Uneasy daily life

As the college entrance exam approached, Angelina suddenly discovered a shocking truth.

Holy crap! My final, hellish sprint was basically just frantically cramming into the past years' entrance exam questions for Izu University, wasn't it?!

"Hmm... I've already bought a car, but suddenly I realize I don't have a driver's license?"

After a moment's thought, the mother from Anxinyuan Hospital drew this analogy.

"Aaaaaaaahh ...

Angelina let out a deafening scream: "What do I do? What do I do? What do I do...!"

"An'an, don't rush."

This is when it's time for her to shine! Anxin, the father, patted his daughter's shoulder, calmly and firmly encouraging her, "The more serious the situation, the more calm and composed you should be..."

"I plan to get married to Baiying University."

"I disagree!"

"hehe."

Angelina squinted and said, "Has Dad become one of those idiots who only know how to talk nonsense? It's not like you're taking the college entrance exam!"

"Well...that...the reasoning is like this..." Anxin's father stammered a few words without much confidence, "There's an old Chinese saying, 'Only when Mount Tai collapses before you can you remain calm and composed; only then can you display the demeanor of a great general...'"

"Landslide? Yeah... As long as there are unavoidable factors, even something as trivial as the college entrance exam has to give way..."

Angelina couldn't help but ramble on: "Let's have a minor earthquake to interrupt and postpone the exams, then use the opportunity to brush up on the material needed for the college entrance exam, and make sure we're fully prepared before setting off again..."

"Calm down!" Anxin's father, his forehead covered in cold sweat, looked at his wife's dangerous gaze and quickly praised her, "An'an! You have to believe that your efforts will not be in vain! Whether it's university or the college entrance examination, the questions will definitely be based on the knowledge that high school students should have! You have made full preparations, there will be no problem!"

"Yes, yes! I'm ready! There won't be any problems—"

Angelina chimed in for a couple of minutes, then suddenly realized, "Ahhh! Dad! What kind of flag are you making me set?! If I don't do well on the test, it'll all be your fault!"

Anxinyuan's father: "?"

"Alright, alright, it's almost time for the exam." Anxin's mother smiled and nudged her daughter. "Go on! Have a safe trip!"

"Giggle... What if I fail the exam? Damn it, why don't I have the superpower to always get a perfect score on exams... At the very least, I can turn back time... Ugh! Focus, calm down, the exam is almost here..."

Angelina set off unsteadily, but after taking only a dozen steps, she suddenly stopped with a start, opened her schoolbag, and checked her documents, stationery, and other items again.

"Is...is this really okay?" Anxin's father looked at his daughter's retreating figure, somewhat worried.

"it should be no problem."

Anxin's mother complained, "An'an takes the exam way too seriously. I'm really worried that she'll think failing it is the end of the world, and then she'll actually create some kind of apocalyptic scenario..."

"After Failing the College Entrance Exam, I Decided to Launch an End of the World to Restart Human Civilization?"

Anxinyuan's father muttered, "It's a bit outrageous, yet strangely reliable."

I arrived at school feeling like a cat was scratching its head all the way.

Angelina noticed that many restaurants along the street were offering various "exam-winning"套餐 (set meals) – oh my god! I've been so busy being lectured by the four top students lately that I haven't done any preparation for this!

I should have gone to the shrine to pray, write some wishes, and eat some "exam success set meals"—I completely forgot about such an important thing!

Oh no! I feel so frustrated that nothing is going right!

We're doomed!

Angelina staggered into the classroom and, like a lost soul, sat down in her seat.

He looked like his life was over before the exam even started.

Angelina's friends, who were chatting to relax, became worried upon seeing this and decided to ask Bai Ying.

An unusual event has occurred? It must be related to the white shadow!

"Is there something wrong with 9527?" Bai Ying shook her head and smiled mysteriously. "That's just prejudice. Do you know what she's been through?"

"what?"

"9527 wants to go to the same university as me, but she's worried about not being able to guarantee her score, so she's looking for a breakthrough," Bai Ying said excitedly. "I've specially found the legendary 'Top Four' for her—Yukino Yukinoshita, who's good at sharp-tongued remarks; Haruno Yukinoshita, who's good at sarcastic remarks; Kazuka Toyohama, who's good at direct attacks; and Mai Sakurajima, who has endless patience and never lets go! They can definitely help 9527 reach paradise as soon as possible! Each of them has their own strengths, each of them has their own unique skills, their formulas and knowledge are amazing, and their deep sea of ​​problems will bring her endless suffocation!"

"Hiss! No wonder he hasn't been out lately, he's been secretly taking tutoring classes?!"

"It's still the four-on-one tutoring kind! It's like having four all-around teachers taking turns to ensure that you have practice tests to do, knowledge points to listen to, and mistakes to correct every minute... In this crucible of questions, you will see the light at the end of the tunnel!"

