Back to the small fishing village in 1982

Chapter 1821 Passed the exam

They don't like sweets!

Who said they love sweets?

The two tried to stuff the stuff back to the old lady, but she gripped their wrists tightly with her withered hands and, with a loving smile, stuffed it into their pockets.

And so, the two brothers each stuffed a pocketful of candy into their pants, their hands sticky, and the old lady held one of their hands by each of them.

"Ah, Auntie, Dongzi is here..." Pei Zuo pointed to the roadside and then quickly escaped.

Pei You also took the opportunity to run away.

Ye Yaodong did indeed happen to walk over from the corner.

As soon as the children got back, they immediately plugged the game console into the TV and started playing excitedly, their energy seemingly limitless and requiring no rest at all.

After Ye Yaodong helped the old lady into the house, her smile deepened.

"These kids aren't tired at all, yet they're running, jumping, and shouting so loudly."

"Children are naturally full of energy."

"I don't know what time you'll get home. I cooked a big pot of corn this morning and left it here. Go take some out of the pot and give it to them. Kids can't keep their mouths shut; they need to eat..."

Upon hearing this, Ye Yaodong went to the pot to scoop some out for them.

With so many more children in the house, it instantly became lively, with noise all the time.

It's never quiet from morning till night; sometimes it's upstairs, sometimes downstairs.

Ye Yaodong, of course, didn't stay at home all day. He would go to the factory in town and visit his uncle, but he spent most of his time in the village.

Going to a friend's house for drinks, or inviting friends over to play cards, is a rare opportunity for everyone to have some free time at the same time.

A few more people in the village won't necessarily make it more lively, but they will certainly provide plenty of topics for conversation. When people are fanning themselves in the evening to cool off, these conversations will inevitably become the talk of the village after meals, especially in front of their houses.

Ye Yaodong stayed in the village for about half a month before leaving with Ye Chenghu, which was quite a long time for him.

Ye Chenghu was going to the school to check his scores because they were about to be released, and he also had a graduation party to attend.

At that time, checking scores was not so convenient, and candidates could only go back to their original schools to check. Ye Yaodong was also quite concerned about his son's grades and thought that they should go to Shanghai together to see his results, so they left together.

As for the other two children, they wanted to stay home and play throughout the summer vacation, so he naturally let them stay.

Ye Chenghu's first choice was the Shanghai Financial College, and he hasn't changed it since.

He knew his own limitations and didn't even dare to dream of getting a bachelor's degree. He would be secretly happy if he could get into this program.

After the exam, Ye Yaodong never asked him how it went. He figured he could accept whatever the result was, good or bad.

The father and son arrived at their home in Shanghai, travel-worn. Ye Chenghu immediately called Zheng Shuya.

It was Zheng Shuya who called him, saying that the school had notified him to check his grades on the 27th, which prompted him to rush back.

"Dad, I can only check my grades at school tomorrow. I'm going out now..."

He ran out as soon as he hung up the phone, explaining things as he ran.

"Aren't you going to rest for a while?"

"I don't need to rest, I'm not tired!"

Ye Yaodong just heard that he was going to Zheng Shuya's house to find her and ask if anyone was home. He wondered if he would be beaten up if his parents caught him red-handed.

The next morning, Ye Chenghu went straight to school, but at noon he brought a group of classmates to his home, catching Ye Yaodong off guard.

Ye Yaodong watched in surprise as a group of people rushed into his house amidst a chorus of barking dogs, and he stood up.

"Dad, I brought my classmates home. Everyone at school has left. We still need to talk about scores and college applications."

"Oh, okay, it's alright. Come over and let's chat. It's too hot outside. Has everyone eaten yet?"

He didn't cook any food; he didn't even have any to eat himself...

I'm going out to order a table of food to be delivered, but I don't know if it will make it in time...

"No need, I bought a box of instant noodles!" Ye Chenghu took a box of instant noodles from the boy next to him and walked into the kitchen.

"You're just eating instant noodles?"

"Yeah, we had instant noodles for lunch. Everyone loves them. We also bought a bag of sausages!"

"Hello, Uncle..."

"Uncle, you're so young and handsome..."

"Uncle, are you really Ye Chenghu's father? You look so young!"

Seven or eight young men and women walked to the sofa and surrounded Ye Yaodong, showering him with enthusiastic compliments and praise.

