Liyun No. 1 High School was rural, and its overall results were mediocre. The studentsâ performance in Class 5, the worst in the school, could be imagined.
In the early nineties, Liyun Townâs economy was barely getting on track. Culture values and ethics lagged behind, and the municipal government wasnât capable enough. Naturally, darkness was abundant and its inhabitants thrived. The Jiangs dared to enter Lin Jingzheâs home and take away his inheritance in broad daylightâthatâs how bad the public security was.
The âbig brothersâ and their followers, who sauntered through town, playing, drinking, and having fun with women, enjoyed a wonderful life under the fiction of law that existed in name only. Lin Jingzhe had witnessed the rising dust clouds when this superstructure collapsed and seen its wreckage, but he couldnât deny it was impressive in its prime.
Most Class 5 had given up on the college entrance examination. While other students quietly stayed in their classrooms studying, Class 5 gathered near the toilets on the corridorâs end to watch the excitement. As soon as Lin Jingzhe appeared behind Gao Sheng and Hu Yu, he was treated like a hero returning in triumphâ
The group of rebellious, jovial young men rushed to clap him on the shoulders and back, praising him enthusiastically.
âDude, youâre way too badass!â
âThis grandfather wanted to scold Li Yurong like that since 800 years ago!â
âYeah, what fucking English, her pronunciation is totally off and she says itâs a fucking London accentâŚâ
The students in Class 1 thought themselves superior and tended to not interact with students from other classes. Hu Yu was afraid that for Lin Jingzhe, one of the top students, coming in contact with her unruly children would be too much of a âculture shock,â so she intended to shoo them away. However, to her surprise, the boy didnât reject or despise these students with poor grades. He gave as good as he got instead. He even revealed a disdainful sneer on his face and pounded the ringleader on the shoulder, saying, âWeâre graduating soon, you think Iâm scared of that shrew?â
The other boy was stunned for a moment, then the smile on his face became much more sincere. He pushed away a few of his followers blocking the way and hooked an arm around Lin Jingzheâs shoulders. He said, voice fond, âGuys, Lin Jingzhe is all right. My name is Deng Mai, and from now on, weâre buddies.â
He was tall and swarthy, but his regular facial features made him look handsome and dashing, even if not conventionally. How could Lin Jingzhe not recognize him? In the future, Deng Mai would fare the best out of Class 5. He didnât continue to study but started working right after graduating, like Gao Sheng. However, unlike him, he didnât follow a âbig brotherâ but opened a bar instead. Later, nearly all bars in Liyun and the neighboring towns were under his name. Lin Jingzhe had a good impression of him because this person attached great importance to friendship and often visited Hu Yu. After Gao Shengâs death sentence Deng Mai, like Lin Jingzhe, concealed the news of Hu Yu passing away so Gao Sheng wouldnât suffer even more.
Lin Jingzhe was always grateful for that.
Sometimes, when he used to remember his youth, he thought himself a stupid, ungrateful ass and regretted his past behavior. At the time, he couldnât accept the transfer to Class 5 and provoked everyone. He refused to associate with the students who, he believed, were ânot on the right track,â and never considered how sad that would make Hu Yu feel.
People didnât know the preciousness they had until they lost it.
By this time of year, almost all third-year coursework was reviewing what theyâd learned. Lin Jingzhe turned on the desk lamp, opened his math textbook, and started to look through it quickly.
There was a thick stack of textbooks at his elbow, of all subjects.
What questions appeared in this yearâs college entrance examination? Over twenty years passed since he took it, and heâd long forgotten. However, he still had vague memories of some questionsâthe ones fiendishly hard for a high school student.
After a whole day in school, Lin Jingzhe didnât find any of the problems they reviewed familiar. As expected, it was impossible to count on the teachers to chance upon the right ones. He decided to take matters into his own hands.
He returned home and spent time by his grandfatherâs coffin then went to Xinhua Bookstore. He browsed through the section with college prep textbooks and bought the ones he judged to be the most difficult.
Then, he walked to Gao Shengâs house. Once settled, he studied.
Anyone who picked up his studies after years of break would find their once extensive knowledge had imperceptibly slipped away. Except for the English heâd often used, Lin Jingzhe needed to put all his effort into reacquainting himself with other subjects.
Gao Sheng, who sat next to him, had problems to finish with his homework but gave up and said, âCan we take a break? You know, I called you to my house for dinner!â
Lin Jingzhe stopped writing and looked at him, frowning. He tapped his pen on the table, then said, âCome here, Iâll explain this problem to you.â
Gao Sheng looked at the book under Lin Jingzheâs palmâthe formulas he could see were so far beyond what he knew it mightâve as well been the language of aliens. He felt rising terror mix with panic but didnât have the guts to refuse so unconsciously obeyed and shifted closer.
âLook at this tetrahedron. DE bisects SC into two equal partsâŚâ
Lin Jingzhe spoke slowly; he taught and reviewed at the same time. His voice had already changed, and now, it was clear and resonated more than ever. It shocked Hu Yu a little.
