Daqi said, "Oh, right, the school said we need to take the CET-4 (College English Test Band 4). Ugh, I don't know any English at all, I don't know what to do! English is such a headache!"
Chunxiao said, "Hey, who cares? At worst, I'll just not get my college diploma."
Daqi laughed and said, "Haha, if the school insists on linking the CET-4 (College English Test Band 4) with the university graduation certificate, then I really don't want that graduation certificate."
Qianru said, "Don't worry, darling, let the 'gunman' take care of it, and everything will be OK!"
Chunxiao said, "That's right, it's just a few thousand yuan, it's no big deal!"
Daqi said, "By the way, you guys know about 'gunmen' too?"
Qianru said, "That's how my former colleague's son got by. Besides, I know a lot of teachers who are good at English. They can handle anything from professional level eight to English level six. Don't worry, if you really need help, just leave it to me."
Chunxiao: "There are two options: hire a test-taker or buy the exam questions. However, the exam questions you buy may not be genuine; many people sell fake exam questions. Hiring a test-taker is the safest option."
Daqi said, "Whatever, just invite me. I never refuse to cheat. Because the CET-4 exam itself is a bastard's idea. Why would a Chinese person like me need to learn English? In my opinion, English is just a means or a tool. Do you think I can't live without it? That's utter nonsense! If everyone knew English, why would universities still offer English majors? If everyone knew English, would we still need university graduates majoring in English?"
Qianru said, "My dear, who cares about their exams? Remember, you can cheat on any exam. You can even cheat on the college entrance exam, let alone passing an English proficiency test. I, Qianru, can hire a 'test-taker' like it's nothing. You need as many as you want, and I'll hire as many as you want."
Daqi said, "Okay, sister. It's settled then. Get me ten or eight 'test-takers' then, and I'll be able to get my English Level 4 certificate even if I'm sleeping at home."
Chunxiao said, "My dear, if you think Level 4 isn't enough, I'll get you Level 6 too. It's too easy!"
Daqi laughed heartily, then happily embraced the two young women and fell asleep!
The next day, he drove back to school alone. Today, as soon as class started, the class monitor began collecting registration fees for the CET-4 exam. Daqi also paid 18 yuan. Han Meng said to everyone, "Classmates, you need to study your English books more. The CET-4 exam is next semester. Don't be careless! Especially you, Tong Daqi, your English is really 'good'!" Daqi laughed, "Teacher Han, I'll do my best, I'll do my best." Han Meng smiled and said, "Tong Daqi, you're first-rate in Chinese, first-rate in writing, and first-rate in all your other subjects. Even most university lecturers couldn't teach you well, but why is your English so weak?" Daqi laughed, "Teacher Han, I like to 'do what I should do and not do what I shouldn't do.' A person's energy is limited, but exams are unlimited. I want to invest my limited energy in exams that I think are worthwhile. Of course, Teacher Han, I like your English classes, and I listen very attentively in every class. But, my English just won't improve..." Tong Daqi's words drew laughter from the whole class, and even Teacher Han shook her head with a smile.
Han Meng thought to herself: "Hey, why doesn't this kid put the same effort into English as he does into reading other books? Well, we'll see. If it really doesn't work, I'll tutor him myself." She'd talk to him about it after class.
Han Meng held Da Qi in high regard as a student, though their relationship was purely platonic. During the break, Han Meng called Da Qi into the teachers' lounge alone. Han Meng said, "Da Qi, you're incredibly smart. Listen to me, study your English textbook carefully. You absolutely must pass the CET-4; forget about the CET-6." Da Qi blushed; English was his weakest subject. He said, "Teacher Han, I...I...I don't even have a high school level." Han Meng said, "Then how did you get into university?" Daqi briefly recounted his educational experience, which Han Meng listened to with great interest. She said, "So, you didn't go to high school?" Daqi nodded and said, "I got in by getting a high score in the humanities section of the college entrance exam. My score in the humanities section was the highest in the senior high school retake class at Changqing No. 1 High School." Han Meng said thoughtfully, "Oh, that's a pity. You missed the 'golden age' of learning English, from 16 to 24. People who miss the 'golden age' do find it difficult to learn English. How about this, Daqi, you're my most outstanding student. I treat you like a younger brother. How about I tutor you starting next semester? What do you say?" Daqi was overjoyed and smiled, "Okay, okay, I'd love to!" Han Meng said, "Okay, we'll talk about it next semester. But you have to promise Teacher Han that you'll study English diligently from now on." Daqi nodded happily...
