The intern taught a top-performing class, and the parents wanted to change the homeroom teacher.

Next door, the second examination room.

Xie Tianming took a pen out of his pencil case and twirled it deftly between his fingers, attracting the attention of many students.

The pencil case contains plenty of refills so that you can replace them promptly if the pen runs out of ink after a fall.

"Next time, I'll try to get into the first exam room. I hope I can get exactly one place ahead of Xi Wenjing."

"But there are so many academically gifted geniuses in this second exam hall!"

After spinning the pen for a while, he switched hands and continued spinning it.

"I wonder if Xi Wenjing can handle the math and physics exams. She finally got ninth place; I hope she doesn't fall below that."

"Huh, what if I fall and I cry...?"

"But as long as the math and physics exams aren't too difficult this time, it should be fine. Someone as diligent as her wouldn't carelessly lose points. If she gets the basic and intermediate scores, and completes the first two parts of the bonus questions..."

As Xie Tianming was lost in thought, a teacher walked in carrying a thick file folder. While opening it, the teacher explained the exam room instructions.

"Everyone, be more self-disciplined. Put anything unrelated to the exam on the podium and answer your own questions..."

The exam order is the same as before.

On the first day, we had Chinese in the morning and math in the afternoon.

The next day, chemistry in the morning and English in the afternoon.

On the third day, biology was in the morning and physics was in the afternoon.

The test papers were passed around one by one. Xie Tianming received his Chinese test paper, calmed himself down, wrote his name and class, and began to answer the questions.

His wildly flowing characters have become much more restrained. Although they are not particularly beautiful, he has imitated the calligraphy models given by Teacher Lu so much that they are now clear enough for the teacher to read at a glance.

Lu Qian wrote some calligraphy practice books by hand and made copies for his students to copy, so that they wouldn't lose points unnecessarily.

He always felt that the score didn't decrease from 150 points, but rather increased point by point.

The examination rooms quieted down, and most students began to answer the questions seriously.

...

The exam room with the lowest score.

A student who regularly resides here frowned, looking bewildered.

strangeness.

Most of these candidates were unfamiliar faces.

Who are you?

These weren't the same people before. Several of them were candidates he remembered from the second-to-last exam room. How did they end up in the last exam room?

"Study your own exams," the proctor said casually.

The student then lowered his head, glanced at the test paper, and subconsciously yawned, a wave of drowsiness gradually washing over him.

...

One of the last exam rooms.

The proctor frowned slightly as he looked at an empty seat, glanced at the list, and asked a question.

"Zhao Qihang, why didn't he come to the exam? Is anyone in his class?"

A student quietly raised his hand, "Teacher, he's been hospitalized due to poisoning."

The proctor paused for a moment. Poisoning? What a niche reason.

"Okay, let's continue the exam."

The proctor marked an "X" on the list and wrote the reason after it.

……

The Chinese language exam is not stressful for most students.

The subjects that form the foundation of average students' scores, and the subjects that differentiate top students in terms of ranking.

Dictation, classical Chinese, reading comprehension... As for essays, students with reading experience will have their beginnings and endings highlighted, and the graders will give them an extra point or two depending on the situation.

In the first examination room, Xi Wenjing answered all the questions fluently, and the handwriting on the entire paper was neat and tidy, which was pleasing to the eye.

She flipped the paper back to the front, glanced at it briefly to make sure she hadn't missed any questions, and only after confirming that everything was correct did she put down her pen, gently wiggle her fingers, and look at the essay topic.

We come to know ourselves through the evaluations of others... The existence of others helps us establish our identity... However, the idea that "others are a cage" represents another perspective: the expectations of others... can bind us, making us live up to their expectations, rather than who we want to be.

Others and Self, Mirror or Cage...

Many thoughts immediately flashed through Xi Wenjing's mind. Her father was a lawyer, which meant that she had read far more and of higher quality than her peers since she was a child.

After a brief moment of thought, she picked up her pen and wrote down her first sentence.

People often pay excessive attention to the opinions of others...

For her, this kind of assigned essay topic was incredibly easy to write.

Give examples of people or things in history that were not recognized at the time but whose value was later acknowledged.

For example, Qin Shi Huang's actions that have earned him the reputation of being a tyrant.

Let me quote some more famous lines.

For example, as Emperor Taizong of Tang once said, "By taking others as a mirror, one can know one's own gains and losses."

Stay true to the core message, and getting a high score will be a breeze.

……

The morning exams ended quickly.

Everyone went home to eat and rest.

In the afternoon, math class began—the real battle.

For students with average grades, just watching the proctor bring in the math exam paper is enough to make them feel pressured.

"Answer your own questions..." the proctor instructed as usual, skillfully separating the files into four stacks.

Then, with his hands behind his back, he scanned the examination room. After the bell rang, he handed the document to the first student in each row, saying, "Pass it on to the back. If there aren't enough, take some from the left or right."

Math exams: a battlefield for geniuses.

In the first examination room, number one, Tang Lingfeng quickly wrote his name and class on the test paper, and then immediately looked at the last two questions.

After a moment of contemplation, a smile appeared on his face as he turned back to the first page and began answering the questions.

Candidates number two and three were the same; they wrote very quickly and didn't even need scratch paper for the short answer questions.

Xi Wenjing glanced at the questions in front of her, and her expression relaxed a bit.

Great, I can do it all!

In the second examination room, Xie Tianming didn't look at the major questions. After writing his name and class, he started answering the questions from the beginning.

Answering speed = Writing speed.

Answer the questions from the beginning.

This is something Lu Qian had instructed his students: when you get the test paper, don't look at the later, more difficult questions; just start writing from the beginning.

There are indeed some stubborn students who are somewhat smart, but not many. When they see the last question and get interested, they start to work on it relentlessly. As a result, they run out of time and get half of the questions they worked on wrong.

Are you kidding me?

...

Forty minutes later, Xie Tianming put down his pen, twisted his neck, and let out a breath.

I'm done writing. My hand is a little sore. There were quite a few steps involved in these big questions.

I don't know who released it.

Tired!

Don't let him know, or else... hmph!

It would be great if I could just write down the answers directly.

Steps: Omitted.

He checked the exam paper again, and then a question popped into his mind.

What should I do now?

Xie Tianming glanced around discreetly; the others were still writing furiously.

Looks like he was the first to finish answering, hmm~ a little smug feeling.

However, several test takers did manage to complete the last question.

This is far superior to the level of the students in the last monthly exam.

By the way, what magic tricks will be performed at the New Year's Eve party?

He hadn't forgotten that he could also have a magic prop custom-made by Teacher Lu.

But magic props can be bought online now. Should we ask Teacher Lu to make a prop with commemorative significance?

His thoughts gradually drifted away.

Almost simultaneously, Tang Lingfeng in the next examination room also put down his pen and fell asleep.

.

.