The night before the college entrance exam results were released, I redeemed my Peking University ad

The teachers and students of No. 99 Middle School were unaware that the outside world was in complete chaos.

On the playground, after Ji Bai finished singing, the applause lasted for a long time.

Principal Wang walked onto the stage with a radiant face, took the microphone, and delivered a heartfelt greeting, starting with "Ji Bai is the pride of No. 99 Middle School" and then saying "All teachers and students should take Ji Bai as their role model."

Then, from "The power of role models is boundless" to "I knew long ago that Ji Bai was no ordinary child," he spoke for a full twenty minutes, making the dean of students' legs go numb from standing there.

Finally, the meeting adjourned.

The homeroom teachers led their students back to their classrooms, while Ji Bai's homeroom teacher, Li Mei, personally escorted him to the school gate.

The June sun shone brightly, illuminating the large red banner with yellow lettering at the school gate, making the two characters "Ji Bai" stand out even more.

Standing under the banner, Li Mei looked at the boy in front of her, wearing a faded school uniform jacket and pushing a broken bicycle, and felt a mix of emotions.

I've graduated.

This troublesome student who had given her headaches for three whole years is no longer her student from today onwards.

He lived alone, ate alone, and guarded that empty house all by himself. Even when he received such good news as his college entrance exam scores, he had no family to share it with.

Li Mei bit her lip, and suddenly, as if possessed, spoke:

"Ji Bai".

Ji Bai was looking down at the bicycle lock that he could never get right when he heard this and looked up.

"If you feel lonely at home alone, you can come and stay at the teacher's house."

Ji Bai was taken aback.

He tilted his head, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Teacher, are you placing bets in advance?"

The gentle look on Li Mei's face froze, and she blinked: "What do you mean by placing bets in advance?"

Ji Bai shrugged: "It's like in ancient times when a scholar went to the capital to take the imperial examination, and a beautiful woman took the initiative to throw herself into his arms. People would place a bet in advance, and once the scholar passed the exam and became the top scholar, the woman's whole family would rise to prominence."

"Old teacher, you have a good eye for investment, knowing to invest in potential stocks in advance."

To be fair, our homeroom teacher, Li Mei, is indeed quite good-looking. While she may not be stunningly beautiful, she has a certain charm that grows on you the more you look at her.

She looks somewhat like Wan Qian. She's not stunning at first glance, but the more you look at her, the more beautiful she becomes.

Most high school students around seventeen or eighteen years old might not appreciate this kind of appearance, but Ji Bai has lived two lives.

"If you want to place your bets in advance, I can seriously consider it and give you a chance."

Li Mei stood there, feeling a vein throb violently in her temple.

She knew it.

She knew she shouldn't pity this bastard.

What a miserable child, what a wanderer with a sword, what a homeless man, he still has the same sharp tongue as when he wrote her love letters three years ago!

"Ji Bai! You, right now, immediately, disappear!"

Ji Bai got on his bike, pedaled twice, then looked back at her and sneered.

"Woman, you have no idea what you're missing out on!"

"roll!!!"

Ji Bai pedaled the bicycle that rattled everywhere except for the bell, and wobbled away until he disappeared around the street corner.

The wheels creaked and groaned as they rolled over the road, which, combined with his nonchalant back view, made him look especially irritating.

Li Mei stood at the school gate, her chest heaving violently.

That bastard!

She shouldn't have been so overly maternal!

……

in the afternoon.

At the entrance of No. 99 Middle School, two black Passats silently parked directly below the banner.

One vehicle had a local license plate, while the other had a provincial license plate (A).

Six people got out of the car, all dressed in dark executive jackets, white shirts, and black leather shoes, with serious expressions.

The leader was a middle-aged man in his fifties with his hair neatly combed. He looked up at the large red banner with yellow characters on the gate, his gaze lingering on the words "City's Top Scorer in College Entrance Examination" for two seconds, and his brows furrowed slightly.

A man behind him quickly walked to the security booth, took out an ID card from his pocket, and waved it in front of the security guard.

"Hello, we are from the Provincial Education Bureau. We're here to inquire about the situation."

The security guard was dumbfounded.

He guarded the gate of No. 99 Middle School for ten years, and he had hardly ever seen any cars, let alone those of provincial leaders or even the municipal education bureau.

What's wrong with me today?

Soon, Principal Wang, along with the vice principal, the director of teaching affairs, and other members of the leadership team, came running out to greet them.

Principal Wang walked at the front, his steps quick but steady, with a standard welcoming smile on his face.

"Distinguished leaders! I am so sorry for not greeting you properly!"

