Chapter 499: Chapter 171: ’80s Drama Queen Forced to Operate as a Top Student (6)

The old lady usually made small snacks at home. Although she was in her sixties, her eyes were still sharp and her ears keen. She saw plenty of things every day, so naturally, she had a few words of advice for this poor little thing.

Sheng Leyun smiled faintly, nodding agreeably as she helped the woman sort through the Maodou.

The elderly possess a wealth of experience. Even if many of them never received a formal education, they can grasp practical truths on their own, giving them a kind of life wisdom that young people lack.

Sheng Leyun wasn’t sure ’why everyone seems to like me so much. They all act like they’re afraid I’ll be bullied, giving me advice on every little thing.’

’If only the original owner of this body hadn’t been so thoroughly manipulated by Ren Xingchen. If she had just been a bit more assertive and learned to refuse unreasonable demands, her life definitely wouldn’t have ended with her jumping off a building to prove her innocence, concluding with such a bloody period!’

Xiao Xuezhen went to Principal Zhang’s house, carrying two bottles of good liquor, a bag of White Rabbit creamy candies, and two jars of canned fruit.

Across the road from the staff housing complex were blocks of work units and businesses, with corresponding residential areas scattered in clusters. At the intersection stood a school that covered everything from elementary to high school—an affiliated school of one of the Capital City’s three most famous universities.

This Zhaoyang Affiliated School was massive. Its elementary, middle, and high school sections were all connected, taking up an entire street.

Because the school received special attention from the authorities, its teaching quality was unmatched. Furthermore, the university admission cutoff scores for students from its own high school were dozens of points lower than for students from elsewhere.

That’s why parents in the area fought tooth and nail to squeeze their children into the school.

Xiao Xuezhen had gotten both of his own children into that very school. ’It wouldn’t be right for my own kids to attend such a great school while my benefactor’s child is stuck in an ordinary one, would it?’

Xiao Xuezhen never did anything that people could criticize. Of course, the past two days had been an exception.

His task was to get Sheng Leyun into a good school. ’As for how well she does or whether she gets bullied, that won’t be my problem!’

’Who says there aren’t bad students in good schools?’

Because of the school’s special nature, the competition for survival among the students was even more intense. He had gathered from his own two children’s dinner table conversations that there was a strict, unspoken hierarchy among the student body.

There were the nouveau riche who simply threw money around to get in, those who used spots reserved for established families, those sent by their parents’ work units, and those who earned their place through their own academic scores. Of course, there were also those who didn’t have high enough scores and simply paid to make up the difference.

They formed their own cliques based on their different family backgrounds and values. Without a doubt, the ones they despised most were those they felt dragged down their status.

For instance, the kids from the countryside!

So, Xiao Xuezhen gave a meaningful smile. ’What you see isn’t always the truth,’ he thought. ’And a good beginning doesn’t guarantee a perfect ending.’

"Well now, Chief Editor Xiao! What a rare guest! Come in, come in!"

Principal Zhang saw him and quickly ushered him in with a smile.

Xiao Xuezhen was a master manipulator. The Daily Newspaper was an inconspicuous publication in the Capital City, and its "Famous People, Famous Events" column was a job nobody wanted.

Without important figures or particularly eye-catching stories, the column’s performance was simply abysmal.

But such figures were hard to get interviews with, and anyone capable of landing those big shots certainly wouldn’t be cooped up in a small newspaper office like this.

And yet, Xiao Xuezhen had volunteered to be the chief editor for this very column. In the eyes of others, it was a thankless job—a promotion in name but a demotion in reality. He, however, was able to use the position to expand his personal network.

If a person’s status wasn’t high enough, he’d make up for it with a story that could move heaven and earth!

This very Principal Zhang had once been featured in a tiny, palm-sized section of the paper. Tsk, tsk, it was a first for him in his decades-long teaching career.

"You could have just dropped by for a visit this late," Principal Zhang said with a laugh. "Why bring all these things? You’re embarrassing me! You’d better take them with you when you leave."

Xiao Xuezhen laughed. "Not at all. These were just gifts from other people. No one at home drinks, so I thought I’d bring them to you."

After some brief pleasantries, Xiao Xuezhen brought up the matter of getting Sheng Leyun into the school.

"That’s easy enough," Principal Zhang said with a nod. "The girl is the child of a martyr, so she’s entitled to preferential treatment. As long as her documents are in order, she can be enrolled directly."

"However, I suggest you get her some tutoring beforehand. She could either start second grade directly after the summer break, or—regardless of her age—she could start with the next incoming first-grade class."

"A child’s foundation needs to be solid. Even then, the gap between students becomes more apparent in the upper grades. The other first-graders will have already attended kindergarten; they have good study habits and a solid foundation. This girl, Sheng Leyun... she’s quite a bit behind them."

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