I was reborn without dreams

Chapter 97 Dialogue of Talented People
Having just slightly toned down his stance on issues of fairness such as the right to take exams and the right to education, Zhang Da'an then made a dazzling appearance on the comprehensive channel of Luzhou TV's "Dialogue with Talented People".

"Good evening, viewers at home and in the studio. Welcome to 'Dialogue with Talented People,' I am your host, Zhuo Yang..."

"Today, our guest on 'Dialogue with Talented People' is someone who is exceptionally talented in a field that we are all familiar with. Everyone knows about or has experienced the middle school entrance exam or the college entrance exam, right? Our guest today is not only the top scorer in the middle school entrance exam, but also the top scorer in the college entrance exam. He has also become an entrepreneur."

"Alright, next we welcome Zhang An, the top scorer in the 4695 Wudu Middle School Entrance Examination, the top scorer in the 4696 National College Entrance Examination (Science), the top scorer in the 4697 Jiangkou Province Arts, the chairman of 'Zhang An Education' and the head coach of Xindongwei Port Middle School."

Amid applause and background music, Zhang Da'an, dressed casually, waved as he walked onto the stage. After shaking hands with the host, Zhuo Yang, he cheerfully took the microphone and then sat down on the sofa with an air of nonchalance.

Today he was dressed simply in jeans and a T-shirt, with sneakers on his feet, still exuding the air of a modern, bright-eyed college student.

Although not.

"I see a lot of parents in the audience, and their eyes are really enthusiastic. It seems they're planning to learn from our special guest today."

After Zhuo Yang energized the atmosphere, he turned to Zhang Da'an and asked, "Hello Zhang An, I'm very curious, how did you manage to become the top scorer in both the science and arts exams?"

"It's just a matter of registering, waiting for the exam time, and then waiting for the results after the exam."

"That's all? You're done talking?"

"Correct."

"..."

When the host, Zhuo Yang, showed a speechless expression, the audience burst into laughter, clearly not expecting Zhang Da'an's answer to be so... bizarre.

"It seems I also have a chance to go back and take the college entrance exam, and then become the top scorer."

"It's not impossible that you'll accept my training."

"..."

Zhuo Yang's speechless expression once again elicited laughter from the audience.

The rhythm was excellent. Zhuo Yang's skill level was still higher than Zhang Dangyang's. However, there was a difference in their platforms. Zhang Dangyang rose from humble beginnings and was helped by a benefactor, unlike Zhuo Yang who was "born into wealth." The difference in their starting point was like heaven and earth.

"Although it was a joke, I believe everyone has seen that Zhang An is very confident in improving my exam scores. It seems there really is some magical method involved, and that's what we're going to talk to Zhang An about today. I believe that the parents in the audience here, and those watching on TV, are all very curious about this and want to know, 'Hey, what kind of magic does Zhang An have that can improve students' scores so much? Zhang An, can you reveal a little bit?'"

"Of course, my methods are all core technologies, and I'm not afraid of them being imitated by my peers if I reveal them."

Zhang Da'an had a smile on his face, giving people the feeling of being relaxed and confident. The audience's emotions couldn't help but fluctuate between the host Zhuo Yang and the special guest Zhang Da'an.

"Perhaps many people aren't too familiar with Zhang An's achievements. Besides having two students achieve the top score in the national college entrance examination, his 'Top Scorer Tutoring Class' boasts a 100% undergraduate admission rate. Several of his classes also have a 100% admission rate to top-tier universities in Jiangkou Province, and two classes have a 100% admission rate to prestigious universities. His middle school entrance examination results are even more astonishing. Last year, more than half of the top 1,000 middle school students in Zhang An's local area were his students..."

"The reason I'm saying all this is to let everyone know about Zhang An's achievements, which are truly astonishing. But what's even more astonishing is that his educational approach might be different from what you're thinking. The school Zhang An runs is more like a park than a school campus. I'm not exaggerating. We even made a special trip to Xindongwei Port Middle School in Shazhou City to film a segment. Please look at the big screen."

In terms of filming techniques, the media in Beijing and Shanghai certainly have the skill to capture the idyllic scenery of ordinary sandbar suburbs, making the water and sky blend seamlessly into one.

Moreover, they are very good at timing. At this moment, the rice fields in the rural area of ​​Shazhou are golden, and the visual impact is already strong. Suddenly, a group of Jiangnan gardens appear in the golden landscape, with willow embankments, stone railings, green tiles and white walls, huge beech trees, ginkgo trees and metasequoia trees. The momentum they create makes it hard to imagine that this is a school.

