Many children bring happiness, a shameless start

Chapter 94: Chapter 94



The black Hummer sped down the road, the busy traffic and high-rise buildings outside the window seeming to retreat at high speed, as if afraid of this steel behemoth.

Ethel stared blankly at the city scenes she had never seen before.

"Ethel, if you like these sights, I'll take you out for more drives when I have time."

"Okay," Ethel turned her head and gave Lip a sweet smile.

This little girl is really as cute as an angel.

"Lip," Ethel suddenly called his name, as if she had just thought of something.

"What's the matter?"

"Hey, Lip, I'm a little curious. Haven't you graduated from high school yet? How do you meet university professors?"

"This is a long story."

"It's okay, I'm willing to listen to your story so I can understand you better." Ethel showed two intoxicating dimples.

"Okay, then I'll tell you how Lip shocked Professor Hearst from the University of Chicago."

Lip began to hold the steering wheel with one hand while narrating with a smile.

It turned out that Lip had met Hearst at the end of December after taking an exam for someone else.

Lip had finished his exam early and walked to a public phone in a corner of the school to leave a message for his customer.

"Hi Morgan, I'm Lip. You did well on the exam, and there's nothing wrong with your admission ticket. Thanks to your name, I can't even tell if you're male or female. I estimate you scored around 2200 and will be going to Stanford later. Remember to send me a postcard! See you."

"Morgan! Or Guerrero Pavos, Peter O'Brien, or Jamal Jackson!" A long-haired middle-aged man wearing a black and blue woolen coat and tie called out to Lip as he walked toward him.

Lip turned to look at the man, noticing his stylish beard.

"You're taking the exam for girls! Morgan," Hearst said with a playful smile, "Hahahaha, boy, you're doing pretty good tricks!"

"I'm an investigator for the Higher Education Assessment Organization," Hearst said, showing Lip his ID. "Our main task is…"

"I understand!"

"Yeah?"

"Then tell me how you cheated!"

"I didn't cheat!"

"Come on!"

"Look, you're studying at a bad high school, but you got 2360, 2290, and 2400 points for several people."

"Yes, I'm full of knowledge."

"We've just released a brand new exam paper. Now, let's see if you're full of knowledge or full of crap!"

Lip had no choice but to follow Hearst to an empty classroom and start the test.

Half an hour later, Lip handed the paper to Hearst.

After grading, Hearst smiled at Lip and said, "You made a mistake!"

"No, it's impossible!" Lip was full of confidence.

When he handed over the test paper, Hearst pointed at a question.

"The wording of the question is vague and ambiguous," Lip said confidently. "There should be many people reporting this issue to you in the future."

After re-reading the question, Hearst realized Lip was right: "Hmm, I'll go back and discuss it with the committee." He crossed his arms and smiled at Lip. "2400 points, do you know how rare that is?"

"Only 300 of the 1.5 million candidates who take the exam each year get perfect scores."

"Professor, how did you catch me?"

"Lip, as smart as you are, there are people on our staff who are smarter than you!" Hearst said with a sly and proud smile.

"So, what now?"

"Punishment or atonement, it's your choice."

"What kind of punishment?"

"You kid, didn't you think about the consequences of being caught before you dared to do this?"

"Going to jail?"

"No, we don't generally put kids in jail. We just make college admissions scores real and valid!"

"We'll invalidate the results obtained through illegal means," Hearst said gently, handing Lip a business card. "I'm from the University of Chicago. Come back and find me in the office!"

As Hearst packed his things and was about to leave, he turned back and said, "Also, if you ever act as a shooter for someone else again, I'll find you and beat you half to death!"

After leaving Lip with a smile and a look that said "you can do your own thing," Hearst took his coat and left the classroom, leaving Lip to process everything.

"That's how I met Professor Hearst."

"Originally, I didn't want to continue taking exams for others, but these people had already paid me half a year ago, and I really couldn't refuse. I never thought it would turn into a blessing in disguise!"

"Wow, Lip, you're amazing! Even university professors appreciate your talent. You must develop it well," Ethel said, looking at Lip with admiration in her eyes.

Lip was pleased.

"Ethel, I have to tell you something. Karen and I actually went to the University of Chicago and visited Professor Hearst once."

"Wow, there must have been some interesting story there! Lip, tell me!" Ethel asked eagerly.

Lip had expected Ethel to be jealous, but she was more like a little girl fascinated by the story.

"On a clear Wednesday after snow, Karen and I skipped class and went to the University of Chicago."

Lip began to tell the story, focusing on the first principles that smart people like.

"Hey, aren't you a teacher when you're not raiding college entrance exam cheaters?"

"I'm a professor. The college entrance exams are just a side job, a business. Just enough money for me to buy a yacht," Hearst said, shrugging proudly.

"Professor, I guess yachting makes you very happy," Lip joked.

"No, it's the beard that makes me so beautiful. Girls like bearded men the most!" Hearst said, proudly showing off his beard.

"I'll remember that," Lip laughed.

Hearst's female assistant also asked Karen if she had plans to go to college.

Karen replied she hadn't before but now, being Lip's girlfriend, she was very interested in the idea.

The female assistant also told Karen that Professor Hearst thought Lip was a genius!

"I think what I said isn't quite right. Lip should be the genius among geniuses!" Hearst said, smiling at Karen. "So, I want Lip to start college next semester…"

"I can't, I still have a year and a half of high school to go!" Lip protested.

"Then take the exam as soon as possible, it will be a piece of cake for you."

"Then what about the tuition? Can you really make money with a beard?"

"Boy, you can apply for financial aid. Some student loans will help you pay for tuition, accommodation, and meal cards."

"I'll end up owing almost $500,000, right?"

"It's not that exaggerated, just a few hundred thousand. You're a smart boy, you'll find a way to fool the government or earn it."

"I'm not sure. Sounds like a beautiful trap."

"A beautiful trap?"

"With the unemployment rate so high, many students will be unemployed after graduating from college!"

"That's better than the other way."

"Other way?"

"If something happens, like your little girlfriend getting pregnant, you'll have to enter society early and find a job to support your family."

"Professor, are you saying you want to be Dr. Thorne in Good Will Hunting?"

"No, I'm Professor Rambo. I'll drain your potential like a capitalist and make you my most proud disciple."

Lip knew that Hearst was a rare benefactor to him, and he valued him deeply. He couldn't afford to self-destruct like in the past.

"An uncle-like philosophy professor always wants to help troubled teens turn around. A bit cliché, don't you think?" Lip joked.

"My child, I've seen too many geniuses like you. Most of them were buried in the end. They couldn't escape the cage of fate and control their future."

"I hope you can seize the opportunity. I'll try to help with your tuition."

"Professor, don't worry, I'll report on time when school starts!"

"Brat, that's more than enough!"

Hearst hit Lip on the shoulder.

Suddenly, he saw the lab.

"Hi, Lip, I have a class to attend, so I won't be with you now. This is the best robotics lab in the country. If you're interested, take my business card and go have a look."

Hearst and the female assistant winked. She smiled and pointed to Lip and Karen, leading them to the manager responsible for entry.

Hearst and the female assistant waved goodbye.

"Lip, so you went to see that lab?" Ethel asked.

"I didn't have enough time that day, but I have time today to take you around."

"Great! You can see if it really looks like the robots in Star Wars."

Looking at Ethel, who seemed so eager, Lip couldn't help but smile.


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