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"Yes, I only realized on my way here that Jiangde had already completed the entire high school curriculum in their sophomore year. I had planned to have her attend school while getting tutored for a year, so she could at least get into a decent school, but now, look at this situation." For the first time, Ye Tang felt an overwhelming sense of shame. It was as if she had been laid bare, her most unseemly aspects exposed for all to see. And the subject of this exposure was her own daughter. After listening patiently, Principal Faang offered a suggestion. "Mrs. Ming, let's do this: once the child has finished the test, we'll review her scores and ask her about her preferences before we make any decisions. How does that sound?" Ye Tang opened her mouth to respond. "All right." The placement test would last three hours. Ye Tang did not stay put the entire time; she left for over an hour to handle some work before hurrying back. She was still catching her breath when Han Shuangjiang returned with Jiang Yining to the principal's office. Ye Tang's gaze first settled on Jiang Yining, who had maintained her cool demeanor since leaving the house that morning. Then her eyes shifted to Han Shuangjiang, and she sensed trouble. The young teacher's face had taken on a much grimmer cast than before. Could it be that Jiang Yining had performed poorly? But then again, it was to be expected. What could she have possibly learned in the countryside? Ye Tang's resolve to have Jiang Yining start over in the first year of high school was only strengthened. She approached Jiang Yining and took her hand, speaking in a tone of negotiation. "Yining, I've just spoken with the principal. Your foundation isn't strong, so we're going to have you start over in the first year. There's no rush; we'll take it slow and build a solid foundation. By the time you reach your senior year, you won't feel overwhelmed. What do you think?" Jiang Yining paused, then lifted her eyes to meet Ye Tang's gaze directly, her eyes as vibrant as peach blossoms, filled with a cool detachment. Ye Tang's face, marked by the passage of time, had lost the coldness of the past few days, now showing hints of warmth and urgency. Those eyes, so similar to her own, watched her with genuine concern. After a moment, Jiang Yining withdrew her gaze and calmly responded, "All right."

Ye Tang felt a wave of relief wash over her as she heard the girl's compliant, soft-spoken agreement. She had been terrified that Jiang Yining would refuse to show any courtesy and start a major altercation right there. This child was not as troublesome as she had feared. Maybe, with proper communication, she would grasp the predicament the adults were in. "So, Principal Faang." Her words were abruptly cut off by a chilly voice. "Her foundation is weak? Are you joking?" Ye Tang, taken aback, turned to Han Shuangjiang with a puzzled look. Principal Faang's brow creased slightly. "Mr. Han?" Without wasting words, Han Shuangjiang slapped a test paper down in front of Principal Faang and pointed at Jiang Yining. "Never mind which grade she intends to study in. I have no objections, but, Old Faang, I want her on my competition team." Jiang Yining's brow furrowed. "Mr. Han, I've already turned you down." Han Shuangjiang's expression grew even sterner. "You can't refuse. Once you're through the gates of Jiangde, you must heed the principal and the teachers." It took a moment for Ye Tang to regain her composure. "What? What does that mean? Competition team?" Principal Faang had already skimmed through Jiang Yining's test paper, his face registering surprise. "Ms. Jiang completed this?" Ye Tang caught a glimpse of the Olympiad Physics paper in Principal Faang's hands. It was ungraded, with only a red pen marking the correct answers. From what she could see, the paper was tidy, the handwriting fluid and elegant. What was most striking was that every answer she could see was checked off. Jiang Yining's paper was entirely correct. A wave of awkwardness overwhelmed her.

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