Chapter 48. Fang Minzhou didn't know how to respond...
Fang Minzhou didn't know how to reply to Wang Kan, so she sent a congratulatory emoji. Wang Kan probably assumed that she had no problem and replied with an even cuter one.
Wang Kan: Jiangda, here I come! / kisses
Fang Min smiled briefly, but the smile quickly faded. She noticed her father watching her out of the corner of her eye, and her heart sank. She put her phone away.
Sure enough, when she got home, her father said he wanted to talk to her.
Zhao Ningying noticed the strange atmosphere between the father and daughter. "What's wrong?"
“It’s okay, I’ll just talk to her about filling out college applications,” Fang Liangping said.
"Oh..." Zhao Ningying was still a little skeptical. "What would Minmin like to eat? How about we go out to celebrate tonight?"
"I'm fine with anything," Fang Minzhou said. "I can eat at home too. I'd like to have sweet and sour pork ribs."
Zhao Ningying happily agreed.
In the bedroom, Fang Minzhou sat down in the chair in front of the desk. Fang Liangping stood to the side, casually picked up a book from the bookshelf, flipped through it, and put it back. "After listening to what the teacher said, what are your own thoughts?"
Suppressing some unconscious fidgeting, Fang Minzhou clasped her hands together and calmly replied, "Anything is fine with me, I need to think about it."
Fang Liangping slowed his speech: "Your mother and I wanted you to get into Jiangda University. It would be close to home if you wanted to. You probably thought getting into Jiangda would be great, but look, as long as you work hard, you can get into Beicheng too. University is a place to broaden your horizons, so don't be afraid. Just treat it as a chance to train yourself. After you graduate, it's up to you. If you want to stay in Beicheng, your parents will support you."
Fang Minzhou couldn't resist scratching at the tabletop.
But if her parents don't pay attention to her, she might have a problem with that, right?
She always asks for too much.
“I know,” she replied.
Dad looked at her, as if pondering or observing, and remained silent for a moment. Mom was on the phone in the living room, and because she was so happy, her voice faintly drifted into the silent bedroom.
"Choosing a university is like a mini-college entrance exam. Many people get high scores, but they fill out the application randomly and end up not getting into any schools. Others may not have scored very well, but if they fill out the application carefully, they might get into a good university. Do you know that?" Dad spoke again, his tone a little more serious than before. "You need to think about it carefully and take responsibility for yourself."
“…I know.” Fang Minzhou repeated the same sentence.
Fang Liangping couldn't believe it. He looked at Fang Minzhou and asked, "Who were you texting just now?"
Fang Minzhou did not answer.
"Is it that boy from before?"
All the pretense has finally come to an end.
The undisguised disappointment on her father's face stung Fang Minzhou, making her feel as if a veil of shame had been torn off. It was as if he knew everything she had done all along, but had simply turned a blind eye. And now, she had foolishly betrayed his trust. But what had she done wrong?
Out of resentment at being misunderstood, out of anger at being disciplined, and out of exhaustion at no longer wanting to hide, Fang Minzhou admitted, "Yes."
She admitted everything; she wanted to see her father's true feelings.
Dad's face turned grim, and after a long while, he finally asked, "What score did he get on the college entrance exam?"
Fang Minzhou hesitated for a moment before truthfully reporting Wang Kan's score.
Fang Liangping had a good idea of what was going on, and then asked, "What school does he want to apply to?"
Fang Minzhou was speechless once again.
"So you want to go to Jiangda with him, is that it?" Fang Liangping said with exasperation, "Do you even know what you're doing...?"
“I know.” Fang Minzhou couldn’t help but interrupt her father, “I…I just want to think about it some more.”
"What's there to think about?" Fang Liangping was furious. He was as happy and excited as he was when he learned about Fang Minzhou's grades, and now he hated the boy who had run off with her. "You told me you two weren't dating? Is this how you lie to your father?"
