Recaps

Feng Yun tested Yang Rui with an unusually difficult collection of math and physics papers, and Yang Rui completed them with ease. Feng Yun then questioned him about his published articles, but Yang Rui stayed evasive, while Zhao Dannian ended the conversation for the night.

• Feng Yun gathered Liu Shan, Li Xuegong, Xu Jing, and Huang Ren to take the team's hardest test papers and assess Yang Rui.
• Li Xuegong and the others struggled with the math questions, while Yang Rui finished the math and physics papers within about half an hour.
• Feng Yun checked Yang Rui's math paper and confirmed that every answer was correct, astonishing Zhao Dannian and the students.
• Feng Yun showed Yang Rui his articles in the Middle School Student Herald and asked how he had written so many; Yang Rui said he had simply seen the light.
• Zhao Dannian pulled Feng Yun away to end the late-night questioning, and the two left without discussing the students' stencil-cutting work.

Feng Yun and Zhao Dannian learned that Yang Rui’s Rui Study Group was using its test-paper profits to improve the cafeteria and school, and Zhao approved Yang Rui’s plans for lighting, food, and student work-study. The discussion ended abruptly when Huang Ren reported that pirated copies had appeared in the county.

• Feng Yun practiced boxing while Yang Rui led students on their morning run, then Feng Yun and Zhao Dannian ate free bone broth and pickles at the cafeteria.
• Zhao Dannian questioned Yang Rui about the cost of the free food and asked to inspect the Rui Study Group’s ledger.
• Yang Rui showed Zhao Dannian the accounts and explained the surplus as money left over from group purchases of test-paper materials.
• Yang Rui proposed using the surplus to extend evening lighting, subsidize cafeteria food, and pay students for part-time printing work, and Zhao approved each plan.
• Huang Ren rushed into the courtyard and warned everyone that pirated copies had appeared in the county.

After learning that a man called Leopard was selling pirated copies of their test papers outside County No. 1 High School, Yang Rui gathered classmates and rode down from the mountain to investigate. The group reached the county town and headed to confront Leopard, with Yang Rui planning to try courtesy before force.

• Huang Ren told Principal Zhao and Yang Rui that a seller outside County No. 1 High School was offering pirated copies of their papers at a discount.
• Yang Rui decided to go to the county town with classmates, and Principal Zhao warned them not to fight before joining them.
• Yang Rui and six classmates rode to County No. 1 High School, while Lin Dongliang stayed behind.
• Shi Gui told Yang Rui that the seller was an ex-convict called Leopard who had connections at the police station and a large tattoo.
• Yang Rui reasoned that Leopard's small-scale copying business showed his connections were limited, then led the group toward him and urged them to try courtesy first.

Yang Rui caught Leopard selling pirated copies of the Rui Study Group’s test papers and learned that Huo Laosi and the Thirteen Wolves were behind the operation. After Duan Hang arrived and heard the details, he asked Yang Rui what he wanted to do.

• Yang Rui and the students confronted Leopard and found that his test papers copied the Rui Study Group’s papers and packaging.
• Yang Rui questioned Leopard about his connections, then identified himself to Lu Yang as Duan Hang’s cousin and had a student summon Duan Hang.
• Yang Rui took Leopard into the ice cream shop and learned that Huo Laosi and the Thirteen Wolves had organized the piracy operation and hoped to expand sales.
• Yang Rui suspected the gang had found a printing plant after Leopard refused to answer, and Duan Hang arrived fifteen minutes later.
• Duan Hang questioned Yang Rui about the operation and, after hearing how profitable it was, asked what Yang Rui wanted to do.

Yang Rui discussed how to stop Huo Laosi and the Thirteen Wolves from pirating and selling his test papers, while Duan Hang explained the gang’s connections and the limits of police action. Yang Rui decided to seek his father’s help and devised a plan to distract Huo Laosi and protect the paper business.

