Cao Youyi was always a distant character, but this time her voice also unexpectedly trembled with an excitement that she could hardly disguise.
A beginner had learned the first talismanic magic in just two days, what an astonishing talent that was, even the Grade A Seeds from prestigious schools couldn’t compare.
Could it be that Hou De was about to produce a once-in-a-lifetime genius?
However, she then saw Ma Lu looking calm, merely flipping through the papers before putting the list aside.
"There’s no need to rush the talent detection, let’s observe a bit longer. The school’s finances have improved but are still not very ample. We’d better spend the money on more important matters."
Even though Cao Youyi felt that discovering a talent, offering tailored education, and not delaying a student’s development were important, she still admired Ma Lu’s resolve.
Since the Principal had made a decision, she didn’t continue the topic and afterwards led Ma Lu to meet the six candidates.
The two had barely reached the outside of the classroom when they heard voices from behind the door.
"I remember Mr. Shoujing is also a graduate of Hou De, isn’t he? Four years ahead of me, I believe. By the time I enrolled, Mr. Shoujing had already left. We just missed each other.
"However, during my school days, I did hear a lot about Mr. Shoujing’s achievements. I heard that Mr. Shoujing and Mr. Cao didn’t get along, and I didn’t expect him to show up this time.
"Sigh, my quarrels with Jin Hua back then were trivial matters, and like him, I wholeheartedly hoped for Hou De’s improvement, though we chose different paths. I have great respect for Jin Hua as a person.
"Hearing that he exhausted his family wealth and struggled to support the school once he became Principal, now that he is no longer here, I thought I’d come to pay my last respects. I arrived just as the school was recruiting, and I happened just to be idle at home, so I came to try my luck."
"Mr. Shoujing is too modest. With your reputation and connections in the educational field, I believe if you let it be known you’re interested in teaching, all the big schools would vie to recruit you. Mr. Shoujing’s willingness to return to Hou De truly shows his dedication to his alma mater.
"If I were the new Principal and saw Mr. Shoujing’s name, I would be overjoyed and rush to welcome him. It seems that the rest of us might have made this trip in vain."
"Eh, Brother Baichuan need not lose heart; I hear that Hou De is recruiting more than one instructor this time. There’s definitely a chance for everyone..."
They were still talking when the classroom door was opened and two people entered from outside.
Among them, Cao Youyi was already known by the eight individuals in the classroom, but the one walking in front of her was someone the gathered group was seeing for the first time.
One could only say that the person looked even younger than they had imagined, more like the young master of a wealthy household than the principal of a school.
But as soon as he spoke up, everyone fell silent.
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"Xu Shoujing, who is Xu Shoujing?"
Xu Shoujing frowned upon hearing this, he understood Ma Lu’s eagerness to see him, but this young man’s way of addressing him was too casual, not including ’Mr.’ at the end of his name.
Xu Shoujing stood up from his seat, ready to deploy the demeanor of a veteran in the educational field to remind the new principal of Hou De about respecting etiquette.
Unexpectedly, the latter continued, "Thank you, you may leave now."
"Does this mean... I’ve passed?"
"Of course, you haven’t passed," Ma Lu nonchalantly replied.
Xu Shoujing was stunned; he wondered if something was wrong with his ears.
When he looked up at the podium, he saw that the young Principal Ma had not once raised his head to glance at him from beginning to end, engrossed in examining the profiles of the other few candidates.
Xu Shoujing’s anger flared up instantaneously.
"Very well, very well. Has Hou De fallen to such depths now, appointing a wet-behind-the-ears brat as a principal, and treating a renowned educator like this? Boy, do you know who I am?"
"It doesn’t matter. Since you have a grudge against the former principal of Hou De, Mr. Cao Jinhua, there’s no reason for the school to hire you."
"So, is this a personal vendetta?" Xu Shoujing sneered furiously, "Ha, you are so narrow-minded, how could you qualify to be head of a school?"
Ma Lu was amused by the old timer’s outburst and finally looked up at Xu Shoujing, "The position of principal was passed down to me by Mr. Cao. What does it have to do with broad-mindedness?"
Xu Shoujing was momentarily speechless.
Ma Lu then turned his head back to Cao Youyi and said, "In the future, don’t even bother counting such people as candidates; just refuse them when they come for an interview."
Cao Youyi indeed felt uncomfortable upon seeing Xu Shoujing. Xu had not gotten along with Mr. Cao Jinhua since their school days, often quarreling, making them adversaries.
After Mr. Cao Jinhua became principal, Xu Shoujing went to work as a journalist for the Education Newspaper, and their relationship did not improve; Xu often ridiculed Mr. Cao Jinhua and Hou De in the newspaper.
Although his visit this time was in name to offer condolences, his attitude had been lofty and superior, which Cao Youyi did not appreciate. However, over the years, Xu had mixed well at the Education Newspaper, rising early to the position of editor-in-chief.
He even transformed into a famous educator.
He chatted merrily with quite a few officials from the Ministry of Education, as well as many school principals. The man indeed had some reputation and connections. Moreover, he claimed his return this time was to put aside past grievances and revitalize Hou De.
Cao Youyi did not want to reject such a talent over some personal vendetta, so in the end, she decided to write down the name and let the principal make the final decision.
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But upon hearing Ma Lu’s words, she didn’t elaborate further, merely nodding, "Okay."
Xu Shoujing, hearing these two sing in tune with each other, trembled with fury, feeling profoundly insulted. He threw down a harsh remark.
"I have many friends in the education circle. I’d like to see how long Hou De can stay open after offending me!"
Then he turned to the other seven candidates, "Hou De lacks the most basic respect for educators these days. Gentlemen, do you still wish to work in such a place that insults scholars?"
The seven candidates exchanged glances upon hearing this, and after a while, one of them stood up, but the other six remained seated.
After all, they were not very familiar with Xu Shoujing, and some of them indeed needed a job to support their families desperately.
Xu Shoujing snorted coldly and swept out of the room together with the other person who had risen.
For Ma Lu, it didn’t particularly matter about Xu Shoujing and Mr. Cao Jinhua’s previous conflicts. One reason he didn’t want Xu Shoujing was because the timing of Xu’s appearance seemed too coincidental.
According to Cao Youyi, Xu Shoujing did not live in Ping City, but was able to make it to Ping City to pay his respects within a week of Mr. Cao Jinhua’s death, and intended to take up a position at Hou De.
Although it’s not impossible that he was sincerely as devoted to Hou De as he claimed, it was more likely he was being instructed by someone else.
Otherwise, Mr. Cao Jinhua was not a celebrity; his obituary was only published in the Ping City newspapers. How could Xu Shoujing have learned of his death? And why would an educational expert, ignoring other more lucrative opportunities at universities, come to Hou De? Was it just for fun?
Ma Lu suspected that it was because the previous strategies instigated by Hero Group to hassle him through Ping City Education Bureau and the railway bank hadn’t been successful, and now they were uncertain about the background and capabilities of this new principal, so they had changed their tactics, planning to plant a spy in Hou De first.