Chapter Fifty-Three: Su Lin Arrived

  "What's going on? Teacher Lin, where is Su Lin from your class? The inauguration ceremony is about to start, how come he hasn't shown up yet? He's supposed to give an important speech this time!"

  Behind the podium, Dean Li Jianhua questioned Lin Qingxue with a serious face.

  "Just wait a bit longer, just wait a bit longer...... Director Li, Su Lin will be here soon."

  Lin Qingxue was anxious too! On such an important day, the school leaders all arrived on time or even ahead of schedule, but Su Lin was late and still hadn't shown up.

  "Teacher Lin! Look! This student named Su Lin has a big problem, daring to be late on such an important occasion, and it's almost 9 o'clock. Not only are the school leaders present today, but even Mayor Fang is here. I've heard that Su Lin has been late and left early many times before, I really don't understand why Principal Li would let this kind of student give a public speech at the oath-taking ceremony. Where is his speech draft? Let me take a look first, to prevent him from saying something he shouldn't."

  Li Jianxing stretched out his hand to ask Lin Qingxue for Su Lin's speech, but where did Lin Qingxue have Su Lin's speech now? She had asked Su Lin to write it last night and send it over early this morning so she could review and revise it. But until now, there was no sign of Su Lin, let alone the speech.

  "Director Li, I...I had Su Lin do an impromptu speech. Su Lin's language scores are good, and his writing style and eloquence are also great. So, let him prepare for it, do an impromptu speech, I think it will be easier to boost the students' confidence and morale in the Gaokao."

  Lin Qingxue couldn't produce the speech, so she had to quickly come up with an excuse to brush off Li Jianxing. But her heart was also anxious! It was she who personally recommended Su Lin to the principal to give this oath-taking ceremony speech, if Su Lin really didn't show up, wouldn't she be the most embarrassed?

  "What nonsense! Such an important speech, how can it be improvised? Teacher Lin, have you ever thought that Su Lin was never a good student to begin with. If he starts rambling on during the speech, what kind of terrible influence will it have? In my opinion, students like him who repeatedly violate school rules and regulations should be given disciplinary action..."

  Li Jianxing immediately took the opportunity to speak out, he was so angry with Su Lin that his teeth itched.

  "Director Li, what are you talking about? Why is Su Lin suddenly not a good student? Apart from occasionally being late, what school rules or regulations has Su Lin violated? Please give examples! As Su Lin's class teacher, I have the most say in this matter. Although Su Lin's grades were poor before, she has now caught up. If you have any opinions about Su Lin's speech at the meeting, please go find Principal Li, as he personally said so. Otherwise, Director Li, please don't speak to me again."

  Lin Qingxue also got angry, originally Lin Qingxue was a very good-tempered person, but she couldn't help it when Li Jianxing said that, especially since Lin Qingxue might not have realized herself that when she heard Li Jianxing speak ill of Su Lin, she would get so angry.

  "Alright, alright... Teacher Lin, since you want to defend Su Lin like this, I have nothing more to say. But I'd like to see if Su Lin can arrive on time for the lecture and what kind of ivory he can produce from that dog's mouth!"

  Li Jianxing was swept away by Lin Qingxue, and he reluctantly threw down a sentence and walked away to prepare for other things. The national flag is about to be raised soon, after the national flag is raised, it will be the speech of the principal and the grade director, followed by the speech of the excellent student representative.

  "Sulin ah Sulin! Teacher Lin even went against the Dean of Studies for you this time, how can you be so worrying?! And now there's still no sign of you?"

  Li Jianxing has left, but Lin Qingxue's worries in her heart have not diminished. She kept looking at the watch in her hand, it was almost nine o'clock, why hadn't Su Lin come yet?

  On the other hand, on the playground of Jian'an No. 1 Middle School, all teachers and students in the third year of high school, as well as parents of all students, stood in a certain formation, at this moment, the broadcast music suddenly stopped, and the voice of Li Jianxing, the director of teaching, sounded in the broadcast.

  "Ladies and gentlemen, school leaders, teachers, parents and students, today... is the oath-taking ceremony for the third-to-last day of the high school entrance examination for our school's grade 3 students. Three days later, the grade 3 students will rush to the battlefield that determines your fate. Next, let us begin the first item on the agenda of the oath-taking ceremony - raising the national flag! Everyone, please stand up!"

  As soon as the voice fell, the volunteer army march began to sound, and it was a very ordinary flag-raising ceremony like every Monday, but it was also the last time for these high school students in their high school career to see the national flag raised.

  As the last note of the "Volunteer March" came to an abrupt end, the bright red five-starred flag also rose to the top of the flagpole. The rally entered its second agenda item, which was a speech by Li Weimin, principal of Jian'an No. 1 Middle School, to cheer on the third-year high school students.

  "Fellow students, I am honored to be the principal of Jian'an No. 1 Middle School. This high school is not only the best in Jian'an but also ranks among the top in the entire province. Similarly, all of you who are studying here are also excellent..."

  A very official yet practical speech, the principal's speech, I believe anyone who has been to school can deeply understand, it is so long and meaningless, full of empty words. However, the students below still have to give the principal some face, at the deliberate pause in the principal's speech, a warm applause burst out.

  On the playground, there were benches moved out from the classrooms by students, and parents sat on them with their children, listening to the principal's long and tedious speech. In the area of Class 3 (2), Su's father and mother felt very uncomfortable. Because everyone else had their own child accompanying them, but they were sitting alone on a cold bench, Su Lin was not there, it was really unbearable.

