8: Chapter 8 Flexible Score Lines

After hanging up the phone, Xu Tianhua sat in the study for a while.

Xu Tianhua recalled many years ago, when he was still a deputy county magistrate, Liu Dehai was the same.

A seemingly casual remark had solved a seemingly unsolvable problem for him.

The power of a faction was often reflected in these invisible places.

It wasn't about breaking rules or abusing power for personal gain; it was about making information more symmetrical and allowing resources to flow more reasonably within the scope of the rules.

When Xu Tianhua pushed open the study door and walked out, Xu Weidong was spreading out the college application guide on the dining table.

"Dad, I've decided. I'll put Zhejiang University as my first choice and…"

Xu Tianhua interrupted him, saying, "Put Civil Engineering University as your first choice."

Xu Weidong was stunned and said, "But my score…"

"Fill it in."

Xu Tianhua sat down opposite his son, his tone calm but unquestionable.

"Put Hanzhou University as your second choice as a safety."

Xu Weidong was even more confused. In this era of college entrance exam applications, the weight of the first choice was extremely high.

Once the first choice was missed, many good universities wouldn't even look at the second choice.

Because their quotas were already filled by the first choice, experienced people knew that the first choice had to be safe and could not be risked.

"Dad, isn't this application strategy too risky?"

Xu Weidong still couldn't help but ask, "What if I don't get into Civil Engineering University, and Hanzhou University…"

"There won't be a problem with Hanzhou University."

Xu Tianhua said it lightly. Xu Weidong looked at his father and suddenly understood something.

His father had once been the Party Committee Secretary of Hanzhou University. Although he had left, his influence remained.

Getting Hanzhou University to admit a student with 657 points as a second choice was indeed not difficult, but it still didn't explain why he had to risk putting Civil Engineering University as the first choice.

"Do you think... Civil Engineering University will lower its cutoff score this year?"

Xu Tianhua smiled and said, "I said, what if?"

"Fill it in and try. It won't cost you anything."

"Anyway, Hanzhou University is a safety, and your dad still has some pull there."

The father and son looked at each other for a few seconds. Xu Weidong finally nodded and said, "Okay, I'll listen to you."

In July, in a ministry staff residential building in the Xicheng District of Yancheng, Wei Yingying looked very upset.

660 points—this score was a few points higher than she had originally estimated.

Because her records were in Hanzhong Province, Wei Yingying did not enjoy the benefits of having a Yancheng household registration.

She wanted to get into Civil Engineering University based on her own strength!

But the problem was, she didn't dare to put Civil Engineering University as her first choice.

"Mom, I really regret it."

Wei Yingying lay on the dining table, her voice muffled.

"If I had been a little bolder at the time, I would have filled in Civil Engineering University."

Mother Wei walked over with a fruit platter and comforted her, "Who could have imagined that Civil Engineering University would lower its score this year?"

"The news your dad heard said that the cutoff score in Hanzhong Province this year wouldn't be lower than 663."

"But now…"

Wei Yingying sat up straight, her eyes slightly red.

"Now they've lowered the score, and I have enough points, but I didn't fill out the application."

Just as she was speaking, the door opened, and Wei Zirong walked in carrying a briefcase.

This deputy director of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission seemed to be in a good mood today, but seeing his daughter's appearance, his smile immediately faded.

"What's wrong?"

"What else? It's about the college application."

Mother Wei answered for her daughter, "Yingying scored 660. She could have gotten into Civil Engineering University, but she put Renmin University of China as her first choice."

Wei Zirong put down his bag, sat down beside his daughter, and said, "Renmin University of China is also a top school. You didn't lose out."

"But I wanted to go to Civil Engineering University."

Wei Yingying bit her lip and said, "And Xu Weidong only got 657, yet he dared to apply to Civil Engineering University…"

"Xu Weidong applied to Civil Engineering University?"

Wei Zirong keenly captured this information.

"Yeah, his dad told him to."

Wei Yingying paused and then said, "And he only put Hanzhou University as his second choice. This way of filling it out is too risky, unless…"

She didn't finish, but Wei Zirong already understood.

He leaned back in his chair, thoughtful.

"Dad, why do you think Xu Weidong's dad was so sure?"

Wei Yingying couldn't help asking, "Even if he was the Party Committee Secretary of Hanzhou University before and could guarantee admission to Hanzhou University as a second choice, what about Civil Engineering University?"

"That's a vice-ministerial level institution. The president is at the same level as you. Who could have a say there?"

After the college entrance exam, Xu Weidong told Wei Yingying a lot about his family, focusing mainly on his father.

Wei Zirong was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled, "Yingying, have you heard the name Liu Dehai?"

"I have. It seems he is the old leader of Xu Weidong's father."

"Not just an old leader."

Wei Zirong's eyes became deep as he said, "Liu Dehai is now the Provincial Party Committee Secretary of Minyue, but his connections are not just local."

