"Big sister, I really don't know what you're thinking. Competing with Jiang Yuwei and Chen Lishu for the spot is just a waste of time, isn't it?"
With no classes in the morning, everyone else had gone for breakfast. Li He, looking half-asleep, got out of bed. Seeing Yang Lili organizing the items needed for the exam, he couldn't help but speak with a hint of sarcasm.
Yang Lili chuckled softly, her tone unreadable. "I just want to give it a try. What if a blind cat stumbles upon a dead mouse, and I get lucky?"
"Dead mice aren't that easy to stumble upon," Li He scoffed. He grabbed the washbasin from under the bed, opened the dormitory door, and went out to wash up.
Where outsiders couldn't see, Yang Lili narrowed her eyes. She put everything away, and before leaving, she went to her bed, reached under her pillow, and quickly pocketed something before also exiting the dormitory.
...
Jiang Yuwei had gone home to stay the night before, as her home was only a ten-minute walk from the Industrial University.
When she arrived at the school, there was still some time before the exam. Jiang Yuwei was preparing to head to the examination hall early to familiarize herself with the environment. Before she could even walk towards it, someone suddenly called her name from behind: "Jiang Yuwei."
Jiang Yuwei turned around and saw Yang Lili. Her eyes lit up, and she pretended to casually glance behind Yang Lili. "Aren't Chen Lishu and you coming together?"
Yang Lili smiled lightly and said meaningfully, "Do you want her to come with me, or do you not want her to come with me?"
Jiang Yuwei's expression changed slightly. However, she was sure that what she had said to Sun Ling couldn't possibly have been known by a third person. Perhaps Yang Lili was just asking casually.
After figuring this out, she concealed the panic in her eyes and forced a smile, saying, "I don't quite understand what you mean. She lives near the school, so I naturally assumed you would have arranged to come together."
Given Jiang Yuwei's usual arrogant demeanor, she would never have explained so much to Yang Lili. Yang Lili didn't expose her and suddenly took a bottle of soda from her shoulder bag, offering it to Jiang Yuwei. "The weather is getting warmer. Didn't you prepare any water for the exam? I bought three bottles in total. When Chen Lishu arrives later, I'll give her one too."
Jiang Yuwei's eyebrows imperceptibly creased as she looked at the cheap soda, which cost only a few cents. "No need, I'm not thirsty."
"What, you look down on this few cents worth of soda? Or are you not in the mood to drink it? Are you worried Chen Lishu won't be able to make it?"
Yang Lili, abandoning her usual submissive, almost invisible demeanor, suddenly became a little aggressive. Every word she spoke seemed to be a veiled hint.
Jiang Yuwei, feeling guilty, felt that Yang Lili's tone and expression were off whenever she mentioned Chen Lishu, but she couldn't pinpoint why.
"No, why would I be?" Jiang Yuwei said with an awkward smile, reaching out to take the soda. Yang Lili suddenly retracted her hand. "Let me open it for you."
Soon, she unscrewed the cap and handed it to Jiang Yuwei, then took out a bottle from her shoulder bag and took a sip after opening it.
This was the first time she had indulged in buying soda since coming to the provincial capital for school, and she had bought three bottles at once. Yang Lili couldn't quite describe her feelings at that moment.
Under Yang Lili's gaze, Jiang Yuwei reluctantly took two sips, and soon they walked towards the teaching building where the exam was to be held.
...
When Chen Lishu woke up again, she found herself in a dilapidated house. Judging by the dust and scattered broken wooden planks, it was likely an abandoned house awaiting demolition.
Factories with good benefits would sometimes relocate old flats to build new buildings for their employees. Chen Lishu guessed that she was currently in a flat waiting to be demolished.
Calmly assessing her surroundings first, she tentatively moved. Only then did she belatedly realize that her hands were tied behind the back of the chair. As she moved, the rickety chair immediately made a "creaking" sound. Chen Lishu immediately dared not move again.
Since no one was in the room, her kidnappers must be outside. She didn't want to make any noise that would attract them in.
Although she felt anxious and scared, her fear intensified because she didn't understand the kidnappers' motives. In a short while, a fine sheen of sweat broke out on Chen Lishu's forehead.
But no matter what, she kept encouraging herself. Before expecting others to save her, she had to find a way to save herself first.
She tried to steady her flustered mind and looked around the room again, this time observing more carefully. About three to four meters away was a glass window, with two large holes where the glass was broken. Looking out through the window, she saw a yard overgrown with weeds, and further away, a row of dilapidated flats. She couldn't find any other useful information.
Chen Lishu began to try and untie the ropes binding her hands. However, the ropes were tied too tightly. Even though her wrists were already burning with pain, they had only loosened a tiny bit.
"Scrape..."
The sound of shoe soles rubbing against the ground suddenly came from outside. Chen Lishu's body instantly tensed.
"Creak." The moment the old wooden door was pushed open, Chen Lishu quickly closed her eyes, pretending to still be asleep.
"Gouzi, where did you get the medicine? The person still hasn't woken up. Is there a problem?"
Chen Lishu, with her eyes closed, couldn't help but twitch her eyebrows almost imperceptibly. She felt that this voice sounded somewhat familiar.
"Brother Biao, it's already good that I managed to get the medicine. Don't be so picky. As long as the person isn't dead, isn't that enough?"
Wang Er Biao nodded. Anyway, when he agreed with Sun Ling, it was just to prevent the person from participating in the exam. If she slept a little longer, they would release her after the exam finished, which would be completely undetected.
"Brother Biao, this girl is really beautiful. Why don't we..."
The man called Gouzi said this and was about to touch Chen Lishu's face. Just as Chen Lishu was about to open her eyes and resist with all her might, Gouzi was successfully stopped by Wang Er Biao.
"Our goal right now is just to delay her from taking the exam. If you get handsy and fall back into your old habits, the situation will change."
Delay her from taking the exam?
Who would have thought of such a wicked plan?
Was it Jiang Yuwei or Yang Lili?
Yang Lili was usually a silent, timid person who barely left the school gate. How could she know people like Wang Er Biao?
Jiang Yuwei's family background was what it was, and she always thought highly of herself. Would she do something like this for a spot to study abroad?
Chen Lishu suddenly remembered that the people who had caused trouble at the shop before seemed to know Sun Ling.
And Sun Ling and Jiang Yuwei...
"Brother Biao, I find you're getting worse with age. Aren't you afraid your courage is no bigger than a sparrow's now?"
Gouzi scoffed, "We've already kidnapped someone. What are we doing to deserve this if we don't do anything? Besides, I have someone I know. She wasn't a virgin to begin with. After we're done with her, we sell her far away, and we brothers can make a big profit."