Chapter 363
"What do you think?" Mr. Parker asked, without looking at the man.
The man was speechless. What did that even mean? He'd already stated his opinion.
"Are you sure that's the case? Or was it an assumption?" Mr. Parker continued. His words confused many, leaving them wondering about his meaning.
"Judging by the answer sheets, quite a few of you shared the same opinion, didn't you?" he asked.
The crowd remained silent. Given their earlier arguments, producing the answer sheets was unnecessary; many disagreed anyway.
"What do the others think?"
After a final round of questions, he said, "Let's announce the results."
The examiner, nodding respectfully, stepped forward. Ten people had been selected. He began announcing the results, starting from tenth place.
Lily was surprised to see Noah take second place. She glanced back at him; he was looking at her, giving a slight nod and smile. He looked confident.
With only first place remaining, the atmosphere grew tense. It was a win-or-nothing situation. Everyone craved the honor and fame. Therefore, when the examiner announced, "Lily," a stir erupted.
"Her?! How is that possible?!"
Whispers filled the crowd. Many were unconvinced. Their disbelief was evident in the numerous murmurs: "How could she possibly win? There's something shady going on." "The sampling competition has been around for years, and there's never been such a suspicious outcome. It's unheard of." "Isn't she a friend of Mr. Parker's daughter? No wonder." "Did Mr. Parker give her tips beforehand?" "Why bother asking questions? Just give us the answers."
Various opinions flew, but the result failed to convince almost everyone. No one believed Lily deserved first place, feeling they were superior.
"Wait a minute! I question this result!" someone objected, raising a hand.
Despite Mr. Parker's presence and the finality of the results, their contempt was uncontainable.
"I don't understand how she…" the speaker pointed at Lily, "could win first place. Is she better than us? How are we inferior? I demand a convincing answer. Otherwise, this is unfair!"