• Yang Rui asked Duan Hang to stop Huo Laosi and the Thirteen Wolves from copying his test papers, while keeping Leopard in custody for the time being.
• Duan Hang warned Yang Rui that Huo Laosi had backing from Peng Xiang and that stronger officials would be needed to force the gang to back down or take them down.
• Yang Rui rejected Duan Hang’s suggestion to partner with Huo Laosi and decided to ask his father for help, explaining that the paper proceeds went toward supporting students.
• Yang Rui told Duan Hang to focus on keeping him safe rather than investigating Huo Laosi, and said he would provoke the gang into losing face while releasing two new sets of papers.
• Duan Hang agreed to watch over Yang Rui and Shi Gui, while Yang Rui suggested allowing any attack on Shi Gui to be documented before the police intervened.

Yang Rui rejected Huo Laosi’s attempt to divide up the territory, humiliated Leopard in public, and then reported his test-paper business to his father, Secretary Yang. Secretary Yang approved of the collective operation and summoned the township militia to protect the school’s property.

• Old Wolf offered Yang Rui a territorial division in exchange for Leopard’s release, but Yang Rui refused and sent him away.
• Yang Rui and Duan Hang raised the bound, dye-covered Leopard on a flagpole with signs mocking him and declaring his love for Huo Laosi.
• Huo Laosi’s men struggled to break into the grocery store roof and eventually rescued Leopard while a crowd watched.
• Yang Rui returned to Xizhaizi Township and explained the test-paper operation and its profits to his father, Secretary Yang.
• Secretary Yang questioned the school principal, then ordered the township militia to assemble and protect Xibao Middle School’s collective property.
• Militia commander Wei Lin reported to Yang Rui and listed the company’s members and weapons.

Yang Rui’s father deployed the militia to protect Xibao Middle School, stopping Huo Laosi’s men from pursuing Yang Rui. Huo Laosi’s counterfeit exam-paper business faltered until a militia regiment occupied the bus station, forcing him and the Thirteen Wolves to unite against it.

• Wei Lin and the militia fortified Xibao Middle School, and the Thirteen Wolves retreated without attacking them.
• Huo Laosi rescinded his order to pursue Yang Rui, then found his exam-paper business stalled and the new Rui Study Group Secret Papers competing with his counterfeits.
• Shi Gui learned to distinguish genuine Rui Study Group papers from Huo Laosi’s pirated copies as discounts and free answer sheets drew students to the genuine editions.
• Huo Laosi and the Thirteen Wolves argued over whether to abandon their exam-paper business, with Huo Laosi reluctant to lose his investment and his chance to open a factory.
• After hearing that militiamen had occupied their bus-station turf and seized their stored goods over unpaid freight, Huo Laosi and the Thirteen Wolves agreed to unite against outsiders.
• Huo Laosi and the Thirteen Wolves marched toward the bus station, then stopped when they saw a flag marked “Xi County Second Militia Regiment.”

Yang Feng used the Xi County militia to shut down Huo Laosi’s bus station operation and capture him, Thirteen Wolves, and their gang. After the gang was beaten into submission and taken away, Yang Rui learned that Duan Hang’s entire family belonged to the militia.

• Yang Feng sent militia members to block roads and inspect vehicles leaving Xi County, while they confiscated goods transported by Huo Laosi’s men.
• Huo Laosi and Thirteen Wolves tried to leave but Wei Lin and the Xizhaizi Township Militia Company surrounded them and ordered them to surrender their weapons.
• Duan Hang arrived with the militia and accused the gang of crimes including robbery, assault, and rape.
• The militia beat and disarmed the gang, then Duan Hang made the men kneel before arranging to take them to the bureau.
• Duan Hang told Yang Rui that Yang Feng had planned the operation and said his father wanted to discuss technical matters with him.
• Yang Rui discovered that Duan Hang’s mother and sister were also in the militia, making the whole family militia members.

