Chapter 7
It was early morning, the third day after the mock exam.
The bulletin board on the first floor of the teaching building was already packed with students. The clamor of voices almost shook the corridor, and the air was filled with tension, anticipation, and unease.
Li Ming stood on the periphery of the crowd, not pushing forward like the other students. He had his hands in his pockets, his gaze calmly fixed on the surging sea of heads. Only his slightly pursed lips betrayed a hint of inner turmoil.
This is not just the result of a mock exam, but also a test of all his efforts since his rebirth, and the most powerful rebuttal to those rumors.
"Make way! Make way! The results are posted!" The head of the teaching department's gruff voice cut through the noise as a large red list, still damp with ink, was firmly pasted on the bulletin board.
Instantly, the crowd erupted like a boiling pot.
"I made it into the top 50! Hahaha!"
"Oh no, I barely passed math..."
"The top student in the grade is also the academic star of Class 3!"
"Quickly, find Li Ming! Wasn't he bragging quite a bit this time?"
A mix of voices emerged: some cheered, some lamented, and many more eagerly searched the list for the recently controversial name.
Using his muscular build, Zhang Hao squeezed through the crowd to the front, standing on tiptoe, his eyes scanning the list like searchlights. From the back to the front, one hundred...no, fifty...no, thirty...still nothing!
His heart began to race, and sweat beaded on his forehead. Could it be that Mingzi really...?
Just when he was about to give up, his gaze suddenly fixed on the top of the list.
Overall ranking: Ninth!
Name: Li Ming!
Scores by subject: Chinese 138, Math 149, English 131, Science 285...
"Holy crap!!" Zhang Hao gasped sharply, his eyes wide as if he'd witnessed the most unbelievable thing in the world. He rubbed his eyes hard and looked again carefully. It was indeed Li Ming! Ninth in the grade!
He whirled around, pushed through the crowd, and yelled hoarsely at Li Ming on the outer edge, “Mingzi!! Ninth!! You fucking ninth in the grade!! 149 in math!!”
This roar was like pouring a ladle of cold water into a boiling oil pan.
In an instant, an eerie silence fell over the area centered on Li Ming and Zhang Hao. All eyes, filled with extreme shock, disbelief, and a complex mix of emotions, focused on the calm-faced boy standing outside the crowd.
Ninth in the grade!
149 in math! Just one step away from a perfect score!
This score would be among the top in any class, let alone a regular class!
"Impossible!" A sharp voice shattered the silence; it was Zhao Qiang, who had been the most vocal in his mockery. His face was ashen, and he pointed at the list, his voice distorted with agitation, "He cheated! He must have cheated! How could he possibly score so high?!"
"Yes! Cheating!"
"He guessed in math class last time, he must have cheated on the questions beforehand this time!"
"I don't believe it! Everyone knows what level he was at before!!"
The doubts spread rapidly like a plague. The huge discrepancy in results led many to instinctively choose not to believe it. Jealousy, resentment, and the shame of being proven wrong transformed into even more vicious accusations.
Li Ming stood there, feeling the tangible gazes—doubt, scrutiny, disdain—like cold needles piercing his skin. He had expected it, but when it actually happened, his heart still couldn't help but tighten slightly.
He raised his eyes and calmly met Zhao Qiang's gaze, who was shouting the loudest. He didn't say anything, but the coldness and frankness in his eyes made Zhao Qiang subconsciously take a half step back.
"What's all this noise about?! What are you all doing gathered here?!" a dignified voice rang out.
Class teacher Chen Guohua pushed through the crowd and walked over. He clearly already knew the results, and his face showed a hint of undisguised satisfaction, but more so, seriousness. His gaze swept over the noisy crowd, finally settling on Li Ming and Zhao Qiang.
"Teacher Chen! Li Ming cheated!" Zhao Qiang shouted immediately, as if grasping at a straw. "How could he have scored so high? This doesn't make sense!"
Chen Guohua frowned, not speaking immediately, but looking at Li Ming: "Li Ming, what do you say?"
All eyes were once again focused on the scene.
Li Ming took a deep breath, stepped forward, and faced Chen Guohua and all the suspicious eyes. His voice was clear and steady: "Teacher Chen, I did not cheat. I got the grades myself."
“Words are no proof!” Zhao Qiang retorted.
Chen Guohua pondered for a moment, then looked sharply at Li Ming: "Li Ming, since a classmate has raised questions, in order to be fair and to clear your name... do you dare to go to my office right now? I'll give you a question on the spot, and you'll answer it on the spot?"
