Chapter 824: Rural Absurd Past Events Chapter 824: Symposium Exchange, Turns into a Gossip Conference

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

Wang Xiaohua sighed from the heart:

"Actually, it's not bad for him to be like this. So-called youth should actually be like this. As for the matter of taking the Gaokao, to be honest, if you say it's important, it indeed is quite important; if you say it's not important, it's not necessarily that important either. After all, this is just one of countless crossroads in life."

Wang Xiaohua was envying Lin Shuhua's youthful years when the Homeroom Teacher brought him back to reality with one sentence:

"If Lin Shuhua can get into Tsinghua or Peking University in next year's Gaokao, then our No. 1 High School will exclusively occupy two Tsinghua/Peking University students. This is not only a good thing for Lin Shuhua, but also a great thing for his parents, for all the teachers who taught him, for all the school's Leaders, and even for all the relevant Leaders of the Education Bureau."

Wang Xiaohua was stunned.

In a daze, he recalled the time when he himself filled out his college application preferences during the Gaokao.

Actually, he hadn't wanted to apply to Tsinghua back then. Because with his score, he could barely get into Tsinghua, but couldn't choose a major he liked.

But under the sway of all the currents of interest, he eventually still chose to apply to Tsinghua.

That was the first time in his life he bowed his head to reality.

And with that bow of the head,

everyone got a satisfactory result.

But his spirit had already lost more than half.

He now thought: if his personality back then had been as carefree as Lin Shuhua is now, wouldn't he have avoided wronging himself?

Just as he was in a daze, the Homeroom Teacher said again:

"Xiao Hua, later add Shuhua's contact information. If his Gaokao score next year can get into Tsinghua or Peking University, then by then we'll need to trouble you to do some ideological work for him. I heard from his Homeroom Teacher that he listens to no one and takes no one seriously, but he admires you quite a bit."

Wang Xiaohua gave an embarrassed laugh and politely agreed verbally:

"Sure, no problem."

But in his heart he already had another idea.

If one year later Lin Shuhua's Gaokao score, like his own back then, could only barely scrape the line to get into Tsinghua or Peking University, then he definitely would not advise Lin Shuhua to apply to Tsinghua or Peking University. He would tell him that studying a major he likes is far more important than so-called prestigious universities.

Wang Xiaohua did not like the major Chemical Engineering and Technology. Plus, Tsinghua was full of aptitude monsters, so no matter how hard he tried he couldn't catch up with others. This left him adrift for a long time after entering university, performing very strainedly, and even once doubting himself.

This psychological gap dealt a heavy blow to his spirit.

It made him recognize reality, have to accept reality, and even submit to reality.

His life plan—to graduate and then go back to take the Civil Service Exam—was actually a manifestation of submitting to reality.

Lin Shuhua's speech ended, and it was Wang Xiaohua's turn to go up and say a few words.

Wang Xiaohua's speech was not as light-hearted and humorous as Lin Shuhua's.

He just went by the routine: first thanking his alma mater for its cultivation, thanking his alma mater for inviting him back to attend this oath-taking rally, then talking about his own study insights and university life, finally encouraging everyone to study hard and wishing everyone could get into a good university in next year's Gaokao.

After the oath-taking rally ended, the school's Leaders immediately arranged a symposium for the Special Elite Class.

Letting the Special Elite Class students have close-distance exchange with Wang Xiaohua.

This symposium was informal, and Li Jianjia also came to attend.

The atmosphere was still quite relaxed.

The junior schoolmates asked many questions about studying and about university life, and Wang Xiaohua answered them all seriously one by one.

During this period, quite a few classmates also exchanged contact information with Wang Xiaohua and Li Jianjia.

Lin Shuhua also came to add Wang Xiaohua's QQ.

"Senior Xiao Hua, do you play League of Legends?"

The first question Lin Shuhua asked Wang Xiaohua was actually whether he played League of Legends.

"Don't laugh at me, but I've never played a computer game."

Lin Shuhua asked again:

"Then what do you do in your spare time at university?"

Wang Xiaohua said honestly:

"My spare time is rather boring. Before, I was always following my roommates to do research on chemical batteries. Later I focused on taking the Civil Service Exam. When I had time, I studied the Administrative Aptitude Test and Essay Writing, or read some municipal newspapers to do policy analysis."

"You're preparing to take the Civil Service Exam? You don't want to do scientific research? With a chemistry major, you should be doing research!"

Lin Shuhua looked surprised and blurted out.

Wang Xiaohua could only smile embarrassedly:

"I don't have enough aptitude. I'm not cut out for scientific research."

