Chapter 11 William’s Ambition
“Just a heads up, if you get in trouble again, your brother will definitely be mad at you. And if he’s upset, you can forget about your plan to go play e-sports.” William snorted coldly. He angrily threw his coat onto the table. Then he pulled out a pen, a stack of test papers, and a workbook from his pocket. Everyone was speechless. His pocket was quite roomy. Observing this scene, his classmate occupied the seat in the front, smirked, and asked, “William, did you just go to the internet cafe to play games and study at the same time?” Still seething, William coldly replied, “Yes, I did.” His classmate glanced at the densely written words on William’s test papers. He swallowed nervously and gave him a thumbs up, praising, “Dude, you’re impressive. You can manage both studies and dreams at the same time.” William’s aspiration was to become a professional e-sports player, but his brother opposes it.
If William insists on pursuing his dream, he must secure the top spot in the entire grade. Hence, William was determined to score the best marks to secure the top spot. However, luck isn’t on his side, as he always falls short of the best grade by a single mark. Therefore, he channeled all his frustrations toward Anthony, who had consistently scored the best marks. From minor quizzes to major competitions, whenever Anthony sets his sights on something, William’ll compete with him to showcase his abilities. Over time, everyone also came to know that Anthony, the top student in the grade, and William, the second-best student and school heartthrob, were arch-rivals. “Who are you?” Seated back at his desk with a huff, William suddenly realized he had a new deskmate.
Milly raised an eyebrow. She found it hard to believe that it took him half an hour to notice her presence. “Milly Burnett, I’m the new transfer student,” she introduced herself. William responded disinterestedly with a grunt and added icily, “I’m a cleaning freak. Make sure your books don’t cross the line. Also, don’t help others pass love letters to me; don’t make any noise during class to disturb my thoughts, and … ” Milly furrowed her brows. Why does this guy have so many things to say? Impatiently, she interrupted, “Are you done? Who are you to lecture me about being the second best of the whole grade?” Willian was mad; he raised his voice and snapped, “How dare you?” It was fine that Anthony mocked me, How dare this new transfer student mock me too? I bet she doesn’t know the cutthroat exam scores at Crestwood High. Hmph! After this exam, let’s see if she ends up trembling in fear. … Class D. Stephanie furrowed her brows as she glanced out the window. There was no sign of Milly joining their class. A smirk played on her lips. The exam had concluded some time ago. If Milly hadn’t shown up, it was likely because she failed the test and the principal sent her home. Haha, serves her right! Her deskmate, Melanie, leaned in curiously and asked, “Stephanie, why are you so happy? What did you see?” Following her gaze outside, all she could see was an empty lawn.
Stephanie redirected her gaze. She was about to dismiss it as nothing, but she remembered that Melanie moderated their school’s online forum and had a penchant for gossip. If she could use her influence to spread the news that Milly failed to pass the entrance exam for Crestwood High, it would surely tarnish Milly’s reputation. In contrast, their parents would view her as more exceptional and show her more affection. With this in mind, she smirked, and her eyes gleamed with a cold glint. What difference does it make if she’s their biological daughter? In the end, she still ended up being crushed beneath my feet! Melanie had no idea what was in Stephanie’s mind, but she saw Stephanie’s twisted and sinister expression. Melanie nervously asked, “Stephanie, are you okay?” Stephanie snapped back to reality at the sound of her voice. “I’m sorry, Melanie; I didn’t sleep well last night.” Stephanie pretended to rub her temples, indicating she was a bit tired. Melanie blinked, not thinking much of it. She curiously asked, “Oh?
Did something happen?” Stephanie feigned weariness and sighed, “Oh! It’s not a big deal. My sister took the exam at Crestwood High today. She grew up in the countryside, attended a rural high school with poor academic standards, and always ranked at the bottom of her class. When she suddenly has to take the exam at our school, I’m worried she won’t pass and it will hurt her self-esteem.” She appeared caring and attentive, perfectly portraying the role of a concerned sister. However, she inadvertently fully exposed Milly’s situation. A spark of excitement lit up in Melanie’s eyes with the news. She glanced at her watch and remarked, “The test has already concluded by now.” Stephanie struggled to suppress a smile. She was feigning melancholy as she said, “Alas, perhaps Milly didn’t pass the exam.” Melanie, now intrigued, took out her phone and began tapping away. Stephanie caught a glimpse. She subtly smiled before looking away. Every year, many people come to take the entrance exam for Crestwood High. Yet, failing the entrance exam for Crestwood High was not uncommon. After this incident was posted online, it would soon be forgotten. Melanie saw a few comments that followed her post; she pursed her lips and boringly put her phone away.
A refreshing breeze carrying a hint of tobacco scent wafted over them. A cool, handsome young man with brown hair approached their table. He placed a cup of milk tea in front of Stephanie. He said, “Milk tea for you; enjoy it while it’s hot.” After that, he walked away. The whole interaction was executed with solemnity and precision. As soon as he departed, Melanie couldn’t contain her envy. She grabbed Stephanie’s arm excitedly and asked in a trembling voice, “Gosh! William brought you milk tea again.” Stephanie’s vanity was greatly satisfied. As usual, she gave the milk tea to Melanie, saying, “I’ve been on a diet recently. You can have it.”
Melanie accepted the milk tea with great respect. She took the milk tea with a pleasantly surprised expression, holding it in her hand as if reluctant to let go despite the hot temperature making her hands numb. Curiously, she turned to Stephanie and asked, “William is so handsome and smart. He has been pursuing you for a while now. Didn’t you feel anything for him? Why haven’t you agreed to be with him?” Stephanie hesitated for a while before whispering, “We’re students. Studies come first, especially with the college entrance exam approaching. It’s important to get into a good university before starting a relationship.” With the mild tea in her hands, Melanie looked admiringly at her and exclaimed, “Oh my! You have such self-discipline