Wang Shouyi's roar echoed throughout the vast auditorium.

Even the students who were about to leave were startled and turned around to look.

"What happened? Why is Chairman Wang so angry?"

"I don't know, I think I saw a really outrageous essay."

Zhang Ya also looked over curiously.

When she saw the exam number in Wang Shouyi's composition book, she was taken aback.

An irrepressible gleam of pleasure flashed in his eyes.

It's Lin Que!

Serves you right for writing those sensationalist things.

Now that Chairman Wang has called you out by name in public, let's see how you'll ever hold your head up at school again!

The atmosphere on the judges' panel plummeted to freezing point.

The other judges looked at each other, bewildered, wondering what had happened.

Li Yuanchao sighed, took the composition book from the trembling Wang Shouyi, and handed it to a female judge next to him.

"Everyone... take a look."

That thin composition book began to circulate among the judges.

The person who received it initially didn't think much of it.

But upon reaching the end, everyone fell into a long silence.

Some people frowned, looking at the last page over and over again.

Someone subconsciously pushed up their glasses, their gaze behind the lenses filled with confusion.

Some people even closed the notebook immediately after reading it.

He closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, seemingly processing the immense impact of the words.

Seeing this, Wang Shouyi became even angrier. He pointed at Li Yuanchao and questioned him:

"Professor Li! You've dedicated your life to literature, so tell us!"

Can something that subverts values, distorts facts, and portrays hope as despair be considered a good article?

This will have such a terrible impact on teenagers!

Li Yuanchao pushed up his glasses, and instead of answering immediately, he looked at the other judges.

What are your thoughts, everyone?

A middle-aged judge wearing glasses, the editor-in-chief of a local literary magazine, hesitated for a moment before speaking:

"Chairman Wang is right. From an ideological perspective, this article does indeed... have some problems."

It's too dark; it doesn't align with the positive and uplifting literary values ​​we consistently advocate.

"That's right!"

Wang Shouyi found supporters, and his voice grew louder.

"We're selecting literary talents, not some cynical madman! This article must be rejected outright!"

"I disagree!"

The female judge, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up.

She is a senior high school Chinese language teacher, and her surname is Zhao.

"Chairman Wang, teachers."

Putting aside its ideological content for now, from a purely literary perspective, don't you think this article...

Is it written too well?

She picked up the composition book, her eyes shining.

“Look at its structure, it starts with a grand worldview setting.”

The story uses a tale of searching for hope as its main thread, and then uses a shocking twist to completely overturn the entire theme.

The ingenuity of its structure and the boldness of its imagination are unparalleled in all the student essays I've read over the years!

"And its language, calm and restrained, without a single flowery word, yet every word is etched into the heart."

The ending, in particular, with its overwhelming sense of absurdity and fatalism, was truly chilling!

Teacher Zhao became more and more excited as she spoke:

"We always say that today's students lack imagination and can only write some clichéd praises."

Now that someone has finally emerged who dares to think and write, are we going to condemn them outright just because their ideas aren't considered correct?

These words made the magazine editor-in-chief fall into deep thought.

Wang Shouyi's expression turned even more grim:

"Teacher Zhao, what are you saying?"

Does pursuing so-called literary merit justify abandoning the principles of truth, goodness, and beauty?

Literature is the study of humanity; it should guide people to strive for better things!

Where does his article lead people?

Does it lead people to doubt and deny everything?!

"Chairman Wang, you're being too extreme."

Li Yuanchao finally spoke, his voice steady and calm.

"The function of literature has never been just to sing praises."

It also has the functions of criticism, reflection, and warning.

Can we call their works poisonous weeds?

He looked at Wang Shouyi:

"This article may seem to be about despair, but I believe it is actually exploring the essence of hope in an extreme way."

It tells us that blind, unexamined hope can be more terrifying than despair itself.

Isn't this a deeper level of thinking?

"You...you're just being unreasonable!"

Wang Shouyi was so choked up that he couldn't speak, and his face turned a deep purplish-red.

"Whether it's sophistry or not, everyone knows the answer."

Li Yuanchao turned to other judges.

"I propose that this article be graded. I'll go first, and I'll give it full marks. Full marks for its thought-provoking content and full marks for its literary merit."

"I give it full marks too!"

Teacher Zhao immediately agreed.

"I... I'd give it full marks for its literary merit, but for its intellectual depth... I'd give it a passing grade."

After much hesitation, the magazine's editor-in-chief made a compromise.

The remaining two judges also discussed it quietly and gave similar scores.

Wang Shouyi was so angry at the sight that he almost fainted.

Of the five judges, not one gave him a zero score, except for himself! Two of them even gave him a perfect score!