"Four years old? Such a young child! Lin Suiqin, what were you thinking? Is anyone allowed into our school?"
In the principal's office of Hongxing Elementary School, Principal Zhang Guoweng slammed an enrollment application form onto the desk, angrily roaring at the middle-aged胖子 (pàngzi - fatty) in front of him.
The middle-aged胖子 (pàngzi - fatty) was the vice-director of the grade level at Hongxing Elementary and concurrently the person in charge of admissions.
On his desk lay Jian Sheng's admission application.
Lin Suiqin wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "This person was introduced by the third young master of the Jian family. I really couldn't bring myself to refuse him directly."
The principal's anger flared. "Didn't you tell him about our school's admission requirements? Our school is positioned as an elite aristocratic institution. If we allow a four-year-old child in, what will the parents of other children studying here think? You can't afford to offend the third young master Jian, but you can afford to offend the parents of so many other students?"
Lin Suiqin's forehead grew even sweatier. The moment Jian Junyu revealed his identity, he panicked and didn't think things through. Now, he realized that agreeing then was a direct blow to the school's positioning.
Lin Suiqin voiced his thought: "I just thought that the third young master Jian is someone we can't afford to offend, so I couldn't refuse him outright. I thought we could have his niece take an entrance test, and if she didn't pass, she would naturally back down."
The principal looked at him with an expression of disappointment. "What does a four-year-old child know? If you have them come and then their test results are particularly low, aren't you essentially telling them to their face that the Jian family's child is unintelligent?"
Lin Suiqin cautiously asked, "Then should I go and reject the third young master Jian's request?"
The principal angrily smacked him on the forehead. "You promised something and now you're going back on your word. Are you treating the Jian family like fools? Do you still want to make a living in the capital?"
Lin Suiqin was on the verge of tears. If he couldn't do this, he couldn't do that, what was he supposed to do?
When he received the online application form from Jian Junyu, he never imagined that the "age of starting primary school" the third young master Jian mentioned was actually four years old!
After all, the legal age to start primary school in China was six.
This wasn't just a year or two difference. A four-year-old child, lacking even normal language logic and still in the basic imitation stage of intellectual development, what could they possibly know?
He had originally intended for the child to undergo a test as a formality to send them away. He hadn't expected that before the final enrollment list was submitted, the principal would review all the prospective students and happen to see Jian Sheng's application form, leading to him being thoroughly berated.
Lin Suiqin explained the situation, trying not to cry, "Principal, what should I do now?"
The principal pondered for a moment. "Not asking for the age clearly beforehand is your problem. First, apologize to the third young master Jian, then send him last year's test questions and have his niece do them. After the child finishes, he should understand the gap. Not just anyone can be admitted here."
As an aristocratic school, it wasn't that they hadn't admitted students who didn't meet the score requirements but were admitted on exception. However, this privilege was usually reserved for the direct descendants of the four great families. After all, in the unpublicized, implicit tests, family backgrounds had clear bonus point criteria.
Besides basic IQ tests and subject tests, the entrance exams also included bonus points for special talents, and family background was one of these bonus talents.
However, only those top families would warrant them to specifically add bonus points. They were the existences they couldn't afford to offend.
Their school was built upon those top aristocratic families. But if they severely offended one of these families, their own backing wouldn't necessarily protect them.
As for the Jian family, although they ranked high in the capital, they were still considerably lower than the top aristocratic families like the four great families.
If they were to give children with "ordinary" family backgrounds the privilege of bonus points, it would offend the top families behind them.
The Jian family was not someone Lin Suiqin, a mere vice-director of the grade level, could afford to offend. But if the Jian family wanted to cause trouble for their school, they would have to consider the face of their backing forces.
Lin Suiqin's eyes lit up upon hearing the principal's proposed solution, and he inwardly praised the principal for coming up with such a proper solution so quickly.
He agreed, copied last year's entrance examination, and prepared to send it to Jian Junyu.
However, before he could click send, a knock sounded on the door. A school teacher entered, bringing with them a man, a woman, and a little girl.
Lin Suiqin and the principal froze.
They hadn't expected Jian Junyu and his group to arrive so soon.
Lin Suiqin's mouth felt bitter, but he still forced a smile and stepped forward. "Young Master Jian, why have you come so early? And this must be Miss Jian and the prospective student Jian Sheng, right? You are indeed as well-behaved and cute as in your photos, looking exactly like Miss Jian."
Lin Suiqin felt miserable inside. Where was the arrogance of a young master like yourself?
Now their carefully prepared excuse was completely ruined.
The principal appeared much better, greeting the three with neither subservience nor arrogance, and even left his own office without a second thought.
As a principal, he had done his utmost. The mess Lin Suiqin had gotten himself into, he would have to deal with himself.
Although he had backing, he was unwilling to get entangled with the Jian family.
However, just a few steps after leaving the principal's office, a sharp-looking woman in her late forties or early fifties approached them. "Oh, isn't this our Principal Zhang? Why have you come out of your own office?"
Zhou Yun, the vice-principal of Hongxing Elementary School, had always been Zhang Guoweng's arch-rival.
During the competition for the principal position, the two had almost come to blows. In the end, Zhang Guoweng, relying on the support of the Zhang family behind him, narrowly won and became the principal of Hongxing Elementary.
Since then, Zhou Yun had harbored a deep hatred for Zhang Guoweng and preferred to oppose him in everything.
The entire school knew about their conflict. They essentially loathed each other, with their offices located at opposite ends of the building, as far apart as possible. Now, Zhou Yun proactively seeking him out, Zhang Guoweng could only think one thing.
—A weasel paying a new year's visit to a chicken, with ill intentions.
His thoughts raced, and within moments, he understood why this woman had come.
It was definitely about that enrollment application form.
As vice-principal, Zhou Yun's role included a degree of checks and balances on Zhang Guoweng, and her authority was greater than that of a normal elementary school vice-principal. If he could see the application form, there was no reason Zhou Yun couldn't.
As Zhang Guoweng contemplated, Zhou Yun had already walked past him and directly into the principal's office.
She also saw the four figures, three adults and one child, in the office.