At the end of the day, Daqi was in an exceptionally good mood because Han Meng had agreed to tutor him in English. He felt like a beautiful teacher had fallen from the sky. He didn't know why, it was just tutoring, but Tong Daqi was happy all day long. That night, he slept in the same bed with Xiaoling, Beibei, and Sha Jiaxin. The three beauties asked him, "Master, why are you so happy?" Daqi told them about Han Meng's offer to tutor him. The three beauties giggled. Xiaoling said, "Master, this Teacher Han is the most beautiful teacher in our school, and many girls in our broadcasting department imitate her. Why don't you just win her over?" Beibei said, "That's called a teacher-student relationship, it's very exciting." Sha Jiaxin said, "That's called romance. Usually, it's the male teacher who pursues the female student, but in our family, it's the male student who pursues the female teacher." Daqi laughed loudly, "Three girls, you've made such a good thing sound so dirty!" The three girls said, "What's dirty about it? Teacher-student relationships are very normal in college." Xiaoling said, "When my dad was a lecturer, my mom was his student, and then my dad won her over. That's how I came to be!" Hahaha, the four of them laughed loudly. Daqi said, "Ling'er, so your dad and mom had a teacher-student relationship?" Xiaoling said, "There are many such relationships. Now, we..."
Section Reading 223
"A teacher from the student affairs office is dating a girl in our class." Daqi nodded after hearing this, and said, "However, it's not like that with Teacher Han. Teacher Han genuinely wants to help me; I can tell." Beibei said, "Master, feelings develop slowly, don't rush it." Jiaxin added, "Exactly! Teacher Han is human too; she'll definitely be attracted to Master's charm. Hahaha!"
Tong Daqi kissed each of the three women and said, "Alright, alright, enough joking around. By the way, did you pay your registration fees today? For the CET-4 exam." The three women nodded and said they had. Beibei said, "I'm confident I'll pass CET-4." Xiaoling said, "Beibei, your grades are good, and you speak English fluently. I'm not as good as you; I'm doomed for CET-4, I don't know what to do." Sha Jiaxin said, "My English is terrible too, it's really a headache. I'm not going to study English broadcasting, so why should I study English? Will I even need it in the future? Ugh, what a waste of time, what a waste of life!"
Beibei said, "Yes, I know English. But I really don't know what I can do with it. I don't want to learn English broadcasting. I'm not cut out for English broadcasting. I prefer Chinese broadcasting. All those senior girls of mine study English every day. After graduation, how many of them will actually use it? I heard it's useful for getting some kind of professional title."
Daqi said, "Bullshit, you need to take an English test for professional titles."
Beibei said, "Master, do you really think English is that useful? I have my doubts. The other day, a senior from a provincial TV station came back to visit. She said what angered her most was that she spent half her time in college taking English proficiency tests. After graduation, she hardly used them. So, although my English grades are good, among the best in the broadcasting department, I never feel particularly proud of them. I just find them meaningless. The older you get, the more boring English becomes, because I've never thought about going abroad. If I don't go abroad, what's the point of having so many English-speaking people in China? Do we, who aren't English majors, even need to be here?"
Sha Jiaxin said, "Even English majors can't find jobs, so what are we non-English majors complaining about?"
Daqi said, "There are vested interests at various levels involved here. Think about it, how many college students take the English proficiency test every year? The registration fees alone are a huge sum of money. It's the same with professional title exams. Why are there so many exams and certificates in society now? Are they really that useful? Hehe, many of them are exams set up by certain departments from a profit-making perspective."
The three women nodded thoughtfully. Xiaoling said, "Master, that makes sense. But if we can't pass the CET-4 (College English Test Band 4), then our graduation certificate and degree certificate will be in trouble."
Beibei said, "It seems that if you don't pass the CET-4 (College English Test Band 4), you can get a graduation certificate, but not a degree certificate. Many universities are like this."
Sha Jiaxin said, "There are also a few universities where you can't get a graduation certificate."
