poor, and this physics department head had a habit of writing monstrous tests.
Whenever it was his turn, the results were a massacre.
“What? Hardest questions?” Teacher Ren only caught that part. His competitive spirit flared instantly. “No problem. I’ll write the hardest test!”
He sat at his computer, smiling like a villain.
Clearly a kid who’d never been beaten up by physics.
That was fine. He’d teach her.
Physics—the great field humanity had spent its life exploring—could be brutally, beautifully cruel.
The admissions director stared. “…Just take it easy. I only want to see her level. As long as she isn’t disastrously bad, the science track is still best.”
After all, history-chemistry-biology was a true pit combo. And he couldn’t shake the suspicion that Ye Wan Lan’s uncle was secretly her enemy. Otherwise why insist on the hardest questions?
“Yeah, yeah,” Teacher Ren said dismissively. “I’ll write a few. Don’t worry—I know what I’m doing.”
The moment the admissions director left, Teacher Ren yanked a book from his drawer.
New Physics Competition Tutorial, compiled and published by Yun Jing University.
Competition material—packed with college-level content.
No one challenged physics. No one.
—
Two days later, it was Monday.
Ye Wan Lan still wasn’t an official student at No. 7 High School, so she didn’t have a uniform yet. She wore simple jeans and a short-sleeved T-shirt.
“You’re Ye, right?” The admissions director was surprised by how quiet she looked, like a well-behaved young lady. “We’ll test you this morning. This afternoon I’ll assign you to a class. Can you accept that schedule?”
“No problem, Teacher,” Ye Wan Lan said.
“Good. Come this way.”
He led her to a prepared classroom. “You’ll take four tests: physics, chemistry, biology, and history. You have enough time. If you run into any difficulties, tell me.”
Teacher Ren was already waiting inside.
“Director, you go do your work,” Teacher Ren said, clearing his throat. “I’ll proctor.”
The admissions director’s eyelid twitched. If anyone was going to cause trouble, it was this man.
He shot Teacher Ren a warning look, then turned to Ye Wan Lan. “If you feel any physical discomfort during the exam, don’t hesitate. Leave the room immediately.”
Ye Wan Lan lifted a brow, amused. “All right.”
She was actually looking forward to this physics test.
Still uneasy, the admissions director left.
Teacher Ren pushed up his glasses, face grave. “Ye, whether you like physics or not, you must remember this: physics is the crystallization of knowledge. Its charm is endless.”
“I’ll remember,” Ye Wan Lan replied.
“Good.” Teacher Ren looked satisfied. “Then begin. If you can’t do it, that’s fine. As long as you respect physics, you’re already an excellent child.”
Ye Wan Lan took the test, picked up her pen, and began.
After three questions, her interest vanished. She continued writing with a blank expression, as if she were filling out something routine.
Half an hour passed.
Teacher Ren suddenly slapped his forehead.
He shouldn’t have made her do physics first. If she broke down now, how would she handle the other three subjects?
Then Ye Wan Lan looked up, slid the paper forward, and set down her pen.
“Teacher,” she said, “I’m done.”