"I'm not lying to you...we weren't dating at that time."
"Back then, back then, so what about now? You said you wanted to go on a trip with your classmates, was that boy there too? But Dad didn't stop you because I thought you knew what you should and shouldn't do. But now you can go to Beicheng but you don't want to go, you want to go to Jiangda instead?"
“I…” Fang Minzhou paused, taking a deep breath. Still sitting in the chair, she stopped looking at her father and didn’t want to explain further, but she still chose to make it clear, “I told you, I just wanted to think about it alone. Before, I and… agreed to go to Jiang University together. I’ve always wanted to apply to Jiang University…”
"I already said I didn't!" Fang Minzhou stood up, unable to bear it any longer, tears welling up in her eyes uncontrollably, which she hurriedly wiped away in a flustered manner.
She didn't understand why her father was so insistent that she should give up Beicheng University because of Wang Kan. Was it because he no longer believed her? Her voice trembled slightly, and she seemed unwilling to believe it either, "...Do you really think that's who I am?"
A silly daughter who only thinks about dating and "willingly degenerates"?
“Wang Kan and I only got together after the college entrance exam because I was afraid it would affect my studies…” She enunciated each word carefully. She knew her father must have a very bad impression of Wang Kan now, but she had to say it. “His grades weren’t very good at first, and then because I said I wanted to go to Jiangda University, now… if I don’t go to Jiangda University, do I need to give him an explanation?”
From a young age, they taught her to be honest, trustworthy, and to keep her word, but in reality, at their age, there was no need for grand promises. It was normal for students to skip class or be a few minutes late for appointments with friends. In her eighteen years, there were countless rainy days, but only one boy once ran towards her in a torrential downpour.
If she were the one to be the "traitor," she really... she just felt terrible.
The father remained silent for a long time, long enough for Fang Minzhou to regain her composure.
“Dad got too emotional just now,” Fang Liangping said with difficulty. “Dad shouldn’t have said that to you.”
Fang Minzhou felt a lump in her throat and quickly lowered her head.
"But Dad is saying all this for your own good. About you and that guy... you can see Dad hasn't interfered because I know you're older now, and dating is normal, but..." Fang Liangping sighed again, speaking earnestly, "You're still young, and you think about many things too simply. You might think that going to the same university means you can be together every day, but is that really useful? You still have to study, and you'll make new friends. No one can guarantee what will happen to you in the future. What you can do is focus on your own lives. Think about it, if he had done better on the exam today, what would he have chosen, and what would you have chosen... If this guy really likes you, he'll definitely consider your feelings."
The fingernails pinched the pads of the fingers, leaving curved marks.
"Think about it carefully... Dad's gone out."
Fang Minzhou nodded, and just as the door closed, she looked up and tears fell.
Class 7 did exceptionally well this time. Sun Tong was first in the whole school and the top science student in the city. I heard that Teacher Zhan will not be teaching the senior class next year. Their results can be considered a significant exclamation mark on her career.
Wang Kan found out about her grades anyway. Some choices were obvious, so he called her directly and asked, "So... what are you thinking?"
She knew his worries, and he could guess what she was thinking. In the few silent seconds, they understood each other perfectly.
Wang Kan chuckled dryly, his voice still sounding relaxed: "Then I'll go to Beicheng too."
"You don't want to..."
"What do you not want?"
"Don't do it because of me... Look at your own score first, and stick to your original plan," Fang Minzhou explained, afraid that Wang Kan would act impulsively.
“That’s my idea,” Wang Kan said. “Although Beicheng University is out of the question, other schools in Beicheng should be possible.”
"Didn't you want to study architecture or mechanical engineering?"
"Just report these, anything else is fine too," Wang Kan said nonchalantly.
Fang Minzhou wasn't unmoved, but this feeling was overshadowed by something much bigger, something she dared not accept, something even more difficult than an expensive gift.
