Chapter 129 Disqualification, Behind the Scenes Manipulation
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“Why?” Jiang Fuyue opened her eyes.
The other party was surprised by her calmness but maintained a business-like attitude. “In principle, we do not accept the behavior of participating in two subject competitions simultaneously. This time, the Physics Olympiad summer camp coincided with the NOI summer camp. We did not receive your clear choice to participate in the Physics Olympiad summer camp, so we assumed you gave up. Today, we specially called to inform you.”
Jiang Fuyue responded, “First, I haven’t received any notification from you, so I didn’t know that a reply was required.”
“Second, without receiving my response, you didn’t attempt to contact me again. Don’t say the phone couldn’t get through; it’s working fine now, isn’t it?”
“Third, the Physics Olympiad summer camp list has been out for almost half a month, and the NOI results have been announced for nearly ten days. Yet, you called with this so-called ‘notification call’ on the day before the camp starts. Is that reasonable?”
Facing Jiang Fuyue’s consecutive questions, the person on the other end hesitated. “…Just know that participating in two subject competitions simultaneously is absolutely not allowed!”
“Why is it not allowed?”
“The summer camp training is intense, and students can barely handle one, and you want to participate in two?”
“If I have the ability, why can’t I try to manage both?”
“Heh…Student Jiang, do you take international competitions lightly? You even want to manage both…”
The difference between international and domestic competitions is just one word, but the difficulty is worlds apart.
“I know you have performed exceptionally well in both physics and informatics domestic selections, ranking at the top. But do you understand the difficulty of international competitions? Do you know how high the demand is for students’ thinking sensitivity?”
Jiang Fuyue frowned; she didn’t like the condescending and lecturing tone.
But the person on the other end continued, “New rules, new question types, and higher difficulty—all of these need adaptation during the summer camp. What do you have to balance it with?”
“I’ve been working in the competition committee’s office for many years, and every year, there are so-called geniuses who show up. They are all arrogant and full of confidence. But in the end, they encounter a failure on the international stage and disappear without a trace, blending into the crowd.”
“And you are not the first, nor will you be the last.”
Jiang Fuyue asked, “What exactly are you trying to say?”
The voice on the other end softened slightly, “Student Jiang, human energy is limited. We just hope you can focus a bit more and do one thing well.”
“So, without my consent, you made a decision on my behalf?”
“We also considered it carefully…”
Jiang Fuyue’s eyes cooled, “I’m sorry, I don’t accept it.”
After saying that, she hung up directly.
Checking the time, it was 7 AM.
“Sis…” From the upper bunk, Jiang Chenxing’s blurry murmurs came, accompanied by the sound of turning over.
“Did I wake you up?” she lowered her voice.
“…No, I was about to wake up anyway. Can we sleep a bit more?” The first sentence was a lie, and the second one was sincere.
Jiang Fuyue said, “Sure, go back to sleep.”
With that, they both went back to sleep.
For such a big matter, it could be discussed after waking up.
That’s how the siblings went back to sleep until 8:30 AM.
When Jiang Fuyue finished washing up, her younger brother brought the prepared breakfast—
A bowl of steaming hot noodle soup!
It was topped with a savory sauce, and the lean meat was finely chopped, providing a satisfying chew. Next to it was a fried egg, the white and yolk clearly separated, with a slightly runny center visible when picked open with chopsticks.
Not too old, not too tender, just perfectly cooked.
Jiang Fuyue took a sip and immediately praised, “Delicious!”
Her younger brother, with his big black eyes, looked at her with a mix of surprise and shyness, “Really?”
“Of course. If we open a noodle restaurant with just your cooking skills, it would be more than enough.”
The young boy’s cheeks turned red.
Ah, he still couldn’t handle compliments.
Jiang Fuyue suddenly sighed and teased him, “Is this what they call ‘elegant in the hall, skilled in the kitchen’? Settling down with a girlfriend in the future seems promising…”
“Sis!” Jiang Chenxing’s mouth formed an “O,” “You, you’re making things up…”
After saying that, he shyly lowered his head, burying his chin in his collar. His pointed ears unconsciously twitched, and his neck turned slightly red.
