At Ming De High School, unlike many elite schools that had long moved to publishing grades privately through student portals, Ming De still posted rankings the old-fashioned way, on an enormous public board in the academic courtyard, where every student could see exactly where they stood.
The administration had always defended the practice with the same ruthless logic.
Pride was a motivator.
So was shame.
Students who ranked highly would feel the satisfaction of public recognition. Students who performed poorly would feel extreme shame and, ideally, the pressure to improve.
Competition, the school believed, was not something to be hidden. It was to be cultivated. After all, what was the point of ranking students if those rankings remained known only to themselves?
The moment Shi Xian announced the mock rankings had been released, the classroom erupted into movement. Chairs scraped back, students flooded toward the door, and excited chatter filled the air.
