Chapter 67: A Mighty Wave of Influence Approaches

At the stroke of midnight, when the minute and hour hands of the vintage clock hanging on the wall aligned perfectly at 12:00, Chen Qiang rushed to the landline phone.

Lin Hui swiftly turned off the television and suggested, "Let's use the speakerphone."

Chen Qiang had already memorized the number for checking the results.

The call connected.

Chen Qiang hurriedly began, "My son's name is Chen Xiao, and the admission ticket number is..."

A female voice from the phone interrupted, "I'm sorry, the number you dialed is currently..."

Chen Xiao couldn't help but chuckle, but witnessing Chen Qiang's nervousness, he couldn't help but feel touched.

After all, parents were parents. Despite their financial situation or educational background, they would always go above and beyond for their children.

Lin Hui was anxious too, urging, "Try again!"

From midnight until half-past twelve, they finally managed to connect the call.

Chen Qiang realized that he needed to manually enter the admission ticket number and conclude with the pound (#) sign.

The articulate automated system started to report the scores.

Candidate: Chen Xiao, admission ticket number: XXXX, Chinese 122, Math 150, Science 270, English 133, total score 675.

Chen Xiao had left no stone unturned during the college entrance exams, giving his all.

"Ah!" Lin Hui exclaimed with joy!

Chen Qiang burst into laughter as well, "My goodness! 675! Just as I expected from my son!"

Lin Hui added joyfully, "It's all thanks to your primary school education. It's embarrassing how you boast, but it's your son's hard work that's brought us this achievement."

Chen Qiang jestingly responded, "Well, his hard work is inherited from me!"

675 points!

An impressive high score, and unless something unforeseen happened, it was likely the highest score in Jiangcheng, and possibly even in Jiangzhou (Jiangcheng was a county-level city within Jiangzhou). To put it bluntly, he was the top scorer.

His acceptance to any university was secured.

While Lin Hui was pleased, a hint of regret lingered. She secretly wished Chen Xiao could apply to a more prestigious institution.

Just as she was about to tease him, she picked up the landline to call Sun Yan.

Chen Qiang interjected, "What are you up to?"

Lin Hui explained, "I'm just going to call Sun Yan and ask about Pingping's score."

Chen Qiang cautioned, "Don't go stirring up a conflict for no reason!"

Lin Hui insisted, "My son has made me so proud! Sun Yan has been arrogant for so long; it's time to give her a push."

Indeed, human happiness often hinges on comparison with others.

Lin Hui dialed the number and eventually learned that Chen Ping had scored 540 points.

Sun Yan, on behalf of her daughter, offered a series of excuses—such as the hot weather during the exam and pre-exam illness—to account for the lower score.

Lin Hui maintained her happiness on the surface, but inside, she was somewhat disappointed.

"Chen Ping isn't like her mother. She's a good girl. I wonder what the cutoff score will be this time."

Chen Xiao shook his head faintly and retired to his room.

The next day, the most highly anticipated news across the nation was the release of the college entrance exam results.

Early in the morning, Teacher Liao, Chen Xiao's homeroom teacher, made a call.

The school had received the students' scores.

"Chen Xiao, 675 points!" Teacher Liao practically cried with excitement. This was the highest score among the students he had ever taught.

He could boast about this achievement for the rest of his life!

"It's a shame he didn't apply to Peking University or Tsinghua University!" Teacher Liao couldn't help but lament.

Chen Xiao, of course, thanked him profusely.

"Jiangzhou Daily," "Jiangzhou TV Station," "Jiangcheng Today," and other related media in Jiangyang Province were among the first to receive the college entrance exam results from the education department.

Chen Xiao, from Jiangcheng No. 1 Middle School, third-year class 3, ranked first in the province with a total score of 675.

Reporters flocked to Jiangcheng No. 1 Middle School to interview Teacher Liao and the principal.

Facing the reporters' inquiries, Teacher Liao couldn't wipe the smile off his face.

Teacher Liao: "This child is brilliant, hardworking, and eager to learn! Not only does he excel in his studies, but he also motivates the entire class to learn... He's passionate about inventing things... He even applied for a patent..."

Teacher Liao: "This child has a distinct personality... Actually, a few months ago, Yenching University and Shuimu University were considering special admissions for him, but he declined..."

When discussing his accomplished student, Teacher Liao couldn't contain his praise.

Rejecting the special admissions offers from Yenching University and Shuimu University was certainly a point of pride!

Meanwhile, the reporters were quite lively. They were particularly interested in Chen Xiao's study habits, hobbies, lifestyle, family background, and more.

Chen Xiao responded candidly.

The reporters found his answers to be logical and resonant, particularly when Chen Xiao stressed the importance of building a solid foundation for learning, which allowed for better understanding through analogy. They were eager to get this story out.

Moreover, Chen Xiao's humble family environment fit the mold of a scholarly individual that the reporters appreciated. A modest background, parents working hard (or not working), and the child striving and ultimately gaining admission to a prestigious university.

This story was ideal for an exclusive feature.

Towards the end of the interview, the reporters posed a question, "We've heard that despite having the grades to apply to Shuimu University and Yenching University, you chose to apply to Jiangzhou University. Can you explain this decision?"

Chen Xiao replied, "A good university's reputation is determined not just by its name, but also by its actions. While Jiangzhou University might not be widely renowned, graduates from the institution have excelled in fields such as integrated circuits, communications, biomedicine, and finance across the country. I believe I can gain a wealth of knowledge by attending Jiangzhou University."

He added, "I never seriously considered studying abroad, which is why I didn't apply to Shuimu or Yenching."

The reporters comprehended Chen Xiao's perspective and didn't catch the subtle undertones in his response.

On the day of the interview, the television station aired Chen Xiao's interview, and newspapers were busy printing related articles to grace the headlines the following day.

The editorial team even pondered a title: "The Rise of an Underprivileged Scholar—Focusing on Fundamentals to Become the Champion."

The newspapers would hit the stands early in the morning.

At the "Jiangzhou Daily" editorial department, Li Feng also noticed Chen Xiao's interview. He was delighted and exclaimed to his colleagues, "I knew this kid had potential! A champion! Outstanding! True excellence prevails; underhanded tactics are unnecessary!"

Li Feng felt a sense of relief.

He had always believed in justice, and that belief remained steadfast.

In Yanjing, major universities were keeping a close watch on the exam results from various regions, particularly the performance of the top scorer in each province.

After all, exceptional talents formed the bedrock of a prestigious institution, making them the most sought-after candidates every year.

"The champion from Jiangyang Province is Chen Xiao of Jiangcheng No. 1 Middle School, scoring a total of 675 points! This year's national college entrance exam used uniform questions, and this score would likely place him within the top five nationally!"

At Yanjing University's Admissions Office, Teacher Xu hastily delivered the news.

The newly appointed Director Wang of the Admissions Office couldn't hide his excitement upon hearing the score. He exclaimed, "Quick, check which university Chen Xiao applied to!"

Director Wang still held a strong belief in Yenching University. These days, the top students either chose Yenching or Shuimu University; there were hardly any other options.

Zhao Lixing, the deputy director seated nearby, took a deep breath, feeling extremely frustrated and uneasy.

What an exceptional student! He should have been accepted by Yenching University, but certain teachers at the school had ruined that opportunity!

Zhao Lixing wanted to explode with anger, muttering in a low voice, "Director Wang, there's no need to check. We know this student. He rejected our special admission offer. He won't be applying to Yenching University."

"What!" Director Wang was taken aback by this revelation!