"Here, Xiao Yi, this is your favorite crispy roast duck. There's also pancake and sweet bean sauce—add a bit of garlic, it's good for you."
Joy Zheng picked up a serving of crispy roast duck from the table for Evan Lin, then grabbed a pancake, dipped it in sweet bean sauce, wrapped it around a piece of duck and a clove of garlic, and handed it to Evan.
This roast duck was always crispy and sweet—one of Evan Lin’s favorites. But in all of Whitewood County, only the chef at Hongqing Grand Hotel could make it taste right, and the price there was pretty steep. Evan only ever got to eat it when Joy’s colleagues held banquets.
After handing Evan the duck wrapped in pancake, Joy Zheng was just about to reach for some cabbage with her chopsticks when she suddenly noticed all kinds of looks from the crowd turning her way.
Some were curious, some sympathetic, and a few were just waiting to see her embarrassed.
After Flora Huang finished speaking, the teachers from Whitewood Elementary who worked with her instantly realized she was talking about Joy Zheng.
But when most teachers looked at Evan Lin sitting next to Joy, their eyes showed a mix of complicated emotions.
Just now, Evan Lin had swapped out Joy Zheng’s old phone for a brand-new one worth ten thousand yuan, which already made some teachers at the table feel uncomfortable. Now, hearing Flora’s words, they all turned to Evan, waiting for him to make a fool of himself.
Honestly, Evan Lin’s grades used to be pretty bad. The only reason he transferred to Brightsea was not, as Flora claimed, because of his academic performance, but because Joy Zheng begged her classmate, Lu Shu, who finally helped Evan transfer to Brightsea No. 2 High School.
Joy Zheng looked up, confused by all the stares around her. In her simple clothes, she looked even more out of place and a bit comical.
Evan Lin, sitting beside her, stayed calm. He picked up the duck roll Joy made for him and took a bite—crispy, tender, delicious.
"Ms. Zheng, Director Chen is asking you something."
On the other side, Flora Huang saw Joy Zheng looking lost and smiled, reminding her.
"Huh? What is it?"
Joy Zheng snapped back at Flora’s words and quickly turned to Director Chen, who was seated at the main table.
"Oh, it’s nothing. Ms. Zheng, I was just asking your child’s name. I heard your kid used to study at Whitewood County No. 2 High School, then transferred to Brightsea No. 2 High School, and also took part in the National Math Olympiad this time, right?" Director Chen’s smile was thin.
Just now, when Director Chen followed Flora Huang’s gaze and looked over at Joy Zheng and Evan Lin, he lost most of his interest.
One glance at the student sitting there, head down and focused on eating, and he figured this kid probably wasn’t much of a scholar—let alone someone who could win a prize at the Math Olympiad.
So what if he got into Brightsea No. 2 High School?
Brightsea No. 2 High School did pretty well in the Olympiad this time, but only two students actually won awards.
Those two students had top scores—only kids who’d been trained for Olympiad math since childhood could handle that kind of exam. As for a student from Whitewood County who got into Brightsea No. 2 High School, who does he think he is?
If he was really so gifted, he should’ve gotten into Brightsea No. 1 High School back during the entrance exams.
After all, Brightsea No. 1 High School is the strongest school in all of Brightsea City.
But he only got into Brightsea No. 2 High School. No matter what, that doesn’t make him a real top student.
Director Chen asked the question absentmindedly.
After a moment’s pause, Joy Zheng replied, "His name is Evan Lin."
"Oh, Evan Lin, is it?" Director Chen nodded slightly when he heard the name, about to pick up his chopsticks, but his voice grew quieter and quieter.
"Evan Lin…"
Director Chen frowned. That name sounded so familiar.
But for the life of him, he couldn’t remember where he’d seen it before. He tilted his head, looking toward Evan Lin—who was just calmly eating, face unchanged.
"What’s wrong, Director Chen? Don’t tell me this Evan Lin caused trouble in Brightsea City?"
Seeing Director Chen hesitate and frown, Flora Huang felt a surge of secret joy.
A bunch of teachers nearby sighed to themselves—it looked like Joy Zheng and Evan Lin were definitely going to lose face today.
If Director Chen from the provincial department recognized your name, it meant you’d either won an award or gotten into trouble.
Most people instantly dismissed the first option. In their eyes, the idea of Evan Lin winning a prize was pure fantasy.
"No way, our Xiao Yi is very well-behaved outside. He wouldn’t get into trouble."
Hearing Flora Huang’s words, Joy Zheng started to get anxious.
But her anxious look only convinced everyone else that Evan Lin really must’ve done something bad.
"No wonder he could fork out ten thousand yuan for a new phone for his mom. I bet that money didn’t come from anything good."
"Exactly! Ms. Zheng has always lived so simply—how could she possibly spend that much on a phone? She probably doesn’t even have that much in savings."
"What a shame. He was such a good kid back in elementary school—I remember him. Who’d have thought he’d turn out like this after all these years?"
Some teachers shook their heads and sighed, looking at Evan Lin with pity. Others warned their own kids not to learn from Evan, not to talk to him or play with him, afraid he’d be a bad influence.
"Joy, I believe Evan is a good boy, but after all these years out there, who knows what he’s been through? Don’t worry too much—just talk to him when you get home. If there’s any problem, help him fix it, and he’ll be fine." Flora Huang said with fake concern.
"Yeah, it’s a pity. He was such a well-behaved kid at Whitewood County No. 2 High School. Who’d have thought he’d go out and turn bad?" The No. 2 High School principal chimed in, clearly eager to distance himself.
But before he could finish—
Victor Deng was just thinking how to change the subject so Director Chen wouldn’t get a bad impression.
But Director Chen, who’d been frowning and thinking for ages, finally turned his head to Flora Huang. "Which school did you say he goes to?"
"Brightsea… Brightsea No. 2 High School! Why, Director Chen, did you remember something? If the kid really did something wrong, I hope you’ll forgive him—kids make mistakes, after all." Flora Huang said, smiling.
"No, Evan Lin from Brightsea No. 2 High School!"
Director Chen froze, then suddenly slapped his thigh, glaring at Flora Huang. "When did I ever say he did anything wrong?"
"You’re just making things up!"