Yang Rui met Engineer Shao during the militia deployment and learned that the Xibao Meat Processing Plant planned to donate earmarked supplies to Xibao Middle School in thanks for his technical advice. After Engineer Shao asked about the Rui Study Group and his son’s prospects, Yang Rui agreed to tutor Shao Liang, leaving the group with a new student and another ally.

• Duan Hua introduced Yang Rui to Engineer Shao, who praised Yang Rui’s role in improving the cannery’s sterilizing process and product acceptance rate.
• Engineer Shao gave Yang Rui an official letter assigning him control over supplies donated by the Xibao Meat Processing Plant to Xibao Middle School.
• Engineer Shao asked Yang Rui about the Rui Study Group and its test papers, and Yang Rui explained how he had founded it.
• After learning that Yang Rui could help his son Shao Liang with schoolwork, Engineer Shao asked him to tutor the boy.
• Yang Rui agreed to teach Shao Liang, while warning that the Rui Study Group’s rules and discipline would apply to him.

After Duan Hang helped capture Huo Laosi's gang and six wanted criminals, Yang Rui offered him a news release and money to secure prominent newspaper coverage. When they reached Xibao Middle School, Yang Rui found the meat processing plant had donated 480 cans of canned meat to the school.

• Duan Hang's Criminal Police Unit and the Militia Regiment rounded up Huo Laosi's gang, local underworld figures, and six wanted criminals, earning Duan Hang praise from his superiors.
• Duan Hang escorted Yang Rui back to school and talked confidently about his chances of promotion.
• Yang Rui offered Duan Hang a news release advocating a harsh crackdown and warned that its zero-tolerance stance could affect his future if the political climate changed.
• Yang Rui lent Duan Hang five hundred yuan to help get the release published prominently in the Nanhu Daily, and Duan Hang accepted the money.
• At Xibao Middle School, Yang Rui learned that the Xibao Meat Processing Plant had donated supplies, including 480 cans of canned meat, which drew a crowd of teachers and students.

Yang Rui organized the food donations from Xibao Meat Processing Plant and used the Rui Study Group’s profits to establish scholarships at Xibao Middle School. He announced one-time cash and canned-food awards for students chosen through exams, academic progress, and social practice.

• Yang Rui divided the oranges among students, teachers, and test-paper contributors, sent flour and lard to the cafeteria, and left the canned food undistributed.
• Yang Rui caught up on lessons, reviewed the Rui Study Group’s accounts and members’ work, and prepared new test-paper sets for students across junior and senior high school.
• Yang Rui instructed Huang Ren to print school exam sets and assign the Rui Study Group’s top ten students to cut the stencils.
• Yang Rui announced scholarships for students with good grades, marked improvement, or active social-practice participation, with applicants required to take an exam for the academic awards.
• Yang Rui said 125 students would each receive ten yuan and canned food, funded by the Rui Study Group’s profits.

Yang Rui held a five-hour, six-subject scholarship exam on Xibao Middle School’s sports field, while Qi Yuan opposed his authority and left to complain. The exam began under bright lights, and Yang Rui asked Teacher Lu to recruit teachers to mark the papers for two yuan a day.

• Qi Yuan argued that Yang Rui had no right to administer exams or distribute scholarships, but Zhuang Musheng defended Yang Rui and the two teachers nearly fought.
• Qi Yuan left the school to lodge a complaint, while most teachers accepted the principal’s approval of Yang Rui’s plans.
• Rui Study Group members moved desks and chairs onto the sports field and set up lights for the exam.
• Yang Rui announced the five-hour exam rules and began the six-subject scholarship assessment at night.
• Yang Rui asked Teacher Lu to recruit willing teachers to mark the papers, offering two yuan a day.

Yang Rui ended Xibao Middle School’s six-subject exam and arranged paid grading that involved more teachers and checks. He then gave Huang Ren a secret teacher evaluation form, intending to reward highly ranked teachers and make poor teaching harder to ignore.

