DEFYING FATE

Chapter 9: This are the essay questions?

The AAT test was over.

In the corridor outside of the classrooms, Dong Xuebing metXiao Dong.

Xiao Dong glanced at Dong Xuebing and sarcastically said:"The AAT this year is harder than the national exams. Are you still confidentof passing?"

Dong Xuebing looked at him and asked: "Did you screw up yourtest?"

"Me? Screw up?" Xiao Dong laughed and confidently replied:"You think I am the same as you? Other than 2 logic questions which I know Igot it wrong, and a few general knowledge questions which I am not confident, Iam confident that I got the rest of the questions right. Before I handed overmy answer sheet, I calculated, and I am confident that the questions I got itwrong will not be more than 7%. Hmph! What about you? I think you should get atleast 40 to 50 questions wrong."

Dong Xuebing smiled: "Don't worry about me. If you areconfident of passing, then I should not be a problem."

"Stop putting on a brave front." Xiao Dong does not knowwhat Dong Xuebing meant.

After this first test, Dong Xuebing felt relieved. But whenhe thought of the essay test in the after, he became nervous again.

Dong Xuebing had no appetite for lunch.

Qu Yunxuan and Mrs. Xu, who were waiting for them, did not ask them about the test. They do not want togive them additional stress. They had a quick lunch in dumpling restaurant nearthe school, and soon it was time for theafternoon test.

Back at No. 15 Middle School, Xiao Dong looks calm and confident. "Do your best and do not fail."

Dong Xuebing had no confidence at all, but he stillstubbornly replied: "Speak for yourself."

"Hmph!" Xiao Dong went back to his classroom.

The written essay test was 2 and a half hours.

13:30 to 16:00.

This written test was to test the candidates in 7 aspects. Reading comprehension, analyticalskills, problem-solving skills, language,writing, knowledge of current political affairs, and administrative skills.There were no fixed answers andcandidates had to answer in short essays.

Dong Xuebing was not good at critical essays. However, hedid improve slightly under Grandpa Hu'sguidance over the past few days. Dong Xuebing knew that he was still not goodenough to pass this test. Actually, Dong Xuebing had planned to use Back duringthe essay test, if the morning test was not too difficult.

But his plan had failed. The morning test was too hard, andhe got to use Back. Now, he had no more tricks up his sleeves.

What do I do now?

If the essay test is on the same standard as the morningtest, Dong Xuebing knew that he will not pass.

Maybe it's fated that I can't enter the government service.

Half an hour before the start of the test. Room 026. Onceagain, Dong Xuebing could feel the tension in the air. Everyone was affected bythe difficulty of the morning test, andthey were frowning.

Dong Xuebing sighed and tapped his cheeks. In his heart, hewas praying.

He was now not hopingto answer all the questions, he only praythat his scores will not be too low. He might still be able to pass with theoverall marks. This was his only wish.

13:30, test starts.

Dong Xuebing picked up his pen and immediately start on thefirst question.

He read the article given and then looked at the requiredanswer. He could feel a shiver. This test was on the same difficulty as themorning test. Dong Xuebing read the article twice and does not understand whatthe article was about. There was no wayhe could answer the question.

Damn.

As good as dead.

Dong Xuebing gritted his teeth and just answered whatever heknew, hoping to score at least somemarks. He flipped the question booklet to the second question.

"China has richresources in the surrounding sea, but our Per capita income is low. Bo Sea isChina's biggest inland sea. It is crucial to the economies of the Northeastregion..."

Eh?! Dong Xuebing could not believehis eyes. Why was this question so familiar?

He flipped over to the third question.

"Write a suggestion to the head of the Tourism Bureau withregards to our China tourist misbehaving overseas. The required answer needs tobe relevant and implementable. It needs to be concise and not more than 400words..."

Dong Xuebing was stunned and gasped out loud: "Eh?"

"What's wrong with you?" The examiner looked at him. "Doyour test quietly and don't make any noise."

Dong Xuebing immediately said: "I'm sorry." He looked at thequestions again to make sure his eyes were not playing tricks on him. He wassurprised and overjoyed when he saw the fourth question. He does not know howto describe his feelings.

Are these really the test questions?

Are these really the test questions?

Are these really the test questions?

Dong Xuebing asked himself the same question thrice. Hecould hardly believe what he was seeing.

It was half an hour into the test, and Dong Xuebing could not afford to be still in a daze. He picksup his pen again and starts to answer.

Dong Xuebing was writing down his answers smoothly with nopauses in between.

The examiner had been watching Dong Xuebing, and he suspects that Dong Xuebing was cheating.He walked over to Dong Xuebing and stood behind him to watch him. He glanced atDong Xuebing's answer sheet. A minute passed, andthe examiner was surprised. He stoodthere until the bell announcing the end of the test rang. He and the otherexaminer collected all the answer sheets from the candidates and sealed it inan envelope.

When Dong Xuebing was about to leave the room, that examinerlooked at him and nodded with a smile.

Dong Xuebing was surprised and smiled back. He slowly walkedout of the room. What had happened? Why were all the essay questions the sameas what Grandpa Hu taught me?

Complains of the candidates could be heard when they weremaking their way out of the school. "Sigh.... I'm dead. The questions were toodifficult."

"That's right. The AAT was hard enough, and the essay test was even harder. Especiallythe third question. How many of us can answer that?"

"I know I had flunked this test. Sighed.... Guess I have to tryagain next year."

9 out of 10 candidates were pulling a long face.

Outside of the school gate, Mrs.Xu, Dong Xuebing's mother, and Qu Yunxuanwere waiting in the shade under a tree. Dong Xuebing was still in a daze. Whenhe saw his mother and Qu Yunxuan waiting for him, he put up his hand suddenly:"Wait. I need to go somewhere urgently. Please go back first."

Before his mother and Qu Yunxuan could react, Dong Xuebingflagged a taxi.

"Sir, please send me to the Cancer Hospital." Dong Xuebingtold the driver.

At the Oncology ward, Dong Xuebing was surprised to findGrandpa Hu's ward empty. There was no luggage, andhe asked a nurse who was passing by. Grandpa Hu had discharged last night. Itshould be not long after Dong Xuebing left. Dong Xuebing immediately called thenumber in his handphone. The call got through, anda woman answered: "Hello, Cancer Hospital, Oncology ward."

This was not Grandpa Hu's number? He had used the hospitalphone to call me that day?

Dong Xuebing ran to the nurses' station to try to getGrandpa Hu's contact number and address. But the nurses there told him thatthey could not reveal their patient'sdetails.

Dong Xuebing stood in the corridor, staring at the emptyward.

Grandpa Hu should not have many days left. Could yesterdaybe the last time I see him?

Dong Xuebing faced the empty ward and bowed deeply 3 times.

He understood why Grandpa Hu had told him that he willsurely score high marks for the essay test. He realizedwhy Grandpa Hu does not allow him to reveal what he taught to others. Maybe itwas his son who had set the questions, or perhapshe knew the questions through hisconnections. Grandpa Hu had taught himhow to answer almost 70% of the questionsin the Essay test.

If Dong Xuebing still could not get high marks for thistest, he might as well kill himself.

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