Xiaoling said, "If all else fails, we'll hire a 'ghostwriter' to solve it. It's just a matter of paying. Anyway, the school forced us to do this." Xiaoling's words stunned Beibei and Sha Jiaxin. Daqi smiled and said, "For those who really have no other choice, this is one option." Xiaoling said, "My dad's a professor, I know all too well. So many university teachers hire people to take their professional title English exams, and it's common for university students to hire ghostwriters. I've looked into it; the going rate for CET-4 is 2000-5000 yuan, and CET-6 starts at 4000 yuan." Sha Jiaxin asked, "What about the exam questions?" Xiaoling said, "The expensive ones are 1000 yuan for a set of standard answers, the cheaper ones are 100 yuan, depending on the situation and luck. But as for the exam questions, many are fake online; very few are real. However, some of my dad's students have bought real exam questions." Daqi said, "Hiring a 'ghostwriter' is still more cost-effective; I don't care." "It's such a small amount of money. Think about it, it's useless for me to study English. Since I went back to Changqing No. 1 High School for my senior year, I haven't looked at any English books. A few thousand yuan for an English Level 4 certificate isn't expensive. The main thing is that it can save a lot of time to read other books and prevent English from bothering me. However, I think the three of you should try to pass on your own. If you really can't, then consider hiring a substitute test-taker. After all, hiring a substitute test-taker is risky. Also, if you do hire a substitute test-taker, you must keep it a secret, at least before the exam. Don't tell anyone about it." Beibei said, "I have no problem passing the English Level 4. Forget it, I'll just focus on taking the exam myself." Xiaoling and Sha Jiaxin said, "We'll see how it goes. If we really have to hire one, then we will." Daqi said, "I might really have to hire one. I'm just not cut out for English. Of course, I'm happy to have Teacher Han tutor me. Haha!" The four of them laughed and joked for a while before falling asleep.
With final exams approaching, Daqi has reduced his study time at the library, aside from attending classes, to prepare for the exams. He only studies at Old Zhong's for an hour each time, two or three days a week. He spends most of his free time studying in the library's self-study room. However, the self-study room is quite crowded; it's usually quiet, but with final exams coming up, it's packed.
Daqi took Xiaoling, Su Beibei, and Sha Jiaxin to the study room to read. The four of them attracted a lot of attention as soon as they entered. Many of them were Daqi's classmates from his literature class. Sure enough, Li Xianming and Xie Changjin waved to Daqi from afar. Daqi smiled slightly at them.
In the study room, many people murmured: "This guy is so lucky with women! He's always with three of the 'Four Beauties of Broadcasting.'" Many people were discussing, "Who is this guy?" or "Why is Daqi always with beautiful women?" Not only others, but Li Xianming and Xie Changjin were also talking about Daqi; they called him "Boss."
Li Xianming: "The eldest brother is really capable, spending every day with beautiful girls. No wonder he doesn't go back to the dormitory."
Xie Changjin: "Of course our boss is capable. He's only been in college for half a year and he's already become friends with all the beauties in the broadcasting department, while we haven't even gotten to know many girls in our own department. Sigh, it's true what they say, 'comparison is the thief of joy!'"
Li Xianming: "Old Xie, we should find girlfriends too, otherwise we'll have wasted our college years."
Xie Changjin: "Haha, let's get through the final exams first. Another day, when the boss comes back to the dorm, we should ask him for advice on picking up girls. We need to learn from others' strengths!"
This study room was originally intended for studying, but most people followed that rule most of the time. However, occasionally a few talkative individuals would appear, like Li Xianming and Xie Changjin, who chatted idly, making the others nearby look on with displeasure. Fortunately, no one was chatting around Daqi and the three beautiful girls, so they diligently studied for two hours. Seeing how focused Daqi was, the three girls also became serious. Coupled with the pressure of final exams, they studied very hard.
This weekend was the Party School graduation exam. Xiaoling and Beibei both dragged Daqi along. It was very simple; the two student council presidents sat on either side of him, watching him answer the questions. It was the easiest exam, in Daqi's opinion. A week later, both Xiaoling and Beibei received their Party School graduation certificates. However, Beibei was a good student. She was always quite diligent in her studies, and she could pass the exam even without Daqi's help. Xiaoling, on the other hand, was a typical student who hated studying; she always dreaded exams. Daqi went to the exam mainly so that Xiaoling could successfully obtain her Party School graduation certificate; he wasn't worried about Beibei at all.
