Chapter 78 Mother's Phone Call

【It’s a sunny day today, I hope everyone has a good mood~】

send.

Chen Xiao'er laid on the bed and typed a long string of messages, ranging from [Hehehe, I'm no longer single, I feel so good, I'm spiraling to heaven] to [My heart is so pounding that I can't breathe. How can I be so lucky? I must be favored by God~].

Then, word by word, I retreated, leaving only the last sentence of "good mood". Because that was enough.

I'm very happy, Zero.

"Hehe." She rubbed the pillow with a chuckle, muttering to herself, "I told you not to ask, why are you still asking me if I'm happy or not, hehehe."

The senior's calm, stunned, elegant, and slightly worried expressions flashed through my mind. Of course, the centerpiece of the scene was that genuine smile.

Senior's face... is really suitable for smiling.

Only when she smiles, the emotions deep in her eyes come alive, just like the goddess in the painting fluttering her eyelashes.

She breathed a sigh of relief: College life has just begun. In the future, I must make my senior sister smile more.

【Your friend Xiao Nuan liked this】

Xiao Nuan is really fast.

Chen Xiao'er habitually switched browsers and prepared to go online to the campus network to see what everyone thought of yesterday's comprehensive test and today's physical test.

I'm not the only one who thinks the questions are super difficult, right?

She spent a long time in the forum and was surprised to find that no one was discussing the cultural subject placement test.

It's not like no one mentioned it at all; someone did ask how to solve a certain problem. The tone of the question was quite casual, as if they were simply curious about the answer, rather than worried about getting it right.

There's a rather confusing post on the forum. I don't know who took this backlit, overexposed photo and posted it here. The post is titled "I'm so moved I'm speechless, I really can't name it."

Then the comments below kept coming in, all with comments like, "Thank you for posting this," "Wow, your camera is amazing! I wish I had one," and "Thank you, thank you! I'm going to save this photo and pass it on to my kids."

“?” Chen Xiao’e clicked on the photo and enlarged it on her phone.

The entire photo is completely black, with only a very bright white spot in the middle.

Generally speaking, even in art, some features should be added to the position and edges of white spots or black backgrounds to stimulate divergent thinking in the viewer.

But no matter how hard she looked, she couldn't see anything special. It would be better to stick a banana on the wall with tape, which would contain more information.

Perhaps it's simply the beauty of the image that earns praise? But is this photo really that beautiful? Is there something wrong with my aesthetic sense?

Chen Xiao'er didn't know much about photography and didn't dare to comment, so she just quietly swiped away to check other posts.

She quickly found an interesting post among the trending posts, which was an official campus post titled [Sports Highlights - May you run towards a hopeful future].

The building is full of photos, and every photo shows students exercising.

The young men and women were full of vigor, their movements, running and leaping, brimming with youthful energy. What was particularly remarkable was the expressions on the students' faces: no matter where the light shone, there was no pain, only determination.

Most of the photos are in color, with a few being in black and white, presumably for artistic effect.

Lin Lang's pink hair is so eye-catching! And she seems to be always in the lead, appearing in the foreground of every photo.

Xiao'er immediately liked the photo with Lin Lang's close-up, and downloaded it to her phone so that she could make a dormitory photo album later.

Qian Xiaomei's athletic ability is incredible! Her high jump height... even the double jump in the game isn't that high. If Chixing had an Olympics, she'd definitely compete.

[Xiao Ai: I worship the boss (like)].

Hey, Zheng Lu’s performance was also good.

I originally thought that Zheng Lu's family members weren't very good at sports, but I didn't expect her rhythmic gymnastics moves to be so standard. Just looking at the static pictures gives off a sense of graceful movement.

However, rhythmic gymnastics is an elective. If you choose it, you will have to take an extra test, which may be a disadvantage if you don't really like it.

After Chen Xiao'er liked Zheng Lu's picture, she intentionally or unintentionally skipped the following photos. After all, Ling was not pictured in any of them.

The student union isn't recruiting from this class... Is it because the new students' hair color is darker? Haha, how could that be possible?

Click.

Her finger stopped, resting on her own photo.

This photo is part of a series. The first photo is a close-up of everyone on the climbing wall, all working hard to climb. The second photo shows her holding on to the rock, struggling to move upward bit by bit.

...is it too scary?

The girl in the picture is gritting her teeth, with her hands and feet placed on different rocks, and her muscles are trembling, looking very embarrassed.

Because she had never made a similar expression before, Chen Xiao'er felt a strange sense of unfamiliarity when looking at this photo.

She shook her head and walked away, a little afraid to read the comments.

But she couldn't help wanting to read the comments! She slid her fingertips lightly, tapped the comment section, and slowly opened her eyes.

"like."

"Come on, Chen Xiao'er!"

“I was right next to you at the time.”

“I was inspired.”

…

Everyone behind the Internet expressed pure kindness, and among the ever-increasing number of likes, there was no ridicule such as "so ugly" or "suggest controlling your expression".

Thanks.

Tears welled up in my eyes and fell quietly when I squinted my eyes.

Chen Xiao'er slid the picture up and down and found that this close-up of herself was really "special".

Other photos have been processed with some degree of artistry, such as filters and photo-editing effects, or captured from unusual angles.

But she didn't add any special effects to this photo. Compared with other people's photos, the difference is like the difference between an artistic studio photo and a natural travel photo.

The second point is the high number of likes and comments.

The students passing by probably noticed the peculiarity of this photo, and those comments... to be honest, were a bit too cautious, as if they were afraid that she would become mentally unbalanced after seeing the ugly photo.

