Song Mingzhu got up early, carefully dressed up, and brought her maid to Qinghui Academy full of confidence.
At a glance, she saw Song Nianyun standing calmly at the edge of the crowd. A trace of mockery flashed in her eyes as she walked straight over.
“Elder sister, you’re here to see the rankings too?”
Song Mingzhu’s voice was bright, carrying undisguised superiority.
“I advise you not to have too much hope, so you won’t be disappointed later. The threshold of Qinghui Academy isn’t something just anyone can step over.”
Song Nianyun didn’t even bother to lift her eyelids. She simply said flatly, “Little sister, are you free?”
The words were light, but it hit like a soft jab, leaving Song Mingzhu momentarily speechless.
She hadn’t expected this reaction—no argument, no anger, just complete disregard.
Why?
The former Song Yibai had clearly been timid and insecure.
She wouldn’t even dare to speak loudly in public, let alone talk back like this.
Whenever she was provoked, she would only turn red-eyed, bite her lip, and endure like a pitiful victim.
Since when did she change?
Song Mingzhu stared at her calmly composed side profile, her mind rapidly turning.
It was after her serious illness.
Since then, everything about her had changed.
She was no longer submissive. Her gaze had become unreadable. She even dared to break off her engagement with Chen Yunli and apply to Qinghui Academy.
Could a near-death experience really change a person that much?
Before she could say anything more, the crowd in front suddenly stirred.
“The rankings are out!”
The academy attendants brought out the red ranking board, and the crowd surged forward like a tide.
Song Mingzhu quickly turned her attention away and searched anxiously for her name.
She knew her limits and didn’t dare look at the top tier. She started from Grade B—nothing. Grade C—still nothing.
Her face gradually turned pale.
Finally, in Grade D at the very bottom, she saw her name: Song Mingzhu.
A flash of joy appeared on her face.
“I passed! I passed!”
She couldn’t help but exclaim.
For someone from a declining scholarly family, even entering Qinghui Academy was something that usually required money. Yet she had done it on her own.
She instinctively looked toward Song Nianyun, expecting to see disappointment.
But Song Nianyun still stood there calmly, unmoved.
“Elder sister, did you find your name?”
Song Mingzhu said loudly, with obvious mockery.
“I already checked for you while looking for mine. Unfortunately, I didn’t see it. You don’t have to—”
Before she could finish, a wave of shocked voices erupted.
“Top of Grade A! Song Yibai!”
“Who is Song Yibai? It’s a woman!”
Song Mingzhu’s smile froze instantly.
She pushed through the crowd and stared at the top of the Grade A board.
There it was—Song Yibai, clearly written at the very top.
“Impossible!” she screamed.
“How could it be my elder sister?!”
The surroundings exploded into discussion.
“Is she really a woman?”
“There’s actually such a talented woman in our region?”
“Who exactly is Song Yibai?”
Soon, someone pointed at Song Nianyun.
“That must be her! Song Mingzhu called her elder sister earlier!”
All eyes turned to her.
She stood tall and composed, unflustered under everyone’s gaze.
Admiration quickly replaced doubt.
But Song Mingzhu’s expression darkened.
“She cheated!” she suddenly shouted.
“She’s my sister! She couldn’t even recite the first ten lines of the Thousand Character Classic last year! Everyone in the family saw it!”
“She could never have improved this much in just a few months—she must have cheated!”
The crowd erupted into noise again.
The examining teacher frowned and looked at Song Nianyun, waiting for an explanation.
Song Nianyun slowly turned around.
Her gaze was calm, but carried an invisible pressure.
“Do you have evidence?”
“I don’t need evidence!” Song Mingzhu insisted.
“You simply couldn’t have done it!”
Song Nianyun replied calmly, “So your accusation is based solely on my past inability to recite a text?”
Her voice was steady, cutting through the noise.
“Then tell me—does past ignorance permanently define a person’s present ability?”
The crowd began to murmur again.
The teacher remained silent, still observing.
Song Mingzhu clenched her fists tightly.
“No matter what you say, you don’t have the ability! You cheated!”