At around 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time on March 17, 2009, Jiang Yubai arrived at his residence in Manhattan, New York City.
A few years ago, his father bought a 570-square-meter flat in the heart of Manhattan. After the competition, Jiang Yubai moved into the house. He stood in front of the French window, overlooking New York City's Central Park. The night lights illuminated the dense forest, high-rise buildings in the distance were lined up, and the endless stream of cars gathered into a prosperous avenue.
Jiang Yubai was watching the night view while holding up a tall glass filled with freshly squeezed orange juice. Jiang Yubai took a sip of the orange juice slowly, just like tasting wine.
He finished half a glass of juice, walked slowly towards the bedroom, and checked his QQ message box.
He found that Lin Zhixia had gone offline.
Today is the day for the second mock exam for the college entrance examination. The Provincial No. 1 High School has given the first and second year students a holiday. Logically, Lin Zhixia should stay at home and chat with Jiang Yubai when she is free, but the QQ contact panel shows that "Xia Xia" is offline.
Jiang Yubai sent a message to Lin Zhixia: "I'm home."
These four short words succinctly summarize his state, appearing both reserved and proactive enough.
He also changed his QQ chat status to "Q me".
Ten or so seconds later, Jiang Yubai didn't see Lin Zhixia, but got a message from Duan Qiyan: "Are you up?"
Jiang Yubai replied: "I'm going to sleep soon."
Duan Qiyan typed a string of question marks and then asked, "Are you in Beijing now?"
Jiang Yubai told the truth: "In New York, USA."
Duan Qiyan's parents restricted his Internet access at home, so he rarely met Jiang Yubai on QQ. Jiang Yubai's chat status was "QQ me", indicating that Jiang Yubai felt empty, lonely and cold in New York, USA. Duan Qiyan asked sympathetically: "Don't you have any classmates around you?"
Jiang Yubai's classmates held a celebration party in the hotel. The classmates were very excited and planned to stay up all night. However, Jiang Yubai pretended that he had something to do and did not attend.
Jiang Yubai insisted on going to bed before 10 o'clock every night - early to bed and early to rise would keep him in good health and help him grow into a tall and straight man.
He told Duan Qiyan: "It's getting late. I'm going to sleep first."
Duan Qiyan replied, "Okay, bye."
At this moment, Lin Zhixia suddenly appeared.
Lin Zhixia's avatar is a strawberry. Her avatar changes from gray when "offline" to scarlet when "online". She is like a hunter wandering in the forest, accidentally discovering a prey waiting to be caught, and she immediately rushes up to him and shouts: "Jiang Yubai!!!!"
She typed four exclamation marks on the keyboard, each one representing a strong emotion she had.
Jiang Yubai held the keyboard and quickly typed out a sentence: "I just came online not long ago."
Lin Zhixia said excitedly: "The sun is shining brightly today. Mom is drying carrots on the balcony, and my brother and I went to help."
It turned out that Lin Zhixia was drying radishes just now.
Jiang Yubai had never dried radishes before. His fingers hovered over the keyboard. Lin Zhixia sent him another video request, and he agreed without hesitation. He and Lin Zhixia appeared on each other's computer screens.
Jiang Yubai asked humbly: "How do you dry radishes?"
Lin Zhixia answered in detail: "My mother bought four pounds of white radishes from the market this morning. We peeled and cut the radishes into pieces and placed them on a piece of gauze on the balcony. After the water evaporated, we got delicious dried radishes."
She also asked, "Do you like dried radishes?"
Jiang Yubai whispered, "I haven't eaten it."
Lin Zhixia tilted her head and said, "If you can come to my house as a guest in the future, I will treat you to a meal."
Jiang Yubai asked uncertainly: "Can I visit your home?"
"Of course," Lin Zhixia said firmly, "You've treated me to several meals before, so it's reasonable for you to be my guest."
Jiang Yubai held the glass: "Will your brother agree?"
Lin Zhixia was silent for a moment.
Jiang Yubai gave in and said, "Forget it, it doesn't matter, there will always be opportunities in the future."
