The college entrance examination ended on July 9th, and on the 10th I went to school to estimate my scores and fill in my application forms. I remember that the day was hot, and there were long bright spots cast by the sun on the earth. Looking back, this memory seems to have stayed for many, many years, just like those smiles.
Although the overall atmosphere was not as tense as on the eve of the college entrance examination, as it is a part of the moment that determines one's fate, everyone's expressions were still solemn. Sun Hui was personally present and gave everyone reference answers.
After the distribution, he would pace back and forth from time to time, asking one, "How many points do you think it will score?" and then asking another, "What do you think it will score?"
The fan was whirring, just like the countless times they had spent here.
He walked by Cheng Ran several times, looked down several times, and finally stretched out his hand naturally, and put it on his shoulder. When Cheng Ran looked over, he smiled like a V for Vendetta mask, "It's not out yet... Don't worry, tell me the score directly later. I had a student of your level in the last class, and the final score was not much different from the estimated score, at most one or two points."
Several people around pricked up their ears and looked at each other... Boss Sun, you are going too far. You always say that you treat everyone equally, but in the end you exposed your mistake. What's the matter with the complacency revealed by the words "people of your level"
Even Zhang Ping couldn't stand it anymore. He waited for Sun Hui to walk over and poked Cheng Ran, saying with a smile, "Why, now that Jiang Hongshao has left, is Sun Hui planning to find a champion here?" Finally, seeing the people around him turning their heads to pay attention to them, Zhang Ping fiddled with them again, "Cheng Ran, tell me loudly, do you have confidence?"
At that time, Zhang Ping and the others remembered that Cheng Ran replied, "What confidence do you have?" Everyone just laughed it off. This kind of thing is really just a joke. Who said that we can't joke around? Although it was a tough part of estimating the scores, everyone had to have a revolutionary spirit of optimism.
After pacing back and forth for a few times, Sun Hui finally lost his temper. He was unable to remain calm at this moment. When he came over, he finally asked Cheng Ran, "What is the score? Is 690 or not?"
"Maybe… "
Sun Hui asked again, "What about 680?"
"Maybe."
"670?"
"Well… "
"660..."
“That’s impossible. You’re not even sure about 660…” Sun Hui turned his head away, unable to conceal the disappointment in his words.
Could this be... smashed
Many people saw this scene. The students were also aware of it and had discussed things from his perspective in private. They knew that although Sun Hui did not say it, he was apparently quite depressed. The departure of Jiang Hongshao, the top student in the grade, was really helpless. But after Jiang Hongshao left, Cheng Ran's performance fluctuated and he even ranked tenth in the grade in the mock exam.
Sun Hui also knew very well that Jiang Hongshao's departure would definitely have a ripple effect. In this respect, Cheng Ran was not an ordinary student either, and he could not hit them too hard, otherwise it would be counterproductive. But what was undoubted was that the elite force in the class who were striving for high scores was greatly weakened.
Some ominous premonitions kept lingering in Sun Hui's mind, so he simply stopped paying attention to Cheng Ran's estimated scores. As a head teacher who had seen off many graduating classes, he still had a certain level of composure. It was just that the results of three years of hard study would be revealed once and for all, and no matter how many times it happened, he was still nervous about the fate of these people in front of him.
The kids occasionally joked around, but generally they were serious. Some of them bit the tip of their pens, while others scratched their heads as they wrote down their preferences based on the list of college majors they had written with their parents the previous night. That was the life path they had planned and the possibilities for their future lives.
Finally, I submitted my application forms one after another. The next step is to wait for the results to be announced in two weeks, and then I will return to school to get my personal files.
After the score estimation, some people filled out their application forms and left, while some of the top students went to have the final negotiations with the university admissions teams. Tsinghua University and Peking University each have their own admissions teams stationed in Chengdu, and there are admissions staff at No. 10 Middle School for on-site guidance. Now they have set up a point inside the administrative building. One classroom is the "Tsinghua point" and the classroom opposite is the "Peking University point". They are all competing for people in the final score estimation stage, and the situation is tense.
Only the top students of No. 10 Middle School who have not yet filled out their application forms are eligible to be here, and many parents of these students have also come along.
Tsinghua's early publicity has worked. In the past, No. 10 Middle School had the advantage in admissions to Peking University, but now it seems that Tsinghua is about to catch up with or even surpass it. This year, 12 students from No. 10 Middle School were admitted to Tsinghua University and 10 to Peking University. Now, for the admissions with reduced scores and self-recruitment, 11 students have clearly applied for Tsinghua University and 11 for Peking University.
