After registering in front of the elevator, Huai Shi entered the waiting area and found a seat.
Accustomed to pressure, Huai Shi casually flipped through his music score. However, as time passed and the people in front of him queued up and entered the examination hall one by one, his anxiety grew.
It was like the college entrance exam; no matter how well you prepared, you were inevitably nervous going through it.
Compared to the girl next to him, who was clutching her violin and on the verge of tears from nervousness, Huai Shi felt his mental fortitude was quite good.
But he still couldn't help feeling somewhat uneasy.
Especially deep within his heart, for some reason, there was an ominous premonition that made him feel as if he were sitting on pins and needles.
He even started to feel a rare sense of panic, something he hadn't experienced in a long time.
In the silence, Huai Shi suddenly stood up, drawing a wave of gazes. He offered a stiff smile. "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom."
He walked stiffly, completely oblivious that his gait was comically uncoordinated, his same-side arm and leg moving in unison. His awkward progress was reflected on the monitor's screen.
---
「Examination Room No. 8.」
"Thank you for your participation, miss. That was an exceptional performance."
Examiner James removed his glasses and walked over to shake hands with the female candidate, whose eyes were slightly red. He helped her up, saying gently, "The examination is over. We will carefully evaluate your performance shortly."
James, in his thirties, was tall and wore silver-framed glasses. His smile was full of approachability. Though ABRSM exams were strict, as an examiner, he always tried to create a stable environment for students to perform at their best. He had seen many instances of students becoming distressed by underperforming.
After soothing her gently, James led the candidate out of the examination room.
After briefly organizing the previous candidate's scores, he glanced at the day's schedule and rubbed his eyes tiredly.
A professional-level performance examination generally took more than two hours, which was also very draining for the examiner. Before the next one began, James needed to rest for a bit.
"Huai Shi?"
He examined the candidate's file, looking at the remarkably handsome face, and clicked his tongue in admiration.
Younger than he'd imagined.
He had only rested for a short while when the phone on his desk rang. After answering the call, he was taken aback.
"A last-minute change of examiner?" he frowned. "Why wasn't I notified by the committee office?"
"Occasionally, these things happen, right?" the voice on the phone said.
"That's only applicable during the training period for new examiners, Leona," James retorted. "You know it's against regulations, and it will affect my work..."
Having heard enough of his complaints, the woman's voice on the line became serious, cutting him off. "—James, you owe me a favor."
"Help me out with this, and I'll help you with your year-end rating."
"..."
Silence fell. James was the first to concede. He pulled at his tie irritably. "Don't take it too far, Leona, or I'll report this to the higher committee."
"Relax, dear," she said. "No one's going to put you in an awkward position. You just need to rest in your office a little longer. You'll get your share of cake at afternoon tea."
CLICK!
The phone disconnected.
In the silence that followed, it was as if a soap bubble had been pricked and burst.
Following Huai Shi's entrance, within a mere few minutes, a change swept through the building. All security personnel, both inside and out, were swiftly replaced. More and more unfamiliar faces appeared throughout the premises. These newcomers knocked out the original staff, gagged and bound them, then roughly tossed them into storage rooms. After donning crisp new uniforms, they took up their posts, offering warm smiles to anyone they encountered.
---
"Huai Shi, you can do it! Believe in yourself!"
After washing his face for five minutes, Huai Shi finally calmed down. He clenched his fist, encouraging his reflection in the mirror with a fist bump.
Unfortunately, the reflection looked anything but spirited. Although the cold water had eliminated the dark circles from his late night, his face now looked even paler.
Combined with his inherent Mountain Ghost aura, which lent him a somber air, he looked as if he might collapse on the spot.
Staring at his own ghastly appearance for a long time, Huai Shi felt so disheartened he couldn't bear to look anymore. Fortunately, his nerves had finally settled somewhat. On his way back, he even indulged himself at a vending machine, buying two hot drinks—one to sip and one to warm his hands.
I can pass, Huai Shi frantically told himself. I'll definitely pass. How could I possibly fail... As long as nothing unexpected happens, this exam is practically in the bag!
And then, the unexpected happened...
"Huai Shi!"
Behind him, a voice called out with surprise and joy, "It really is you!"
Huai Shi turned around in bewilderment. He saw an old man who looked vaguely familiar, as if he'd seen him somewhere before.
"Uh... And you are...?"
Visibly, the distinguished old man's expression twitched. Old Zhao, who hadn't appeared in the Book of Fate for a volume, showed a hint of helplessness.
"We met at your school's anniversary celebration..."
Huai Shi blinked, his heart tightening. He suddenly realized why the old man looked so familiar—Isn't that the portrait from my beginner's cello textbook?! Why does it feel like we've met before?
Recalling Raven's misdeeds during the school anniversary while using his face, he instantly tensed up again. What on earth did that woman Raven do while impersonating me!
He slid a hand into his pocket and quickly scrolled through the records left by Raven, finally breathing a sigh of relief.