While Gao Sheng bumbled his way through a math problem, his attention fell to Lin Jingzhe. The desk lamp illuminated the young manâs thin, finely boned face and his long, thick eyelashes. His eyebrows were wrinkled slightly, and his expression cold, but it didnât detract from his good looks.
Gao Sheng was a bit confused. Right now, Lin Jingzheâs temperament seemed different from the past, and it made him feel unfamiliar.
It wasnât a temperament that belonged in their small Liyun Town. Gao Sheng felt that since this morning, Lin Jingzhe showed varying degrees of indifference to everyone except him and his mother.
Although Lin Jingzhe had always kept people at armâs length, this wasnât the same. Gao Sheng knew his friend very wellâbehind that strong facade, Lin Jingzhe was a timid, shy teenager with an inferiority complex. He tried to hide it, but he still slipped from time to time. Today, it was as if that side of him had completely disappeared.
âTake a break.â Hu Yu watched at the door for a while, but Lin Jingzhe didnât seem to have lost heart because of todayâs events. Relieved, she came in with two soup bowls. She put them on the table and happened to glance at the textbook. She asked, bemused, âThis isnât included in the scope of material required by the school, is it? Arenât these problems too difficult to do for review?â
Lin Jingzhe looked at the bowl placed in front of him. It was about the size of a small washbasin and heaped with food. There was even a large ham hock sticking out.
In Gao Shengâs bowl, there was but a small pig trotter, most of which was bone.
In recent years, the quality of life of ordinary citizens wasnât high. Hu Yu didnât have a formal teaching certification, so she wasnât assigned a room at the teacherâs dormitory, and her work benefits were poor. Gao Shengâs father was a migrant worker and wasnât home. Mother and son rented a small set of rooms near the school. With Hu Yuâs meager salary, meat was a luxury.
Lin Jingzhe felt bitter.
Although Hu Yu wasnât a certified teacher, sheâd been teaching for many years and, by rights, should get the same treatment as the others. However, since the beginning of the last year, the name of this veteran teacher was not included in the quota of Liyun No. 1 High Schoolâs teachers sent to the Bureau of Education. Li Yurong, having taken over as English teacher of the second grade, was listed instead.
Right now, they were powerless to do anything. Lin Jingzhe knew that to change this situation, making money as soon as possible was imperative. In his mind, he went over his plan once again and only then managed to calm his frustration. When he looked at Hu Yu, his face was much softer. Dividing the ham hock into two pieces, he said, âThe review papers and books suggested by the school are too easy. I think depending on them is not enough.â
He wanted to give half of the ham hock to Gao Sheng, but before he moved his chopsticks, his own bowl sankâGao Sheng dropped half of his pig trotter into it, then began to wolf down the rest of his food.
Speechless, Lin Jingzhe tried to reciprocate, but Gao Sheng covered his bowl and leaned away. âEat it yourself, youâre way too thin.â
It puzzled Hu Yu why Lin Jingzhe felt he needed to get more textbooks. âThe teachers in our school carefully thought over what books and review materials are necessary. As long as you go through them diligently, you should be sufficiently prepared for the college entrance exam.â
She picked up the math textbook and looked through it. When she read the first few pages, her eyebrows wrinkled. âThis material is not covered by the curriculum. These problems wonât appear on the exam.â
She grew up in the countryside and graduated from Lin Municipal College. Lin City was the farthest sheâd ever been from home. Naturally, she had no idea how big the world outside was.
Lin Jingzhe had long passed the age when he felt the need to prove himself right by arguing. Since this topic came up, he might as well use it as an opportunity to propel his plans and get Hu Yu on board, so to speak. âMy grandfather told me that the students of Qunnan No. 1 High School use this set of textbooks.â
Qunnan No. 1 High School? That place?
Hu Yuâs eyes widened. If Liyun No. 1 High School was the best school in Liyun Town, then Qunnan No. 1 High School was the most prestigious in the whole Qunnan Province. Every year, Qunnanâs studentsâ university enrollment rate was almost five times higher than that of Liyun.
Thatâs why Hu Yu, who was well aware it was not easy to get into university, had always been in awe of that school. She held the textbook more carefully and asked, âAre you sure?â
âYes, and these books here too.â Lin Jingzhe pushed the stack of books heâd already looked through to her. âOur schoolâs curriculum and learning objectives seem to be different from theirs.â
Well, thatâs obvious, itâs Qunnan No. 1 High School after all! How could it be the same as our school? Hu Yu thought, a little guiltily.
Lin Jingzheâs words were a revelation to her. Was the difference between the two schoolsâ university enrollment rate so significant because of the obsolete curriculum and limited scope of material?
She didnât doubt Lin Jingzheâs grandfatherâs information. Jiang Jiping was the most learned and cultured man sheâd ever seen and had the highest social status of the elderly in town. It was only natural he knew the provincial capitalâs state of affairs.
The future of students is at stake. Once that flashed through Hu Yuâs mind, this matter became a pressing issue. Not bothering to collect the empty bowls, she grabbed a pen and paper and jotted down the titles of Lin Jingzheâs textbooks. Then she turned around and rushed out of the house to investigate.
Gao Shengâs hands trembled so hard he nearly dropped the bowl. âJingzhe, buddy, you want to kill me!â
Once Hu Yu left, Lin Jingzheâs expression became detached again. He glanced at Gao Chengâs face full of grievances and asked in exasperation, âLi Yurong looks down her nose on Teacher Hu and tries her best to humiliate her. Have you never thought of fighting back?â
Gao Shengâs face changed. He stopped kidding around, and his eyes filled with anguish.
Lin Jingzhe knocked on the table. âNow that youâve made up your mind, come here, Iâll teach you how to solve the next problem.â
While the teenager, who in the last life strayed off the right path, had his blood stirring, the Jiang family wasnât faring well. After Jiang Run told his mother what happened today, she flew into a rage.
âA demerit?!â
These past few days, Jiang Xiaoyun was so busy making sure her son would get the admission spot she didnât have time to attend her fatherâs mourning ceremonies. She spent so much money on this and now, so close to the start of university admissions, the school gave Jiang Run a demerit?!
Is this some kind of a joke? Getting the schoolâs official admission spot wasnât easy. Every year, Liyun No. 1 High School got a quota of students who could be admitted to Qunnan University on a recommendation. Many parents were panting after it, but the conditions were extremely harsh: not only did the student have to have excellent academic performance, exemplary conduct, and receive the municipal honor, but their school record had to be spotless.
Jiang Xiaoyun had already given the board of education money to award Jiang Run the title of the âthree-goodâ student. Now that he got a demerit, her efforts were wasted.
âHow is this possible?!â Jiang Xiaoyun was apoplectic with rage. âTeacher Li already received the money. She promised to help you!â
Jiang Run burst out crying, overcome with desperation. He kept thinking about the demerit until the school ended, but Li Yurong ran away after class, and he had no chance to beg her for help.
Though Li Yurong received Jiang Xiaoyunâs money, she did this privately, and she only promised to help smooth Jiang Runâs way through school. As for the precious admission spot? Jiang Xiaoyun wasnât the only one who wanted itâthe principal didnât even know how many âgiftsâ from parents he received. It was impossible to expect him to lock horns with the vice-principal over Jiang Runâs matter.
She listened to Jiang Runâs narration and swore. âLin Jingzhe again! That motherless little bastard definitely did it on purpose!â
Jiang Runâs father, watching from the sidelines smoking a cigarette, frowned. âHow can you say that? It was clearly our son who startedââ
âYou shut up!â Jiang Xiaoyun hated Lin Jingzhe mainly because of the antiquesâtodayâs matter was just an opportunity for her to vent her emotions. At her scream, Jiang Runâs father, who never had any standing in the family, closed his mouth out of force of habit.
He was an elementary school teacher, and his temper was mild and meek. How could he fight with Jiang Xiaoyun? When his wife saw him turn away and light another cigarette, of no help at all, she wanted to scold him again. Fortunately for him, the ringing telephone interrupted her.
Jiang Xiaoyun picked it up. When she spoke, her voice was deferential and syrupy. âOh, itâs Section Head Wang! About that matter, yes, you can rest assured, youâre the only person worthy of having them. Please wait for a few days, and Iâll present them to you personally!â
She put down the receiver and felt an oncoming headache.
When it rains, it pours. Not did only the problem with admission spot needed to be solved as fast as possible, but she also had Lin Jingzheâs antiques hanging over her head.
The man who called a moment ago was a section head in the Provincial Bureau of Land and Resources and was in charge of planning land-use. A few years ago, Jiang Xiaoyun and her younger brother, Jiang Zhi (Lin Jingzheâs maternal uncle), set up a real estate agency. While it didnât lose money, it didnât become successful either. After they called in some favors and, with great difficulty, got acquainted with Section Head Wang, it was like getting to know a God of Wealth. However, it was a relationship based on âyou scratch my back and Iâll scratch yours.â
This God of Wealth had a hobby of collecting antiques. This made Jiang Xiaoyun notice the value of her fatherâs collection of antiques. Thanks to them, they succeeded in getting Section Head Wangâs support. But, they were ârunning on creditâ for several months now, and the other party was getting impatient. He now openly asked about when he would get the promised antiques.
Jiang Xiaoyunâs heart palpitated from anxiety. She swallowed hard a few times but couldnât think of a solution. Finally, she gritted her teeth and slammed her hand on the table.
âLiu De, bring me the telephone book from the study.â
Taken aback, her husband asked, âWho are you going to call?â
Jiang Xiaoyuan spat out, âMy sister.â
Her elder sister, Lin Jingzheâs mother, remarried shortly after her divorce and moved to the provincial capital. It just so happened her second husband was also in the real estate business.