Principal Wang strode up to the leader and shook his hand firmly.

"I am Wang Jianguo, the principal of No. 99 Middle School. Several leaders have come to visit unexpectedly, and we were not prepared at all. It's really—"

"Principal Wang, you're too kind."

The leader smiled faintly, the kind of smile that's businesslike.

"We are from the Provincial Bureau of Discipline Inspection. We are here today mainly to learn about the situation of Ji Bai, a student from your school. It's just routine business, so don't be nervous."

When the group entered the school and learned that Ji Bai was an orphan with no relatives, the members of the investigation team visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

But when they pulled up Ji Bai's report card for the entire senior year of high school, and saw his mock exam scores of just over 300 points each time, the group's brows furrowed again.

"Okay, we understand the situation."

Principal Wang was still confused and leaned over to ask, "Sir, what happened? Why did you have to come all this way?"

The investigation team was stunned: "Don't you guys go online? The internet is in an uproar! Everyone's saying your school's top scorer cheated!"

Principal Wang: "I don't know!"

He genuinely didn't know; Old Wang swore he hadn't been online slacking off all day.

After Ji Bai left, he stayed in the office writing materials.

"On How a Weak School Achieves a Comeback: A True Account of the Top Scorer Cultivation Program at No. 99 Middle School"

"My Top Student and My Growth Story: The Story of Ji Bai"

Request for designating No. 99 Middle School as a key municipal middle school (draft)

Speech at the Annual Meeting of High School Principals in Fucheng City: The Future is Uncertain, We Are All Dark Horses

……

They were so enthusiastic that they still don't know what happened.

Several people from the provincial bureau looked at Principal Wang's genuinely bewildered expression, and their lips twitched simultaneously.

"Alright, don't overthink it. It's nothing. We just came to find out what's going on."

The bureau's people came and went quickly, and the two Passats drove out of the bumpy alleyway of No. 99 Middle School one after the other.

Principal Wang stood at the school gate, watching the Passat's taillights disappear around the street corner. He felt something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

. . .

night.

Provincial Education Bureau, Conference Room.

"Director Chen, the background check is complete. Ji Bai is just an ordinary orphan. His parents died in a car accident three years ago. He has no relatives in official positions and no connections."

"Director Chen, the exam room surveillance footage has been retrieved. There were no abnormalities or cheating throughout the entire process."

"Director Chen, the original answer sheet and roll of paper have been retrieved. The handwriting matches, and there are no errors in the grading. The score of 716 is accurate."

After everyone finished reporting, the conference room fell silent.

Director Chen's brows were so furrowed they could trap a fly.

Weird!

That's so weird!

There was no background involved, no cheating, no misclassification, and the entire process was completely compliant.

How could a student who consistently scored in the 300s on mock exams and only in the 300s on the high school entrance exam score 716? How did he become the sixth-highest scorer in the province?

Are there really geniuses who achieve great things late in life and have a sudden enlightenment?

"Director Chen, what do we do now?"

Everyone was looking at him.

The public opinion is overwhelming!

The discussion across the internet has now exceeded one billion times!

Many people are watching!

If this matter is not handled properly, it will be a fatal blow to the credibility of the college entrance examination!

Director Chen remained silent for a full five minutes before finally slamming his hand on the table: "Since all the verifications are in order, then let's announce the facts as stated!"

"The fairness of the college entrance examination is beyond question, and we must not allow a true genius to be buried by online rumors!"

……

The next morning at eight o'clock.

The official account of the Liaoning Provincial Education Bureau promptly released the verification announcement:

[Notification Regarding the Verification of Ji Bai's College Entrance Examination Scores]

"Regarding the recent online discussions surrounding Ji Bai's college entrance examination scores, our bureau established a special investigation team and conducted a comprehensive investigation. The results are hereby announced as follows:"

1. Ji Bai, male, 18 years old, a student of Fucheng No. 99 Middle School. His parents passed away in a traffic accident in 2023. He has no special family background.

2. After reviewing the full examination room surveillance footage, the candidate's original answer sheet, and handwriting analysis, it was determined that Ji Bai's examination process was compliant, and there was no cheating or impersonation involved. Therefore, the results are genuine and valid.

3. It has been verified that Ji Bai's mock exam scores during high school were indeed low, but there was no irregularity in his college entrance examination scores.

The National College Entrance Examination (NCEE) is the fairest talent selection mechanism in the country, and we treat all candidates equally. We appreciate the supervision from all sectors of society, and we urge everyone to view this rationally and not to believe or spread rumors.

The announcement caused an uproar across the internet!