After the final exams, many students were going home for the Spring Festival. Many students at the school needed to book train tickets in advance. Daqi said to Xiaoling, Beibei, and Sha Jiaxin, "If you three can fly, then fly. I'll reimburse you." Actually, the tickets weren't expensive, and since they were students, they could enjoy certain discounts. The three girls were overjoyed and kept kissing Daqi at home. Su Beibei said, "It saves us from squeezing onto the train." Sha Jiaxin said, "During the Spring Festival travel rush, the trains are quite chaotic." Lin Xiaoling said, "Taking the train home, you'll encounter many thieves. Thank you, Master, we can avoid suffering!" Daqi smiled slightly.
Final exams were fast approaching. Teachers were busy reviewing the semester's lessons with everyone. Many teachers were willing to highlight key points for review. Han Meng, however, directly told everyone, "I'm your homeroom teacher. Those of you who aren't getting scholarships don't need to study this subject. Don't worry, you'll all pass! Focus on your other subjects and try not to have to retake them." Daqi was incredibly grateful to Han Meng; his biggest fear was English—like a mouse fearing a cat!
With final exams approaching, Daqi often went to the dorm to discuss how to cope with the review and to see how his roommates were doing. Daqi was quite surprised because his roommates, Li Xianming and Xie Changjin, showed no signs of stress about final exams. They were constantly playing games. Daqi thought to himself: "Oh no, these two are obsessed with games." Daqi said, "You guys are still playing so wildly even though the final exams are coming up?" Li Xianming said, "Boss, it's okay, games are just too fun. As long as we pass, that's all that matters." Xie Changjin also said, "You and Shen Ping'an have gone to live off-campus, what can we two single guys do besides play games?" Daqi smiled and asked them, "How's your review going? The exams are next week. I'm almost done reviewing." Li Xianming said, "'The devil is always one step ahead.' We've prepared our secret weapon, we'll need it then."
"What? A magic weapon? What's a magic weapon?" Daqi was astonished. He asked, "A magic weapon? What's a magic weapon?" Li Xianming smiled mysteriously and said, "Boss, wait a minute, I'll show you something." He then took a book from the shelf and pulled out several small slips of paper tucked inside. Daqi took them and saw that they were all notes from the teacher's lectures and key points highlighted for students' final exams. Strangely, these slips of paper were photocopies, and the handwriting was very small, yet very clear.
Daqi asked, "Squad leader, what are you doing?"
Li Xianming and Xie Changjin chuckled and said, "This is the magic weapon."
Daqi seemed to understand something, and he said, "You really dare to bring them into the examination room?"
Li Xianming: "Of course we dare. If the proctor isn't strict, we'll take them out to look at them. You see, these things are very small and very inconspicuous when tucked into the exam paper. After we look at them, we'll put them back. If the proctor is strict, we won't take them out, but we'll look at the ones of the students around us. That's called being prepared for both scenarios."
Xie Changjin: "If all else fails, I'll come back during the Spring Festival to retake the exam. In short, I have no interest in reading books; they just give me a headache."
After they finished talking, they went back to playing games. Daqi couldn't help but admire his two roommates: these two guys were pretty daring, and their cheating was quite sophisticated; they knew to microfilm the relevant materials. Such small things were indeed hard for the proctor to detect.
When Daqi came out of his dormitory, he happened to pass by a copy shop. He saw that the copy shop was crowded with students, and the owner was sweating profusely as he copied the students' final exam review materials. He also overheard a conversation between two second-year students.
A: "My God, why are there so many people?"
B: "It's become a habit; it happens every time final exams approach. The boss's business is booming!"
A: "I'm just photocopying my notes and memorizing them. What about you?"
B: "Besides my review notes, I also need to make several smaller copies. Sigh, there's no other way, I have to bring some with me to the exam."
A: "Aren't you afraid of getting arrested?"
B: "I'm not a pig. If the proctoring is strict, I'd rather die than take it out; if it's not strict, I still won't take it out. 'Preparation is the key to success, and lack of preparation leads to failure.' I don't feel at ease if I don't have something in my pocket."
A: "I sit behind you every year during exams. Bro, you'd better treat me to something then!"
B: "Don't worry, we're like family. It's nothing special."
Daqi smiled but said nothing. Cheating on exams has existed since ancient times, so it's nothing strange. However, for the final exam, Tong Daqi had no need to cheat because he didn't need to review Han Meng's English; aside from English, Tong Daqi could be said to have an air of "who else but me?" He confidently thought to himself: Take away English, which teacher is qualified to teach me now? It's just the same content in the book.
