Jiang Xiu went to jail, Guo Xueyun left behind a mess, and Yuan Zhong's return to work at the school seemed a long way off.
Taking advantage of this break, Jiang Wanqing introduced Molly to Principal He and asked her to substitute for him.
After working for almost half a month, Molly received unanimous praise, while Yuan Zhong was completely forgotten.
After class that day, Jiang Wanqing lingered at the school, standing on the playground waiting for the broadcast to start.
She looked up, calculating the time; it was today…
"Wanqing, what are you looking at?" Molly walked over to her and asked.
"Shhh."
She made a shushing gesture: "Good news, you'll find out soon enough."
Jiang Wanqing never lies to others, let alone to herself, so Molly stood with her with nine-tenths of her trust.
A buzzing sound of electricity soon came from the radio.
"Next, a breaking news report: Following a decision at the meeting, the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao) will resume this winter. All aspiring young people are welcome to apply..."
"Reinstate the college entrance examination?!"
Molly jumped up excitedly, grabbed Jiang Wanqing's arm, and her face turned red.
"Wanqing, did you hear that? The college entrance exam... the college entrance exam is going to be reinstated. Is this the good news you were talking about?"
“Yes, this is our turning point, Molly, listen to me…”
Jiang Wanqing suppressed her excitement. She had finally received this news. In her previous life, it was at this time that she first went to ask how to apply for the exam. However, when she told Yuan Zhong, he used various excuses to stop her and used sweet words to persuade her to give up and fully support his exam. In the end, she ended up with a miserable fate.
So this time she was all too clear about what the college entrance exam meant to her: it was a leap forward, an opportunity, for her, for Molly, and for women like them.
"We're both taking the college entrance exam this year. Let's start preparing together tomorrow, okay?"
“Okay! But…” Molly nervously licked her lips, “I…can I do it?”
After the initial excitement, Molly felt more uncertain. She had spent too long in the countryside and had almost forgotten what the city was like, let alone the concept of the college entrance examination.
"Yes, we can all do it."
"Okay, I'll listen to you."
"Okay, let's go back and get ready."
After the broadcast ended, the two left the school. Along the way, they heard many people discussing the news announcement, which had clearly sparked heated discussions throughout the streets and alleys.
A stumbling man rushed out of a pub and nearly knocked Molly over.
"Go away, go away! What are you doing, causing such a drunken scene in front of me? What does the resumption of the college entrance examination have to do with you? Look at you, where is the air of a scholar? Get out of here, get far away, you're such bad luck!"
"Hahaha... Of course it's related to me. The resumption of the college entrance examination... I finally have another chance. With my abilities, I finally have a place to showcase them. So what Jiang Xiu said was true..."
Jiang Wanqing helped Molly steady herself, and only then did they realize that the man was Yuan Zhong, who was talking incoherently and reeking of alcohol, completely different from his usual self.
She wanted to go over and argue with him, since he had bumped into her, but Jiang Wanqing held her back.
"That's so unlucky."
"That's right, this kind of person is rotten to the core, let's go."
Molly patted her sleeves in disgust and tried to walk around Yuan Zhong, that drunkard, from the other side, but at that moment, he also recognized them.
"It's you... Jiang Wanqing, Molly, I've finally met you! You've made me suffer so much! How does it feel to climb over me to get ahead? Especially you, Jiang Wanqing, you're so vicious! You stop right there!"
He wiped the wine stains from the corner of his mouth, and seeing the two about to leave, he staggered forward to stop them.
"Jiang Xiu is in jail, and I've lost my job—it's all your doing! You thought I couldn't recover from this? Hmph, so you've miscalculated too! Did you hear that announcement? The college entrance exam is back! Hahaha... Just you wait, once I get into university, none of you will be more noble than me!"
Molly was so angry that she shoved him hard.
"What are you doing, getting out of here? You think you're so high and mighty? Humph, you're just a clown who doesn't have any of those qualities. You think you can go to university? Your criminal record is thicker than a book. You really dare to dream." Molly pulled Jiang Wanqing behind her: "Let's go, let's ignore this lunatic."
"You...you just wait!"
With a loud crash, Yuan Zhong smashed the wine bottle in his hand and screamed hysterically.
Jiang Wanqing scoffed coldly. In his previous life, he did get into university. As for this life, whether he can get in is a real question.
"What kind of person is this... He keeps making the same mistakes and never learns from them. He has no integrity and no ability. I don't think he can even roast a sweet potato!"
Along the way, Molly cursed Yuan Zhong relentlessly. When they arrived at their lodgings, Hong Xing, who suddenly appeared, chimed in.
"What roasted sweet potatoes? It's not even winter yet and you already want roasted sweet potatoes? Okay, I'll get you some another day, but for today, you should eat some beef first."
He abandoned his usual disciplined demeanor in front of Cheng Ran, and was so happy with a paper package that he almost jumped for joy. He only calmed down when he saw Jiang Wanqing.
"Ahem... Your sister-in-law is here too. Um... the canteen slaughtered a cow, and I'm sending some to Comrade Molly to try. Battalion Commander Cheng also took some home, so you can eat it when you get back."
Everyone knew he was interested in Molly. Jiang Wanqing, who had just been thinking about the college entrance exam and her past life, snapped out of her reverie and patted Molly's arm teasingly.
"Then I'll be going now. Don't forget what I told you."
“Hey, Wan…”
"Molly, this is still warm, take it quickly."
After Jiang Wanqing left, Hong Xing felt much more at ease. He stuffed the tightly wrapped beef into Molly's hands, blushed, touched his ears, and chuckled twice.
"Are you stupid? You don't know how to keep the good stuff for yourself, and you send me all sorts of things. What kind of behavior is that? Does your boss know?" Molly shoved the things back: "I don't want them, take them back."
"No, it's for you. Battalion Commander Cheng knows that. Besides, who else would I give my things to if not you?"
"Give it to whomever you want, I don't want it. I feel bad about always taking things from you."
"What's the big deal? I'm giving it to you voluntarily. Besides, you use your brain a lot now that you're a teacher, so you need to replenish your brain even more."
"I'll be using my brain even more when I'm studying. You brought me beef today, what will you bring me next? Don't spoil me, it'll interfere with my college entrance exam preparation."
Upon hearing the words "college entrance examination," Hong Xing scratched his head, as if he hadn't quite grasped the meaning or didn't understand.
"What college entrance exam?"
"The news has been broadcast everywhere, how could you not know? Go back and watch the news, I'm not keeping you any longer, go on."
Molly didn't take his things, quickly pushed open the door to go home, and then closed the door in one smooth motion.
She leaned against the door and patted her chest. She needed to devote some of her energy to preparing for the college entrance exam and working, so she really didn't have much time to spend on a relationship that she only vaguely understood.
"I'm sorry..." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
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