Chapter 104: College Entrance Exam

"Did you see the boy's looks clearly?"

Song Shi asked like this.

Jiang Yue frowned: "The counter-reconnaissance ability is very strong. Now he is standing with his back to the tree, and I still can't see what he looks like. Is his family in the public security bureau?"

Song Shi couldn't laugh or cry. He entered the hall with his wife, poured a cup of tea, found a newspaper at random, and sat on the sofa.

The couple seemed to be drinking tea and reading the newspaper, but in fact, their attention was focused on the entrance.

After a while, they only heard the courtyard door open with a creak.

As the footsteps approached, the sound of a key unlocking sounded outside the door.

With another creak, Song Yu appeared at the door. She put the umbrella in the corridor outside and shouted inside: "Dad, Mom."

The couple put down the newspaper at the right time. Jiang Yue stood up and asked: "Have you eaten? Why are you back at this hour?"

Song Yu said: "Just finished eating with Mai Sui and other classmates. I'll take something and go back to school. This is the last few days of high school; I want to stay with everyone a bit longer."

The couple looked at each other without a trace, both surprised that their daughter had started lying. Sure enough, there was something fishy.

Saying they shared an umbrella, could there be no name to it?

Jiang Yue's heart suddenly felt empty. Her daughter had finally grown up, sighing, the daughter was no longer controlled by her mother.

Even though there were many doubts and unwillingness in her heart, the couple didn't choose to expose it. Jiang Yue tentatively asked: "Do you want your dad and me to send you?"

Song Yu hesitated for a moment and said: "No need, there are classmates waiting for me outside."

If it were in the past, Jiang Yue might have habitually asked: "Who?"

But now?

She didn't ask anymore. Asking would only make her heart more blocked, and it would be harder to get off the stage.

Song Yu returned to the bedroom to get a jade Guanyin, chatted with her parents for a few words, and then left the house.

Jiang Yue sent her to the main gate, and then stared straight at her daughter opening the courtyard door and walking down the steps, feeling lost for a moment.

Returning to the room, the couple stopped acting, because they couldn't act anymore.

After a while, Jiang Yue unwillingly took an umbrella and came to the grape vine to look out again. She could just see the two figures going away.

One umbrella, two people, walking leisurely in the rain.

"Did you see clearly this time?" Song Shi came out and asked.

Jiang Yue shook her head, "No. But I remembered that back. There aren't many people that tall. If I run into him next time, I can probably recognize him."

Saying this, she impulsively raised her head, "Should I go to the first high school to find him tomorrow under the guise of delivering vegetables?"

But after speaking, Jiang Yue shook her head herself and returned to the room depressed.

Finding him might really be possible.

At this juncture, nothing could be done.

Unable to sleep all night, tossing and turning, Jiang Yue pushed her husband awake: "Old Song, why didn't our daughter take an umbrella?"

Song Shi pondered: "I guess she didn't want you to be suspicious."

Jiang Yue said: "But I'm already suspicious."

Song Shi smiled bitterly.

After a silence, Jiang Yue suddenly said: "No, I still have to deliver vegetables tomorrow."

Song Shi could almost understand his wife's torment. After thinking about it, he instructed: "Even if you find him, don't expose it."

Jiang Yue thought the same, "I know."

On the other side.

Li Heng asked: "Did your parents suspect anything?"

Song Yu looked at him and walked forward for ten steps before asking: "Are you afraid they suspect?"

Li Heng said decisively: "Not afraid."

Song Yu was silent and didn't speak for a long time.

Turning a corner, just about to reach the gate of the first high school, she suddenly stopped and handed the jade Guanyin she had been holding in her palm to him:

"This was obtained when Manning and I went to the temple to pray for blessings last time. Here, I wish you great luck in the college entrance exam!"

If she hadn't mentioned this, Li Heng would have almost forgotten.

Before the monthly break, Sun Manning strongly invited him to go mountain climbing, saying it was to pray for the college entrance exam at the temple, and even used Song Yu to tempt him, but he refused.

At that time, he made a joke: Let Song Yu burn incense and pray for me; I won't go.

"Thank you."

Li Heng said thank you, then bent his waist slightly and waited straight.

Song Yu understood his little thoughts instantly. After staring into his eyes for a long, long time, she suddenly asked, "Li Heng, do you understand me?"

Li Heng wanted to say something but stopped. There were many things he wanted to say, but in the end, he only said one word: "Understand."

"Hmm."

Song Yu, who got the answer she wanted, gave a light "hmm," then stretched out the red string of the jade Guanyin in her palm and helped him put it around his neck.

After doing all this, she shifted her gaze and remained quiet without speaking.