Ye Yaodong chuckled and took out all the fruits and snacks in the house and laid them on the coffee table, telling them to eat as much as they wanted. He also asked Ye Chenghu to cut a watermelon.

He naturally took the newspaper back to his room upstairs, not wanting to disturb the group of teenagers' conversation.

I wanted to ask him about his exam results, but I never got a chance to ask.

When it was time for dinner, the group of boys and girls went out to have their graduation party.

When Lin Xiuqing came home from work, she asked him about Ye Chenghu's exam results, but he knew nothing about them.

"Couldn't you even ask a question?"

“I didn’t even get a chance to ask. As soon as he came in, he carried a box of instant noodles and went to cook them. I didn’t even get to eat a single bite of his instant noodles. I had to stay in my room and not disturb them. I was starving.”

"How could you be so foolish? Locking yourself in your room and starving?"

"I feel bad about it. I've raised him all these years, and I still can't even afford to eat a single bite of instant noodles with him. I've raised this son for nothing."

"So what are you having for dinner?"

"instant noodles."

Lin Xiuqing couldn't help but laugh, "They went out for a fancy meal, and then you came downstairs to cook instant noodles? At least you got to eat the instant noodles he bought."

"I feel so sorry for being a parent."

Ye Chenghu didn't return until after 9 p.m., and he still smelled of alcohol, but his eyes seemed quite clear.

Ye Yaodong and Lin Xiuqing were still awake, watching TV on the sofa, waiting for him to come back.

"Dad, Mom, aren't you asleep yet?"

"Drinking?"

"Hehe, just a little bit, just to liven things up. Everyone's graduated now, we're all adults."

"The scores came out today, but you still haven't told me how you did."

"Huh? Didn't I mention that?" Ye Chenghu belatedly realized, "You did very well on the exam, exceeding your usual performance. If there are no unexpected events, you should be able to get into your first choice. Now you just have to wait for the admission notice."

Lin Xiuqing beamed with joy, "Really? Why didn't you say so earlier! Now that you've passed the exam, we should definitely celebrate!"

"Let's not celebrate... It's just a vocational college, it's kind of embarrassing..."

“A junior college is still a university. Our village hasn’t produced a college student yet.”

Ye Yaodong was also very happy. "Although it's a junior college, we still have to celebrate. Junior college graduates are still college students! We'll have a small dinner party in Zhoushan next month for our relatives and friends. We won't accept any gifts. It's getting late, I'll call home tomorrow."

Ye Chenghu suddenly felt uncertain again. He had notified everyone so early on, but what if he didn't pass the exam? He would be so embarrassed.

"How about we wait until we receive the acceptance letter before we talk about it..."

When will I receive the acceptance letter?

"The results are out. If things go smoothly, we should receive them within a week; if not, it should take about two weeks. For those of us in the same city, it probably won't even take a week."

"There's no rush. We'll let you know once we receive the acceptance letter. Anyway, the graduation banquet is scheduled for the end of next month."

Ye Chenghu rubbed his hands together and said obsequiously, "Dad, then I'll have a toy car..."

"We'll talk about it when the admission notice arrives. You're free now, so go and get your driver's license."

"Then you have to pre-order it, otherwise it will take several months to receive it."

"You're not in a hurry to drive anyway, and you've already applied to universities in Shanghai. You can commute to school by bicycle."

"do not want!"

Ye Chenghu got anxious, "You have to keep your word! You promised to buy me a car if I pass the exam, and you even said you'd give me another one if I found a college student boyfriend. I already have both, so you have to buy me two!"

"A college student as a partner? You've found one and confirmed the relationship?"

He said smugly, "Of course, Zheng Shuya checked her scores today. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Fudan University is a sure thing. It's the most important university among the most important universities. Tell me, isn't it worth a car?"

Ye Yaodong looked at him approvingly and gave him a thumbs up. "Good job, efficient enough. However, it's not appropriate to give it now. She won't accept it anyway, since she's just a girlfriend, not a wife. This is too precious. Remember it for now. I'll give her a Mercedes-Benz as a betrothal gift after we get engaged."

"A Mercedes!" Ye Chenghu exclaimed with delight. "The one that looks just like Mom?"

"Ah."

"Okay, what are you going to give me? I passed the exam too."

