"Either you attend classes, or you’re switching majors next year," he said, turning to Edward. "I need to have a talk with the director of admissions. Perhaps the next time we recruit a celebrity, we should just take the Yale School of Management—"

"In that case," Li Wei said after a moment of thought, "why don’t we draw up a wager?"

The dean and Edward both turned back to look at him.

"Let’s each give a little." Li Wei held up a finger. "We’ll treat the first semester as a trial period. During this semester, you grant me complete freedom from attendance requirements. I’ll do my best to make it back for mandatory exams and thesis defenses, but the school cannot penalize me for my attendance."

He paused, observing their expressions before continuing, "In exchange, I promise that by the end of the first semester, I will have an A in every single one of my classes."

"If I lose," Li Wei said, holding his hands out, "I will voluntarily withdraw from the university. I’ll also issue a public statement claiming it was due to my own academic shortcomings, having nothing to do with the quality of Yale’s education. That way, the school’s high standards are upheld, and it saves you from this awkward situation."

’Are you kidding me? I only need another 0.1 attribute points to unlock the Phase Three reward, which will give my Spirit a direct +0.3 boost. By the time exams roll around in a year, I’ll probably have maxed out my stats and be able to memorize a whole book in a day. Why would I be afraid of a few measly tests?’

’Then I’ll really get to rub it in their faces.’

But for the two academics, the proposal was quite tempting. If Li Wei left of his own accord, the school wouldn’t have to shoulder the blame. Moreover, the Yale School of Management, which had been reluctant to accept a celebrity in the first place, would be more than happy to see him go.

"Interesting." The look in the dean’s eyes finally shifted. "Straight A’s? Do you have any idea how hard it is to get an A at the Yale School of Management? This isn’t like the child’s play you learned in your AP courses."

"That’s right, Mr. Li Wei," Edward chimed in at the opportune moment. "In Yale’s economics and finance courses, you don’t get an A just by hitting a certain score. Grades are curved, so only the top ten percent of the class receives an A. That means in a class of thirty, only three people will get one. And apart from you, basically all of those students have a background in the Math Olympiad or IMO. Many of them are aiming for Ph.D. programs in statistics or financial engineering."

"That’s my problem," Li Wei replied.

"Fine." The dean nodded. "Since you’re so confident in yourself, I accept your proposal."

"Wait."

Just as Edward was reaching for a pen to take notes, Li Wei spoke again.

"A deal goes both ways, Dean," he said. "What if I succeed in getting straight A’s in my first semester?"

The dean froze for a second. Clearly, he had never considered the possibility of Li Wei actually achieving straight A’s.

He sat back down across from Li Wei and thought for a moment before saying, "In that case, I will not interfere with your attendance in any way. I’ll allow you to complete your degree remotely, as long as you pass your exams."

"That’s not enough," Li Wei said, shaking his head. "I want a personal letter of recommendation from you."

’Just as the dean himself said, while he might not be one of those people, they were all part of his network. Having him owe me a favor, or getting a letter of recommendation, could be incredibly useful at a critical moment.’

"Done," the dean said decisively. "If you can really pull off straight A’s, then I’ll be convinced your future holds much more than just being an athletic celebrity. I’m willing to personally endorse you."

The two shook hands across the table, each believing he would win the wager.

Once Li Wei and Coach Tony had left the admissions building and were again surrounded by the campus’s distinctive Gothic Revival architecture, Coach Tony couldn’t help but speak up.

"Kid, you were a little impulsive back there," he said. "It might not have any impact on your athletic career, but this won’t be good for public perception."

"Don’t worry," Li Wei replied, looking completely relaxed. He had total faith in the system. "I’m confident."

Coach Tony shook his head, then said as if suddenly remembering something, "Right, about your girlfriend. Do you need me to help push things along with the board?"

He then rubbed his bald head, looking a little embarrassed. "Your girlfriend isn’t looking for this kind of ’special treatment’ too, is she?" 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"No need," Li Wei said, kicking a small pebble out of his path. "Anya said she wants to do a project to update her application portfolio so she can get her full acceptance in March. Otherwise, her dad would just donate a library to Yale, and all her problems would be solved."

"Alright then," Tony said, patting Li Wei’s shoulder guiltily. "Consider me in your debt for this. If it looks like your girlfriend is running out of time with her application, make sure to tell me in advance."

Li Wei nodded, said goodbye to Tony, and headed toward the parking lot.

...

In Riverdale, Bronx, the massive cast-iron gates of the Horace Mann School completely sealed its campus off from the chaotic, noisy streets of the Bronx just a few blocks away.

As one of the top three private schools in the United States of America, its very air was thick with a certain anxiety and pretension that only money could buy. The annual tuition was a staggering 65,000 USD, and that didn’t even include the expensive equestrian lessons, fencing equipment, or the cost of overseas "charity expeditions" during the winter and summer breaks.

The security guards here were the elite of the elite, and all were legally licensed to carry various types of small arms.

Counterintuitively, there were no subway stations, bus stops, or fast-food chains like McDonald’s or KFC within a three-kilometer radius of the school. The density of police precincts in the area was 9.5 times that of the South Bronx. In less than five minutes, over 200 police officers could be on the scene to haul away any vagrants who might threaten the safety of the United States of America’s future heirs—or simply offend their delicate sensibilities—before locking them up in a shelter or dumping them in another district.