The journalists were creating an uproar while the staff at the Provincial Admissions Office were sweating profusely.

Since there were doubts, they decided to check the exam papers. The science stream’s top scorer’s papers were quickly retrieved.

The examiners first looked at the Chinese paper. While it wasn’t a top score for the subject, it didn’t drag down the total either – 102 points. The modern Chinese and classical Chinese sections totaled 59 points, with the composition scoring 43 points.

“There’s nothing wrong here. Hmm, the composition is quite good. If I were grading it, I’d give it 45 points…” The speaker trailed off sheepishly, remembering they weren’t here to add points but to check for errors since the top scorer’s total exceeded the second place by a full 45 points.

“Physics is also correct, 92 points.”

“Chemistry paper has been rechecked, 95 points.”

“Biology paper is accurate, 46 points.”

“The English paper… is perfect, 100 points.”

Ah, a perfect score paper needed extra scrutiny. Several heads huddled together, analyzing the English paper in detail, but after a long examination, they couldn’t find anywhere to deduct points.

When they got to the Politics paper, they finally saw something more typical. One of the admission office checkers exclaimed:

“How did they only score 61 points in Politics!”

It was frustrating – Politics had pulled down the total score. Though it was barely passing, was a mere pass acceptable for the provincial top scorer?!

“What a shame, probably didn’t review Politics well enough.”

“With such excellence in other subjects, perhaps it was just poor performance on the day?”

“If they had scored 70 points… they might have competed for national first place.”

The Provincial Admissions Office staff naturally transitioned from looking for errors to wanting to add points for the top scorer.

The most impeccable was, of course, the Mathematics paper.

“Another perfect score!”

With Mathematics, correct and incorrect answers were clear as day. All multiple-choice questions were correct, and the solution questions showed no point deductions. It was as if the standard answers had been directly printed on the paper. Every required step for scoring points, which steps could be skipped… their eyes burned intensely, almost setting the paper aflame. This year’s Math paper was difficult, with masses of students scoring thirty or forty points. Those who even passed Math were as rare as phoenix feathers – what did scoring 120 points mean?

If not for the last two major questions using different solution methods from the standard answers, the Provincial Admissions Office would have suspected a leak.

After scrutinizing for a long time without finding any issues, someone from the Provincial Admissions Office mumbled:

“There are intelligence differences between people.”

“So what do we do now?”

“The papers are flawless.”

“What can we do? The journalists outside are about to break down the door. Let’s just announce it. Oh, find the contact information for the top scorer’s school and notify them!”

Outside, the journalists had imagined many scenarios about why the provincial top scorer’s announcement was delayed. Was it cheating, or a scoring error?

The office door finally opened.

Lei Shengli squeezed in with the crowd of reporters. Someone stepped on his foot, causing him to lose a shoe. These leather shoes were specially brought back from Shanghai by relatives, and Lei Shengli usually treasured them, but now he couldn’t care less about retrieving them. He pushed forward desperately, wanting to hear the definitive news first-hand.

“What’s the top score for the provincial science stream?”

“Which school is it from?”

Few people cared about the arts stream – mastering science and mathematics was the key to success anywhere.

Lei Shengli finally squeezed to the front and heard someone say: “…616 points, from Fengxian City.”

It wasn’t unusual that a student from the provincial capital hadn’t claimed the top science position. Though the provincial capital’s high schools had the best educational resources in South Yu Province, they only had an advantage in the number of students qualifying. The provincial championship always depended on talent and luck, so it was normal for other cities to claim it.

Now everyone was curious about which school in Fengxian had produced the top scorer.

What good high schools did Fengxian have? Fengxian Second High?

Lei Shengli’s heart was pounding. He had a premonition when the admissions office staff mentioned “Fengxian City” – his mind was buzzing, his blood boiling. He opened his mouth, unable to hear his voice.

His shout silenced the noisy reporters and teachers from other schools.

Lei Shengli used all his strength to yell:

“Is the provincial champion from Anqing County First High?!”

Others thought he must be crazy – what was Anqing County First High? It was an obscure school in the provincial context.

Lei Shengli’s old friends squeezed in the crowd’s outer edge and looked at him with sympathy. They had been assigned jobs together initially, but Lei Shengli had insisted on returning to his hometown while others stayed to teach in provincial city high schools. Over the years, their career trajectories had naturally diverged significantly. They thought Lei Shengli must have gone foolish in that small place, now fantasizing that Anqing County First High, where he taught, could produce a provincial champion.

Why was the announcement delayed? They’d heard the top scorer exceeded second place by 45 points – could a student from Anqing County achieve such a high score?

The teaching quality spoke for itself!

While others thought Lei Shengli was crazy, the Provincial Admissions Office staff gave him an extra look, smiling:

“Comrade, are you a teacher from Anqing County First High?”

…

Graduation photos are precious.

Especially now, when high school graduates might not see each other for decades.

After university graduation, they would be assigned work across the country, with few returning to their hometowns. When they met again, decades of life would have passed, and they’d be approaching retirement age. Class Three’s small group might not gather completely again – life held so many uncertainties.

Some classes chose to take photos in the backfield, others on the flag-raising platform, but Class Three chose the front of the teaching building.

It wasn’t a new building, with its tiled flower beds, but behind them was where they’d spent most of their high school time, their most familiar place. The dormitory was just for sleeping, a place of coming and going, but the classroom was where everyone had buried themselves in study.

For the graduation photo, all available teachers attended, including Principal Sun.

The teachers sat in the front row, with Principal Sun strongly insisting that Xia Xiaolan stand directly behind him. The second row’s center – the most golden, most prominent position – was reserved for Xia Xiaolan. No one objected; despite her irregular attendance, she maintained good relationships with everyone.

After the graduation photo, Principal Sun wouldn’t leave the phone.

9:10 AM – why hasn’t the phone rung yet?

What’s going on with Old Lei? Haven’t seen the score lines yet.

9:20 AM.

Must criticize Teacher Lei when he returns. Oh, Class 3 needs graduation photos? Well, leave temporarily then.

9:40 AM.

Good results or bad, at least make a phone call, Teacher Lei, Old Lei! Class 5 needs photos? Wait a bit, who has the mood for photos now – are you all senseless? The score lines haven’t come out yet!

Time ticked by minute by minute until the office phone finally rang, startling Principal Sun. He pounced on it, while Old Wang pulled out the prepared paper and pen to record. Principal Sun spoke while listening, and Old Wang wrote:

“Key school line 494 points, undergraduate line 460 points, specialist line 427 points, First High passed… 27 people? Did you mix up undergraduate and specialist students? No mistake? Oh, oh, oh, and the provincial first… Ah?!”

Old Wang was recording at the crucial moment when Principal Sun’s voice trembled: “Say that again, I didn’t hear clearly!”

The other end repeated.

Principal Sun had heard it this time, though Old Wang hadn’t!

But Principal Sun couldn’t care less about that now. He didn’t even hang up the phone before running off, his comical movements resembling a monkey in flight, practically moving on all fours. He rushed to Class 3’s classroom, panting heavily:

“…616 points, Student Xiaolan, you scored 616 points, first in the province for science stream!”

Principal Sun’s voice choked as he brought himself to tears with his announcement.