Adam Bennett shouted, “I don’t care, go ask around yourself—how many teachers has this school lost to Nanyang? I can’t even understand what the current teachers are saying in class, it’s complete nonsense, they don’t know how to teach at all! I could have gotten into a 985 university, but now, thanks to this mess, I might not even get into a first-tier school!”

Samuel Bennett was immediately swept up in it. “Is it really that serious?”

Adam Bennett said, “Of course it’s serious! I don’t care, Dad, let me ask you—do you want to bring honor to our ancestors or not? Don’t you want me to make you proud? Make the whole Bennett family proud? If you do, then help me transfer schools! I want to go to Nanyang!”

Samuel Bennett was tempted, but troubled. “That school charges nine thousand in tuition per semester. How can we afford that?”

Adam Bennett said, “Isn’t that old woman paying Eric Bennett’s tuition? She’s been paying for two years already—why can’t she pay for me for just one year? I’m no worse than Eric Bennett! Go talk to her!”

Samuel Bennett hesitated. “It’s not the same. She’s in her thirties, unmarried, no kids—she probably treats your brother like her own son. How could you possibly ask her to do the same for you?”

Adam Bennett shouted, “I don’t care! Go talk to her! I’m no worse than Eric Bennett. If he can do it, why can’t I? Tell her if she pays my tuition and living expenses, I’ll recognize her as my godmother. She just has to spend a little money and gets a godson for free—she won’t say no. Hurry up and ask her!”

Samuel Bennett said, “Alright, I’ll call her and ask.”

As soon as Adam Bennett hung up, the bell for class rang.

His homeroom teacher, Robert Bolton, came around the corner and ran into Adam Bennett, who was still holding his phone in the hallway. With a stern face, he said, “Why are you just standing here? Get to class!”

Adam Bennett mumbled a reply and was about to leave when Robert Bolton called him back. “Adam Bennett, if I catch you playing games during evening study again, I’ll have to call your parents in.”

Adam Bennett’s heart skipped a beat and he quickly said, “It won’t happen again, teacher.”

Robert Bolton said, “Go to class.”

Adam Bennett ran off immediately.

Chapter 7: The Irritable Girl

After school in the afternoon, Eric Bennett was called to the office by Steven Martin.

As soon as Eric Bennett walked through the office door, he felt several teachers’ eyes fall on him, their gazes full of obvious sympathy.

Eric Bennett paused, lowered his eyes, walked over to Steven Martin, and greeted softly, “Ms. Wang.”

Steven Martin glanced at the others, then looked at Eric Bennett. She considered her words, then explained as briefly as possible what Samuel Bennett had come to ask her.

After hearing it, Eric Bennett wasn’t even surprised.

In fact, if he hadn’t teamed up with Steven Martin to lie to his family, he might not have been able to attend high school at all.

He never had any expectations of Samuel Bennett and the others. Even if he did in the past, by this age, he no longer did.

Steven Martin asked, “I was very firm in refusing, but I’m worried he’ll come to the school. If that happens…”

She didn’t finish, but Eric Bennett understood what she meant.

Honestly, in a place this small, being able to hide it for two years was already impressive. It was only a matter of time before the truth came out.

Steven Martin said, “You have good grades, you could easily get a recommendation to Tsinghua or Peking University. Maybe if you talk things over with your parents, there’s still a chance.”

Eric Bennett shook his head. “It’s useless.”

No matter how outstanding he was, Samuel Bennett and the others only found him an eyesore.

Adam Bennett was a year younger than him, but they were in the same grade. Back in elementary school, Adam Bennett would score seventy or eighty, while he got perfect scores in both subjects. Not only did he not get any praise, but Liu Xiu scolded him, saying he was being malicious and deliberately hurting Adam Bennett’s feelings. She hurled all kinds of insults at him, even though he was only seven.

He understood then—no one in the family would be happy about his success. Instead, they’d see him as a nuisance. So from that point on, he tried not to outshine Adam Bennett, never tried to stand out. He even deliberately did poorly on the entrance exam to middle school, ending up at the worst rural junior high. Only at the high school entrance exam did he perform normally and get into Nanyang High.

Because of how he acted all those years, they never even suspected his lies.

Steven Martin had dealt with Samuel Bennett many times and could tell what kind of person he was—chauvinistic, obsessed with appearances, probably couldn’t stand being deceived. If he found out the truth, Eric Bennett would probably still be able to stay in school, but he’d likely lose his scholarship.

If he made a scene at school, it would be ugly.

Other than suggesting they talk things out privately, Steven Martin had no other solution.

Eric Bennett clearly understood he’d have to handle this himself. He said goodbye to Steven Martin and returned to the classroom.

His eyes showed obvious irritation, his mind unsettled. A flash of light caught his eye, but he ignored it.

Matthew Turner sat down next to him and asked in a low voice, “Did Ms. Wang want to talk to you about something?”

Eric Bennett suppressed his emotions and replied calmly, “Nothing important.”

Matthew Turner glanced at his expression and asked quietly, “Really nothing?”

Eric Bennett said, “Nothing.”

He didn’t like to share his problems with others.