  "Oh! Ai Zhen, your family's Su Lin really doesn't have the face to come and accompany his parents? Oh dear! Nowadays' children are like this! They're so unfilial, even if their grades are poor it's not a big deal! Other people's parents all have children to keep them company, but you don't, how can that not be embarrassing?! Fortunately, such children are in the minority. Look at our family's Yang Chen, he's much more well-behaved and also very filial to my husband and me."

  Liu Lanfeng sarcastically teased from the side, and her son Yang Chen happened to be in class 3 next door, so she specially chose a marginal position, squeezed over, and sat next to Su Guorong and Liu Aizhen's position, just to seize every opportunity to mock Liu Aizhen.

  "You... don't talk nonsense, my Su Lin's grades are not bad at all. He ranked 10th in the grade, I don't know how much better than your son..."

  Liu Aizhen was furious and started arguing with Liu Lanfeng again, exchanging blows.

  At the same time, in front of Class 3 (2), Qin Yanran was sitting obediently on a stool with her mother Fang Liping.

  "Yanran, how come you didn't go to the final oath-taking ceremony as an excellent student representative? In the past, mom was busy with work and had no time to attend such parent-teacher conferences at your school, couldn't see your speech. This time, she finally came, but why wasn't it you who gave the speech?"

  Fang Liping was born with a strong aura of a female leader, even when facing her own daughter, she only slightly restrained this temperament. However, Fang Liping is very trusting of her daughter Qin Yanran. Although her husband passed away early, Qin Yanran grew up in a single-parent household, but she has always been very sensible, especially under the influence of Fang Liping's strong personality, she is self-reliant and strives for excellence in everything, and also wants to become a female leader like her mother.

  "Mom, it's almost always been me giving speeches on stage before, I'm afraid my classmates are all tired of listening to me. So when Principal Li asked if I would go up and give a speech this time, I said no, and gave the opportunity to other students instead. This time, the one who went up to give a speech was a boy in our class who has made particularly great progress, his name is Su Lin..."

  For some reason, Qin Yanran's last sentence when introducing Su Lin to her mother made her heart tense up suddenly.

  "Su Lin? This name seems somewhat familiar?"

  When she heard the name, Fang Liping furrowed her brow, trying hard to recall, seemingly having heard it somewhere before, or else why would it sound so familiar? However, as the mayor of Jian'an City, handling official duties every day and coming into contact with so many people, for a moment she couldn't think that Su Lin was that high school student who had saved her at the hotel that day.

  "Mom, this name should be quite ordinary, maybe it's a homonym you've heard before."

  Qin Yanran couldn't believe that her mother had known Su Lin before! As the mayor of Jian'an City, Fang Liping was busy every day and Qin Yanran herself wasn't able to see her every day, let alone someone like Su Lin who was worlds apart from Fang Liping.

  "Maybe! But how much progress has Su Lin made? To the point where he can replace you on stage to give a speech? The college entrance exams are just around the corner, and this oath-taking rally is supposed to be cheering you students on."

  Fang Liping was very clear that her own daughter, Qin Yanran, had never ranked second in the three years she attended Jian'an No. 1 Middle School. If Su Lin could replace her as an excellent student representative and give a speech on stage, then her progress should be enormous.

  "It's really amazing. Mom, Su Lin was originally over 100 places from the bottom of the class, but this time she suddenly jumped to 10th place in the class. And after finishing the first subject English, with three subjects still not tested, he had already boasted that he could get into the top 50 in the class, and in the end, he actually got 10th place."

  When it comes to Su Lin's progress, Qin Yanran actually smiled proudly and talked to her mother in detail, and was even more excited than when talking about her own achievements.

  "Is it really that fierce?"

  Fang Liping had never heard her daughter Qin Yanran praise someone so much before. The person who could be praised by her own daughter was still a male classmate of hers. With the understanding of a mother towards her daughter and the sensitivity of a woman, Fang Liping knew that the relationship between this boy named Su Lin and her daughter Qin Yanran must not be simple.

  "It's true! Mom, just yesterday... I lent my notebook to Su Lin, and he actually memorized the whole thing overnight. He even knew what content was on which page, one by one, perfectly matched."

  Above, the head of the third year of high school has changed to give a speech, while below, Qin Yanran is enthusiastically telling her mother about Su Lin's glorious deeds.

  "...Finally...I wish all our senior three classmates a super performance in the college entrance examination, achieving satisfactory results and getting into their dream university!"

  A round of applause, and the grade director's speech also came to an end. Next, it was the turn of excellent student representatives to give a motivational speech to everyone.

  But at this time, Lin Qingxue still hadn't seen Su Lin's figure.

  "Teacher Lin, where is Su Lin from your class? Why hasn't she arrived yet?"

  Li Jianxing's face was stern, but in his heart he was gloating and laughing, "Su Lin, this time you're asking for trouble!"

  "Su Lin... Su Lin... where are you?!"

  Just as Lin Qingxue was about to lose hope, Su Lin rushed over from the school gate, panting and out of breath, and ran straight to the rostrum on the playground.

  "Teacher Lin... I... I'm sorry, I... I'm late..."

  Breathless, Su Lin finally arrived at the last minute.

  "Thank goodness, Su Lin, you've finally arrived. It's your turn to give a speech, hurry up and get on the podium..."

  Lin Qingxue saw Su Lin finally arrived after being late for so long, and she couldn't help but scold him severely. However, there was no time to scold him now, so she quickly pulled Su Lin and pushed him onto the podium in one swift motion.