<b>Chapter </b><b>106 </b>
Scott wasn’t trying <b>to </b>belittle Mirabe. When the preliminary test scores came in<b>, </b>he thought Mirabe showed promise and was <b>worthy </b>of rmendation. However, after a detailed interrogation, he discovered that she was <b>a </b>recent transfer from <b>a </b><b>small </b>town.
Perhaps Mirabe’s foundational <b>skills </b>were <b>solid</b><b>, </b>but could the teaching standards of a small town really match those of the big city?
She answered beyond <b>the </b>sybus in the prelims<b>, </b>showcasing her sharp <b>wit</b><b>, </b><b>but </b><b>there </b>were so many top–notch students from all over the country <bpeting</b><b>. </b>What made her stand out?
Having witnessed many underdogs <b>rise </b>to the asion in his years <b>of </b>experience <b>with </b>thepetition, Scott realized that being impressive wasn’t necessarily indicative of internationalpetition potential. So, he held his tongue, offering no furtherment.
On the other hand<b>, </b>Mirabe found <b>Wade’s </b>remarks somewhat novel, a yful smile tugging at the corners of her mouth <b>as </b>she inquired<b>, </b>“Will there be a veritable gathering <b>of </b>maestros at the internationalpetition?”
Wade watched Mirabe, momentarily taken aback, before nodding subconsciously. “That’s a given.”
The normally silent Hammond quietly observed Mirabe, noticing the spark ofpetitiveness on her face, and couldn’t help but stroke his chin thoughtfully. It seemed the internationalpetition stage was about to get lively this year. He was genuinely <b>curious </b>about the true extent of this youngdy’s abilities.
After a brief exchange with Mirabe, Scott and Wade didn’t press her with further questions, sending her to her ssroom.
Once she left, Scott set down his cup, turning to Wade, “Wade, you seem rather optimistic about Mirabe.”
Wade offered a smile, simply stating, “She’s promising.”
“But her? In the internationalpetition?” Scott was skeptical, especially since she was a humanities student.
“Don’t underestimate anyone,” Wade said with a prating gaze, then shifted his attention to Mr. Hammond, his tone suggestive, “You seem to have good fortune on your side.”
Mr. Hammond smiled in agreement, nodding nonchntly. “I tend to think <b>so</b>, too.”
Scott’s gaze flitted between the two, his curiosity piqued. Was there really something extraordinary about this student? As he sipped his water, Wade suddenly remembered, “Oh, doesn’t Parkside High School have a campus celebrity who entered thepetition?”
Mr. Hammond raised an eyebrow. “Are you referring to Summer?”
“That might be the name,” Wade vaguely recalled. He looked back at Scott. “The Chairman mentioned her to me. How did she fare?<b>” </b>
“She did quite well, let me check.” Scott pulled out his phone and soon reported, “186 points<b>, </b>ranking tenth.”
Hearing this, Wade’s interest in Summer waned, though he politely remarked, <b>“</b>That score isn’t too shabby. There’s hope she might make it to the national finals<b>.</b><b>” </b>
Scott, recalling the Chairman’s instructions, opened his mouth to speak, “Well”
But before he could continue, Mr. Hammond interjected. “Summer’s performance has always been stable, but she seems to be focusing on other pursuits. What really matters is that she’ll learn from this experience.” Mr. Hammondmented nonchntly.
“That’s true. Perhaps pursuing stardom offers a brighter future,” Wade chuckled, then turned back to Scott, “You were about to say something, Scott?<b>” </b>