The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 83: Self-Study Exam Results Released, Faced with Doubt

Chapter 83: Chapter 83: Self-Study Exam Results Released, Faced with Doubt

Upon hearing that Shen Mingzhu only had a junior high school diploma, all the candidates around her stopped talking and turned their heads to look at her in unison.

As if they were looking at some rare species.

Among these self-study examination candidates, some had high school diplomas, some had technical secondary school diplomas, and there were even those with diplomas from teachers’ colleges or junior colleges, but Mingzhu was the only one with a junior high school diploma to take part in the self-study examination.

The woman standing in the row in front of Shen Mingzhu asked her, "You have been working for several years now, right? Which unit are you working at now?"

"I don’t work, I usually stay at home and take care of the kids."

Shen Mingzhu’s words were astonishing, and the people around her all looked at her as if she were some kind of monster.

These were all employees with formal jobs, who chose to improve themselves through the self-study exam for the sake of career advancement or development.

A man ridiculed her mockingly, "A housewife should just stay at home and take care of the kids and do the chores, why bother coming here to join in the commotion."

"You can’t speak so absolutely, the spirit of daring to try boldly is still very commendable and worth learning from, you and me alike."

"Even if she doesn’t pass, learning a bit more cultural knowledge is also good."

The young woman standing in front of Shen Mingzhu spoke up to help Shen Mingzhu out of the awkward situation and comforted her, "It’s okay if you don’t pass, there’s always the next half of the year to continue trying, a few more attempts and you’ll surely pass."

Shen Mingzhu thought to herself that they hadn’t seen her results yet; how could they know she hadn’t passed? But she still agreed with them verbally.

Candidates continued to come out of the office with their transcripts in hand, and with every person who emerged, their expressions revealed their results.

Those beaming with joy had definitely passed, and whether familiar or not, they received congratulations and well-wishes from others.

Those with downcast faces had definitely failed, but kind-hearted souls would also offer a word of encouragement or motivation.

As the queue moved forward, the candidates in front of Shen Mingzhu received their results one after another.

Some passed, some did not.

Soon it was the turn of the young woman standing in front of Shen Mingzhu.

She came out of the office in less than two minutes, her face etched with disappointment, "I passed one subject but failed another, just a few points short. It’s such a pity, I’ll have to retake it."

After entering the office, Shen Mingzhu handed over her identification and the admit card number.

The teacher searching for the results smiled and praised her, "You did quite well, keep it up."

Shen Mingzhu took the transcript, glanced at it, folded it up with her ID, and placed it in her bag. She thanked the teacher and then turned to leave.

"You’re out, how did it go?"

For some reason, the young woman who had been ahead of Shen Mingzhu hadn’t left. It seemed she was specifically waiting to see her result and immediately greeted her with a smile upon seeing her come out of the office.

Although Shen Mingzhu was puzzled, she politely replied, "I passed."

The smile on the young woman’s face froze for a moment, "You passed? Which subject did you pass?"

"Both of them."

Among the candidates who had been chatting earlier, some who hadn’t left heard Shen Mingzhu say she passed both subjects, and one of them snickered.

"Blowing your own trumpet without even drafting a score. The ones with junior college diplomas only passed one subject, and she, with only a junior high school graduation, passed both? Do you see her daring to show her transcript for us to see?"

Shen Mingzhu glanced at the person without giving him any mind, much like encountering a stray dog barking at you on the street; would you really bark back at it?

Shen Mingzhu was about to walk away, but the young woman who had been in front of her grabbed her bag strap.

"Did you really pass both subjects? Can I take a look at your transcript?"

"I’m sorry, that’s not convenient; I have something else to attend to. Let go of my hand!"

After trying to pull her bag strap back a couple of times without success, Shen Mingzhu was getting annoyed.

What, is this person sick or something?

The young woman looked at her with a mocking smile, "You actually didn’t pass, did you? It’s okay, a lot of people didn’t pass. They have higher qualifications than you; it’s not shameful for someone with only a junior high school diploma to fail, there’s no need to lie."

Shen Mingzhu was almost amused by her anger.

I don’t even know you, what’s my exam result got to do with you?

There’s never a shortage of onlookers wherever there’s a scene. Seeing the two tugging and pulling, some busybodies gathered around.

Soon, the onlookers learned the ins and outs from those who sneered at Shen Mingzhu, and they began sizing her up with their comments, one after the other.

"She looks gentle and pretty, but isn’t her vanity a bit too strong?"

"Exactly, if you didn’t pass, you didn’t pass. What’s the point of lying to people?"

"Being honest and realistic in life is always the best policy."

...

Shen Mingzhu’s entire mood was: I just feel like saying, "Last year, I bought a watch."

"Fine, you want to see my report card? I’ll show it, but I have a condition."

Shen Mingzhu pointed at the woman who was sneering at her and grabbing her bag strap, "If I’ve passed both subjects, you two need to apologize to me in public and loudly admit that you were too blind to see the truth. How about that?"

The man who sneered at her quickly agreed, but made a counteroffer, "If you didn’t pass, then you have to shout three times ’I am a big liar’."

"Deal."

However, the woman who was clutching Shen Mingzhu’s bag strap suddenly got cold feet and said with a fake smile, "That’s not necessary. I was just caring about your grades, nothing more."

Shen Mingzhu got angry, "You’re dragging on my bag strap and not letting me go, and you say it means nothing? Are you seriously sick in the head?"

The young woman didn’t expect Shen Mingzhu to be such a straight shooter, turning her face on a dime, and she went red in the face.

"Coward!"

Even a person of high forbearance and strong self-control would be provoked by Shen Mingzhu’s words, "Fine, if you really did pass both subjects, I will apologize to you."

The young woman still had some wits about her, specifically clarifying that it was about both subjects.

Without further ado, Shen Mingzhu flung out her report card.

When the onlookers saw the scores on the report card, they were all shocked.

Perfect scores in both subjects?!

"Impossible!"

The young woman snatched Shen Mingzhu’s report card, her face full of disbelief.

How could anyone get perfect scores?

And perfect scores in two subjects!

This absolutely couldn’t happen to someone with only a junior high school diploma!

"Your report card is fake!"

Noticing that the stamp on the report card was somewhat blurred, the young woman behaved as if she had found a smoking gun, exhilarated.

"Ha, you’re unbelievable, woman. You actually made a fake report card to deceive others?"

"She doesn’t think she can get a diploma with a fake report card, does she?"

"Damn, is she here to joke around?"

The onlookers couldn’t stop laughing.

The man who sneered was eager to have Shen Mingzhu fulfill the bet, openly admitting she is a liar.

Shen Mingzhu rolled her eyes unapologetically at him and retorted without mercy to the young woman who doubted her report card, "I said you had a problem, and you wouldn’t admit it. Right behind you is the self-study examination office. I’d be insane to bring a fake report card to deceive someone right at the office door."

The laughter gradually quieted down.

Yeah, wouldn’t it be clear after checking with the inquiry teacher inside whether it’s real or fake?

Right then, the young woman took Shen Mingzhu’s report card and went into the office.

"Teacher, please check whether this report card is real or fake."

Outside the office, a dozen pairs of ears were eagerly listening for the result.