Chapter 147: Black July, The College Entrance Examination Storm

Zhang Yunxiang used three words to sum up his senior year of high school: exhausting, exhausting, exhausting. Especially in the final few months, after returning to school following the Lunar New Year, the pace of review quickened considerably, and the teachers pressed them even harder. Quiz after quiz, major exams, school mock exams, city-wide joint examinations... one test followed another in endless succession.

The students were first exhausted, and then grew numb, hardly able to muster any spirit for themselves. It was not until the dark month of July slowly descended that nervous expressions gradually appeared on everyone's faces, especially among those students aiming for prestigious universities.

Compared to the third year of junior high, senior year was undoubtedly a greater test. Huang Juan was already mentally and physically worn out. What worried Yang Tian, however, was not the accelerating pace of review, but the increasingly fierce heat. As soon as July arrived, the scorching sun turned Binhai into a furnace.

Huang Juan had never eaten much to begin with, and with the weather turning hot, her appetite dwindled even further. Yang Tian was deeply worried that she wouldn't be able to hold out until the very end.

Consequently, he wrung his brains to find ways to supplement her nutrition. Huang Biao and his wife were also extremely anxious; they weren't worried that Huang Juan wouldn't pass into a good university, but rather that her stubborn persistence would eventually break her health.

The biggest difference between reality and dreams is that reality often catches people completely off guard and unprepared.

On July 5th, just two days before the national college entrance examination, Huang Juan fell ill and was diagnosed with acute appendicitis complicated by peritonitis.

The doctor said that if she had been brought to the hospital promptly when the illness started, surgery could have been avoided, and a week of intravenous drips would have sufficed for recovery. However, failing to receive effective care within twenty-four hours meant surgery was the only option.

Yang Tian's stomach had actually begun to ache that morning. Yang Tian had felt that something wasn't right, but she insisted she was fine because today was the final day of classes before the exams. It could be considered a simple graduation ceremony for the seniors, and she did not want to be absent.

It wasn't until the afternoon that she finally could not hold on any longer and fainted right in the middle of class!

Yang Tian was instantly gripped with panic. He scooped her up and rushed straight to the Binhai People's Hospital. Chen Ming, An Qi, and Bao Yuehong followed them to the hospital as well, all of them terribly nervous. Nothing could possibly go wrong now—they were supposed to step into the exam halls the day after tomorrow.

When the diagnosis came out, An Qi burst into tears on the spot. According to the hospital's arrangements, Huang Juan would be on the operating table tomorrow. Therefore, it would be impossible for her to take this year's college entrance examination.

"This is nothing. At worst, we'll take a gap year and retake it next year." Yang Tian comforted Huang Juan this way, and comforted himself as well. But seeing Huang Juan's tear-streaked face, his heart was gripped by sharp, repeating pains, blaming himself for not taking better care of her lately and letting her work herself to exhaustion. Otherwise, she wouldn't have come down with appendicitis.

"Yang Tian, don't be too upset. The exams are the day after tomorrow, you need to keep a good mindset!" Seeing Yang Tian sitting alone in the white pavilion behind the hospital, staring blankly into the blazing summer heat, Chen Ming and An Qi walked over one after another to offer soft words of comfort. Bao Yuehong also walked over slowly.

"I won't be taking the exams this year. I'll stay and take them with Huang Juan next year!" Yang Tian pondered for a moment, then smiled with calm resignation. He knew that if he and Chen Ming and the others all went off to college, leaving Huang Juan behind all by herself to study for a retake, she would undoubtedly feel miserable.

"What? You aren't taking the exam? How can you do that? How can you just give up after preparing for so long? You must realize that what you're giving up isn't just the college entrance exam, but a mountain of opportunities and your youth!" Bao Yuehong was relatively rational and spoke up to persuade him earnestly. It wasn't that she was worried about Class Eight's college admission rate, but rather that with Yang Tian's academic standing, there was simply no need to waste time and retake the year.

