The moon possesses a captivating beauty from a distance, its imperfections masked by the enchanting glow.
Yet, as you draw closer, the cracks that mar its surface become increasingly apparent.
Similarly, humans bear a façade that hides their flaws, but the closer you get, the more their imperfections come to light.
*Buzzz!*
The insistent buzz of the timer disrupted the contemplative atmosphere, and an aloof jailer entered with an air of indifference, collecting the tools of their trade.
This jailer, a teacher by occupation, gathered the test papers, each harboring a symphony of thoughts and emotions.
Amid the collected murmurs, Wang Xiao's gaze drooped, his exhaustion evident as he stared blankly ahead.
The chorus of voices reverberated incessantly in his mind, a cacophony that began to lull him into a drowsy state.
"Ugh! The test was very difficult..."
"It was intentionally designed for our failure!"
"I barely managed to complete half of it!"
"My grades are bound to plummet..."
"Can't believe this..."
"I'm confident about scoring perfectly!"
"Predictable, here goes the overweight kid's boasting again."
Amidst this chatter, Wang Xiao seemed to blend into the background, barely noticed by those around him.
Suddenly, he rested his hands on the desk's surface, his intention clear as he settled into a brief nap.
The cacophony persisted, the voices of his peers echoing relentlessly within his consciousness.
Having endured an entire sleepless night, fatigue gripped him mercilessly, his body and mind weary from the relentless battle against the clock and the challenge before him.
The name of this institution, the prison of rigid conformity, was the Green Oasis Academy—an elite school nestled within China, renowned for not only imparting Mandarin but also foreign languages like English.
Operating as a Junior High School, it was part of a broader network of institutions, each with distinct names catering to different educational levels, from preschool to Senior High.
The unique age distribution among the siblings placed Wang Mei in a different school, while Wang Jiarong and Wang Xueying found themselves within the realm of Senior High, sharing the same institution.
None of them were in same school, as Wang Xiao.
In China, education unfolded in distinct stages, a linear progression from one level to the next. However, the question rarely arose—why move on to the next stage?
What were the consequences if one did not follow this predefined path?
The answer resided within the life of Wang Xiao's father, who, despite not having graduated from a university, garnered a significantly higher income than the paltry salary offered to most corporate managers, those fortunate enough to be deemed elite graduates willing to dedicate themselves to a cause they often knew little about.
According to Wang Xiao's perspective, the school was akin to a prison, molding individuals into obedient slaves, endowing them with skills that, in many cases, bore little relevance to real-world applications but perfectly aligned with the needs of large corporations.
The curricula, seemingly tailored to nourish a holistic education, was, in his eyes, a means of conditioning these future citizens to better serve the corporate agenda.
It was a chilling revelation. Even when a specific skill like AI or SAP became a hot demand for companies, universities swiftly adapted, inserting these subjects as side courses, reflecting the glaring reality of the education sector—a training ground ultimately tailored to feed the insatiable appetite of slaves for corporations.
_____
"Hey!"
"Wang Xiao!"
"Wang Xiao!"
A chorus of voices penetrated Wang Xiao's drowsiness, causing him to furrow his brows as he blinked his eyes open slightly.
"Huh?"
He turned in the direction of the sound, where an unremarkable-looking boy with neatly combed black hair repeatedly signaled him to pay attention. This was Chen Li, the son of a stationery wholesaler from Puxi, Shanghai.
While Wang Xiao was somewhat of a well-known figure in his class, he reserved his interactions primarily for Chen Li, recognizing their shared habits. Both of them stole money from their respective households, only to squander it away later.
With Chen Li's constant nudging, Wang Xiao reluctantly shifted his focus to the front. There, he spotted a slightly attractive woman with long black hair, her voice raised in admonishment.
"Wang Xiao, who granted you permission to take a nap during my class!?" Her name was Lei Xia, the English teacher, apparently the object of admiration for the entire class. She reprimanded this audacious young boy, who had the audacity to doze off during her lectures.
"Whoshfiendnziw#++£8#2"
As she continued her reprimand, the exact words became a garbled mess, lost on Wang Xiao.
All he perceived was a furious woman directing her ire towards him, and truth be told, he couldn't care less about her.
His eyelids, which had briefly fluttered open, drooped once more, the lure of sleep proving irresistible.
*Thud*
Once again, he succumbed to sleep, much to the astonishment of those around him, paying no heed to the contorted expression on Lei Xia's face.
"What!?" Lei Xia's face flushed, her anger reaching its crescendo.
"Wow!"
"Wang Xiao's really pushing it!"
"Daring to defy the teacher!"
"Hahaha..."
A ripple of laughter swept through the classroom as Lei Xia, frustrated, yelled, "Quiet, everyone!"
In an instant, the entire class hushed, their attention no longer fixated on Wang Xiao as the lessons continued.
Aside from Lei Xia's occasional outbursts, no one dared to disrupt Wang Xiao's slumber; it was, after all, a regular occurrence. He diligently studied at home, rendering school a mere formality.
He had mastered the art of nocturnal productivity, sacrificing sleep at night to reclaim it during school hours.
The school, in essence, had become his second home, a place designed for him to doze off during classes.
Most of the teachers, much like Lei Xia initially, were frustated by his behavior.
However, over time, they had adjusted to Wang Xiao's routine, largely because his grades remained commendable, rendering his in-class siestas permissible.
Lei Xia, a relatively recent addition to the teaching staff, had joined the school only a few days before, following the departure of the previous English teacher. Thus, she bore the brunt of Wang Xiao's behavior, which only further frustrated her.