The Reincarnated Science Whiz

Chapter 14: Bonus

“Good News: Warm congratulations to our outstanding senior high school student, Qin Yuanqing, for winning the championship at the National High School Math League!” When Qin Yuanqing arrived at the school gate on his motorcycle, he saw a long red banner hanging above the 90-year-old school gate. Qin Yuanqing could hardly believe it. The results and rankings had only been announced at 10:00 a. m. yesterday, and yet the school had already put up such a huge banner today? That speed was simply unbelievable. Since when has the school been this efficient? “Senior! It’s Senior Qin Yuanqing!” A girl with a short haircut and acne on her face froze for a moment upon seeing Qin Yuanqing, then let out a shriek. “It really is Qin Yuanqing!” “He’s so amazing—he got two perfect scores. He’s the only one!” “Senior, sign an autograph for me!” Qin Yuanqing was startled to see more and more students gathering around him. What was going on? He wasn’t the school heartthrob, nor was he a basketball star—when had he become so famous on campus? Qin Yuanqing hurriedly pushed his way through the crowd—if not now, when? But before long, the path was completely blocked, and he couldn’t move an inch. Dragging his suitcase, Qin Yuanqing finally gave up. Feeling both amused and exasperated, he hurriedly said, “Everyone, please calm down. Calm down. I just got back. Can you all let me go home and rest for a bit?” Qin Yuanqing was trembling with fear. In either his past or present life, he’d never experienced anything like this—not even when he’d been interviewed by a CCTV reporter yesterday afternoon had it been this terrifying. “Everyone, please disperse!” Just then, an authoritative voice rang out from behind. It was Principal Fang Jianguo. Everyone recognized the principal, and seeing him was like having a bucket of cold water poured over their frenzied hearts; they immediately parted to make a path. Fang Jianguo walked up to Qin Yuanqing, shook his hand, and said warmly, “Qin Yuanqing, welcome back! Congratulations on your outstanding achievements—you’ve brought honor to our school!” Every year when new students enroll, the principal would say at the first general assembly, “Today you take pride in your alma mater; one day, your alma mater will take pride in you! The vast majority of people are actually unable to live up to this, but there is no doubt that Qin Yuanqing has done so now! The honors Qin Yuanqing has now earned have made history not only for Jinpu No. 1 High School but also for Jinpu County—achievements that will be recorded in the school’s annals and the county chronicles. This undoubtedly makes Jinpu No. 1 High School proud of Qin Yuanqing. This represents not only an honor but also tangible benefits! This morning, he received a call from a high-ranking county official from Jinpu County. After a round of praise and affirmation, the projects for the synthetic track and gymnasium that Jinpu No. 1 High School had applied for were both approved, and the funds were transferred to the school’s account immediately. That’s a full 50 million! For a high school like Jinpu No. 1 High School, annual donations from businesses and individuals are minimal; it took several years of accumulated funds to build the multipurpose building in 2006. Without government funding, a synthetic track and a gymnasium would have been out of the question. But now that Qin Yuanqing had taken first place with perfect scores in both subjects—a feat that even earned the high-ranking county official a commendation at the provincial level—the official’s delight had made all of this possible. “Principal!” Qin Yuanqing felt almost embarrassed. He’d accidentally come in first place, yet was receiving such special treatment—he was truly overwhelmed by the attention. “Go back and freshen up first. Come to my office in an hour—the Director of the Education Bureau and the county officials want to meet with you in person,” the principal whispered in Qin Yuanqing’s ear. He had met the Director of the Education Bureau and the county officials before, when he won first place in the league competition. In his previous life, he had reported on engineering designs to the Deputy Mayor, and had attended over a dozen briefing sessions with the County Magistrate, so Qin Yuanqing wasn’t nervous about meeting officials of this rank. However, he had never been interested in such formalities and actually felt a bit averse to them. Still, since the principal had spoken, Qin Yuanqing didn’t say much in response. Once you’re in this line of work, you have no choice but to play by the rules—even as a student, one can’t escape that reality. After returning to his dorm, he took a good shower, changed into a clean set of clothes, and blow-dried his hair before heading out to campus. Just then, the campus broadcast announced that all faculty and students were to assemble on the sports field. Qin Yuanqing was a bit surprised—why such a big production this time? When he arrived at the principal’s office, he saw the principal sipping tea with a high-ranking county official and the director of the Education Bureau. Fang Jianguo smiled and said, “Qin Yuanqing, please have a seat and try some of this old man’s prized tea.” “Your Principal Fang here is renowned throughout the county as a tea connoisseur—he’s quite the connoisseur. The tea from his collection is top-notch; I can’t even get my hands on it normally,” the high-ranking county official said with a gentle smile. Qin Yuanqing smiled. Although he was from Southern Fujian, he knew nothing about tea culture; to him, there was no difference between fine tea and ordinary tea. Nevertheless, Qin Yuanqing picked up the teacup and took a sip. As the conversation continued, he finally realized why the school had gone to such great lengths—it turned out that the high-ranking county official was there on behalf of the county government to award Qin Yuanqing 100,000 yuan. 100,000 yuan! Upon hearing this, Qin Yuanqing was secretly startled. Last year, the three students who were admitted to Shuimu University and Yan Da University each received a 100,000 yuan bonus from the county government. Qin Yuanqing understood that this was a publicity stunt; it would be broadcast not only on Jinpu News but also on Shuixian City TV. As for Qin