Chapter 32: Top Scholar

As expected, the top scholar position naturally fell to Shen Xiuyan.

With his paper as the benchmark, the others’ papers seemed to pale in comparison.

On the day the results were announced, the notice board was packed, with people crowded around.

Shen Xiuyan was among them.

Originally, he wasn’t in a hurry to check the results, as he knew he would see them eventually.

But the thought of becoming a Xiucai and marrying a beautiful woman made him so excited that he hadn’t even slept well.

Since he couldn’t sleep anyway, he arrived early, only to find someone had arrived earlier than him.

A fellow student from the same academy greeted him enthusiastically, “Xiuyan, you’re here too?”

“Yeah, couldn’t sleep, so I decided to come early.”

“Oh, you’re not worried, are you? You’ve been third place in the academy’s exams before; you’re definitely safe. We, the academic underachievers, should be the ones worried.”

“Exactly, exactly.”

Shen Xiuyan smiled wryly. It was hard to explain. They, as single guys, wouldn’t understand.

Proudly raising his nose, whether he could finally get rid of being single would depend on today’s result!

“It’s out! It’s out!” someone shouted excitedly.

As the list was posted, Shen Xiuyan, with full awareness, started looking from the bottom up.

The more he looked, the more anxious he became. Where was his name? What if he didn’t pass…?

His heart sank with a chill.

“I made it! I made it!!! Hahahahaha!” A student from the same academy found his name and laughed out loud. When he turned to congratulate Shen Xiuyan, he saw him still staring at the list.

He pushed his shoulder, “What’s wrong? Stunned? Congratulations, Xiuyan!”

Shen Xiuyan smiled wryly, “Congratulations? I can’t even find my name.”

The student gave him a strange look, as if to say, “You can’t be serious, can you?” and pointed upward, “No, Xiuyan, how could you miss it? ‘Shen Xiuyan’ in huge letters right here! How could you not see it?”

Shen Xiuyan followed his finger and looked up, only to see the name “Shen Xiuyan” in large characters at the top of the list.

The letters were more than twice as big as the second-place name. Anyone who wasn’t blind would definitely see his name first.

Shen Xiuyan took a deep breath and checked the place of origin—it was the same as his.

His mind went blank in an instant.

He came in first?!

First place in the whole county???

What kind of luck was this? The academy’s perennial third place had finally changed his fate!

“Who looks from the bottom up at the list, Xiuyan? You need to have some confidence!”

“Exactly! You really surprised us all this time. You actually took the top scholar position.”

The people around them had already started chatting happily.

Outside the crowd, Cui Cui waited in the carriage, and a young servant squeezed out from inside.

She immediately asked, “How was it? Did he pass?”

The young servant nodded excitedly, “He’s the top scholar!”

“What!” Cui Cui exclaimed.

My goodness, Shen Xiuyan, no—Su Family son-in-law is that amazing!!!

She would never again say that her young lady had poor taste.

Her taste was truly excellent!

The top scholar, even if he’s just a Xiucai, is still the top scholar!

As long as he continues to study diligently, it’s almost certain he’ll become a Jinshi.

No, she needed to hurry back and tell her young lady this good news.

“Miss, he made it!” Cui Cui ran in, excitedly saying, “He’s the top scholar, Su family son-in-law is the top scholar!”

“What!”

Su Mingyue stood up joyfully. She knew it! Shen Lang was the best!

And Cui Cui, you changed your tune so quickly!

“Reward, there’s a reward for you”

“Thank you, Miss.” Cui Cui said, pleased.

But before she could enjoy the moment, Su Mingyue, touching her flushed cheek, asked, “Hehe, Cui Cui, since Shen Lang made it to the top scholar, does that mean I’m one step closer to being the wife of the third-ranked scholar?”

Cui Cui: “…”

Where did my young lady’s obsession come from? Did she really read too many romantic novels? Why must she be the wife of the third-ranked scholar?

Even though Shen Lang made it to the top scholar, the third-ranked scholar is still out of reach. She couldn’t even dare to think about it.

Miss, you really have bold dreams…

The little servant sent by Qingcheng Academy returned.

The teachers, who had been unable to sit still, stood up anxiously and asked, “How many passed?”

The little servant happily replied, “Five! There are five!”

The teacher sat down disappointedly, “Oh, only five, the same as last time. Nothing to get excited about.”

“No!” the little servant shouted excitedly, “Shen Xiuyan is the top scholar of this Exam!”

“What!!!”

The teacher, who had just sat down, sprang up immediately.

They looked at Liu Fuzi in astonishment, “Liu, your judgment was truly sharp. You randomly accepted someone, and they ended up as the top scholar.”

Liu Fuzi took a sip of tea and, in a tone as though nothing was special, said, “What’s the big deal?”

The other teachers gasped in admiration. Liu Fuzi truly deserved to have trained two government officials. He remained calm even in such an event.

If it had been any of them, they would have been jumping with excitement by now, not calmly pondering the matter.

At that moment, the students who had looked at the list returned in twos and threes.

Naturally, Shen Xiuyan was among them. He thought for a moment and headed towards Liu Fuzi’s