Chapter 36: The End of the Gaokao

June 8, 2012, 5:00 PM.

As the bell of Anshui Middle School rang, the parents waiting outside the school gates grew instantly excited, standing up one after another to peer into the school grounds.

Soon, students began to emerge one by one.

With this, the Gaokao had officially come to an end.

Some students headed straight out of the school after finishing, joining their parents to go directly home.

Others stayed behind at the school; their dormitory bedding had not yet been packed, so they could only take it home the next day.

Wang Donglai was the latter. After walking out of the teaching building, he headed toward the cafeteria.

"Wang Donglai, how did you do this time? Do you have confidence in becoming the top scorer?"

"Wang Donglai, what's your estimated score? Can you break 700?"

"Was the answer to question seventeen on the math paper 5?"

"Wang Donglai, if your results come out, which one will you choose, Tsinghua or Peking?"

As he walked along the path, people would occasionally take the initiative to greet him.

Some had met him once before, while others were complete strangers.

Regardless of whether they knew him or not, Wang Donglai did not treat anyone coldly and tried his best to answer their questions.

...

The cafeteria was extremely deserted; not many people chose to eat there at this time.

Wang Donglai had also avoided going out to eat because it would be too crowded and troublesome; he planned to make do with a meal in his dormitory instead.

By the time Wang Donglai walked out of the cafeteria, the school appeared even more desolate.

Parents, carrying large and small bags, were leading their children out of the school.

Some drove, while others walked.

Walking against the flow, Wang Donglai looked like an outlier.

Upon returning to the dormitory, Wang Donglai encountered the parents of Huang Cheng and the others.

"Student, you must be Wang Donglai."

A middle-aged man wearing glasses stepped forward proactively, his gaze toward Wang Donglai filled with admiration.

"Hello, Uncle. I am Wang Donglai."

Wang Donglai nodded, offering a warm smile.

"I am Song Yi's parent. I had heard long ago that a dark horse had appeared in our county this year, but I didn't expect him to be in the same dormitory as Song Yi. If I had known, I would have done whatever it took to make Song Yi study hard with you to soak up some of your scholarly aura."

"So, how are you feeling about the exam this time? Do you have confidence?"

Song Shaojun asked with a hint of curiosity.

"The questions were quite simple this time; there should be no problem!"

Wang Donglai did not act overly modest or polite; instead, he spoke with a confident smile and a gentle tone.

"Hiss..."

Inside the dormitory, the other parents had been paying attention to the conversation between Wang Donglai and Song Shaojun. Hearing this, they immediately gasped, clearly startled by Wang Donglai's words.

Song Shaojun's question seemed to be asking if Wang Donglai was confident, but combined with his previous sentence, it was clear his true intention was to ask if Wang Donglai was confident in becoming the top liberal arts scorer in the entire province.

Wang Donglai's unhesitating and confident answer caused their hearts to skip a beat.

"Donglai, then what score do you estimate you will get this time?"

After the initial shock, Song Shaojun instantly composed himself and turned to ask about Wang Donglai's predicted score.

"It should be above 730!"

That casual sentence exploded in everyone's ears like a bolt of lightning.

"Then let me congratulate you in advance. I look forward to your results being announced. When that time comes, the people of the entire county will be proud of your achievement. Keep it up!"

The admiration in Song Shaojun's eyes deepened as he patted Wang Donglai on the shoulder.

Wang Donglai actually knew who Song Shaojun was.

At this moment, Song Shaojun was only a deputy township mayor, but in a few years, he would steadily rise through the ranks, eventually becoming a powerful director of a major bureau at the division level.

The county town was not large, and at that level, one could accomplish many things.

Looking at the way the parents of Huang Cheng, Liu Jun, and Dang Caizhi looked at Song Shaojun, it was evident they also knew his identity.

It was as if they were specifically waiting for Wang Donglai.

After a brief chat, Song Shaojun and the others left the dormitory.

Before leaving, Song Yi and the others also warmly invited Wang Donglai to hang out during the summer break, acting as if they were extremely close friends.

Wang Donglai accepted with a smile.

Playing a part was not difficult.

Below the dormitory building.

After Song Yi placed his bedding in the trunk of the car, Song Shaojun drove him away.