• Yang Rui assessed the students’ weak academic levels during the exam and told Huang Ren to record students who handed in early, lowering their evaluations if they applied to the Rui Study Group.
• Yang Rui ended the exam at midnight despite Xu Jing and Teacher Lu asking for more time.
• Yang Rui agreed to pay teachers grading fees for three days’ work and instructed Teacher Lu to organize separate graders for junior and senior high subjects, plus extra graders to check the results.
• Yang Rui gave Huang Ren teacher evaluation forms to print secretly and explained his plan to reward teachers who ranked near the top.
• Huang Ren warned that low-ranking teachers might resent Yang Rui, but Yang Rui defended the plan as necessary for the students.

Yang Rui checked the teachers’ grading, paid them honoraria, and began the Rui Study Group’s scholarship ceremony at Xibao Middle School. Just as he was about to announce the recipients, Qi Yuan arrived with news that Section Chief Xiong from the county Education Bureau objected to the awards, and Liu Shan seemed to recognize the significance of his intervention.

• Yang Rui sampled the graded papers, confirmed the marking was accurate, and gave Teacher Lu an envelope of honoraria for the teachers.
• Teacher Lu and Wang Fang counted the money and found that Yang Rui had prepared exact payments in crisp new bills for all fourteen teachers.
• Yang Rui announced the afternoon scholarship ceremony, while Hu Yanshan and the other troublemakers kept their distance from him.
• Yang Rui opened the ceremony and announced a total of 1,350 yuan in scholarships, with sixty cans of meat and sixty-five cans of fruit as prizes.
• Qi Yuan interrupted the ceremony to report that Section Chief Xiong from the county Education Bureau’s Infrastructure Section said the scholarships violated regulations, and Liu Shan reacted with concern.

Yang Rui confronted Qi Yuan and Section Chief Xiong over their apparent interest in taking control of the Rui Study Group's funds and the school's canned food. After revealing that his father was close to Deputy County Head Luo, Yang Rui left Section Chief Xiong suddenly trying to ingratiate himself.

• Qi Yuan arrived at the awards ceremony with Section Chief Xiong and demanded that the school fetch Principal Zhao, but the students ignored him.
• Liu Shan told Yang Rui that Principal Zhao needed Qi Yuan's uncle to approve funding for two wells and a drainage channel, explaining why the principal had tolerated Qi Yuan's behavior.
• Yang Rui went to investigate Section Chief Xiong, then met him at the school gate and asserted that he controlled the group's funds and the canned food.
• Section Chief Xiong and Qi Yuan discussed their intentions to claim some of the school's resources while Yang Rui warned that the principal's absence might reflect a desire to avoid a clash.
• Yang Rui revealed that his father, Yang Feng, was close to Uncle Luo, now the deputy county head overseeing education, and Section Chief Xiong abruptly changed his attitude toward him.

Yang Rui pressured Section Chief Xiong into promising improvements to Xibao Middle School by invoking his family’s connections and hinting at trouble. After distributing prizes to the top students, Yang Rui introduced Teacher Evaluation Forms, leaving the students to assess their teachers.

• Yang Rui confronted Section Chief Xiong about the school’s inadequate well and threatened to involve Uncle Luo, prompting Xiong to promise a special approval for the well.
• Yang Rui pressed Xiong to address the drainage ditch and filthy latrines, and Xiong agreed to inspect them while Qi Yuan fell silent.
• Yang Rui dismissed Section Chief Xiong and Qi Yuan, then warned Qi Yuan that evaluations were coming.
• Yang Rui and Huang Ren distributed certificates, ten yuan, and canned food to the top twenty-five students in each year.
• Yang Rui announced that students still needed to fill out forms, and Huang Ren handed out Teacher Evaluation Forms.