Adorable.
No wonder those viewers watching the livestream kept clamoring to form a group to steal the kid, constantly gifting cars and yachts.
Speaking of Jiang Chenxing’s livestream career, although Jiang Fuyue went to the capital to participate in NOI in the middle, she always kept an eye on it.
Every day at 8 PM, she would open the app, check the livestream content, mainly to prevent Wu Qian from making Jiang Chenxing eat some weird stuff just to please a small group of fans.
She also checked the popularity changes and props given within the first half hour of the broadcast. After a few days, she had a complete statistical analysis chart in her mind, judging the popularity trend accordingly to contact Wu Qian to change the marketing points at any time.
After a while, Wu Qian was astonished by Jiang Fuyue’s professionalism and became more and more obedient to her.
Initially, while pleasantly surprised, he also carried a bit of hidden fear and guard against her.
Surprised that Jiang Fuyue possessed powerful business thinking and unparalleled business vision, the most direct benefit being a doubling of income.
However, he felt that as a sister, treating her younger brother as a commodity to be marketed from start to finish was a bit too cold-blooded.
Jiang Fuyue’s response was, “To establish yourself in this industry, marketing is indispensable. Do you admit that?”
“Admit.”
“Since we have to use marketing methods, why not do it the best? While assembly-line production improves efficiency, it doesn’t mean the product lacks warmth or sincerity.”
Wu Qian fell silent.
“In established industries, following established rules, I’m using my own way to open up a path for my family, so that he can walk more smoothly. Any problem with that?”
“…No.”
Thus, Wu Qian became completely convinced and had no objections.
And the fact proved that Jiang Fuyue’s methods were indeed effective.
Firstly, let’s talk about the livestream duration.
Every day from 8:00 to 9:30, a fixed time of one and a half hours, never extended despite the high popularity.
Secondly, Jiang Chenxing’s livestream style.
Currently, the whole internet is discussing that “rice cooker mukbang” snack channel. Whenever the video starts with large, medium, and small models of rice cookers, everyone knows who it is.
Lastly, Little Brother Jiang himself is also a major attraction.
Who doesn’t love cute kids?
Moreover, he’s a boy who doesn’t talk much, super shy, eats cutely, and has a timid gaze.
This is evident from the comments section:
[Little brother give me a glance! This way~]
[Want to steal an electric bike to support him.]
[Despite having a monthly income of 3,000, I actually want to send all the delicious food in the world to him. I’ll be quietly watching him eat, drooling as I watch…]
[Internal images incoming]
…
Of course, the comments section is not always harmonious; there are many fanatical fans and haters.
But Wu Qian promptly deletes and bans these comments, even adding them to the blacklist.
Even if there are occasional leaks, Jiang Chenxing won’t see them.
In terms of protecting the child’s healthy growth, he is doing very well, which is also why Jiang Fuyue chose him in the first place and continues to use him.
Clearly, Wu Qian is aware of this, so he pays special attention to Little Brother Jiang.
“Sis, I got my salary!” The young boy’s eyes were bright, sparkling.
“Congratulations, congratulations.” Jiang Fuyue gave him face.
This was the second payment.
Jiang Da couple didn’t ask for the income from the livestream, but Jiang Chenxing was still too young. Firstly, holding a large sum of money was unsafe, and secondly, they were afraid he might misuse it. After discussing, they decided to open a separate bank account for him and put the money in there.
They only gave Little Brother Jiang 500 yuan per month as pocket money, and tuition and food expenses were separate.
Regarding this, Little Brother Jiang said—content, satisfied!
Five hundred yuan was already a considerable sum for him.
“Sis, can I treat you to a meal?”
“Why suddenly treat me to a meal?”
“Just want to treat you, is that not okay?” Just like how you treat me every time, no need for any reason.
