Chapter 32

Hu Wenhai lost, and as an elder put it, he was simply too young and too simple!

He never expected it! His soul-searching questions had resulted in such an outcome.

At this moment, Hu Wenhai couldn't help but burst into tears.

"That's right! Yes! I must apologize to Hu Wenhai. This is a problem with our thinking, not a problem with the school or the teachers. It's our fault as leaders that we didn't do our job well!"

Hu Wenhai stared at Director Fan in shock. Compared to his soul-searching questions, the current expression on Director Fan's face was a genuine soul-searching reflection.

"Ah, as the education bureau director of Xiucheng, I bear an inescapable responsibility for the state of our education system! This is an undeniable and irrefutable serious mistake! I must apologize to Hu Wenhai, to the principal of Er Gao, and to all the students who have been hurt by this incident! I'm sorry, I didn't do my job well, and I've wronged the students and teachers!"

...

"Ah, Director, what are you doing? It's my fault as the principal for not doing a good job with the school's ideological work. How can you blame yourself?"

The principal of Er Gao quickly ran over and helped Director Fan up.

The narrator, with a grateful and tearful expression, wiped his eyes and sighed, "Director, how can you blame yourself? It's our fault as subordinates for not doing our jobs well! Your work is already hard enough; how could you have the energy to notice these things?"

The narrator looked at Hu Wenhai and spoke up for Director Fan, "Hu Wenhai, do you know how many rural teaching points, how many non-regular private teachers, and how many regular teachers supported by the government there are in our city? To secure the salaries for thousands of teachers and to obtain extra-budgetary funds to repair rural teaching points, Director Fan has been working tirelessly day and night. How could he have the time and energy to pay attention to these things?"

"Revoking Feng Hongqi's exchange student status was a suggestion and request made by our subordinates. If you're angry, take it out on me! Don't blame Director Fan!"

As he spoke emotionally, the narrator couldn't help but shed tears. He also supported Director Fan's arm, and at this moment, Director Fan seemed to have aged by twenty or thirty years, his face pale, his body trembling, his eyes tightly closed, and his face full of pain.

"Director, why are you doing this to yourself! We don't need to beg him; why are you humiliating yourself like this? It's not worth it, it's really not worth it!"

Hu Wenhai smiled.

Clap, clap, clap, clap—

A monotonous applause sounded, and Hu Wenhai nodded in satisfaction, "Not bad, truly a touching live drama! Director Fan, you really should go to Hollywood in America; it's a waste of talent not to."

"How can you speak like that? This is the director of the education bureau, who can also be considered your teacher!" The narrator looked at Hu Wenhai with indignation.

"Alright, stop acting," Hu Wenhai said with a sneer, "Director Fan, if you really think you did a bad job, then admit your mistakes to your superiors and apologize to Feng Hongqi and Teacher Xiao. What's the point of telling me these things? Can I influence your position or your reputation with your superiors? Even if you say a basket of good words to me, they're all just empty talk."

"You're playing the good cop and the bad cop, first trying to tempt me with benefits, and then, seeing that I'm a young man with a strong sense of justice, you switch to the second plan? Using flattery and provocation, you're quite skilled at it!"

"Put away your hypocritical faces. I have money, and I don't care about a few hundred thousand. But I have one question: if I give the money, how much of it will actually go to the private teachers and rural teaching points you mentioned? Or, I can promise right now that if you, Director Fan, resign from your public position, I will immediately donate 500,000 to the Xiucheng education system. Are you willing?"

"You, you, a rotten tree cannot be carved!" Director Fan was truly enraged this time, his face flushed with anger at Hu Wenhai's ridicule. He hastily fled the scene.

The principal of Er Gao looked at Hu Wenhai with a complex expression and waved his hand helplessly, "Alright, go back to your class."

"Principal, I'll be on my way then." Hu Wenhai smiled and turned to leave without a care.

After Director Fan left, things were relatively peaceful for a while. Whether it was due to the cooperation between Hu Wenhai and Wang Yichun, or the power of the nearly ten million yuan in his possession, he had slapped the face of the education bureau director, but it seemed to have no adverse consequences.

The courses in the third year of high school were much tighter than before. On the first day of school, the students were given a stern warning in the morning. Textbooks, exercise books, and exam papers were distributed, and the desks of the third-year students were almost instantly piled high with walls of books.

