Chapter 43: She Forgot About This Part

“So, how did you eventually think of the Cotton Boll Moth?” Qiao Sang asked.

“I want to evolve it into a Snow Butterfly. It’s super pretty,” Fang Sisi said, pulling out her phone to search for a photo of a Snow Butterfly to show Qiao Sang.

“I know, but if you want to evolve it into a Snow Butterfly, you’ll have to take it to the Beilun region,” Qiao Sang remarked.

The Beilun region was quite far from their current Yuhua region.

There are currently five known evolutionary forms of the Cotton Boll Moth, and the Snow Butterfly requires a specific environment to evolve.

The Beilun region was that required environment.

“No need. I specifically asked a breeder about it. It only needs to stay in an environment of -40°C for one hour. I’ll just hire an Ice-type pet to create the environment when the time comes,” Fang Sisi explained.

Seeing that Fang Sisi had considered everything thoroughly, Qiao Sang nodded and asked the inevitable question after the high school entrance exams: “How did you do this time?”

Fang Sisi shrugged helplessly. “304 points. I can only get into a vocational high school.”

Before Qiao Sang could think of how to comfort her, Fang Sisi asked back, “What about you?”

“359 points,” Qiao Sang replied.

“For real?” Fang Sisi’s eyes widened.

“I’ll show you the transcript when it comes out,” Qiao Sang smiled.

Before Fang Sisi could say anything else, a sudden commotion broke out in the classroom.

It turned out Qin Shou had entered with his Laous.

When Qiao Sang had entered with her Fire Fang Dog, everyone had kept their distance; after all, everyone knew that Fire-type pets had temperaments that weren't great, so it wasn't wise to get too close.

However, no one was familiar with the temperament of a Laous; simply knowing it was a rare foreign pet was enough to set them all ablaze with excitement.

Qiao Sang looked over and saw Qin Shou surrounded so tightly by the class that it was airtight. Forget the Laous—even Qin Shou himself was completely blocked from view.

Guo Lin, who had been making snide remarks last time, also ran over. “Brother Shou! Brother Shou! Let me see!”

This commotion lasted for about ten minutes, and it wasn't until the homeroom teacher entered that everyone quieted down and returned to their seats.

Only then did Qiao Sang get a clear look at the Laous.

It stood about 80 centimeters tall with two bull horns on its head. Around its pale red eyes were fin-like markings that looked like eyeshadow. It was huddling tremulously in Qin Shou's arms, looking as though it had just been frightened by the crowd.

The homeroom teacher was currently distributing the transcripts.

“Where is Xie Jiayi?” Qiao Sang asked.

Xie Jiayi sat in front of Fang Sisi. Last time, she had even wanted everyone to take the exam together to enter Haomu Beast Taming High School.

Fang Sisi looked at the empty seat in front and leaned over to whisper, “You didn't come the day of the brain domain awakening, so you don't know—Xie Jiayi failed her awakening.”

Qiao Sang froze for a moment and said nothing.

Every year, only 73% of candidates succeed in the brain domain awakening during the entrance exams; 27% fail. When distributed across various schools, it wasn't surprising that a few students in their class hadn't succeeded.

Both of Xie Jiayi's parents were Beast Tamers, so logically, her chances of awakening should have been high. Failing this time must have been a significant blow to her.

But reality can be unpredictable. Someone like Dai Shushu, the child of an ordinary person, could achieve autonomous awakening, while Xie Jiayi, the child of Beast Tamers, had failed.

Soon, the teacher called Qiao Sang's name.

When she went up to take her transcript, she actually failed to pull it toward her when she applied force.

Qiao Sang lifted her head and looked at the teacher in confusion.

The teacher’s face broke into a wide, beaming smile, his wig shaking with his laughter. He then straightened her body to face her classmates and announced loudly, “I have news for everyone! Our classmate Qiao Sang has studied hard and diligently! She has lived up to everyone's expectations! She has been admitted to Shengshui High School!”

The entire class was shocked.