Yang Rui organized an anonymous student evaluation of Xibao Middle School’s teachers, burned the ballots after tallying them, and posted the selected teachers’ names. Several teachers challenged the unofficial vote, and Principal Zhao Dannian arrived asking where Section Chief Xiong was.

• Yang Rui explained that students would anonymously rate their teachers on a five-point scale, while Wang Guohua and other Rui Study Group members supervised the voting.
• Yang Rui had two groups tally the completed forms and told Liu Shan that teacher evaluations were intended to improve instruction and students’ academic results.
• Yang Rui announced that no ballot records would be kept, burned the forms, and posted the selected teachers’ names on red paper.
• Fang Xuesong and Liu Kang objected to the student-organized selection, but Yang Rui defended the Rui Study Group’s right to hold its unofficial activity.
• Principal Zhao Dannian arrived and asked why Section Chief Xiong was not there.

Yang Rui explained how he had persuaded Section Chief Xiong to approve two wells and an open drainage channel for Xibao Middle School, and Zhao Dannian decided to follow up on the request for flush toilets. The chapter ended with Zhao Dannian warning Yang Rui to be more careful and maintain unity with teachers and students.

• Zhao Dannian questioned Qi Yuan about Section Chief Xiong's brief visit, while Liu Kang complained about the students' teacher evaluation.
• Yang Rui told Zhao Dannian that he had spoken with Section Chief Xiong, who agreed to drill two wells and build an open drainage channel, and would consider replacing the pit latrines with flush toilets.
• Yang Rui explained that he had invoked his childhood connection to County Magistrate Luo to persuade Section Chief Xiong, and Zhao Dannian agreed to go to the county to pursue the toilet request.
• Yang Rui offered to arrange a meeting with County Magistrate Luo if Section Chief Xiong wanted one, and Zhao Dannian warned Yang Rui to be more careful and maintain unity.

Shao Liang arrived at Xibao Middle School to tell Yang Rui he would not attend tutoring, then tried to persuade him to conceal the arrangement in exchange for a pair of jeans. Yang Rui was left looking at the jeans after Shao Liang claimed they were Hong Kong Apple brand.

• Shao Liang arrived at Xibao Middle School dressed in fashionable clothes and asked a student where to find Yang Rui.
• Yang Rui briefed the Rui Study Group on its plans to visit teachers and thank them.
• Shao Liang introduced himself as Engineer Shao's son and accused Yang Rui of tricking his father.
• Shao Liang refused tutoring and offered Yang Rui jeans in return for helping him keep the refusal from his father.
• Shao Liang claimed the jeans were smuggled Hong Kong Apple goods, and Yang Rui examined them with interest.

Yang Rui brought Shao Liang along with the Rui Study Group to thank their teachers, beginning with Li Xiumei, whom students had voted their most popular female teacher. Li Xiumei was deeply moved by the students’ recognition and accepted their gift, while Yang Rui and the group prepared to continue thanking the others.

• Shao Liang offered Yang Rui Hong Kong Apple jeans, but Yang Rui refused them and offered to tutor him instead, promising that further study could open paths to technical school or college.
• Shao Liang angrily tried to leave, so Yang Rui had Cao Baoming stop him and brought him along to thank the teachers; Su Yi intimidated Shao Liang into cooperating.
• The Rui Study Group carried goods to the dormitory area and surprised Li Xiumei with gongs, drums, firecrackers, and a bow of thanks.
• Yang Rui presented Li Xiumei with four cans as her prize for being the students’ most popular female teacher and praised her dedication.
• Li Xiumei cried with happiness as she accepted the gift, realizing that her students recognized the sacrifices she had made for them.

Yang Rui’s Rui Study Group drew a crowd by visiting Xibao Middle School’s teachers, then returned to celebrate with a large dinner. He decided to keep Shao Liang at the school and impose a strict study routine, while considering how to expand tutoring into the regular curriculum.

