"Hehe, Second Miss, don’t you think we’re on the same wavelength?" Lin Tian winked at Xiao Manxuan with a chuckle.
"Hmph, I’m not on the same wavelength with you—I don’t want to be," Xiao Manxuan retorted, tilting her delicate, fair face upward coquettishly.
Principal Yan was dumbfounded upon hearing Lin Tian and Xiao Manxuan reject the offer of guaranteed admission, especially now as they were exchanging glances. For the first time, he stuttered, "You... you really refuse the offer? Do you know which university is offering you this opportunity?"
Principal Yan couldn’t understand their decision and became anxious, saying, "Jinghua University, the top-ranked university in Huaxia, the highest institution of learning, with the most robust faculty, the most advanced laboratories, the largest library, the university that all students dream of attending. Are you sure you want to refuse?"
"Of course, my word is my bond," Lin Tian said with an easy smile.
"The same goes for me. I, Xiao Manxuan, keep my word too," Xiao Manxuan said defiantly, glancing provocatively at Lin Tian and deliberately mimicking his tone.
"You... sigh, I understand that you both excel academically, but there are countless students across the country with excellent grades, the world never lacks geniuses or talents. There are also many students who aspire to get into Jinghua University, facing fierce competition. Are you so sure you can earn a spot?" Principal Yan tried to reason with them, hoping to awaken the two to reality.
Turning down such an opportunity was beyond comprehensible for Principal Yan. Even if you are the top scorer in the school, can you guarantee top placement nationwide?
"Principal Yan, I’d like to know, the students Sun Decai and Guo Heng who are on the recommended list, which universities are they guaranteed to attend?" Lin Tian did not directly answer his question but asked very seriously instead.
Xiao Manxuan momentarily felt an illusion seeing Lin Tian’s earnest demeanor, imagining that he bore no grudges against these two and that they were amiable, helpful schoolmates. However, she quickly sensed the hidden amusement in Lin Tian’s eyes—an evil amusement.
Someone was about to be unlucky, Xiao Manxuan was certain of it. She had often seen this wicked smirk on Lin Tian’s face before, and every time it appeared, it signaled misfortune for someone, and not just a small one!
But Principal Yan was completely oblivious to Lin Tian’s true intentions and answered honestly, "Just like you, Sun Decai has been offered a place at Jinghua University. The rare three spots from Xikou City all went to our school—you can imagine how precious this is. Guo Heng has been offered a place at Zhonghai City University."
Damn it, Lin Tian thought upon hearing this, and wished he could smash the tea table in front of him. Sun Decai had been offered a place at Jinghua University, and Guo Heng was guaranteed admission to Zhonghai City University, a university ranking within the top twenty nationwide.
Goddamn, how unfair! If they had good character, it’d be another story, but people who fare poorly in both character and academics get to attend top universities so easily. Lin Tian couldn’t help but curse inwardly.
With their academic achievements, they wouldn’t qualify for a third-tier university, much less a top-tier institution. Even if they went abroad, with their near failing marks in almost every subject, they couldn’t possibly attend a top-tier university.
"Principal Yan, I have a suggestion. Not only do Xiao Manxuan and I withdraw from the recommended list, but Sun Decai and Guo Heng and the like should also withdraw, giving their spots to other students who excel in both character and learning. How about it?" Lin Tian proposed, confident that Principal Yan couldn’t refuse because he still had an ace up his sleeve.
"That’s impossible, although the list hasn’t been made public yet, these arrangements are already agreed upon. You’re asking me to change it just like that, do you know how many people that would offend?" Principal Yan refused outright, but remembering he was dealing with the Xiao Family, he softened his tone and said, "Lin Tian, please don’t make this difficult for me. The Xiao Family has made the greatest contributions to the school, but the parents of these students have also made significant contributions."
Contributions? Lin Tian sneered, dismissing the euphemism. It’s just throwing money around, something he could do as well—it’s just a matter of donating a sports field, which he could also afford.
But to guarantee their admission into top universities just for that, how was that different from buying a spot with money? More importantly, they had crossed him, even wanting to ruin him, so he was determined to bring them misery in every aspect—tenfold, a hundredfold, a thousandfold—until they hit rock bottom and were worthless, he thought ruthlessly, his expression cold.
"Principal Yan, do you remember the matter you asked me to handle covertly?" Lin Tian said calmly.
"You mean the incident where social undesirables harassed students? You’ve found something so soon?" Principal Yan’s face lit up with eagerness.
"Of course, I not only found out but have also resolved it. And you’ll never guess who was the mastermind behind it," Lin Tian claimed.
Principal Yan looked at Lin Tian for a while before asking hesitantly, "You’ve already sorted the matter and the person behind it is...? Impossible."
"Hehe, what did you guess, Principal Yan? But that doesn’t matter. Once you see a video, you’ll know everything," Lin Tian chuckled.
Then he took out his phone and dialed Rossi’s number, saying, "Rossi, find a place with fast internet and send me that video right away."
"Okay, Brother Tian, I’m in the office of the bar’s general manager now. I’ll send it to you immediately."
After hanging up the phone, Lin Tian connected his phone to the wireless network in the principal’s office and waited for Rossi to send the video.
Principal Yan didn’t know what Lin Tian was up to and waited patiently to see what video it was. Xiao Manxuan, having been to the bar, knew about the video, but she also kept silent.
"Ding dong..." The notification tone for file reception sounded, and Lin Tian opened the video, placing it in front of Principal Yan.
"Take a look, you’re in for a surprise," Lin Tian said.
Principal Yan was puzzled but turned his attention to the phone screen. The video playing was the one shot by Rossi. Principal Yan’s frown deepened, his shock grew, and by the end, he was completely stunned.
"This... this..." Principal Yan couldn’t form a complete sentence for quite some time, shocked that such students existed in his school, plotting to bully their classmates—a scenario beyond his wildest dreams.
"So, was it surprising, Principal Yan?" Lin Tian asked nonchalantly.
"Sigh, no joy, only shock," Principal Yan uttered a long sigh and spoke dejectedly.
"Hmph, then do you think they still deserve a spot on the recommended list?" Lin Tian said coldly, looking at him.
Principal Yan took several deep breaths, calming himself before speaking, "Indeed, they don’t deserve it. But this Sun Decai, along with a few others, they weren’t all involved, were they?"
He was torn, being pushed to this point by Lin Tian left him without any real choices, yet the thought of changing the list made Principal Yan hesitate.
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