His tolerance and moderation inspired Lin Zhixia's fighting spirit. Lin Zhixia agreed with him to have a meal at her home in July this year. Then, Lin Zhixia ran to the living room and announced resolutely: "Mom, I invited my good friend to visit my home during the summer vacation."
My brother stopped drying the radishes with his hands.
Mom turned and looked at Lin Zhixia: "Your good friend?"
Lin Zhixia said frankly: "A good friend I have known for five years."
The mother immediately agreed: "Sure, come whenever you want, and I'll make lunch for you."
My brother was about to say something but stopped. He was covered in dirt and holding a white radish, and walked straight to Lin Zhixia's room. Lin Zhixia quickly closed the door and locked it.
He knocked on the door outside: "Lin Zhixia."
Lin Zhixia put on her headphones and sent a message through the QQ message box: "Done. See you during the summer vacation."
Jiang Yubai replied immediately: "See you during the summer vacation."
"It's 10 pm New York time, go to bed quickly," Lin Zhixia urged, "You are still growing, don't stay up late."
Jiang Yubai obeyed and said, "Good night."
Lin Zhixia put a bracket and wrote in it: "My second paper needs minor revisions. The reviewers and editor both think that I need to make some minor revisions to the article. It's not a big problem. I think it can be published this summer."
Jiang Yubai shook the chat box and said, "Congratulations in advance on publishing your second paper."
Lin Zhixia responded with a smile.
Life is so beautiful.
Jiang Yubai won the runner-up in the North American high school competition, Lin Zhixia's second thesis was approved, and the admission letter and training program of Peking University were also sent to Lin Zhixia.
In the classroom of Grade 1 (27), Lin Zhixia opened her admission letter in front of many classmates and read it word by word.
Her deskmate Tang Tingting exclaimed: "You are so amazing, you are really amazing."
Lin Zhixia waved her hands and said modestly: "No, I'm not great, I just have a little luck."
Lin Zhixia thought to herself: Yes, it’s all luck. It’s luck that makes me different from everyone else.
A circle of classmates gathered around the seat, and everyone wanted to share in Lin Zhixia's joy.
Duan Qiyan squeezed out of the crowd, stretched out his arm, and finally touched the admission letter from Peking University. He immediately turned around, walked in front of Jin Baihui, and said to her, "Lin Zhixia received the official admission letter."
Jin Baihui's pen tip paused.
It was March, and the weather was still cold. Jin Baihui sat by the window, surrounded by a gray rain. Her hair was tied tightly with a hair tie, revealing her white scalp. She raised her hand, stroked her hair, and slowly said, "Does Lin Zhixia's acceptance letter have anything to do with me?"
Duan Qiyan shrugged and said nothing more.
Jin Baihui asked him relentlessly, "Does Lin Zhixia's grades have anything to do with you?"
The wind was howling, and the rain was blown all over the place by a gust of wind. The window was open a crack, and water droplets splashed on Jin Baihui's desk, wetting her notebook - that was the thickest notebook Duan Qiyan had ever seen in his life.
Jin Baihui's notes are very beautiful, the best in the class.
She prepared excerpt books and error books for each of the six main courses. She adopted the famous "Cornell Learning Method", dividing each sheet of paper into two parts, with notes on the right and ideas on the left. She strictly followed the "Ebbinghaus Memory Curve", regularly arranged for herself to review and summarize the learning content, and created a set of "self-test sequences".
In Class 1 (27) of Senior High School, no one is more hardworking than Jin Baihui.
Duan Qiyan looked down at her handwriting, he didn't know why he was touched.
He was just thinking, what kind of persistence is this? Day after day, year after year, even if Lin Zhixia is like a mountain firmly pressing on the throne of "first in grade"... Jin Baihui has never slacked off for a day, and has never shown the slightest sign of compromise.
Duan Qiyan sighed.