• The Rui Study Group visited teachers around Xibao, attracting a procession of onlookers that police eventually dispersed.
• Yang Rui added meat to the group’s dinner, where Shao Liang asked whether joining the Rui Study Group would improve his treatment.
• Yang Rui ordered Shao Liang to study at Xibao Middle School, attend the group’s lessons, and stay in Su Yi’s dormitory.
• When Shao Liang refused to study, Yang Rui assigned him English vocabulary and composition copying and made Su Yi responsible for supervising him.
• Yang Rui began drafting a new teaching plan and considered incorporating his tutoring course into Xibao Middle School’s regular curriculum.

As applications to join the Rui Study Group surged, Yang Rui expanded the review process and approved Liu Shan’s plan to create detailed files for its members. He also worked on reconstructing New Concept English from memory so he could distribute it to the group and improve his own English.

• Yang Rui brought Huang Ren and Liu Shan into the team reviewing the growing pile of Rui Study Group applications.
• Liu Shan sorted applications, wrote comments, and proposed keeping files to track each applicant’s history.
• Yang Rui approved creating detailed files for every group member and arranged for four students to help Liu Shan, with allowances for their work.
• Yang Rui continued writing out New Concept English from memory, intending to mimeograph a complete copy for the Rui Study Group.

Yang Rui learned that students were eager to obtain Book One of New Concept English and decided to pursue printing it through a county printing plant. He proposed a vote among Rui Study Group members, reserve members, and prospective members, leaving the group's decision-making procedures unsettled.

• Wang Guohua told Yang Rui that students were paying a premium for New Concept English copies and suggested printing the book for sale.
• Yang Rui realized Book One suited students' low English proficiency and sent Wang Guohua to ask Duan Hang about using a printing plant.
• Wang Guohua warned that a large print run could cost thousands of yuan and might not sell, so Yang Rui proposed putting the decision to a vote.
• Yang Rui said reserve members and prospective members should participate, while Wang Guohua argued that only full members should vote.
• Yang Rui told Wang Guohua that even if he made future decisions, everyone would still have to vote to approve that arrangement.

Yang Rui held a secret vote on whether the Rui Study Group should borrow money to print New Concept English, expecting the proposal to fail. After it did, he decided to fund the printing himself and ordered his allies to identify and expel members who voted against it, leaving the group poised for tighter control under his leadership.

• Yang Rui gave every Rui Study Group member, including reserves, one vote on whether to borrow money for a large print run of New Concept English.
• Members raised concerns about the cost, debt, and risk to their Gaokao studies, while Yang Rui said he would print the books himself if the group rejected the proposal.
• The secret ballot failed, with thirty-four votes in favor, thirty-nine against, and three abstentions, so Yang Rui declared the group would not fund the printing.
• After the meeting, Yang Rui told Huang Ren, Wang Guohua, and Cao Baoming to compare the ballots' handwriting and promote supporters while expelling identifiable opponents.
• Yang Rui assured his allies he would pay for the printing himself, and Cao Baoming urged the group to let Yang Rui make future decisions.

Yang Rui arranged to print Book One of New Concept English after avoiding a risky thousand-yuan bribe by using Duan Hang’s connections to help the printing-factory director’s imprisoned son. The first print run was set at ten thousand copies, and Yang Rui prepared Shi Gui to promote the books in the provincial capital.

• Yang Rui sent Shi Gui to negotiate with the Liberation Printing Factory, whose director demanded a thousand yuan to print the books.
• Yang Rui refused to pay the dangerous bribe and learned that the director needed money to move his son to a safer prison cell.
• Yang Rui asked Duan Hang to make inquiries, and Duan Hang settled the prison connection with liquor and cigarettes.
• The director agreed to a two-thousand-yuan deposit and an initial run of ten thousand copies, holding back five thousand until Yang Rui paid the balance.
• Yang Rui gave Shi Gui two hundred wallets to offer customers who bought ten books and instructed him to keep the price and promotion rules consistent and send telegrams promptly.