"No wonder An'an looks so down. She hasn't recovered yet. But today is the exam, so she has to cheer up and give it her all."

"It's nothing, she's just glaring at us, she's in great spirits."

Angelina's friend quickly sat back down, giving an awkward but polite smile.

Bai Ying shrugged, then suddenly stepped onto the podium, raising his eyes to scan the many students in the classroom. The atmosphere was a mix of tension, trepidation, worry, excitement, and relief, creating a quiet yet noisy ambiance.

"Dear students, the college entrance examination is today. It feels like a journey that started several years ago has finally come to an end. After crossing the finish line, you will all go your separate ways, just like the journey from kindergarten to primary school, from primary school to junior high school, and from junior high school to high school. Many years later, apart from a few names, you will not be able to remember the past. You can only label this period of time as high school to record this path that you have at least walked."

Many students exchanged bewildered glances, momentarily confused by Bai Ying's sudden appearance on stage, but they were also used to her unexpected antics.

Thinking about it carefully, from being completely confused to getting used to it, and then soon we'll be separated by vast distances again; from being speechless and complaining to not finding it strange at all, and then never seeing each other again...

"We've all been through a lot of breakups and reconciliations, and legally speaking, we're all adults. Let's not talk about being friends forever; it sounds not only childish but also incredibly willful. We may understand, we may not understand, we may not want to understand—most encounters between people are once-in-a-lifetime. At this special moment, as we move towards the future, promises and vows seem so pale, so let's wish each other well—"

Bai Ying looked at everyone and said with a smile, "May your future be bright and may you always be lucky."

The classroom was rather quiet.

Bai Ying immediately looked at Angelina, who was still distracted and nervous, and suddenly spoke in the voice of a homeroom teacher: "Everyone, applaud!"

clap clap!

Angelina jolted awake and instinctively clapped her hands. The lonely applause echoed in the classroom for a few seconds before she snapped back to reality and quickly stopped clapping. Her face flushed red as she was about to explode when the others, a few beats later, joined in the clapping, making it difficult for her to react.

Bai Ying smiled slightly and stretched her hand toward the door: "That's all I have to say. The rest is up to the teacher."

At the door, the homeroom teacher, who had just arrived at the classroom, frowned.

Good grief! They stole my lines! What am I supposed to say now?!

The homeroom teacher coughed, stepped out of the way of the white figure, and walked onto the podium.

"Hmm... Bai did a good job, everyone give him a round of applause!"

A burst of laughter erupted in the classroom. The homeroom teacher rolled his eyes, a helpless smile on his face, and remarked, "Bai Ying, I should remember you as a student for quite a while—and the teacher who graded the Chinese language exam should remember you for a long time too."

"There's nothing more to say now. I wish all my classmates a safe journey—oh, remember to double-check your ID and stationery, and keep everything in your hands so you don't forget anything."

……

The morning exams are over.

Is it over?

Angelina ate bread and milk, and casually gulped down a can of black coffee—everyone's lunch was pretty much this simple.

After all, according to scientific research, eating too much can make you stupid, which is commonly known as being too full.

"The exam this morning was so easy." Angelina felt like she hadn't even come to her senses before the exam was over. "And there was so much time... In the past, the school's standardized tests would take all day long."

"Yes, it's still several hours until afternoon..."

One girl complained, "There's this weird feeling that there's something really important that I should be focused on, but I'm just incredibly bored?"

"We still have several more days of exams to go," another girl said quietly. "I've been trying really hard not to check the answers so as not to affect the upcoming exams."

Angelina hesitated, seemingly wanting to check the answers... but it seemed like other people in the classroom were checking their answers.

Dear students, the time for parting is approaching. Have you said goodbye to your friends? And what are your feelings as you head off into the distance?

Suddenly, a white voice drifted over the radio, calm and powerful, full of emotion, and clear and articulate.

As the cherry blossoms are about to bloom, we are about to say goodbye. Three years of high school have passed in the blink of an eye; our time together as classmates is now a once-in-a-lifetime experience. How many people and events will become shining moments in your memory? How many names and faces of your elementary and middle school classmates do you still remember? How many past events do you recall? Life has an end, cherry blossoms fall, and in our lives, encounters are always casual, and partings are always sudden.

Dear students, the moment you remember someone, forgetting begins; the moment life begins, you are already heading towards your end. But there's no need to feel regret or unease. Coldness and nothingness are everyone's inevitable fate, and the fate doesn't define any one name. Just as when introducing someone, we describe their deeds, experiences, successes, and failures, rather than judging them by whether they will die sooner or later, or whether they are already dead.

Human life is a process of burning.

Everyone! Burn brightly before you're extinguished! We were born to fight to the death!

