Chapter 568 The Genius Class Entrance Exam
The next morning, Darwin dropped Chicago off at school before heading to work. Fiona accompanied Charles to his new school for the entrance examination. Before they parted ways, Chicago, with the seriousness of a little adult, clutched her brother's hand and admonished, "You have to do your best, brother. If anyone at the new school picks on you, don't be afraid. I can be there in twenty minutes!"
"Then, what?" Fiona asked.
"I'll reason with them," Chicago declared with earnest. "Civilized kids don't fight."
Fiona laughed without words.
"Okay, Daddy has to go to work, you should head to class," she said.
"Okay!" Chicago hugged her brother and then ran toward Darwin.
Charles hadn't told Frank and Evelyn that he was taking the entrance exam at their school. It was quite a coincidence though. As soon as Fiona and Charles exited the car, they ran into Frank.
Dressed in his school uniform, Frank looked much more energetic than he had during the camping trip.
"Charles, what brings you to our school?" he asked, jogging over. "Are you here to see me?"
"No. I'm here for the entrance exam."
"You're joining our school?" Frank was stunned for a second, then his delight visibly grew. "That's awesome! Now I can study with you every day, and there are some dummies in our class who don’t believe in you. You'll be there to show them up!"
Charles was speechless.
Frank was easily the most sociable person in any crowd.
After his excitement settled, Frank noticed Fiona.
He quickly composed himself and greeted her politely with a bow. "Hello, Ms. Fiona."
After that camping trip, Frank had listened to his parents talk about Charles's parents for days. Out of curiosity, he'd done some online research himself.
Both of Charles's parents were impressive investors, and Frank, who dreamed of being both a Chris coder and a superstar investor, greatly admired them.
"Fiona, Charles's exam time is approaching. When he's finished, I'll bring him to hang out with you, okay?" Fiona spoke gently.
"Sure! You guys better get going," Frank replied, nodding repeatedly.
Fiona then led Charles towards the administration building.
The teachers responsible for the entrance exams had learned the night before that the student being assessed was the child of Darwin and Chelsea, two titans of industry.
"Only five and a half years old?" one teacher remarked, scanning through Charles's information. "And no history of competition either?"
The head teacher felt a headache coming on.
"It was Darwin who personally arranged the call. I bet it's those wealthy parents again, looking to give their kids a golden shell, makes it sound better and gives them face," she mused, having seen too many such cases over the years.
However, the two gifted programs she was involved with were different. The school principal had strong connections and a sense of principle. Entrance to the gifted program was strictly through examinations; no amount of money or influence could force a child's way in.
Despite this, every year there were still many students pushed into the program. The teachers responsible for admissions found it tiresome. The entrance exams for their gifted program were no joke. Many teachers from other schools couldn't even manage to complete them, let alone meet the ninety-five percent accuracy requirement.
In her opinion, these rich kids were only there to waste her time.
As they spoke, a knock at the office door redirected their gaze.
Fiona was dressed casually today, while little Charles was in more formal attire.
"Hello, we're here for the entrance exam," Fiona said when they entered.
The two teachers took a moment to register before quickly nodding. "You must be Ms. Fiona, and this is Charles who will be taking the exam?"
"Yes," Fiona replied, looking toward Charles.
He nodded slightly, his voice calm. "Hello, teachers."
The lead teacher observed Charles, noting his attractive appearance but lackadaisical demeanor—not at all what they expected from a sharp mind.
"Let's get started with the exam right away," the teacher suggested.
Soon after, the teacher took Charles to a classroom opposite and handed him two sets of test papers.
"Don't be too nervous, just do your best," the teacher encouraged, laying down the papers.
There had been cases before of students panicking to the point of fainting during the entrance exam. If this young gentleman were to pass out on her watch, it could spell trouble for her career.
Outside the classroom, Fiona waited, reviewing several years of financial reports for Solomon Energy. After all, it was Darwin who had personally overseen the company, and under his management, the business framework was solid. Solomon Energy was set for steady and stable growth for the next decade.
Fiona wasn't sure if she could have managed the same level of success had Darwin handed Solomon Energy over to her.
As time ticked by, the teacher's initial indifference gave way to interest, and she found herself fixated on Charles, who was now bending over his exam.
After a while, she felt certain he wasn't just scribbling randomly. She stood up and slowly made her way to his side, glancing down at his scratch paper.
She was stunned.
Charles's notes and formulas were meticulously organized on his scratch paper. She cast her eyes over the exam, recognizing the answers to questions she had composed herself.
Glancing at the answers to the questions, they were hundred percent correct. The teacher, who had just felt irritable, started to show a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
Under normal circumstances, it would take a student in the gifted class, even the fastest at problem-solving, three hours just to finish these two sets of tests.
The stopwatch in the classroom showed only two and a half hours had passed.
Charles, the young boy, put down his pen. Calmly, he straightened his desk, neatly stacked his scratch paper, and packed away his pencils.
Looking up at the teacher, he announced, "I'm done."
"You still have two hours left for your test. Don't you want to check your answers? If your accuracy is below ninety percent you won't be admitted," the teacher said with urging patience.
Charles wasn't even six years old yet.
To have such ability at his age was nothing short of genius.
What if, because Charles didn't check his work, he made some minor mistakes?
If he lost the chance to be admitted because of that, she would be crushed by sadness.
"I know." Charles nodded. "I've already checked it. The accuracy should be hundred percent."
"Checked already? Children shouldn't lie, you know. The teacher has been watching, where did you check?" the teacher continued, "Be a good boy, check it again!"
"I did mental calculation, checked once, and transcribed once." Charles pointed to his chest, then to his scratch paper, and finally to his test paper. "Thrice."
"Mental calculation?"
Charles nodded.
Then, he got up and handed his test to the teacher.
"Alright then, go to your mom and wait for the scores to be announced."
Their school was always efficient.
They never put off until tomorrow what could be resolved today.
Besides, she was now very curious and eager to see if Charles's accuracy was indeed hundred percent.
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