Given Wang Kan's score, due to the province's protection policy, she might have just been able to be admitted to the science and engineering program at Jiangcheng University. However, by giving up Jiangcheng University and coming to Beicheng University, she ended up being a step down.
"...What did your parents say?"
“They can do whatever they want with me,” Wang Kan said.
He's lying; his parents are overjoyed and preparing to celebrate his admission to Jiangnan University.
"Wang Kan, don't do this." He heard Fang Minzhou repeat herself on the other end of the phone, "You need to consider the school and the major, don't..."
She stopped, looking quite helpless.
Since you can't see an expression on a phone, and Fang Minzhou didn't speak, Wang Kan felt even more flustered. He curled one corner of his mouth and asked, "What do you mean by 'don't'?"
Is she going to call him willful or childish again?
Don't change your college application because of me, don't come to Beicheng just because I'm going there. She can't take the responsibility. Fang Minzhou wanted to say this, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.
Wang Kan's patience ran out, so he simply asked her, "Are you going to apply to Beicheng University?"
Fang Minzhou didn't answer immediately, and Wang Kan laughed, "Is there anything I can't say?"
His mocking laughter made Fang Min's heart tighten. She licked her lips and said, "Yes."
"Great! Then I'll go to Beicheng too. Don't you want me to go to Beicheng?"
She wanted to, but could she say it?
Fang Minzhou sat at the table. "If it weren't for me, would you want to go to Beicheng?"
For some reason, Wang Kan felt a chill run down her spine upon hearing Fang Minzhou's words.
Was it because of her composure throughout? Or because she could make such an assumption so easily? He just smiled and said, "Of course, why wouldn't I?"
Fang Minzhou paused, then sighed, "Don't say things out of anger."
“I didn’t say anything out of anger, nor was I angry,” Wang Kan said. “You’ve already given me a preconceived answer; you don’t want me to go to Beicheng with you.”
Wang Kan's vivid fantasy of going to university with Fang Minzhou had vanished like a bubble, and she felt like a clown. If she hadn't learned her grades from someone else, when would she have told him? Or was she planning to keep deceiving him until she finished filling out her college applications?
“That’s not what I meant. I just wanted you to fill out your college application carefully.” Fang Minzhou realized that she and Wang Kan weren’t on the same page. “…Let’s leave it at that for now, we’ll look at it again in the next few days.”
"Okay, let's see which schools in Beicheng are suitable for me."
"Wang Kan." Fang Minzhou called his name again. His sarcastic and provocative words annoyed her. She wanted to curse him, but she wanted to cry even more. She held back. "I'll say it again, don't waste your points. Choose a major and school that you are interested in. Discuss it with your parents. Don't insist on coming to Beicheng just because I'm going there. I... I can't take responsibility."
She still said those words, Fang Minzhou thought in a daze.
For a long, long time, Wang Kan remained silent. Fang Minzhou almost suspected that their call had been interrupted. Then, a voice with a half-smile came from the other end of the line: "Fang Minzhou, are you unable to take responsibility, or do you simply not want to?"
He became stubborn again, and Fang Minzhou held back her anger. "I'm hanging up. There's a school volunteer guidance meeting tomorrow. I... I'll help you get the materials."
Wang Kan: "I don't want to."
Fang Minzhou hung up the phone.
After the phone automatically turned off, it lit up again as new messages were received. The screen flickered on and off as Fang Minzhou sat at her desk, lost in thought.
I've torn out all the sticky notes I used for exam preparation, but I haven't put away all my study materials yet.
Back then, I would think from time to time that I would be free after the exam. I thought the worst possibility was that they both underperformed and didn't get into Jiangnan University, and that they wouldn't be in the same city. But it turns out that this is not a one-to-one mapping relationship.
Those few days at the beach now feel like a dream. They've returned to a world of calculating gains and losses, where no matter what they do, it seems impossible to achieve a happy ending. Fang Minzhou slumped over the table, suddenly wondering if a truly happy ending even exists in this world.
