Ch. 101Announcement!
Chapter Summary
1. Key Plot Points and Events
- Director Sun discovers that Wu An has scored 750 points—the maximum possible score—in the Nine-School Joint Examination.
- The result shocks Director Sun, Wan Tianyou, and Huang Ling, especially because Wu An is an unfamiliar name and has supposedly been an underachieving former rich kid.
- Wan Tianyou, who once benefited from his association with the Wu Family but abandoned Wu An after its downfall, insists that the score must be a mistake.
- Director Sun orders Wu An’s papers to be retrieved and personally travels with Wan Tianyou and Huang Ling to Eastsea First High School for a complete regrading.
- The teachers reexamine every subject and discover that Wu An’s answers are not only correct but often demonstrate extraordinary originality:
- He solves a difficult mathematics problem through an unexpectedly simple method rather than the standard use of functions.
- His Chinese essay presents a sophisticated interpretation connecting ancient ideas with modern principles.
- After a thorough and impartial review, Wu An’s score remains 750 points, confirming that he achieved a genuine perfect score. Director Sun recognizes that Eastsea City has produced an exceptional genius.
- Meanwhile, Wu An’s classmates anxiously await the examination results. Yang Yan mocks Wu An’s earlier claim that he could rank in the top ten, while other students dismiss the possibility of him scoring 700 points.
- Class monitor Cai Wenqi defends Wu An and criticizes the students for ridiculing someone who has a goal.
- Teacher Lu Yunxi enters the classroom, signaling that the official results are about to be announced.
2. Character Developments
- Wu An: His hidden academic brilliance is revealed. Although others view him as a spoiled, incompetent former heir, his perfect score proves that he possesses exceptional intelligence, deep knowledge, and highly creative problem-solving abilities.
- Director Sun: Initially suspicious and resistant to accepting the result, he changes his attitude after personally verifying the papers. He ultimately acknowledges Wu An as a once-in-a-generation talent.
- Wan Tianyou: His hypocrisy and opportunism are exposed. He was formerly a sycophant of Wu An but abandoned and mocked him after the Wu Family’s collapse. His disbelief also reflects his unwillingness to accept Wu An’s transformation.
- Huang Ling: Though surprised, she is less hostile than the others and instinctively believes that Wu An may truly deserve the perfect score.
- Cai Wenqi: Demonstrates loyalty and fairness by defending Wu An against the class’s ridicule.
- Yang Yan: Continues to act arrogantly and contemptuously, using Wu An’s ambitious goal as a source of mockery.
- The teachers: Their initial annoyance turns into admiration as they recognize the sophistication and originality of Wu An’s work.
3. Significant Themes
- Hidden talent and personal transformation: Wu An’s success challenges the outdated image others hold of him and suggests that people can change dramatically beyond their past reputations.
- Prejudice and social judgment: Many characters judge Wu An according to his former status and behavior rather than examining his current abilities.
- Merit versus reputation: The regrading proves that objective achievement can overturn entrenched assumptions and social prejudice.
- Genius and unconventional thinking: Wu An’s answers stand out because he reaches correct conclusions through original, unexpected methods rather than simply following standard formulas.
- Hypocrisy and opportunism: Wan Tianyou’s changing attitude toward Wu An reveals how fair-weather relationships are often based on power and status.
- Ambition and ridicule: The students mock Wu An for setting an ambitious goal, while Cai Wenqi argues that having a goal is better than passively criticizing others.
4. Character Interactions
- Director Sun and Wan Tianyou jointly question Wu An’s perfect score, but their reactions differ in intensity: Wan Tianyou is openly hostile, while Huang Ling remains more open-minded.
- Wan Tianyou’s past relationship with Wu An is revealed through his memories of flattering Wu An when the Wu Family was powerful and abandoning him afterward.
- The reviewing teachers initially approach the papers skeptically but gradually become enthusiastic supporters of Wu An’s talent.
- In the classroom, Yang Yan mocks Wu An’s claim of reaching the top ten, prompting Cai Wenqi to defend Wu An and confront the other students.
- The chapter ends with the class waiting for Teacher Lu Yunxi to announce the examination results, creating anticipation for Wu An’s public recognition.