“The morning exam is now concluded!”

The examiner, or perhaps the supervisor, announced the end of the morning session. The crowd dispersed, some reluctantly, while others, realizing that the lunch break wasn’t long enough to accommodate everyone if they didn’t hurry, dashed off to secure their meals. Meanwhile, those who had secured seats in the front row showed an iron will, staying put to wait the full time for the next session. Street vendors, raising their voices eagerly, sold food at slightly inflated prices, grinning all the while.

Amidst the crowd, Yang Chil—the seventh of the Yang family—was still in …