Chapter 386: Chapter 387: Have Xu Ying Withdraw from the Competition

Xu Ying smiled sheepishly, “Director Zhang, I heard that winning the competition could give me a chance to participate in an exhibition abroad in the foreign ministry.

So I really wanted to go, and that’s why I’m here taking the exam.”

As soon as she said this, Director Zhang couldn’t help but laugh, “You girl, you can’t sit still for a moment. You’ve already enrolled in university and should focus on your studies, but here you are still thinking about how to make Yu County rich.”

Xu Ying giggled, “Our village has indeed become rich, but Yu County is quite large, and there are still many villages that haven’t seen improvement.

I must be fair to everyone.”

This time, she wanted to go abroad to expand the catering business and then promote Dapeng Vegetables, before peacefully returning to her hometown to develop agriculture.

Director Yang was at a loss for words looking at her, the country really needs talents like Xiao Xu. If every part of the country had people as capable and considerate as her, we probably would have achieved modernization in all four aspects long ago.

“Alright, alright, I can’t argue with you,” Director Yang said with a laugh.

The first round of the competition was a written exam, and under the supervision of the invigilators, these students from all over began their tests.

Xu Ying breezed through the exam paper and finished the questions quickly.

For the next hour or more, she rested her head on the table.

Many students envied this scene.

Liu Ying’s eyes were fixed on Xu Ying, thinking that this was their cousin-in-law’s wife; she wasn’t especially beautiful and hardly more stunning than herself.

By midday, Xu Ying couldn’t wait to leave the room, and Huo Chen had been waiting at the entrance for her.

Seeing her come out, he quickly supported her, his eyes filled with adoration, “How was it, were the exam questions difficult?”

Xu Ying shook her head, “No problems at all,” she touched her stomach, somewhat coquettishly said, “My daughter is hungry, she wants to eat.”

Huo Chen softly patted her head, a smile on his lips, “Come on, let’s go get some food for my wife and my daughter.”

“Are you sure it’s a daughter? Could it be a son?” Xu Ying asked curiously, hoping for a girl so she could dress her up in pretty dresses.

Huo Chen looked at her, his eyes full of laughter, “What’s the matter, you prefer girls over boys? Either is fine.”

“Girls are more well-behaved!” Xu Ying said with a smile.

Little did she know that the two kids in her belly had completely opposite characters; the girl was a tyrant while the boy was well-behaved.

Liu Ying had been watching Xu Ying since she left the exam hall, her eyes widened when she saw her run into a man’s arms.

The man wore all black, was tall and statuesque with cold, sharp eyes, clean facial lines, a high nose bridge, and beautifully shaped lips, all radiating nobility and elegance, especially the way his eyes fondly gazed at the woman in his arms.

It was involuntarily jealousy-provoking.

Her aunt was right, her cousin was indeed good-looking and reportedly quite wealthy from running a business.

Liu Ying eyed Huo Chen, her lips curling up slightly, feigning surprise as she approached him, “Excuse me, you look so familiar, just like my grandmother’s sister’s daughter.

Is your family from Shanghai? Do you know the Zhou family?”

Upon hearing this, Huo Chen’s eyebrows arched, he responded indifferently, “Is there something you need?”

Liu Ying’s face turned awkward, not expecting Huo Chen to be so dismissive, she sheepishly responded, “No, just that you looked familiar and I thought maybe we were relatives.”

Xu Ying’s mouth curved up in a slight smile as she said to Liu Ying, “Girl, it’s not a good habit to casually claim someone as family just because you meet them.”

Huo Chen pulled Xu Ying, “Let’s go, let’s eat.”

After they finished speaking, both turned and left, leaving Liu Ying stomping her foot in anger. They really were from the countryside, so uncivilized.

“Yingying, why did you come out first? I’ve been looking for you for a while.”

Xu Ying, hearing the voice, turned her head and saw it was the friend of the girl from earlier calling to her. Was her name also Yingying?

“Are you ready?” Huo Chen stood up to fasten her seat belt before starting the car.

Liu Ying watched him drive away, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. He was so young and already driving a car.

“Yingying, what are you looking at?” her female classmate asked curiously.

Liu Ying shifted her gaze, smiling, “Nothing much. How did the exam go?”

Her classmate sighed heavily, “I don’t think it went well. That Minister Xu from Qinghua was competing, everyone knows that girl is good at foreign languages. I think we don’t stand a chance this time.”

Liu Ying’s face was full of disdain upon hearing this, “It’s said that the girl is quick-witted, but who knows what she’s really like in an exam. And wasn’t there a translator in the foreign affairs pavilion that day? Who knows whether it was really her communicating with the foreigners or if the translator was speaking for her.”

Her classmate hesitated after hearing that, “But didn’t you see how quickly she finished the exam?”

“Maybe she didn’t know the answers and just scribbled something down!” Liu Ying mocked. Country folk have limited educational resources; how much foreign language can they really know.

Her classmate thought there was some truth to that.

Thinking of Huo Chen’s appearance and status, Liu Ying suddenly felt challenged.

Back in her hometown, there were many boys who liked her, as she was recognized as the school beauty. She simply couldn’t believe Huo Chen would resist her charms.

Now, with his wife pregnant, at the peak of his vigor, he was most vulnerable to flirtation. Men are creatures driven by their lower half.

In the afternoon came the listening and on-site tests, and Xu Ying, without hesitation, excelled with her outstanding language skills.

When Director Yang announced the results, some people were immediately unhappy.

“Teacher, this test is too unfair. Who doesn’t know that Minister Xu is good at foreign languages; she could be a teacher already. How is it fair for us to compete with her?” one male student called out angrily.

Director Yang looked uneasy upon hearing this.

Seeing this, the rest of the students started to shout, “Exactly, how can we compare to Minister Xu? Isn’t this competition making a mockery of us?”

“What do you suggest we do?” Director Yang asked.

“Have Xu Ying withdraw from the competition, then it will be fair and just.” The speaker was the first to shout earlier; his English was good. If not for being held back by his teammates, and Xu Ying’s standout performance, he would have definitely won.

Xu Ying, standing in the middle, had a cold expression, “According to you, should all capable people not participate in competitions? I see your English is pretty good too, why don’t you withdraw and let the rest continue?”

Upon hearing Xu Ying’s words, the man’s face changed instantly, “Why should I withdraw, my proficiency in English is my own skill.”

“Why should I withdraw then? I taught myself these skills, didn’t I learn them incorrectly?” Xu Ying looked at his double standards with even greater disgust.

The man choked, his face flushing with a mix of blue and red, “That’s sophistry. Your English is so good, you don’t have to worry about finding a job, but if we win, it would improve our job prospects.”

This competition organized by the Shanghai Foreign Affairs Department was intended to recruit talent. If they won, they might directly secure a spot within the department, whereas Xu Ying didn’t need it, occupying a spot without contributing.