Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Gaokao
Jasper Shaw’s deep voice came from the other end of the line.
Chloe Sinclair got straight to the point. "Did you see my proposal?"
Jasper Shaw looked at the flawless plan on his computer and couldn’t help but chuckle. "Yes, it’s very good."
He paused, then continued, "When can we meet? To discuss... work?"
"Okay."
Chloe thought for a long while, trying to figure out when she would have time, before finally deciding. "Let’s wait until after my college entrance exams. I’ll call you then."
Jasper Shaw agreed without hesitation.
After hanging up, Chloe couldn’t stop a smile from gracing her lips.
Nearby, her father and brothers watched her with probing expressions, unsure of how to bring it up.
Their little girl had seemed so happy just now.
And... and she was planning to meet someone!
Mr. Sinclair was burning with anxiety, shooting meaningful glances at his sons.
But all three Sinclair brothers just shook their heads.
Mr. Sinclair looked at his three sons, frustrated by their inaction.
"Chloe," Mr. Sinclair began, wringing his hands as he tried to figure out what to say. "Who were you talking to just now?"
Chloe turned around and jumped, startled to see Mr. Sinclair leaning in so close.
She took a few steps back and let out a shaky breath.
This made everyone even more nervous.
Her reaction immediately made them wonder if she was nervous about being caught in a secret romance.
"I was on the phone with Mr. ... Shaw."
Mr. Sinclair frowned, not processing it at first. "Who?"
Chloe explained, "Jasper Shaw. We have a potential collaboration. We’re planning to discuss it after my exams, and if there are no issues, we’ll sign a contract."
Mr. Sinclair said, "Our family’s company is quite large. Wouldn’t it be better to work with us?"
This time, Chloe didn’t answer.
The truth was, the Sinclair Family’s business wasn’t involved in that sector at all.
For the next decade, Zenthia would be in an awkward phase of technological development with no major breakthroughs, so Mr. Sinclair had no plans to invest in research labs.
But Jasper Shaw had his sights set on the long term. He was bold and decisive, controlling many pioneering fields. In less than five years, he would soar to become the richest man in Zenthia.
From a business perspective, Jasper Shaw was indeed an excellent partner.
She was about to explain when Landon Sinclair, who had been silent until now, reacted. "Are you talking about the high-temperature superconductor maglev train?"
Chloe didn’t hide it. "Yes."
Landon Sinclair sucked in a sharp breath.
’I thought she just had a design concept,’ he mused. ’I can’t believe she already has a complete proposal ready.’
For the first time, he began to see his rapidly maturing sister in a new, more advanced light.
He’d had many questions recently that he hadn’t voiced.
For instance, why was her progress so fast?
How had she noticed they were being followed back then?
How could she face down those thugs so fearlessly to help him escape?
Landon knew Chloe had her secrets. After that incident, he had hesitated for a long time before deciding not to press the matter further.
All he wanted was for Chloe to live a safe and happy life.
He asked for nothing more.
Landon gave Chloe a deep look. "Jasper Shaw has a good eye. High-temperature superconductors have huge potential, both in research and commercially. But he’s a sly old fox. Bring our family’s lawyer with you when you sign the contract. Don’t let that old fox swindle you."
Chloe wanted to say that Jasper wouldn’t cheat her, but seeing the worried looks on her family’s faces, she ultimately nodded.
However, this set everyone at ease, and they breathed a collective sigh of relief.
As long as no one was trying to steal their little girl away, everything was fine.
「 」
In the days leading up to the college entrance exams, the weather was exceptionally hot and stuffy.
The school gave them a five-day break. Chloe completed ten practice exams at home and then pulled out the specialized entrance exam questions that had been stored in her System for years.
On the day of the exam, the entire Sinclair family dropped their work. They drove over in an RV and booked an entire floor in the hotel across from Chloe’s testing site.
This way, Chloe could go over and rest for a bit after finishing each test.
It was June. The scorching sun hung high in the sky, and the air was thick with oppressive heat. The wind carried waves of warmth, blowing scorched, curled leaves from the trees.
Chloe walked into the testing site holding a bottle of mineral water with its label peeled off.
"Cody, we’ll be waiting for you out here. Remember, don’t be nervous. Read the questions carefully. No matter what you score, Dad will be happy. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself."
Looking at Mr. Sinclair, who seemed even more nervous than she was, Chloe felt mostly exasperated.
"Dad, it’ll get even hotter when the sun is fully out. Why don’t you head back first?"
It was only eight-thirty, but the heat rising from the pavement was already making many people uncomfortable, to say nothing of her father and brothers, who were wearing button-down shirts.
This was especially true for Gabriel Sinclair. Due to his special status, he was wearing a loose black T-shirt and a mask that covered half his face.
The intention was to avoid drawing attention.
But his getup made it hard *not* to notice him.
But the men all shook their heads in unison, their gazes resolute. "We’ll wait for you right here. If it gets too hot, we’ll go back to the RV for some air conditioning."
Seeing that she couldn’t persuade them, Chloe gave up, waved to them, and turned to enter the exam hall.
Inside the exam hall, students were gathered in small groups, seemingly all with people they knew.
Only Chloe, after a look around, found no familiar faces.
Just when she thought she wouldn’t run into anyone she knew, Nina Sinclair walked into the classroom.
Chloe was a little confused.
In her past life, her exam wasn’t in this classroom. She couldn’t remember which one it was, specifically.
But she was certain she hadn’t been in the same exam room as Nina Sinclair in her past life.
To meet in the same exam hall now was truly a surprise for Chloe.
As soon as Nina Sinclair entered, she saw Chloe sitting at her desk.
Her expression stiffened.
She glanced at her assigned seat and saw that it was two places behind Chloe.
Nina kept her head down as she walked to her seat. When she passed Chloe’s desk, she paused and said suddenly, "Chloe, don’t mind what happened with Grandma."
Hearing this, Chloe looked up, her beautiful, wide eyes staring at Nina as if she were an idiot. Then, she slowly raised her right hand. "Excuse me, proctor. This student is disturbing me before the exam."
The college entrance exams were a serious matter. The proctor heard this and was immediately displeased, snapping, "No talking!"
Since the exam hadn’t started and not all the students had entered, the proctor only gave a verbal warning.
Nina’s face flushed red. She resentfully sat down in her seat. Once seated, her dark eyes stared intently at Chloe’s back, like a venom-coated snake.
At eight-thirty, the first exam officially began.
The moment the papers were handed out, Chloe quickly scanned the questions.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the exam content was almost exactly as she had predicted.
’This means my classmates should do pretty well,’ she thought.
When the signal was given to begin, Chloe lowered her head, and her pen started moving without a single pause.
An hour later.
"Proctor, I’d like to turn in my exam."
