Chapter 72
Chapter 72: Showdown! Those Were the Words I Was Waiting For
Xue Yi Wei had always been proud. She couldn’t swallow this humiliation.
Yesterday, she’d failed to force Ye Wan Lan to give up her original slot. Instead, she’d become the fuse—Ye Wan Lan turned around and secured twenty extra Physics Competition Summer Training Camp slots for No. 7 High School.
Who knew what Ye Wan Lan had said behind the scenes? After that, Xue Yi Wei and Su Xu Bai spent the entire afternoon under their classmates’ strange looks.
But why?
Why should Ye Wan Lan become the one everyone welcomed just because she’d obtained extra slots by calling in someone else’s favor?
She had no real ability. She only relied on others.
Xue Yi Wei despised people like that the most.
“Are you sick?” the vice class monitor snapped, unable to take it. “Why would our history class take a physics exam? Who do you think you are—the principal? Why don’t you go say that to our history group leader and see if she slaps you?”
Xue Yi Wei’s face went steel-gray. “Such foul language. You really have no manners at all!”
“This is rich,” Su Xue Qing drawled. “You said A Lan took a slot, but she got twenty more for other students. What’s she ‘taking’ now?”
She sighed dramatically. “Oh, I see. You’re just angry. But you don’t have the ability, so you think this is Yun Jing and everyone has to worship you.”
Su Xue Qing tilted her head. “Actually, even in Yun Jing, you can’t squeeze into the top circle.”
Xue Yi Wei’s chest heaved. “Su Xue Qing, you—”
“I can get the slots,” Ye Wan Lan said, stepping forward without a hint of fear. She put herself squarely between Su Xue Qing and Xue Yi Wei. “And I can cancel them.”
Her tone stayed calm, almost gentle. “If you don’t want yours, fine. I’ll remove it. Happy now?”
All the words in Xue Yi Wei’s throat jammed. Her mouth went dry. Her face burned, red with humiliation.
More and more students were arriving at school. Glances landed on her from every direction. Those looks felt like needles digging into her skin.
Xue Yi Wei finally cracked. She yanked her uniform sleeve up to cover her face and ran back to Class 2.
“Pathetic,” Su Xue Qing muttered. “She acts arrogant here, but in front of Yun Jing’s true elites she wouldn’t dare say a word.”
“Don’t mind her,” Ye Wan Lan said. Then she turned to Su Xue Qing. “Xue Qing, help me with something during big break.”
Su Xue Qing brightened instantly. “Yes!”
Two classes later, Ye Wan Lan pulled a small bottle from her backpack.
She unscrewed the cap and held it out. “Smell this. Is it the same scent?”
It was a special medicine she’d mixed—meant to suppress Spirit-Congealing Grass from blooming.
Su Xue Qing sniffed it, eyes widening. “Yes. That’s it. It’s exactly the smell I remember.”
“Good.” Ye Wan Lan sealed the bottle again.
“My crazy friend thinks Spirit-Congealing Grass isn’t as precious as cabbage,” Su Xue Qing said. “Partly because he has a lot of it, and partly because he can’t mix medicine.”
She leaned closer, voice dropping. “This formula is passed down in the Tai Yi Palace. The current Great Elder holds it.”
Ye Wan Lan’s lips curved. “You’re not going to ask me how I know it?”
“I won’t ask.” Su Xue Qing’s eyes were steady. “You trust me, I trust you. Whatever you have is yours. It has nothing to do with me.”
Ye Wan Lan lifted her brows. “If you were in ancient times, you’d make a very good official.”
“I wish.” Su Xue Qing propped her chin on her hand. “History says that starting from the reign of the Ning Founding Emperor, women could serve in court. And during the reign of the Ning Emperor Zhaozong, the Female Chancellor Shen Ming Shu was truly unprecedented.”
Ye Wan Lan listened quietly.
Then Su Xue Qing suddenly said, “You know, I’ve thought about something. If I’d been born three hundred years ago and studied medicine hard… could I have cured Princess Yong Ning? If that happened, maybe the Ning Dynasty wouldn’t have fallen so early.”
Ye Wan Lan didn’t answer. Her lashes lowered.
Even the Tai Yi Palace Master and the elders working together had never cured that illness.
It was fate.
But she refused to believe in fate.
“There will be a chance,” Ye Wan Lan said at last, her smile faint. “Once you master Tai Yi Divine Needle.”
Su Xue Qing froze.
A chance for what?
To meet Princess Yong Ning?
She tapped her own forehead, half laughing at herself. She was daydreaming again.
—
At noon, Ye Wan Lan went to the counseling room as usual for tea.
She liked watching Yan Ting Feng brew it. The quiet precision genuinely calmed her.
Rong Yu leaned back in his chair. “I heard you got a challenge letter from the physics class this morning.”
“A challenge letter?” Ye Wan Lan’s tone was indifferent. “Does that count as a challenge?”
“Classmate Ye has nerves of steel.” Rong Yu raised a thumb. “People like that can jump around all they want. It won’t affect you. It only turns her into a clown.”
Ye Wan Lan sipped her tea slowly.
Rong Yu suddenly grinned. “Hey, Classmate Ye, my brother’s physics is pretty good. Want him to explain a few things for you? Liking history doesn’t stop you from learning physics, right?”
Ye Wan Lan lifted her gaze—and met Yan Ting Feng’s eyes.
He rolled up his sleeves, revealing a lean forearm. “It would be my honor.”