He helped Jin Baihui close the window and was about to leave this place of trouble when Jin Baihui stopped him again: "You are mediocre in qualifications, and you have the nerve to criticize me? You have never been in the top three in class 27. Lin Zhixia's grades are nothing like yours, and you brought her to me to show off. I just remember that you only scored 80 points in math in the last monthly exam. You studied math competitions for six and a half years from elementary school to high school, and you scored 80 points in the monthly exam..."
Jin Baihui chuckled, "You are so weak."
The noisy conversations nearby gradually faded away.
The rain was still falling, the sky was grey, and the water drops were dripping against the glass windows - that was the only noise between heaven and earth.
Duan Qiyan swallowed his saliva, and the sports committee member Cao Wu quickly comforted him: "Brother Duan, Xiao Jin didn't mean that, don't take it to heart."
Duan Qiyan's smile disappeared. His back was bent, his head was drooping, and his eyes were looking at the corner of the wall.
The matter should have stopped there. Jin Baihui remained silent, but Duan Qiyan suddenly said, "Why are you so arrogant? You study 24 hours a day and it's useless. Last year, you failed the high school math league and didn't make the provincial team. A boy from the next class, Class 26, made the provincial team, and even more seniors in the second year of high school made it. There is always someone better than the best. You are no better than others, Jin Baihui, stop looking down on others."
Jin Baihui stood up from her seat.
Cao Wu tried to stop the fight again: "Sister Jin, Xiao Duan's words don't go through his brain, don't take it seriously."
Jin Baihui pulled Cao Wu's hand away.
Jin Baihui's deskmate couldn't stand it anymore and also advised: "Stop yelling at Duan Qiyan, class is about to start."
"Get out of the way." Jin Baihui scolded her deskmate.
Jin Baihui's deskmate is a shy and introverted boy. He is 16 years old. In his 16 years of life, he has never quarreled with anyone and rarely refuses other people's requests. At the beginning of his first year of high school, he accidentally became Jin Baihui's deskmate. Later, he had the opportunity to change seats, but Jin Baihui asked him to stay here, and he kindly agreed.
On weekdays, he and Jin Baihui do not interfere with each other.
Today, Jin Baihui yelled at him for the first time.
He stood up and stepped aside.
Jin Baihui pointed at Duan Qiyan and asked him, "You mentioned the math competition. Okay, I'll do the math for you. You won first prize in the junior high school competition once, but that was it. You never won again. Last year, you won second prize at the provincial level in the senior math competition, which is the worst ranking I've ever heard of. Did you not use your brain when doing the test paper, or did you not work hard at all? You hang out with Tang Tingting and Shen Fuxuan all day long. Their grades are getting better and better, while yours are getting worse and worse. When you first entered junior high school, you were third in the class, but when you came to Class 27 in high school, you couldn't even rank in the top five. If I were you, I would choose to drop out. You don't deserve to participate in the competition."
This time, even Cao Wu was speechless.
All the students in Grade 1 (27) regard competition as their supreme goal.
Telling the students in Grade 1(27) “You are not worthy of participating in the competition” is like telling a well-trained soldier “You are not worthy of charging into battle, you are not worthy of being on the battlefield”.
Every word Jin Baihui said made the situation more serious.
Duan Qiyan straightened his back. He raised his chin and looked at Jin Baihui with a look he had never seen before. He said in a steady voice, "Jin Baihui, you were originally a student of the previous year. You dropped out of the elite class in Beijing and transferred to the first grade (18) class of the Provincial No. 1 Middle School. You have a lot of experience in dropping out. I can't compare to you because I have never dropped out. You are the first in the dropout competition. I am not qualified to participate in the dropout competition."
Jin Baihui's face turned from pale to red.
Her chest rose and fell slightly, her anger unquenchable.
The experience of dropping out of school in Beijing was a thorn in Jin Baihui's heart. No one knew what she had experienced in Beijing. She was unwilling to spend time making friends, so naturally no friends could understand her thoughts.
Jin Baihui's grades were better than Duan Qiyan's, which was her lifeline. Jin Baihui repeatedly emphasized this point, which made Duan Qiyan's anger more and more intense.
They were blocking the aisle between the third and fourth groups.
The whole class was looking at them.
Many people in the class had some complaints about Jin Baihui.