Am I really being targeted by the school?

No, it might not be the school that is targeting me, but some teachers who think I have "taken the back door".

However, if I really took the back door, then it is understandable that others would target me.

“Huh~”

Chen Xiao'er lifted the bed curtain and took a peek outside secretly.

My senior was still in the student union, being scolded by the president. Lin Lang and Zheng Lu should have returned from the gym and were heading to the cafeteria by now. So... I should take this opportunity to talk to Mom.

She was indeed more willing to confront her mother privately than with Professor Milo, a complete stranger. Chen Xiao'er quietly climbed out of bed, slipped into the bathroom in her slippers, and locked the door.

Cough, cough, cough.

She cleared her throat and nervously dialed the number, her fingers clicking the buttons with an unusually smooth motion, without a second thought.

Beep...beep.

Click, the call was connected, much faster than expected.

The cell phone should be placed right next to the pillow, or Uncle Liang should be standing next to my mother.

"Mom." Although she had rehearsed the words in her mind, she still choked up when she spoke: "Is Xiaotong okay?"

"…very good."

Chen Yunshu's voice sounded softly. She seemed more worried about her eldest daughter and immediately asked, "What's wrong? Did you get wronged at school? Did anyone... ahem... bully you?"

Hearing her mother's pause, Chen Xiao'er quickly wiped away her tears and shook her head vigorously, holding up her phone. "No, no, I'm doing great! My classmates are all very friendly, and my teachers take great care of me..."

"That's good. Don't worry about the money."

Beep beep.

The phone vibrated, and a moment later, my mother's gentle voice came from the receiver.

"I transferred 30,000 yuan to you. It should be enough for your monthly expenses. Don't be hard on yourself. If you need money, just tell me directly."

"Oh, no need for that. I just got a scholarship! A lot of money!"

Chen Xiao'er paused for a moment, then mustered up the courage to ask softly, "Mom, do you have any behind-the-scenes...deal with the school?"

“…”

"I'm sorry!" Xiao Ai immediately lowered her head, even though Chen Yunshu couldn't see her at all and she curled up in the bathroom. "I was just too suspicious—"

"Yes."

"ah,"

From the other end of the line came her mother's gentle but firm reply: "I did make a deal with Taoli College. I'm sorry, Xiao'er... well, you still know."

Click.

Chen Xiao'er fell onto the toilet, her legs weakly pressing against the tiles.

Why, Mom?

Isn’t the answer obvious? Because I don’t deserve to go to such a good university.

A cold voice sounded in her heart, tearing apart her luck.

[Otherwise, why would the best university in the country specifically admit you? ]

"Otherwise, why would the professor take such good care of you and even force you and Zero to be in the same group?"

[Otherwise, why would you be given so much scholarship for military training?]

Otherwise, who is this inexplicable malice and goodwill directed at?

Everything is my own fault. It is the result of my mother forcing me, who is not a very good person, to do things for me.

"Xiao Ai, I hope you know."

Chen Yunshu's voice suddenly rose, and the weakness in her body disappeared in the strong emotion: "Mom did this not for anything else, but for you—and everyone's future."

“…Wow, this is so selfish, Mom.” Chen Xiao’er choked.

She knew that her mother must have strong confidence in her child, but the facts proved that her efforts could only narrow the gap between her and the geniuses a little bit, and could not change the future at all.

Most people's lives are so ordinary. I just want to do my best to make life better for myself and those around me.

Did this petty, selfish reason deprive another genius of the right and destiny to go to Taoli University?

"Xiao Ai, this is completely my wishful thinking...it is just my obsession, my mistake."

"Then - just tell the school and let others..."

"No, cough cough cough."

Xiao'er was so frightened by her mother's violent cough that she dared not speak. After a long time, Chen Yunshu's voice sounded again. She was still gentle but more determined.

"Xiao Ai, don't let others deceive you... and don't stop moving forward. Keep going, keep moving forward. No matter what... keep moving forward."

“…”

"This is Mom's last, final, and...only dream. For this, Mom can bear all the sins. I just want to see you and Xiaotong...living together in a beautiful, very beautiful, new world."

…

After a long silence, crying and unclear closing words, the phone was finally hung up.

Chen Xiao'er sat at the table and wiped away her tears with a tissue.

She looked at the girl in the mirror with red eyes, and once again possessed the ferocity in the photo: So cunning, Mom.

What "dream" are you talking about? If you pin all your hopes on me for a happy life on campus and for Xiaotong to grow up, then what other options do I have?

So cunning, Chen Xiao'er.

I knew how unfair and unjust all this was, but I couldn't drop out of school and couldn't refuse to carry on this dream.

I couldn’t even say no – all happiness.

I want to be a happy college student, spend my college life happily with my classmates, be a happy lover of Senior Ling, and bring a happy future to all my friends.

"I won't let you bear this mistake alone, Mom."

Chen Xiao'er brushed her fingers across the mirror and swore to herself: For the sake of a classmate whose place I might have squeezed out without her knowing, and for this extra treatment, I must become a student worthy of this treatment!

What is the purpose of human survival?

Chen Xiao'er cannot give a definite answer now. But if my mother's happiness means Xiaotong and I have a happy life, then my happiness is -

"I want to bring smiles to everyone." She pressed her forehead against the cold mirror to transfer the warmth.

"Xiao'e?"

The dormitory door opened, and Lin Lang, with his furry hair, poked his head in. He waved the plastic bag in his hand at her. "I brought you dinner~"