Chapter 46: Tsinghua vs. Yan University [Third Update]

“Aren’t you leading these students astray?” Tao Zhixin patted his own forehead, realizing his student was truly no ordinary character.

Zhang Chu pointed to the throng of students by the edge of the playground and smiled, “Look at them—aren’t they far more spirited than usual? Sometimes you have to give a bitter dose, let them see the reality of the gap.”

“You’re always full of twisted logic—now hurry up and get on stage!”

Next, under the watchful eyes of reporters and countless students, the school leaders handed Zhang Chu a fifty-thousand yuan check, marking the end of his speech.

The handsome young man in blue, and a sharp-tongued top scorer to boot—many junior girls’ eyes filled with pink bubbles of admiration.

Unfortunately, Zhang Chu didn’t linger long. He was quickly intercepted by the admissions teams from Tsinghua University and Yanjing University, who had been waiting for him!

After his remarkable exam results sparked rounds of social discussion, everyone realized this outstanding young man was still “unclaimed.”

Zhang Chu had refused the special offer from Jiangdong University; with his scores, the only real choices were the two universities in Hong Kong, or Tsinghua and Yanjing.

With media attention and public focus, the top scorer naturally warranted the greatest investment.

These two elite universities were no strangers to rivalry; just yesterday, they’d even sparked a heated argument on Weibo. The admissions teams from Yanjing and Tsinghua in Xichuan Province publicly accused each other online—each claiming the other was unfairly poaching top students, harassing candidates with phone calls, deception, even cash incentives.

Though that was in Xichuan, the atmosphere in Jiangdong was just as charged!

“Hello, Zhang Chu, I’m Jia Jing, president of the Tsinghua University Student Union.” A young man with glasses introduced himself by the stage. “I must admit, your speech just now was really impressive—quite unlike the usual motivational talks. I think it will have a great effect.”

Before Zhang Chu could respond, a female teacher in a long red dress approached. “I just finished reading your ‘Detective Sherlock.’ The story was brilliant. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a well-written Holmes story. My colleague even said that if Sir Arthur Conan Doyle were alive today, he’d applaud your work.”

Jia Jing looked at her as if facing a formidable enemy. “Ms. Shang Yuan, it seems you came well prepared.”

Shang Yuan ignored him and turned to Zhang Chu. “I’m Shang Yuan from the Yanjing University admissions office. From ‘The Death of Red Hare’ and ‘Detective Sherlock,’ it’s clear you want to pursue a path in literature and the arts. Our Chinese Department at Yanjing University is the best choice. It’s one of the birthplaces of Chinese literature, a century-old institution with a legacy passed down through generations and renowned professors.”

Zhang Chu knew full well that he’d become a coveted prize.

“Why don’t we find somewhere to talk in detail?” he suggested, still undecided about which university to choose.

Jia Jing’s face darkened slightly. He added, “Zhang Chu, our Tsinghua professors have already set out to pick up your parents. We sincerely invite you to visit our campus, to experience it up close, and even meet with our professors face to face.”

“That’s too much, Tsinghua! Making decisions before discussing it with him!” Shang Yuan seemed indignant on Zhang Chu’s behalf. “You talk about virtue and integrity, but this is hardly respectful.”

Although Zhang Chu knew she was fanning the flames, he couldn’t help feeling a bit angry. This was practically coercion—using his parents to force him to visit the Tsinghua campus.

“Zhang Chu, perhaps our actions were a bit rash, but we truly want a talent like you. We’ve even prepared Tsinghua’s pre-admission notice for you—numbered 001. Your tuition will be waived for all four years, and you’ll receive both a freshman scholarship and a study-abroad fund totaling about 80,000 yuan. Tsinghua is the best in science and engineering—we hope you can see our sincerity.”

Jia Jing laid out all of Tsinghua’s offers in one breath—indeed, very tempting. The 001 number alone showed how highly they valued Zhang Chu.

“We don’t need you to decide right away—just visit Tsinghua in Yanjing, see the campus, and maybe take a little tour of the city. We’ll cover all expenses.”

A tall, robust male teacher beside Shang Yuan spoke up. “Zhang Chu, at Yanjing University, you can choose any major—whether it’s the Guanghua School of Management, the Chinese Department, the Medical School, or the Mathematical Sciences Institute. There are no restrictions between arts and sciences.”

“We also offer freshman scholarships,” Shang Yuan added simply, “and we promise to lower the admission threshold if you apply for or are recommended to our graduate programs.” Both Tsinghua and Yanjing were determined to win Zhang Chu over!

The teachers of Jiangcheng Experimental High School were stunned—could these people really not be scammers?

The offers sounded almost too good to be true: any major, enormous scholarships, and a host of privileges.

Even more gratifying was the prestige—these were China’s top two universities, fighting to recruit him!

Even Principal Liu Chengzheng couldn’t help feeling a little dizzy. For most ordinary people, Tsinghua and Yanjing were simply out of reach.

No one could have imagined the two elite universities would go head-to-head, even at the cost of all decorum, just to win over Zhang Chu.

Yet the scholarships didn’t sway Zhang Chu. Though not yet wealthy, he had no immediate worries about money—the royalties from “Detective Sherlock” and the prize for top scorer had greatly boosted his confidence.

Tao Zhixin hastily tried to smooth things over. “This is a major life decision—it’s best to discuss it with your parents. Let’s all sit down and wait a moment.”

“That’s not necessary, Mr. Tao.” Zhang Chu wanted to resolve the matter quickly, so the admissions teams would stop pestering him. “I’ve already made up my mind.”

“This is a life-changing choice—maybe you should think it over again,” Tao Zhixin urged. He didn’t want Zhang Chu to regret a hasty decision made in the heat of the moment.

Fortunately, Zhang Chu had always been clear about what he wanted. In his previous life, he’d achieved little and read nearly every book in the bookstore, envying those writers.

This time around, he’d written both “The Death of Red Hare” and “Detective Sherlock.” The feeling of making words dance at his fingertips, of weaving one fascinating story after another, was exhilarating.

He’d fallen in love with that feeling, but he also wanted to write stories truly his own—and to find a shield for the classic works he intended to bring into this world, so that others would see it as natural.

“My choice is Yanjing University. I want to join the Chinese Department—would that be possible?”

Shang Yuan looked as if she’d won a five-million-yuan lottery. She nodded enthusiastically. “Of course! Our Department of Chinese Language and Literature would be honored to have you!”

Jia Jing’s face turned ashen—a science student choosing Yanjing University’s Chinese Department. Yet he hadn’t given up hope; as long as Zhang Chu’s application wasn’t formally submitted, there was still a chance to turn things around. After all, he still had one last card to play!

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