I never would have guessed that this was a middle school.

Unlike most modern "elite schools", Xindongweigang Middle School exudes a slow-paced, peaceful and comfortable atmosphere inside and out.

Truly a place of birdsong and fragrant flowers.

This short film left the audience momentarily stunned. What they saw on TV was essentially a promotional video, and even the children were captivated, let alone the parents.

It's a little different from the campus environment I imagined. It's neither the modern and glamorous big city scene on TV, nor the dilapidated and simple place from my old memories. It's just that it leaves such a deep impression and is quite different from what I imagined.

"Are you all stunned? I see the expressions of surprise on the faces of the audience. They certainly didn't expect this to be a school. I believe many people felt the same way I did when they first saw it—it definitely looked like part of a scenic spot. But I want to say that this is real. Zhang An's newly established Dongweigang Middle School looks just like this. But it's not just like that; there's more to it than meets the eye. There are many details and measures that I never expected. I will ask Zhang An a question next, and the audience members will also have the opportunity to ask questions later."

The host, Zhuo Yang, was very satisfied with the audience's reaction. Of course, half of them were shills, Zhang Da'an's "little cousin" who came to make up the numbers and show his support. Since he had come all the way to Luzhou, he was determined to have a great time.

"The first question today is... Zhang An, why was the school built like this? I don't mean it's bad, but it's too good. To be honest, if it were a resort, I believe many people would be interested. Pastoral scenery, birdsong and fragrant flowers, wouldn't it be too idyllic? For the students?"

"First of all, I want to emphasize this again, and it's not the first time I've emphasized it, but I still want to emphasize it: those who come to me to learn are not students, but trainees. The 'Zhang An Education' that I founded is ultimately a profit-making enterprise, not a non-profit organization. So for me, trainees are customers, and customer satisfaction is the operating principle of 'Zhang An Education'."

"Secondly, I don't quite understand what you mean by 'too comfortable'? Although I just got the top score in the liberal arts exam, there might still be some knowledge points I haven't mastered. Could the host explain what exactly you mean by 'too comfortable'?"

"..."

The host, Zhuo Yang, once again looked speechless, but still earnestly explained, "What I mean is, students go to school to study. If the school is built too well, won't it affect the students' enthusiasm for learning? Look, there are idioms like 'hanging one's head from the rafters and pricking one's thigh with an awl,' 'stealing light through a hole in the wall,' and 'studying diligently under a cold window.' If the students' study environment is too good, won't it have an impact?"

"Oh, I see. The host means that the school environment doesn't need to be too good, because if it's too good, students will become complacent and lose their motivation, is that what you mean?"

"Yes, yes, that's pretty much it."

"Isn't that crazy? Trying to suffer when you can't?"

"..."

"If the school environment is too good, it will make students slack off. Well then, I'll go to the Luzhou Municipal Education Bureau tomorrow and give them feedback. I'll say what you said, host: the school environment shouldn't be too good. Let's exchange it with the facilities of schools in the central and western regions. Luzhou doesn't need good facilities; there are plenty of places that want them." "I can see that now. No wonder you're the top liberal arts student."

Zhuo Yang's hosting skills are up to par; with just one sentence, he reignited the atmosphere amidst laughter, and the accompanying music even added a playful glissando.

However, the phrase "enduring hardship without suffering" really resonated with many student viewers in front of their televisions. "Remembering the bitterness and appreciating the sweetness" education exists everywhere, but even in many places where the economy has improved, many parents still practice "remembering the bitterness" while "appreciating the sweetness" is nonexistent.

Zhang Da'an's outrageous remarks almost instantly aroused the dissatisfaction of a large number of older viewers, who were helpless behind the screen. They were so angry that they picked up the phone to find out the complaint hotline of Huzhou TV, and then dialed the hotline to rant and rave.

The phrase "enduring hardship without effort" alone garnered over 200,000 complaints. But that's nothing compared to what happened next. Zhang Da'an's outrageous remarks on the show caused tens of millions of people to have their mental state explode.

"Okay, maybe my thinking is flawed. So, Zhang An, tell me why you built the school so well?"

"There's no particular reason, it's mainly for the sake of a pleasant mood. Who doesn't like a beautiful house and a beautiful garden? Besides, I'm also responding to the national call to align the school with international standards. Look at the international trend of 'open universities' and 'garden-style universities,' I'm learning from advanced international experiences."

"It looks like a garden in the Jiangnan region, not a European castle."

