Provincial Top Scholar

"Old Yu," Vice Principal Zhu gave him a heavy slap on the shoulder. "If there aren't any other students with the same name at other schools, then I must congratulate you. This year’s top scorer in the province for liberal arts is Chen Fengyun, with a score of 687."

"What? Chen Fengyun is the provincial top scorer for liberal arts?" Vice Principal Yu was stunned, unable to believe it.

"It shouldn’t be wrong. Everyone, if your schools don’t have a student named Chen Fengyun, then he must be from Rongcheng No. 5 High School." Vice Principal Zhu nodded and then raised his voice to ask.

A commotion erupted around them, but soon quieted down. These national key schools, most likely to produce provincial top scorers, didn’t have anyone named Chen Fengyun. It seemed Rongcheng No. 5 had produced a dark horse this year.

For the other schools in Rongcheng, even though the top scorer didn’t come from their own, it was still a school from Rongcheng. If both provincial top scorers were taken by out-of-town schools, these key schools in the provincial capital would be embarrassed.

Vice Principal Yu could hardly believe what he heard. He was dazed for a moment before the leaders from several schools gathered around to speak to him, finally rousing him.

He shakily took out his phone and called Principal Liu, who was waiting at the school for news. "Principal, Chen Fengyun is the provincial top scorer for liberal arts. I just don’t know if it’s our Chen Fengyun."

Even now, Vice Principal Yu couldn’t believe it. Chen Fengyun had ranked in the top fifty in the third mock exam in Rongcheng, but that was still a huge gap from being the top scorer in the province.

When Vice Principal Yu relayed the news, the school leaders and teachers waiting at No. 5 High School were equally stunned. They had only hoped Chen Fengyun could make it into Rongcheng’s top fifty, bringing new honor to the school. No one dared to dream he’d become the provincial top scorer.

"Teacher Zhang, you’re Chen Fengyun’s homeroom teacher. Do you think he could have scored 687?" Principal Liu asked.

"Principal, in the last pre-exam test before the college entrance exam, Chen Fengyun did score around 680. But the questions were much easier that time. So, I’m not sure how he performed on the actual exam," Teacher Zhang replied, uncertain.

Immediately, the principal and teachers at No. 5 High School were torn. Clearly, the school might have produced a provincial top scorer, but now they themselves couldn’t believe it, nor dared to announce it.

"Teacher Zhang, call Chen Fengyun and see if he’s checked his results yet. Also, ask him what he estimates his score to be," Principal Liu instructed after a while.

At that moment, Chen Fengyun and his parents had checked several times at home, but the system wasn’t open before, and now the line was always busy. When his homeroom teacher called, Chen Fengyun didn’t think much of it. "Teacher Zhang, I haven’t checked my results yet."

"Fengyun, then estimate—what score do you think you might have gotten?"

"Oh, probably somewhere between 660 and 690. It should be within that range," Chen Fengyun replied, unable to be certain.

"It’s like this: Vice Principal Yu has been waiting at the provincial exam office. He just sent word—the top scorer for liberal arts this year got 687, and his name is Chen Fengyun. Do you think it’s you?" Teacher Zhang asked, full of hope.

"It should be me," Chen Fengyun answered calmly. To him, becoming the top scorer was nothing special; as a cultivator, what difficulty could there possibly be?

If not for wanting to please his parents and repay the school, he wouldn’t have been so high-profile in the entrance exam. He had already decided to major in archaeology at Capital University. If his score was too low, he might not get in, so he simply chose to stand out this time.

"Really? That’s wonderful! Congratulations, Fengyun!" Teacher Zhang’s voice trembled with excitement, clearly overjoyed.

"Dad, Mom, Teacher Zhang just said I scored 687 and am this year’s provincial top scorer in liberal arts." With that, Chen Fengyun told his parents and then went back to his room.

"What? What did he say? 687? Top scorer?" his father asked, bewildered, turning to his wife.

His mother, quicker to realize, grabbed his father’s arm and shook it. "Old man, our son scored 687! He’s the provincial top scorer in liberal arts this year!"

"Hahaha, my son is the top scorer! Hurry, bring some peanuts and wine, let’s have a drink to celebrate!" his father laughed heartily.

The next day, Chen Fengyun went to school to fill out his university application. All the newspapers, TV stations, and new media in Rongcheng sought them out, interviewing his parents and spreading the news throughout their residential area.

That afternoon, several media outlets competed to report on this year’s provincial top scorers for both liberal arts and science. The basic information about Chen Fengyun and Liu Yan’er became household news.

While other students spent two days filling out their applications, Chen Fengyun finished in one day. He had long since decided—without consulting anyone—to apply directly for the archaeology program at Capital University.

Afterward, he disappeared from home again, heading to the antique market to hunt for treasures. Many media outlets tried to reach him, but none managed to find him. He also refused interviews when they managed to get through on the phone.

"Why didn’t that kid show up yesterday?" In the antique market, the eagle-eyed man wondered. Could the kid have learned that someone was investigating him? He used to come every day, so why not yesterday?

"Second Master, you asked the brothers to check on that young man, right? There’s no need to investigate anymore. It’s all here," a young man rushed in, handing over news reports about the top scorer.

"Yes, that’s him. He’s actually a student, and the top scorer? That’s odd. Didn’t Old Four say he was a student in Capital University’s archaeology department? Did he lie to Old Four?" The eagle-eyed man frowned.

"Second Master, the kid you told us to watch is here again. He’s in the Ming-Qing Building now," someone called to report.

"Keep an eye on him. See what he’s looking for. If there’s something he wants to buy, don’t sell it to him—bring it to me first," the eagle-eyed man instructed.

"Chen Fengyun—a good name. Only eighteen, his parents are ordinary workers, nothing special." He carefully reviewed all the reports about Chen Fengyun and his family, finding nothing suspicious.

Still, the eagle-eyed man made calls to have Chen Fengyun’s parents investigated. Later, even relatives and friends of the Chen family—and he himself—began to doubt whether Old Four and Old Eight had mistaken the person. This young man seemed nothing out of the ordinary.