Brick by Brick (Bxb)

Chapter 13: Surprise

Question 2: "Based on the sensitivity report, how will the optimized total exposure change if you increase your expenditure budget from $20,000 to $31,000?"

Question 3: "Interpolate and determine the expected value of returns you would get from an investment in Company A compared to Company B. Which is more profitable. Explain why."

The exam hall was deathly quiet except for the sound of scribbling. Ming Kai quickly skimmed through the questions and tackled the easiest ones first. His pen raced across the paper with practiced efficiency, not hesitating for a single moment. In an exam like this, time was of the essence.

Minutes passed, his fingers felt numb and stiff from the exertion, but Ming Kai didn't dare slow down his pace. By the time he finished his last sentence, one could visibly spot the indent on his fingers from grasping the pen too tightly.

"Time's up! Please stop writing and stay silent while we collect the papers!" the chief examiner announced through the speakers. Assistant examiners went down each row to retrieve the answer sheets.

"It's finally over!" He thought to himself.

Ming Kai heaved a sigh of relief and turned his head to a few rows right of him. Chen Yu Lin also happened to glance in his direction and returned an exhausted smile.

"The exam is over! You may leave the venue."

The hall quickly became a mass of movements and incessant chatter. Ming Kai quickly collected his stationary and headed out of the exam hall. Not long later, Chen Yu Lin emerged at the corridor.

"How was it?" he asked.

"I'm not sure if my answer for the second question is correct. The value I calculated was far too large to be accurate," Chen Yu Lin let out a small sigh of regret. Although she encountered similar questions during her revision, not being able to remember it when it truly mattered made her extremely upset.

"What about the rest of the questions?"

"Simple enough, I guess?" she replied, this time more confidently.

"Then why such a long face. I probably have more questions I'm uncertain of than you," he assured her.

Students started streaming out to the corridor, filling the air with voices of discussions. Ming Kai never understood why people loved to discuss something that was already over. It won't make a difference to your score at the end of the day.

The two of them quickly picked up their pace and distanced themselves from the overzealous crowd of nerds.

This was the final paper for the both of them. Now the only thing left to do was look forward to the winter break.

"Will you be free tomorrow?" Chen Yu Lin asked suddenly. "Let's head down to the shopping district to relieve some stress, and also to purchase clothes for the New Year*."

There was little room for discussions. Ming Kai had always been bad at rejecting others, but she did have a point. His wardrobe desperately needed a change.

"Be sure to wear you best tomorrow. I won't accept anything sloppy, because I've planned a little surprise for you."

"What surprise?" Ming Kai asked with a slight frown. Girls don't usually plan surprises for their boyfriends, do they?

"It's called a surprise for a reason, silly." 

A surprise, huh?

The more Ming Kai thought about it, the more uneasy he felt about this whole matter. That little surprise she planned had better not involve a family visit.