Tsinghua University and Peking University have confirmed that they will enroll 45 students in No. 10 High School, which is indeed among the top ten high schools in the country.
However, not all students who were expected to be admitted to Peking University and Tsinghua University submitted their applications at this time. Zhu Xu took his estimated score of 695, which should be the highest estimated score publicly available among No. 10 Middle School at that time, and found that his opponent was no longer there.
He didn't wait for Cheng Ran.
When the score estimated by Zhu Xu, who had the highest score among the top ten middle schools, was handed over to Zhang Ming, the head of Tsinghua University's admissions team, Zhang Ming decided to the admissions team, "This is probably the top score. Take him."
On the other hand, Xia Fangweng, the head of Peking University's admissions team, brought a senior student from the top ten high schools. She was beautiful, outstanding, bright, and well-spoken. People from Tsinghua University were criticizing that this was Peking University's beauty trap, but Peking University was not angry. The senior student talked to Zhu Xu for a long time, and finally it was concluded that Zhu Xu was admitted to Peking University Guanghua School.
Outside the recruitment offices of the two top two domestic universities are students and parents who admire and envy Zhu Xu. Now those gathered outside have different expressions. Some parents are worried that their children's grades will not be good enough to get into the two top universities, some look superior because of their children, some are talking to the admissions team with confidence, and some are earnestly asking for a promise from the admissions team... But there is no doubt that those who are qualified to be outside the admissions teams of Tsinghua University and Peking University are actually luckier than 99% of the students and have brighter prospects.
When Zhu Xu went out, he met Yang Xia and her parents. Amid the admiring words of many outstanding students and their parents outside, and under the gazes of Yang Xia herself and her two parents who already knew who he was, Zhu Xu walked away with a very casual posture.
Even though he was destined to lose the initiative with Yang Xia and had no chance to impress her later, he could still leave her with the most amazing impression in high school by striding towards a bright future at such a moment.
…
While busy with negotiations, the two admissions directors, Zhang Ming and Xia Fangweng, both thought of Cheng Ran, who seemed to have no news from either party so far. They had not seen Sun Hui either. Zhang Ming went out and called Sun Hui to ask about Cheng Ran's application situation. Sun Hui said that he was in the office with Cheng Ran.
Zhang Ming almost subconsciously confirmed his original judgment. Cheng Ran was indeed the kind of student whose level fluctuated greatly. The fact that he hadn't come over yet clearly meant that there must be a problem with his score estimation. So was there something wrong with the exam
Zhang Ming thought of the professor from Tsinghua who had asked him to recruit Cheng Ran. Actually, he had mentioned it at that time. When the admissions team came to estimate the scores, he had not met the professor again, so he had not exchanged such opinions. But until now, since he had promised, he still had to do it. So Zhang Ming said to Sun Hui, "You should talk to Cheng Ran. We should make a waiver for him in Tsinghua's policy. He may not do well in the exam this time. It doesn't matter. The fluctuation is a bit big, but the level is still there. The policy remains unchanged. Ah... The policy remains unchanged. You can reduce the score by 50 points and sign a pre-admission agreement."
Sun Hui's response was, "Let me talk about it again..."
Almost immediately after Zhang Ming made the call, Xia Fangweng, who was thinking of Cheng Ran, also called, "Teacher Sun, has Cheng Ran in your class made a decision?... Okay, ask him to make a decision quickly..."
From this phone call, Xia Fangweng got the information that Cheng Ran did not go to Tsinghua, nor did he come to find them, so the situation was most likely... he failed the exam.
Xia Fangweng forced herself to suppress the cold reception she received from Cheng Ran's parents. Now her tone was a little cold, but she also expressed her concern. "You can come to me... We can talk, but as soon as possible. His score may not meet the requirement, but Peking University can also make some policy arrangements. For example, you can sign a contract first. As long as you express your willingness to obey the adjustment, even if you are 20 or 30 points short, you will most likely be admitted... Of course, there are limited places for such contracts. If he doesn't come to sign as soon as possible, we can't guarantee that the students behind him will not squeeze out the quota."
"I'll try my best, I'll try my best..."
"As soon as possible..."
At this point, he was no longer in a hurry. Both Tsinghua and Peking University probably thought that this was the last remaining piece that could be won, but if they couldn't win, it didn't matter if the other side took it.
…
“Two phone calls… Two phone calls!”
