Chapter 35 - The News
The leadership at No.2 High School instantly grasped that Hsu Lee's behavior had incensed the individuals before them.
Yet, at that moment, no one stepped forward to defend Hsu Lee.
Truth be told, even without Du Hong saying a word, the No.2 High School authorities were already unwilling to keep Hsu Lee in her current role.
Once Du Hong and Xie Tianhua had departed, the vice principal stated icily, “I propose we terminate Hsu Lee's employment.”
“Agreed.”
“I concur.”
“Had Hsu Lee not interfered, Ye Hao could have clinched the top spot on the Dragon Gate List,” Zhou Xiao declared, seething with anger.
Zhou Xiao's mention of the Dragon Gate List piqued the interest of the No.2 High School leaders.
“Has the Dragon Gate List been released?”
“The Third-prize Scholar is Lee Xun from Tyrant Capital, the Second-prize Scholar is Ming Yue from S City, and the Top Scholar is Faang Wen from Imperial Capital,” Sun Xiang murmured.
“What score did Faang Wen achieve?”
“988 points.”
Upon learning that Faang Wen had scored only 988 points, everyone's faces were tinged with disappointment.
It was certain that Ye Hao's English score would exceed 90 points. Put simply, Ye Hao had missed out on being the SAT Top Scholar due to Hsu Lee's interference.
Hsu Lee was not in a good place mentally.
The thought of her brief encounter with the grade leader caused Hsu Lee's head to throb with pain.
Suddenly, her phone rang.
Hsu Lee hit the answer button and heard the vice principal's voice.
“Hsu Lee, come to the school to collect your belongings and records.”
“Principal Lee, what's going on?” Hsu Lee asked, her voice laced with anxiety.
“Did you deliberately prevent Ye Hao from entering the exam room?”
“Ah… I…”
“Do you realize that your selfish act has cost Ye Hao the chance to be the Dragon Gate List's Top Scholar?”
“What?” Hsu Lee gasped in astonishment.
“You're probably unaware of Ye Hao's score. He got 900 points,” the vice principal continued, his voice escalating into a roar, “With his grades, Ye Hao would have easily topped the Dragon Gate List. No matter your feelings towards him, you had no right to sabotage his future.”
Hsu Lee was so taken aback that she was rendered speechless.
She vividly recalled Ye Hao scoring only 928 points before his departure from No.2 High School.
Yet, in just a single month, Ye Hao had made such astonishing progress!
No, it was more likely that Ye Hao had always possessed this level of ability.
“Take your things and get out,” the vice principal said without a hint of courtesy. “No.2 High School has no place for a teacher like you.”
With those words, the vice principal furiously hurled his phone to the ground.
This was about the Top Scholar!
No.2 High School could have proudly claimed Ye Hao as an alumnus!
Since the nation's founding, there had been 42 Top Scholars, and their alma maters had gained nationwide acclaim.
No.2 High School could have enjoyed such prestige.
Even if No.3 High School shared some of the glory, it was certainly better than none at all, wasn't it?
But Hsu Lee's selfishness had squandered it all.
She stood there, dazed, as the dial tone droned on.
She had been dismissed from her public position!
This…
Being dismissed meant she was barred from ever working in education again.
She was only eight years away from retirement, wasn't she?
What retirement could she possibly look forward to now?
How was she going to support herself?
Question after question plagued Hsu Lee until her head spun and she collapsed.
…
As soon as the SAT results were released, social media in Jiangnan City was abuzz.
Topping the newsfeed was one particular announcement.
The highest-scoring student in Jiangnan City was none other than Ye Hao from No.3 High School.
“Who would have thought that No.3 High School would produce this year's top student?”
“Who says No.3 High School is inferior? Look, they've nurtured the top scorer!”
“900 points. Our Jiangnan City finally boasts a student who's crossed into the 900-point threshold.”
“Just shy of the national top 1840, he almost made it to one of the six elite universities.”
“With a score of 900, he can easily gain admission to any of the nation's prestigious universities.”
“I heard that Ye Hao was originally from No.2 High School.”
“That's ridiculous! Ye Hao has always been with us at No.3 High School. Why would I lie about being his classmate for three years?”
As the students from No.2 High School cast doubt on Ye Hao's background, their counterparts from No.3 High School quickly came to his defense. Before long, the people of Jiangnan City were left wondering which school Ye Hao truly belonged to.
At the Lee residence, Lee Qianqian was dumbfounded as she scrolled through the updates on her WeChat Moments.
“Qianqian, this isn't about me not giving you a chance; it's Ye Hao who hasn't lived up to expectations,” Xie Ning remarked, somewhat taken aback to see Ye Hao top the rankings in Jiangnan City. But the thought of her own daughter securing a spot at one of the top six universities made her speak through clenched teeth.
Lee Xingping hesitated, about to interject, but a stern look from Xie Ning silenced her.
Lee Xingping bit her lip, holding back her words.
“Ye Hao has truly excelled,” Lee Qianqian stated earnestly, lifting her gaze.
“It seems you've forgotten our agreement.”
“I haven't forgotten,” Lee Qianqian replied, her lips tight.
“Good, as long as you remember,” Xie Ning responded gravely.
Lee Qianqian lapsed into silence.
She had always believed that Ye Hao had what it takes to get into one of the top six universities.
Yet, Lee Qianqian was not about to heed Xie Ning's words.
As the SAT results were gradually released, the nation waited in anticipation for the Dragon Gate List. Soon, the names of the three top students were broadcasted across the national news.
“Ming Yue from S City is stunning.”
“She's not just a pretty face; her scores are impressive too.”
“And isn't Faang Wen incredibly handsome?”
While the country buzzed with talk about the Dragon Gate List's top students, a headline from the Jiangnan Daily caught the eye of major media outlets:
“The true Top Scholar isn't Faang Wen.”
The headline was sensational.
Many dismissed the news as a hoax.
But the sight of Ye Hao's perfect scores in all eight subjects caused an uproar.
“He's a true academic powerhouse.”
“If only he hadn't missed the English exam, he might have even outperformed Faang Wen.”
“Could his English be that poor?”
“Don't speak ill of my Faang Wen.”
“Even if Ye Hao is clueless about English, he could still scrape together 30 to 40 points. Then, he'd have no trouble getting into one of the top six universities. Now, he's limited to just a key university.”
“What a shame. But why did Ye Hao miss the English exam?”
Within just a few hours, this news had hit the headlines across all major media platforms.
As they broadcasted the story, these outlets speculated about the reasons behind Ye Hao's absence.
However, the Jiangnan Daily's official website soon declared that they would unveil even more astonishing news the following day.
Media outlets never spill all the details at once.
It's a strategy to keep the buzz going.
When New Wave Network's reporters showed up at Ye Hao's home, he knew he couldn't stay there any longer.
Shortly after, the South Daily dispatched a car to escort Ye Hao and his family away.
The Jiangnan Hotel is the finest five-star establishment in Jiangnan City.
Ye Zhiguo gazed at the opulent interior with astonishment and addressed the man in charge, “President Loong.”
“Please make yourselves comfortable here,” President Loong of the South Daily said gently. “The disruption you've experienced is due to our publication, and we will make amends for any inconvenience caused.”
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