Chapter 34 - Chastise
As Du Hong was about to pound the table in frustration, Xie Tianhua burst through the door.
Recognizing him, Du Hong shot him a glare and demanded, “What's the deal with Ye Hao's English?”
“I'm actually here to discuss that very issue,” Xie Tianhua replied with a wry smile.
“On his way to the English exam, Ye Hao was involved in a car accident. In the midst of trying to help someone, another mishap occurred. He was rushed to the hospital for emergency care,” Xie Tianhua explained somberly. “Yet, Ye Hao was determined to make it to the test center.”
“Did he make it on time?”
“He wasn't late,” Xie Tianhua said, his eyes blazing with anger. “Ye Hao got to the No.2 High School's exam site at 9:13 a.m., but Hsu Lee barred him from entering the hall.”
“What?” Du Hong exclaimed, taken aback. “Why would Hsu Lee do that to Ye Hao?”
Xie Tianhua recounted the bad blood between Ye Hao and Hsu Lee.
Hearing this, Du Hong seethed with anger. “Hsu Lee has no business teaching.”
“Had it not been for Hsu Lee's interference, Ye Hao could have topped the national rankings,” Xie Tianhua stated gravely. “In subsequent English tests at No.3 High School, Ye Hao nearly scored perfectly.”
Du Hong's rage was palpable. “Let's go to No.3 High School together.”
Xie Tianhua had long harbored the desire to confront No.3 High School.
He was itching to give Hsu Lee a piece of his mind and demand to know why she was so cruel.
At No.2 High School!
“Now that we're all here, Mr. Sun, please proceed,” Zhou Xiao, the principal of No.1 High School, instructed.
Sun Xiang addressed the leadership, “Based on this year's SAT scores, I've compiled the list. Thirty-two students have been accepted into top-tier schools, and another one hundred and three into standard institutions.”
“And who clinched the top spot?” Zhou Xiao inquired.
“Lan Xiaodie, with a score of 888,” Sun Xiang answered.
“Unfortunately, she won't be attending any of the six elite universities.”
“Not only is she unqualified for the top six universities, but she can't even get into the Traditional Medical University.”
“That's just Lan Xiaodie's usual level,” the leaders of No.2 High School remarked in agreement.
“Is the student from No.1 High School the top scorer in Jiangnan City?” Zhou Xiao suddenly pondered.
“No, the top scorer in Jiangnan City is Ye Hao from No.3 High School.” Sun Xiang hesitated slightly when he said Ye Hao's name.
“No.3 High School?”
“Ye Hao?”
“Why does the name Ye Hao ring a bell?”
“He was once a student at No.2 High School.”
“What?”
After a school leader gave a brief rundown of Ye Hao's situation, all the leaders were clued in.
And they were incensed.
After all, having the top scorer of Jiangnan City's SAT could significantly boost the school's prestige!
“How many points did Ye Hao score?” Zhou Xiao inquired, regaining her composure.
“900 points,” Sun Xiang reported after reviewing Ye Hao's total score.
“900 points? But I recall Ye Hao scored 928 in the monthly exam,” Zhou Xiao reflected, then added, “So, Ye Hao's performance dropped.”
Just then, the meeting room door was abruptly flung open. Xie Tianhua barged in, furiously confronting Zhou Xiao.
The No.2 High School leaders were dumbfounded.
The principal of No.3 High School was here to berate them?
“Xie, what's the meaning of this?” Zhou Xiao asked, her tone darkening.
“You're aware that Ye Hao scored 900 points, but do you know the reason behind his score?” Xie Tianhua fixed his gaze on Zhou Xiao.
“How could I possibly know why he scored 900 points?” Zhou Xiao replied, clearly perplexed by Xie Tianhua's insinuation. What did this have to do with her?
“Had your school's Hsu Lee not interfered, Ye Hao would never have scored just 900 points,” Xie Tianhua's accusation left the No.2 High School leaders in shock.
What connection could there be between Ye Hao's score and Hsu Lee?
“I'm not following,” Zhou Xiao said, trying to remain composed.
“If you're looking for answers, examine Ye Hao's individual subject scores,” suggested Du Hong as he entered the meeting room.
Du Hong's unexpected arrival sent shockwaves through the leadership at No.2 High School, prompting them to rise to their feet immediately.
Why would the Director of the Education Bureau show up here?
Zhou Xiao felt a sinking feeling of foreboding.
“Mr. Sun, please read out Ye Hao's grades,” Zhou Xiao requested, turning to Sun Xiang.
Upon reviewing Ye Hao's scores, Zhou Xiao's face visibly paled, especially at the sight of Ye Hao's English score.
“Mr. Sun?” No response came from Sun Xiang, causing Zhou Xiao to furrow her brows in concern.
“Language Arts: 150 points,” Sun Xiang announced hastily.
Zhou Xiao and the rest of the leadership were taken aback.
They knew all too well that scoring perfectly in Language Arts was no small feat.
Achieving full marks on an essay was tough enough, let alone the analytical questions that often tripped students up.
“Mathematics: 150 points.”
While the Language Arts exam tested a student's comprehension skills, the math exam was a measure of their innate talent.
“English: 0 points.”
Hearing this, Zhou Xiao and the other leaders were utterly bewildered.
What was happening here?
“Didn't Mr. Sun just say that Ye Hao's total score was 900 points?” blurted out a vice principal, a realization dawning on him.
The vice principal's remark caused a significant shift in the mood among No.2 High School's leaders.
What could this possibly mean?
“Ye Hao scored full marks in all his other subjects,” Sun Xiang confirmed, validating their suspicions.
But then, a new question arose.
What did Ye Hao's zero in English have to do with Hsu Lee?
“En route to the English exam, Ye Hao was involved in a car accident. As he was about to rescue someone, another mishap occurred. Subsequently, Ye Hao was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment,” Xie Tianhua explained in a somber tone. “Nevertheless, Ye Hao was determined to make it to the exam hall. He arrived at 9:13 a.m. By the rules of the exam, he was entitled to enter, but Hsu Lee concocted various excuses to prevent him from doing so. By 9:15 a.m., he was barred from entry.”
Zhou Xiao and the other leaders were dumbfounded.
Such an unexpected twist was beyond anyone's imagination.
But the question remained: would No.2 High School acknowledge this incident?
If they did, it could spell disaster for the school's reputation.
In a way, Hsu Lee epitomized No.2 High School.
Take, for instance, an incident of a young girl being molested at a rural elementary school. Despite parents knowing it was an individual teacher's misconduct, would they still feel comfortable sending their children there?
The school would inevitably be branded as unsafe.
“I believe Miss Hsu likely had her reasons,” someone suggested.
“The English assessment includes a listening component; perhaps that's what's concerning Teacher Hsu Lee,” another chimed in.
“And what about timing?” leaders at No.2 High School rallied to Hsu Lee's defense.
Truth be told, the leadership at No.2 High School believed Hsu Lee had made a mistake, but at that moment, they had no choice but to stand by her.
It wouldn't be fair to say they were at fault.
Should the same situation arise at No.3 High School, they would likely react similarly.
“I'll take this issue up with the Education Bureau,” Xie Tianhua declared in a somber tone. “Ultimately, I owe Ye Hao an explanation, even if it means resigning as principal.”
Xie Tianhua's stance did not sit well with the leadership at No.2 High School.
The public airing of this incident could tarnish the school's good name.
“Hsu Lee is no longer fit to remain in her educational role,” Du Hong stated authoritatively.
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