“Of course.” Jiang Fuyue nodded with a smile. “Little brother still spoils me…”
Jiang Chenxing blushed again.
In his heart, he secretly vowed: he would treat his sister even better in the future, and all the money he earned would be spent on her!
Little Brother Jiang was going to pay, and at noon, the siblings went out to eat.
Jiang Fuyue picked a well-reputed nearby homely restaurant with good taste and affordable prices.
When ordering, Jiang Fuyue handed the menu to Jiang Chenxing, saying, “Little moneybag, it’s your turn.”
He blushed again.
When all the dishes were served, Jiang Fuyue realized that most of them were what she loved to eat.
“Sis, try it… How’s the taste? Is it delicious?”
“Delicious.”
Little Brother Jiang grinned happily before starting to eat.
Yeah, it’s really delicious!
At the checkout, the waiter watched as the little boy pulled out five red bills from his pocket. “The total is four hundred and twenty-nine, and I need seventy-one in change.”
“Little friend, are you sure you want to pay?” The waiter asked repeatedly.
“Of course! I have money!” He said earnestly.
“…Okay.” The waiter reluctantly took the money and, while leaving to get change from the cashier, couldn’t help but glance at Jiang Fuyue sitting across from him with a reproachful look.
Such a grown-up, yet letting the child pay when going out to eat.
Tsk…
Jiang Chenxing seemed to sense the hostility from the waiter and explained, “Don’t get me wrong, today, I’m treating my sister to a meal~”
“I see, you’re such a good kid.”
Jiang Chenxing shyly pursed his lips.
He said, “Sis is also very good.”
After the siblings finished their meal, Wu Qian came to pick up Jiang Chenxing and chose a few dishes for tonight’s live broadcast. He heard that he had recently discovered several newly opened private kitchens, which were not only hygienic but also had high nutritional value, suitable for the underage Little Brother Jiang who needed to grow.
Jiang Fuyue took a taxi to a tea house on Third Ring Road.
She made an appointment with Xu Jing, Meng Zhijian, and Yu Wenzhou to meet.
“Sorry, did you wait long?” Jiang Fuyue walked in and found that the three of them were already there.
Playing Landlord.
“Five, six, seven, eight, nine, straight! Do you want it?”
“Four threes, bomb!”
“Oh, sorry, just happened to have four fours, no waste at all, hehe!”
“…”
Hearing Jiang Fuyue’s voice, the three were stunned for a moment, then hurriedly started collecting the cards.
“Ahem!” Xu Jing cleared his throat, sitting up straight.
Maintaining that refined temperament as best as possible.
Meng Zhijian disguisedly took a sip of tea: Who just played cards? It definitely wasn’t me.
Yu Wenzhou, who was still in the process of gathering the cards, wondered, “?”
D*mn it! These two b*stards! They’re leaving me to shoulder the blame all by myself!
“Student Jiang, listen to me, I didn’t, I didn’t…”
“The qualification for the Physics Olympiad summer camp has been canceled.”
“I really…” Yu Wenzhou was stunned, “What did you say?!”
Meng Zhijian stood up with a thump, almost overturning the coffee table. “What’s canceled? Say it again?”
Xu Jing also stared at her, as if there was something wrong with his ears.
Jiang Fuyue swept her eyes over the three people. “This morning, I received a call from the competition committee office. They told me it’s not allowed to simultaneously participate in two subject competitions. They helped me withdraw from the Physics Olympiad and chose NOI.”
Meng and Yu looked at each other, their eyes showing shock.
Yu Wenzhou said, “Nonsense! I have already talked to the city about it. They were supposed to make arrangements, and they promised it all in advance. How could they change their minds the day before departure?”
That’s right. According to the original plan, Jiang Fuyue was supposed to fly to the capital tomorrow to participate in the opening ceremony of the Physics Olympiad.
But now, it seemed unnecessary…
Meng Zhijian remained relatively calm. “Which level of the competition committee called you?”