Yuanqing, he needed this 100,000 yuan bonus as well. With it, his parents wouldn’t have to work so hard, and the family could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Although he had two older brothers—his eldest was nine years older than him and his second was seven years older—both had long since gone out to work. His eldest brother was married, but since he only had a junior high school education, his monthly salary wasn’t high, and the amount he could actually contribute to the family was quite limited. Children from poor families grow up fast! Qin Yuanqing had been very responsible since childhood; he handled almost all the household chores on his own, simply to help his parents as much as possible. Even while attending school in the county seat, he kept his desires in check and never spent money recklessly—he bought clothes only twice a year and had never once gone out to play or to a KTV. Qin Yuanqing hurriedly expressed his gratitude. “Qin Yuanqing, I hear you turned down offers from Shuimu University and Yan Da University? What are your thoughts on that?” the high-ranking county official asked gently. This was a major event. How many students from Shuimu University or Yan Da University could a single county produce? These were all measures of administrative achievement. If they could make a historic breakthrough, it would be a source of great pride and earn praise from the leadership. Education has always been a top priority in Huaxia! Huaxia is arguably the country that places the greatest emphasis on education in the world, both in ancient times and today. No matter how poor we are, we must never skimp on education; no matter how hard life gets, we must never let our children suffer. This is a clear manifestation of Huaxia’s commitment to education. Another striking example is the real estate market’s tie between housing and education—so-called “school district homes,” where property prices skyrocket, yet parents, desperate for their children to receive a better education, grit their teeth and buy them even when they can’t quite afford it. “County official, the college entrance exam is the most important moment in anyone’s life. I don’t want to miss it, and I’m confident I can get into one of these ‘Double First-Class’ universities through the exam!” Qin Yuanqing said. The county official couldn’t help but grumble inwardly: He could have easily coasted to victory, yet he insists on taking the hard road and enduring hardships—what an immature child. “Well then, I wish you all the best in making your dream come true. I hope you score well on next year’s college entrance exam!” the county official could only say. As the clock struck 4:50, Qin Yuanqing followed the principal and the two officials to the schoolyard and took the stage. The principal presided over the ceremony himself. He began by highlighting Qin Yuanqing’s outstanding achievements in the National High School Mathematics Competition: two perfect scores, first place, a national first-class award, and qualification for the CMP—all of which had brought honor to the school. “And now, please welcome the high-ranking county official to deliver his remarks!” After a brief introduction, the principal invited the official to speak. On the field, reporters and cameramen from Jinpu Television had already trained their lenses on the podium. The county official first extended congratulations to Qin Yuanqing on behalf of the county government and the county Party committee, showering him with praise and recognition. His words stirred the passion of the thousands of high school students in attendance, who applauded wildly. Subsequently, the county official announced that the county government was awarding Qin Yuanqing a cash prize of 100,000 yuan, while encouraging him to keep up the good work and strive for further honors. Finally, several people held up a sign bearing the words “¥100,000” for a group photo, and the awards ceremony concluded amid thunderous applause from the entire audience. Qin Yuanqing also received a check, which he could cash at the bank at any time. He was overjoyed—this was the first large sum of money he had acquired since his rebirth. After having dinner with the principal and accompanying high-ranking county officials, Qin Yuanqing immediately transferred the 100,000 to his own bank card and then sent the funds to his father’s account. “Dad!” Back at school, Qin Yuanqing called home from a payphone, and his father answered. “Yuan Qing, what’s the matter? Are you short on living expenses? I’ll send you some money tomorrow!” His father’s concerned voice came through the phone, bringing a lump to Qin Yuanqing’s throat. His parents had always given selflessly to him, providing him with the very best of everything. Although they hadn’t even finished elementary school and were just farmers, their love for him was no less than anyone else’s. “Dad, no need to send money—no need at all,” Qin Yuanqing said hurriedly. “I entered a competition this time and won first place. A high-ranking county official awarded me 100,000 yuan, and I’ve transferred the entire amount to you! You and Mom shouldn’t work too hard—take good care of yourselves and buy whatever you want to eat. I’m all grown up now; I’ll earn my own living expenses and tuition. You and Mom don’t need to worry!” “Yuan Qing, don’t get involved in anything shady—that’ll get you into trouble. I don’t ask you to make a name for yourself; I just want you to stay safe and have a smooth life,” his father said, his voice trembling. Qin Yuanqing smiled bitterly to himself. His dad had been an honest, hardworking farmer his whole life, never straying down the wrong path, yet his first thought was that his son had gone astray. He hurriedly explained it over and over again, but seeing that his father still didn’t believe him, Qin Yuanqing quickly added, “Dad, remember to watch Jinpu News tonight. You should see it then, and you’ll believe me.” He had no choice but to say that; he figured his dad would believe him once he saw the news. At that moment, the lights in the classrooms were all on, and evening study hall was about to begin. Qin Yuanqing let out a soft sigh, then headed up the stairs. Their classroom was on the fifth floor, and he took three steps at a time, reaching the classroom in just one minute.