Chapter 4When the System Backfires

The night before the college entrance exam, all lights were on in our home as Mom and Dad held a grand banquet with over twenty tables, celebrating Coco's acing her college entrance exam ahead of time.

Fireworks erupted above the gardens as Shaun—in a fancy tailored suit—knelt before Coco, taking out a blue velvet box.

Opening it to reveal a diamond ring, he asked, "Shall we get engaged once you get your college entrance exam scores?"

Coco was blushing as she took the ring, putting it on as everyone cheered her on.

"Oh, you… The exam hadn't even started!" She pouted. "But… the answer is yes."

The mood was at once cheerful as everyone expected glory even before it came.

-

Meanwhile, I was living in a rented basement near school, barely a hundred square feet wide—having moved out since signing that disownment agreement.

My phone screen lit up with the email sent from Central Arts.

[Congratulations! You have been selected for the S-rank international special admission. Your physical admission letter will be delivered on short notice.]

I stared at the screen for a long time—there were only three places for that special admission which was available globally.

And for me, that was acknowledgement enough.

The next morning was the actual college entrance exam.

The Jenkins sent an entire convoy of Rolls-Royce to escort Coco to the exam hall, blocking the entire street.

The bus I was in ended up a few streets out and stuck, and as Shaun passed by, he wound down his window and laughed at me. "You can't even make it to the exam hall? You really deserve to be a bottom feeder!"

I didn't bother arguing and leapt out of the bus window.

Scanning the rental QR code for a bicycle, I took the shortcuts through various narrow alleys, making it to the exam hall at the very last minute.

As I took my seat while the invigilator watched, I received my question sheet.

After just a sweeping glance through the reading and writing subject, I once again picked C for all questions with multiple selections.

As for the essay questions, I simply drew fifty skulls of various shapes and sizes, and then did the same for other subjects.

There was also the math paper, so I drew another fifty, making both a full hundred.

When it was all over, the press was flocking around the school gates, surrounding Coco as soon as she stepped out.

She smiled with confidence and composure at the cameras, announcing, "I was in good form. I'm betting I'd score 1590."

A press member cried, "But 1600 is the perfect score! Are you sure about that?"

Coco looked at him sideways as she smiled mischievously. "I do think I could break the state record."

Meanwhile, I left from the side gate, avoiding all the cameras.

-

On the day the results were announced, my parents booked the banquet hall in the city's best five-star hotel for Coco.

The celebratory banner outside reads: Congratulations on acing your college entrance exam, Coco!

There were over three hundred cameras set up and waiting, while every media outlet and the state's education department officials in the city arrived.

I was wearing a dollar t-shirt and about to enter when Shaun's bodyguards intercepted me.

They informed Shaun, who strode out, giving me a once-over. "What are you doing here? Begging for alms? Just so you know, everyone invited here is society's elite..."

I simply took out a special invitation provided by Central Arts, leaving him stunned.

Entering the hall, I took a seat in a quiet corner, with a plate of lobster right in front of me by chance.

I peeled and ate one, which was really good.

At 12 pm, the college entrance exam scores were released to all systems.

The hall quickly turned silent as everyone turned to look at Coco, gliding center stage under the spotlight in her tailored gown.

She was beaming as she waved at the cameras. "Hello everyone! And I'm grateful for the press to come here today. Now, we shall all bear witness to a real miracle!"

As she sat behind her computer, ready to key in her examinee ID, the whole hall counted down with her.

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

Coco pressed Enter, and the webpage refreshed, publishing her college entrance exam score.

All three hundredish pairs of eyes saw the number at the same time right then…