The schedule for the National Mathematics League finals was as follows: the preliminary round would be held on the morning of July 3; grading and ranking would take place that afternoon and throughout July 4; and the national finals would be held on July 5 and 6.
Starting on the afternoon of July 3, Shen Qi and his teammates entered a brief break from competition. They didn't know whether they would be staying or going home. All they could do was wait.
Waiting was long and agonizing.
On the morning of July 4, the Chinese Mathematical Society began posting the preliminary results of various teams on its official website.
Everyone on Shen Qi's team stayed in the dormitory, refreshing their phones and keeping a close eye on the Chinese Mathematical Society's website for updates.
At 9:48, the Chinese Mathematical Society's website posted the preliminary results for four teams:
Ebei Province Math Olympiad team: 126 points. Individual scores for each team member are as follows...
Capital City Math Olympiad team: 113 points. Individual scores for each team member are as follows...
Yushi City Math Olympiad team: 102 points. Individual scores for each team member are as follows...
Guixi Province Math Olympiad team: 88 points. Individual scores for each team member are as follows...
"This is unbelievable. Ebei Province's Math Olympiad team is insane! They scored 126 points total, and all six of their team members got perfect scores in the preliminaries!" Qi Jianhong stared at his phone screen, stunned.
"That's normal. The math in that province really is insane. The Huanggang Secret Papers come from there." Shen Qi was a little more composed.
"The Ebei, Beijing, and Yushi teams performed as expected. Looks like they've already secured three spots in the national finals." Teacher Tian noted down the teams whose scores had been posted.
At 10:54, the Chinese Mathematical Society's website continued updating:
Xiangnan Province Math Olympiad team: 125 points...
Zhedong Province Math Olympiad team: 120 points...
Liaodong Province Math Olympiad team: 116 points...
Chuan Shu Province Math Olympiad team: 104 points...
Sunan Province Math Olympiad team: 100 points...
Shanghai City Math Olympiad team: 99 points...
Heilonghe Province Math Olympiad team: 82 points...
Qiannan Province Math Olympiad team: 75 points...
By noon, the Chinese Mathematical Society had posted the preliminary scores for 21 teams on its website. The top ten were currently:
1. Ebei Province Math Olympiad team, 126 points
2. Xiangnan Province Math Olympiad team, 125 points
3. Zhedong Province Math Olympiad team, 120 points
4. Liaodong Province Math Olympiad team, 116 points
5. Capital City Math Olympiad team, 113 points
6. Chuan Shu Province Math Olympiad team, 104 points
7. Yushi City Math Olympiad team, 102 points
8. Sunan Province Math Olympiad team, 100 points
9. Shanghai City Math Olympiad team, 99 points
10. Ludong Province Math Olympiad team, 94 points
Even with the air conditioner running in the dormitory, Teacher Tian was sweating. "Why haven't our team's scores come out yet? This doesn't look good. Not good at all!"
Teacher Tian's nerves made the team members nervous too. "Ebei, Xiangnan, and Zhedong are way too strong. A total score of over 120 means each team member lost no more than one point."
"Liaodong Province has really risen this time. 116 points, fourth place."
"Shanghai City performed a little below expectations, but still got 99 points."
"We can forget about the top nine. Based on my estimates, our team will score somewhere between 90 and 97. So the Ludong team is our biggest rival. They got 94 points. I hope we can beat them." Shen Qi said this, but he still didn't feel confident.
At 13:42, the Chinese Mathematical Society updated the results again, this time posting scores for eight teams.
Shen Qi and the others were on the verge of having heart attacks. In this update, Jinmen Team scored 95 points, overtaking the Ludong team and taking tenth place in the overall rankings.
But the total score for Shen Qi and the others' Nanyue Math Olympiad team still hadn't been posted. Only three teams' scores remained unknown.
"Damn, waiting for the results is more agonizing than taking the exam!" Qi Jianhong was nearly at his breaking point.
"I want to die!" Yang Huan scratched his head and fidgeted restlessly.
"Forget it. I'm done checking. I'm going to sleep." Luo Ming put away his phone and climbed into bed.
He couldn't sleep, though. After lying there for a minute, Luo Ming got up and resumed refreshing the Chinese Mathematical Society's website.
"Everyone, no matter what happens, you've done your best. We can stay in the capital for a few more days before heading home. You haven't had much chance to explore, so I'll take you sightseeing." Teacher Tian had already prepared for the worst. To score more than 95 points, all six team members would have to perform at their absolute best.
"Ah... We're just not as good as the others..." Qi Jianhong sighed.
There was still hope, but it was slim. That was the situation the team faced now.
But Teacher Tian was relieved. The team members were in better spirits today than they had been earlier. At least they still had hope. Before, they'd had none—except for Shen Qi.
"Hey! Hey, it's up! They posted it! Holy crap, it's up!" Shen Qi stared at his phone and suddenly yelled, his face alight with excitement. "Where there's a will, there's a way. Our team's total score is... 96 points!"
"Are you sure?" Qi Jianhong checked his phone, then jumped to his feet. "Ninety-six! We really got 96!"
"Don't mess with me." Yang Huan checked his phone, then threw his head back and howled. "It really is 96 points! That's incredible!"
Teacher Tian checked his phone too, and then went completely wild. "We're not out of the running! We're not out of the running! 96 points! We've made it to the national finals!"
The final three teams' results posted on the Chinese Mathematical Society's website were: Nanyue Team, 96 points; Jibei Team, 92 points; Diannan Team, 80 points.
With a narrow one-point lead over Jinmen Team's 95 points, the Nanyue Province Math Olympiad team scraped into the national finals in tenth place.
"That was intense! More intense than watching the World Cup final! I'm seriously about to cry!" Qi Jianhong laughed and cried at once, jumping around like a madman.
"Dad, Mom, I made it to the national finals! I made it! Wenwen, I made it! I can't believe I made it! Hahahaha! Now I've got a shot at getting a recommendation to Tsinghua or Peking University. So tell me, Wenwen, will you be my girlfriend?" Yang Huan ran outside the dormitory and shouted at the air.
Of the six team members, Yang Huan was the ugliest. But he hadn't let his looks make him give up on himself. He had become one of the 60 strongest high school math competitors in all of China, and he deserved to have a girlfriend. After he got home, Yang Huan decided he would confess his feelings to Wenwen.
Teacher Tian sighed with emotion. "Eight years. It's been eight years, and our Nanyue Province Math Olympiad team has finally made it to the national finals again! You boys have all done a great job. I'm proud of you! Tonight, I'm treating you to a huge feast at the fanciest restaurant in the whole capital."
"On the school's tab?" Shen Qi asked.
Teacher Tian shot Shen Qi a glare. "Shen Qi, you little brat, way to ruin the mood. Who cares whether it's on the school's tab or mine? I'm asking if you're coming."
Shen Qi nodded. "I'm coming."
"Shen Qi, why are you so calm? Look at your teammates—they're crying, laughing, or going crazy. Aren't you even a little excited?" Teacher Tian found it strange. He opened the detailed results on the Chinese Mathematical Society's website and saw that the Nanyue team had scored 96 points, with Shen Qi earning a perfect 21. He was the team's top contributor.
"I've already had my moment. Now my goal is tomorrow's national finals." Shen Qi typed out a text and sent the same message to his parents, Teacher Zhang, and Teacher Cao: "We made the national finals. The goal is gold. Wish me luck."
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