The students in the other classes didn't know, but the students in Class A of the senior year looked at each other, feeling a little strange.

Although it's different from the speech I gave to the whole class this morning, why does it feel so strange?

"..."

Yukino Yukinoshita rubbed her temples. Could Isshiki have been bewitched by Haku? Or has Haku launched a blitzkrieg against the broadcasting room?

Ugh, what a mess! It's supposed to be an important time for the students, but they're still meddling in things so irresponsibly.

……

As the day's exams ended and the students gathered briefly to prepare to go home, the school's loudspeaker blared again.

The spring breeze blows away the old snow from the eaves, and the fine rain washes the new leaves from the branches. The bright moon of yesteryear is gone tonight, but it will shine on you every year on these beautiful nights.

The gentle, melodious voice echoed through the campus.

[Dear classmates, I am your Bai Ying. I probably don't need to introduce myself. If you still don't recognize me after three years, it's not because I'm arrogant, but because you've lost your senses.]

"Little White is here again?"

Yui Yuigahama was packing her schoolbag, about to leave school with Hachiman Hikigaya, when she heard the voice on the radio and complained, "This offbeat tone is more in line with Shiro's image than the noon announcer's tone."

"Yeah yeah."

Hachiman Hikigaya nodded in agreement with his girlfriend.

At this moment of impending parting, even someone as open-minded and cheerful as me, and as reserved as I am, finds myself wanting to share so much with everyone. Sometimes I think about years from now, walking down the street and bumping into another classmate. You vaguely remember them, but after exchanging greetings, you find yourself at a loss for words, and the other person, too, is at a loss for what to say. All you can do is maintain the polite smile you'd exchange with a former classmate.

Old friends rejoice at meeting, but gaze at each other in silence.

[Sigh, if you suddenly bring up, "Do you remember Bai Ying?", wouldn't you suddenly have so much to talk about?]

We can have a great time criticizing Bai Ying's creations, chatting about the things she's done, and reminiscing about the school trip to the deserted island, the student council power struggles, the charity work of the student aid department, and other past events. Although they are just memories, with changed perspectives, we can probably come up with some new and interesting things to talk about.

Even speaking ill of me is fine; I hereby grant everyone the right to say bad things about me.

I'm glad to be a memory for all of you, rather than a trivial matter to be discussed and laughed off as the days and years pass.

Of course, I will remember you all...

Bai Ying's voice carried a touch of nostalgia, brewing the flavor of bygone years, as he recounted his story in a gentle, detailed manner.

[Whether it's Ms. Hiratsuka, who still can't find a husband this year; the principal who always wants to make the school stand out and is eager to improve; the Japanese language teacher who always communicates literary knowledge through test questions and answers, like a kindred spirit; Mr. Kawasaki, who has a crush on Komachi Hikigaya; or Mr. Tobe, who envies Hayato Hayama's popularity but doesn't have that ability, so he likes to egg him on and make his presence known by shouting loudly...]

Although Bai Ying hadn't finished speaking, the audience was already buzzing with excitement.

"Damn it! I'm going to the broadcasting room right now and killing that kid!"

"Disconnect the broadcast line immediately!"

"A true friend... is clearly a chronic, persistent problem in my work!"

"Kawasaki Taishi? So that's the deceased's name, hmm..."

"Xiao Qi, calm down!"

"Hey—! Anyone do something about that guy?!"

It is reported that Ms. Hiratsuka, who was the first to rush into the broadcasting room, did not catch the culprit, but only found an MP3 player that was playing a recording.

Chapter 108 Graduation Season

Graduated from high school.

An abstract and vague word that doesn't feel particularly real, yet when you think about it, it carries a sense of beautiful hope. It's like the Long March has finally come to an end, and your efforts have finally reached the finish line. Looking at the scenery ahead, you feel a vague sense of anticipation and joy. Looking back on the road you've traveled, you feel a touch of sadness at parting.

People need to be sentimental at times to feel moved.

I'm about to say goodbye to my classmates of three years, and we may never see each other again in this life. It doesn't feel real, but I have a slightly complicated feeling. My journey of years of hard study seems to be coming to an end, and as a former student, I feel a strong sense of joy at not having to study anymore. I feel like I've suddenly become an 'adult,' no longer a 'child' who needs to listen to anyone. Freedom seems to be within reach, but I can't quite put my finger on what freedom is...

Before we could even sort out the current situation, time carried us to the next stage of life.

High school seniors are all carrying some anxieties.

The premise is that you are not subjected to emotionally charged meals three times a day for three consecutive days!

In the morning, Bai Ying summarized and reflected on everyone's high school life.

At noon, Bai Ying offered her blessings to everyone who was about to part ways and even sang a graduation song.

In the afternoon, Bai Ying began to describe with great emotion the story of her child's impending adulthood.

Continue the following day.