Chapter 13: Which Class Is Xu Jingming From?

The Wu Ke Gaokao will last a full twelve hours, during which all school principals and class homeroom teachers will be present throughout.

After all, the Education Bureau director is here; they couldn't possibly leave midway.

Moreover, since the Wu Ke Gaokao scores serve as the standard for distributing educational funding in the second half of the year, principals and teachers are all highly attentive to their students' results.

Of course, due to the exam's length, the military district will provide lunch and dinner for the principals and teachers.

It has now been over four hours since the Wu Ke Gaokao began, and the time is one o'clock in the afternoon.

At this point, most examinees in the testing hall have begun consuming their first energy bar.

Outside the testing hall, principals and teachers from each school have finished lunch at the military district cafeteria and are walking toward the spectator stands.

"Yizhong is as dominant as ever—almost all of the top ten are theirs."

"Yizhong receives the most educational funding every year and has the best student intake in all of Jiangcheng; it's no surprise they achieve this."

"That's true. By the way, our Erzhong isn't doing too badly this year—we have eight students in the top fifty, whereas in past years five or six was already good."

"Too bad Sanzhong is even stronger this year—they've broken into the top ten, leaving us in an awkward position."

"......"

In the Jiangcheng No. 2 High School teacher group, everyone walked while chatting and discussing among themselves.

Yizhong's deep educational foundation and its dominance at the top rankings didn't surprise them.

Their conversation revolved entirely around their own school and the third high school.

"By the way, Teacher Sun, how's Xu Jingming doing in your class? How come we didn't know you had someone like him?"

Suddenly, someone mentioned Xu Jingming and turned their gaze toward a middle-aged man in a black suit among the group.

His name is Sun Yang, homeroom teacher of Erzhong's Rocket Class.

"Xu Jingming isn't in my class—I was just about to ask you which class he's from."

Sun Yang, homeroom teacher of the Rocket Class, looked utterly bewildered.

"Xu Jingming isn't in your class? But who else besides Rocket Class students could be this strong?"

The surrounding teachers also paused in surprise and began asking who Xu Jingming's homeroom teacher was.

After students awaken their abilities, every middle school reassigns classes, placing those with potential and outstanding strength into the Rocket Class.

Erzhong is no exception.

Because of this, students who perform well in the Wu Ke Gaokao are almost always from the Rocket Class; it's extremely rare for a parallel class student to appear.

"Old Chen, how did your class do?"

At the back of the group, a bearded middle-aged man sidled up to Chen Fan, homeroom teacher of Class 5, and before Chen could answer, he continued:

"Our class did pretty well—our top student has already broken into the top hundred."

Since Erzhong's most outstanding students are all concentrated in the Rocket Class, any student from a parallel class who makes the top hundred is already considered excellent.

"Oh, that's pretty good."

Chen Fan glanced at him indifferently.

The middle-aged man was Li Jun, homeroom teacher of the neighboring Class 4; years ago, the two had a disagreement over something and their relationship was never good.

Over the past few years, Li Jun had openly and covertly opposed him; the two were essentially archrivals.

"Fine."

Seeing Chen Fan's so indifferent reaction, Li Jun couldn't help but smile smugly: "But this year, I'll probably get more exam bonus money than you."

To encourage academic discipline, the homeroom teachers' bonuses are directly tied to their students' Wu Ke Gaokao scores.

If a student from your class enters Jiangcheng's top hundred, you'll receive at least ten thousand yuan in bonus after the exam!

In this small city where homeroom teachers earn less than six thousand yuan per month, ten thousand yuan in bonus is already quite substantial.

Old Chen pretends to be calm, but inside he must be green with envy right now, right?

Just as Li Jun was secretly delighted, Chen Fan's voice spoke again:

"Is that so? Then you'll be disappointed—our class did pretty well too; someone broke into the top fifty."

"Top fifty? Old Chen, are you joking? That's all Rocket Class territory—how could your class possibly have someone rank that high?"

Li Jun reflexively rebutted, his expression dismissive.

"Wait."

But he quickly realized, his eyes widening in shock: "Wait—is Xu Jingming from your class?"

Compared to Li Jun's shock, Chen Fan's reaction was far calmer—he simply nodded faintly.

"If Xu Jingming is from your class, then why didn't you answer when they were just asking which class he's from?"

Li Jun still couldn't believe it.

"Did they? Maybe I didn't hear it."

Chen Fan replied with feigned confusion.

What the hell? What do you mean you didn't hear it? You clearly heard it on purpose!

So you've been waiting for me this whole time, huh?

Watching Chen Fan pretend to be so calm, so nonchalant, Li Jun wanted to punch him right in the face!

But the next thing Chen Fan said nearly made him choke on rage:

"Xu Jingming just made top fifty—that's nothing special; the highest in the Rocket Class already reached number eighteen."

What do you mean "just top fifty"?

The bonus for top fifty is over twenty thousand yuan!

And you're from a parallel class—how can you even compare to the Rocket Class, which gathers the entire school's elite?

Li Jun screamed silently inside.

For years, the best student he'd ever trained had only reached number sixty-four in the Wu Ke Gaokao.

"It seems Chen Laoshi has cultivated quite an extraordinary student."

Li Jun took several deep breaths before barely steadying his emotions, then offered congratulations in a sour tone.

"It's nothing, really. All of this is the result of Jingming's own efforts; it doesn't have much to do with me."

Watching his old rival getting so worked up, Chen Fan remained modest on the surface, but inwardly he was already overjoyed.

Serves you right for always showing off — eating crow this time, aren't you?

Li Jun had always been one step ahead of him in the past; this time he had finally managed to turn the tables once!

Just thinking about it made Chen Fan secretly delighted.

"Xu Jingming is from Class 5?"

"Chen Laoshi's methods of instruction are truly excellent. Among so many parallel classes, only a student from yours has broken into the top fifty."

"In the second half of the year, we could have Chen Laoshi give a lecture and share his teaching experience."

"......"

Upon learning that Xu Jingming was a student of Class 5, the surrounding teachers all offered their congratulations one after another.

Even Sun Yang, the homeroom teacher of the elite class, gave Chen Fan a friendly smile.

The top students had long been picked away by the elite class; to be able to cultivate such a student within a parallel class proved that Chen Fan's teaching ability was indeed impressive.

The group of teachers chatted and laughed, and soon returned to the audience seats.

After sitting down, Chen Fan, the homeroom teacher of Class 5, immediately looked up at the virtual screen in midair, searching for Xu Jingming's ranking.

Quickly, he spotted Xu Jingming's name among the rankings:

'32nd place: Xu Jingming, 328 points. (Jiangcheng No. 2 High School)'

"Hm? 32nd place?"

Seeing this ranking, homeroom teacher Chen Fan was instantly stunned.

Wasn't he still in 46th place just now? How did his ranking jump over ten spots just from going to eat?

Just as he was puzzling over it, Xu Jingming's name suddenly leapt, and when it reappeared it was already at a different rank:

'25th place: Xu Jingming, 372 points. (Jiangcheng No. 2 High School)'

"This......"

Chen Fan's eyes went wide, his face full of shock: "What's going on? How did Xu Jingming's ranking suddenly jump so much?"