Momo's Gradual Change

C140. The Countdown to College Entrance Exams.

Chapter 140: The Countdown to College Entrance Exams

The final bell rang out—*ding-ding-ding*—and the once-quiet campus instantly burst into life.

Their teacher had just left the room, clutching a stack of lesson plans, leaving behind a roomful of weary seniors. After endless hours under a mountain of practice exams, the students looked wilted, like parched houseplants.

But of course, there were a few exceptions.

“Yimo, aren’t you exhausted?” asked He Min, who shared Song Yimo’s desk in the second row. He Min, a petite girl with glasses and a few pimples, wore the tired, defeated look that was all too common among seniors this year.

Without looking up from her work, Song Yimo continued solving the last problem. “Does being tired mean I get a pass?”

Of course not. He Min sighed and lowered her head onto the desk, too drained even to cry.

Song Yimo jotted down her answer, then glanced over, laughing as she packed up her exam sheets. “Your nose is already flat enough; if you keep pressing it like that, it’ll disappear.”

“You’re still laughing?” He Min glanced back, catching sight of the looming number “17” on the countdown board and cradling her head in despair. “I want time to speed up so it’ll all just end, but then again, I want it to slow down. I mean, I need to prepare—otherwise, it’s like walking straight into an execution… Or wait, maybe I should say the battlefield?”

Song Yimo pulled out a piece of chocolate, peeled off the wrapper, and popped it into her deskmate’s mouth—a small comfort for her friend on the verge of a meltdown.

“Tasty,” He Min mumbled.

People nearby turned to look, their eyes gleaming with a clear message: *We want some too!*

Smiling, Song Yimo took out the small bag from her desk drawer. Judging by the weight, there were maybe thirteen or fourteen pieces left.

Pulling out two chocolates, she handed the bag to the desk in front. “You can split the rest.”

Without waiting to hear their thanks, she got up and walked to the back of the room, ignoring the scramble for sweets behind her.

She found Hu Xuehong and Miao Zhiruo huddled over a challenging problem. They looked up when they heard her approach, and Song Yimo slid a piece of chocolate to each of them. Glancing at the question they were working on, she noticed it was the same one she’d just completed. Skimming their steps, she saw where they’d gone off track.

She firmly crossed out their first misstep and wrote the correct formula next to it.

“Oh, so this is where we messed up,” Miao Zhiruo said, nodding as she chewed her chocolate.

“This is the spot everyone trips up on.” Setting down her pen, Song Yimo turned to Hu Xuehong. “We’ve got a day off tomorrow. Are you staying home to rest or coming over to my place?”

Without turning around, Hu Xuehong pointed accurately to the countdown clock, her face full of loathing. “I’ll be at your place—there’s no way I’m falling behind now. After the college exams, I plan to sleep for three straight days and nights!”

“Don’t let that drive fade just yet. I’ll probably be a bit delayed. Teacher Chen asked me to see her after class, so go on ahead and meet up with Wu Ting and Zuo Chun.”

“It's definitely about your college applications. Yimo, are you really certain? With your scores in these last practice exams, you could easily aim for the top universities.”