Daqi didn't go home this weekend; he called home to say he was preparing for his final exams. Qiwen told him, "Finish your exams early and come home for the Spring Festival!" Yes, another Spring Festival is here! Daqi and three female students also spent the weekend in the library's self-study room, all studying intensely. The self-study room was full of students. Beibei whispered to Daqi, "Master, why is it so strange? Usually no one studies here, but during finals it's like a bustling market." Xiaoling whispered, "I think it's even more lively than a market!" Jiaxin said, "We're pretty much the same, 'not burning incense in peacetime, but cramming for Buddha's feet at the last minute'!" The four smiled and went back to studying.
Daqi noticed a significant change in the popularity of two places during the final exams. Which two places? The first was the library's study rooms, and the second was the weekend cafeteria.
Let's talk about the self-study classrooms first. These are dedicated classrooms provided for students to study independently. They have tables and chairs, and anyone can go in to study; no one has a designated seat. There's a water dispenser nearby that provides free hot water for students. Overall, the self-study classrooms at Binhai Media College are quite good places to study, with a very pleasant environment.
Chapter 25 Three Beauties Servant Master
However, almost no one usually comes in to read here; occasionally, a few people sit sparsely inside. Daqi knows this because he often reads in the self-study room. The entire bright and spacious self-study room is often empty except for Tong Daqi. He borrows some books from the open-shelf library and reads them there. It's usually a bit busier in the evenings. In Daqi's view, the self-study room is a serious waste of resources during normal times because few students go there to read. But at the end of the semester, the situation is completely reversed. Those who don't read ("Zhang San"), those who skip classes ("Li Si"), those who only play basketball ("Liu Wu"), and those who only play games ("Wang Ermazi") all come to the self-study room to read. Daqi knows that everyone, including himself, is "cramming at the last minute," everyone is just wasting time, who's actually reading? Tong Daqi has been through the workforce; he knows that the humanities courses taught in universities are almost entirely irrelevant to the needs of today's society. Furthermore, he doesn't need teachers to teach him how to read; he can learn everything on his own. However, with the final exam approaching, he had to study, because the teacher's questions were based on the textbook. Therefore, he needed to review, and the self-study room was a good choice. So, with the final exam nearing, the self-study room became the busiest place in the school, attracting all sorts of people. It seemed like everyone there was a diligent and studious student!
Another place where the popularity has changed dramatically is the cafeteria on weekends. The cafeteria at Binhai Media College is usually very crowded, but it's nearly empty on weekends. This is because most students leave campus on weekends. Some attend training programs, some do part-time jobs, some work part-time, and many go home for vacation. Therefore, the cafeteria is practically deserted on weekends. Tong Daqi has eaten at the Binhai Media College cafeteria several weekends. He and Xiaoling often remark, "When the weekend comes, we can eat at ten tables by ourselves!" Daqi jokes, "I think we should just lie down and eat in the cafeteria to avoid wasting resources!"
Section Reading 224
"
But everything changed drastically with the approaching final exams. Look at the cafeteria now; even on the weekend, you have to queue for food. Daqi led his three wives to the cafeteria, and from afar, they could see several long lines of people waiting. Jiaxin suggested, "Honey, let's eat out. It's too crowded here. We need to study after we eat; we have exams the day after tomorrow." Beibei and Xiaoling agreed. Daqi laughed, "Okay, let's go to a private room at a hotel near the school. There'll definitely be no one there. After we eat, we can all study hard; time is money!" The three women laughed heartily. The four of them went to a large hotel near the back gate of the school, ordered a few side dishes, a soup, and a bowl of rice each, and ate with great relish! After dinner, the four of them hurried back to the study room to study and review.
Two days later, Daqi officially took his first semester's final exams. In the morning, he, Xiaoling, Beibei, and Shameiren got up early, as all four had an exam that morning. After a quick breakfast, they took a bus to school together. Xiaoling checked the time and said, "There's still an hour and a half before the exam starts. Let's find a study room and read some books first." Daqi laughed, "Chairman Lin, you're so diligent! You want to study so early in the morning!" The four chuckled. Xiaoling said, "We can't help it, we have to make the most of every second. An hour and a half is enough; reading will give us more confidence." So, the four of them quickly studied for another hour before heading to their respective exam rooms.