Yang Tian smiled without answering, stood up, and walked toward Huang Juan's hospital room. He would absolutely not let Huang Juan face all of this alone.

"What a stubborn temper! The few of you go and talk some sense into him. How can he just casually give up the college entrance exam? Isn't that being irresponsible to himself?" Seeing that Yang Tian refused to reply, Bao Yuehong grew even angrier and urged Chen Ming and the others to go persuade him.

Chen Ming and the others exchanged glances, but none of them moved their feet. Although they also felt that Yang Tian giving up the exam was somewhat impulsive, deep down they were deeply moved. The fact that Yang Tian was willing to forgo the exam for Huang Juan's sake was a rare and precious sentiment, and they certainly didn't want to ruin things between the two of them.

"Teacher Bao, he's just feeling heartbroken for Huang Juan. Please try to understand!" An Qi turned around and smiled, attempting to soothe Bao Yuehong.

"That's right. The two of them were betrothed since childhood and have a wonderful bond. Yang Tian would never simply abandon Huang Juan!" Chen Ming chimed in with an ingratiating smile.

"I know that, but there's still no need for him to give up the exam, is there? Huang Juan can just take it next year!" Bao Yuehong said with a huff.

"Teacher Bao, I think Yang Tian has the right to make his own choice. You shouldn't meddle in his family affairs! Besides, perhaps you are simply incapable of understanding feelings like his!" Zhao Shilei stated bluntly, leaving Bao Yuehong momentarily stunned.

It wasn't because Zhao Shilei was no longer a student in her class and she had no control over him, but rather because she felt that what Zhao Shilei said made sense. She perhaps truly could not comprehend the depth of affection between Yang Tian and Huang Juan. How could she, someone who still hadn't found a romantic partner, possibly understand this kind of all-encompassing devotion?

The news that Yang Tian would not participate in this year's college entrance examination instantly became a hot topic of discussion among the students of No. 1 High School. Most expressed deep regret. They had originally wanted to see what kind of glory the top science student would bring to the school this year, only to find that he had "deserted before the battle."

During next year's exams, even if Yang Tian scored a perfect score, it wouldn't carry much meaning. After all, he would be a repeat student; no matter how well he scored, it would still invite cold glances and disdain from others.

As for the female students, they showered praise on Yang Tian's deep devotion. To make such a decision at a time like this truly required immense courage.

When the school leaders heard about the matter, they were also quite shocked and asked Bao Yuehong to persuade Yang Tian to return and take the exams. However, she refused, apparently realizing that once Yang Tian made a decision, no one could talk him out of it.

Yang Bao and the others also learned of Yang Tian's decision. Yang Bao originally wanted to talk him out of it, but Li Xiuying stopped him. Thinking back over Yang Tian's past few years, Li Xiuying felt tears welling up in her eyes. Although he had brought wealth and happiness to the family, he himself always seemed to be constantly busy, shouldering heavy burdens at such a tender age.

The one who cried the hardest was Yang Xueling. Although she didn't shed tears in front of Yang Tian, in private she cursed the damn heavens ten thousand times, resenting its unfairness for making Huang Juan fall ill right at this critical juncture.

Even Lang Ping and Zhang Xiuxiu quickly learned of the matter, but none of them stepped forward to persuade Yang Tian. They knew Yang Tian was a very stubborn person; once he made this decision, he probably wouldn't change it.

Huang Biao and his wife kept trying to persuade Yang Tian to take this year's exams, telling him that Huang Juan could just take them next year. Although deep down they desperately wished Yang Tian would stay and accompany Huang Juan through another year of studies, they didn't want to delay his future either.

"You aren't taking the exams this year either?" Huang Juan looked at Yang Tian from her hospital bed with a stern gaze, her eyes shimmering with tears.

