You Call This a Hot Potato?

Jiang City No. 1 High School, principal's office.

The office door stood ajar, and the argument inside could be heard all the way across the corridor.

Qian Mingyuan rubbed his gleaming bald head, his mind a tangled skein, his brows tightly furrowed.

Standing before him were two women, Liu Mei and Liu Wan, the best martial arts homeroom teachers at No. 1 High School-and in all of Jiang City.

No. 1 High School was widely recognized as Jiang City's best martial arts high school. It was also the city's only high school with two martial arts classes in every year.

Both of No. 1 High School's ace homeroom teachers were teaching senior-year martial arts classes this year.

Under the school's usual rules, these two ace homeroom teachers would not normally be assigned to the same year.

But No. 3 High School and No. 4 High School had joined forces to snatch away this year's incoming seniors, leaving the school with its worst cohort since its founding.

Only then had the school forced the two teachers together, hoping they could plaster this rotten mud onto a wall.

Now, the two stood with swords drawn and bows bent, neither willing to yield.

"Principal Qian, Lin Hao absolutely cannot join my class." Liu Mei folded her arms, her tone leaving no room for doubt. "I already have more than enough students who won't pass the Martial Artist Examination.

"If I take another one with 0.3 blood qi, not only will this year's outstanding class bonus go down the drain, but my five-year streak as an outstanding homeroom teacher in Jiang City will be over too."

Liu Wan pushed up the glasses on her nose, refusing to give an inch. "If Ms. Liu doesn't want him, neither does my class. My students were weaker to begin with. I have to keep an eye on them even during their regular training.

"If Lin Hao joins us, he won't just slow down our teaching progress. He could also have a negative influence on the other students."

Qian Mingyuan sighed and pushed the insulated cup on his desk toward the middle. "Please calm down, both of you. I know it hasn't been easy. This year's students were poor to begin with, and it's entirely thanks to you two that they've reached an upper-middle level.

"Honestly, one more Lin Hao won't make much difference. Between your two classes, more than ten students can pass. He alone won't lower the admission rate by much. How about drawing lots? Whoever draws him takes him. Fair and square."

He had thought this would be a solution that satisfied both sides, but to his surprise, they answered in unison, "No!"

Liu Mei's brows knotted together. "Principal Qian, the projected admission rates for our two classes are only 0.3 percentage points apart. Whichever class Lin Hao joins is guaranteed to come second. Who's going to make up that fifty-thousand bonus difference?"

"If Ms. Liu cares about the bonus, that's easy enough." Liu Wan looked at her. "You can have the entire outstanding class bonus this year, and your class can have Lin Hao too."

"Who cares about that little bonus?" Liu Mei exploded at once. "I want the outstanding class title and a reputation as a renowned teacher in Jiang City! I can do without the bonus, but I absolutely won't take Lin Hao either!"

Seeing them arguing again made Qian Mingyuan's head throb.

"Enough, enough!" Qian Mingyuan slapped the desk, weariness in his voice. "Do you think I wanted to accept this student? You both know Lin Qing, don't you? A key talent being nurtured under the Qingjiang Plan, and captain of the West City Branch Bureau's Third Squad.

"She personally approached Director Zhang Qishan and Director Zhou Zheng of the Discipline Bureau, just to ask me to arrange enrollment in a martial arts class for her younger cousin. Could I refuse?"

The office fell silent.

Liu Mei and Liu Wan exchanged a glance, neither saying another word.

Never mind Principal Qian-even the director of the Martial Education Bureau had to show Lin Qing some respect.

Qian Mingyuan rubbed his temples. "How about this? We cancel the internal class rankings this year and only look at the citywide rankings. Your two classes can split the school's total bonus equally. I'll assign Lin Hao at random. What do you think?"

"No!" Once again, they refused in unison.

Liu Mei folded her arms and turned her face away. "Splitting the bonus is fine, but Lin Hao has to go into Ms. Liu Wan's class. She taught Lin Qing, so she has experience. She'll definitely be able to teach Lin Hao well."

"That's not right, Ms. Liu," Liu Wan immediately countered. "Your class has a stronger foundation, and your students were better to begin with. Putting Lin Hao in your class would balance the two out."

The two started shoving the responsibility back and forth again, neither willing to take this hot potato.

Qian Mingyuan leaned back in his chair, stared at the ceiling, and let out a long sigh.

"Stop arguing." Qian Mingyuan waved a hand helplessly. "Lin Hao will join Ms. Liu Wan's class."

Delight immediately spread across Liu Mei's face, and she let out a long breath of relief.

Liu Wan's face fell at once. "Principal Qian, why me?" she hurriedly asked.

"To tell you the truth, this was Lin Qing's wish." Qian Mingyuan looked at her, his tone sincere. "Lin Qing was your student back then. She's always remembered how well you treated her.

"She said she trusted your teaching ability. That's why she specifically asked me to place Lin Hao in your class.

"Last time you invited her to give your students practical combat guidance, she came without a word of protest and even paid out of her own pocket for training protective gear for them. Have you forgotten?"

Liu Wan opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately swallowed it back.

She sighed softly. "I understand. Let him come. Qingqing was the most outstanding student I ever taught. Since she's asked, that settles it."

"That's more like it." Qian Mingyuan breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly added, "Don't worry. If your class doesn't take first place in the school this year, the school will make up the bonus. You won't be short a single cent."

Beside her, Liu Mei smiled in schadenfreude. "Well then, Ms. Liu, thanks for taking on the hard work. Teach him well. Who knows? Lin Hao might even pull off a miracle."

Liu Wan rolled her eyes at her and said nothing, but she had already prepared herself for the worst.

At worst, this year's outstanding class award would go down the drain. In truth, even without Lin Hao, her chances of winning it this year hadn't been very good.

Just then, Qian Mingyuan's phone rang. The caller ID showed Zhang Qishan.

"See? It must be about Lin Hao again." Qian Mingyuan shook his head, set his phone on the desk, and switched on the speaker. "Director Zhang, I was just about to call you. Everything's been arranged for Lin Hao. He'll join Ms. Liu Wan's class, and his enrollment can be processed tomorrow."

Zhang Qishan's hearty laughter came from the other end. "Principal Qian, I'm not calling to rush you on the paperwork. I'm calling to congratulate you!"

Qian Mingyuan froze. "Congratulate me? On what?"

"Congratulations to your No. 1 High School for taking the top spot in Jiang City's Martial Artist Examination for the ninth year running!" Excitement filled Zhang Qishan's voice. "And this isn't just any top scorer. He should be Jiang City's first top scorer in decades who can get into Capital Martial University!"

"Capital Martial University?!" Qian Mingyuan sprang to his feet.

Liu Mei and Liu Wan froze too. They exchanged a glance, each seeing disbelief in the other's eyes.

It had been a full thirty-nine years since anyone from Jiang City had gotten into Capital Martial University.

"Director Zhang, you're not joking, are you?" Qian Mingyuan hurriedly asked. "You know perfectly well what this year's students are like. How could we possibly have a student who can get into Jingwu?"

"Why would I lie to you?" Zhang Qishan said with a laugh. "This kid has 2.79 blood qi and 9.21 combat power.

"This morning at the assessment center, he used the Mountain-Subduing Basic Fist to kill a Wind-Rending Swift Leopard with 4.5 blood qi in three moves. He was granted exceptional recognition as a One-Star Martial Artist.

"Oh, and those two Mimic Spiders in the old city district a few days ago? He solo-killed those too."