The Starfield University evaluation system comprised seven hundred and forty-three detailed criteria, with a maximum possible score of thirty-six thousand points. Shanjue ranked first; Qianhui ranked second.
One night, Shanjue stayed in the library until eleven-forty. By the time he returned to the dormitory, the cafeteria was already closed. He used a portable gas stove to cook two packs of instant noodles, adding an egg.
His student ID buzzed: "Dietary and Health Management score: deducted 0.1 points."
Thirty-five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point nine points. He turned off the light and went to sleep.
The reason for Qianhui's deduction was even simpler — she couldn't swim. Tread water for thirty seconds. She tried six times and failed each time. She had nearly drowned as a child; the moment her feet couldn't touch the bottom, she panicked.
The instructor's record: Failed to pass. Deducted 0.2 points. Thirty-five thousand nine hundred ninety-nine point eight points.
She knocked on Shanjue's door. "You got deducted too?"
"0.1. Cooking instant noodles."
"Me, 0.2. Afraid of water."
Shanjue looked up. "Does it bother you?"
"No. Second place is still mine anyway."
The corner of Shanjue's mouth twitched slightly. "Good, then."
Qianhui turned to leave. "Brother, the system can deduct our points, but we are still standing here. I think that matters more."