Director Gao’s younger brother worked at an arts-exam prep agency.
Business had been difficult lately, and her brother’s agency was gradually losing clients. Since Director Gao was a department head at Shengde, many parents were willing to do her a favor. She had referred quite a few of them to her brother’s agency.
Now, those same parents were withdrawing and signing up at Shengde instead. Those who couldn’t get in even had to wait for the second session.
The more popular Shengde’s arts-exam program became, the faster her brother’s agency went under.
When her brother could no longer keep the business afloat, he would come asking her for money. Every time she secretly took money to support her brother’s family, her husband would give her an earful. During the worst argument, he had even shouted that he wanted a divorce. Her family life had been turned upside down…
So, when you got right down to it, the success of Yu Xiaxing’s arts-exam program had ruined her entire family.
At first, she had planned to arrange for her brother to become a teacher in Shengde’s arts-exam program. That way, not only could she solve the problem of his agency going bankrupt, she could also gain another ally within the school.
But Yu Xiaxing had refused and had instead hired a group of outside teachers whom Director Gao had no way of influencing.
Director Gao was gnashing her teeth with hatred inside, but she forced a smile onto her face. “You’re right, Principal. I was being short-sighted. Board Director Yu really has put a great deal of thought into this.”
Principal Wang nodded with satisfaction. “From now on, we shouldn’t oppose Board Director Yu anymore. The second session of the program will definitely be opened. When the time comes, we’ll need to recruit another batch of assistant teachers and administrative staff. Your Academic Affairs Office should keep an eye out as well. We need people who are genuinely capable and responsible, and who can keep up with Director Yu’s vision.”
A glint flashed through Director Gao’s eyes. She immediately agreed. “Understood. I’ll mention it to Assistant Lu when I get back. I’ll take charge of recruiting for the second session.”
When the time came, she would make sure to get her brother in.
After all, the arts-exam program would only continue to grow, and there would be more and more people involved. Yu Xiaxing was still busy with all kinds of assessment tasks. There was no way she could personally vet every teacher.
—
As soon as Yu Xiaxing walked into the office, Lu Yanzhao was already waiting for her.
She had already thought of how she would comfort him. “You’re here to talk to me about the arts-exam program, right? Sigh! I didn’t expect this either. You all worked so hard, but hardly any parents signed up… Don’t be discouraged. I’m not blaming you. Starting a business is like that—how could anyone succeed right away…”
Lu Yanzhao didn’t interrupt her.
Only after she had finished did he calmly hand her the latest figures.
“Director Yu, every class is full. More than a hundred parents failed to register and are hoping the school will open a second session as soon as possible.”
“Don’t tease Boss Yu. I just saw that there wasn’t a single person over there…”
As she spoke, Yu Xiaxing took the figures from him.
Not only were all the classes full, there were also more than a hundred people on the waiting list!
Yu Xiaxing’s mind went completely blank.
How was that possible?!
She stood frozen for several seconds. Then her hands went limp, and the report fluttered to the floor.
“Director Yu?” Lu Yanzhao asked softly.
Yu Xiaxing didn’t respond. She was like a boneless lump of jelly, slowly sliding down against the back of her chair until she collapsed into it, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Those parents had cursed the program more viciously than anyone, yet they had turned around and paid their registration fees faster than anyone else!
How could they be so scheming?!
They were far too sinister!!!
Lu Yanzhao crouched down and looked up at her.
“Director Yu, what should we do about the second session?”
Yu Xiaxing’s vacant gaze shifted slowly before focusing on Lu Yanzhao’s face.
She opened her mouth and said weakly, giving up on the idea altogether, “Let’s not rush into it. Let’s see how the first session goes. We shouldn’t expand blindly.”
Lu Yanzhao nodded. “All right. I’ll have Academic Affairs, Finance, and Logistics assess our capacity first. We’ll work to make the second session bigger and better.”
Yu Xiaxing said nothing.
Lu Yanzhao asked again, “Then can we also start moving forward with the assessment task for the third phase, the ‘Renewal Battle’?”
