When it was time to go back, everyone was reluctant to leave, even planning to meet up again next time.

However, Cen Huai’an knew that this was the only opportunity for them to gather like this; it was someone else’s villa, and they couldn’t keep coming back.

Moreover, after entering university, everyone would go their separate ways, making it difficult to gather like this again in the future.

But at that moment, they didn’t think too much about it and were still discussing when to go out again.

After returning home, Cen Huai’an began preparing for the Go competition.

During this time, he received letters from Bangzi and Hu Panden.

They had all submitted their applications to the universities in the capital, although they wouldn’t be attending the same school as Cen Huai’an.

Hu Panden and Xiao He promised to call him as soon as they received their admission letters.

Bangzi and the others told Cen Huai’an, “If we manage to get into university, we’ll come directly with our luggage before school starts; you’ll come pick us up, right?”

Cen Huai’an felt a surge of excitement.

Holding the letter, he hoped more than anyone that Bangzi and the others would succeed in getting into university.

After the Go competition began, Cen Huai’an focused on his matches and encountered some opponents he had faced before, such as Ruan Luoyao, An Bin, and that man he couldn’t beat during the qualification round.

This year, Cen Huai’an had indeed spent less time practicing Go.

He wasn’t pursuing a professional path and didn’t plan to participate in any professional events.

If it hadn’t been for Hong Youxuan inviting him to join this competition, he would have probably sought out some amateur matches instead.

In the world of Go, there are always greater players, and Cen Huai’an believed that in any competition, there would always be someone impressive from whom he could learn something.

The first match was against Ruan Luoyao, the quiet girl who had previously beaten him.

“Cen Huai’an?”

Ruan Luoyao looked at him, a bit unsure, especially since three years had passed.

Cen Huai’an nodded, “It’s me.”

Ruan Luoyao relaxed and smiled, “I was afraid I recognized the wrong person. What competitions have you participated in over the past three years? I haven’t seen you around.”

Cen Huai’an shook his head, “I haven’t participated in any competitions aside from the qualification round.”

Ruan Luoyao’s expression froze for a moment, realization dawning on her: no wonder she hadn’t seen him in any competitions after that; he hadn’t been competing.

“You…”

Cen Huai’an looked up at her, and Ruan Luoyao hesitated to ask why. Instead, she smiled and said, “Never mind; let’s start the match.”

As the game began, the two fell silent, focusing on the board.

Right from the start, Cen Huai’an felt that Ruan Luoyao had improved significantly compared to before.

However, Cen Huai’an hadn’t slacked off in his practice either.

Whenever he felt overwhelmed by his studies or encountered some troubling issues, he would play a game of Go.

Every week, he would go to Grandpa Jiang’s house to play.

But since Grandpa Jiang fell ill, Cen Huai’an had mostly been playing with Hong Youxuan.

Sometimes, after explaining a game, Grandpa Jiang would offer some guidance.

Cen Huai’an rarely troubled Grandpa Jiang now; he had less energy, and overexerting himself wasn’t good.

Additionally, Cen Huai’an was the type to grow stronger when facing strong opponents.

His momentum had gradually changed, and the game became increasingly unpredictable, leaving no clear indication of who would win or lose.

Ruan Luoyao was also determined; she had practiced hard for a long time, hoping to challenge Cen Huai’an again.

Their previous match had shown only a slight gap in their skills.

However, not long after starting, she felt the intensity of Cen Huai’an’s strength.

Even though he hadn’t competed, he had improved rapidly.

The two of them, both competitive and capable, engaged in a silent battle on the board, ignoring the beads of sweat rolling down their foreheads.

In a Go match, some games progress quickly while others are slow. The competition regulations allowed no single game to exceed two hours.

By the end of their match, they reached the final seconds, where they had to make their moves within thirty seconds. Exceeding this time would count against them, and three violations would lead to an automatic loss.