In the car, Song Yi asked somewhat confusedly, "Dad, why did you insist that I build a good relationship with Wang Donglai?"

Hearing this, Song Shaojun did not answer directly but instead asked, "Are there any students from our county who have been admitted to Tsinghua or Peking?"

"No."

"Then do you know what makes a student from Tsinghua or Peking different?"

"I don't know. Isn't it just a better school? What's the difference? A higher salary after graduation? More face when telling people?"

Hearing Song Yi's answer, Song Shaojun said very patiently, "Since you don't know, I'll tell you. Every year, every province recruits 'selection students' from Tsinghua and Peking. They don't need to take exams; they are given official positions directly, and the benefits are excellent. If you stay in the provincial department, you can reach the division level in two or three years. If you go to the municipal bureau, you can be promoted to division level in five or six years."

"If you go to a remote area, those benefits might even be higher. Think about it—I've spent most of my life just to reach the deputy division level, and it will take another two years to move up one step, and that step will likely be my limit. To go any higher depends on luck and fate."

"But Wang Donglai is just getting into Tsinghua or Peking. As long as he seizes the opportunity, he could catch up to my rank in just a few short years, and at the very least, he'll be in a municipal unit. If you think about the level of authority in the positions I've mentioned before, you should understand, right?"

Sitting in the back seat, Song Yi's expression was one of utter shock.

"But Dad, my relationship with him is just average. He used to be very ordinary, from a rural area, and his studies were just so-so. Who could have imagined his grades would improve to this extent in just three months?"

Song Shaojun's expression remained unchanged, but his eyes flickered slightly as he suddenly asked, "Let me ask you a question: do you think his improvement is normal, or could there be something wrong with it?"

Hearing this, Song Yi instinctively wanted to argue, but the words died in his throat. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I think there shouldn't be a problem. He really studies incredibly hard every day; he truly has studied intensely for three months. Moreover, his scores have been getting higher every single time. There shouldn't be a problem!"

"Some people are late bloomers, and some only show their true ability when faced with challenges. I think Wang Donglai is that kind of person. He always had talent, he just didn't focus on his studies. Once he made up his mind, he could give it his all. Do you think such a person will be successful in the future? Making friends with someone like that is much better than making friends with those who are good-for-nothing, right?"

"Once you enter society, you should make all kinds of friends. Since you have the connection of being roommates, as long as you maintain the relationship after entering society, you might be able to leverage his influence in the future. Don't underestimate yourself; even if you only get a junior college degree, it's fine. You can study nursing, and after graduation, come back and take the civil service exam. Work in a hospital for two years first, then I'll find a way to transfer you to the Health Commission, find you a good wife, and use the strength of both families to turn your public institution status into a civil servant position. I'll strive to get you to the deputy division level before I retire, paving the way for you."

"Look at it this way: his family is from the countryside, so his parents will definitely stay here. When they have minor illnesses or need hospitalization, you can help him, and he will certainly repay you."

"However, you only need to keep this in your heart; don't let it show. It will still be a few years before we see how he chooses after graduating from university."

"For these next two years, you can stay in frequent contact with him and build a good relationship."

"Burn more incense in ordinary times, so someone is there to help in emergencies."

Song Shaojun spoke very clearly and logically, both guiding Song Yi's thinking and imparting his own experience.

"Mm, I understand."

Song Yi did not resist; he nodded in agreement, a look of realization crossing his face.

"By the way, do you know which town and village he is from?" Song Shaojun suddenly remembered and asked.

Song Yi frowned in thought and said, "I think it was Siping Town, Wangjia Village."

"What is his father's name? What year was he born?"

"Wang Yanxing. I think he was born in '73."

Song Shaojun frowned for a moment and then shook his head. "Then I don't know him. He's a few years younger than me, so he's probably not my contemporary. However, a division-level leader came from Wangjia Village; I wonder if there is some kinship with Wang Yanxing."

Muttering to himself, Song Shaojun began to calculate in his mind.

With a Tsinghua or Peking student appearing, the educational achievements of Anshui County this year would certainly receive commendations from the municipal government. The person in last place had caused a massive stir, and the leaders in charge of education would surely face transfers.

In this way, there might just be an opportunity for Song Shaojun to be promoted.

And that was exactly why Song Shaojun was so concerned.

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(End of Chapter)