“The one in the capital.”
“It doesn’t make sense… Professor Xu values you so much, and he is also the director of the competition committee. How could he directly cancel your camp qualification and push you to NOI?”
This was also a point of confusion for Jiang Fuyue.
Even if there was no relationship with Professor Xu, based on her performance in the preliminary and semi-final rounds of the Physics Olympiad, there was no reason for the other party to push her out. At least in the case of choosing between the two, they should fight for her, right?
Yu Wenzhou said, “You just said that the other party helped you withdraw from the Physics Olympiad?” He emphasized the word “helped.”
“Yes, before that, the other party had not contacted me. As soon as they contacted me, it was the notification of elimination.”
What kind of help was that? It seemed like… the other party was eager for her to give up the Physics Olympiad.
Meng Zhijian said, “This is too strange.”
Jiang Fuyue, such a good talent, was rejected. Did the competition committee members have water in their heads, or did they collectively get stuck in a door?
Xu Jing, who had been silent, suddenly spoke, “There must be something fishy about this. Most likely, there’s a problem in some link in the middle.”
“Now, what do we do? There’s only one day left.”
After a moment of contemplation, Xu Jing suggested, “Contact the Municipal Education Bureau to inquire about the specific situation. See if Jiang Fuyue’s application to participate in two subject competitions simultaneously has been approved. Old Yu, contact the Municipal Competition Committee and have them communicate with the capital.”
“Got it!”
The two immediately took action.
Xu Jing didn’t remain idle either; he began making calls as well.
Jiang Fuyue listened with both ears. It seemed that Xu Jing was mobilizing connections in the capital to find out exactly what was going on.
Fifteen minutes later:
Meng Zhijian: “The Municipal Education Bureau replied, saying that the application for participating in both subject competitions was approved five days ago. It was signed and stamped, with records kept, absolutely no room for error.”
Yu Wenzhou: “The Municipal Competition Committee is already trying to contact the capital, but there’s no response so far.”
Xu Jing: “I asked my acquaintance in the capital to check, and we should have the results by tomorrow afternoon at the latest.”
“Tomorrow afternoon? That’s too late. She’s supposed to take an early flight to the capital tomorrow.”
Yu Wenzhou, rubbing his chin, suggested, “Then, temporarily postpone the flight?”
The three looked at Jiang Fuyue, asking for her opinion.
She, with a determined gaze, had apparently already made up her mind.
“No, don’t fly.”
…
At the same time, in the capital, at the Competition Committee office.
Li Xingfang repeatedly looked towards the door, not seeing anyone. She then leaned back lazily in her office chair, looking uninterested.
A colleague teased her, “Why so absent-minded so early in the morning?”
Rolling her eyes, Li Xingfang replied, “Absent-minded?… I’m just checking if Director Zhao is here.”
“Why are you looking for Director Zhao?”
A glint appeared in the woman’s eyes, “What else? Reporting work!”
“That makes sense. We’re not doing anything anyway. It’s not a bad idea to show up in front of the director more often.”
Suddenly, a figure passed by the door.
Li Xingfang’s eyes lit up, “Director Zhao is here. I’ll go to the next office.”
“Sure, go ahead. It’s not like we’ve seen you so active usually…” The colleague shook his head, not thinking much about it.
Knock, knock, knock—
Soon, a gentle male voice came from inside, “Please come in.”
Li Xingfang pushed the door open and then closed it behind her.
“Good morning, Director Zhao!”
Zhao Yongtao was currently bowing his head to organize the papers on his desk. Upon hearing the greeting, he smiled, and noticeable wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes. There were also a few age spots on his face. “Little Li, what can I do for you?”
Approaching, Li Xingfang lowered her voice, “The task you assigned earlier has been completed.”
“Oh?” Zhao glanced up, the smile unwavering. “When?”
“Earlier this morning. I called the student and informed her that she had been disqualified from the summer camp. The feedback form stated that she voluntarily gave up. This way, we can legitimately add another participant to the camp. Congratulations to Tongtong for ranking first in the finals!”
