Chapter 25: The Disqualified Final Exam

"What a nice dream, it's getting more and more interesting." Chen Hao stretched, yawned, and said.

Feng Yan lowered his head, silent; he understood inside that finals were just a few days away, so he said to Chen Hao: "Finals are coming up, we should also review properly; although our grades are poor, it doesn't mean I don't care about grades, after all I've been slacking in high school for half a year."

"Hmm." Chen Hao lowered his head to think. They got up, put on their clothes, left the hospital, bought some buns outside, finished breakfast on the way and returned to the classroom. Answering his own seat, the girl behind also didn't say anything, which made Feng Yan feel quite surprised, always feeling weird. "Who cares! Probably because everyone's nervous about the finals." Feng Yan chuckled. He then took out the textbook used for today's morning reading, preparing to start today's tense and stimulating study life. This should also count as the first semester of his high school life, welcoming a brief end, and giving himself a satisfactory answer.

Just like that, a peaceful day passed, Feng Yan felt his life was fulfilling and meaningful; believing that at this pace he would surely achieve a grade that would satisfy himself, that must be the case!

During evening self-study, the homeroom teacher came to the classroom with his black notebook, he first sat down, then opened the notebook, cleared his throat, took a sip of tea, and slowly said: "Students, stop for now!"

Everyone in the class stopped their work and looked at the homeroom teacher, who then continued: "Below is a new document issued from the Education Bureau; due to continuous recent snowfall, the county seat has already seen severe snow accumulation, after deliberation, the Bureau has decided to advance the start of the final exams." "Great!" came a cheer from below the podium; the homeroom teacher knew this situation couldn't be stopped—his own little bed at home, his warm little nest, who wouldn't long for it?

"Well then, now, the students whose names are called, come out." The homeroom teacher said: "Feng Yan, Chen Hao!"

Feng Yan and Chen Hao stood up in response; the homeroom teacher opened the classroom's big door, the door creaked, and the two went out. The classmates stirred, probably just a few words—what did they do? What use could they have? Could it be they caused trouble for the homeroom teacher? Zhang Xiaobo looked out the window, at the two; he knew in his heart, yet also seemed not to know: "Looks like these two's finals will be tough." He thought.

Feng Yan and Chen Hao were outside, white snowflakes drifting onto their heads; they waited for the homeroom teacher to announce the matter.

"Why don't I know?" the homeroom teacher said, "I don't know what the reason is, but your two names weren't recorded on the final exam list, which means you cannot take the final exam."

Chen Hao seemed to anticipate this would happen; he remained calm, coldly saying: "Understood."

The homeroom teacher looked at Feng Yan; Feng Yan lowered his head, gritted his teeth, trying hard to restrain his emotions; after a long while, he strained to squeeze out three words from his mouth: "Understood."

Seeing their behavior, the homeroom teacher added: "Actually there is another way." Feng Yan raised his head, his eyes flashing with an unusual light; he anticipated that solution, or rather the homeroom teacher's remedial method for their final exam. Feng Yan listened carefully to the teacher's words, fearing to miss a single character; how much he longed to regain the chance to take the final exam—though he was a poor student, he still wanted to achieve a grade he considered passable.

"—That is, you take the exam elsewhere; I will provide you with the test papers, then after you finish I will give you the answers for you to check yourselves." After saying this, the homeroom teacher felt rather pleased, thinking his method would surely be adopted by the two, and that he would earn their gratitude.

In fact, this wounded Feng Yan's heart even more.

Feng Yan's face darkened; he asked the homeroom teacher: "Do you know why I take exams?"

"Why?" the homeroom teacher said, puzzled.

"Because I am a student! As a student, taking exams should be a matter of course, shouldn't it? I don't know what the reason is, I don't seek the homeroom teacher's favor, but you shouldn't, just because our grades are poor, cancel our exam eligibility—whether intentional or not, what are we? We are students who come to school to study, review, and take exams; even if we sometimes feel bored, that's what we ought to be doing, right? So let me ask you, teacher: if you were a student and had your exam eligibility revoked, how would that feel? A few days ago I made a mistake—yes, I was late! I should be punished, but what do you mean by that? As a teacher, are you always on high and mighty? Never make mistakes in your whole life? Right, teachers are saints, they never make mistakes, right, that's how it is." After speaking, Feng Yan was somewhat out of breath, his face flushed, and he coughed.

The homeroom teacher said nothing, seeming to think about something, then finally said: "The list has already been submitted and cannot be changed; if we don't do it this way, you will have no final exam—should say, you'll have no grades at all."

"No grades? Humph." Feng Yan gave a dry laugh. "Then it's not something I should worry about; anyway, the exam is in a few days, by then I'll just go home, ask why they haven't come back while I have, and I'll simply say the homeroom teacher carelessly forgot to report my name, then I'll go home; the benefit of having no grades is that I don't have to fear my family asking about my grades." After saying that, Feng Yan lifted his head, gazing at the pure white snowflakes drifting in the sky and the white earth already covered with white snow, and spoke thoughtfully: "Originally people are as white as these snowflakes, but later, after undergoing the world's baptism, some become corrupt, some become snobbish; do these people still remember their original appearance? Or perhaps humans are simply the most changeable—saying that poses no problem, right? Teacher?"

The teacher looked at the snowflakes, saying nothing more. The snow fell heavier and heavier; the snowflakes drifting from the sky landed on the ground, and soon a large expanse of snow accumulated on the ground.

"Don't worry, teacher; as students we know your painstaking efforts for us, but I can't continue studying now—please give me a leave slip; I want to return to the dormitory, I feel a bit dizzy." Feng Yan said.

The homeroom teacher took out a leave slip from his pocket, wrote his name on it, and handed it to Feng Yan; Feng Yan borrowed a pen from a classmate nearby, signed his name, and left together with Chen Hao. The homeroom teacher watched from behind, wondering whether he was at fault for this matter, or whether he should have directly raised the issue of canceling the exam before the parents; but now it's too late, and Feng Yan holds the homeroom teacher's "lever" in his hand.

Feng Yan walked on the way to the dormitory; snowflakes fell on him, his expression blank, tears welled directly from his eye sockets, streaming down his cheeks, falling to the ground, leaving a faint little hollow, soon buried by snowflakes.

"Look at you like that! You've got some spirit!" Chen Hao rebuked him, "This guy, really capable of doing that."

"It's fine, let's go in; we have things to do." Feng Yan's eyes were red, his cheeks still bearing the traces of tears; he wiped his hand across his face and said firmly.