Chapter 4
Ashley’s face changed, and she quickly explained, “I was just checking how you did, so I could help you figure out which university you could get into.”
I retorted mercilessly, “Caring enough to memorize my exam ID number?”
She was choked speechless.
The next second, someone burst out laughing:
“Zero? How can anyone get a zero? Even if you threw the answer sheet on the ground and stepped on it, you’d get a higher score!”
A flash of triumphant smile quickly crossed Ashley’s face. She glanced at the computer, confirmed it, then looked up at me provocatively.
“Sister, if you had scored two or three hundred, Mom and Dad might still have thrown money to get you into a university. But you scored zero. Mom and Dad can’t even pay for you to get in.”
Too bad she didn’t look closely.
My parents’ faces were incredibly grim. “Disgraceful.”
Blake seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, watching me with cold eyes. “Send her to a mental hospital.”
The live stream chat erupted in cheers.
It was as if a farce had finally ended.
I understood instantly.
So, Blake Montgomery had never scored in the top fifty either.
Richard fully agreed with Blake. “Yes, send her to a mental hospital. Don’t let her out until she’s cured.”
As he spoke, people quickly moved to my side, ready to take me away.
I frowned and spoke up. “Don’t you know that the top fifty scores are initially blocked?”
Everyone seemed to freeze for a moment.
Then, a chorus of laughter erupted.
As if they had never heard anything so funny, they laughed until tears streamed down their faces.
“Top fifty? Her? Someone who scored a big fat zero claiming top fifty! Young Master Blake is right, she’s truly lost her mind!”
Only my parents and Blake had ashen faces.
Ashley’s hostile gaze, which had been fixed on me since I arrived at the Montgomery home, softened into a hint of pity, but mostly the triumph of a victor.
She also thought I was crazy.
She even thoughtfully comforted my parents. “Mom, Dad, Blake, Sister might have a mental problem. While she’s recovering, I’ll take her place and be even more filial to you.”
Richard seemed unable to bear it another second and roared, “Get that ‘“Jian-nü”’ to the mental hospital immediately!”
“Who dares!”
Everyone turned towards the source of the voice.
And when I heard that voice, my eyes finally welled up.
I, who had never felt wronged until now, suddenly began to feel a belated sense of grievance.
And it grew stronger and stronger.
“Mom, why are you here?” Richard’s voice even held a hint of fear.
Eleanor and Blake, initially flustered, quickly calmed down, their approving gazes falling on Ashley.
Eleanor said, “Mom, I was going to have someone inform you of Ashley’s scores. You shouldn’t have had to come yourself.”
“But this child certainly didn’t disappoint us.”
Ashley looked somewhat overwhelmed but flattered, sweetly calling out, “Grandma, I just checked my scores, 664 points.”
There was even a hint of pride in her tone.
Grandma Margaret Montgomery coolly swept her gaze over them.
She sat down on the sofa and beckoned me to her side.
I immediately ran over.
“Who are you sending to a mental hospital?” Her voice, though not angry, held an undeniable authority.
My parents chuckled awkwardly. “Mom, it’s one thing that Jian-nü’s scores are terrible, but she’s spouting nonsense, not a single truthful word. We suspect she’s gone mad, so we thought of sending her to a mental hospital for treatment.”
““Jian-nü?”” Grandma Margaret looked directly at Richard, repeating the name.
Richard opened his mouth, then belatedly realized, unable to speak, fine beads of sweat already appearing on his forehead.
Blake stepped forward, appearing to champion justice. “Grandma, it’s not Dad’s fault for not changing Jian… my sister’s name. It’s just that it was so close to the SATs, and we were busy worrying about Ashley, we didn’t have time to change it.”
My parents quickly chimed in, “Yes.”
Grandma Margaret looked at Ashley, then at my parents, a look of disappointment in her eyes.
She caressed my hand, but I shook my head, indicating I was fine.
Before, only my high school homeroom teacher cared for me. Now, with Grandma Margaret, it was my good fortune.
“Excuse me, is this the Montgomery residence?”
A few people walked in, asking.
After confirming, those individuals immediately locked onto my parents, and after saying, “Congratulations on your daughter becoming the top scorer in the state,” they eagerly introduced themselves: