What's wrong with me, a school principal, listening to students' suggestions?

Lin Yucai looked at the card and didn't touch it for a long time.

"What's wrong?"

Su Qingyan happened to come over with the senior year exam room arrangement sheet and saw him standing next to the suggestion box, his expression different from usual.

Lin Yucai handed Chen Yu's card to her.

Su Qingyan took it and read half of it, her eyelashes fluttering slightly.

When she handed the card back, her tone was much softer.

"They want to hear you give a class talk."

"Um."

"You have an exam administration meeting and a follow-up call with admissions consultants this afternoon."

"Remove them all."

Su Qingyan glanced at him. "Are you also postponing the examination committee meeting?"

"Let Old Ma go."

"What about follow-up visits for student recruitment?"

"Please reply for me."

Su Qingyan did not agree immediately, her gaze falling on the box of cards.

After a moment, she nodded.

"OK."

Lin Yucai picked up the box of cards and turned to walk back to his office.

He stopped halfway there.

"Vice Principal Su, are there any unified arrangements for all senior students this afternoon?"

"It was originally supposed to be pre-exam psychological counseling, and the grade level groups were in the auditorium."

"Make a change."

"Change it to what?"

Lin Yucai held the box firmly, his tone very calm.

"The principal held a pep rally for them."

When the news spread to the senior year, the entire grade was abuzz.

"Is the principal really going to hold a class meeting for us?"

"Chen Yu, was your card really seen?"

"Oh no, I wrote 'Thank you, Principal, for making me look presentable before graduation.' Can this even be broadcast?"

"You're lucky. I wrote that Principal Zhu should make a fortune, and that he shouldn't let himself suffer losses."

Chen Yu was surrounded by her classmates, and her cheeks felt a little hot.

She never expected that Lin Yucai would actually see her card.

What I didn't expect was that he would cancel everything else to attend this class meeting for the senior students.

……

At 3 p.m., the auditorium of No. 13 Middle School was filled with senior high school students.

This auditorium used to leak all year round, the chair backs had peeling paint, and there was static when the sound system was turned on.

Later, when the school repaired the air conditioning, they also tidied up the wiring in the auditorium and replaced the chair covers.

Although it can't compare to the grand auditoriums of prestigious universities, it is at least clean and bright.

Zhou Dahai had someone deliver mung bean soup and snacks in advance.

On each seat, there was also a light-colored pencil case.

There were a few words printed on the pencil case.

"The Lucky Star of No. 13 Middle School"

These words look rather frivolous, but when the students received them, no one complained.

Inside were a black ballpoint pen, a pencil for filling in answer sheets, an eraser, a ruler, a transparent bag containing the exam admission ticket, and a small card.

There was only one sentence on the card.

"Don't be afraid, keep writing."

These stationery bags were delivered by Lin Yucai in the morning.

The money came from his personal account.

When Zhou Dahai found out, he even came to join in the fun.

"Principal Lin, should I put another chocolate in each bag?"

"Okay, but not too expensive."

Zhou Dahai was immediately displeased.

"You're telling me the food I eat before the college entrance exam is cheap?"

So now each pencil case contains an extra individually wrapped chocolate.

As the senior high school student held his pencil case, that tingling feeling welled up inside him again.

They had received things from the school before.

At most, there were cheap pens and banners with inspirational slogans.

But this time is different.

The principal really cares about them.

As Lin Yucai stepped onto the podium, the auditorium gradually quieted down.

He wasn't wearing a suit.

He was still wearing a simple shirt, with the cuffs casually rolled up.

Su Qingyan sat on the side of the first row, holding the list of senior students in her hand.

Ma Desheng stood at the back door, quietly wiped the corner of his eye, and then turned and left.

Lin Yucai stood in front of the podium and glanced at the young faces below the stage.

He saw Chen Yu.

I saw several boys who used to sleep through class and couldn't be woken up even when the teacher called their names.

I saw Lin Xiaoya wearing her new school uniform and holding her pencil case in her arms.

These children are about to leave No. 13 Middle School.

And what he could give them was not just a few pens.

"We won't be talking about college entrance rates today."

After Lin Yucai spoke, many students in the audience looked up.

"I won't tell you what score you need to get tomorrow."

"You've heard this kind of talk enough these past few days. If I say it again, you'll probably want to kick me off the stage."

Suppressed laughter filled the auditorium.

"I'll talk about two things today."

Lin Yucai smiled as well.

"First, respect."

"Second, the bottom line."

He picked up a card from the podium.

"Someone wrote to me saying that they used to feel like they were the one who was abandoned."

Chen Yu, sitting in the audience, lowered her head and gently pinched the edge of her pencil case with her fingers.

Lin Yucai did not name names.

"I want to tell you that being abandoned by others does not mean you should give up on yourself."

"Some roads others started early, but you started late."

"It's not shameful to be late."

"What's truly shameful is lying down when you still have the strength."

Many students in the audience gradually had tears in their eyes.

Respect is not something given to you by others.

Lin Yucai paused for a moment, then continued speaking.

"If you eat properly, sleep properly, finish a test paper properly, and take an exam properly, you will gradually regain respect."

"What the school can do is to provide you with a good environment, including desks and chairs, air conditioning, meals, school uniforms, pens, and lights."

"The only ones who can write the answers for you when you sit in the exam room are yourselves."

After those words were spoken, no one in the auditorium joked anymore.

Many senior high school students looked down at the words on their pencil cases, their throats tightening.

Lin Yucai's tone remained calm.

"The second thing is the bottom line."

Don't cheat on the exam.

Someone looked up, not expecting him to suddenly say this.

"If you don't know, you don't know. It's not shameful to do fewer questions."

"But it would be a real loss to abandon your principles for a few points."

"Our school used to be looked down upon, but from today onwards, I hope you remember..."

"Students at No. 13 Middle School may have poor foundations, start late, or even lose."

"But it can't be dirty."

Su Qingyan, sitting in the first row, tightened her fingers slightly upon hearing this.

She has seen too many pre-exam pep talks.

Most of them talk about sprinting, making a comeback, and miracles.

Lin Yucai insists on respect and bottom lines.

This is more like him than just shouting slogans.

Below the podium, a boy secretly raised his hand to wipe his eyes.

Chen Yu kept her head down, tears falling onto her pencil case, which were quickly absorbed by the fabric.

"Finally, don't think this pencil case is too old-fashioned."

Lin Yucai stopped talking and did not continue to be sentimental.

"I wrote the words 'Lucky Star of No. 13 Middle School' in my own hand. I wish I had practiced calligraphy when I was a child."

Finally, someone in the audience burst out laughing.

"The principal's taste is so consistent."

Although Zhang Yang was not a senior in high school, he was assigned by the teacher to help maintain order.

The skinny guy next to him was trying not to laugh and nudged him with his arm.

Lin Yucai seemed to hear it and looked up at the back door.

"Zhang Yang, if you have any objections, we'll arrange a 'macho version' of you from No. 13 Middle School next year."

The whole audience burst into laughter.

Zhang Yang's face flushed, and he turned his head to pretend to look at the wall.

After the atmosphere relaxed, Lin Yucai looked at the audience one last time.

"Don't rush when you enter the exam room."

"The questions I know, I'll definitely get them."

"No, take a second look."

"It's okay if you can't write it down. Just write your name, fill in the answer sheet, and explain everything you can from these three years."

Then, he looked up and walked out.