Most of the students in Class 27 of Senior 1 are top students. The competition among top students is very fierce, but everyone still maintains a peaceful atmosphere. Normally, students would exchange notebooks and share their experience in doing exercises, but Jin Baihui never participated in such activities. No one could borrow her notebook, and she always refused without any disguise, and at the same time claimed: I won’t lend it to you, in case you lose my notebook.
Duan Qiyan, on the contrary, is a very enthusiastic person. No matter who asks him to solve a problem, he will give guidance.
Duan Qiyan and Jin Baihui had just quarreled for a few sentences when a classmate passing by asked: Did Jin Baihui offend Duan Qiyan?
Jin Baihui was displeased: "That's Duan Qiyan, the one who teases first is the loser!"
Duan Qiyan chuckled: "During the winter break training session in junior high school, you wronged me first. Now, several years have passed, and you haven't apologized to me."
Duan Qiyan's sarcasm was unbearable for Jin Baihui. She raised her hand and was about to punch Duan Qiyan's shoulder when someone suddenly grabbed her wrist.
She turned her head and saw Lin Zhixia.
Lin Zhixia said softly: "Calm down a little."
Jin Baihui pulled her hand back with all her strength: "Mind your own business."
"I'm the class monitor," Lin Zhixia stood in front of her, "Of course I have to take care of it."
Duan Qiyan called out to Lin Zhixia: "Don't worry about it, Squad Leader Lin, Jin Baihui is not a normal person."
Lin Zhixia actually replied: "Actually, I am not a normal person either."
Duan Qiyan never expected Lin Zhixia to say such a thing.
Why isn’t Lin Zhixia a normal person?
She is the most normal person. She never shows off her grades in front of her classmates.
Duan Qiyan took a step back and frowned slightly: "Do you want to speak for Jin Baihui?"
Duan Qiyan pursed his lips. He grasped the zipper of his coat, and his knuckles turned pale. He sighed, "I still think that I have a good relationship with you."
"It's no use for you to discuss friendship." Shen Fuxuan suddenly interrupted.
The whole class was immersed in an unprecedented awkward atmosphere. The words that Jin Baihui used to insult Duan Qiyan could be applied to any student except the top five in the class.
Lin Zhixia stood beside Jin Baihui, facing the classmates, and said sincerely: "Jin Baihui and I have completely different views. I would like everyone to listen to me..."
"What are you talking about?" Duan Qiyan interrupted, "You will graduate from high school this semester, so there is no need for you to get involved in our affairs. Okay, let's all go back to our seats."
Duan Qiyan's expression was somewhat sad.
Shen Fuxuan sat beside the third group. He stretched out one leg and just blocked Duan Qiyan.
Duan Qiyan asked him, "What are you doing?"
Shen Fuxuan turned his head and said, "Let you listen to what the monitor has to say."
Duan Qiyan asked back: "What if I don't want to listen?"
Shen Qixuan smiled and said, "Oh, you are not as mature as Jin Baihui."
In other words, what Shen Rongxuan meant was that you are more childish than Jin Baihui.
Duan Qiyan held his breath. He could not accept Shen Fuxuan's accusation at all. But he had just had a fight with Jin Baihui, and he could not argue with Shen Fuxuan again, as that would make him look like a hot-tempered fool.
He shut up, stood still, and stayed where he was.
Lin Zhixia said, "I know that everyone is concerned about their academic performance. You will be very sad if you do poorly on the exam. Many factors can determine the final score of an exam paper. No one can always be infallible. All the students in Class 1 (27) have gone through a lot of selection. The school believes that you can participate in the competition..."
Jin Baihui sat back in her seat. She said nothing and concentrated on doing her homework.
Lin Zhixia admires Jin Baihui very much.
Lin Zhixia continued, "I support the parallel universe theory. It is said that after the Big Bang, countless parallel universes were created, just like when you use a straw to blow air into a bowl of water, countless bubbles will appear at the bottom of the water. There is mutual influence between parallel universes. The more positive your attitude is, the more likely you will move in a positive direction and become better and better in all parallel universes. Parallel universes do not evolve independently. Everyone is unique. Your thoughts and soul are more meaningful than test scores."
