Councilor Wang Dao of the Association, seeing that everyone had calmed down, finally relaxed his tense nerves. He let out a long sigh, raised a hand to wipe the fine beads of sweat from his forehead, and inwardly breathed a sigh of relief that he had managed to quell the commotion. However, as he gazed at Wen Qi’s retreating figure, he couldn’t help but wonder: just which family did this young man come from? Showing up for the advanced assessment without giving him a heads-up—what a hassle he’d caused.
Wang Dao thought to himself that in the future, it might be best to separate the candidates during assessments to avoid such gatherings leading to chaos. Little did he know that Wen Qi wasn’t from some prominent family at all; he had come alone, relying on his own true skill to take the assessment—though, of course, Dr. Chu Feng’s help had been indispensable. It was just that Wen Qi’s youth and confidence made him seem unusually mysterious and suspicious in everyone’s eyes.
Wang Dao shook his head, dismissing these thoughts, and turned to handle other matters. After all, the assessment was still ongoing, and there was plenty of work waiting for him.
In truth, among those who had cursed Wen Qi earlier were some family scions. When they saw Wen Qi standing in the line for the advanced assessment, suspicion arose in their minds. They speculated that someone so young daring to stand there must have backing. These family scions knew well that to achieve such a feat, the person behind him would need to be at least a top-tier breeder, holding a position no lower than vice president in the Association, to obtain the admission ticket. So they spoke with extreme caution. Until the situation became clear, they wouldn’t act like those ordinary people, driven only by jealousy and mockery. In their eyes, that was utterly childish behavior. They understood deeply that in this world, there were no absolute rights or wrongs—only eternal interests.
They quietly observed the unfolding events, their faces betraying no panic or disdain. One of the family scions murmured softly, “Let’s not jump to conclusions. If this kid really has a big background and actually gets to take the assessment, we’d better make friends with him early on, not offend him for no reason.” Another nodded in agreement, “Right, our family’s development depends on support from all sides. One more friend is always better than one more enemy.” Their eyes were sharp, their minds meticulous, unlike those impulsive ordinary people who sought only momentary satisfaction. They waited, biding their time for the final outcome, ready to make the choice most beneficial to their families.
And the result didn’t disappoint them. Wen Qi really did go in to take the assessment. Now they were certain: there was definitely a big shot backing him. They planned to have a good chat with him after he failed. As for why they didn’t think he could succeed—it was because Wen Qi looked at most twenty years old. If he actually passed, wouldn’t that make him even more formidable than the Association’s president? How could such a figure appear here? So they all intended to console him after his failure, thereby forging a connection.
After passing the inspection, Wen Qi followed the corridor and arrived at the foot of the building he had seen yesterday. At that moment, the other candidates were gathered downstairs, chatting. Their expressions varied: some were confident, faces beaming with self-assured smiles, as if victory was already in their grasp; others were anxious, brows furrowed, hands unconsciously fidgeting, sweat beading on their foreheads; some looked dazed, eyes vacant, still unclear about what was happening; and a few wore indifferent expressions, appearing utterly carefree, as if the assessment’s outcome meant nothing to them.
Zhu Ximing, who had been somewhat nervous, was quietly talking with a friend nearby, trying to mask his inner tension. His voice trembled slightly, and his gaze wandered. Then, suddenly, he noticed another figure emerging from the corridor. Finding it familiar, he looked closer and was instantly stunned, his mouth gaping wide—it was that young man, Wen Qi. He hadn’t expected the guy to actually be here for the assessment. Recalling his earlier disdain and misunderstanding of Wen Qi, Zhu Ximing felt his face flush with heat, reddening all the way to his neck. Just then, Wen Qi’s gaze met his. Zhu Ximing quickly turned away, overwhelmed by embarrassment. Fear also crept into his heart. He knew well that someone so young taking the advanced assessment must have backing far surpassing his own family’s elder. His family had offended him badly before; he only hoped Wen Qi wouldn’t hold a grudge, or it would spell disaster if he sought revenge. Zhu Ximing thought to himself: after the assessment, he’d have to discuss this thoroughly with his elder and find a way to erase Wen Qi’s negative impression of them, even if it cost a heavy price.
The others present also noticed Wen Qi and were equally startled. Like Zhu Ximing and the family scions, they assumed his background was no simple matter. Should they go and strike up a conversation? But everyone here had status and standing, all aged thirty or forty or more—old enough to be Wen Qi’s father. In full view of the crowd, fawning over a young man would be quite embarrassing. Besides, the exam was about to start; now wasn’t the right time for small talk. Thus, even those who had considered currying favor abandoned the idea. They all stayed put, chatting among themselves, waiting for the exam to begin. This time, however, the discussion centered entirely on Wen Qi, everyone curious about his true background.
As for Wen Qi, with his abilities, he could naturally overhear their chatter, but he paid it no mind. After all, mouths were on others—let them talk as they pleased. The sunlight was just right at that moment, filtering through the gaps in the leaves to cast patches of golden light, like scattered fragments of gold. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, whispering as if telling mysterious tales. The breeze brought a hint of coolness, dispelling some of the heat in everyone’s hearts. Yet even the pleasant sunlight, swaying leaves, and soft wind couldn’t dispel the curiosity and speculation about Wen Qi. Their gazes kept drifting toward him, but he simply stood there quietly, eyes slightly closed, savoring the brief tranquility, as if all the surrounding noise had nothing to do with him.
Soon, the large door at the base of the building slowly opened, and a staff member told them they could enter to find their exam rooms. At this point, everyone set aside their discussions about Wen Qi, their minds now focused solely on the upcoming exam. Wen Qi followed the crowd as they filed in. His steps were steady and firm, his expression calm and composed. He quickly reached his exam room, which, as he had seen yesterday, was a spacious hall.
Though Wen Qi was fully confident he could breeze through the assessment with ease, he had his own plans. He knew well the principle that the nail that sticks out gets hammered down. If he performed too well and drew too much attention, it might not be a good thing. So he decided to hold back a bit during the exam and keep a low profile.