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墨書 Inktalez
Jiang Qiuying and Brother Biao are quite the pair.
Brother Biao has been Hu Ruoyun's desk mate and close friend for three years. While Hu Ruoyun struggles with academics, Brother Biao is a prominent representative of the "underachievers."
Not only does he neglect his studies, but he also skips classes. When faced with subjects he dislikes, he can either be found by a nearby creek catching fish and shrimp or at the Brick Factory, mesmerized by the rumbling machines that churn out bricks from the earth.
Alternatively, he might retreat to his dormitory to immerse himself in the tales of Jin Yong's characters like Duan Yu, Qiao Feng, Xu Zhu, Guo Jing, Yang Guo, Zhang Wuji, Linghu Chong, Shi Potian, Yuan Chengzhi, Wei Xiaobao, Chen Jialuo, Hu Fei, and Di Yun. He can effortlessly recite titles like "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," "Heavenly Dragon Eight Parts," "The Sword of Blood and Tears," and "Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Sabre" as if they were his old friends.
All the teachers are well aware of his antics; they choose to ignore him since they know they can't change him. So they let him "be himself."
When the results of the high school entrance exam came out, Hu Ruoyun didn't do particularly well but managed to get accepted into Annan County's Eight Middle School. Brother Biao scored twenty-seven and a half points lower than Hu Ruoyun, just barely passing the admission threshold for this year's Hit line in Annan County. However, he fell over thirty points short of being accepted into Eight Middle School.
In those days, it was rare for a village to have more than a handful of students going to high school; Brother Biao's situation was not uncommon.
But without high school to attend, he needed to find something to do. He was too young to work outside but unwilling to toil in the fields at home.
Brother Biao's mother took advantage of a visit to her maternal family to discuss with her own mother about when her son would return from County No. 1 High School and whether he could help out under Uncle’s supervision.
Brother Biao's uncle is a chef who initially cooked large pots of food in the cafeteria at County No. 1 High School. Despite his short stature and stout build—often likened humorously to a "gas can that came to life"—he possesses remarkable culinary skills. In an era of scarcity, he could infuse life into common ingredients like radishes, cabbage, and vermicelli with his cooking. Eventually, he was promoted to head chef in the staff cafeteria.
His specialties—braised pork, mapo tofu, cold mixed vegetables, and casserole dishes—were so well-received that even the principal praised them. Over time, this chef became quite a renowned figure at County No. 1 High School.
This year, Brother Biao’s exam results were dismal; he didn’t even get accepted into the lowest-ranked Eight Middle School. Yet, oddly enough, he showed up at County No. 1 High School a week after classes had started for high school students.
This year, at their Middle School, Brother Biao was the only student accepted into the prestigious high school!
When the news broke, not only did his classmates drop their jaws in disbelief, but even the teachers from Middle School who had taught him were equally astonished. How could this be possible?
Both his grandmother and Uncle were extremely close to him. When Uncle returned from the county town for the weekend, Grandma couldn't help but chatter on about her nephew's situation. Uncle didn't make any promises but readily agreed to go back to the school and inquire with the administration.
Another weekend rolled around, and Uncle went straight to Brother Biao's home, his face glowing with excitement. He was almost incoherent as he told his sister to have her son quickly pack his bags; he was going to take him to the high school—not to work in the cafeteria, but to actually attend classes!
This news left Brother Biao's entire family both thrilled and bewildered. Annan High School was not only the best in Annan County but also a model high school in Jinan City! How could someone like Brother Biao, who had struggled academically, possibly be accepted?
Accompanied by his brother-in-law, Uncle took a bite of the scrambled eggs his sister had made and downed a cup of liquor with gusto. He then proudly recounted how a few days earlier, leaders from the Education Committee had visited the school for an inspection. The meal he prepared for them was so well-received that it pleased both the leaders and the school administration.
Seizing the moment when the principal was in high spirits, Uncle discreetly mentioned having Brother Biao work in the cafeteria. To his surprise, the principal, flushed from drinking, shot him a glare and flatly refused: "What can a kid do? Why not let him continue his studies?"
Uncle felt embarrassed and stammered, "It's not that he can't go to school; it's just that his grades are really poor..."
With a wave of his hand, the principal shot back, "How poor can they be? Once he enrolls, he can work hard! Our school's facilities, teaching staff, and educational strength are top-notch... Go back and tell him to come along with this year's new students... But there will be a sponsorship fee—let's say 800 at the minimum."
Uncle couldn't contain his joy.
Later on, Brother Biao bragged about this to Hu Ruoyun, who felt both envious and jealous. "You just stumbled upon good fortune! It's like a blind cat finding a dead mouse or stepping on a gold ingot while walking at night!"
Thinking about that 800 yuan sponsorship fee only served to provoke Brother Biao further: "What’s your deal? You didn’t get into that high school through exams; you bought your way in!"
Brother Biao was so angry that he almost jumped up to hit him. "Why don't you buy one for me to take a look! I'm the only one from our class who got into the First High School. Go ahead and be jealous; it won't kill you!"
However, despite the teasing, Hu Ruoyun genuinely felt happy for Brother Biao from the bottom of her heart.
As for Jiang Qiuying, she was not only the class beauty during Middle School but also the top student. Although her performance had been slightly affected by the incident involving Dog Young Master, she still managed to get into Annan County Experimental High School thanks to her solid abilities.
The Experimental High School was second only to the First High School in Annan County, making it an excellent institution. For her, it was a wish come true.
After the incident during the high school entrance exam, Jiang Qiuying was puzzled about how Brother Biao and Hu Ruoyun had appeared just in time to "rescue" her. How did they end up here?
She was unaware of the police station's search for Brother Biao and Hu Ruoyun, but she did know about Zhang Shusen's downfall, which was reportedly due to an investigation team from the province that had even visited her home.
Aside from herself, only two people knew about this matter: Brother Biao and Hu Ruoyun. She couldn't understand how that scumbag and his director father going to jail could possibly relate to her two classmates.
Once high school started, academics became intense. Even students like Brother Biao and Hu Ruoyun, who were somewhat lackluster, had to keep up with their daily assignments. High school was no longer as relaxed as Middle School; the schedule was much stricter.
Hu Ruoyun had to wake up at five forty-five in the morning to wash her face (brushing teeth usually happened after morning exercises), followed by morning drills. After that came early reading, four classes in the morning after breakfast, four classes in the afternoon after lunch, and two hours of evening study after dinner. Her days were filled with busyness.
Hu Ruoyun had no idea how Brother Biao spent his days, but he made sure to complete his assignments diligently, refusing to let teachers call him out in class. His mantra was: "So what if I'm a poor student? Even poor students have their dignity!"
As long as he finished his homework, Hu Ruoyun felt free to "draft" novels and "compose" poetry during evening study sessions.
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