Chapter 73: A Perfect Score? (Part 2)

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“Perhaps everyone has heard that this exam yielded some perfect scores,” the Director of the Education Department sighed. “To be honest, even I am surprised, because I myself could not achieve a perfect score. The students keep creating miracles, time and again, making me see them in a new light.”

There was truth in these words; the teacher representatives all nodded in agreement. Each had tried the exam themselves and had to admit that to earn a perfect score on such a challenging test was truly remarkable.

But who cares to hear all this? What everyone wants is the results! Just yesterday, teachers from different grade groups had made wagers, and today, they were eager to see whose students performed best.

“Let me first read out the list of perfect scores.”

Yes, yes, this was what everyone anticipated most.

The Director first glanced at the senior mathematics group. “Let’s start with the senior year.”

The senior teachers sat straight and composed.

“Two students achieved perfect scores.”

Two? That many? The teachers from other grades were visibly startled.

“They are—” The Director read from his card like an Oscar presenter, “Class One, Senior Year: Zhou Zhengyang.”

Zhou Zhengyang!

The teachers nodded; they had all heard of him, truly a prodigy. This year’s college entrance exam relied on him to strive for the provincial top scorer position in Northern Su, and perhaps even the overall champion of Southern Direct Administration.

There was still another—who could match Zhou Zhengyang?

“Class Two, Senior Year: Gu Xuechao.”

Of course, it was him. The teachers nodded in their hearts; the result was entirely expected. The two were rivals, neither yielding to the other. Though Zhou Zhengyang led in recent mock exams, Gu Xuechao had a solid foundation—who could say who would win in the end?

“The seniors performed well this time. Apart from these two, there are eight more students who scored above 380. Overall, theirs is the best performance among the three grades.”

The senior teachers immediately basked in glory, straightening their collars and adjusting their cuffs, their air one of supreme confidence.

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“Now for the second year.”

The second-year teachers sat up straight, exchanging glances with confidence. Though fewer than the seniors, there was at least one student to represent them.

But the Director shook his head. “There are no perfect scores in the second year.”

“What?!” A math teacher couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wang Jinquan didn’t get a perfect score?”

Wang Jinquan was the academic star of the second year, currently its top student and president of Fengming First High’s student council. During grading, the teachers confirmed that his answers were all correct.

“We reviewed all high-scoring papers and discovered that Wang Jinquan made minor mistakes on pages four and five. So his final score is 398.6.” Not every question was worth a single point.

The Director explained, “The two questions he missed weren’t difficult, not for his level. But careless errors cost him perfection.”

The second-year teachers were disappointed.

Wang Jinquan had excelled in the difficult sections, so all believed he was secure, and rumors of a perfect score had spread, challenging Zhou Zhengyang for supremacy. Unexpectedly, it was the simple questions that tripped him up. Some teachers pondered deeply.

Mistakes in simple places—this too is a sign of shaky foundations.

“There are no perfect scores in the second year. The highest is Wang Jinquan, and including him, five students scored above 380,” the Director announced. “In all score ranges, the second year trails the seniors.”

The second-year teachers wilted, reflecting that even Wang Jinquan couldn’t reach perfection; the exam was truly tough. Conversely, it highlighted how outstanding Zhou Zhengyang and Gu Xuechao were—dominant talents towering above their peers.

What about the first year?

“Before announcing the first-year results, let me say this,” the Director glanced at the first-year group, disappointment evident. “The first year is the weakest overall. Only two students scored above 380; scores in the 350s and 330s are lower than the second year. Frankly, our three grades at Fengming First High are declining generation by generation.”

The first-year math teachers were left speechless, unable to refute. This was the first time in the school’s history that all grades had been brought together for a unified exam, and hopes had been high. But now, it was clear—the others had purebred horses, while they had lame mules.

Among the first-year math teachers, only Old Jia, with his electric wit, remained unfazed, confident his reputation would be spared.

“However, the two students who scored above 380 in the first year are both exceptional,” the Director smiled at Old Jia. “Class Three, First Year: Fang Qingjue, perfect score.”

Old Jia smiled broadly, accepting the amazed, envious stares of all the math teachers. No one doubted the result; Fang Qingjue was the unrivaled genius of the first year.

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The teachers whispered among themselves.

“The Fang family’s educational standards in Northern Su are truly remarkable!”

“To be on par with Zhou Zhengyang and Gu Xuechao, being the top of the year is no empty title.”

“Old Jia really lucked out with such a promising student!”

Old Jia was delighted; their envy was futile. During the exam, he had thought, if anyone in the first year could score perfectly, it would surely be Fang Qingjue. As expected, the name matched the person: serene and proud, exceptional talent.

“Don’t get too excited,” the Director raised his hands, “I haven’t finished. There’s another perfect score in the first year.”

“Oh?” Even Old Jia was surprised. “Another perfect score?”

The other teachers were equally astonished.

By now, they had a clear sense of the first-year students’ abilities. Generally, none were capable of a perfect score. Even among all elite classes, including the so-called top ten, none came close. With only two students above 380 and a twenty-point gap, the difference was vast—a whole level apart.

Embarrassing as it was, the first-year’s overall ability was indeed far behind the other two grades.

In such circumstances, who could stand out, surpass peers, and rival Fang Qingjue?

The teachers looked expectantly at the Director, whose expression grew more intriguing. “This is the most surprising result of the exam. I assure you, we’ve reviewed this student’s answer sheet repeatedly—there are absolutely no issues. If you don’t believe me, I can bring out the paper for immediate inspection.”

The teachers exchanged bewildered glances—what was going on, why all the formality?

“Frankly, I’m astonished myself. The other perfect scorer in the first year is…” The Director paused for effect, then announced, “Class Twenty-eight, First Year: Shi Tiexin.”

“What?!” Old Jia couldn’t help but leap to his feet, utterly dumbfounded.