"I haven't received the admission notice yet, so I haven't been accepted."

Seeing that he was about to protest, Ye Yaodong changed the subject.

"However, once you receive your acceptance letter, I might be able to order you a Xiali car."

"Xia Li..."

"What? No way? If you don't like it, that's fine too. Riding a bicycle is the same."

"Yes, yes, I'll take the Xiali. I'm not picky."

"You don't get to choose. It's fair. As I said before, what kind of car you want depends on what kind of school you can get into. If you get into Fudan University, you can naturally buy a Mercedes-Benz, but you're in a vocational college now. It's already good enough that we can even give you a car with four wheels."

"A junior college is pretty good. One-third of the students in my class got in, and most of them went to junior colleges. I'm not the best, but I'm not the worst either. Some of them could have gotten in, but they didn't perform well and might have to repeat a year."

"So the Xiali is pretty good too. It's a four-wheeled car, and most families can't afford it. Even if there are families with good financial conditions in your class, there's definitely no one who can afford a car just because they go to college."

Ye Chenghu was quite satisfied after thinking about it; after all, it was a four-wheeler!

It's much better than a bicycle, much more prestigious, and you don't have to worry about being exposed to wind and rain.

Once he gets his driver's license, he can drive Zheng Shuya around.

Ye Yaodong also wanted to improve the prestige of his son's education. A junior college degree was indeed inferior to Fudan University and did not match it, but a car could bridge the gap between the two.

Although campus romances don't adhere to these principles and are relatively pure, comparisons still exist.

He was also very satisfied with his daughter-in-law from Fudan University, and he had to help his son keep her.

Although the car is eye-catching, there are many wealthy people in Shanghai, so owning a Xiali is not a big deal.

We'll save the Mercedes for their engagement and then arrange things for them; that way, it'll be more impressive.

"Then let's go with Xiali, just like my cousin. Dad, you should go and reserve it tomorrow."

"No rush, I'll reserve it after I receive the admission notice. Anyway, it will take you two or three months to get your driver's license, so it's just right. You won't be able to drive it if you buy it too early."

"Ok."

Ye Chenghu achieved his wish and went upstairs to sleep, completely satisfied.

Lin Xiuqing did not stop Ye Yaodong from fulfilling his promise. She had agreed long ago and could not go back on her word. Anyway, it was just a Xiali, not an expensive car, so she would just let him use it as practice.

She was also extremely happy that her son had been admitted to university.

"The teachers and resources here in Shanghai are much better. If your son were in our rural area, how could he possibly get into university?"

Ye Yaodong agreed. Before his son transferred to a university in Shanghai a few years ago, he never thought his son would be able to get into university.

"His efforts cannot be denied. He studied very hard throughout his three years of high school. It's just that his foundation wasn't very strong at the beginning, so he struggled a bit, but he's slowly catching up."

"It seems that local students get an advantage, as local schools have lower requirements for local students than those from other provinces."

Lin Xiuqing nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, local schools have lower requirements for local students. Luckily, I transferred here and settled here, so I can take the college entrance examination here. The difference here is really big."

"Alright, as long as I passed the exam, that's all that matters. Luck is also a part of ability, and being born into the right family is better than anything else."

"Yes, being born into the right family is a skill."

"Let's go, let's go back to our rooms and sleep."

The couple happily went back to their room to sleep. The next morning, they called all their relatives and friends to tell them that Ye Chenghu had been admitted to university.

Ye Chenghu woke up feeling heartbroken. They had clearly agreed to wait until he received the admission notice before informing his relatives and friends.

I'm so afraid I won't pass the exam.

When buying a car, I learned that if I hadn't received the admission notice, I hadn't been accepted.

They haven't received their acceptance letters yet, so they're calling all over the world to notify everyone.

Ye's father received a phone call early in the morning, saying that Ye Chenghu had been admitted to university and was just waiting for the admission notice. He was so happy that he almost jumped for joy. He immediately went to buy firecrackers and set them off at the factory gate, giving out cigarettes to everyone he met and telling them that his grandson had been admitted to university.

As soon as Ye's mother received the call, her excited voice spread throughout the family, and within half an hour, it reached the entire village.

Even the dogs on the street know that her son, Ye Chenghu, got into university in Shanghai.