Studied hard and diligently?

That Qiao Sang, who usually slept in class, failed her exams, and had been taking leave from school recently?

They had never once held any expectations for her.

And, Shengshui High School?

Who?

The girl who was consistently ranked third from the bottom of the class?!

Qiao Sang: “???”

...

Qingcheng Garden.

Qiao Sang returned home, physically and mentally exhausted.

Her mother was humming a song in her own room.

Qiao Sang pushed open her mother's door and saw that the bed and floor were covered with all sorts of clothes, bags, and shoes.

“You're back! Perfect, come help Mom see which dress looks good,” her mother said with a smile.

“Mom, is something going on?” Looking at the scene in the room, Qiao Sang momentarily forgot why she had come.

“Go, go, go, don't be so improper. Didn't you get into Shengshui High School? I've invited some people to have a celebratory banquet at the Yujing Hotel the day after tomorrow. Tell me, which dress should I wear?” her mother explained.

Qiao Sang: “...”

“Mom, it's not necessary to go that far.”

“Why wouldn't it be? It's not every day we have a moment to hold our heads high. Of course, we have to host a banquet to celebrate. Oh, and I want to order a banner. What do you think would be good to write on it?” her mother asked while trying on clothes in front of the mirror.

Qiao Sang felt helpless. She had an idea of the answer, but she wanted to confirm: “Did you tell my homeroom teacher about me getting into Shengshui High School?”

“Of course! I had to call and properly thank your teacher for helping boost your grades in the final stage. I even invited him to the banquet the day after tomorrow,” her mother admitted.

What could Qiao Sang say? As long as her mother was happy, it was fine.

However, the efficiency was truly incredible; it felt like she had called everyone she knew...

Qiao Sang stayed to help her mother pick out clothes. After a long time of matching, they finally settled on a dress with a color similar to the Fire Fang Dog's fur, following the pet's decisive paw-swipe.

In the afternoon, her mother went to get beauty treatments, while Qiao Sang took her transcript on the subway to Shengshui High School to complete her registration.

Her enrollment at Shengshui High School was now officially finalized.

...

...

June 26th.

Yujing Hotel.

“Qiao Sang, come here. This is your Auntie Pingping; she used to hold you when you were little,” her mother said, dressed in a red gown with her hair elegantly styled, beckoning Qiao Sang over.

“Hello, Auntie,” Qiao Sang said politely.

Qiao Sang's outfit was no different from her usual attire, but the Fire Fang Dog in her arms had been groomed.

Its flame-like fur had been carefully combed, a black bowtie was tied around its neck like a gentleman, and it wore matching black triangular sunglasses, looking incredibly dashing.

“Qiao Sang has grown up so much.” While Auntie Pingping spoke to Qiao Sang, her eyes couldn't help but keep drifting toward the Fire Fang Dog.

Before they could chat much longer, her mother pulled Qiao Sang to another table where some of Qiao Sang's acquaintances were sitting.

“Hello, Teacher,” Qiao Sang greeted them with a smile.

“Ah, Qiao Sang. I knew from the moment I met you that you were a student made for studying. Out of all the classes I've taught, you're the only one who achieved autonomous awakening. You really didn't disappoint me; you got into the best high school in Hanggang,” the homeroom teacher said, standing up with a grin.

Before Qiao Sang could speak, her mother chimed in, “Not at all, it's all thanks to your excellent teaching. Not long ago, she even scored a zero. If you hadn't refused to give up on her and taught her so diligently, how could she have done so well on the entrance exams?”

“Oh, please, it was all her own hard work that brought her grades up.”

“Don't be so modest, Teacher. If you hadn't kept a tight grip on her, how would she have improved?”

“Don't say that. She was on leave for almost two weeks toward the end; how could I have kept a grip on her studies?”

The air suddenly went silent.

After a few seconds, her mother looked at Qiao Sang and asked, “On leave... for two weeks?”

Qiao Sang: "...!"

*Holy crap, I forgot about that!*

(End of Chapter)