As soon as Daqi arrived at the exam hall, many of his classmates were already waiting outside. He greeted them. Then, a girl, number 27, started chatting with him. Number 28 asked, "Hey, how's your studying going?" Daqi patted his chest and said confidently, "Passing is a piece of cake, I don't even dare dream of a scholarship!" Number 28 was overjoyed. She said, "'Aiming for no great achievements, just avoiding mistakes.' 60 points is great, 61 points is a waste. Hey, you need to 'show some respect' later, I'm afraid I'll fail." Daqi laughed, "After I finish the multiple-choice questions, I'll shift my body slightly and cough a little to remind you, you can check it yourself." Number 28 beamed, "Thank you, hey, hey!" The two then started talking about going home for the Spring Festival. Number 28 asked, "Hey, when are you going home? Have you booked your ticket?" Daqi replied, "I'm driving back to my hometown myself. I might spend the Spring Festival in Rongzhou, we'll see. What about you?" Number 28 said, "I'm taking the train back to Nanjing with my fellow villagers. The tickets are booked." Number 28 was a girl from Nanjing. Many people were discussing how to "look out for" each other in the exam room. Class monitor Li Xianming and Xie Changjin were also whispering among themselves.
Li Xianming: "Old Xie, did you bring the magic weapon?" The magic weapon refers to the photocopied note.
Xie Xianming: "Squad leader, everything is OK. Don't worry, we'll stand together through thick and thin."
Li Xianming: "Dude, you're a real buddy. I can count on you. I haven't read a single book."
Xie Xianming: "I'm no match for you. It's alright, we'll deal with whatever comes our way. Besides our magic weapons, we can also check our surroundings. If all else fails, we can have the boss throw a note over."
Li Xianming nodded and said, "How could I forget about Tong Daqi? Right, right, right, let's go talk to him."
So the two of them went to find Tong Daqi. Li Xianming and Xie Changjin said directly, "Boss,..." After they finished speaking, Daqi nodded and said, "As long as you need me, and there are no gaps in the proctoring schedule, you can rest assured! Leave everything to me, Old Tong!"
After saying this, Daqi wondered if he had changed. He used to hate cheating the most. Back in junior high, he could get higher grades than those who cheated without even cheating—by a lot. He used to despise students who cheated on exams. But as time went by, he actually enjoyed helping others cheat. Ah, times have changed! However, Daqi himself didn't want to cheat at all, because he believed that after a few days of intensive study, he could memorize the review material the teacher had highlighted.
"Ring—ring—ring—" The bell rang to signal the start of the exam. The invigilator addressed the students outside, "Line up to enter the exam room, and make sure you have your student ID and national ID card." Everyone entered the exam room one by one. After everyone sat down, the invigilator said, "Turn off all your cell phones and pagers and put them on the podium. If anyone's cell phone or pager rings after the exam starts, it will be considered cheating!" Everyone obediently turned off their phones and handed them in. Li Xianming and Xie Changjin looked at each other, then switched their phones to vibrate. Daqi knew they also had cell phones, but they hadn't handed them in. He thought: These two little rascals have some guts! What surprised Daqi most was that a complete stranger had also entered the exam room. That person remained calm, and everyone kept glancing at him. Daqi understood: Shen Ping'an wasn't in the exam room; another boy was sitting in his seat. —"The test-taker!"
That's right, Daqi was absolutely right. Shen Ping'an had hired someone to take the final exam for him. Luckily, none of his classmates said anything, and the proctor checked the person's ID and student ID—it was indeed Shen Ping'an. Daqi knew perfectly well: this person had definitely used a fake ID to take the exam, and as for the student ID, he could simply change the photo and pay someone to stamp it. Daqi couldn't help but admire Shen Ping'an: he was ruthless and had guts!
The exam began. Daqi answered the questions very smoothly. About half an hour later, he had basically finished two-thirds of the exam. At this moment, he felt a light kick in the butt. He knew it was the girl number 28 behind him who kicked him—meaning she was "looking out" for her.
Daqi thought to himself, "Hey, this girl definitely didn't study and can't do the questions. Heh, I'll finish my own first, then help her." He continued answering the questions calmly. The two proctors kept an eye on everyone and moved around frequently. For at least the first 45 minutes, everyone had little chance to cheat. After 45 minutes, Daqi coughed a few times. He had finished, so he spread his paper out for five minutes, and number 28 frantically copied the multiple-choice questions. Five minutes later, he switched to the other side, and number 28 copied the multiple-choice questions from the other side. At this moment, number 28 also coughed, a very light cough; Daqi knew she had finished copying. With nothing else to do, he began secretly observing how others took the exam.