Jin Baihui interjected: "You can't say that if you don't do well on the test, the results are not important."
"Exams are indeed important," Lin Zhixia agreed. "Exams are a kind of life experience. This kind of experience is neither good nor bad. It is just a component."
She raised her head and looked at everyone: "We are all young, and the future is full of hope. Youth means time, and time means everything is possible."
The area fell into silence.
Lin Zhixia encouraged enthusiastically: "Come on, everyone. I will cheer with you!"
The rain outside the window was getting heavier, soaking the entire campus, washing the flowers, plants and trees. Cao Wu tilted his head and whispered, "Brother Duan, go back to your seat. Be optimistic and don't get angry. You can affect the parallel universe. If Duan Qiyan in the parallel universe is happy, you will be happier in our world."
Duan Qiyan turned his head and looked out the window: "I'm not angry at all. There's no reason for me to be angry with Jin Baihui."
Lin Zhixia replied: "Don't bother her in the future."
Duan Qiyan was indignant: "I didn't cause any trouble to her."
"She won't talk to you on her own initiative," Lin Zhixia analyzed logically, "The next class is math. During the break of this class, she should do some math problems."
As soon as Lin Zhixia finished speaking, the bell for class rang.
The students fled in all directions and ran quickly back to their seats.
Mr. Deng, the homeroom teacher, walked into Class 1 (27) with a stack of test papers in his arms. He stood on the podium, looking at his group of proud students, unaware that during the ten-minute break just now, two of his most admired students had a falling out in public.
"We will have a quiz in this class," Teacher Deng announced.
In the past, whenever Teacher Deng talked about "in-class quizzes", there would be some opposition in the class. But today, everyone silently accepted the reality.
Teacher Deng was a little confused. While handing out the test papers, he asked, "Do the students in our class suddenly like taking exams?"
Duan Qiyan, who was sitting in the first row, replied: "Teacher Deng, we all want to live a more active life."
Teacher Deng smiled and said with satisfaction: "Okay, that's good. You should think more, learn more, do more and practice more."
Lin Zhixia thought that the dispute between Jin Baihui and Duan Qiyan had come to an end.
But she didn't expect that her words also affected Jin Baihui.
After school in the evening, Jin Baihui followed Lin Zhixia from the senior year teaching building to the gate of the Provincial No. 1 Middle School.
Lin Zhixia stood outside the school gate and Jin Baihui passed by her.
Lin Zhixia asked her: "Why are you following me?"
Jin Baihui stopped and said, "There is only one way out of the school."
Tang Tingting held Lin Zhixia's left hand and whispered, "I'm so confused... I want to be positive and influence the parallel universe. But I still can't talk to Jin Baihui. I get scared when I see her. When she scolds Duan Qiyan, it's like my dad scolding me. She's too much of a parent. Is she really our peer?"
Lin Zhixia comforted him: "Don't be afraid, she is not your father."
Jin Baihui turned on her toes and faced Lin Zhixia. She said, "I didn't make the provincial team."
Lin Zhixia nodded: "You are only a freshman this year, and there are still many opportunities."
Jin Baihui added: "I didn't make the provincial team for physics and mathematics, so I have no chance."
Her words were calm and she was just stating a fact.
She adjusted her glasses up. Her prescription had been increased, and the lenses had become thicker, but her vision remained clear.
Lin Zhixia couldn't guess what she was thinking, so she said casually, "Don't put too much pressure on yourself. I think you're too tired. I suggest you go home and ask your mother to cook a table of your favorite dishes. You can eat a big meal, take a hot bath, and go to bed early. Tomorrow morning, we'll talk about the provincial team again."
After saying that, Lin Zhixia walked around Jin Baihui.
Lin Zhixia and Tang Tingting were still holding hands.
Tang Tingting asked Lin Zhixia about her favorite dishes, and Lin Zhixia named two or three. Tang Tingting and Lin Zhixia were chatting and laughing, while Jin Baihui's hand holding the umbrella was slightly tilted, unable to stop the raindrops falling from the sky.