The teachers of each subject were not to be outdone, each announcing their new semester teaching plans. One said they would cover a year's worth of courses in a semester, another said they would finish in three months. One claimed that their course only required an hour of memorization each morning, while another announced that their subject would have an exam every three days.

By the end of the morning, many students in Class 2 of the third year had pale faces. According to the scenarios described by the teachers, they could easily imagine the hellish year ahead.

However, among all the students in Class 2 of the third year, one person seemed very relaxed and at ease. No need to ask, this person was Hu Wenhai.

"Teacher, I want to take a leave of absence," during the lunch break, Hu Wenhai suddenly stopped Class 2's homeroom teacher, Xiao Huaidan, in the corridor.

"Student Hu Wenhai, why are you still at school?" Xiao Huaidan was slightly surprised and asked, "Aren't you supposed to go home to handle your documents and pack your luggage for your trip to America next week?"

"I've declined the exchange student program," Hu Wenhai shook his head and said, "I have no interest in going abroad as an exchange student, and I was completely unaware of this matter beforehand."

Xiao Huaidan frowned and advised, "If it's because of Student Feng Hongqi, I suggest you think it over again. The opportunity to study abroad is not easy to come by..."

"No, I said, I have no interest in going abroad as an exchange student," Hu Wenhai said firmly, "I want to take a leave of absence for two or three months. I plan to go to America on my own during this time."

"Go to America on your own?" Xiao Huaidan looked at him in disbelief and frowned, "Student Hu Wenhai, you are already a third-year high school student and will face the college entrance exam next year. Taking a three-month leave of absence at this time is very irresponsible to your studies. Moreover, if you don't participate in the exchange student program, how do you plan to go to America? Are you a teenager, and does your family agree with this?"

"I will go to America on a business visa," Hu Wenhai explained briefly and said confidently, "As for the college entrance exam, don't worry, Teacher Xiao. I will definitely not fall behind. I will study the third-year curriculum on my own and ensure that I don't fall behind during this period. In fact, I have already studied most of the third-year curriculum, and I could take the college entrance exam right now without any problems."

Hu Wenhai had declined the exchange student program offered by Director Fan, but it didn't mean he wouldn't go to America. He absolutely could not go as an exchange student. For him, there were many things he needed to do in America that could not be done with a student visa. If he went as an exchange student, he would be limited to academic activities. Engaging in commercial activities would result in close surveillance by immigration authorities, deportation, and even a blemish on his credit record.

When someone approached the Hu family for a loan, Hu Wenhai had already realized his mistake. Seeing that he couldn't stay in the country, and with Wang Yichun already stabilized under the pretext of importing foreign equipment, he decided to leave the country for a while.

Although Elkan was a Canadian company, it had extensive connections in the United States, which was why it had secured the contract for the U.S. military's sights. With Clark's help, getting a business invitation was a simple matter.

"Have your parents been informed of this?" Xiao Huaidan did not doubt Hu Wenhai's words. In class, he was not the top student, but he was always in the first tier. From his level of diligence, he was only in the middle to lower range. However, all the teachers who had taught him agreed that he was very intelligent, though he did not prioritize his studies.

From these evaluations, Xiao Huaidan could sense that Hu Wenhai indeed had strong learning abilities. Without far surpassing his classmates, he wouldn't have been able to maintain his position in the class so easily.

"This is a leave of absence note from my father. If necessary, I can call him to come to the school."

Xiao Huaidan took the note from Hu Wenhai and read it carefully. The handwriting on the note was unique, with strong and bold strokes, and a grand and dignified style. If judged by the handwriting, this should be a person of high position and integrity.

The note did not contain any extra words, only stating that Hu Wenhai needed to go to America on business for about a semester and requested a long leave from the school. The signature at the end, "Hu Jiefang," matched the handwriting of Hu Wenhai's father that Xiao Huaidan had seen before. At least for now, this appeared to be a genuine leave of absence note.

"Going abroad on business?" Xiao Huaidan shook her head and sighed, "Hu Wenhai, you are still a student, and a student's main task should be to study. You..."

"Teacher," Hu Wenhai interrupted her, "Just as you tried to persuade Feng Hongqi to give up his opportunity to go to America, there are things in this world that only you can do, but not only you."

"Ah, well, alright then." Seeing that she couldn't persuade Hu Wenhai to change his mind, Xiao Huaidan had no choice but to take the note and said, "The leave of absence needs the principal's approval. Go back and wait for the news."

"Okay." Hu Wenhai nodded and calmly returned to the classroom.

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