Li Heng could feel her nervousness and inner hesitation, so he didn't force her too much. He held the umbrella well and said gently: "The rain is getting heavier, let's hurry back to school."

Song Yu said okay softly.

Next, the two were silent all the way.

Until they entered the school gate and arrived next to the rockery, Li Heng handed the umbrella to her hand, "I'll send you here, I'm going back to the dormitory first."

After saying this, he had already rushed out, not giving her any psychological burden.

Her gaze followed his back for a hundred meters. Only when she couldn't see him did Song Yu slowly retract her gaze.

However, she didn't rush to leave, but stood in place for several minutes before returning to the dormitory.

She asked: Li Heng, do you understand me?

Li Heng said he understood, so he gave her spiritual freedom to the maximum extent and no longer forced her step by step.

That night, Mai Sui, who was caught in a heavy rain, had a cold and a low fever.

This made Song Yu very anxious. She first accompanied her to the infirmary to get some medicine and said with great regret:

"The college entrance exam is coming soon, why did you get caught in the rain? At worst, we could have found a place to hide and let him return to Hongqi Road to buy an umbrella."

Mai Sui laughed and said, "It's okay, sleep for a night and I'll recover tomorrow. I just think Li Heng is quite good. He is so talented, and you are so beautiful and have temperament; you are very well-matched. I don't want to see you regret it."

Song Yu poured her a glass of hot water, "Drink more hot water, it's best if you can sweat tonight."

Mai Sui obediently drank the large glass of water in three breaths. Finally, she put down the cup and asked a question that had been hidden in her heart for a long time:

"Have he and Chen Zijin broken up yet?"

Song Yu nodded and shook her head.

Mai Sui was puzzled, "What does that mean?"

Song Yu picked up the hot water kettle and poured her another glass of hot water, "He and Zijin haven't been in contact for a long time, in that state of being broken up or not, but after his *To Live* was successfully published, they got in touch again."

After listening, Mai Sui held the teacup with both hands and stared straight at her. After a long while, she said regretfully: "If I were you, I wouldn't be this transfer station."

Song Yu shook her head slightly: "It's useless. Not to mention how I feel about him, Xiao Han has always liked him."

Mai Sui's eyes widened; it was the first time she knew this inside story, "How do you know?"

Song Yu said: "Zijin told me. She and Xiao Han are both enemies and friends, and they started to not get along in junior high."

Mai Sui blurted out: "Just for a Li Heng?"

Song Yu smiled and said word by word: "Just for a Li Heng."

Mai Sui knew she had spoken out of turn and smiled tenderly: "I don't mean to look down on him, it's just... but that's Xiao Han.

Objectively speaking, she is no less than you. She can be considered the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. Doesn't she usually look quite cold? How could she?

How did she start fighting for jealousy when she was so young in junior high?"

Song Yu was stunned, and after a long time, she joked: "Maybe it's similar to the story of a monk carrying water to drink."

Mai Sui understood instantly, "Only when there is competition is it more popular?"

After speaking, the two girls faced each other, you look at me, I look at you, and laughed.

July 4th.

In the morning, Jiang Yue came to the first high school under the guise of delivering vegetables to her daughter, but made a wasted trip. She lingered for a long time and didn't see Li Heng's back.

It made her very puzzled.

Catching her daughter going to the boiler room to get hot water, Jiang Yue remembered something and asked Mai Sui, who was lying on the bed resting: "Mai Sui, where did you and Yu Bao eat last night?"

Mai Sui didn't think much and answered subconsciously: "Auntie, we were over on Hongqi Road."

Hearing that Mai Sui really ate dinner with her daughter, Jiang Yue was a bit surprised and further tentatively asked: "Was it a dormitory gathering?

I came to the dormitory to find Yu Bao in the evening, and none of you were there."

Mai Sui wanted to say "No, there were only three of us," but when the words reached her lips, she felt something was wrong. Wouldn't it be better to ask Song Yu this question? Why ask me?

Associating it with the fact that Li Heng was pursuing Song Yu.

Associating it with the fact that the route yesterday was a big circle around Shaodong Normal College...

Mai Sui instantly raised a trace of vigilance and immediately changed her words: "No, the few of us who played well together ate dinner."

Hearing this, Jiang Yue wanted to ask who else?

But she understood that if she continued to ask, wouldn't it be exposed?

Endure a little longer, Jiang Yue thought, after the college entrance exam, her daughter would bring graduation photos home. We'll see when we look at the photos then.

Unwilling to give up, before leaving, Jiang Yue walked around the teaching building and playground alone, but still didn't see anyone, so she had to leave listlessly.

As soon as Jiang Yue left, Mai Sui immediately said to Song Yu: "Your mom just asked me about eating last night."

Song Yu asked: "How did you answer?"