"His father was an old comrade, and his students and former associates are spread throughout various systems."

"Take the education system, for example. The current Minister of Education, Yang Chengliu, was the secretary to Liu Dehai's father back in the day."

Wei Yingying widened her eyes and said, "You mean…"

Wei Zirong lowered his voice and said, "The news I received is that the cutoff score for Civil Engineering University this year was originally set at 663."

"But a meeting was held a few days ago, the difficulty of the exams in each province was re-evaluated, and it was finally lowered to 652."

"Lowered by eleven points?"

Wei Yingying gasped and said, "Just for…"

"Not entirely."

Wei Zirong waved his hand and said, "The public reason is that the difficulty of the science exams this year was indeed high, and appropriately adjusting the cutoff score was a scientific decision."

"But isn't it a coincidence that it just happened to drop to a certain score range?"

Wei Zirong paused, looked at his daughter, and said, "Yingying, there are some things in this circle that you will slowly understand in the future."

"Xu Tianhua is the successor currently being heavily cultivated by the Liu Faction. The Liu Faction's resources in the education system will naturally be used when the time comes."

"This isn't about breaking rules; it's about making information flow more smoothly and decisions more reasonable within the framework of the rules."

Wei Yingying sat there blankly, her mind in chaos.

She thought of Xu Weidong's usual low-key demeanor, his expression when he said his dad was just an ordinary cadre, and his inexplicable certainty when filling out the application this time…

"So Xu Weidong knew it would be lowered?"

"He might not have known the specific score, but he knew his dad would find a way."

Wei Zirong patted his daughter's shoulder and said, "Don't think too much. Renmin University of China is also a good school."

"This incident serves as a lesson for you. Some opportunities, once missed, are gone forever."

Wei Yingying lowered her head, her fingers intertwined.

She suddenly realized that the gap between herself and Xu Weidong might not just be three points.

Meanwhile, Hanzhou in July was as hot as a steamer.

Xu Weidong was restless at home, checking his admission status a dozen times every day.

Until July 14th, when the Civil Engineering University officially announced the admission cutoff score on its website, he stared at that number, and his whole body froze.

652 points!

Five points lower than his score!

"Mom! Mom!"

Xu Weidong rushed out of the room, his voice trembling, "I got in! Civil Engineering University accepted me!"

Shen Ziwei ran out from the kitchen, still holding a spatula, "Really? Let me see!"

The mother and son squeezed in front of the computer, confirming it over and over again.

Shen Ziwei's eyes were red, and she said "good" several times.

When Xu Tianhua returned home in the evening, the house was already full of celebration.

Shen Ziwei had prepared a big table of food, and the smile on Xu Weidong's face could not be hidden.

"Dad, you were right!"

Xu Weidong poured wine for his father and said, "Civil Engineering University lowered the score to 652!"

Xu Tianhua took the glass, smiled, and said, "What did I say? What if?"

The father and son clinked glasses, and Xu Weidong drank it all in one gulp.

Xu Weidong whispered, "Thanks, Dad."

Xu Tianhua looked at his son, said nothing, and just poured him another glass of wine.

That night, Xu Weidong drank too much.

Xu Weidong lay on the bed, looking at the ceiling, many scenes flashing through his mind.

He suddenly thought of Wei Yingying. She had scored 660, but went to Renmin University of China.

If she had also applied to Civil Engineering University at that time…

Xu Weidong took out his phone, wanting to send a text message to Wei Yingying, but after typing a few words, he deleted them…

He didn't know what to say…

Comfort?

Showing off?

Neither seemed appropriate.

Finally, he only sent one sentence: "The admission results are out. I got into Civil Engineering University. How about you?"

A few minutes later, Wei Yingying replied: "Congratulations! I'm going to Renmin University of China."

Concise, calm, with no detectable emotion.

Xu Weidong stared at the screen for a long time, suddenly recalling a sentence his father often said.

"Many things in this world that look like luck are actually the result of countless inevitable factors overlapping."

He didn't quite understand it before, but now he seemed to understand a little.

In another city, at another window, Wei Yingying was also staring at her phone in a daze.

Her father's words were still echoing in her ears: "Some opportunities, once missed, are gone forever."

She thought of Xu Weidong, his always calm face, and how he looked when he said his dad was just an ordinary cadre.

She suddenly smiled, and as she smiled, tears fell.

It wasn't jealousy or regret, but an indescribable emotion.

For the first time, she realized so clearly that this world has never been fair.

Some people's starting point might be the destination others could never reach in a lifetime.

But she also knew that this was just the beginning.

Four years later, ten years later, who knows what will happen?

Wei Yingying wiped away her tears, turned on the desk lamp, and took out the English textbook for her freshman year.

Since she was already behind at the starting line, she would make up for it with the speed of her running.