In Sun Hui's office, he was holding the Motorola straight-bar that he had just put down from his ear, and said to Cheng Ran, "Tsinghua University and Peking University! How many people today want to enter these two schools but can't. You have such an opportunity, and now both schools have made it clear that they will even give you preferential policies, but you don't go. This is the first time I've seen such a thing in my life... Why do you want to go to South China University of Technology? What magic does South China University of Technology have that makes you want to go in? Although I admit that South China University of Technology is also good... But after all, it is Tsinghua and Peking University!"
Students in the class submitted their application forms one after another. When Cheng Ran handed in his last form, Sun Hui took the form and looked at Cheng Ran again, then asked him to come to the office. When they arrived at the office, Sun Hui was angry for a while, thinking that Cheng Ran was playing a joke on his future and destiny, so he tried to persuade him earnestly.
"Let me say something unpleasant. Those classmates who were not as good as you all went to Peking University and Tsinghua University. Just imagine what they will say one day when they talk about your choice today. Will you regret it one day?"
"I know your family's situation, your father's identity, and your company is now a household name in our province, bringing honor to us, which is great... But that's also why have you ever thought that you can bring glory to your father in this way, proving that you, as his son, have done just as well? Or do you really think those two companies are 'small temples, big demons, shallow ponds, many turtles'? You are not a great man, why do you want to play such aloofness?"
Seeing Sun Hui's anxiety and the regret in his expression that he even valued Cheng Ran's future more than his own son's, Cheng Ran smiled, "Teacher Sun, I'll make you some tea to calm you down."
As he spoke, Cheng Ran used a water bottle to mix some tea into the cup in front of him.
Sun Hui's expression improved a little, but he still said stubbornly, "No! I don't want to drink! Explain it to me!"
Cheng Ran thought about it, and finally looked at him and said, "Teacher Sun, I have absolutely no idea of looking down on Tsinghua and Peking University, and I am not so arrogant. But that will not help my future. As you said, our family situation is special, and what my father and his people have done, the problems that Fulong Company is facing are also very complicated and serious... It's not just the superficial halo."
"You mean, you are bound by your family... so you have no choice? You can't choose the school you want to go to, or study the major you want to study?"
Cheng Ran shook his head.
Sun Hui was about to get angry again, "Then what are you talking about!?"
Cheng Ran said, "No, it means that now, my dad doesn't need me to go to a prestigious university to bring glory to him. Instead, I can choose a school that I really want to go to."
Sun Hui understood a little, "You mean, South China University of Technology is the school you really want to go to?"
Cheng Ran nodded. "At this point, I hope to share some of the responsibilities for my father. If I can study at SUSTC, it will be easier for me to get in touch with the professionals in this school that has invested a lot in research and development. Fulong Company needs these talents."
Sun Hui stared at him blankly, and then he realized that Cheng Ran in front of him was not a student who was still stuck in the ordinary life of most people. The level was different. Because of family factors, Cheng Ran was more concerned about his personal future than in a narrow sense.
Sun Hui asked back, "What I don't understand is that, speaking purely of talent, Peking University and Tsinghua University have just as many, and perhaps even better, so why not go there?"
Cheng Ran nodded. "You're right. They are even better and smarter. They may surpass their peers in IQ. But that's because they are too smart. There are too many talented people around them. They have too many prospects. So they have too many options."
"Students who finish their studies at Tsinghua University and Peking University still have a way out. They can apply to better universities abroad, study for a master's degree, get a doctorate, and get a degree from a world-class university. There are many places they can go, such as Wall Street, or return to China to engage in politics or business and create a turbulent career. Most of them want to change the world... and I don't need such people."
"What I need are people who don't have such a wide range of career options, so they can only focus on their craft. They may not be smart, not that good, or clumsy. If they don't do their professional things well, and don't make further progress in their careers, they will starve to death, so they can only go down this stupid path to the end... Fu Long and I need such people."
“There are many such people in SUSTC.”
Sun Hui stared at Cheng Ran blankly.
That was the first time he discovered a student who stood out so much.
Later, Sun Hui informed the heads of the admissions teams of Tsinghua University and Peking University of the reasons why Cheng Ran rejected their applications, and also gave them Cheng Ran's estimated scores.
Holding this estimated score, Zhang Ming, the head of Tsinghua University's admissions team, murmured, "Is it too high, my friend? It's a bit fake..."
Xia Fangweng, the team leader of Peking University, rubbed his brows and temples and said in authentic Sichuan dialect, "I am having a headache because of recruiting students..."
I can’t finish writing, so I’ll update this chapter first.
Thanks to the leader of the 100,000 yuan reward "A Breeze of Uniqueness"! Thanks to the 50,000 yuan reward "Big Cat" (pen core)! Thanks to the brothers and sisters who voted and rewarded me during this period.