"Headteacher, my seat was the first seat in the first row and the surveillance camera was situated directly in front of me, recording my every move. Feel free to check the surveillance camera to determine if I've cheated," An Wen said coldly.
Her words were sensible, but it was precisely because they had checked the surveillance camera that they were certain that she had cheated. She was able to answer immediately after glancing through the questions quickly, not giving them much thought. Other than reading through the questions, she did not stop at all. This even happened during the mathematics paper.
"An Wen, please answer me. Do you think that you've got a good memory?" The headteacher asked sternly.
"I'm average."
"That means you won't get the question wrong if you've done it in the past, right?" The headteacher asked.
"Headteacher, what are you suggesting here?" An Wen asked.
"An Wen, someone has reported that you knew the exam questions beforehand," The mathematics teacher said.
"Do you have any proof?"
"If we had any proof, do you think we'd allowed your name to be placed first in the honors board?" The headteacher replied sternly.
So, this was the reason why the honors board had been delayed for so long.
"We've called you here today in the hopes that you can give us an explanation. How are you able to answer a mathematics question immediately, without thinking it through?" Her English teacher was a very gentle woman and she decided to ask in the headteacher's place since the latter sounded too stern.
"I recall that you were on leave for half a month. It's only been a few days since you've returned to class. How were you able to get to the point where you don't even need to stop to think?" The headteacher took out his phone, opened the gallery and pointed at a picture of An Wen's paper. "This is the only multiple-choice question that you got wrong. You're able to answer the last and hardest question perfectly and yet you got an easy multiple-choice question related to grouping wrong. How is that logical?"
The mathematics teacher added, "This multiple-choice question is basically a free mark for everyone and you're the only person who got it wrong. An Wen, please be honest with us. Did you know the questions beforehand?"
An Wen was speechless. When she was about to hand in her paper, she randomly changed a multiple-choice question as she thought that she would be in the spotlight if she were to get a perfect score. She did not know that she had coincidentally changed a multiple-choice question related to grouping!
"Please tell us teachers. Did you cheat? You're a very smart student with limitless potential. The school will let you off the hook once and pretend nothing has happened if you confess. However, you'll have to tell us the person who had leaked the questions to you." The headteacher said.
"Headteacher, nobody leaked the questions to me."
The headteacher frowned as he slammed the table furiously. "Do you think we're fools? You've been absent for so many days and you're still able to top the class? If nobody leaked the questions to you, does that mean that you came up with the questions yourself?"
"An Wen, I believe you're a very sincere girl. Please don't do something so stupid," The mathematics teacher said.
"The school will no longer cover this up for you if you refuse to tell us. Please call your parents to school now," The headteacher said sternly.
"There's no need to call my parents," An Wen said indifferently.
"Don't you dare think that the teachers will always protect you just because your results are above average. Di City No. 1 High School has the right to expel you if you've cheated! We teachers are willing to cover it up for you and you're now trying to negotiate with us!" The headteacher was fuming. "Call your parents immediately!"
The Physics teacher, who had been silent the entire time, could not take it any more and decided to speak.
"An Wen, just tell us who leaked the questions to you. You'll still be first in the honors board!"
…