“Jiangnan gardens are expensive, but European castles are only a few dollars. I have over 80,000 yuan for a single ginkgo tree and over 6 million yuan for a tower-style study room. Once you spend the money, the atmosphere will naturally follow. If I had less money, I would go for European-style decoration, but since I earn a lot, how can I let my students see my sincerity and dedication if I don't use Chinese-style decoration? Besides, the country also advocates that ‘what is national is also international,’ and I am still responding to the country’s call.”

"..."

Don't ask, the answer is simply that we are responding to the call of the nation.

What's wrong with me pursuing both internationalization and localization?
no problem!

Even though he had already reviewed the Q&A content, host Zhuo Yang still had a slight mental lapse, feeling a bit like he was in a daze.

For the audience in the studio and those watching on television, they heard nothing but "a tree costs more than 80,000" and "a study room costs more than 6 million," as if money was being spent like water.

They're really that willing to spend money... Wait, something's not right!
You're spending money like this, is this a school that ordinary people can afford?!
Many parents were outraged and wrote letters to report that "Zhang An Education" was undermining the fairness of school education. Of course, unlike writing letters, parents from ordinary families in Luzhou picked up the bedside phone while lying in bed, muttering "damn it" as they dialed the complaint hotline.

The main criticism is of that little bastard on TV talking about "Zhang's internationalization" and "Zhang's localization." That's sophistry and sophistry. You're talking nonsense about internationalization and localization.

Ten minutes after the program started airing, Luzhou TV triggered a public opinion risk. However, it was not necessary to cut it off. After a little analysis of the complaints, it was determined that the problem was not with the program itself, but with the guests.

Fortunately, the problem wasn't serious, because the guest had already encountered issues in his hometown of Jiangkou Province.

Before your Huzhou TV station was trembling with fear, my Jiangkou TV Education Channel was already trembling with fear.

After the first question, the ratings for "Dialogue with Talented People" broke its own record. This is a 9 pm program, which cannot compare to the 7 pm or 8 pm programs, and of course, it cannot compare to the midnight program.

Before going to bed, I'd rather watch a TV series or variety show. It's more normal for someone who's full and bored to watch a talk show, maybe glancing at it a couple of times at noon or in the afternoon.

As a result, after the host Zhuo Yang asked the second question, many people were wide awake and couldn't fall asleep.

"Regarding my first question, Zhang An gave an explanation that seemed to make some sense. So, I'd like to ask my second question tonight, which is rather sensitive, even a little sharp. There's been a lot of public opinion lately about video games, with many schools and parents opposing them. But Zhang An, you seem to be a staunch supporter of video games, and you've even allowed them into schools. Is that right?"

"With so much academic pressure, playing a couple of rounds of 'Red Alert,' 'Age of Empires,' or 'StarCraft' is no big deal to me. I still don't understand why some people make such a fuss, and some even call video games 'electronic heroin.' Isn't that just pure anti-intellectualism and ignorance?"

"..."

The silence of the host, Zhuo Yang, was deafening, because some of the audience members had actually come to hear Zhang Da'an's opinion on this matter. They were also parents and opposed their children playing video games.

Let alone computer games, even watching an 8-bit PC connected to a TV is annoying.

"Won't this affect your grades? After all, there's an old saying that 'playing with things leads to the loss of ambition.' What's your opinion?"

"Me? I see with my eyes."

"..."

Zhang Da'an remained relaxed, even introducing the e-sports competition at Xindongweigang Middle School: "At Xindongweigang Middle School, not only can you play video games, but we also organize the 'Ango Cup' e-sports competition every month. It mainly features Red Alert, Age of Empires, and Starcraft, followed by Three Kingdoms, King of Fighters, and Street Fighter. Parents who are skilled at playing also participate, creating a great atmosphere. The school has a 'Ladder Qualifying Tournament,' and only those who qualify and rank highly can participate in the 'Ango Cup'..."

When Zhang Da'an introduced the story, the host Zhuo Yang felt like he was listening to gibberish, and the audience was stunned.

"Wait, wait, wait, my head's a bit of a mess right now. What's the 'Ango Cup'? What's the 'Ladder Qualifier'? And most importantly, what I'm most curious about, is that even parents who like to have fun participate?!"

"The e-sports competition held by the school is called the 'An Ge Cup,' and An is the same as Zhang An. The students I mentored for the two years who achieved good results called me 'An Ge'..."

"Let me interrupt for a moment. What if the grades aren't good? What should I call you then?"

"Call me Teacher Zhang."

"..."

That's amazing!

At that moment, even Zhuo Yang, who had reviewed the script, couldn't help but think, "Damn it!"

(End of this chapter)