"Who says so? I've already been to check out the exam venue. By the way, do you know which school I was assigned to? Victory Middle School, isn't that a coincidence? I wonder if I'll run into a few familiar teachers when I go back there..." Yang Tian forced a casual smile. He knew that if Huang Juan found out he wasn't taking the exam either, she would undoubtedly object. And if she objected, he couldn't use a hardline attitude; after all, she was currently sick.

"Xiaotian, don't you dare lie to me, or I'll never forgive you for as long as I live!" Huang Juan said through her tears. Over the past few days, she had grown much more haggard. It was obvious how heartbroken she felt knowing she couldn't take the college entrance examination on time.

"How could I lie to you? Have I ever lied to you from when we were kids until now? Of course not!" At a time like this, Yang Tian refused to display any sorrow or grief in front of Huang Juan. Waiting another year was fine; he could just consider it a trial sent by the heavens. He had already profited so immensely from being reborn, so enduring a bit of hardship afterward was only right.

"Then tell me honestly, did you give up this year's college entrance exam?" Huang Juan pouted her lips and asked seriously.

"I heard this year's exam questions are going to be extremely difficult, so I decided to take them with you next year to see if next year's questions will be a bit easier!" Helpless, Yang Tian had no choice but to tell the truth, grinning broadly as he spoke.

"Are you out of your mind? Is the college entrance exam something you can just skip on a whim? Xiaotian, if you don't take it, my heart will ache so much, you know that?" Huang Juan cried and scolded, a sour ache twisting in her chest. She knew this was Yang Tian's way of showing his love, but she wished even more that he would go take his exams.

"If I hadn't been able to take the exam this year, you would have stayed behind to keep me company until next year's exams anyway, right? Treat others as you would treat yourself, so you don't need to feel sad!" Yang Tian habitually tapped the tip of Huang Juan's nose, smiling as he helped wipe away her tears.

"I would do no such thing!" Huang Juan pouted.

"Then you might as well throw this ring away!" Yang Tian pointed to the Supreme Ring on the ring finger of Huang Juan's right hand, teasing with a smile.

"Hate you! I'm already like this and you're still bullying me!" Huang Juan cried and acted spoiled in protest.

"Alright, alright, stop crying, or you'll turn into an ugly duckling!" Yang Tian smiled as he dried Huang Juan's tears. At the mention of that ring, he couldn't help casting a few extra glances at it.

It would have been fine if he hadn't looked, but upon looking, his eyes widened involuntarily. That ring had clearly been golden-yellow, so why had it now turned black, with a layer of dark, mist-like aura coiled around it?

Most importantly, Yang Tian felt as though he could see an ugly, malevolent face grinning evilly back at him.

Huang Juan falling ill with acute appendicitis right before the exams was certainly sudden, but such possibilities couldn't be entirely ruled out. Even so, Yang Tian still felt something was amiss.

Ever since he gave this ring to Huang Juan, she seemed to have been plagued by continuous bad luck—first losing her energy, and then frequently experiencing nightmares.

Not long ago, she had even kept telling Yang Tian that a dark shadow always seemed to follow her, frequently appearing in her dreams to flash evil smiles at her.

Knowing that Huang Juan was afraid of ghosts, Yang Tian had assumed she was simply too nervous lately, plagued by a restless mind and excessive paranoia.

However, looking at it now, he sensed something strange was going on, and it was highly likely connected to this ring. It had brought misfortune to Huang Juan.

Though he had never paid much attention to the ring itself, deep down he had long harbored a doubt: why had this ring been able to travel back in time along with him through his rebirth?

Later on, he had even come to believe that it was this ring that had granted him his rebirth—a ring brimming with magical power.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help reaching out to touch the ring on Huang Juan's hand. Instantly, that dark aura surged like a violent gale, blowing so fiercely that he couldn't keep his eyes open.

The moment his fingertip brushed against the ring, a blinding flash erupted before his eyes, instantly plunging him into a vast, white, magical world...