Chapter 74: The Crimson Roll Hangs High, Heaven-sent Golden Radiance! (Part One)

The academic affairs meeting was conducted smoothly.

During the meeting, the director of academic affairs offered a profound analysis of the recent exam, fully affirming its importance and necessity. The teachers all expressed that the examination had showcased their students’ abilities and exposed shortcomings; every grade vowed to address gaps and strive forward, and so on.

Old Jia, however, heard none of it.

Even after the meeting had adjourned and he stepped out of the office, Old Jia still felt somewhat dazed. The whole venue had nearly exploded with disbelief—no one could accept that a student from a "trash class" could achieve a perfect score. The teachers were amazed, and the actual exam paper was produced, prompting everyone to gather and scrutinize it.

Old Jia rushed forward the fastest, eyes wide open, determined to see for himself.

He examined it from left to right, and finally discovered—not only were the answers flawlessly correct, but the handwriting itself was upright and beautiful!

This was, without exaggeration, a perfect exam paper.

When placed side-by-side with Fang Qingjue’s, one was refined and steady, the other grand and vigorous. Like striking mountains and surging rivers, both exuded a calm composure, unhurried and effortlessly adept even in the face of a rigorous test—far superior to any other first-year student.

“Twin stars shining together!”

A teacher began to praise, and others quickly agreed; such papers truly deserved such acclaim.

Only Old Jia remained dizzy, his mind buzzing as if electrified. He was lost in thought, and suddenly recalled a four-operation arithmetic workbook titled “Little Genius,” and the way Shi Tiexin had resolutely uttered the word “foundation,” brooking no doubt.

That face, like the handwriting before him, carried a heavy force.

At the time, Old Jia had thought Shi Tiexin was bluffing, merely toying with him.

“Who would’ve thought…” Jia Guangsuo sighed, “who would’ve thought he was serious, truly rebuilding his foundation…” He touched his own face, remembering what he’d said—“If you’re so capable, slap my face with your grades, come on! Are you brave enough?”

“Well, he really did slap me, and loudly at that.” Old Jia’s face reddened, but then he laughed happily, “But it’s a good slap, a fine slap!”

He knew his student well. Although Shi Tiexin had once been the top scholar, the old Shi Tiexin could never have achieved this level. He might have scored high, perhaps above 380, but perfection? Impossible.

This meant Shi Tiexin wasn’t relying on his old skills, but was genuinely forging himself anew. He wasn’t like Fang Qingjue, blessed with a perfect family and ample resources. Immersed in the harsh environment of a "trash class," Shi Tiexin nonetheless persevered, surpassing his past self, refining his fundamentals to the pinnacle of perfection.

Such a person, even setting aside teacher-student ties, was worthy of respect.

“It seems he truly rose up,” Old Jia smiled with deep satisfaction, “This kid, he’s got guts!”

After the meeting, in the principal’s office, the academic affairs director was reporting the reaction to the exam. The teachers from each grade were initially convinced, and the next phase of reforms could proceed.

Principal Liu listened carefully, but his gaze involuntarily drifted to the copy of “On Marquis Liu” at his side. As he flipped through its pages, his eyes fell on the line—“What he holds is vast, and his ambition is far-reaching.”

That perfect exam paper, he too had seen.

Principal Liu remembered the name he’d already committed to memory, and this time, he felt confident he hadn’t misjudged.

He knew exactly how challenging his own exam was.

“Prepare detailed data on the exam results, distribute them to every grade and class, so that all teachers and students can understand their own standing. Also, immediately prepare for the honor roll and red banners!

“Every student who scored over three hundred points must be posted in the most prominent spot! And the four who achieved perfect scores, print their names in gold, list them on a separate line.” Principal Liu smiled, “Let the victors savor the joy and praise of victory—only then will more people chase after triumph!”

The academic affairs director nodded and got to work.

Fengming No. 1 High School never outsources its honor roll postings. The school holds frequent exams and swiftly updates rankings, so it has purchased all relevant equipment, running the process with practiced efficiency.

By Wednesday noon, many staff were already busy. In the most conspicuous spots at Fengming No. 1—where the dorms, classrooms, and cafeteria intersected—along the long stretch of display boards, work commenced.

At midday, all previous content was wiped clean, leaving not a single trace.

By afternoon, the printing department delivered the thick stack of finished materials. The staff carefully applied glue, and then—up went the honor roll and red banners!

With swift strokes, large sheets of red paper were pasted onto the display boards. Gloved hands smoothed the paper to ensure the banners were firmly affixed. Some students peeked from nearby classrooms, their curiosity reaching fever pitch.

That afternoon, after school let out.

This time, the usual rush for dinner was abruptly halted. Students didn’t dash straight to the cafeteria; instead, they gathered before the honor roll. Elite class students craned their necks to find their names, key class students searched for their own. Ordinary class students watched from the sidelines, curious and envious, eager to see just how high the top scorers could go.

At the very front, at the highest and most prominent spot, four names were listed side by side.

Zhou Zhengyang from Grade Three Class One, Gu Xuechao from Grade Three Class Two, Fang Qingjue from Grade One Class Three, Shi Tiexin from Grade One Class Twenty-Eight.

Perfect scores.

Joint first in the entire school!

All the students rubbed their eyes, convinced that something strange had slipped among these four. They stared blankly for a long while before the realization struck.

Class Twenty-Eight… wasn’t that the “trash class”?!

My goodness!

It really was the trash class!

A student from the trash class had achieved a perfect score!

Cheating…? Cheating, my foot! Copying…? Over my dead body! With an exam like that, just try copying a single answer—I’d like to see how anyone could possibly cheat their way to a perfect score!

Everyone was utterly stunned. The uproar and heated debate surged outwards from the honor roll. The trash class’s perfect score was so striking, so unprecedented, the news spread like wildfire. It passed from floor to floor, class to class, and exclamations of amazement echoed in every corner.

Even in the teachers’ office, those who hadn’t attended the morning academic meeting were discussing it with relish. Many teachers went to congratulate Teacher Chu of Class Twenty-Eight, believing he’d finally distinguished himself among the young faculty and made a name for himself before the whole school.

But Teacher Chu was left dumbfounded, muttering to himself, “So he wasn’t just wasting time—he really knows his stuff! That guy, he’s truly impressive…”

He’d tried the exam himself and hadn’t even managed three hundred points. He’d heard that elite teachers had reached three hundred eighty, and now, in a daze, he understood there was a reason he’d been assigned to teach the trash class.