I called Lin Chujing into the office, gave her a set of Chinese, math, and English questions, and told her to complete all three sets during the self-study class.

I sat opposite her, writing lesson plans and keeping an eye on her.

She had no chance to cheat and no opportunity to see the test papers beforehand.

Lin Chujing's actual academic performance would soon be revealed.

When she finished the papers, I checked the answers and felt a sinking feeling in my heart. Although her accuracy wasn't bad, it was far from the level of the top student in the grade.

"Why have you regressed so severely?"

Lin Chujing pouted, "I'm not in a good state."

I looked into her eyes, "Are you sure it's just a bad state? How did you manage such good results in your mock exams? Do you think the teachers don't know?"

Lin Chujing frowned and stayed silent.

In my anger, I slammed the table, "Do you take me for a fool? Do you think I don't know what you usually do? Do you think I don't know what you say behind my back?"

"Tsk!" Lin Chujing sneered, "Someone actually tattled..."

"What did you say?!"

Lin Chujing dropped her good student facade, smirking at me, "Since you already know, why don't you punish me? Are you reluctant to let go of my top ranking in the grade? Are you hoping my city-wide top score will boost your career?"

"Lin Chujing?!"

"For two and a half years, I'm surprised you only realized now. I didn't expect the test answers to be so easy to steal..."

Lin Chujing's sudden confession left me at a loss.

"Why do you..."

"Why? Why do you all seek professional titles, want to be senior teachers, grade leaders, principals? Because of privileges!

"I'm just like you, I want the privileges of a good student! I'm a good student, so whatever I do is right. In this school, I'm always right!

"I can skip PE class, go home anytime, do whatever I want, and no one can report me. Any good opportunity in school, I'm the first one they think of, the teachers fight to give me special treatment.

"Yes, I can't get the top grade on my own. But I love the privileges that come with being the top student."

Lin Chujing's smile slowly twisted, and I no longer recognized her.

"And you're a beneficiary too, aren't we accomplices? As the teacher of the top student, you've enjoyed plenty of privileges these three years too, haven't you? Aren't you going to thank me?"

Could these words really come from a 15-year-old girl? I couldn't believe it.

She raised her head, not even reaching my shoulder. As a male teacher, I naturally towered over her.

But at this moment, I felt completely overwhelmed by her aura, my throat dry, stammering, "Aren't you afraid I'll report you to the school for expulsion?"

"Mr. Xu, students can't be expelled during compulsory education." Lin Chujing sighed, "But when I get to high school, I'll have to be more careful. It'll be much easier if I run into another teacher as clueless as you."

"Cheating in exams will get you disciplined!" I threatened Lin Chujing.

Lin Chujing laughed, "What benefit will you get if I'm disciplined? Besides, you accuse me of cheating, but can you prove it?"

I couldn't.

"I just lost my dad, and my mom's still locked up. Even if my grades suddenly drop, don't you think people will pity me instead of suspecting me?"

Lin Chujing stepped closer, "Would you really slander such a pitiable student? Where's your conscience?"

My legs instinctively wanted to step back.

At that moment, another teacher entered the office, and Lin Chujing reverted to her usual good student appearance.

"Thank you, Mr. Xu, I know how to solve this problem now. I'll head back to class first! If I have any questions, I'll ask you anytime!"

Lin Chujing flashed me an innocent smile, and a chill ran down my spine in the March air.

Afterwards, in front of other teachers, Lin Chujing remained the once-in-a-decade prodigy.

But in front of me, she began to discard her disguise, occasionally threatening and intimidating me, making me afraid to oppose her.

I decided to turn a blind eye, as long as she didn't bully her classmates too much, just endure the remaining two months...

Every year before the high school entrance exams, recruiters from key city high schools would come to middle schools to scout top students, signing them up before the exams, sometimes even promising scholarships.

It's just like how universities like Tsinghua and Peking start recruiting top students even before the college entrance exams.

If a student from my class was signed early, it meant securing a spot for the school's promotion rate, which was good for both the student and the school.

But for true top students like Lin Chujing, the school wouldn't easily let them go, hoping she would top the exams and bring glory to the school.

But I secretly submitted Lin Chujing's form behind the grade leader's back.

With her three years of grades and the teachers' evaluations, the recruiters would definitely be interested in her, even offering a scholarship, and likely placing her in a competition class, hoping she could win international awards or top the province in the college entrance exams.

Of course, I knew she wasn't capable of that.

But that wasn't my problem. The key high school's class teacher would surely be more capable and know how to handle students like her.

Once she was sent away, it would no longer be my concern.

The recruiters were indeed very interested in her, but the school leaders frowned.

The grade leader asked what I was thinking, and I claimed that given Lin Chujing's recent family changes, I was afraid she couldn't handle the pressure and might cause problems.

The grade leader nodded, indeed, compared to the icing on the cake of a city topper, what the school feared most was incidents involving students.

"Such a promising student, it's a pity she won't achieve at our school."

After thoroughly understanding Lin Chujing's three years of performance, the recruiters interviewed her, and everyone praised her.

After leaving the interview room, Lin Chujing smiled at me.

In the past, I would have thought it was a confident smile.

But now, I only felt she saw right through me.

It felt as if she was saying, "You want to get rid of me."

Yes, I did want to get rid of her. Once the recruiters signed her, she wouldn't need to attend school anymore, her cheating wouldn't be discovered, and she wouldn't bully her classmates again.

We just needed to get through these few days peacefully, and everything would be fine.

But, things didn't develop as I had hoped.