"Yeah, the administrative aptitude test was already tough enough, but I didn't expect the essay section to be this hard, especially the third question. How many people could actually answer it correctly?"

"I messed up too. Sigh, I'll just take it again next year."

Out of ten people, nine wore worried faces, as if none of them did well.

Outside the school gate, Evelyn Carter and his mom were waiting for him under the shade of a tree. Aunt Parker was with them too, and it looked like Little David hadn't come out of the exam room yet. Alan Cooper walked over absentmindedly. Seeing his mom and Aunt Evelyn about to say something expectantly, he suddenly made a "pause" gesture. "Don't say anything yet, Mom, Aunt Evelyn, I need to go somewhere right away, it's really urgent. You two go home first!"

Before his mom and Evelyn Carter could react, Alan Cooper flagged down an Elantra taxi by the roadside.

"Driver," he said to the cabbie, "please, to the Tumor Hospital."

As soon as he entered the comprehensive oncology department, he was surprised to find that Grandpa Harris's hospital room was empty—there was no one there, not even any belongings or luggage. He found a nurse and asked, only to learn that the old man had been discharged last night, probably not long after Alan Cooper had left. He immediately took out his phone and found the number Grandpa Harris had called him from that day, dialed it, and heard a woman's voice on the other end: "Hello, Tumor Hospital Inpatient Department."

It wasn't Grandpa Harris's phone? So that day he had called from the hospital's phone?

He went to the nurse's station again to ask for Grandpa Harris's phone number and address, but the nurse said hospital policy forbade disclosing patient information.

Standing in the corridor, Alan Cooper stared blankly at the empty room.

The old man probably didn't have much time left. Was yesterday the last time he'd ever see him?

Facing that hospital room, Alan Cooper bowed deeply three times.

Only now did he understand why Grandpa Harris had so confidently told him that the essay section would get him a high score. Only now did he realize why Grandpa Harris didn't want him to share their study materials with others. Maybe it was because his son was involved in writing the questions in Beijing this time, or maybe he got the information from other sources, but this time, seventy percent of the essay questions in the Beijing exam... Grandpa Harris had secretly told him all of them during their tutoring sessions!!

If he still couldn't pass the written test after cheating like this, he might as well go bang his head against a block of tofu and die!

Chapter 10 [Some Rejoice, Some Worry]

North entrance of Heping Street.

In front of his apartment building.

Alan Cooper had taken a taxi from No. 15 High School to the hospital, and then another taxi home, so he arrived at about the same time as Evelyn Carter and the others who took the bus. As soon as he turned into the neighborhood, Alan Cooper saw his mom, Aunt Parker, and the others walking ahead. He called out to them, hurried a few steps, and explained, "Mom, Aunt Evelyn, I'm really sorry about earlier, I really had something urgent to take care of."

"Xuebin..." His mom hesitated, sighed, but didn't ask anything.

At the entrance to the building, Director Parker came over from the other side, carrying his briefcase after work. "Just finished the exam? No problem with the written test, right?"

"I... I..." Compared to his earlier confidence before the exam, Little David now looked completely dejected.

Alan Cooper found it a bit funny, and it made him feel a little better inside.

"Say something!" Director Parker said sternly. "I've already put in a good word with Customs!"

Aunt Parker pulled her son aside, looking a bit upset. Only then did Little David mumble, "The essay section was way too hard this time, and the questions were really off-topic. No one could answer them. I think... I think I only have some confidence in one question, the rest... the rest I probably answered all wrong. I probably won't even reach the minimum passing score when you add up the aptitude and essay sections."

Director Parker's face darkened. "What happened? Huh? Didn't you review well? Didn't you say there was no problem?"

Little David was in a terrible mood too. "How was I supposed to know it would be that hard? Hardly anyone could get them right."

Director Parker shouted, "Don't blame the questions! It's because you didn't review enough!"

"It's not Little David's fault," Aunt Parker quickly defended her son. "The questions really were too off. I heard a lot of people outside the exam room saying the same thing. It wasn't just Little David, everyone failed. Oh, and Little Alan from Xiaoping's family didn't pass either. Little David actually did a bit better—at least he got most of the aptitude questions right."

Alan Cooper rolled his eyes. Who said I didn't pass?

Director Parker said angrily, "If you can't pass the interview cutoff, nothing else matters!"

Aunt Parker sighed, "Just take it again next year." Director Parker was so angry he took a couple of deep breaths, flung his hand, and went upstairs. Aunt Parker looked at Little David, then turned to Alan Cooper's mother and said, "In a few months, it'll be time to sign up for this year's national civil service exam. Is your son going to take it again?"

His mom gritted her teeth. "...He will!"

Evelyn Carter patted Alan Cooper's hand comfortingly. "Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Just take it again next year, it's no big deal."

Little David had always had excellent grades, and even he didn't pass this time, so naturally everyone thought Alan Cooper couldn't have done any better—this seemed to be the general consensus.

Little David shot a gloomy glance at Alan Cooper, then followed Director Parker upstairs.

Alan Cooper knew his mom and Aunt Evelyn thought he hadn't done well either. He touched his nose but didn't explain.