Chronicle of the 70s
Chapter 131 - 128 middle of the third watch

Chapter 131: 128 middle of the third watch

As the classroom buzzed with discussions, teachers from the next exam room, having overheard, poked their heads out to look. Qin Xi clearly heard Li Xianglu’s voice and frowned.

Wang Aijun remembered that this girl was usually timid; how come she suddenly became so assertive? He was somewhat embarrassed and annoyed: "Comrade, please observe the examination discipline. There are military officers outside, and if you don’t listen to the advice, we will have to bring someone in to take you out."

Li Xianglu sneered: "Teacher Wang Aijun, you really have some nerve. I came to look at the exam room the day before yesterday, and you blatantly left my name off the list. I wonder what the education bureau will do about someone like you?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Aijun instantly panicked. Mr. Li, another teacher, spoke up: "Teacher Wang, did you really miss copying a name? We checked just a few days ago, one seat for each person. If there is someone assigned to this seat, then there shouldn’t be a mistake. Why not go to the office to verify it before we continue?"

Wang Aijun’s face turned red with a colleague’s remark, but he stubbornly said: "We can verify, but this student must not continue with the exam for now."

This is shameless to the extreme!

The other two teachers began to worry, indeed. Even if there was a mistake on the name list, this student would have to stop taking the exam and wait for verification. But with so many names on the original list, by the time the verification is done, it would be too late to continue the exam.

Li Xianglu smiled and said: "What does my taking the exam have to do with the check? Even if I finish my papers, if the original list truly doesn’t have my name, then my paper will be invalidated anyway. It won’t have any impact. Is it perhaps that Teacher Wang Aijun is feeling guilty?"

"You!" Wang Aijun, infuriated, was about to speak when two people walked into the classroom from outside: an older man and Qin Xi.

Li Xianglu relaxed when she saw Qin Xi, but why had he left the exam room? Had he finished the exam and come out for verification?

Wang Aijun also paused upon seeing Qin Xi but was startled by the older man, respectfully addressing him: "Director, what brings you here?"

The chief huffed: "If I don’t come, am I to wait for you to falsely accuse a student?"

Wang Aijun’s eyes widened in disbelief: "Director, I’m not making false accusations. This student’s name really isn’t on the list. According to the regulations, we must temporarily stop the exam."

The director laughed: "Then let the student take the exam while the other side checks. This way, nothing is held up."

Wang Aijun was left speechless, pursed his lips, and nodded in agreement.

Qin Xi then nodded at Li Xianglu and left with the elder.

Li Xianglu breathed a sigh of relief, but her mood wasn’t great. The exam questions were mainly memory-based, which she could handle with ease, even the essay was prepared beforehand. In about an hour, Li Xianglu had completed her exam.

Towards the end, a teacher brought the original registration information and added Li Xianglu’s name to the very end of the list.

With twenty minutes to go, Li Xianglu thought that if Qin Xi hadn’t brought someone over, she would’ve only had twenty minutes left to complete the exam. Even if she worked fast, she could only complete half. A surge of rage welled up inside her, wishing she could scratch Wang Aijun’s hypocritical face.

The afternoon exam was in a different room and proctored by a different teacher. It was math, Li Xianglu’s strength. She completed it in forty minutes, checked it once, and came out half an hour later.

As she walked out, she saw Qin Xi and Qin Zhen waiting at the entrance.

Qin Zhen was beaming with pride, saying to Li Xianglu: "Chou Xiang, I might get a perfect score in math."

Li Xianglu rolled her eyes: "Congratulations on becoming a cultured thug."

Qin Zhen, still smiling, nodded: "Thank you."

Qin Xi helplessly pulled the two towards the exit. Many people were waiting at the entrance, parents and spouses or siblings. Just after the reinstatement of the college entrance exam, the test-takers were a mixed group–some were parents, some were older youths. The nation needed talent, regardless of background, and as long as one passed the political examination, they could take the college entrance exam.

Dinner was still a while away. Mr. Li, more anxious than the three exam-takers, kept asking how well they did and whether they finished all the questions. He also nervously checked whether Li Xianglu’s fountain pen had ink, suggesting she should refill it, amusing Li Xianglu and reminding her of her parents in her previous life.

When her parents sent her off for the college entrance exam in the past, they waited outside on a hot day for two hours. Her mother had even made chilled mung bean soup and put it in a thermos for her to drink right after the exam.

Now, her parents were just half-grown children. Ah, her parents were born around the year [file not complete], so now they were only about eleven or twelve years old. When Li Xianglu was in Shanghai, she secretly mailed a few big packages of food to her grandparents and to her maternal grandmother, hoping they could have a better life this time around.

Except for a minor issue in the first session, the other exams went smoothly for Li Xianglu, who then stayed at home.

After learning about what Wang Aijun had done, Mr. Li was enraged. This Wang Aijun was bold indeed, thinking he could act so rashly without consequence in this small town.

Qin Xi was also very angry because he saw that scoundrel Qin Miao talking with Wang Aijun in a secluded place.

So this matter was most likely related to Qin Miao.

Five million seven hundred thousand people took part in this college entrance exam, but less than three hundred thousand were admitted.

In early January, the results were released, posted at the entrance of the county’s middle school.

Early in the morning of the results’ release, Li Xianglu, Qin Xi, and Qin Zhen all went to see them.

Unable to squeeze through the crowd, Li Xianglu had to wait where she stood for Qin Xi and Qin Zhen.

After a long while, Qin Zhen emerged, excited: "Chou Xiang, my brother got first place!"

Li Xianglu clapped her hands excitedly: "That’s great, how many points?"

Qin Zhen said with excitement: "Three hundred ninety-three, first in the county, I bet also first in the province."

With a total of four hundred points, this score would be rare even nationally. Li Xianglu, exhilarated, said: "How about me?"

Qin Xi also emerged from the crowd: "You did well too, three hundred eighty points, and Qin Zhen, three hundred forty-one points."

Li Xianglu clapped happily, three hundred eighty, why did the score sound so odd? Three-eight, three-eight, ’stinky’ three-eight?

Qin Zhen jumped up joyfully and ran home. Mr. Li was already waiting at the door and, upon hearing that his granddaughter and the two Qin boys did well, finally felt relieved. Since the beginning of the college entrance exams, he had been worried sick. Now, knowing they had passed, he could finally be at ease.

PS: Some people question if we are playing with RMB, haha, I am so happy.

The additional updates are being written, seems like tonight would be another seven-times-a-night... I need to eat some raw eggs to boost up.