Chapter 9 – These are the Essay Questions?!
The AAT test had concluded.
In the corridor outside the classrooms, Dong Xuebing ran into Xiao Dong.
Xiao Dong glanced at Dong Xuebing with a smirk. "The AAT this year was tougher than the national exams. Still confident about passing?"
Dong Xuebing met his gaze and asked, "Did you mess up your test?"
"Me? Mess up?" Xiao Dong laughed confidently. "Aside from two logic questions I know I got wrong and a few general knowledge questions I'm unsure about, I'm confident I aced the rest. I calculated my answers before handing in the sheet, and I'm sure I didn't get more than 7% wrong. What about you? I bet you got at least 40 to 50 questions wrong."
Dong Xuebing smiled. "Don't worry about me. If you're confident, I should be fine."
"Stop pretending," Xiao Dong scoffed, not understanding Dong Xuebing's calmness.
After the morning test, Dong Xuebing felt a bit of relief, but the thought of the afternoon essay test made him anxious again.
He had no appetite for lunch.
Qu Yunxuan and Mrs. Xu, who were waiting for them, chose not to discuss the test to avoid adding to their stress. They had a quick lunch at a dumpling restaurant near the school, and soon it was time for the afternoon test.
Back at No. 15 Middle School, Xiao Dong remained calm and confident. "Do your best and don't fail."
Dong Xuebing, lacking confidence, stubbornly replied, "Speak for yourself."
"Hmph!" Xiao Dong went back to his classroom.
The written essay test was 2.5 hours long.
From 13:30 to 16:00.
This test assessed candidates in seven aspects: reading comprehension, analytical skills, problem-solving skills, language, writing, current political affairs knowledge, and administrative skills. There were no fixed answers; candidates had to respond in short essays.
Dong Xuebing wasn't strong in critical essays, but he had improved slightly under Grandpa Hu's guidance. Despite this, he knew he was still not well-prepared. He had planned to use his "Back" power during the essay test if the morning test was manageable, but since it was too difficult, he had already used it and had no tricks left.
What now?
If the essay test matched the morning's difficulty, Dong Xuebing knew he wouldn't pass.
Maybe it's just not meant for me to enter government service.
Half an hour before the test began, Room 026 felt tense. Everyone was affected by the difficulty of the morning test, their brows furrowed.
Dong Xuebing sighed and tapped his cheeks. He prayed, no longer hoping to answer all questions but just hoping his scores wouldn't be too low. He might still pass with an overall good mark. This was his only wish.
At 13:30, the test began.
Dong Xuebing picked up his pen and immediately started on the first question.
He read the article given and then looked at the required answer. A shiver ran down his spine. The test was as difficult as the morning one. Dong Xuebing read the article twice and still didn't understand it. There was no way he could answer the question.
Damn.
As good as dead.
Dong Xuebing gritted his teeth and wrote whatever he knew, hoping to score at least some marks. He flipped to the second question.
"China has rich resources in the surrounding sea, but our per capita income is low. Bo Sea is China's biggest inland sea. It is crucial to the economies of the Northeast region..."
Eh?! Dong Xuebing couldn't believe his eyes. Why was this question so familiar?
He flipped to the third question.
"Write a suggestion to the head of the Tourism Bureau regarding Chinese tourists misbehaving overseas. The suggestion needs to be relevant and implementable. It should be concise and no more than 400 words..."
Dong Xuebing was stunned and gasped aloud: "Eh?"
"What's wrong with you?" The examiner looked at him. "Do your test quietly and don't make any noise."
Dong Xuebing quickly said, "I'm sorry." He looked at the questions again to ensure he wasn't imagining things. He was surprised and overjoyed to see the fourth question. He couldn't 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. He could hardly believe what he was seeing.
Half an hour into the test, Dong Xuebing had to stop dazing. He picked up his pen again and started answering.
Dong Xuebing wrote his answers smoothly, without pausing.
The examiner had been watching Dong Xuebing and suspected he was cheating. He walked over and stood behind him, glancing at Dong Xuebing's answer sheet. A minute passed, and the examiner was surprised. He stood there until the bell announcing the end of the test rang. He and the other examiner collected all the answer sheets and sealed them in an envelope.
As Dong Xuebing was about to leave the room, the examiner looked at him and nodded with a smile.
Dong Xuebing was surprised and smiled back. He walked out of the room slowly. What had happened? Why were all the essay questions the same as what Grandpa Hu taught him?
Complaints echoed from the candidates as they left the school. "Sigh... I'm done for. The questions were too difficult."
"That's right. The AAT was hard enough, and the essay test was even harder. Especially the third question. How many of us could answer that?"
"I know I failed this test. Guess I'll have to try again next year."
Nine out of ten candidates were glum.
Outside the school gate, Mrs. Xu, Dong Xuebing's mother, and Qu Yunxuan were waiting under a tree. Dong Xuebing was still dazed. When he saw his mother and Qu Yunxuan waiting for him, he raised his hand suddenly. "Wait. I need to go somewhere urgently. Please head back first."
Before his mother and Qu Yunxuan could react, Dong Xuebing flagged a taxi.
"Sir, please take me to the Cancer Hospital," Dong Xuebing told the driver.
At the Oncology ward, Dong Xuebing was surprised to find Grandpa Hu's room empty. There was no luggage, and he asked a passing nurse. Grandpa Hu had been discharged the night before. Dong Xuebing immediately called the number he had. A woman answered: "Hello, Cancer Hospital, Oncology ward."
This wasn't Grandpa Hu's number? Had he used the hospital phone to call me that day?
Dong Xuebing ran to the nurses' station to get Grandpa Hu's contact number and address. The nurses told him they couldn't reveal patient details.
Dong Xuebing stood in the corridor, staring at the empty ward.
Grandpa Hu shouldn't have many days left. Could yesterday have been the last time I saw him?
Dong Xuebing faced the empty ward and bowed deeply three times.
He understood why Grandpa Hu had told him he would score high marks on the essay test. He realized why Grandpa Hu had forbidden him from revealing what he had taught. Grandpa Hu must have known the questions through his connections, or perhaps his son set the questions. Grandpa Hu had taught him how to answer almost 70% of the essay questions.
If Dong Xuebing couldn't get high marks, he might as well give up!!