A group of junior schoolmates exclaimed:

"Senior Xiao Hua, if even you don't have enough aptitude, aren't we even more hopeless?"

Wang Xiaohua said:

"Not necessarily. The aptitude for scientific research and the aptitude for dealing with the Gaokao are different. Some people graduate from a non-double-first-class university but can still become big shots in the research world."

Lin Shuhua said at this time:

"But with your grades, taking the Civil Service Exam is really a waste of talent."

Wang Xiaohua gave an embarrassed laugh.

Lin Shuhua said again:

"If it were me, I definitely wouldn't take the Civil Service Exam. Even if I died, I would make some achievements in my own major! Becoming someone like Bill Gates or Jobs—that's truly impressive! If I can't make achievements, I'd rather sleep on the street than take the Civil Service Exam! Once you become a civil servant, that's it for a lifetime. There's not much hope."

At that time it was 2014. Back then, taking the Civil Service Exam wasn't as popular as now, and not so many people crowded into taking it.

To be honest, with Wang Xiaohua's education and ability, back then it was still quite easy to pass the Civil Service Exam. He prepared in advance, actually aiming for the Central Selection Graduate. Back then, taking the Civil Service Exam was actually hardest for the Central Selection Graduate. For Provincial Selection Cadres, Wang Xiaohua performing normally shouldn't have much difficulty. For civil servants in small places, he could even pass with his eyes closed.

The mainstream trend at the time was entrepreneurship, technological innovation, and the great dream of getting rich through the internet.

Pursuing stability was seen by many young people as a lack of promise.

Lin Shuhua was full of youthful vigor; with such high aptitude, he naturally looked down on the civil servant's small bowl of rice.

Most importantly, people with high IQs actually disdained dealing with the so-called human relations of officialdom.

Because those intangible things could not bring an increase in production efficiency, but instead would waste time, hinder the development of science and technology, and suppress the expression of talent and wisdom.

"Everyone has their own aspirations, so I can only say, there is always a higher heaven beyond the sky, and there are always people beyond people; recognizing reality and accepting reality is actually a kind of growth. Besides, doing scientific research benefits humanity, and being a civil servant also benefits humanity; serving the people is not just a slogan, but also a great and pure social action."

Wang Xiaohua defended his choice.

Although he had persuaded his junior schoolmates, he did not feel very good inside.

At this time Lin Shuhua asked:

"Senior Xiao Hua, have you fallen in love at university?"

Wang Xiaohua was about to answer when Li Jianjia beside him spoke first.

"We did. Xiao Hua and I started dating not long after the college entrance exam."

The surrounding junior schoolmates immediately started cheering and then began all sorts of gossip.

They kept asking Li Jianjia all sorts of questions about dating.

Li Jianjia became a bit embarrassed from the questioning.

As a result, this exchange symposium turned into a gossip meeting.

Fortunately, the symposium of over an hour finally ended.

The students of the Special Elite Class all went back to class.

Wang Xiaohua and Li Jianjia, however, still had to continue to the next itinerary.

That was to attend the seminar organized by the Leader.

This meeting was led by Education Bureau leaders and composed of school leaders; it was relatively formal.

There were also news reporters coming to interview and report.

It was estimated it would be on the County TV Station news that evening.

After the meeting ended, as usual, everyone went to eat together.

At the wine table, at first many leaders were very enthusiastic toward Wang Xiaohua, said many good words to him, and took the initiative to ask for his contact information.

But when they learned that Li Jianjia beside him was Wang Xiaohua's girlfriend, their enthusiasm decreased by more than half.

Of course, on the surface they were still harmonious; not a single polite word that should be said was omitted, and not a single cup of wine that should be toasted was lacking. That decrease in enthusiasm could only be perceived by careful and sensitive people.

The Leaders' reaction was actually quite normal.

They were getting close to Wang Xiaohua for nothing other than seeking benefits, and wanting to seek benefits from Wang Xiaohua, the lowest-cost way was naturally for those with daughters to introduce their own daughters to Wang Xiaohua, and for those without daughters to introduce their relatives' daughters to Wang Xiaohua.

Kinship relations are much more reliable than any interest relations.

But now Wang Xiaohua already had a girlfriend, and she was even a high school classmate, and they had even met both sets of parents.

Investing in Wang Xiaohua now would not be worth it.

And investing now would not be the behavior of a gentleman.

After all, Li Jianjia's father was also a civil servant in the County Town; everyone would see each other often, and there was no need to do things like poaching someone's wall corner.