Chapter 14 — The Day the Whole School Went Wild

The classroom voting sheet clearly indicated twenty-nine votes in favor of my nomination. Yet, when the final results were officially posted on the bulletin board, that number mysteriously transformed into thirty-six votes for Xu Jiayan. I placed the crisp sheet of paper down upon the wooden podium, letting the silence stretch before looking up. Teacher Gao, you now have the opportunity to explain this discrepancy. That surplus of phantom votes—exactly who cast them on behalf of someone else?

Gao Lam clutched the edge of the student desk for support, her knuckles turning white. The sobbing that had previously escaped Xu Jiayan abruptly died in her throat. Xu Jiayan’s mother stood frozen, her face drained of all color, resembling a ghost in the harsh fluorescent light. The principal hovered near the doorway, looking as though he had forgotten how to breathe properly. At that exact moment, Headmaster Ma came barreling down the corridor, clutching a thick stack of archival files freshly retrieved from the administrative records room. His voice was trembling so violently that the words fractured as they left his lips.

Principal, something terrible has happened. The initial list of student beneficiaries submitted for the first phase of the Nanqiao Development Fund originally designated Shen Nanqiao as the sole nominee from Class Eleven-Three. However, the final name that was officially reported to the municipal authorities had been altered by someone to read Xu Jiayan.

The moment those words dropped from Headmaster Ma, every single person standing in the corridor froze as if nailed to the floorboards. Xu Jiayan’s weeping ceased entirely. Gao Lam’s expression turned the color of ash. I stared at the bundle of documents clutched in the man’s hands, a faint, high-pitched ringing suddenly echoing deep within my ears. I had known that our affiliated high school was allocated a nomination slot for the Nanqiao Development Fund's inaugural partnership. That financial assistance was never meant for me; I did not need it. It was a special provision intended for students facing genuine familial hardships alongside exceptional academic achievements who required long-term institutional support. Yet I had never been informed that Class Eleven-Three had ever put my name forward in the first place, and certainly never knew that the beneficiary would ultimately morph into Xu Jiayan.

Teacher Song was the first to recover her composure. She stepped forward, reached out to take the file folder from the trembling hands of Headmaster Ma, and flipped directly to the final signature page. In the original nomination ledger, the column designated for the class's chosen candidate clearly bore my name: Shen Nanqiao. Beside it were the recorded class votes—twenty-nine in total—alongside my ranking as first in academic performance and first in comprehensive evaluation. Yet in the subsequent duplicate report submitted to the higher authorities, my name had vanished, replaced entirely by Xu Jiayan. The vote count had been inflated to thirty-six, while my previous scores for academic ranking and comprehensive evaluation were simply grafted onto her name as if they belonged to her all along.

I stared unblinkingly at those typed characters until a sudden, bitter laugh escaped my lips. It turned out that she was capable of hijacking even my hard-earned first-place standing and utilizing it for her own selfish ambitions. Xu Jiayan’s father snatched the duplicate report from Teacher Song’s hands, his eyes scanning the pages frantically before his expression dissolved into utter dismay.

Jiayan, what is the meaning of this?

Xu Jiayan shook her head frantically, stepping backward as tears spilled anew down her cheeks. Father, I do not know anything about this. I truly had no idea.

Her mother was equally frantic, waving her hands in agitation. There has clearly been some terrible mistake made by the school administration. Our family has never lacked for money of this sort; why on earth would Jiayan ever need to apply for charity assistance?

Teacher Song’s voice cut through the air like a blade of ice. This allocation is far more than mere financial aid. It encompasses municipal-level outstanding development records, bonus points for voluntary community service, and guaranteed eligibility for prestigious summer camp nominations. In the future, these records are even entered directly into the civic contribution talent pool maintained by major universities.

Xu Jiayan’s mother snapped her mouth shut instantly. Those privileges were infinitely more valuable than mere currency.

Standing nearby, Cheng Hao’s father let out a harsh, mocking laugh. No wonder your precious daughter insisted on wearing the red sash representing our top-performing students across her chest. It turns out she not only hijacked someone else’s field trip ticket, but she even had the audacity to steal their official nomination slot.

Xu Jiayan’s mother shrieked in defense, Do not try to fish in troubled waters and twist the narrative.

Cheng Hao’s father darkened his expression further. My son did wrong, and I have accepted the consequences. But even at this late hour, your family is still attempting to evade accountability.

Having lost all remaining face, Xu Jiayan’s father whipped his head around to glare directly at Gao Lam. Teacher Gao, did you not assure us previously that Jiayan met every single qualification required for this?

Gao Lam’s shoulders shuddered visibly. Mr. Xu, please do not go around spouting nonsense.

Enraged, Xu Jiayan’s father lost his temper completely. Nonsense? You were the one who told us with your own mouth that Shen Nanqiao possessed an antisocial personality and was entirely unsuited to represent the Foundation. You told us that Jiayan was the class monitor with a bright, pleasant appearance, and that municipal leaders naturally favored students of that exact profile. Are you attempting to deny your own words now?

A deathly stillness descended upon the hallway. The principal closed his eyes, his face looking hollow and gray. Section Chief Shao immediately stepped forward to demand, Does this illicit alteration have any direct connection to parental bribery?

Gao Lam stammered frantically, Absolutely not.

By this point, however, Xu Jiayan’s mother was entirely unravelled, her defenses crumbling. We merely gave a few small tokens of appreciation. Teacher Gao mentioned how exhausting class management duties were, and we simply wished to express our gratitude. Is there anything wrong with showing appreciation?

My mother was trembling so violently with rage that her fingers curled into tight fists. You people offered bribes, and in exchange, my daughter was trampled beneath your feet?

Xu Jiayan’s mother opened her mouth to retort, but the words died in her throat; she no longer dared to demand compensation for the lost ticket. Because this time, the incriminating evidence was no longer just a simple piece of paper for an excursion. It was academic merit. It was personal integrity. It was an official nomination. It was everything that had been brazenly stripped away from my future.

Teacher Song took out her phone and carefully photographed both sets of nomination documents as concrete evidence. Her voice dropped to a low, authoritative register. This nomination slot is subjected to joint oversight by both the Development Fund and the municipal government. No individual educational institution possesses the authority to unilaterally alter these records, let alone forge student credentials under false pretenses.

Section Chief Shao immediately turned toward the accompanying staff members. Notify the Disciplinary Committee of the Education Bureau and the local police department to intervene immediately.

In a fraction of a second, all the remaining color drained from Gao Lam’s face, leaving her stark white. The police?

She seemed finally to comprehend that the situation had spiraled completely beyond her capacity to manipulate. Officials, please listen, this was merely an administrative oversight during our routine processing.