This is the most direct, but also the most brutal, way of verification.
A low gasp rippled through the crowd. The questions were presented on the spot, and the answers were given immediately; there was no room for deception. Whether it was genuine gold or brass, the test would tell.
Li Ming's heart skipped a beat, but without the slightest hesitation, he met Chen Guohua's scrutinizing gaze and answered resolutely, "I dare!"
“Good!” A hint of appreciation flashed in Chen Guohua’s eyes. “Then come with me. Zhao Qiang, you come too, and the rest of you,” he casually pointed to a few students who had been shouting the loudest earlier, “to be witnesses together.”
The group followed Chen Guohua to the teachers' office in a grand procession. The news spread like wildfire throughout the campus, and even more students, eager to see what was going on, flocked over, crowding around the office door and windows, craning their necks.
In his office, Chen Guohua took out a blank test paper, thought for a moment, and began to write on it. The questions he set were not beyond the syllabus, but they were tricky in their approach, highly comprehensive, and extremely demanding on the problem solver's flexible thinking and solid foundation.
Time ticked by. The office was so quiet that only the scratching of pens on paper and the suppressed breathing outside the window could be heard.
Li Ming sat at Chen Guohua's desk, completely focused. He quickly reviewed the question, his mind racing, integrating the knowledge and methods he had accumulated over the past few days. The "quick tips" and "trap hints" in Professor Chen's notes flashed through his mind one by one.
His writing is steady, his steps are clear, and his logic is rigorous.
Twenty minutes later, he put down his pen and handed the paper to Chen Guohua: "Teacher Chen, I've finished."
Chen Guohua took the test paper, took out a red pen, and began to grade it in front of everyone.
Yes, yes, yes... still right!
His expression shifted from serious to surprised, and finally to shock and uncontrollable joy!
After finishing his corrections, he put down his red pen, looked up, and his gaze swept over the various people inside and outside the office, finally settling on the pale-faced Zhao Qiang. His voice was loud and forceful:
"All correct! Full marks!"
"Now, who still has any questions?!"
The office was deathly silent, both inside and out.
Zhao Qiang and the others stood there, mouths agape, their faces turning from white to red, then from red to pale, unable to utter a single word. Facts speak louder than words; this perfect score, awarded in front of everyone, was like a resounding slap in the face, shattering all their doubts and wishful thinking.
After a brief silence, the crowd outside the window erupted in an even greater uproar. This time, the doubt and disdain in their eyes vanished, replaced by shock, admiration, and profound disbelief.
"Awesome! Absolutely awesome!"
"Turns out, he's a real academic genius!"
"Who spread those rumors before? That's outrageous!"
Chen Guohua looked at Li Ming with satisfaction in his eyes. He patted Li Ming on the shoulder and whispered, "Good lad, you didn't disappoint me! Now, let's see who dares to gossip!"
Li Ming bowed slightly: "Thank you, Teacher Chen."
He knew that the storm had temporarily passed. He had used his absolute strength to earn himself some breathing room and initial respect.
When he got home from school, before he even stepped inside, he heard his mother's suppressed laughter, tinged with tears. Pushing open the door, he saw his mother, Wang Xiuqin, holding the phone, excitedly speaking into the other end: "...Yes! Ninth place! Ninth in the grade! The teacher praised him!...Yes, and so did his father..."
When she saw Li Ming return, she immediately hung up the phone, rushed over and hugged him tightly, tears streaming down her face as she repeatedly murmured, "My son is so proud! My son is so proud!"
Father Li Jianhua sat at the dining table, holding in his hand a crumpled photocopy of his mother's report card, which he had somehow obtained. He looked down at it very carefully, his fingers lingering on the words "ninth place" and "mathematics 149" for a long, long time.
Then, he raised his head and looked at Li Ming.
There were no smiles, no praise.
But in his eyes, weathered and clouded by years of life's trials, something was different. It was an extremely complex emotion, a mixture of shock, realization, and perhaps even a hint of... pride that his son, Li Jianhua's son, could truly be different...?
He didn't say anything, but stood up, walked to the cupboard, took out the plastic jug containing bulk liquor that he rarely let Li Ming touch, and also took out two small cups.
He poured two glasses of wine and pushed one of them onto the table in front of Li Ming.
Then, he picked up his glass, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp. The spicy liquid made him frown, but he remained silent.
Li Ming looked at the clear, transparent liquid in front of him, which emitted a strong aroma, and then at his father's weathered face, which was now slightly flushed.
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