Most of the graduates and their parents attended the lecture on the second day. Fang Minzhou's parents had to work, and since she had basically confirmed her university application, they didn't accompany her, which made Fang Minzhou feel a bit more relaxed. She received many congratulations, and some people jokingly called her modest because they saw that she wasn't happy at all. This inadvertently hit the nail on the head regarding Fang Minzhou's feelings, and she could only smile.
After a morning of reflection, Fang Minzhou had confirmed one thing: at least for now, Jiang University was indeed the most suitable university for Wang Kan. To be honest, she felt a sense of relief; she couldn't think too much about it, lest the dust settle again.
After the meeting, she and her classmates went to the office to see Teacher Zhan, who finally had some free time.
Unlike his usual casual demeanor, Teacher Zhan displayed a kindness typical of his age. After everyone chatted amongst themselves for a while, Teacher Zhan thoughtfully spoke with each of them individually.
When it was Fang Minzhou's turn, Teacher Zhan watched her sit down with a mixture of satisfaction and pride. Everything was understood without words; Fang Minzhou smiled gratefully at her teacher.
Have you decided what major to choose?
After Fang Minzhou answered, Teacher Zhan said it was good, "Is it a major you're interested in?"
Fang Minzhou was stumped by the question. She couldn't say she was particularly interested, but she didn't have any particular preference either. Precisely because of this, she felt that someone like Wang Kan, who had dreams and a professional career, shouldn't be easily influenced.
Teacher Zhan looked understanding, but said tolerantly, "This is normal. I didn't want to be a teacher at first, and even after I became a teacher, I never thought I would be a teacher for life."
When she was a child, Fang Minzhou heard many of her classmates' dreams of becoming teachers in her essays, so much so that she thought all teachers were determined to educate and nurture people from a young age. Teacher Zhan's words were very special, but she did not go into details. "You can wait until you go to university and then slowly explore what you want to do. All you have to do is move forward and move up naturally."
Fang Minzhou blinked, not pointing out the contradiction in the statement: perhaps going with the flow is because there is no direction.
But she also understood what Teacher Zhan meant. Just as water flows downhill, people strive to go uphill. The former is a natural law, while the latter is a survival rule.
"Do you remember what your teacher said to you in your second year of high school?" Teacher Zhan said, "You are very smart, hardworking, and lucky. Seeing your excellent results, I am truly happy for you."
Fang Minzhou felt like crying again. "Thank you, teacher."
"Not everyone's talent and hard work will be rewarded. If you do, you should cherish it. The teacher is not saying this to make you work even harder. There is no end to hard work, right? Hard work does not always guarantee a reward, but you can believe in your own strength."
Fang Minzhou nodded.
"I hope everything goes well for you in the future, that you don't suffer too much, and that you can find your own formula for happiness."
The formula for happiness—that's what Teacher Zhan told them before the college entrance exam.
She said that they are only eighteen years old now, and it is hard not to regard high and low scores as success or failure. But when they are twenty-eight or thirty-eight years old, they will find that this exam does not determine their life. Many scientists have made unexpected discoveries in experiments that failed at the moment. "So everyone's life is like a process of constantly conducting experiments. You can think about what you want most. As a teacher, I hope that you can all be happy and joyful, and that depends on your own balanced formula."
As Fang Minzhou walked out of the office, Ouyang Qian asked Teacher Zhan what they had talked about. Fang Minzhou said it was hard to summarize, but it was almost the most heartfelt conversation they had had in the past two years.
Ouyang Qian bent her five fingers and made a "digging" motion, jokingly saying, "I don't want to lay my heart bare."
Fang Minzhou also smiled.
She was a little disappointed that Wang Kan didn't come, otherwise... She then thought of Sun Tong, who also didn't come.
"Does Teacher Zhan often say that to her?" Fang Minzhou thought with a hint of envy.
