Chapter 66: Not Considered High

Soon, Lu Kuan emerged from the bathroom, drying his hair, and saw that his parents’ bedroom was already dark. He couldn’t help but grin. For many, this was destined to be a sleepless night, but Lu Kuan’s heart was exceptionally calm—he slept soundly and dreamlessly through the night.

The next morning, by the time Lu Kuan got up, his parents had already left for work. On the dining table, they’d left a note in bold letters: "Call us immediately when you get your results." Lu Kuan rolled his eyes at this.

Before eight o’clock, Lu Kuan strolled over to Zero Distance Internet Café. The moment he entered, he was taken aback. The area in front of the counter was packed, a dense crowd spilling all the way up the stairs to the second floor. As soon as Lu Kuan stepped in, everyone turned to look at him in unison.

"What’s going on?" Lu Kuan asked, puzzled, as he approached the cashier girl at the front desk.

"They’re all here to see your bet with Liu Xueliang," she whispered, adding with a playful smile, "I’m rooting for you~"

Lu Kuan habitually scratched his chin, flashed her a grin, and then headed upstairs with long, purposeful strides. The hallway was crowded with familiar faces, mostly regulars at the café.

The reason so many knew about the bet was because Liu Xueliang had deliberately spread the word. Convinced of his own victory, he bragged to everyone about the ancestral jade pendant Lu Kuan had put on the line—just to see Lu Kuan humiliated today.

With a precious platinum helmet and an ancestral jade pendant as stakes, everyone’s curiosity was piqued; no wonder the place was so packed.

Lu Kuan quickly guessed Liu Xueliang’s intentions and shook his head with a smile before stepping into Xue Da’s office.

Inside, several people were already present. Xue Da leaned against his desk, while Liu Xueliang and his entourage stood to one side, glaring at Lu Kuan with open hostility as he entered.

On the desk by the window were two items side by side: a small box holding the jade pendant, and the exquisitely crafted platinum helmet.

"Heh, I thought you wouldn’t dare show up," Liu Xueliang sneered, arms crossed. "You should’ve just stayed home. If you see me take your necklace with my own hands, you might burst into tears!"

Lu Kuan smiled. "You’d better save your breath, or it’ll be even more embarrassing for you in a moment."

Liu Xueliang’s eyes widened, about to curse, but remembering Xue Da was present, he forced himself to swallow his anger.

At this point, Liu Xueliang’s hatred for Lu Kuan knew no bounds—not just because of previous setbacks in the game, but also because someone had told him yesterday that Lu Kuan had been seen playing online with Wu Xiaoxiao and a few other girls! They looked happy together, clearly returning from a long journey outside the city—meaning they’d spent a lot of time together!

Seething with jealousy, Liu Xueliang thought to himself, "There’s no woman I can’t have. You dare cross me, Lu Kuan? You’re finished!"

With that in mind, Liu Xueliang signaled to one of his cronies, who opened the office door so everyone in the hallway could see inside.

Liu Xueliang stared at Lu Kuan, thinking, "Aren’t you full of yourself? Today, I’ll let everyone see you make a fool of yourself!"

Xue Da did not intervene. In fact, he’d specially arranged for a large screen to be set up in the office. At precisely eight o’clock, Xue Da smiled and said, "Alright, time’s up. Who wants to go first?"

"I will! So someone doesn’t run away in shame after seeing my score," Liu Xueliang declared, stepping confidently to the desk.

Xue Da graciously yielded. "Very well, Master Liu, please go ahead."

The computer’s signal was displayed on the central 3D screen. With a few deft actions, Liu Xueliang’s score appeared in the center of the display.

"Liu Xueliang, student number... Total score: 593."

A collective gasp rose from the crowd at the door. With a score like that, admission to a top university was all but assured. No one had expected Liu Xueliang to perform so well!

Some who knew Lu Kuan’s usual grades thought he was done for—Lu Kuan’s best was barely 500. How could he possibly compete?

Liu Xueliang’s friends were delighted, and Liu himself burst out laughing, his triumph evident as he stared provocatively at Lu Kuan.

Xue Da’s expression shifted slightly—this was a solid score. But when he glanced at Lu Kuan, he found the young man’s expression calm, betraying no sign of panic.

"Lu Kuan, I’ll give you some dignity. Go check your results in private," Liu Xueliang said smugly. "I’ll just take your pendant now."

He reached for the box, but Lu Kuan was quicker, smacking his hand away.

Liu Xueliang froze, then snarled, "Are you looking for trouble?"

Lu Kuan remained unfazed, ignoring Liu Xueliang and turning to Xue Da. Xue Da coughed lightly. "The outcome hasn’t been decided yet, Master Liu. There’s no rush."

Liu Xueliang glared, seething. Seeing his own high score had inflated his confidence, and his pent-up rage spilled over.

"You, a poor nobody, challenging me again and again—what gives you the courage? Who do you think you are? Today, I’ll watch you fail!"

Xue Da frowned but said nothing. To everyone’s surprise, Lu Kuan merely smiled and strolled to the computer, unperturbed.

He entered his credentials and selected "Check Results." The words "Checking..." flashed across the big screen.

Everyone in the room held their breath, eyes glued to the display. Perhaps it was Lu Kuan’s composure, but for a brief moment, Liu Xueliang’s heart skipped a beat—until the score appeared.

"Lu Kuan, student number..., score: 648."

A collective exclamation erupted—shock and disbelief filled the room. Some rubbed their eyes, unable to believe what they saw. Those further back, unable to see the display, grew even more curious as the crowd’s reactions rippled outward.

"What happened? Did Lu Kuan’s score come up?"

"Six hundred forty-eight..."

"How much? Are you kidding me?"

"With my perfect eyesight, I’m not mistaken. Six hundred forty-eight! Damn, that’s top ten in the whole school!"

"This kid Lu Kuan... he’s a legend..."

Astonishment reigned as the news of Lu Kuan’s and Liu Xueliang’s exam scores spread like wildfire, the uproar sweeping from the office to the hallway and into the main hall below—setting the café abuzz.

At first glance, Lu Kuan nodded to himself, satisfied. "Not bad. Just as I expected."