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Fang Yi thought it was also possible he was overthinking things. Zhao Wanqiu, due to being from a single-parent family, lacked paternal love and a sense of security. It was very normal for her to develop a dependence on Fang Yi, having followed him around since childhood. Maybe she was looking for that missing paternal love in him?
Wait! If that were the case, wouldn't it become, 'I treat you as a brother, but you want me to be your daughter?'
Ah, this...
Lost in thought, Fang Yi had unconsciously arrived at his own front door. Zhuang Shufen saw her son standing dazed at the door and couldn't help but frown, "Tsk! What are you thinking about so intently?"
"Huh?" Fang Yi snapped out of it, jokingly quipping, "I'm thinking about whether to go to Tsinghua or Peking University!"
"Forget Tsinghua and Peking University! If you can just get into any university, your dad and I will be perfectly content!" Zhuang Shufen said ungraciously.
"Mom, do you have so little faith in me?" Fang Yi was a little speechless.
"Alright, stop jabbering. Why are you covered in sweat again? Go wipe yourself off. We'll eat when your dad gets back!" She was perfectly clear about her son's situation; his grades had always hovered around the second-tier university admission line.
To be fair, Fang Yi wasn't just jabbering. When he reviewed that afternoon, he realized he could clearly recall even the college entrance exam questions from his previous life. This was pretty amazing! He only needed to focus on these questions, memorize the answers, and, if not the national top scorer, getting into Tsinghua or Peking University would be no problem.
However, Fang Yi felt there was no need for that. Firstly, he wasn't planning to rely on his degree for a living, so what difference did it make where he studied? Additionally, he didn't like the dry, cold climate of Sijiu City (Beijing); the warm, humid climate of the Jiangnan water towns was much more comfortable. So, just getting a score high enough for any 985 university would suffice.
Yes, that's the happy decision.
"Here, these are sausages from Wanqiu, she said Aunt Wang brought them from her hometown." Placing the sausages on the table, Fang Yi headed to the bathroom for another cool shower.
Soon after, Fang Yucheng returned home from work. By the time he finished showering, Zhuang Shufen had already set the dinner table. Sitting at the dining table, Fang Yucheng twisted open a bottle of liquor and poured himself a glass, just about to take a satisfying sip when Fang Yi suddenly spoke, "Drink less if you have nothing to do, it's best to quit drinking!"
"Don't tell me what to do. The college entrance exam is coming soon; you should focus on preparing for that!" Fang Yucheng said sternly. This was a common problem for many parents: to maintain their authority, they wouldn't allow their children to question them.
Seeing this, Fang Yi's mind sparked, and he chuckled, "Dad, how about this? If I can get into Jinda University or Dongda University this time, you'll quit drinking."
Hmm?
Hearing this, Fang Yucheng was stunned, then exchanged glances with Zhuang Shufen, both seeing confusion in the other's eyes. Where did their son get such confidence?
"No problem!" After regaining his composure, Fang Yucheng readily agreed. What a joke, how could he possibly refuse such a request? Fang Yucheng knew his son's grades; let alone Jinda or Dongda, even Suda was a stretch. Besides, if his son could really get into a 985 university, then quitting drinking was a small price to pay!
You might earn a lot, but I, Fang Yucheng, will never lose!
"Then it's settled!" Fang Yi quickly sealed the deal, afraid he might go back on his word. In his previous life, Fang Yucheng suffered a cerebral thrombosis due to drinking, paralyzing half his body and making it difficult for him to speak. So now that he had a chance to persuade him to quit drinking, Fang Yi certainly wouldn't miss it.
After dinner, Fang Yi announced he was going to study and returned to his room. Seeing this, Fang Yucheng and Zhuang Shufen exchanged a look of relief. After washing the dishes and tidying up the house, the old couple sat on the sofa, waiting to watch Journey to the West Sequel.
Back in his room, Fang Yi looked around, his gaze finally settling on the acoustic guitar hanging on the wall. From what he remembered, he hadn't touched a guitar since Zhao Wanqiu's death, which was almost ten years ago. Seeing the guitar again, Fang Yi was filled with emotion. In his previous life, during high school, this guitar had earned him quite a few love letters.
He took down the guitar, gently wiped off the dust, and slowly strummed the strings. Soothing melodies flowed like water through the room.
"Once, I dreamed of wandering the world with a sword, seeing the prosperity of the human realm..." Just as he sang a line, the loud and enchanting voice of Liu Huan came from outside the door.
"I wish to become an immortal, happy as the heavens!!!"
Hiss!
Damn it, how could I forget about this? The hottest TV series of 2000, bar none. Its magical theme song and frenzied combat could easily brainwash you. What's the point of playing now? The atmosphere he had carefully cultivated was completely gone! Fang Yi pouted, tossing the guitar onto the bed.
Forget it, I'll just study! Studying makes me happy.
When one is fully engrossed in studying, they often lose track of time. Eighteen days seemed to flash by, and Fang Yi even felt a lingering desire for more. Not just him, Shen Hao and Zhao Wanqiu were also in their final sprint. This era wasn't like the future with so many pathways; if academic performance wasn't good, one could become a self-media creator or a professional gamer and still achieve success. But now, the college entrance exam was the most direct and convenient path to achieve class mobility.
July 7th, early morning.
Fang Yi sat at the dining table, heartily eating the egg noodles Zhuang Shufen had specially cooked for him.
"Are you sure you don't need us to go with you?" Fang Yucheng sat beside him, cigarette in mouth, asking with concern.
"Really, no need! It's just an exam. You'd just be waiting outside, and it's too hot today, you might get sunstroke." Fang Yi pleaded and reasoned, finally dissuading them from accompanying him to the exam hall.
"Alright, then ride carefully on the way, and remember to bring your admission ticket..." Zhuang Shufen rattled off her endless admonitions.
After breakfast, Fang Yi and the other two, Zhao Wanqiu and Shen Hao, rode their bikes to the exam hall. At this time, the college entrance exam still used a unified national paper. It wouldn't be until 2003 that Jiangsu Province would adopt its own regional paper.
When the exam papers were distributed, Fang Yi quickly scanned them, and his heart immediately settled. Excellent, it was exactly the same as he remembered. It seemed his little butterfly hadn't stirred up a storm in the Pacific.
So the question was, should he choose Jinda University or Dongda University?
Oh dear, such a dilemma!