Dusk is falling and the rain is still falling.
The raindrops under the lamp were dense and seemed to be intertwined.
Jin Baihui passed through the barrier formed by the water curtain and walked in front of Lin Zhixia again.
She just wanted to say one thing.
She told Lin Zhixia: "My mother can't cook a table of dishes that I like. If I don't do well in the exam, my mother won't let me into the house. Have you ever stood in the yard on a winter night?"
As she wished, Lin Zhixia looked surprised and confused.
Jin Baihui raised her umbrella handle high, like a strong winner, and walked indifferently past many classmates. She did not greet anyone. She did not need friendship, and of course she did not need sympathy.
Lin Zhixia called out to her: "Jin Baihui, Jin Baihui!"
Jin Baihui quickened her pace.
Suddenly, she wanted to shake off Lin Zhixia and rush to the bus stop.
Lin Zhixia left Tang Tingting and ran behind Jin Baihui.
They were standing on a sidewalk, and students were saying, "Wow, look, there are the first and second graders in the first year of high school, what are they doing?"
Another student said: "Let's have a fight. I heard from the students in Class 27 that they don't fight back."
Lin Zhixia, who was ranked first in the grade, suddenly said, "Jin Baihui..."
Jin Baihui, the second-best student in the class, turned her back to her and said, "I don't want you to pity me."
Lin Zhixia did feel that Jin Baihui was a bit pitiful.
Lin Zhixia would be very unhappy if her mother said something to her, and she would have to be coaxed by her mother. If her mother made her stand in the yard outside on a winter night, she would probably cry and make a fuss, disturbing everyone in the middle of the night and making the whole family restless.
The rain was getting heavier, and the air was filled with mist. Lin Zhixia held her umbrella, her fingers slightly cold, and she said firmly: "Jin Baihui, you will become an extraordinary person."
She added: "It's against the law to abuse young people. You can talk to your mother about it."
"Mind your own business," Jin Baihui commented.
Lin Zhixia turned around and said, "I don't care anymore. Just try your best and hold on for another two years. You will have a bright future ahead of you!"
Jin Baihui said for no reason: "I still hate you."
Lin Zhixia thought: I don’t care whether you like me or not, but she said on the surface: “Have you seen the Tai Chi Bagua diagram? All things are interdependent and interdependent, there is yin in yang, and yang in yin…”
"Are you telling fortunes?" Jin Baihui asked her.
Lin Zhixia shook her head and explained: "In this world, some people like me, and some people hate me. This is the way of yin and yang, and the law of conservation of energy."
Jin Baihui confessed honestly: "I hate you. You are always number one in the grade."
Lin Zhixia laughed: "That can't be helped, I am the top student in my grade. Everything has two sides, I can't just take the 'good' side and eliminate the 'bad' side. The 'good' and 'bad' I mentioned are relative concepts, which are the characteristics of a thing that I can see at present. When I get older and have more experience, I will redefine the 'good' and 'bad' of a thing."
The raindrops drifted in the wind and fell on Jin Baihui's face. She took off her glasses, wiped her face, and said, "No wonder you always get high marks on your essays."
Lin Zhixia took a step back: "I'm done, I'm going home."
Tang Tingting was still waiting for her there.
Lin Zhixia approached Tang Tingting, Tang Tingting put away her umbrella and hid under the edge of Lin Zhixia's umbrella. They crossed the road and walked to the bus stop.
The rain soaked the streets, and the passing wheels made splashing sounds.
As she walked, Jin Baihui muttered to herself: "When you sleep, I study; when you eat, I study; when you play games, I still study. I want the three words 'Jin Baihui' to be printed in textbooks... I can't do it, I can't join the provincial team. You can do it, you have the ability."
She was talking to herself in a nonsensical voice, neither loud nor soft.
The students nearby didn't understand what she meant.
