Chapter 5: A Familiar Recipe—I'll Stir, I'll Stir Again!
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Upon arriving at the exam hall, Lin Yi took out the exam tools he had prepared and placed them neatly on the desk. This time, the proctors were not the same two from the morning session. For the college entrance exam, proctors were assigned by a random draw—wherever they were drawn to, that’s where they would oversee. This random assignment helped prevent proctors from colluding with students to cheat.
At 2:50 p.m., most candidates had arrived. Yet, the last student, arriving late, got into a confrontation at the door with the proctor. Before entering, it was standard procedure to be scanned for any prohibited items. Lin Yi sat in the second group, fifth row, close to the entrance, and overheard their exchange. The boy with red-dyed hair was asked to remove his watch, but he refused, aggressively demanding, “Why? Why should I?”
The students in the classroom burst into laughter, especially the chubby boy, who clutched his stomach and banged the desk. “This guy’s hilarious! Why? Just because you’re a punk grandson, that’s why!” The chubby boy laughed until tears streamed down his face.
He didn’t even consider the setting before trying to show off. Could it be that this guy’s education was so poor? Maybe he only had elementary-level manners? The chubby boy’s eyes squinted into lines as he laughed, the desk creaking beneath his pounding fists.
The red-haired boy’s face flushed from the ridicule. In a rage, he cursed, “Screw this, I’m not taking the test! What a joke!” and stormed off downstairs.
The other candidates exchanged looks. Watching the boy leave so nonchalantly, without a backward glance, the proctor was left flustered and bewildered. “Did I really do something wrong? I only asked him to take off the watch! So unfair... so hurt... I just want to find a corner and be quiet.”
“Ring!” The red-haired boy’s farce ended there.
After the broadcast announced the rules, the proctor declared, “The exam begins!”
With a swift motion, the candidates picked up their pens, eyes fixed on the test papers.
Time is money!
Compared to the others, Lin Yi seemed somewhat unique. He calmly picked up the math paper and read through the questions once.
“Hmm! The same familiar formula!” “Yes, exactly what I expected.” “150 points total, I should be able to score at least 145, right?”
Relieved, Lin Yi slowly raised his pen.
Tick! Tick! Tick! I keep ticking! I mark without hesitation!
He glanced at the clock. “Hmm, took a minute—maybe a bit slow.”
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His gaze shifted to the fill-in-the-blank questions.
There were four, each worth five points, totaling twenty points.
Confidently, Lin Yi filled in those familiar numbers: y = 4x – 3, –2, 3√2, 2.
Choosing, filling in blanks, and shading the answer sheet took him just over three minutes.
Too fast!
Lin Yi couldn’t help but want to laugh aloud at that moment.
He felt like standing up and asking everyone present, “Anyone else?”
However, this flashy thought only lingered for a few seconds before vanishing.
For one thing, he didn’t want to disrupt the exam order.
For another, standing up was difficult in itself.
Could he really lean on his crutch and ask, “Anyone else?”
Half the impact would be lost.
Besides, he might end up breaking the other leg too—perfectly paired!
“Eh, better to keep my joy to myself,” Lin Yi grinned slyly inside.
Sensing something unusual, the chubby boy glanced at Lin Yi out of the corner of his eye.
“Holy crap! Damn banana with a barbecued bun! He’s already done the multiple-choice questions?!”
His head buzzed with disbelief.
This can’t be real.
Finished the multiple choice in just a few minutes?
Even top students don’t go this fast.
“I don’t buy it!”
With that thought, the chubby boy shifted his large frame to the right, eyes sharply fixed on Lin Yi’s paper.
“Knock knock knock! Student, focus on your exam!” The proctor came over and tapped on the desk.
Trying to cheat just minutes after the test started? Forget it, let’s give him a chance. There’s nothing to see right now.
Meeting the proctor’s gaze, the chubby boy sheepishly scratched his head and earnestly pondered the first math question.
Only the problem-solving section remained.
Lin Yi steadied his mind and turned to the first problem.
A triangle: given that a, b, and c are the sides opposite angles A, B, and C respectively, and c = √3 a sin c – c cos A, find...
Using the sine and cosine theorems would surely solve it.
Swiftly, Lin Yi completed it.
A strong sense of accomplishment surged through him.
At this moment, many might be thinking, “That’s it??”
Of course, those who couldn’t solve it are another matter.
Seeing the chubby boy settle down, the proctor’s gaze shifted elsewhere.
“Holy crap? Already onto the problem-solving questions?!” The proctor was stunned upon seeing Lin Yi’s answer sheet.
This was unprecedented!
In just a few minutes!
How could anyone be this fast?!
He gasped sharply, suspicion creeping into his eyes.
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Could he be cheating?
Lin Yi was immersed in the joy of solving problems, unaware that the proctor’s gaze was fixed on him.
Swiftly, after finishing one question, Lin Yi wanted to smile slightly to express his happiness, but it seemed someone was watching him.
“Hm?” Lin Yi looked up and met the proctor’s eyes.
Had the proctor noticed something?
His heart skipped a beat, suddenly tense.
No, screw that—I’m not afraid!
Lin Yi reminded himself that he was cheating as a reborn soul.
Afraid the proctor would discover he was someone who had lived before?
Get real.
Watching the proctor’s retreating figure, Lin Yi’s eyes flickered. It was better to be cautious; better safe than sorry.
Still, his speed didn’t slow one bit.
At 3:49 p.m., Lin Yi finished all the math problems.
It took him 49 minutes.
The earliest time to submit the exam was 4:30 p.m.
Meaning Lin Yi couldn’t hand in his paper yet.
Bored, in a tense environment.
Lin Yi observed the other candidates: frowning, struggling, quietly joyful...
“Hm? Why is he still looking at me?” Lin Yi and the proctor exchanged glances in the air.
“Sigh! Whatever.”
“While bored, I’ll verify my answers again.”
He picked up scrap paper and briefly outlined the solution steps for each question.
He spent quite some time on multiple-choice question 12 and fill-in-the-blank question 16.
But in the end, he solved them.
He checked whether his marks were correct, then double-checked the answer sheet for errors.
His marks were perfect!
His answers absolutely right!
No problem!
For the problem-solving section, Lin Yi back-verified by substituting his answers.
Phew!
After finishing all this, it was already 4:31 p.m.
“Submit? Or stay a while longer and check again?” Lin Yi hesitated, then sighed and slowly raised his hand.
Why bother checking again?
The answers were just right.
Seeing Lin Yi raise his hand, the suspicious proctor hurried over to collect his exam paper.
Lin Yi declined the proctor’s kindness and calmly walked out of the exam hall.
The chubby boy watched Lin Yi’s retreating figure, his nose tingling, eyes full of envy.
This...
I want to be like that too...