On the morning of the 23rd, Ruan Bei, who had gone out for a late-night snack to celebrate after midnight and thus slept in late, was woken up by a phone call.
Still half-asleep, Ruan Bei reached for her incessantly ringing phone. Without even checking who was calling, her voice was heavy with sleepiness: "Hello?"
"Top scorer! You're the top scorer in the college entrance examination! Ruan Bei, you've really made your teacher proud!" The homeroom teacher's gruff male voice burst out from the phone, deafeningly loud. Ruan Bei subconsciously moved the phone away, thinking he had accidentally turned on the speakerphone.
"Top scholar?" Ruan Bei was stunned for a moment. His sleepiness was scared away by this keyword. He looked at his phone screen and saw that it was indeed a call from his homeroom teacher.
"Teacher, what did you say?" Ruan Bei wondered if she had misheard.
"I'm telling you, you're the top scorer in this year's college entrance examination!" The homeroom teacher was overjoyed. He hadn't even finished teaching this year's class yet, and now his class had produced a top scorer. For a teacher, this was an achievement!
"Really?" Ruan Bei still couldn't believe it. His score was indeed high, higher than he expected. But he remembered that last year's top scorer in the science college entrance examination in the province had a score of over 720, while he only had a little over 710.
“It’s true, I received a call from the school’s academic affairs office early this morning. The principal told me himself.”
Ruan Bei pinched his arm; it hurt. It wasn't a dream.
"You know someone in the senior year of high school who had the same total score as me, right?"
"Of course I know. It's your good friend, right? A double champion. It's been so many years since our province has seen one. That's really impressive."
The homeroom teacher praised them highly: "The school may be holding a meeting in a few days, and we'd like you two to come back and share your good study methods with the younger students!"
The homeroom teacher praised him extensively on the phone, and Ruan Bei was still somewhat dazed even after the call ended.
Mrs. Ruan was used to waking up early. When she heard no voices coming from the bedroom, she knocked on the door: "Who's on the phone so early? Why don't you get up, have some breakfast, and then go back to sleep?"
Ruan Bei said in a daze, "Mom, our homeroom teacher called and said that Kun Kun and I are this year's top scorers in the college entrance examination..."
Mrs. Ruan lost her grip on the water glass and it fell to the ground. Luckily, the water inside was warm, so it wasn't scalding. The glass was an old porcelain jar with a dent, but it wasn't broken.
"I'll call your dad!"
"Don't you even have a second thought..." Before Ruan Bei could finish speaking, her mother had already run out, not even bothering with the cup that had rolled on the floor.
After Ruan Bei washed the cups and mopped the floor, Ruan's mother was already on the phone discussing his graduation banquet with his two aunts.
Because it's difficult to communicate over the phone, his aunts, uncles, and godmother have all set off for the Ruan family.
Ruan Bei suddenly felt a pang of anxiety. He checked his call log and confirmed that his homeroom teacher had indeed called him that morning before he felt a little relieved.
After washing up and changing their clothes, they went upstairs and met Qin Gu. The two of them said in unison, "You received a call too."
Ruan Bei breathed a sigh of relief and slumped onto the sofa: "I still suspect I'm dreaming. This dream is too beautiful. When the results came out yesterday, I didn't even dare to think about being the top scorer. I scored nine points less than last year's top scorer."
One point in the college entrance exam can make all the difference between countless people. He was already very satisfied with his excellent score, but he never expected to be the top scorer.
Qin Gu sat next to him: "The homeroom teacher just told me that this year's questions were more difficult, so the overall scores were relatively low."
Ruan Bei was speechless. He suddenly remembered that after the exam, he and Kun Kun both said the questions were easy. Fortunately, they were just talking about it at home. If their classmates heard them, it would sound like a top student showing off.
"Am I that good now?" Ruan Bei asked in surprise. His grades were actually not bad. He was able to rank in the top ten of his class at a provincial key high school, even though his English was a weak point. His other subjects were quite excellent. However, there were more outstanding classmates around him, so Ruan Bei would not compare himself to them.
"Of course, in the last mock exam, I was first in the grade, and you got the same score as me, so you were also first."
Excluding English, he consistently ranked first in all other subjects. Later, as his English scores improved, his ranking rose higher and higher. Unlike Ruan Bei, whose English prowess improved slowly as his vocabulary grew, Ruan Bei's English scores rose gradually, and his ranking also improved more slowly.
He didn't underperform in this college entrance exam; when the scores were being calculated, he knew Xiao Bei would definitely do well.
Ruan Bei looked at him with a long gaze: "I asked you before, and you said you were in the top ten of your grade."
With exams every day in his senior year of high school, he couldn't possibly ask questions every day. He was almost obsessed with studying during that period, so he didn't pay much attention to the rankings of the senior year.
"I used to be in the top ten." Qin Gu smiled and changed the subject: "Did you know that the school gives a bonus to the top scorer?"
"Really?" Ruan Bei asked, overjoyed. "How much?"
"I didn't ask, but it should be around ten thousand yuan." Jincheng No. 1 High School is a provincial key high school, so they wouldn't be stingy with the bonus, especially for someone like the top scorer in the college entrance examination.
"That's pretty good too!" Ruan Bei didn't think it was too little at all. Ten thousand yuan was a lot, at least he had an excuse not to ask his family for tuition and living expenses.
He plans to support himself after university. He currently has over 100,000 yuan in savings, which should be enough for four years of university if he doesn't spend it recklessly.
Of course, making money is still important. I heard that the Special Affairs Bureau isn't easy to get into. At least after you've completed your apprenticeship, you can work as a side job when Kunkun goes on missions. You'll learn to draw talismans and run errands, and you can get some of Kunkun's bonuses, which will be enough for you.
A year later, his older sister graduated and started working, so he no longer had to support him and his sister. He then had an excuse to persuade his father not to work so hard.
Even if you can't bear to close the snack shop, it's always good to reduce the business hours to just open it at noon or in the afternoon, or from afternoon to evening, so that Dad can rest more.
"The two of us!" Ruan Bei suddenly realized a crucial point: "Should the bonus be split between the two of us?"
That's five thousand per person.
"It shouldn't be that bad," Qin Gu said nonchalantly. "It's alright, I'll give you my bonus too."
Ruan Bei stood up and reached out to pull him: "No, I don't want it. You earned it yourself. Come on, let's go out for breakfast. I'm hungry."
His mother didn't make breakfast this morning; she bought steamed buns and porridge from outside, and because he slept in, he didn't get any.
The two of them went to a food stall outside for breakfast and brought some back for the older sister. When they got home, sure enough, their mother had already woken them up. They hadn't even changed out of their pajamas. The mother and daughter sat together and made phone calls one after another.
Ruan Bei heard her mother ask, "Whose family hasn't been called yet?"
Ruan Xi thought for a moment: "It seems like we've already called. It's not appropriate to call the neighbors directly; we should go to their homes. Should we call our hometown?"
Ruan Bei's hometown is his uncle's house. Ruan's mother was not happy about it. Ruan Xi looked up and saw Ruan Bei and Qin Gu, and immediately had an idea: "Ask Kun Kun about his master and senior brothers. We should also call and inform them. When we hold the graduation banquet, we should also reserve a place for Kun Kun's side."
That's right, they're already making arrangements for a graduation banquet. They'll call to share the good news first, and then it will be a natural thing to host a banquet later.
Qin Gu immediately raised his hand: "I don't need to. My master and the others live far away. If I call, it will be too much trouble for him to come all the way here. I'll just let you know when Xiao Bei and I go out to play."
Ruan's mother regretfully gave up and asked Ruan Bei for the contact information of all the teachers. Even if others didn't ask, she definitely wanted to contact the teachers.
Ruan Bei quickly put down the breakfast he bought, called Ruan Xi to come and eat, and then pulled Qin Gu away.
Once outside, Ruan Bei said to Qin Gu, "Actually, I think the person who should be invited the most is our senior."
It's a pity he can't come.
Qin Gu gave him a suggestion: "Instead of inviting him to dinner, why don't you burn a few more books for him?"
Thinking back to the last few times I visited him, he always seemed engrossed in his books, Ruan Bei couldn't help but laugh: "That's true."
The two went upstairs not just to find some peace and quiet. Just now, Ruan Bei received a call from his homeroom teacher, who mentioned asking Ruan Bei about his college application.
As the top scorer in the provincial college entrance examination, getting into the top 2 universities is definitely not a problem, but Ruan Bei is determined to go to Jincheng University, which is also a very good university, so this is not a big issue.
Ruan Bei had absolutely no idea what major to apply for.
He used to think about studying medicine, but now he has no such idea at all. He didn't want to study medicine because he liked it, but because of his parents' views. Doctors are respected and have stable salaries. Regardless of talent, hard work can make up for some of the gaps. He also has the ideal of becoming the top in the industry.
But now he has seen another wonderful world and is full of anticipation. However, the busy study and work requirements of a medical student greatly limit his ability to start a side business.
Furthermore, hospitals are places where the chances of seeing ghosts are much higher than elsewhere. What if he sees an ugly ghost while stitching up a patient's wound and his hand slips? That would be a serious matter.
He was unaware of his college entrance exam results beforehand, focusing solely on his studies, and certainly wouldn't have been in a rush to think about his major before anything was even decided.
Now that everything has settled, with this score, he can choose any major he wants, but he's at a loss.
"Kunkun, do you have a favorite major?" He wanted to get his friends' opinions.
Qin Gu shrugged: "Really not."
His upbringing and experiences made it difficult for him to develop curiosity about ordinary professions, and he lacked the desire to study them in depth.
"You're so good at math and science, haven't you ever thought about pursuing a career in that area?"
Qin Gu rested his chin on his hand and said a few serious words, which was rare for him: "I do have some talent in those areas. If I were to struggle to make ends meet and face hardship in the future, I would definitely choose to study a major that I am good at in order to make a living in the future. But I will not be short of money, so these are not my choices."
He was actually saying this to Ruan Bei, hoping that he would choose what he liked rather than what he was good at, since Ruan Bei was also quite good at math and science.
"Are you trying to persuade me?" Ruan Bei understood his unspoken meaning and, mimicking his gesture, rested her chin on her hand and murmured, "Yes, this time I can choose the major I like, but what do I like..."
He thought for a long time but couldn't come up with anything. Qin Gu couldn't stand it anymore: "Handicraft? I think you're very skillful."
From kindergarten, when he learned origami, Ruan Bei was the best craftsman in his class. He earned a whole box of little red flowers. Even when he went to his hometown in the countryside to play with mud, Ruan Bei's mud balls were rounder than the other children's.
Later, when he grew up and played with model blocks, he helped Ruanxi braid bracelets when the girls started braiding ropes. He learned all sorts of patterns very quickly.
Ruan Bei was initially delighted, but then he was both amused and exasperated: "Do universities have majors that teach handicrafts?"
"Yes, there are quite a few," Qin Gu said. "If you think it's feasible, let's look in this direction."
Ruan Bei pondered for a while. He was indeed quite interested in handicrafts, and he found it very interesting to knit sweaters for his mother. It might sound a little unmanly, but he enjoyed it...
"Then... shall we take a look?"
“Okay, let’s search.” The two of them each handed over a mobile phone and began searching for relevant majors.
I didn't know until I searched that there are quite a few craft-related majors, especially in the design schools of some art universities, where many majors require a lot of hands-on learning and production.
However, these majors are more suitable for specialized art schools. Ruan Bei was unsure whether Jincheng University offered these majors, so he picked a few that interested him and searched for them on Jincheng University's official website.
"Take a look at this." Qin Gu nudged him and handed him the phone.
Ruan Bei looked down and asked, "Cultural relic appraisal and restoration?"
Qin Gu tapped his phone screen: "Are you interested in this? It can fully utilize your strengths, and the repair work requires a lot of manual labor."
Ruan Bei has the ability to see ghosts. Once he learns to observe qi, he can accurately identify cultural relics with a single glance. He is like someone with superpowers.
Ruan Bei looked at it carefully for a while, and the more he looked, the more interested he became. He felt that this major was perfect for him.
Normally, cultural relics and history majors recruit liberal arts students, but this one is different; it recruits science students! And the requirements for physics, chemistry, and biology are particularly high!
Although I had already decided to choose a major I liked, it was still a bit of a pity that such high grades weren't put to good use. But now it's not a pity at all.
In his previous life, Ruan Bei studied Chinese language and literature, and he had a great fondness for culture and history. In addition, he would be studying metaphysics in the future, which would inevitably involve dealing with ancient books and Taoist scriptures. No matter how he thought about it, he felt that this major was very suitable for him.
"You've got your eye on it?" Seeing the corners of his mouth curl up, Qin Gu felt relieved: "Learning this is good. If you want to make your own artifacts in the future, you can find an excuse to imitate the ancients and make replicas."
"This is it." Ruan Bei made up his mind to study this. As for the graduate post he had just seen about the difficulty of finding a job, Ruan Bei was not too worried.
He'll be a part-time civil servant in the future, with a base salary, so he won't be worried.
"And you?" Having settled himself, Ruan Bei looked at Qin Gu.
Qin Gu raised an eyebrow and smiled: "Me? Of course I'll learn the same things as you."
Ruan Bei hesitated, and Qin Gu said with displeasure, "What, is it not allowed? Don't you want to come with me?"
“You know perfectly well that’s not what I meant.” Ruan Bei glared at him. “I hope you choose what you like first, not just to be with me.”
Qin Gu's gaze fell on Ruan Bei: "I chose the one I like."
Those eyes were so deep and unfathomable, as if they held a thousand unspoken words. Ruan Bei felt a burning sensation starting from the roots of his ears. He jumped up in a panic, threw down a sentence, and ran away: "I'm going to see if my sister has eaten."
The door closed, and Ruan Bei rushed down the stairs. Qin Gu leaned back and slumped onto the sofa, covering his face with his outstretched right hand: "Still too small..."
I'm not even an adult yet, so I don't dare to speak too obviously, for fear of scaring him. I haven't dared to share a bed with him lately either.
Ruan Bei rushed home, the sound of the door slamming startling his mother and Ruan Xi. Ruan Xi glanced behind him and asked, "What happened? Were you chased by a ghost? Where's Kunkun?"
It's scarier than being chased by a ghost! He's not afraid of ghosts anymore.
Ruan Bei couldn't bear to hear Kun Kun's name anymore. He mumbled a reply, then rushed into his bedroom and collapsed onto the bed, refusing to move.
Why do people say that when you like someone, you should stare at them?
Kunkun was talking about his profession, but somehow he seemed a little gay...
No, no, he shouldn't presume to suspect his friend's sexuality; that's impolite.
My heart is racing. What's wrong with me? All I did was have my friend glance at me.
Ruan Bei pressed his chest, thinking that he must have run too fast when he went downstairs. He would be fine after resting for a while.
Ugh! So annoying!
Ruan Bei rolled around on the bed a few times, not knowing what was bothering him, he just couldn't calm down.
He hesitated for a long time, and when his mother asked him to go upstairs and call Kunkun down for lunch, he was still a little reluctant.
When he finally saw him, he was just like always. His good-tempered and reliable childhood friend reappeared, and Ruan Bei's inexplicable inner conflict vanished just as quickly.
Ruan Bei smiled again, a trace of disappointment quickly passing through his heart, without even attracting the master's attention.
The next day, Ruan Bei and Qin Gu were invited to the school, where they met the principal, the school leadership, their respective homeroom teachers and subject teachers, all of whom looked delighted.
No wonder. The last time Jincheng No. 1 High School produced a top scorer in the college entrance examination was five years ago. As a long-established provincial key school, it has been overwhelmed by rising stars in recent years. The inability to produce a top scorer affects the student body. The loss of excellent students affects the school's performance, creating a vicious cycle, unless there is a breakthrough in education.
The principal also asked them about their choices, but fortunately they had already decided yesterday.
Ruan Bei and Qin Gu were frank. The school had no objection to the school they applied to. Jincheng University was a prestigious university, and since the children didn't want to leave home, the school couldn't persuade them otherwise.
But when they heard the majors the students had chosen, the principal and teachers were stunned. They looked at each other for a while, and then the principal asked with a smile, "Have you consulted the parents?"
Cultural relic appraisal and restoration is a niche major with high professional standards, yet these two kids enrolled in it together.
Ruan Bei nodded: "I asked, and my parents said it's up to me."
Mr. and Mrs. Ruan have always respected his and his sister's opinions.
Qin Gu continued, "I'm the only one left in my family, so I can make my own decisions."
Principal and teachers: "..."
Alright, as long as you've reached an agreement, they won't dare to object anyway, given the example of the previous top scorer in the college entrance exam.
I said goodbye to the teachers, making an excuse that I needed to look around the school, and didn't let them see me off.
Ruan Bei secretly told Qin Gu, "I want to go see my senior."
Qin Gu pulled him back, and Ruan Bei asked in confusion, "What's wrong?" Kun Kun had never stopped him from contacting Wang Bufan before.
"...His death anniversary is coming soon."
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