Chapter 124 : College Entrance Examination

Last autumn, after months of busy schedules, the couple finally found time to gather at home for a meal.

The restaurant still served delicious food in generous portions. After eating until they were full, they began chatting. Little Jiayu could now sit in a high chair with a bottle, playing by himself. He needed only minimal supervision and was learning to handle toys on the table and touch his clothes. His chubby hands and feet were incredibly cute.

His skin was tender and fair, and his features were beginning to resemble his parents’, with his nose and mouth looking just like Fan Yanxing’s, while his eyebrows and eyes closely resembled Qingqing’s. He was as delicate and pretty as a little girl.

Just as Wang Xiaomei had predicted, he was undoubtedly beautiful!

Fan Yanxing gently touched the baby’s little face, marveling at how much he resembled his parents and feeling relieved. And who could say what he would look like in the future?

When touched by his father’s hand, Jiayu thought it was a game and immediately burst into a smile, his laughter attracting the attention of everyone around. His parents couldn’t help but smile in response.

After finishing their meal, they planned to take a walk by the river before heading home. Passing by the post office, they noticed it was crowded, with people’s faces showing excitement as if some major event had occurred.

Qu Anming saw the commotion and, sensing something important was happening, quickly called out to Qingqing and asked what was going on.

Fan Yanxing, carrying the baby, went to check and came back holding a few newspapers with a surprised and excited expression. He summarized the important news with a raised voice: “The high-speed rail is back on track!”

“What? Is it true or false?”

“Such big news, why didn’t we hear any rumors before?”

The reactions were mixed, but Qingqing’s face showed a hint of a smile, and he felt a significant relief. The major announcement was set for October, and he had been anxiously waiting for any issues to arise until the end of the month. Fortunately, nothing went wrong.

Qu Anming, looking at the newspaper, smiled “That’s great news. Since you two are always studying and reading, you must sign up for the high-speed rail.”

“I was thinking the same thing,”Fan Yanxing said, nodding firmly.

In the household, it was clear that avoiding studying or reading was not an option. If asked, he would advise others to study together, but the reality was that only Liang Shuqiang and Zhou Lilan seemed to be really interested in studying. Most people were occupied with their work and only managed to find time to study if they were genuinely interested.

When news of the high-speed rail’s imminent restoration came out, it was essential to study diligently. Despite Qingqing’s best efforts to encourage others, the motivation and choices were varied, and he could only persuade them so much. He knew he couldn’t force others to study, but he hoped they would see the value in it.

The good news consumed everyone’s thoughts, and there was no time to go for a walk. Instead, they turned back home.

News of the restoration of the high-speed rail spread like wildfire across the country. Bookstores were overflowing with people buying study materials and tools. Everyone understood that this was a golden opportunity, and missing out on it meant having to wait for an unknown period before another chance came.

On October 21, 1977, various media outlets announced the restoration of the high-speed rail and revealed that it would be implemented nationwide in two months, with no age or identity restrictions anyone with the determination could report on it.

Qingqing and Fan Yanxing had already moved their household registration to the provincial capital. Based on the announcement, they went to register at a local high school, then returned to the village to deliver study supplies to Liang Shuqiang, Huang Yali, and Zhou Lilan.

Huang Yali had been busy with work at the broadcasting bureau and hadn’t had time to study. Now that the high-speed rail was happening, she was trying to carve out time to catch up.

Liang Shuqiang and Zhou Lilan were more straightforward about it. They had longed to improve their academic performance and regretted missing out on previous opportunities. Now that such an opportunity was finally here, they were determined not to miss it.

However, in the village, by the time they learned of the need for study supplies, the city had already bought them out. They could only wait for restocks. Fan had anticipated this situation and had already bought plenty of supplies, which he was now delivering.

When Qingqing and Fan Yanxing returned to the village, they noticed a quiet and peaceful atmosphere, a stark contrast to the usual hustle and bustle. They learned that Zhou Lilan had organized two study groups to bring together those interested in the high-speed rail project. The groups were meant to study together, help each other, and discuss any questions they had about the subjects.

Studying and preparing for the exams were the top priorities. The villagers were highly cooperative, and the team leader even cleared out a couple of offices for the study groups.

After understanding the situation, Qingqing and Fan Yanxing returned home to drop off the supplies before heading to the study group location. They did not disturb anyone but merely glanced through the window before leaving.