Mai Sui repeated the previous conversation.

Song Yu fell into deep thought after hearing it.

Mai Sui asked: "Why? Were you and Li Heng discovered on the way back?"

Song Yu said: "Not sure, but the possibility that it wasn't Li Heng is the greatest."

Mai Sui worried for her friend: "If your parents ask later, how should you answer?"

Song Yu said quietly: "Answer truthfully."

Mai Sui asked: "You'll also say he is pursuing you?"

Song Yu shook her head slightly: "They know Li Heng and Zijin are dating, and I didn't agree to him."

Mai Sui understood; nine parts truth and one part falsehood is the highest realm of lying.

There were three days left until the college entrance exam. Li Heng was not nervous, excited, or fearful like others.

He got up on time every day, ate on time, and went to bed on time.

Usually, he read books and did questions, focusing on reviewing the "correction book" accumulated over three years.

He felt he gained a lot.

He didn't deliberately look for Song Yu or Xiao Han either.

Because the two girls were in the same girls' dormitory building, one on the third floor and one on the second floor. If they crashed into each other at this time, it might affect their performance in the college entrance exam.

At this critical moment, he absolutely couldn't drop the chain.

At noon on the 4th, Li Heng went to the morality building to step on the exam room. It was at the school, and it took less than 10 minutes to go back and forth.

On the 5th and 6th, he read books and brushed up on questions in the dormitory to maintain his feeling.

On the evening of the 6th, the English teacher entrusted Teacher Zhou, who managed the dormitory, to call him downstairs, "How is your state now?"

Li Heng replied: "Teacher, don't worry, it's quite good."

"That's good. Are the exam tools ready?" Wang Runwen asked again.

Li Heng nodded, "Ready, all packed in a bag."

Hearing this, Wang Runwen turned and headed toward the teacher's family building, "I made dinner, let's eat together."

"Eh, okay."

Suddenly feeling a bit emotional.

Three years of high school ended just like this. I don't know if there will be a chance to eat with this teacher who has always treated me well in the future?

It seemed they both had things on their minds. The two went up to the third floor one after another and didn't communicate much.

Insert the lock, door opens.

After changing shoes, Wang Runwen went to the bedroom first and took out a letter and two money orders from inside.

Li Heng took a look. The letter was from the reader Huang Zhaoyi, and the money orders were sent by *Harvest* magazine.

One money order showed an amount of 1350 yuan, which was the remuneration for *The Troubleshooters*.

Another 2500 yuan was the remuneration for the Shanghai Radio Station rebroadcasting *To Live*.

He never made a mistake about money. Li Heng carefully checked it twice before putting it into his inner pocket.

As for that reader's letter, it felt very thick, but he didn't want to deal with it for the time being, didn't want to be distracted, and would wait until after the college entrance exam.

The dishes on the table were very rich, three hard dishes full of meat, and one small cabbage.

There was also a scallion egg soup.

Wang Runwen rarely served two bowls of soup at once and broke the precedent by handing him one, saying:

"Editor Zou Ping called this afternoon. Knowing you were preparing for the college entrance exam, he didn't look for you."

Li Heng asked: "What did he say?"

Wang Runwen said: "He came to congratulate you, saying that the single volume of *To Live* is selling well. In just 5 days, the first batch of 300,000 copies has already been sold out.

Currently, there are many phone calls and reader letters sent to *Harvest* magazine every day, demanding additional printing. The magazine intends to print another 300,000 copies."

Li Heng was very excited, "Really?"

Seeing him so happy, Wang Runwen smiled and nodded.

Li Heng said happily: "The royalty contract signed was for 300,000 copies. Doesn't that mean the royalty agreement has already been triggered? Could it be that I really became the first master to take royalties?"

Hearing the word "master," Wang Runwen let down her hair and said: "It should be."

She had one thing she didn't say, because the royalty issue was triggered, there had been overwhelming news about it in the newspapers these days, with both criticism and praise.

But unlike the one-sided praise in the past, there were quite a few articles condemning him, as if someone was pushing the waves behind the scenes.

Wang Runwen was afraid he would buy newspapers to read, so she specifically instructed: "Don't be distracted by outside matters these days, and don't read newspapers. Just focus on the college entrance exam."

Li Heng vaguely guessed something, but he, who had lived two lives, was as steady as an old dog. As long as there was money in his pocket, and a lot of money at that, let them say whatever they wanted; it wouldn't lose him a piece of meat.

I don't have enough strength now, so I can't reach you, but I will slap your faces with one awesome novel after another later.

300,000 copies, each priced at 3 yuan.

How much is a 5% royalty?

After a mental calculation, he got a huge sum of 45,000 yuan.

My God! 45,000 yuan!

