Tricks

Just as the school bell was about to ring for dismissal, Zhu Xiangxiang's desk mate walked up to her. Her name was Wu Jiajia, and she was sporting a curious expression. "Say, Xiangxiang, Ming Jing seems to be doing very well in studies these days. I saw on the forum that she got full marks in the recent mathematics test."

Zhu Xiangxiang's hands paused. "Really?" she asked casually. "Ming Jing is a very smart girl."

A snide laugh came from somewhere behind them. "You guys really believe that? It was just a pop quiz, not an actual, official exam. Given the standing of Class 8, I doubt the teachers even bother to check whether the students are cheating or not. Don't you find it strange how quickly this became a trending topic among the forums? Though I must say, Xiangxiang, your sister isn't a simple girl at all. She managed to gain all this traction in such a short time."

The one who spoke was Huang Yue, one of Zhu Xiangxiang's best friends.

"Don't speak nonsense," Zhu Xiangxiang chided her. "Ming Jing isn't that type of person."

"Well, she's just entered the society. She doesn't have anything to speak of in any aspect, especially when compared to you. Looks are inborn, while temperament is developed from a young age. She's a fool if she thinks she can surpass you overnight. The only hope she has is to get higher grades, and the only way she can do that is if she cheats. I would have believed it if she showed some restraint and scored an 80 or 90. But a perfect score? From Class 8? What are we, idiots who were born yesterday?" As cruel as Huang Yue's analysis was, it was perfectly sound.

Wu Jiajia nodded in agreement. "Your words make a lot of sense. But her classmates also post on the forum, and they say that she does study very hard very often. Maybe this is really the result of her hard work."

"Are you kidding me? Even if we discount the students, do you know what kind of teacher handles Class 8? I'm sure she's just pretending in front of her friends."

"Ah, Xiangxiang," Wu Jiajia sighed. "I guess you're sister is really very cunning."

But Zhu Xiangxiang was thinking of those eyes of Ming Jing. They were always so tranquil and quiet, never betraying any worldly desire, never showing any sadness or joy.

The rational part of her brain was telling her that Ming Jing had not attended school. She might be able to read, but she had never received a formal education. It was nigh impossible for her to get full marks on anything, and so soon, too. Zhu Xiangxiang's intuition, on the other hand, reminded her of the constant shroud of mystery hanging over Ming Jing. Strange and unexpected things always happened around her.

Zhu Xiangxiang held her tongue and quietly tied her bag shut. When the bell finally rang, she exited the classroom without a moment to waste.

"Do you think Xiangxiang is pleased about it or not?" Wu Jiajia wondered out loud.

Huang Yue snorted. "If you were in her case, would you be pleased?"

"Well, I don't know… I suppose not."

"Then that's that. Humans are selfish by nature. Just you wait. Xiangxiang is no match for that real daughter Ming Jing, but she owes Ming Jing. I suspect payback will come soon enough."

...

Zhu Xiangxiang waited at the school gates for a while, but she didn't see Ming Jing come out.

"Miss," the family chauffeur said tentatively. "If we wait any longer, we'll get stuck in traffic."

"Let's just go," Zhu Xiangxiang sighed helplessly.

As soon as she arrived home, Lin Qing excitedly pulled her aside. "Come here, Xiangxiang. I have some good news for you."

"What is it?"

"Madam Jiang is holding a small tea party in her home this weekend. She invited several of the socialites in Jiang City, and you're one of them. I just got off on the phone with her assistant."

Zhu Xiangxiang raised an eyebrow. "Just me?"

Her mother's face darkened.

Understanding Lin Qing's unspoken admonishment, Zhu Xiangxiang took the older woman's hand. "Mom, it will be a good opportunity for Ming Jing to get introduced to Jiang City's high society. I'll take good care of her, so there's no need for you to worry."

In truth, this was what Madam Jiang's assistant had said: "Oh, right. Madam Jiang is very interested in the matter of your two daughters. She would like it if both girls came."

And of course, Lin Qing could not refuse.

"By the way, Mom, I heard that Ming Jing got full marks on the math test this morning. Are you sure that she hasn't attended school before?"

Lin Qing looked stunned. "How is that even possible?"

The thing, however, was that she had never bothered to look over the investigation report submitted by the private detective. She had only checked the DNA results, and that had sealed the deal. She knew nothing about Ming Jing's education, just that she had gotten the bare minimum at the nunnery.

She had only planned to have her enrolled in a random class with the sole purpose of getting a diploma, so that she would at least not be disgraced by the girl's lack of education. She hadn't even thought about what came next, much less the possibility that Ming Jing would actually show promise in academics.

Now, after hearing Zhu Xiangxiang's words, Lin Qing's first reaction was to fly into a rage. "That wretched girl has too many tricks up her sleeve! To think that she would dare to cheat in the exam and fool us like this. This is humiliating!"

"Why do you say she's fooling anybody? You haven't even looked into the matter yet, Mom. What if Ming Jing didn't play any tricks? She looks pretty smart."

"You're still speaking up for her even now!" Lin Qing huffed then flew upstairs. She went down a moment later, a file bag in hand.

"Here, this is all the information that detective dug up on that girl. It has all the records about her since she was young." Lin Qing opened the bag and fished out a few sheets of paper. The first one was the DNA report, and then two other measly pages recounting all of Ming Jing's sixteen years of life.

Unlike when she had first received them, this time, Lin Qing pored over the documents with careful attention. The further down she read, the deeper her frown became.

Zhu Xiangxiang also leaned over and joined her.

The report wasn't detailed at all. It only enumerated a few important events and other vague, secondhand stories that had been shared among the villagers living at the foot of the mountain.

It said the Ming Jing had been abandoned at the door of the Lonemoon Nunnery. Grand Master Heartless had pitied her and taken her in, thereby making Ming Jing her second disciple. Over time, she had adopted a few others, giving Ming Jing three junior sisters. The eldest among them was named Ming Xin, who had often gone down the mountain for the barest necessities that the nunnery lacked. The villagers knew her and recognized her as the senior sister of the order. But as for Ming Jing, they never saw her except when they trudged up to the Lonemoon Nunnery seeking aid for various illnesses.

Even among the local folk, Ming Jing was considered an enigma, ever mysterious yet somehow all-knowing. She never spoke, and was always quiet as she brushed through the hallway. When she wasn't tending to the sick, she was either meditating in front of Buddha or sweeping in the courtyard.

One of the incidents that had left a lasting impression on the villagers' memories was the time when a dying old man was brought up to the nunnery. Despite Grand Master Heartless' skills, she wasn't capable of saving someone who was already at death's door. The old man's son had threatened to raze the nunnery if his father died, and had even lunged at the Grand Master herself. Before he could strike her, however, a broom had gone flying into the air, knocking the man to the ground.

"How can you be so impudent in a sacred place of Buddhism?" A young girl questioned. She had stood quietly in the autumn sun, looking small and weak in the middle of the massive hall. And yet she had a determined and calm look on her face that made her appear mature and convincing.

Furious, the man had turned his attack on Ming Jing. Her movements were smooth and swift, and with a few strokes, she had thrown the man out of the nunnery entirely.

The villagers who had been there to see it were all flabbergasted. Since then, they had paid more attention to the Grand Master Heartless' second disciple. And what little they had gleaned about Ming Jing, they had relayed to the detective, who had then put it on the documents in Lin Qing's hands.