At that, Yu Xiaxing finally regained a little of her energy.
That was right. She still had Jiang Tinglan!
The student who was dead set on leaving school!
The parents in the arts-exam program might all be scheming, but Jiang Tinglan was only a student. She ought to be easy to fool!
Besides, her mother, Chen Yuru, was so domineering and wealthy that there was no need to worry about Jiang Tinglan being unable to continue her education after leaving Shengde. Her mother could simply donate a building to some overseas university and arrange for her daughter to study there.
The only problem was figuring out how to sabotage this task. She would have to think it through carefully.
After all, the new rules explicitly prohibited “slacking off on the job.” Otherwise, she wouldn’t receive her severance pay.
She had to put on a convincing performance. She couldn’t just say, “I couldn’t talk her out of dropping out, okay?”
Yu Xiaxing shifted herself back into an upright sitting position. “What’s the situation with that student?”
Lu Yanzhao looked worried. “It’s very difficult.”
Yu Xiaxing’s eyes brightened slightly.
The more difficult, the better!
Lu Yanzhao glanced at the information he had looked up in advance.
“Jiang Tinglan is a sophomore in the experimental class. Her mother, Chen Yuru, is one of Shengde’s key parents. Over the past three years, she has helped the school secure resources for several competitions and off-campus programs.”
“Her father, Jiang Mingyuan, used to be an elementary school teacher in a small county. To accommodate his wife’s work, he quit teaching and came to Pu City. He has been unemployed ever since…”
“I know all the basic information,” Yu Xiaxing interrupted. “Tell me what the school has already tried to keep her from leaving.”
Lu Yanzhao replied, “Her homeroom teacher took the gentle approach. She told Jiang that Ms. Chen had made countless sacrifices for her over the years, and that Jiang wouldn’t have access to such excellent resources without her mother’s support.”
“Principal Wang took the stern approach. He angrily scolded her for being too impulsive and called her an ungrateful child. He demanded that she calm down, finish the semester’s coursework, and have a proper conversation with her mother…”
“But Jiang won’t listen to either soft or hard tactics. She firmly believes that her mother is trying to control her too much.”
“She sees dropping out as the first step toward rebelling against her mother and taking back control of her own life.”
After listening, Yu Xiaxing felt that this student probably didn’t genuinely want to drop out.
Otherwise, why would she waste time listening to her teachers and principal? She could simply skip school and be done with it.
She just wanted her mother to give in.
What she wanted was for her mother to admit: I hurt you. I was wrong. I’ll never control you again.
“Have her come see me during evening self-study,” Yu Xiaxing said.
Lu Yanzhao agreed. “All right.”
She had thought it over. Since slacking off was no longer allowed, she would have to make a show of working hard at everything from now on.
First, she would ask for the records of the teachers’ and principal’s conversations with Jiang and pretend to study them.
Once the materials arrived, she could start playing games and slacking off.
—
In the senior-year teachers’ office, several teachers who had no classes were chatting.
Jiang Tinglan’s homeroom teacher, Ms. Li, was a young teacher who had only been working for a few years. She took her responsibilities seriously.
She had already tried reasoning with Jiang for an entire month, but to no avail.
At that moment, she sighed to the physics teacher beside her. “Sigh, I’m old enough to sympathize with both sides now. On one hand, I feel that Jiang must be suffocating under such intense pressure and control. On the other hand, I think it’s incredible that Ms. Chen has earned so much money to give her daughter a safety net, only for her daughter to rebel and fail to appreciate it…”
The physics teacher comforted her. “It’ll be fine. Didn’t Assistant Lu already ask for the conversation records? Board Director Yu is going to step in personally.”
Another teacher also said, “Board Director Yu may be young, but she’s truly meticulous and responsible. Before opening a dialogue, she makes sure to thoroughly understand the entire situation and all the underlying causes. She genuinely wants to solve the problem! With her stepping in, it’s only a matter of time before the conflict between mother and daughter is resolved.”
Just then, Director Gao came over to inspect the work.
