7 She Was Determined to Change Destiny Against All Odds

During that period, Zhang Guimei reorganized all the teachers' files. She discovered that out of the remaining seven teachers, five were members of the Communist Party.

Yes, they were all party members. Perhaps this was the greatest binding force.

Holding onto this firm belief, she gathered the other teachers. Zhang Guimei shared her thoughts with everyone, and they revisited the oath of joining the Party together.

As they couldn't afford a Party flag, they drew one on the wall.

"I voluntarily join the Communist Party of China..."

Before finishing the sentence, Zhang Guimei broke into tears. Everyone cried.

"Principal Zhang, we won't leave!"

"Tell us, what should we do?"

Looking at the teachers in front of her, Zhang Guimei regained hope.

They gave her immense courage.

With these teachers staying, she could negotiate with the county to keep the school running.

That day, everyone agreed on one thing: to persevere, no matter how tough it got!

Persistence brings hope!

For now, the teachers staying solved a major problem.

But now, another challenge emerged: the students they admitted had very poor foundational knowledge.

Due to poverty, some hadn't completed elementary or middle school. Some who participated in the entrance exams didn't meet the required scores.

Their poor academic performance wasn't due to skipping classes for internet cafes or playing video games. It was solely due to poverty and lagging behind.

While scriptwriters in movies didn't understand the struggles of girls from the mountains, Zhang Guimei did.

Other schools rejected them due to their weak foundations, but she was willing to take them in.

As long as they wanted an education, for every student who came, she accepted one.

To many, these students with such qualifications getting a high school diploma was a blessing.

But Zhang Guimei had high expectations for these children.

Her goal was to ensure each student, at least, made it to a higher education institution.

In the eyes of many, this was an impossible task.

But Zhang Guimei refused to accept fate.

She was determined to help these students realize their worth and step out of the mountains.

Soon enough, she took practical actions that silenced all these doubters.

8 Three Years of Dedication, It Paid Off!

Faced with this situation, Zhang Guimei was prepared.

Next, she was ready to implement the "question flood strategy." Despite many people not agreeing, she believed that the slower bird could fly first and diligence could make up for weakness.

In the shortest time possible, she aimed to supplement the students' weak foundations and close the gap with others.

For the next three years, Zhang Guimei, along with the entire school faculty and students, dedicated themselves wholeheartedly.

Everyone was immersed in studying day and night.

At 5 in the morning, Zhang Guimei used a small loudspeaker to wake up each and every student layer by layer.

During the day, she made everyone race against time, finishing meals in 10 minutes, entering the classroom in 3 minutes.

At night, after the study session ended past 11, she escorted the students back to their dormitories.

This routine repeated itself.

Zhang Guimei was always the first to rise and the last to rest during that time.

During that period, everyone gave it their all.

Zhang Guimei was putting in effort, the students were putting in effort.

Even the remaining teachers were putting in effort.

Some attended their wedding ceremony in the morning and returned to school for class in the afternoon.

Some underwent surgery and were ready to leave the hospital at the doctor's order.

All teachers and students were racing against time, yet not a single complaint was uttered.

As days turned into years, in the blink of an eye, three years had passed.

Zhang Guimei ushered the first batch of students into the examination hall.

On the day the results were released, all the teachers gathered to help the students check their scores.

"Passed."

"Got in."

Good news kept pouring in.

Every time someone spoke, it meant another student had crossed the line.

During this college entrance exam, all the students performed exceptionally well.

Zhang Guimei, watching everyone's excited expressions, suddenly felt like crying.

From the depths of her heart, she believed that the three years of dedication had paid off!

In 2011, 69 students from Huaping Girls' High School qualified for university admission, achieving a 100% overall acceptance rate.

Zhang Guimei, along with everyone, had created a miracle!

It was through this perseverance that they paved the way for the future of the girls from the mountains.