"Weird… Why did I suddenly think of Doug Feng? Just because he said he was going to surpass me this time? That's impossible, right? There's no way it could be him…"
Fang Linjie frowned, trying to chase away the absurd premonition that had crept into her mind. It was irrational—ridiculous, even. Who could possibly improve their ranking that dramatically in one go?
"Look, look! Something's happening on the main stage!"
A student's loud whisper cut through the air like a switch, instantly redirecting everyone's attention toward the podium.
There stood Principal Wang Yuanhua, clutching the same list he always used for the rankings. But this time, there was visible hesitation on his face as he turned to the city mayor, Qin Qing, for guidance.
"Mayor Qin," he said nervously, "should we still announce the top ten publicly?"
Qin Qing glanced calmly at him, her tone firm and direct. "Why wouldn't you? Do what you always do. Treat me like any other parent—I'm not here as a mayor today. I'm just a mother. The school doesn't need to make exceptions for me."
With her clear response, Principal Wang had no excuse to delay any longer. He took a deep breath, stepped to the microphone at the center of the podium, and tried to still his trembling hands. But the weight of the moment pressed down on him harder than ever before.
"Next, I will announce the top scorer from the latest round of mock exams for the twelfth-grade students…"
The entire school seemed to pause at that sentence. Everyone—students, teachers, and even parents—was already convinced the name to follow would be none other than Fang Linjie, the class president of Grade 12 Class 2. After all, hadn't she held the number one spot for three consecutive years?
But time did not freeze forever.
Wang Yuanhua's voice, slightly shaky, echoed across the loudspeaker: "The first place goes to… Doug Feng, from Grade 12 Class 2."
Silence.
Then—a wave of gasps, murmurs, and stunned disbelief surged across the campus.
"What?! Doug Feng got first place?"
Every single person—first years, second years, third years, teachers, and parents alike—was thunderstruck. Who even was this Doug Feng? How had he come out of nowhere and seized the top spot? What happened to Fang Linjie's seemingly unshakable record?
Grade 12 Class 2. Doug Feng. First place.
The news exploded like a bomb across the sports field.
Every pair of eyes on the field turned as one toward Class 2. People craned their necks, stood on tiptoe, or leaned forward to catch a glimpse. Who was this Doug Feng? Did he have three heads and six arms or something? How did he manage to overthrow a three-year record?
But within Class 2's ranks, an eerie silence hung in the air. It was as if someone had pressed the mute button. Not even Doug's closest classmates could process what they'd just heard. They stood frozen, staring blankly, their minds spinning but unable to catch up.
In the parents' section, Doug's father, Du Changsheng, was completely stunned. He tugged at the sleeve of a nearby parent.
"Did I hear that right? The principal just said the first place is Doug Feng from Grade 12 Class 2?"
"Yes," the parent replied, clearly irritated. "You've asked me the same question three times already."
"It really is Doug Feng… That's my son! My son, Doug Feng, is first in the grade!"
Du Changsheng couldn't contain himself anymore. His voice cracked as he stood up in disbelief, drawing attention to himself. He had come today expecting to sit quietly in the back and listen to some stern words from the class teacher—never in his wildest dreams did he think he'd hear his son's name announced as the top scorer. Not just the best in the class, but the best in the entire grade.
He wasn't alone for long.
"What? Big brother, did you say Doug Feng is your son?" one mother leaned in, eyes wide. "He jumped straight to first place out of nowhere? What did you do? Sign him up for some miracle tutoring class? Feed him some kind of brain-boosting supplement? Come on, don't keep it to yourself—we're all parents here. Help a fellow out."
"Yeah, that's right! Share your secret recipe with us, Brother Doug. I want my daughter to learn from your son's experience!"
"First place's parent is here—he must know some tricks!"
In seconds, Du Changsheng found himself surrounded by an eager, chaotic group of parents. They bombarded him with questions: which tutoring school did he send his son to? What kind of supplements did he buy? What review books were most effective?
But Du Changsheng could only gape, completely clueless. In his memory, his son had never joined any special tutoring. If anything, he spent more time in internet cafes and arcades than in cram schools. Their family barely had money for basic meals, let alone expensive brain-enhancing pills.
If there was any "supplement" Doug had taken recently, it was probably just his mother's homemade pork stir-fried with bamboo shoots.
Of course, none of the surrounding parents believed a word of it.
They were convinced he was hiding something—some magical study method, a secret mentor, or a game-changing strategy they had yet to discover.
That was the reality of education in China.
The college entrance exam, the gaokao, was a single-plank bridge suspended over a pit of fire. A million soldiers charged toward that narrow beam every year, hoping to squeeze through. For one to succeed, others had to fall. That was the brutal truth.
And for the sake of their children's futures, these parents were willing to try anything—anything at all.
They enrolled their kids in every kind of cram school imaginable, shoved vitamin supplements and brain pills down their throats, bought mountains of review books and test papers. Famous series like Five Years of Simulations, Three Years of Exams, and guides from top-ranking tutors like Wang Houxiong became household names.
The costs were astronomical. The stress unbearable. And all of it was for one goal—to help their children rise above the rest, to succeed in that single, life-defining exam.
And yet, today, they witnessed the impossible.
Doug Feng—once dismissed, now triumphant.
Of course, not everyone believed the outcome was clean. Among the parents, whispers began to spread, some doubting whether Doug had achieved this feat through legitimate means…