With global currency devaluation, I'll wear these back and take my whole family flying!

It was past midnight again when Shen Xing finally opened the door and tiptoed inside.

The lights in the previously dark living room suddenly came on, and Shen Ci sat on the sofa, looking at him expressionlessly.

"sister."

When Shen Xing saw her sister, she awkwardly tugged at the corners of her mouth, but when she sensed the anger emanating from her sister, she lowered her head with a look of having done something wrong.

Shen Ci was initially furious, but during the two hours she waited, she also reflected on her brother's situation. By now, she wasn't so angry anymore; she was calm and only wanted to have a proper talk with her brother.

"Come in with me."

Since her mother was already asleep, Shen Ci didn't want to talk in the living room, so she immediately got up and went to her younger brother's bedroom.

Seeing this, Shen Xing quickly and obediently followed.

The younger brother's bedroom is the smallest room in the house, containing only a single bed, a desk, and a small wardrobe.

The walls were covered with various certificates of merit, and there were also more than a dozen trophies of different sizes on the desk and windowsill. All of these trophies were spotless, which showed that Shen Xing cherished them very much.

Shen Ci pulled up a chair and sat down. After Shen Xing closed the door, she stood at the door with her head down, secretly glancing up to observe her sister's expression.

The atmosphere froze for a moment, but Shen Xing finally took the initiative to admit his mistake: "I'm sorry, sister, I'm late."

Looking at her younger brother's aggrieved expression, Shen Ci took a deep breath and said, "I won't get angry with you right now. I'll give you a chance to explain, but you can't lie. I want to hear the truth."

"Tell me, is this game really that fun?"

Shen Xing nodded subconsciously, then quickly shook her head before explaining in a low voice, "No, sister, it's because I'm with other people. We're a team, you know? It's like... we all agree on a time every day to play games together as a team to build team synergy. If I'm absent, the team will be missing someone, and I don't want to affect the others because of me."

Shen Ci listened attentively. Although she didn't play many games, she had played them before, so she understood what her younger brother was saying.

What surprised her was that her younger brother had already joined the team?

"You signed with a professional esports team?" Shen Ci pressed.

Shen Xing quickly shook his head: "No, it's not that easy to sign with a professional team. We met in the game and we want to form a team to participate in the national competition in the fall. If we can get a ranking, we will have the opportunity to be selected for next year's youth training competition."

"Only after entering the youth training competition will you have the opportunity to be seen by professional teams and thus get a contract."

To many outsiders, professional esports is seen as a waste of time and a frivolous pursuit, but in reality, this path is extremely difficult. The prime of a professional player's career is very short. If they are not signed by a professional team at their peak, those few years of their youth are basically wasted.

Shen Ci clearly remembered that the last time his younger brother became addicted to games was after he was admitted to a key university. Later, as he wished, he signed with a professional e-sports team, but unfortunately, he was a substitute player.

He was called a substitute, but in reality, he was on the bench. He sat on the sidelines for two whole years before getting a chance to play, but he didn't perform well because of his lack of experience in major competitions.

A five-year contract, a single appearance, only to be ridiculed by the entire internet.

He was expelled from university for neglecting his studies. He then made a living by streaming games, but making a living on the internet was not easy. He streamed for more than ten hours every day, but he didn't earn much money and his health deteriorated early on.

In Shen Ci's memory, her younger brother and sister were the same; they had both devoted themselves to pursuing their favorite and beloved careers, but in the end, they never got anything they wanted.

Looking at her younger brother standing before her, she felt no anger rising within her, only a deep sigh.

These words made Shen Xing feel even more guilty: "I'm sorry, sister. I know I shouldn't have been distracted by playing games at such a crucial time before the college entrance exam, but I don't want to hold them back because of myself. The competition is about to start, and I can't quit at this time."

"Then let me ask you, which do you think is more important right now, the competition or the college entrance exam?" Shen Ci looked at her younger brother and asked seriously, "Tell me the truth, and I won't be angry."

Shen Xing answered without hesitation: "The college entrance exam!"

Shen Ci nodded slightly upon hearing this, and then asked, "Which university do you want to apply to, and what major do you want to study?"

"Shenzhen-Hong Kong University, Computer Science major."

The university and major are the same as last time, so at least my brother's original intention hasn't changed.

“Longcheng University has a better computer science program. Don’t you want to go to Longcheng?” Shen Ci asked.

Shen Xing pursed her lips and said, "If I go to Longcheng, Mom will be left alone. I want to stay in Shengang to be with her."

“I bought a house in Longcheng. If you can get into Longcheng University, I will bring Mom over with me, and then our family will be together again.”

Shen Xing's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and she looked up at her sister with excitement: "Really, sis?"

Shen Ci nodded slightly and said, "But the premise is that you can get in. If you want to get into Longcheng University, you need to score at least 660 points. I can let you accompany your teammates to the national competition, but if this delays your college entrance examination results, you will have to stay in Shenzhen and Hong Kong to repeat a year. Are you willing?"

"I won't repeat a year, I can pass the exam!" Shen Xing promised confidently, "After this competition, I will definitely focus on my studies and won't touch games again before the college entrance exam."

From childhood to adulthood, learning has never seemed to be a difficult thing for him, and he is confident.

Hearing her younger brother say this, Shen Ci felt a little relieved. She got up and walked to her brother, looking at him and saying, "It wasn't easy for Mom to raise the three of us to adulthood. I also gave up Aeronautical University and chose USTC. You should know who Mom and I are doing this for."

"I don't want to morally blackmail you, but you've always been sensible and should understand that no matter what you want to do in the future, you have to get into university."

Shen Xing nodded vigorously: "I understand, sister. I won't let you and Mom down."

Shen Ci gently stroked her younger brother's hair: "Go to sleep early, you have to get up early tomorrow."

"Sis, I haven't eaten yet."

"It's good that you haven't eaten yet, just stay hungry!" Shen Ci said, then turned and closed the door.

Shen Xing: ……

The next day, Shen Ci got up early, and her mother was making breakfast in the kitchen.

"Why are you up so early? Sleep a little longer!"

"Aren't you going to sleep? Xingxing went to school?" Shen Ci walked into the kitchen, came up behind her mother and hugged her. She sniffed at the plain noodles in the pot and said, "Add some vinegar."

Shen Jingjing smiled and nodded, then asked her daughter, "Did you talk to him yesterday?"

“Yes, I told him to take the entrance exam for Longcheng University, and he said he was sure he could get in.”

"Then...about the game?"

Shen Ci gently patted her mother's shoulder and comforted her, "Mom, don't be too nervous. Xingxing said they'll only play until the middle of next month. Their team will focus on studying after the competition, so it'll only be about twenty days at most."