Chapter Forty-Five: Privileges

“Tongtong achieved another perfect score, ranking first in the National Mathematics Competition. Does this mean she can be admitted to Capital University without entrance exams?” Wu Jingzhong was so overwhelmed with joy and excitement that he could barely contain himself. He was bursting with pride—his precious daughter was truly extraordinary, having once again achieved a perfect score in a national-level competition!

These competitions select only the best among the best. Didn’t this mean his Tongtong was the top high school student in the entire country? Oh my, this was even more intoxicating than a dream—he never wanted to wake up!

“Yes, she can be directly admitted to Capital University. We will also provide Wu Tong with a full tuition waiver and a monthly stipend for living expenses. If she later qualifies for the national team and achieves further success in international competitions, we can offer her no less than half a million yuan in scholarships!”

A perfect score, ranking first in the national competition?
Direct admission to Capital University??
Half a million in scholarships?

Wu Jingzhong still used an older model phone, which didn’t shield sound well and had a loud speaker. Coupled with his shocked repetition, the news carried easily. The people around him erupted in an uproar; their eyes nearly popped out of their heads in disbelief. Good heavens, this was just too much… They were so stunned that their minds went blank—they couldn’t even find the words to describe it!

“Of course I have no objections. Capital University has always been the dream school of our family. We’ll respect Tongtong’s wishes above all!” It took Wu Jingzhong a while to find his voice again. No matter how astonished he was, his daughter’s wishes came first. Capital University was exactly where Tongtong wanted to go, and now she could be admitted without further hurdles—what could be better or more secure?

“I’m at work right now. I’ll call you back later to discuss the details.” He needed to confirm everything with Tongtong before giving the admissions officer a final answer.

……

At New City Elementary School No. 1, the phone rang just as Jin Yu was marking homework in the office. She picked up and put the call on speaker without much thought. The entire office of teachers was stunned by the introduction from the other end.

Admissions Office of Huaqing University? Was this the Huaqing University they all knew?

“Of course, there is only one Huaqing University in the country, Teacher Jin. This is the official number of our admissions office—you can verify it immediately!” The person from Huaqing University was extremely patient. They had been unable to reach Wu Tong’s father—clearly, the other side had already claimed the line.

Now, it was crucial to win over the mother. Teacher Jin Yu was also in the education system; with a child this talented, the mother’s guidance must have been indispensable. Her assertive tone marked her as a true decision-maker at home.

As long as they secured Teacher Jin Yu’s agreement, it wouldn’t matter how fast the competitors acted.

“Send a text!” mouthed one of the admissions officers at Huaqing University to a colleague. If they couldn’t get through by phone, they’d send a message—they could not let Wu Tong’s father accept an offer from the rival.

Immediately, one teacher read out the number, another quickly entered it into the computer, and soon Jin Yu received confirmation: it was indeed Huaqing University—one of the country’s elite institutions!

Good heavens, Huaqing University wanted to admit her daughter in advance! How enviable was that? The teachers in the office were nearly beside themselves, wishing they could accept the offer on Jin Yu’s behalf.

If it were their own child, they wouldn’t hesitate for a second.

They had always known Jin Yu’s child was outstanding, but not to this extent! Without any effort on their part, Huaqing University was proactively reaching out to offer admission!

Jin Yu’s eyes brimmed with tears of excitement. Was this really about her daughter, Tongtong? Her trembling hands barely managed to hold the phone as she was about to reply, when suddenly a message popped up: “Greetings from the Capital University Admissions Office, Teacher Jin. Whatever Huaqing says, don’t believe it—Capital University is truly the best choice for Wu Tong.”

What was this?

Jin Yu, usually rational, felt her mind spinning. Struggling to contain her excitement, she replied, “Huaqing University is truly excellent—we are deeply grateful your university has recognized our child’s talent. However, I need to discuss this with my daughter before giving you an answer. As long as she prefers Huaqing, as her parents, we will fully support her!”

……

She remembered Tongtong had said she wanted to attend Capital University. Did they also offer direct admission? She needed to confirm.

Though she often played the disciplinarian at home, over the past six months, Tongtong had matured, working diligently without any need for supervision. Now, Jin Yu hoped her daughter could explore other interests as well, rather than becoming overly consumed by her studies.

After the call ended, Jin Yu’s heart was still pounding. She knew Tongtong’s grades were good, but she never imagined they could be this extraordinary!

Both Capital and Huaqing Universities were competing to offer her a place! She couldn’t wait to call her family to share the good news—they would all reach out to Tongtong together and discuss, pooling their wisdom to decide what would be best for her.

……

At five o’clock, the admissions officers from both Capital University and Huaqing University arrived at the hotel conference room almost simultaneously, and the battle was officially underway. The teachers from other top universities present could practically smell the tension in the air.

Both schools seemed determined to outdo each other in hospitality. The table was laden with drinks, fruit, milk tea, snacks, pastries, and even grilled treats. Gentle senior girls and handsome upperclassmen hovered around Wu Tong, eager to attend to her every need.

“Wu Tong, why don’t you and Coach Zhang have a bite first? We can discuss things at leisure—let’s not leave our young friend hungry!” The admissions officers from both schools glanced meaningfully at the teachers from other universities, who could only add awkwardly, “Everyone else, please help yourselves!”

Their meaning was clear—it was time for the others to clear out. Surely, anyone with a sense of shame would take the hint and leave?

Yet, those who had made it this far were not the thin-skinned type. The elegantly dressed group watching from the sidelines returned friendly, grateful smiles.

“Mr. Zhou, Ms. Zheng, don’t mind us. We all know each other well—no need to stand on ceremony!”

They were all intensely curious—which of the two top universities would this year’s perfect-score champion choose? Ideally, both would somehow lose, leaving a chance for the others to swoop in.

For now, the alliance of teachers and professors from the C9 League of elite universities were united in hope. If it really came down to them, well, that would be the time to compete in earnest.

The admissions officers from Capital and Huaqing Universities sat on either side of Wu Tong and Coach Zhang Ping. The senior officers from both schools wore gentle, kindly expressions. Mr. Zhou from Capital University was the first to speak. When it came to mathematics departments in domestic universities, theirs was second to none.

“Wu Tong, how would you like to attend Capital University? I believe Ms. Li has already given you a thorough introduction, so I won’t repeat myself. Let’s get straight to the point.

Given your perfect performance at the CMO, should you choose Capital University, we will offer you a starting scholarship of one hundred thousand yuan, full tuition waiver, and a monthly living stipend starting at three thousand yuan. Should you continue to excel, there is no cap on the scholarships you could receive.

In terms of academics, once you enroll, we can provide you with the best faculty in the country. You can choose any three professors to mentor you. If you maintain outstanding results, the university will offer you guaranteed postgraduate admission, access to professional master’s or direct PhD programs, opportunities to study abroad, joint training programs—there are many paths, and you are free to choose whichever suits you best. As for employment, you would have priority for university positions!”