Chapter 19: A Perfect Score of 750!

Before the college entrance examination results were released, Zhou Chen found a summer job distributing flyers. This job provided him with a legitimate excuse to roam the streets and alleys.

He frequented psychiatric hospitals, general hospitals, and bars—most notably the psychiatric hospitals. There, Zhou Chen would have his Soul-Devouring Mother Insect launch a soul-piercing attack on patients in vegetative states, instantly extinguishing their will, while the larval insects consumed their dissipating souls. In Yanhuang, euthanasia is prohibited to prevent abuse, as families might otherwise commit immoral acts for insurance payouts or other interests. Zhou Chen’s targets were exclusively those vegetative patients with no hope of recovery. A complete human soul contains immense energy; he was drawing closer and closer to reaching the Foundation Establishment stage of soul strength. Zhou Chen felt no psychological burden for using the soul insects to kill; on the contrary, he felt he was doing a charitable deed.

To avoid contact with the official cultivation organizations of Yanhuang, he stopped creating new "psychiatric patients." If he were to be dragged to a police station again, he feared he might be interrogated by a modern cultivator.

As for Cai Yameng, Zhou Chen was indifferent to her situation. Even in the worst-case scenario, she would likely just end up in a family-arranged marriage. Even then, she would still enjoy material conditions beyond the reach of ordinary people. Zhou Chen truly had no feelings for her; whether she lived well or was happy had nothing to do with him.

Zhou Chen’s heart belonged to Gu Zhaoyue. Before the exam results were out, the two chatted happily on QQ, and the distance between them narrowed significantly. Their interactions before the exam had been mostly about academics, but now they spoke of everything under the sun, sharing their personal interests. Gu Zhaoyue occasionally complained to Zhou Chen about the infighting among teachers at school, particularly her strained relationship with the homeroom teacher of Class One. That teacher was only thirty-eight and held higher academic credentials than Gu, often displaying an air of superiority. Zhou Chen quietly took note of this. As the top scorer in the college entrance exam, he would surely be invited back to give a speech. When that time came, he would shower Gu Zhaoyue with praise from the stage, ensuring she would be held in high regard.

Zhou Chen had even made a bet with Gu Zhaoyue: if he became the top scorer for Xiangnan Province, she would treat him to a meal. If he became the national top scorer, she would have to treat him to a whole day of food and entertainment—a date in disguise. Since the teacher-student boundary remained a taboo, they framed it as a "reward" so Gu Zhaoyue could accept it. Over time, Gu Zhaoyue was well aware of Zhou Chen’s feelings for her.

However, there was a significant age gap, and she did not want the reputation of "a cow eating tender grass." Perhaps, she thought, Zhou Chen just hadn't seen enough of the world in big cities yet, and his feelings would fade once he broadened his horizons.

Time flew to June 25th. When Zhou Xiang, who worked at the hospital, learned that Zhou Chen had scored a perfect 750, she trembled uncontrollably. Once the hospital heard the news, they immediately granted a week of leave to Zhou Xiang, Liu Shurong, and Zhou Yuting. The news spread rapidly through overwhelming coverage; the local district head and even the mayor came to visit in person. For days, the threshold of Zhou Chen's home was nearly worn down, and the house was overflowing with gifts. There were even cash rewards granted directly by the authorities, totaling over a million yuan. A tycoon in Xiangnan Province even offered to gift Zhou Chen a villa, fully paid for—not for any other reason than to invest in the national top scorer. Although results in some regions had not yet been released, a perfect score of 750 meant the national title was undoubtedly his. As for Cai Yameng, who scored 742, she was completely overlooked.

For days, Zhou Xiang and Liu Shurong felt their facial muscles aching from constant smiling, and their hands grew weary from accepting gifts. Even the wealthy woman from the neighborhood whose husband had previously been rude came over in person to apologize. The principal of the city's First High School, along with education bureau leaders, also visited the national champion. The principal handed Zhou Chen a bank card with one million yuan, representing his scholarship. As Zhou Chen had anticipated, the school hoped he would return on September 1st to deliver a speech. Zhou Chen did not refuse; he could simply ask for leave from his university. While he accepted gifts and money without hesitation, he had no desire to appear in the media or be in the public eye.

A few days later, Zhou Xiang and Liu Shurong still felt as if they were living in a dream. Zhou Yuting and Zhou Xiaoyan walked with their heads held high; after all, their brother was the national top scorer!

To avoid errors in filling out college applications, the senior students returned to school to submit their choices in writing. It was quite extravagant—the school gates were lined with a welcoming party and banners. When Zhou Chen arrived, there were even ceremonial cannons fired. He wore a mask today, as many reporters were gathered at the entrance. Surrounded by the crowd, he squeezed into the school.

"Ms. Gu!"

Zhou Chen ignored everyone else, greeting only Gu Zhaoyue in the crowd. She smiled, surprised that Zhou Chen had truly achieved a perfect score of 750. Their relationship had grown much closer, and they now addressed each other as siblings. After all, once Zhou Chen started university, their teacher-student relationship would effectively end.

As they walked into the classroom, two boys set off more cannons. "Congratulations to our genius Zhou for capturing the national title!"

"Congratulations!"

Their classmates of three years all offered their blessings. It was impossible not to envy him, but the gap between them had become so vast that they no longer even had the qualification to feel jealous. Instead, this became something they could brag about later: they had been in the same class as the national top scorer!

Cai Yameng was there too. Zhou Chen glanced at her and sensed no trace of the Pisces pendant he had once given her. He sighed inwardly. It seemed the tropes in novels were all lies. In those stories, the hero gives the heroine a humble gift, which then saves her life in a moment of danger. In reality, a heroine with a powerful background simply doesn't value the hero's gift and tosses it into some forgotten corner. Zhou Chen didn't mind; that pendant was just a practice piece, and he could make better ones for his family in the future. He never told Cai Yameng about the pendant's mystical nature; they were just ordinary classmates, and he saw no reason to be overly enthusiastic toward someone who clearly didn't care.

Zhou Chen only filled out one choice: Beijing University. There was no need for a second or third choice, given his status as the national top scorer.

"Traditional Chinese Medicine? That’s a very obscure major. Given your academic ability, Economics or Law would suit you much better," Gu Zhaoyue said, puzzled.

Zhou Chen explained, "My family is actually a lineage of traditional medicine practitioners, though it declined in my father's generation. Traditional Chinese Medicine is a treasure of our Yanhuang civilization, carrying the wisdom of countless ancestors over five thousand years. Yet, in our current harsh environment, it exists in name only. I want to do my part for the great revival of TCM."

Gu Zhaoyue did not try to dissuade him; she knew he was certain of his path. After all, as the national top scorer, even his homeroom teacher was no longer qualified to guide him.

"Alright, the ideal is grand. Good luck!"