Zhao Tong, Zhao Yongtao’s granddaughter, attended Hailin No.2 High School and would be entering her senior year in September.
Influenced by Zhao Yongtao from a young age, she developed a particular interest in physics. Two years ago, she also participated in the competition but missed the summer camp.
Last year, she signed up but couldn’t take the exam due to health reasons. This year was her last chance. If she couldn’t make it this time, her chance of being recommended would be gone.
Unfortunately, her final ranking fell short by one place.
If someone withdrew ahead of her, there was a 99% chance of the slot going to her.
So, under Zhao Yongtao’s repeated hints, Li Xingfang, grinding her teeth, helped him with this matter.
Coincidentally, the student in question had participated in two competitions simultaneously, so there was no need to find another reason.
Zhao Yongtao nodded in satisfaction, “How did the other party react?”
“At first, she was unwilling, listing one, two, three points, planning to argue. But eventually, she had to compromise.” Li Xingfang spoke with a triumphant expression, “She had no choice. She participated in the Information Competition as well. Our regulations clearly state that, without special approval from higher authorities, participants are generally not allowed to join two subject competitions simultaneously.”
“Good job.”
Li Xingfang rubbed her hands together, “So, what about the position of the Deputy Director in the office…?”
“Don’t worry. As long as everything goes smoothly in the future, I won’t renege on my promise to you.”
This was exactly what the woman wanted to hear!
She immediately smiled broadly, “Thank you, Director Zhao! I’m truly grateful!”
“If there’s nothing else, you can leave now.”
“Okay! You’re busy…”
Li Xingfang nodded and bowed as she exited, humming a tune on her way back to her office.
“You’re finally back! The phone rang several times just now. Do you want to call back?”
Li Xingfang glanced at the number; it wasn’t from the capital.
Waving her hand dismissively, she said, “No need to bother. It should be a call from the local area.”
Her colleague said, “Oh,” indifferent to their different responsibilities. She didn’t know if what Li Xingfang did was appropriate, but seeing her look so composed, it probably wasn’t a big deal.
At that moment, the phone rang again.
Li Xingfang picked up the cup and was about to get some water. She stood up, thinking that it was an external call and wouldn’t be from a leader. It didn’t matter whether she answered or not. She might as well drink water first…
Linhuai, Local Competition Committee Office.
The clerk once again hung up the phone, and the director next to him stared at him directly, instantly feeling immense pressure.
Director: “Still no one answering?”
The clerk shook his head, “This is the seventh call already.”
The director frowned, “It’s a normal workday, not the weekend. It shouldn’t be like this…”
“Indeed, it shouldn’t.”
At this moment, another clerk hurried in, “Director, just got a call from the Education Bureau!”
“How did they respond?”
“Jiang Fuyue’s approval procedures are all complete, and they have sent someone with supporting documents. They urge us to quickly contact the capital Competition Committee to restore Jiang’s qualification for the summer camp; otherwise…”
“Otherwise, what?”
“They will directly communicate with the capital Education Bureau.”
If it came to that, the face of the Competition Committee would be completely lost!
The director gritted his teeth and directed the clerks, “Don’t stop, keep calling!”
“And you, help me make another call! I don’t believe we can’t get through today…”
While the office was in chaos, Jiang Fuyue remained unusually calm.
On the other hand, Xu Jing and the other two, leaving the teahouse, were still full of worries.
Since she couldn’t fly to the capital tomorrow, she decided to cancel the flight and withdrew 100,000 yuan from the bank, carrying it back home in a paper bag.
In the evening, Jiang Da and Han Yunru, thinking that their daughter would go to the capital tomorrow, closed the store early to accompany her for dinner.
“Mom, here’s 100,000 yuan, you keep it.”
Han Yunru was surprised, “Where did you get so much money?”
“Prize money.”
“Then you should keep it for yourself. Why give it to me?”