Both of them had excellent mental fortitude and managed to keep pace in the fast-paced match initially, but slowly, Ruan Luoyao struggled to keep up with Cen Huai’an’s rapid thought process.

After Ruan Luoyao exceeded the time limit for the first time, she put down her pieces and conceded, as she already understood the outcome and saw no need to continue.

They both stood up and bowed. Ruan Luoyao wiped the sweat from her brow and said to Cen Huai’an, “Playing with you today was exhilarating. I hope we get another chance to play.”

Cen Huai’an enjoyed the fierce competition with Ruan Luoyao.

He hadn’t beaten her many times; if not for the time restrictions disrupting her rhythm, they could have continued.

“Sure.”

The competition lasted three days and was filled with talented players.

After becoming opponents with An Bin, his face scrunched up in worry: “I’m done for; I’m going to lose this round.”

Cen Huai’an paused, looking at An Bin seriously: “If you’re going into this match with that mindset, you might as well concede now.”

An Bin grabbed Cen Huai’an’s hand, “I’m not giving up; what if I win? I’ve been practicing hard these past few years.”

Cen Huai’an glanced at him, and after the initial stone placement, An Bin played black and went first.

Compared to before, An Bin had indeed improved. However, unlike facing Ruan Luoyao, he didn’t pose as much pressure on Cen Huai’an, and their game concluded in just an hour and a half.

An Bin let out a deep sigh, looking as though he had taken a blow: “Why is it that no matter how hard I work, I still can’t surpass you?”

“Because I’m also putting in the effort.”

As the final day of the competition arrived, the remaining players in the arena were few.

Cen Huai’an found himself face to face with the man who had defeated him in the qualification round.

They didn’t exchange many words, and after their initial placement, they began the game directly.

The man’s skill was exceptional, and Cen Huai’an felt an exhilarating rush of facing a strong opponent.

He suppressed this feeling, turning it into motivation as he played against the man.

He felt even more pressure than he had against Ruan Luoyao, pushing himself to become stronger and unafraid of any game.

The two of them fought fiercely until the end, with neither side managing to win.

The tiger and leopard occupied their respective territories while the staff counted the pieces.

After clearing away the dead pieces from both sides, they surprisingly ended up in a draw.

But there could be no draws in the competition; there was only one first prize and one monetary reward, so they proceeded to a tiebreaker.

Cen Huai’an loved fast-paced games the most; his mind could change very quickly.

After playing, he could instantly form various possible outcomes in his head based on the evolving board.

The man, however, wasn’t as strong in this aspect.

After another half hour of competition, Cen Huai’an found himself on the verge of losing but gritted his teeth to persevere and ultimately turned the tables.

The man, however, became a bit fatigued and made a small mistake.

Cen Huai’an seized this opportunity, launched a fierce counterattack, and ultimately claimed victory in the match, thus winning the first prize.

Hong Youxuan had initially thought he would face Cen Huai’an in this competition, but whether it was luck or misfortune, they never crossed paths, not even during the later semi-finals.

Hong Youxuan was thrilled for Cen Huai’an and astonished by his talent.

It had been a year since he had fully dedicated himself to Go, yet he managed to defeat so many strong professional players to claim first place, something Hong Youxuan had never anticipated.

Holding the medal and prize money, Cen Huai’an said, “I excel in the tiebreaker games.”

If it had been another type of competition, Cen Huai’an couldn’t guarantee he would win, as the runner-up was not any less skilled than he was.

Hong Youxuan smiled and replied, “Luck is also a part of strength.”

After the competition, Cen Huai’an rarely went out except to visit his grandfather Jiang.

He spent his time at home reading books on semiconductor knowledge.

He wanted to visit some semiconductor research labs, but he didn’t want to trouble others too much.

Plus, once he entered university, his professors would take them to do experiments, so there was no need to rush.

Zhang Lu was the first to receive her acceptance letter from the National Defense University’s aviation program.

