Chapter 352: College Entrance Exam Papers

Chen Shi glanced at Wang Haitao in surprise and said into the phone, “Ma’am, that’s illegal. We can’t help with that.”

“No, no, I don’t mean for you to get them… I just want to know if anyone can get the exam papers early.”

Chen Shi suddenly remembered that tomorrow was the college entrance exam. He asked, “Is your child a senior in high school?”

“Yes.”

“Ma’am, have you been scammed? Did someone tell you they could get the exam papers?”

“I… I don’t know. I’ve already paid 20,000 yuan, but I haven’t seen any papers yet. I’m starting to suspect… My son’s grades aren’t great; he might not even get into a third-tier college. I must have been out of my mind to believe it.”

“Can you still contact the scammer?”

“Yes, I can. They said they’d get the papers tonight, but there’s a condition…”

Chen Shi seemed to understand; the scammer had another trick up their sleeve. He thought this was a case they could take. The client wouldn’t dare call the police and had nowhere else to turn. He said, “Ma’am, don’t worry. Why don’t you come here, and we can discuss this in person? We’ll do our best to help you.”

“Thank you. I’ll come this afternoon.”

“We’ll be waiting.”

After hanging up, Wang Haitao said, “See, we got a case after all.”

“Just dumb luck. This kind of case won’t come every day. Let’s see what she says this afternoon.”

After lunch, around 2 PM, a woman in her forties walked into the office. She looked around, and seeing the decent environment, her doubtful expression eased a bit.

Chen Shi poured her a cup of tea and invited her to sit down. “How should I address you?”

“My surname is Chen.”

“We share the same surname! Tell us about the situation.”

Mrs. Chen sighed and began to explain. Her son, Xiao Lei, was in his senior year of high school, and his grades had always been poor. Despite buying all sorts of guidebooks, attending exam prep seminars, and even using brain supplements, he consistently ranked at the bottom in mock exams. Xiao Lei was very discouraged.

A week ago, a mother in their parent group, Mrs. Xiao Han, mentioned that she knew someone who claimed they could get the exam papers early. Although it sounded dubious, the desperation of the situation made them believe it. Mrs. Xiao Han arranged a meeting with this mysterious person at a hotel.

The man, who called himself Mr. Gao, was well-spoken and appeared dignified. He claimed to have been a teacher at a prestigious school and had participated in creating exam questions several times. He boasted that he had internal connections to obtain the exam papers.

Mr. Gao even claimed responsibility for a leaked exam paper incident from ten years ago, saying it was his team’s doing. He explained that the leak only failed because a parent got cold feet and exposed them, forcing the city to switch to backup papers. This incident could be found online. He assured them that in his twenty years of business, they had never failed, except for that one time.

Mr. Gao emphasized the importance of secrecy. If the plan was exposed, his team would be arrested, and the parents would be in trouble too, potentially facing jail time.

Although the threat of jail was frightening, it paradoxically convinced the parents of the legitimacy of the offer. Mr. Gao said they needed to pay a 20,000 yuan deposit upfront and another 200,000 yuan after the job was done. They were to prepare this money in advance and pay it after the exam.

Some parents paid on the spot, while others were hesitant. However, peer pressure and the fear of being left out forced them to hand over the money. After all, those parents were in the same boat; their children had poor grades and little hope of passing the exams under normal circumstances. Why not take a gamble?

After collecting the money, Mr. Gao sent them home to wait for news. Mrs. Chen confessed to her husband, who called her foolish and said she had been scammed. He thought the scammer must have already fled.

Other parents shared this suspicion and returned to the hotel to find Mr. Gao, who reassured them that they would get the papers, and if not, their deposit would be refunded.

More parents visited Mr. Gao as the exam approached. He remained calm, insisting the papers would be obtained. Last night, he sent a message to gather them again.

Excited, the parents arrived at the designated spot but still saw no papers. Mr. Gao then revealed the secrecy of the exam papers—they were printed in a prison. His team had an insider who could get a copy before they were transported. Though risky, Mr. Gao assured them his team had never failed in twenty years.

The papers would arrive tonight, but students could only memorize them, not take them away. Any leak would destroy the operation Mr. Gao had built over two decades. He promised to send a car to pick up the students in the evening. For security, the location was secret, and parents were not allowed to follow. There would be teachers to guide the students, and they would be dropped off at exam centers the next morning.

Some parents believed this, but others were skeptical. Mrs. Chen was among the latter. She spent a sleepless night worrying that it might be a scam and that her child might not come back if taken away.

This morning, she contacted other parents, who reassured her that the risk was normal and that they should persevere. If their child got into a prestigious university, their efforts would be worthwhile.

“I’m getting more and more scared. I don’t dare call the police. When I saw your ad, I decided to come and see if you could help,” Mrs. Chen said, looking worried.

“Stealing exam papers?” Wang Haitao frowned. “That’s illegal…”

Chen Shi asked Mrs. Chen, “How do you want us to help? Do you want us to find out if they’re legitimate or bust this scam?”

“I… I don’t know.”

“Deep down, you still hope the papers are real and that your child can get into a top university, right?” Chen Shi asked.

Mrs. Chen nodded vigorously.

Chen Shi said, “This is cheating! Even if they can get the exam papers, is it fair to the kids who studied hard for years? And to the parents who sacrificed to buy homes in good school districts? You must have taught your child to be honest, but now you’re teaching them to cheat. This lie will haunt your family. Even if they get into a top university, can they keep up with the coursework? If they graduate and get a good job, it’s all built on a lie. Imagine if after years of hard work, someone exposes this. What price will they pay? The more people know a secret, the more likely it will be exposed. How many people know about this cheating scheme? Do you really think this 200,000-yuan exam paper is a ticket to a happy life? No, it’s harming your child!”