Then, within half a day, everyone, no matter how far away, knew that Ye Chenghu was amazing—he had been admitted to Shanghai University!
Awesome Shanghai University!

Bring honor to the family.

Ye Xiaoxi was shocked when she found out, and even made a special phone call home.

"Dad, isn't my eldest brother amazing? He got into Shanghai University! Isn't that just as impressive as Xiaoya's Fudan University?"

Ye Yaodong was completely dumbfounded. "Your brother got into Shanghai University? Who said that?"

"Didn't you call back and tell me that?"

"I got into a university in Shanghai, but not a Shanghai University."

"Isn't it the same? Big brother is amazing. I didn't know he did so well on the exam. Then why did he pretend to be so sad when he came back? I thought he failed the exam and could only go to sea. It turns out it was all an act. He deliberately misled me. He's so cunning."

Ye Xiaoxi chattered on and on, "Now that he's passed the exam, he'll have everything. Sister Xiaoya wants to be with him, he'll have a car, and he'll get into university. He'll also receive red envelopes."

"Wow, if you get into university, you'll have everything, you'll be rich. If you don't get in, you'll have nothing. If you do get in, you'll have everything. No wonder you studied so hard!"

"Big brother has made a fortune! Studying hard really pays off; you can earn a wife, a car, and money all at once."

Ye Yaodong didn't bother to explain that it was a university in Shanghai, not Shanghai University. After listening to her explanation, he changed the subject again.

“You and your second brother should also study hard. Your eldest brother is now a role model, and our family has produced someone who can barely study. You and your second brother should strive to surpass your eldest brother in the future.”

"Dad, don't worry. If my eldest brother can get into Shanghai University, I'll definitely have no problem getting into Beijing University! I'll bring honor to the family!"

"no……"

"Father, you can have faith in me. Father, is my eldest brother coming back to our hometown? Grandma wants him to kowtow to our ancestors. Grandma bought a lot of firecrackers to set off in front of the house, and she won't let us sweep away the pile of red paper, saying she wants to keep setting them off for a few more days."

"After you receive your acceptance letter in a few days, we'll have your brother go back to his hometown to pay respects at his grave and kowtow."

Since this has brought honor to our ancestors, we should at least offer incense to them and pay our respects.

Ye Xiaoxi slapped her forehead. "Oh dear, I forgot something important. The village committee said they're going to reward my older brother. They're going to give him a red envelope when he comes back."

“There was a banner hanging in front of our village committee today, congratulating my brother on getting into a university in Shanghai.”

Ye Yaodong: "!!!"

"Dad, remember to bring my eldest brother back soon to collect his red envelope. Don't miss out!"

"No, the village committee even put up a banner congratulating your brother on getting into Shanghai University! Shanghai University!"

"correct."

Oh no, this rumor has spread...

I don't know whether I should go back or not.

He turned to Lin Xiuqing and spoke, but Lin Xiuqing didn't know what to say.

She suggested, "Why don't you call the village committee and explain? They put up banners without even consulting us. That's too hasty."

"Hmm, just have him add a word in the middle of the banner, change 'Shanghai University' to 'Shanghai University,' that will do. Anyway, he's the first college student in the whole village, so it has some prestige. It's okay to put up a banner."

"But I haven't received the acceptance letter yet..."

Snapped!
Ye Yaodong hung up the phone again, "Oh right, I haven't received the acceptance letter yet..."

"Then let's wait and see. We'll call the village after we receive the acceptance letter, otherwise..."

Ye Yaodong sighed, “Your son shouldn’t fail the exam, right? He said he performed exceptionally well and should have no problem with his first choice.”

Lin Xiuqing was speechless and then chuckled: "He shouldn't fail the exam. He said it with such confidence. He wouldn't joke about something like this."

"Just wait, it should arrive in the next day or two."

What a blunder! A university in Shanghai was mistakenly called Shanghai University. That's a minor issue compared to the real problem; if I hadn't gotten in, things would have been much more complicated...

Ye Chenghu only found out about the misunderstanding at home when he returned from his driving lessons, but he was quite amused by it.

"Take Shanghai University for example! It's hard to explain anyway, so it'll be even better if it adds some prestige to my resume."

"You are beautiful."

"It's not like I'm bragging about myself, it's just something someone else said."

P.S.: I'm too sleepy, that's all for now.
(End of this chapter)