Excited, she ran directly to her parents’ workplace to share the news.

Zhang Wei taught at a university, while Jiang Zhiguan worked in a government office.

Zhang Lu’s achievement became well-known at both workplaces, and various congratulations filled the air.

Some even teased, “Shouldn’t we set up a few tables to celebrate?”

Zhang Wei considered this, but Jiang Zhiguan directly refused: “What’s there to celebrate? It might make the child arrogant.”

Everyone continued to insist, “It would be a pity not to hold a banquet for such good results.”

Pushed by her colleagues, Jiang Zhiguan smiled and said, “Let’s discuss it later. If we do hold a celebration, I’ll be sure to invite everyone.”

Once they got home, she and Zhang Lu discussed where they wanted to eat and what kind of reward they desired.

Zhang Lu said, “Mom, didn’t you say there wouldn’t be a celebration?”

Jiang Zhiguan pouted and replied, “The colleagues at my workplace aren’t worth treating to a meal; each of them has too many hidden agendas.”

Jiang Zhiguan patted Zhang Lu’s head and added, “Besides, An’an’s results aren’t out yet. It wouldn’t be appropriate to celebrate now.”

When Cen Huai’an’s acceptance letter arrived, Jiang Zhiguan would discuss how to organize the graduation banquet with Chuxia.

Cen Huai’an didn’t have to wait long for his acceptance letter either.

Despite having some confidence inside, he remained calm in front of his parents. However, without the delivery of the acceptance letter, he couldn’t help but worry about unexpected events.

After signing for the letter, Cen Huai’an eagerly opened it to find—Jinghua University’s Radio Department, specializing in semiconductors.

His heart raced, and he couldn’t calm down for a moment.

Huang Zi and Hei Zi seemed to sense their master’s happiness, constantly nudging Cen Huai’an’s legs with their heads.

Cen Huai’an sat on the sofa for a long time, allowing his overwhelming emotions to settle down.

He carefully placed the acceptance letter on the table, then petted the three dogs before turning on the TV.

“An’an, as soon as I entered the family courtyard, someone told me your acceptance letter arrived!”

“Yeah.” Cen Huai’an’s eyes sparkled with joy, but he calmly handed the acceptance letter to Chuxia, saying, “It’s here.”

When Chuxia took the letter and opened it, revealing Jinghua University, she immediately smiled, feeling as happy as when she herself got accepted into the Traditional Chinese Medicine University.

“An’an, what delicious food do you want today? Mommy can satisfy any wish you have.”

Cen Huai’an replied, “Sweet and sour fish and sweet and sour ribs.”

He didn’t want to ask for too much as he wouldn’t be able to finish it, and his mom would tire from cooking too much.

“Alright! This afternoon, you can go buy fish and ribs yourself.”

Cen Huai’an replied with an “Mm.”

Cen Zhengnian also learned about Cen Huai’an’s acceptance letter from the neighbors when he got home.

He shared the same feelings as Chuxia upon seeing the letter.

“Let’s throw a graduation banquet for An’an.”

Cen Zhengnian looked at Chuxia; it was a tradition to hold a banquet for children who performed well.

Chuxia didn’t respond immediately but glanced at Cen Huai’an.

Cen Huai’an shook his head: “Dad, I don’t want a banquet; this is just the first step toward my dream. It’s not worth a celebration.”

However, since both Jiang Waigong, Jiang Shengnan, and Cen Fu knew that Cen Huai’an was accepted into Jinghua and Zhang Lu into the National Defense University, they all thought about holding a banquet.

Because Cen Huai’an didn’t like the idea, the adults didn’t push it and instead had a family dinner together at Yunmengze.

The Jiang family from the capital all came, except for Jiang Zhiyi, who was still abroad, and Jiang Dage’s family, who were in another city.

Cen Huai’an and Zhang Lu, the two protagonists, each received a thick stack of red envelopes, filled with crisp bills inside!