Ouyang Qian also did very well on the exam. She wanted to go to another province but was still considering it. When it was her turn to go into the office, Fang Minzhou went back to her original class to wait for her. The classroom had been cleared out, and a few students were chatting. Fang Minzhou stood in the corridor, quietly gazing at the campus.
The sky is overcast; the typhoon is coming soon. The high temperatures of the past few days have dropped slightly, and there's a hint of rain in the wind.
When Lin Sinian walked over to her and congratulated her, Fang Minzhou was a little embarrassed because he had always been the second-place student in the class.
In her senior year of high school, she aimed to surpass Sun Tong, but in reality, none of Lin Sinian after Sun Tong ever took the exam.
The college entrance exam was truly an unexpected event.
Lin Sinian laughed, "I've always felt that one day you would surpass me."
"...Really?"
Lin Sinian smiled but remained silent, meaning he wanted Fang Minzhou to guess. This made Fang Minzhou unable to suppress her laughter. Regardless of whether it was true or not, his generosity made her feel less reserved.
The two chatted for a while longer. Someone downstairs saw Lin Sinian, waved and called out to him. After he responded, he said to Fang Minzhou, "Then let's meet in Beicheng?"
Fang Minzhou paused for a moment, then nodded in greeting: "...See you in Beicheng."
They all turned around. Wang Kan stood by the wall, staring at them expressionlessly.
Fang Minzhou's eyes lit up, but Wang Kan's gloomy expression made her suppress her surprise with some doubt. Nevertheless, she smiled and asked him, "What are you doing here?"
Isn't he in the south of the city?
"Why can't I be here?" Wang Kan flexed her wrists and slowly walked towards them.
His approaching menacing aura caused Fang Minzhou to frown.
Lin Sinian, standing to the side, glanced at Fang Minzhou, then at Wang Kan. He sensed something was amiss, but having heard about their relationship, he assumed they had a falling out. He smiled and tried to lighten the mood: "You two..."
He had barely finished speaking when he was punched in the face.
Fang Minzhou cried out in surprise.
Lin Sinian staggered two steps, covering his face. Wang Kan grabbed his collar fiercely, about to throw two more punches, but Lin Sinian hooked his leg and knocked him to the ground. The two boys immediately began to fight fiercely and cruelly, their fists pounding together. Amidst the terrified screams and chaotic footsteps, everything was shocking.
Fang Minzhou tried to pull them apart after she realized what was happening, but she didn't know where to start. Suddenly, Ouyang Qian grabbed her, saying, "You'll get hit!"
Finally, Zheng Yanhang and several other boys struggled to pull the two apart from behind.
"What's going on?!" Zheng Yanhang shouted.
Wang Kan was still struggling, staring intently at Lin Sinian, veins bulging on his forehead as if he had seen an enemy. Lin Sinian, on the other hand, was much calmer, raising his hand to touch his broken lip.
Seeing that Zheng Yanhang and his group couldn't subdue Wang Kan, some of the girls watching were so frightened that they took a few steps back.
"Wang Kan, have you gone mad?!"
The man, as if injected with a tranquilizer, abruptly stopped moving, his bloodshot eyes staring straight at Fang Minzhou.
Zheng Yanhang gritted his teeth, not daring to breathe.
In the silence, Wang Kan clearly saw the anger, worry, confusion, and...fear on Fang Minzhou's face.
With reason and senses returning to normal, he began to feel the pain on his face and body, but nothing compared to the pain in his heart.
“You…” Fang Minzhou saw Wang Kan covered in sweat, his face flushed with injuries, his clothes wrinkled, and he looked unfamiliar yet made her heart ache. And his usually smiling eyes were now filled with disappointment in her.
Wang Kan forcefully shook off Zheng Yanhang. In an instant, he noticed everyone surrounding him warily. He sneered, looked at Fang Minzhou, and said, word by word, "Don't worry, I'd rather die than go to Beicheng."
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