At the study group, Qingqing noticed Xu Qiao and Su Jinchuan working together on the topics. The atmosphere was very harmonious. Xu and Su had gotten married earlier and had invited the entire village to a celebratory feast.

At that time, Xu was still in the postpartum period, so they didn’t get to celebrate with well-wishes like “congratulations on your marriage,” “may you have a prosperous future,” or “wishing you a lifetime of happiness.” It almost seemed like they were happier than the newlyweds.

Qingqing learned about this indirectly from Liang Junqiang after a month. It was surprising to realize that while Qingqing and Su had kept their feelings to themselves, they had been silently harboring feelings of jealousy. Now, with the “rival” getting married, Qingqing felt relieved to finally clear the air.

Observing the scene inside the house, Qingqing felt a strange sense of nostalgia. The plot in the book had subtly changed, and no one could predict the future path. If the story followed the book, Su Jinchuan and Qingqing would become close friends. While this seemed plausible, it was clear that relationships involving the main characters often had both advantages and disadvantages.

Since they had work and the child remained in the provincial capital, they stayed in the village for two nights before returning.

The two-month period felt both long and short, and the first exam after the restoration of the high-speed rail finally arrived as expected.

On the scheduled day, Xiao Jinhua had prepared a sumptuous breakfast for them. After finishing the meal, they took the child and went to the exam venue. As they arrived, they found the area already bustling with people friends, family, reporters, and well-wishers all gathered to witness this significant event, which would mark a monumental change in their lives.

Qingqing felt relieved after nearly two years of preparation. She kissed the baby several times before letting go. Meanwhile, FanYanxing looked on with a slightly resentful expression, as if questioning why he wasn’t receiving the same affection.

Seeing this, Qingqing could not hide her amusement and rolled her eyes. She thought, “How can you, at this age, get jealous over the baby? And here, in such a public place, is it really appropriate to be so possessive?”

“Let’s get going, quickly. I’ll wait for you here after the exam,” said Ma Xiuzhi, waving goodbye while holding the baby, as they entered the exam hall.

Once settled at their desks and starting on the exam papers, Qingqing took a deep breath and began answering the questions. She had practiced similar problems many times before, so the solutions came quickly to mind.

She was satisfied with her performance in English and other subjects. After completing the exams, she went straight home to rest, as this was the first major task after finishing high school.

Upon waking up, Qingqing resumed work the next day. Her colleagues, aware of her participation in the exams, congratulated her, and Tian Fengchun would rescue her from the office duties.

“Finished with the exam?”

In the office, they were drinking tea and chatting as usual. However, Qingqing noticed a subtle change in Tian Fengchun’s demeanor. She slightly nodded and smiled, responding, “Yes, I just finished.”

Tian Fengchun took a sip of tea and was silent for a while before saying, “Read more, cultivate yourself, and take good care of your character.”

“Teacher, you know, over the past few days, we’ve gotten along well, and our relationship is better than before. Instead of beating around the bush and causing unnecessary stress, it’s better to be straightforward.”

Their eyes met, and Tian Fengchun suddenly smiled, pointing to his nose with a helpless look. “Your temperament is still as fiery as ever. It seems you can only be patient when dealing with important matters.”

Tian Fengchun’s comment made Qingqing slightly annoyed, but she shrugged and said, “You always find a way to avoid the main issue.”

“Are you blaming me now?” Tian Fengchun huffed and then decided to be direct. “I asked you here today to see what your plans are. The bureau is fully supporting you for the exam. If you stay in the capital, your position will be retained, and you’ll get a promotion when you return.”

Upon hearing this, Qingqing pursed her lips, looked at Tian Fengchun with hopeful eyes, then lowered her head to avoid his gaze. “If I stay in the capital, I’ll remain there.”

The relaxed atmosphere in the room instantly shifted. Tian Fengchun’s smile froze, and despite his mental preparation, he was taken aback. He had always admired Qingqing’s ambition and had been nurturing her as a potential successor, even viewing her as his own daughter.

Now, hearing her express the intention to leave Changbei Province, leave the broadcasting bureau, and leave his side…

Tian Fengchun lowered his eyelashes, tightened his grip on the tea cup, and forced a smile. “The capital is a bigger stage. You will have better opportunities to develop there.”

“Teacher!” Qingqing interrupted, firmly stating, “No matter where I go, you will always be my teacher.”

These words struck deep within Tian Fengchun. He looked up at Qingqing, who was already in tears, with his eyes also welling up. He held her hand tightly.

He trusted his judgment and believed that Qingqing would soar to greater heights.