Living in the county has its advantages. Compared with those students who live in various towns in Ruxu County, students who live in the county can return home quickly after the results come out and share the good news with their families in person, such as Xu Jiahao.

While Xu Jiahao was happily sharing with his family the news that his college entrance examination results had been blocked and that there was a great chance that he would be admitted to Beijing University or Shuimu University, Zhang Li was still sitting on the rural-urban bus returning to her hometown.

It was June 25th, and it was already summer. The weather was very hot, and the temperature was really high. The scorching sun shone on the metal roof of the car, baking the small carriage like an oven, making the driver and passengers in the carriage appear restless.

Even though it was so hot, this somewhat shabby rural bus had no air conditioning. There was only a small electric fan placed on the top of the door on the side where people got on and off the bus. It was working with all its might, trying in vain to dispel the heat in the car.

Although it was very hot in the carriage, fortunately, Zhang Li was sitting on the side facing away from the sun and next to the window.

Even though the position where Zhang Li was sitting happened to be a blind spot of the fan, fortunately, some breeze could still be brought in while the vehicle was moving.

The breeze blew on Zhang Li's body and face, not only dispelling some of the heat for Zhang Li, drying the sweat on her forehead, but also slightly extinguishing some of the restlessness in her heart.

Zhang Li rested her elbows on the car window and held her face with her palms. She stared blankly at the scenery outside the window that kept flashing past her, her mind filled with all sorts of random thoughts.

Like Xu Jiahao, Zhang Li did not choose to call home directly, but chose to wait until she returned home and share the good news with her family in front of them.

So, shortly after checking the grades and the principal announced that everyone should go home as soon as possible, Zhang Li hurriedly said goodbye to her teachers and classmates and rushed on her way home.

After getting in the car, Zhang Li, who had been busy all the time, finally had some free time to think and digest this sudden and wonderful news, which was like the sound of nature to her.

605 points, ranking 400th in the province.

This result was something Zhang Li would not have dared to imagine or even thought of a year ago.

Zhang Li can still remember how she felt on this day last year when she learned that she had scored 510 points in the college entrance examination and could not even get into a third-tier university.

Lost? Frustrated? Dejected? Or some other emotion?

Zhang Li couldn’t say for sure, but it was probably a very complicated emotion.

But what Zhang Li can remember is that when she learned her score, her first reaction was that she was sorry to her parents and that her life was ruined.

However, fortunately, she had her father's persuasion and support, and Zhang Li herself did not want to give up on herself and go to college or interrupt her studies. She chose the same path as her father, leaving her hometown and going to work to earn money.

In the end, Zhang Li went to Ruxu No. 2 Middle School to repeat her senior year.

Now Zhang Li is extremely grateful that she went to Ruxu No. 2 Middle School to repeat her senior year, and later met her homeroom teacher, Mr. Zhou, and went to study in Mr. Zhou's class.

However, Zhang Li went to No. 2 Middle School and joined Teacher Zhou's class. She only thought that she would be satisfied if she could get into a second-tier university. She never thought that now, she would...

"We've reached the final stop, everyone get off the bus, everyone get off!"

The conductor's shouting brought Zhang Li back from her memories. Zhang Li pulled herself together, stood up from her seat, got off the bus under the scorching sun, and headed home.

...

...

Zhang Li's home.

Zhang's mother, who had gone to the street to sell a large load of vegetables in the morning, had already returned home.

After cleaning the house, I got some rice and cooked it. Then I went to the vegetable patch behind the house to pick some fresh vegetables to stir-fry for lunch.

During the past period of time, these tasks were assigned to Zhang Li, who was resting at home.

But today, because her daughter Zhang Li had received a notice before, the school asked them to go to the school to check their scores together. As a result, no one else did the chores at home today, and Zhang's mother had to do it herself.

At first, Zhang's mother was extremely reluctant when she received the call.

According to Zhang's mother, can't we check it at home? Why do we have to spend that much money and go all the way to the school to check it when we can just make a phone call or borrow a computer from the third uncle's house in the front village to access the Internet?

However, when Zhang's mother was told that this was a treatment that only the school's top students and those who had a good chance of being admitted to a key university could enjoy, she happily asked her daughter to go to the school to check her scores.

Not only that, Zhang's mother even asked Zhang Li to leave early this morning so as not to make the teachers wait anxiously, even though Zhang's mother actually knew that the time for checking scores is usually after 10 o'clock.

"Mix some cucumbers, pick two tomatoes and make an egg soup, pick some cowpeas, and stir-fry some beans with pork belly. That should be enough!"

Zhang's mother squatted in the vegetable patch, picking vegetables and muttering to herself.

"Her aunt!"

On the other side of the road, a woman of about the same age shouted to Zhang's mother, "The meal is not ready yet, you are picking vegetables. Why don't you come to my house to eat?"

Mother Zhang raised her head and looked towards the roadside.

After seeing who the person was, Zhang's mother secretly spat, thinking it was bad luck, but a smile appeared on her face, "Mother Chunhua, why haven't you come home yet?"

In rural areas, especially in villages with a certain surname, such as Wangjia Village, Lijia Village, and Niujia Village, many people in the village are related to each other.

It is obvious that Zhang's mother and the other party are also relatives, but they are already five generations apart.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Zhang's mother finally explained to the other party, "I can't go, I've already cooked the meal! I just need to stir-fry two more dishes and we'll be ready! Zhang Li has to come back to eat later!"

"Hey, where is your Zhang Li today? Isn't she always at home at this time?"

This aunt, who was called Chunhua's mother by Zhang's mother, was not aware that today was the day for checking the college entrance examination scores. Therefore, she was also not aware that Zhang Li went to check her scores today.

When she heard the other party mention Zhang Li, a smile from the bottom of her heart appeared on Zhang's mother's face.

"Oh my~~Where can I go~~The college entrance examination results are out today! The school is insisting on doing something. All students who did well in the exam have to go to school together to check their scores. Isn't this just a hassle?"

"But there's nothing we can do. Our child is still in someone else's hands, right?"

"Her mother, Chunhua, tell me, the school has said so. I can't stop our Zhang Li from going to school, right? There is no other way, I have to let her go!"

When she said this, the smile on Zhang's mother's face became brighter.

There was a hint of pride and complacency in his expression.

...

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