Some people, including Daqi, answered the questions diligently. After they finished, most of them started checking their work. However, many of these people were "looking after" others. They usually agreed before the exam who would copy whom. Many were "looking after" the students behind them, or to their left or right.
Some students were cheating. They brought in a lot of "gadgets." Daqi clearly saw Li Xianming take a small piece of paper out of his pocket and slip it into his exam paper. He had to admire Li Xianming, because when the proctor approached him, he remained calm and composed, showing no signs of panic. In fact, he had "gadgets" hidden in his two pages of the exam paper; if he were caught, he would be in big trouble—usually facing repeating a grade or expulsion! Xie Changjin also had "gadgets" in his pocket, but he didn't dare take them out. He was anxiously looking left and right, unsure of what to do. Seeing that the proctor was a bit far away, Xie Changjin took out his phone, quickly pressed a few buttons, and then stuffed it back into his pocket. At this moment, Li Xianming's pocket vibrated slightly. Daqi saw all of this and focused on observing how these two "game kings" cheated. Li Xianming and Xie Changjin's seats were a bit far apart, so he also took out his phone, pressed a few buttons, and then quickly stuffed it back into his pocket. Xie Changjin smiled slightly and took out his cell phone from his pocket... This method of transmitting answers via text message is one of the most common ways college students cheat on exams.
Daqi watched with great interest. The student in front of him, number 26, was a man, and his cheating also caught his attention. While the proctor was away, number 26 used his right hand to lift up his left sleeve… Daqi thought to himself with delight: Impressive, impressive! It turned out that number 26 had densely packed ballpoint pen marks all over his left arm…
Just as Daqi was engrossed in watching, the proctor's phone rang, and he left the exam room to answer it. The other proctor also inexplicably left the classroom. Now it was truly a case of "when the King of Hell is away, the underlings are in charge." The entire exam room suddenly became lively, with everyone whispering among themselves.
Someone said, "Hurry, hurry, what's the answer to question 25?"
Someone responded, "D, D".
Someone else cried out, "Little Li, save me, save me..."
The student named "Xiao Li" said, "Yes, yes. The answers to questions one through five are BACCD..."
Xie Changjin turned to Daqi and said, "Boss, it's urgent! Multiple choice questions! It's urgent! Multiple choice questions!" Daqi immediately took out a tissue and wrote the answers on it. Then Daqi said, "Xiao Xie, catch!" He tossed the tissue with the answers in a beautiful arc, and Xie Changjin caught it instantly. —Fantastic! It's like a circus act! Xie Changjin spread out the tissue and frantically copied the answers. At that moment, a series of hurried footsteps sounded, and the exam room immediately returned to silence. Everyone sat up straight, each answering their own questions. The proctor asked, "Who was making such a fuss? Who was it?" He asked three times, but no one dared to respond. The classroom suddenly became quiet. Daqi thought: This teacher is ruthless! Then, "Shen Ping'an" went to hand in his paper, and many others followed suit.
Daqi truly admired Shen Ping'an's courage to actually have a "test-taker" take the exam for him. He glanced at Zhao Banhua—Shen Ping'an's girlfriend—who was diligently answering the questions. Seeing that it was almost time to hand in his paper, he did so. Because Daqi handed in his paper early, he saw a girl standing outside another exam room, sobbing. A teacher was trying to comfort her, saying, "Okay, okay, stop crying." The girl cried dramatically, "Teacher, I promise I'll never do it again, please forgive me this time… Teacher, I promise I'll never do it again…"
Haha, Daqi chuckled to himself: So, she was caught cheating by the proctor because her skills weren't up to par, and she's crying hysterically, begging the teacher to let her off the hook. Soon, many students who had handed in their papers early gathered to watch the spectacle, and Daqi was among them. Seeing so many onlookers, and with the girl crying even louder, repeatedly pleading for leniency, the teacher said helplessly, "Alright, alright, I'll hand your note to the department, not the academic affairs office. How you handle it is up to your department." The girl quickly wiped away her tears and said, "Thank you, teacher, thank you..." Then she left.
Later, Daqi heard that the department head in charge of student affairs in that girl's department had severely criticized her, and naturally, she cried her eyes out again, managing to get the department head to let her off the hook. From then on, this girl became known as the "Number One Crying Goddess of Media Studies." However, this tactic actually worked. Although she was caught cheating, she didn't even receive a punishment. Others caught cheating weren't so lucky.