“Most people tend to compare with clear and concise data to see whether Beijing University or Hua University is the better school. If it wasn’t a good school, do you think there would be as many high-scoring students applying to it?
“Of course, we shouldn’t trick the students by inviting them here. When they fill up their first choice, they end up not getting selected. That is why the key is to target those students who have complete confidence they can be admitted, especially the top scorers in the college entrance exams who will have their names publicly announced by the media.
“The schools they choose to apply to will be closely observed by everyone. Once the results are out, the media will do a follow-up and broadcast it. Everyone will be watching and keeping an eye out on whether Hua University or Beijing University is the one mentioned most. This will also be our competition.”
Professor Yao sighed and added, “In other words, competition between schools isn’t as simple as it seems.”
“Obviously, everyone wants to bag the best and brightest potential!” Professor Yao turned around and said, “Who knows, we might just be nurturing the next scientist for our country!”
Tan Mo thought, ‘Professor Yue thinks the same way.’
Right then, the door swung open. Mr. Zhu came in.
“I’m truly sorry to keep everyone waiting,” Mr. Zhu said with a smile on his face as he walked into the room.
“Please have a seat, Mr. Zhu.” Mr. Sun had already saved a seat for him. He pointed at the empty seat, and Mr. Zhu quickly sat down.
“Mr. Zhu, you got here fast,” said Professor Yao with a grin on her face.
“Not really. I just didn’t want to waste anyone’s time. I just dropped off my luggage at the hotel. I haven’t even unpacked yet. I rushed here as soon as I could.” Mr. Zhu said with a smile, “It seems I’m rooming with you, Professor Yao.”
Professor Yao nodded. “I was wondering why my room had two beds.”
“Professor Yao, what do we have planned for this afternoon?” Mr. Zhu quickly dove into the subject.
Professor Yao repeated the itinerary for the day.
Everyone had barely eaten. Since Mr. Zhu arrived sooner than expected, he followed the rest of them to another meal.
At 1:15, following the schedule planned, they split up into groups of two. One went to Jiaoyuan First High School, and the other went to Jiaoyuan Second High School.
As Mr. Zu was in Professor Yao’s group, he could not help but feel helpless.
He was alone in this and did not feel up to the task.
Tan Mo followed Mr. Sun and Ms. Hu to Jiaoyuan First High School.
The moment they entered the school, they saw the small square in front of the block of classrooms.
Booths had already been set up on the small open square.
There was a booth for every single university.
A teacher from Jiaoyuan First High School came forth to greet them. “Over here are the admission booths for undergraduate schools, and over there on the field are the vocational schools. But it isn’t quite as lively there as compared to here. Our school does have a pretty good enrollment rate for undergrads.”
“The booth for Hua University is right over here.” Ms. Yu pointed to a nearby corner, where a person was busy setting up the booth.
“Ah, that’s Hua University?” Mr. Sun asked nonchalantly.
Although he frequently consulted with people within Hua University, it was unlikely that he would know every single person on the campus.
Ms. Yu elaborated, “That’s actually a teacher from our school helping Hua University with their booth setup.”
Beijing University and Hua University were both highly respected schools. The fact that these two schools came all the way to enroll their students was a great honor to Jiaoyuan First High School. Everyone was very excited to welcome the two universities.
In a way, it was a seal of approval of their students’ performance.
Having the faculty of Beijing University and Hua University at their school was great publicity.
The administration and teachers of Jiaoyuan First High School were very certainly diligent. They ensured trivial matters, such as setting up the booths, were taken care of for both Beijing University and Hua University.
“We’ve also saved a spot for Beijing University. It’s right opposite Hua University’s,” Ms. Yu said with a smile. “The booth is all set up. We’ve appointed a teacher to help out at the booth. If you need anything, just let our teachers know.”
It was Tan Mo’s first time witnessing a student enrollment event.
This was something one would never see at Jixia Academy.
At a glance, with all the booths on the square, it looked almost like a market.
The booths were all arranged in rows.
Naturally, Hua University’s and Beijing University’s booths had the most strategic spot.
It was hot out, and people in every booth had their umbrellas opened to shade them from the sun.
In front of the booths of other institutions, many students and parents were gathered, all of whom were consulting on various details of the school.
Both the students and their parents already had a stack of school admission checklists and brochures in their hands.
“In a few days when students return to school, they will start to formally discuss and fill in their first choice of major. These next few days are an important period for students and their parents to better understand the universities and make a decision on their preferred major,” Ms. Yu elaborated.
As they approached the booth for Beijing University, Mr. Sun said, “Since a teacher from Jiaoyuan First High School is here to help, Wei Haosong, Song Mingqi, and Lin Fuxi can stay here and answer questions from the candidates and their parents. Tan Mo, you’ll come with me and Ms. Hu.”
Ms. Yu had thought that Mr. Sun and Ms. Hu would be the ones staying there to help the students with their forms.
“Aren’t one of you teachers going to stay behind?” Ms. Yu asked.
Mr. Sun and Ms. Hu were too shy to admit that they were afraid their competitor would steal their ideal candidate for liberal arts away from them.
Mr. Sun said with a chuckle, “These three are all juniors in our school, and they are all from the Student Union. They know everything there is to know about Beijing University. They can answer all relevant questions. Even if there’s a question they couldn’t answer, neither could we. For example, questions about admission scores or whatnot. None of us could actually say for certain.”
Ms. Yu thought he made a good point.
She was well aware that Beijing University showed up with such a big party because it was aiming for Zhang Zhipeng.
So, she did not say anything more. She figured it was best to lead them to the principal’s office so that Zhang Zhipeng could have a chat with them personally.
Just then, another teacher from Jiaoyuan First High School leading members of Hua University walked toward them.
Before Mr. Zheng opened his mouth to speak, somebody from Hua University called out, “Tan Mo?”
The group from Beijing University turned to look.
“Tan Mo, do you know them?” As Mr. Sun turned to question Tan Mo, he saw her puzzled face, clearly unable to recognize the person calling out to her.
Tan Mo did not have to answer him.
Mr. Sun had already gotten his answer.
The group from Hua University was equally clueless.
“I’m Qi Yuanqi, a junior in the Department of History.” A boy with a tortured expression said, “Back when I was a sophomore, I went to a symposium in historical studies at Beijing University.”
Was his existence so unimpressionable back then?
Had Tan Mo completely forgotten about him?
Tan Mo stared blankly at Qi Yuanqi for a while. She suddenly said, “Ah, I think I remember. You were the student who thought you could stump me because you had recited a short paragraph of the chapter on ‘Biography of Uncle Wan Shizhang’ from ‘Records of the Grand Historian,’ right?”
Qi Yuanqi was at a loss for words.
‘You could not remember me as a person, but you remembered everything else so clearly…’
“How is your recitation on ‘Records of the Grand Historian’ now?” Tan Mo asked with a cheerful smile.
Qi Yuanqi said nothing.
Ms. Hu was so amused that she laughed so hard that the corners of her eyes wrinkled.