Han Yunru wouldn’t play favorites; she didn’t interfere with the money her son earned, and the same applied to her daughter.
“From childhood to now, your dad and I haven’t really supervise you much. Firstly, we were too busy and didn’t have time. Secondly, you didn’t let us interfere. Now it’s still the same; we won’t excessively intervene because Mom knows you have a sense of propriety about what can be done and what can’t be done. Regarding money, where to spend it and how much, it’s up to you to decide.”
Jiang Fuyue felt a warmth in her heart. “Mom, don’t worry, let me finish.”
“Sure, go ahead.”
“The main purpose of this money is to expand your store.”
Jiang Da said, “The current store is already good, spacious enough. Why expand?”
However, Han Yunru didn’t rush to express her opinion, looking thoughtful.
Jiang Fuyue knew that both mother and daughter were thinking in the same direction. “When I say ‘expand,’ I don’t mean making the current one bigger; I mean opening a second one.”
Han Yunru suddenly looked up.
Jiang Fuyue met her gaze, smiled, and winked. The woman couldn’t help but laugh, looking helpless.
“W-what do you mean?” Jiang Da, still a bit lost, asked, “A second one? Opening a branch?”
Jiang Fuyue nodded.
Jiang Da, not entirely trusting his daughter, sought confirmation from his wife, who gave him an affirmative smile.
“But… we don’t have enough staff, and it would be hard to manage,” Jiang Da expressed his concerns.
Jiang Fuyue replied, “Then we hire more people.”
“What if those people aren’t skilled and end up damaging the reputation…”
Han Yunru: “Skills can be taught slowly.”
Jiang Fuyue: “Opening a branch isn’t something we can do impulsively. The preliminary preparations are complicated. Dad, don’t worry; having this awareness is enough for now. We’ll take it step by step. Right, Mom?”
Han Yunru nodded, “Your daughter is more organized than you.”
Jiang Da chuckled, scratched his head, “As long as you and your daughter are smart, there has to be someone in the family who’s a bit slow.”
Forgotten Little Brother Jiang: “?” Huh?
Very confused.
In the end, Han Yunru accepted the money, but it could only be used to open a branch; any other use was strictly forbidden.
“Yueyue, is your luggage packed?” After taking a shower, Han Yunru entered her children’s room.
“Not yet. There was a sudden change in plans; we’re not going to the capital tomorrow.”
“Still, you should be prepared. What if things change suddenly?”
“Okay.”
Jiang Fuyue didn’t tell her family about the cancellation of the summer camp qualification. Seeing her daughter acting as usual, Han Yunru didn’t ask much. Instead, she was vaguely happy that her daughter could stay at home for an extra day.
“Tomorrow, Mom will make breakfast for you. What do you want to eat?”
Jiang Fuyue: “Tomato and egg noodles.”
Jiang Chenxing: “I want the same as my sister!”
“Okay.”
…
Under the same night sky, in a villa area in the capital.
“Dad, you’re back.”
“Yeah.” Zhao Yongtao changed into slippers and hung his briefcase on the coat rack.
“You sit first; dinner will be ready soon.”
Zhao Yongtao glanced at his daughter. Once a daughter is married, she’s like water poured out. He hadn’t seen her being so attentive before, but recently, she often came over here.
For what reason, he knew very well.
“Everything regarding Tongtong has been taken care of. Let her prepare well; she will report to the camp tomorrow.”
“Really?!” The woman’s eyes lit up with joy. “That’s great! Dad, you’re so good…”
“Alright, enough of the sweet talk. I care about my granddaughter. It was just one person short…”
“No wonder Tongtong always says Grandpa is the best person in the world, arranging and considering everything for her.” The woman smiled brightly.
At that moment, Zhao Yongtao’s phone rang.
He took out his phone, swiped his fingertip, and answered, “Hello…”
The next moment, his expression changed dramatically!
7,000 words, two updates together.
Next chapter: Warning, scum abuse! Beep, beep, beep~
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