Time really waits for none

~Time Passes~

Mero was now in Grade 10, the most stressful year of her school life so far. Meanwhile, Zîháo had already finished his higher secondary education. Unfortunately, Liang had transferred to another school because that school was near his house.

At first, Mero thought about Liang often.

But slowly, academic pressure buried those thoughts deep inside her mind. Assignments, coaching classes, mock tests, and endless exams consumed her daily life. Sometimes Liang still appeared in her thoughts unexpectedly, usually during quiet evenings or rainy days, but she would only sigh softly before returning to her books.

Studies came first now.

As usual, Mero arrived at school and met her friends Carol and Lily near their classroom.

Carol was no longer dating anyone and surprisingly had become more serious about her studies. Lily, meanwhile, remained the smartest among the three. She was ranked 2nd in the entire grade, while Carol stayed somewhere around the top 15.

Mero… well

she was surviving.

Her grades weren’t bad, but they weren’t excellent either. Usually she ranked between 18th and 25th depending on the subject. Mathematics and economics were her strongest subjects, but science absolutely destroyed her mental health.

~Final Exams Were Approaching~

The atmosphere inside the school had completely changed.

Students stopped talking loudly in hallways. Teachers gave extra homework every single day. Even the school library became crowded from morning till evening.

Everyone looked half-dead.

Mero dropped her head dramatically onto the desk.

“Bruhhhhh~ I can’t do it anymore. There’s TOO MUCH to study. I can’t!!”

Lily chuckled softly while highlighting her notes.

“I told you to finish the syllabus instead of playing games all night. Now face the consequences.”

Carol laughed.

“Heheheh, Mero, you’re kinda cooked girl. You should’ve studied earlier.”

“I DID study,” Mero protested. “And I stopped gaming a month ago 😮‍💨”

Lily raised an eyebrow.

“Okaayyy then. Tell me the formula for present annuity due.”

Mero froze for a second.

“Ummm… wait… present or future?”

“Present.”

Mero quickly straightened herself proudly.

“So the formula is…”

PVdue\=(A×1−(1+i)−ni)(1+i)PV_{due}\=\left(A\times\frac{1-(1+i)^{-n}}{i}\right)(1+i)PVdue​\=(A×i1−(1+i)−n​)(1+i)

Carol blinked in surprise.

“Girl that’s actually correct. So you ARE studying huhhh.”

“I am,” Mero mumbled. “But do you really think the exam will be this easy?”

Lily sighed dramatically.

“That’s the scary part.”

The classroom suddenly became quiet again as everyone returned to studying.

After a few minutes, Mero suddenly lifted her head.

“Hey… let’s go to Nanjing after finals.”

Carol immediately shouted,

“YESSSSSS!!!!!”

Even Lily smiled a little.

“That actually sounds nice… but first let’s survive the finals.”

She covered her face. “(⁠T⁠T⁠)”

The final exams eventually arrived like a storm.

For two straight weeks, students barely slept. Coffee, instant noodles, and stress became part of everyday life.

When the results were finally published a week later, the entire school crowded around the notice board.

Lily ranked 2nd again.

Carol managed to enter the top 10 for the first time.

And Mero

Mero stood silently for a moment before smiling proudly.

Rank 14.

It was her highest ranking ever.

That evening, Mero returned home with Zîháo. But while walking beside him, she noticed something unusual.

He seemed distracted.

Quiet.

Almost troubled.

“Are you okay?” she asked carefully.

Zîháo glanced at her.

“Yeah. Why?”

“You just look bothered about something.”

For a moment, he stayed silent before smiling softly.

“Neh, I’m alright. Want some ice cream?”

Mero instantly brightened.

“Sureeeeeeeeee!”

Zîháo chuckled.

“Let’s gooo.”

Mero nodded and walked beside him, though the strange feeling in her chest remained.

Maybe he fought with his girlfriend…

Thinking that, she started chatting about random things while they walked together beneath the orange evening sky

completely unaware that someone from her past was slowly about to return into her life again.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***