Jin Baihui suddenly put away her umbrella. The cold wind and rain hit her body without any hindrance. All the thoughts in her mind gradually subsided, and her inferiority and arrogance faded at the same time. She finally adjusted her mentality and became the Jin Baihui of the past.
Jin Baihui's personal experience inspired Lin Zhixia's thinking.
Lin Zhixia agrees with one truth: if parents do not take good care of their children's bodies and do not teach them how to take care of themselves, then the scars of childhood may take a long time to heal in adulthood.
After returning home, Lin Zhixia clung to her mother like a piece of candy: "Mom..."
Lin Zeqiu had been taking exams all day today, so he came home later than Lin Zhixia. After he changed his slippers, he heard Lin Zhixia ask in the kitchen: "Mom, do you like me?"
Mom picked up the iron pot and put the braised pork on the plate: "Of course I like it. Mom likes Xia Xia the most."
Lin Zhixia asked again: "Does Mom miss me when I go to school?"
Mom opened the cupboard and answered, "You go to school for only half a day, right? Go in the morning and come back at noon, go in the afternoon and come back in the evening."
Lin Zeqiu couldn't listen any longer. He stretched out his finger and knocked on the kitchen door: "You nagging mother, you are fourteen years old, don't act like a child all day long."
"I never act like a spoiled child to others," Lin Zhixia asked confidently, "Is it any of your business?"
Lin Zeqiu really couldn't control her.
He left the kitchen frustrated.
At this time, Lin Zhixia took out an acceptance letter and said, "Mom, the official acceptance letter has been issued."
The sound of the spatula frying stopped. Mom turned off the gas stove, put down her work, and took the acceptance letter. She lowered her eyes, closed them, and opened them again, her eyes reddened: "Xia Xia is going to college."
"Yes." Lin Zhixia admitted.
Mom stood at the kitchen door and pushed Lin Zeqiu: "Go call your dad."
Lin Zeqiu hesitated and said, "Dad is still watching over the store."
Mom walked out the door and said, "You two should eat first. The food is ready. I'll show your dad the admission letter. Your dad has never seen a college admission letter before. Let's make him happy today."
Mom took the notice to the supermarket at home.
After seeing this, Dad was so happy that he couldn't speak. He clasped his hands together, and his heart was filled with emotion. With his wife's permission, he closed the shop for half an hour, walked back to his home, sat at a dining table, and had dinner with his wife, son, and daughter.
For him, having a meal together with his family is a rare happiness in life.
Dad sighed, and the anger in his chest disappeared. He rolled up his sleeves and said proudly, "Open the wine. I'll drink some white wine tonight."
"Stop," his mother reminded him, "you can't drink."
Dad didn't listen to Mom. He opened the cupboard and took out a bottle of white wine from his collection. He pried open the lid and poured out a small bowl of wine. Instantly, the aroma of the wine filled the air and he was already slightly drunk.
Dad walked back to the table holding the wine bowl. He drank the white wine in one gulp and tasted the wonderful blend of wine and meat with the plate of braised pork on the table. He washed his nose and whispered, "Xia Xia, it's great that our Xia Xia was admitted to such a good school. When Dad was in school, he couldn't even think of this school."
"I didn't pass the exam," Lin Zhixia said, "I was recommended."
"Admission, admission..." Dad repeated it twice.
Lin Zeqiu said nothing.
Mom picked up some food for Lin Zhixia.
Dad opened up tonight. After a while, he said, "Which school did your uncle graduate from? I don't remember, but it was a good school. Hey, when I was going to marry your mother, your uncle laughed at me, saying I had no money, no education, no brains, and no skills. He called me a 'youth with four no's'. I was so annoyed and angry, but I couldn't do anything about him. I wanted to create better conditions for your mother, so that you and your brother could live in a big house in the city... so you don't have to envy your uncle's children..."
"I don't envy Ke Zhuangzhi." Lin Zhixia said directly.
Ke Zhuangzhi is the son of my uncle. He is Lin Zhixia's cousin and Lin Zeqiu's cousin.
Lin Zeqiu echoed, "I don't envy Ke Zhuangzhi either."
