Chapter 7 | The Pressure of Mock Exams

The November air began to grow cold.The pace of senior year intensified.The results of the first city-wide mock exam were released Monday morning.The school building corridors were packed with people.The report cards were posted on the bulletin board.Someone shouted excitedly:“I’m in the top 100!”Others sighed:“It’s over, it’s over, I’ve slipped.”Lin Nian stood at the back of the crowd.She hadn’t pushed her way through.Actually, she was a little afraid to look.Her deskmate had already squeezed in to take a look.She quickly ran back.“Lin Nian!”Her expression was complicated.Lin Nian suddenly felt uneasy.“What’s wrong?”Her deskmate hesitated.“You…it seems like you’ve slipped a bit this time.”Lin Nian froze.“What rank?”Her deskmate whispered:“Thirty-seventh in the grade.”Lin Nian fell silent.She had always been in the top twenty.Thirty-seventh place isn't actually bad.But for her, it was a significant drop.Her deskmate quickly said,"Actually, the difference isn't that big.""Maybe the math test was too difficult."Lin Nian nodded.But she didn't say anything more.She was somewhat distracted throughout the day.During evening self-study.She sat in her usual spot in the library.The mock exam paper lay open on the table.The red score was glaring.Math: 92 points.She rarely scored below 100.Lin Nian stared at the exam paper for a long time.Then she sighed softly.Zhou Yu pushed open the library door.He saw her immediately.But he quickly realized something was wrong.Lin Nian was unusually quiet today.Even quieter than usual.He walked over and sat down."Lin Nian."Lin Nian looked up."Hmm?"Zhou Yu looked at the exam paper on her desk."The results are out?"Lin Nian nodded."Yes."Zhou Yu glanced at the score."Ninety-two?""That's pretty good."Lin Nian shook her head."I used to always get over a hundred."She said this very softly.Zhou Yu suddenly didn't know what to say.Lin Nian looked at the exam paper.She spoke slowly:"What if I get like this in the college entrance exam too?""What if I don't get into medical school?"She rarely spoke so much.But today she seemed to be losing control.Zhou Yu listened quietly.Lin Nian continued:"My mom always thinks I can get into a very good university.""My teachers too.""What if I can't do it in the end..."She stopped.Her voice was a little hoarse.Zhou Yu suddenly felt a pang of sadness.He had never seen Lin Nian like this before.She was usually so calm. She was working very hard.Like a machine that never stops.Zhou Yu said softly:"Lin Nian.""Hmm?""You're already very good."Lin Nian shook her head."Not enough."She lowered her head.Her eyes were a little red.Zhou Yu was silent for a while.Then he suddenly said:"Let's go."Lin Nian was stunned."Where to?"Zhou Yu put away her test paper."Just going out for a bit."Lin Nian was a little confused.But she still followed him out of the library.The night air was cold.They walked to the playground.The playground was empty.Only a few streetlights.Zhou Yu put the basketball on the ground.Then he said:"You know what?""When I first joined the school team.""The coach said I wasn't tall enough.""And not fast enough."Lin Nian looked up at him.Zhou Yu continued:“He said I couldn’t be a starter.”“Later, I practiced until dark every day after school.”“I practiced for a year.”“Before I made the starting lineup.”The evening breeze blew across the playground.Zhou Yu looked at her.“So one exam really doesn’t mean anything.”Lin Nian didn’t speak.Zhou Yu suddenly handed her a basketball.“Here.”Lin Nian was stunned.“Why?”Zhou Yu smiled.“To throw away all your unhappiness.”Lin Nian looked at the basketball.She couldn’t help but smile a little.“There’s no such method.”Zhou Yu said seriously:“It works.”Lin Nian took the ball.Standed under the basket.She took a deep breath.Then she shot.The ball hit the backboard.Missed.Zhou Yu said:“Again.”Lin Nian shot again.This time it went in.Zhou Yu clapped."Look.""Luck's back."Lin Nian finally smiled.The tension that had been weighing on her heart seemed to suddenly ease a little.They sat in the stands.Lin Nian said softly:"Thank you."Zhou Yu said:"What are you thanking me for?"Lin Nian looked at the lights in the distance."You came out with me."Zhou Yu smiled."Then you can come to me if your grades aren't good in the future."Lin Nian glanced at him."Aren't you only good at basketball?"Zhou Yu pretended to be angry."I can comfort people too."Lin Nian couldn't help but laugh.The evening breeze blew across the playground.The night was quiet.Lin Nian suddenly realized.The anxiety that had been suffocating her just nowwasn't so heavy anymore.She said softly:"Zhou Yu.""Hmm?""If you really go on to play professional basketball in the future.""I will definitely go watch the games."Zhou Yu paused for a moment.Then he smiled."Then I'll have to work even harder."The night sky was deep.Lights in the distance lit up one by one.At that moment.They didn't know.The future would bring a lot of pressure.Many choices.Many partings.But at least now.They were still on the same campus.The same night.Sitting together on the stands of the playground.The evening breeze blew.As gentle as youth.