“A couple of years ago,” Ye Wan Lan said, “several scientists studying quantum entanglement won an award. By researching Bell’s inequalities, they proved entanglement truly exists. The physics world went wild.”
Yan Ting Feng nodded, smiling. “In classical physics, an oscillator’s motion won’t exceed the range from -a to a. But in quantum mechanics, everything becomes different…”
Listening to them go back and forth, Rong Yu’s brain turned to fog. “Wait—hold on. You two—”
What were they even talking about?
But when two lunatics got absorbed in an exchange of knowledge, an ordinary person couldn’t squeeze in a single sentence.
After that, Rong Yu entered what could only be described as a one-man era of listening to heavenly scripture. He caught phrases like “Copenhagen interpretation,” “many-worlds interpretation,” “hidden variables,” “spontaneous localization”…
So many technical terms. Half the time he didn’t even know what the words meant.
He stared at the ceiling until, at some point, he nodded off.
When he woke, an hour had passed and the demon-chanting of physics had finally stopped.
“You done?” Rong Yu yawned. “Physics is the best sleep aid. Next time I can’t sleep, I’ll just play an online physics lecture.”
“We’re done,” Ye Wan Lan said, turning toward him. “Doctor Rong, what were you going to say at the beginning?”
Rong Yu: “….”
What tutoring? What was wrong with his mouth?
“I didn’t say anything,” he declared, sitting up straight. “What I meant is, my brother’s physics is terrible, and Classmate Ye should tutor him!”
Yan Ting Feng blinked slowly from the sofa. “Is that acceptable?”
“We can talk,” Ye Wan Lan said. “Tutoring is unnecessary.”
She set down her cup. “It’s getting late. I’m going back to class.”
Yan Ting Feng coughed lightly and smiled. “Miss Ye, take some snacks. If you get hungry, you can at least fill your stomach.”
Bing He, waiting outside, immediately stepped forward with a refined box.
“Thank you,” Ye Wan Lan said politely. Then she looked back at Yan Ting Feng. “Remember to take your medicine on time.”
Yan Ting Feng’s smile warmed. “If Miss Ye says it, I’ll listen.”
Rong Yu: “….”
Could he stop acting so harmless and obedient?
Who was he trying to fool?
Not Rong Yu. Not even a little.
—
A few days later, the seven-day deadline for delivering Spirit-Congealing Grass arrived.
Sir Luo showed up at the Lin Family nearly vibrating with impatience. “Old Madam, the deadline’s here. Where is the Spirit-Congealing Grass?”
All the elders were gathered in the living room. The juniors had been sent away—everyone except Ye Wan Lan. Lin Wen Li, Lin Qin, and Lin Yue had all been pushed out. They still didn’t know the Lin Family had already walked along the edge of a blade.
Madam Lin said nothing.
She’d already reached an agreement with Sir Luo: if the Lin Family failed, he would still leave a way out for her and Lin Qing Wen.
As for everyone else in the Lin Family? That wasn’t her problem.
“Before we hand anything over, I have a question,” Ye Wan Lan said mildly. “The contract only says we must deliver Spirit-Congealing Grass, but it doesn’t mention a price. Sir Luo—are you trying to take it for free?”
Madam Lin cursed silently. Who is “we”?
“The price is easy to discuss,” Sir Luo said impatiently. “As long as you can produce Spirit-Congealing Grass.”
“So you really did plan to take it for free.” Ye Wan Lan nodded slightly. “Then I believe you fabricated the buyer from the Global Center in order to commit commercial fraud.”
“Nonsense!” Sir Luo exploded to his feet, face flushing with anger and shame. “Old Madam Lin, what are you implying? You’re letting a girl who hasn’t even graduated high school represent the Lin Family now?”
Lin Wei Lan smiled faintly. “A Lan is my granddaughter—and the Lin Family’s eldest grandchild. I’m old. This is the young generation’s era. Why can’t A Lan represent the Lin Family?”
Lin Qing Wen and Madam Lin both stiffened at those words.
Lin Jia Yan had been missing for nearly twenty years. Ye Wan Lan had only been brought back recently. On what grounds did she deserve such favor?
“Sir Luo still hasn’t answered my question,” Ye Wan Lan said, tapping the table lightly. Her gaze sharpened. “Are you committing fraud? Did you deliberately mislead Lin Qing Wen into signing while he wasn’t clear-headed?”
Madam Lin lurched up in fury. “Ye Wan Lan, you’re spouting—”
“Sit down,” Ye Wan Lan said coldly. “I didn’t tell you to speak.”
The force of her presence slammed down like a weight. Madam Lin’s breath caught; she sank back into her chair, face turning pale.
Lin Qing Wen reached for her instinctively, but Lin Wei Lan cut him off with a single glance. He went silent at once.
“Ridiculous,” Sir Luo snapped. “Of course I’m not trying to take anything for free. Fine. One hand goods, one hand money. If you can produce Spirit-Congealing Grass, I’ll pay the Lin Family ninety million. And I’ll let you meet the buyer from the Global Center.”
Ye Wan Lan’s lips curved. “Only that?”
“Besides the ninety million, the Lin Family can name one condition,” Sir Luo said with a hard laugh. “As long as it’s within my ability. Is that enough, Miss Ye? Any other questions?”
Ye Wan Lan leaned back at last and smiled. “No. That’s perfect.”
Those were exactly the words she’d been waiting for.