After a pause, Lin Zeqiu continued, "Who would envy Ke Zhuangzhi? He is just like that, nothing."
Ke Zhuangzhi once had a fierce argument with Lin Zhixia. One year during the Spring Festival in his hometown, Lin Zhixia almost got into a fight with Ke Zhuangzhi. Lin Zeqiu defended Lin Zhixia 100%, and Ke Zhuangzhi was outnumbered. He might be able to beat Lin Zhixia, but he had no power to fight back in front of Lin Zeqiu, so he didn't dare to make a big fuss.
Dad's words reminded Lin Zhixia and Lin Zeqiu of that experience.
Mom tried to smooth things over by saying, "Okay, let's eat."
Under the bright light, the mother's eyes were red. The heat from the food was rising. Lin Zhixia looked at her mother and asked softly, "Mom, what's wrong with you?"
"Mom can't bear to leave you," Mom wiped her eyes, "You are only fourteen years old, and you are going to college. Your classmates are eighteen or nineteen years old, don't let yourself be bullied."
Dad comforted him: "Good students from good schools don't bully others."
Lin Zeqiu interrupted coldly, "Impossible. Where there are people, there is competition. Where there is competition, there will be winners and losers. Where there are winners and losers, there will be mean intentions. You must not over-glorify good students from good schools. This is my experience."
Neither Mom nor Dad answered.
Lin Zhixia tugged at her brother's sleeve: "Don't be so nervous, I'm not stupid, I can take care of myself. Good students are busy with their own things and don't have time to chat with me."
The rice in the bowl gradually cooled down. The egg custard soaked in the bowl, and the rice grains were distinct, plump and shiny. Lin Zeqiu lowered his head and took a mouthful of rice, chewing silently for a while.
Lin Zhixia said to herself, "After I finish my doctorate, I want to go back to the provincial capital and become a teacher at a university, and be a colleague of Professor Shen Zhaohua."
"Great, great," Dad said in surprise, "There's going to be a professor in our family, right?"
Lin Zhixia happily responded, "Yes, I want to be a professor! Do research, lead a team, and train talents."
Dad was very excited: "Great, Xia Xia, our ancestral tomb is filled with smoke. Your mother and I have not had a single educated person for more than ten generations. You are the first one to be admitted to a university and become a professor."
Lin Zeqiu reminded: "Professor, that's not even the beginning of the matter."
Dad put down his wine bowl and said, "Your sister said she can do it, so she can probably do it."
"That's right!" Lin Zhixia agreed.
That night, while chatting on QQ video, Lin Zhixia showed her acceptance letter to the computer camera. Jiang Yubai praised her and said to her, "See you in Beijing."
She replied with longing: "See you in Beijing."
The university stage will be a new chapter in Lin Zhixia's life.
She can't wait to embark on a new journey.
The final exam of the first year of high school was Lin Zhixia’s last major test in high school.
On the day of the final exam, the sun was unusually bright, the sky was dazzlingly blue, the school buildings were as if coated in light, and the campus scenery was more beautiful than usual.
Lin Zhixia was in a good mood.
However, she and Jin Baihui were assigned to the same examination room.
In early June this year, Jin Baihui cut her hair short. She no longer wears a ponytail, and her short hair looks neat and tidy. When Lin Zhixia asked her why she cut her hair short, she just said: It's easier to take care of.
Jin Baihui's seat was diagonally in front of Lin Zhixia. During the exam, Lin Zhixia could see her when she raised her head. Her thin spine supported the pure cotton fabric, reflecting the shape of her underwear. She was too thin, and her arms were like two parallel straight lines with a bone in the middle.
She was wearing a washed-out red dress. She always liked to wear red when taking exams.
Lin Zhixia seemed to be thinking about something.
The first-year high school exam lasted three days and covered nine subjects in total: Chinese, math, English, physics, chemistry, biology, politics, history, and geography. Lin Zhixia answered all the questions carefully—except for Chinese, for which she did not write an essay.
On the day when the results were announced, Lin Zhixia was ranked second in her grade for the first time in her life, while Jin Baihui was ranked first in her grade.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com