Although Hu Yongwei gave Jiang Fuyue a week to decide, she actually gave her answer the very next day—
After discussing with her family, she decided to decline the guaranteed admission.
The headmaster was a bit stunned.
The director couldn’t believe that any parents would let their child pass up such a good opportunity. Certain Jiang Fuyue made the decision on her own, he called Jiang Da directly—
“Is this Jiang Fuyue’s guardian?”
“Huh?” At that moment, Jiang Da was prepping food in the kitchen, holding the phone between his neck and shoulder while chopping vegetables with a loud thud. “Yes, this is him. And you are?”
“Oh, I’m the director of the Academic Affairs Office at No. 1 High School.”
Hearing this, Jiang Da quickly dried his hands and properly held the phone, “Hello, Director, I’m Jiang Fuyue’s father. Is there something you need?”
“I’m just wondering if Jiang Fuyue discussed the matter of guaranteed admission with you?”
“Oh, guaranteed admission, yes, we discussed it last night.”
“You… discussed it?!” The director was surprised. “So, you agree with her decision to give up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?”
Jiang Da replied, “Actually, her mother and I thought it was a bit of a pity…” After all, both Q University and B University were competing for her—any parent would feel immense pride over such an achievement.
The director nodded; this was what he’d expected from any reasonable parent.
As for what Jiang Fuyue was thinking… best not to dwell on it!
But the next moment, he heard Jiang Da say frankly, “But Yueyue said she doesn’t need a guaranteed admission, she can get in herself, so we let her make the call.”
“She says she can get in herself?! What if something goes wrong? What if she doesn’t perform well on the day?” The director felt like he was about to explode from the casual tone of the parent.
Now he had some sympathy for Xu Jing’s frustration.
Jiang Da laughed lightly, “That won’t happen. If she says she can do it, she can.”
The director was speechless, struggling to speak, finally managing to force out a single sound: “…Right.”
“Great, we trust her and support whatever she wants to do. No need to worry!”
Director: I’m actually very worried! You’re supposed to be the ones objecting! Strongly objecting!
Unfortunately, Jiang Da didn’t understand, and after glancing at the line that had formed outside his stall, he asked, “Is there anything else? I have to get back to work.”
The director had no choice but to end the call awkwardly.
He then relayed the outcome to Hu Yongwei, “Headmaster, I called, and Jiang Fuyue’s parents are on board with her decision.”
The headmaster: “?!”
….
In the end, Jiang Fuyue’s stance on guaranteed admission was so resolute that the school could only inform the universities of her decision.
The ones who responded most strongly were Q University and B University.
On Q University’s end, Yan Zhenfeng immediately called, first reaching out to the headmaster and then Jiang Fuyue directly.
The headmaster explained that it was her choice, and they were just as anxious.
Yan Zhenfeng understood—it was Jiang Fuyue’s decision.
Alright, he stopped pestering the teachers and headmaster and went straight to Jiang Fuyue: “…So, what’s going on? You’re not interested in Q University? Is there another school? Or are you unhappy with the major?”
Jiang Fuyue didn’t answer his questions and instead replied with one sentence: “I want to take the entrance exams.”
“You can still take the exams with a guaranteed admission!”
“No point.”
Yan Zhenfeng: “?” Did she just refuse guaranteed admission with a simple “no point”?
“You’re really something!” he muttered, annoyed, only to hear her respond, modestly, “Just average.”
Yan Zhenfeng: “?!”
I’m convinced you’re doing this just to frustrate me!
That night, Xu Kaiqing heard the news from his protégé.
Yan Zhenfeng said, “Professor, I’ve talked until I’m blue in the face, but she won’t budge. She even hung up on me! You have a good relationship with her—can you try to convince her and bring a genius to our physics department?”
“Forget it,” Xu Kaiqing replied, unenthused. “Once she decides, no one can change her mind. Let’s not waste our energy!”
“What? Professor, you—hello? Hello?!”
That night, while Yan Zhenfeng was tossing and turning, Xu Kaiqing slept soundly.
It seemed that he wasn’t particularly surprised by this outcome. If Jiang Fuyue’s goal had been Q University, she would’ve accepted long ago when he’d initially invited her into their postdoctoral program.
That’s why Xu Kaiqing had encouraged other departments to extend their offers as well.
If she didn’t pick physics, at least she’d pick another department within Q University. That would still be good enough!
Truly—small, helpless, and humbled.
Xu Kaiqing had a fair understanding of her, knowing that her decision wasn’t merely to take the entrance exams for fun—there was undoubtedly something more behind her choice…