I dare not say I am the richest man in the town, after all, there are people who started from gold-digging thugs very quickly, but even just in terms of money, it is definitely a figure.

I can chat with the girls in every household in Shangwan Village for a while, damn it! I guarantee no one will dare to hide their daughters anymore.

This kind of thinking is very vulgar, but it has a feeling of raising one's eyebrows and exhaling.

And...

And this is only the first batch. There will be more later. Didn't you hear that another 300,000 copies were printed?

Phew! Li Heng's surprise was beyond words for a while, and he happily drank the bowl of scallion egg soup.

Wang Runwen had long quietly calculated how much royalty he had, and her eyes looking at him were faintly envious.

She asked him: "What are your plans for the summer vacation?"

Li Heng pondered: "Go home first, and then go to Jingcheng."

Wang Runwen reacted, "Go to the Chen family? Find Chen Zijin?"

Li Heng corrected, "It is indeed to find Chen Zijin, but not to the Chen family."

Wang Runwen was puzzled.

The English teacher in front of him was one of the few people in the world who was truly good to him and didn't ask for anything in return. Li Heng thought for a while, and then told her about the conflict and dispute between Zhong Lan's sister-in-law and his mother.

After listening, Wang Runwen couldn't help but sigh, but didn't make any evaluation, just said: "Which day are you going? Do you want me to help you buy a train ticket?"

She only said train ticket, not air ticket.

Because she didn't have the ability to get an air ticket on her own. It wasn't a matter of money, but that her qualifications weren't enough.

Li Heng had an idea early on, "I'll leave after staying at home for three days."

Counting the days, the 7th, 8th, and 9th are the three days of the college entrance exam, and it takes one day to go home.

Wang Runwen said: "Then I'll help you buy a ticket for July 15th."

"Can you buy it?"

"It shouldn't be a problem."

"Okay, thank you, Teacher. You pay for the ticket first, and I'll give it to you then." Li Heng said so.

Wang Runwen adjusted her glasses, said hmm, and began to greet him to eat vegetables.

After chatting about these, the two fell into silence again, just like on the way here.

Li Heng wanted to find a topic to break the deadlock, but seeing the English teacher buried in eating, he extinguished the fire and ate along.

There were quite a few dishes, and it could be said that the portion of each bowl was very sufficient, but Li Heng, the foodie, ate a lot. He swept away the two meat dishes in one go, and finally patted his belly with satisfaction and put down his chopsticks.

He didn't want to eat so much at first.

But seeing that the teacher seemed to like watching him eat, he endured the pain and ate a little more. Anyway, he was so thin, and gaining another 10 pounds wouldn't have any psychological burden.

The key is that the experience of his past life told him that he and his second sister were the kind of constitution that couldn't get fat, so he could eat as much as he wanted.

After eating, the two finally continued the topic.

During this period, Li Heng asked: "Does the teacher have any arrangements for the summer vacation?"

Wang Runwen shook her head, looking blank.

Li Heng made a joke casually, "Why don't you accompany me to Jingcheng for a walk? There are many fun places there."

Wang Runwen glanced at him sideways, "Go for what? Go be a lightbulb for you and Chen Zijin?"

Li Heng laughed happily: "You are not bald, so you don't qualify to be a lightbulb. I'm leaving, thank you for the teacher's dinner."

Saying it and doing it, the sky outside was already dark. He remembered Sun Manning's advice that he couldn't stay at the English teacher's house after dark.

He wasn't afraid of anything; he would be gone in a few days, but the English teacher wasn't. Her roots were here, so she still had to pay attention to the influence.

That night, the people in Dorm 215 gathered again.

Perhaps because they were too nervous, the dormitory atmosphere was a bit heavy. Everyone went to bed after taking a shower, changed their usual state, didn't talk, listened to the old ceiling fan swinging and turning, and slowly entered a dream.

The next day was July 7th, the first day of the college entrance exam.

Just like usual, Li Heng got up at 6:20, washed up, ate breakfast, and then strolled around outside in high spirits.

The atmosphere in the dormitory was too suffocating at this time.

He could feel that Liu Li, Zou Aiming, and Liu Yejiang's back teeth were almost crushed. That was the breath of nervousness and hope mixed together, both looking forward to making a name for themselves in the college entrance exam and suppressing others in the dormitory. There was also a huge fear of fate being decided in one battle.

Around 8 o'clock, Li Heng appeared in the morality building.

Unexpectedly, he ran into Mai Sui, who was also coming to the exam room.

"You're here."

"Hmm."

"Relax, cheer up, I wish you success in the exam!" Mai Sui cheered him on.

Li Heng nodded, "You too, take the exam well, don't be nervous, get into Peking University."

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(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 105 =====

(End of Chapter)