{"id":9271,"date":"2019-10-19T12:00:37","date_gmt":"2019-10-19T16:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/?p=9271"},"modified":"2020-04-09T13:48:20","modified_gmt":"2020-04-09T17:48:20","slug":"epiphanies-of-rebirth-19-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/epiphanies-of-rebirth-19-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Epiphanies of Rebirth 19.2"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Chapter 19.2<\/span><\/h1>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In Qunnan Province, in an inconspicuous town called Liyun, in the even lesser known No. 1 High School, the university admission recommendation list was announced. Jiang Run\u2019s name wasn\u2019t on it.<\/span><\/p>

When Jiang Run heard the name \u201cYu Zhiliang,\u201d it was as if thunder struck. He loved to show-off; after his mother paid Li Yurong to take care of the matter, he firmly believed the admission quota was already his and bragged far and wide. So while Yu Zhiliang\u2019s mood shifted from despondency to ecstasy, his was the opposite. The strange looks from the other students in class humiliated him ever further.<\/span><\/p>

He didn\u2019t finish his classes that day\u2014before noon, he grabbed his bag and ran to his mother\u2019s company.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cWhat?!\u201d Jiang Xiaoyun was shocked when she heard the news. \u201cTeacher Li received the money, how could this happen?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>

\u201cShe was transferred away, the principal too,\u201d Jiang Run cried. \u201cMom, what should I do now? I can\u2019t get into Qunnan University with my grades!\u201d<\/span><\/p>

\u201cWhat?! Teacher Li and the principal were transferred away?!\u201d Jiang Xiaoyun had been so busy recently she had no time to pay attention to the local news, so this was the first time she heard about this. Anxiety hit her at once. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you tell me such an important thing earlier, you foolish child?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Jiang Run\u2026 forgot. He really forgot. All the students, even those from Class 1, were happy Li Yurong was gone, and he was no exception, so he underestimated the seriousness of this matter. Principal Tao\u2019s departure was an even more joyous event\u2014after he left, food in the cafeteria was richer, with soup, meat, and fish dishes every day. In addition, Jiang Xiaoyun left home early in the morning and returned at night, so he rarely even saw her these days. It always slipped his mind to tell her about this.<\/span><\/p>

Jiang Run\u2019s face turned pale, and Jiang Xiaoyun sighed, somewhat exasperated, but let it go. \u201cNever mind. Don\u2019t worry, mom will think of a way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

She called the school and asked to speak with the new English teacher.<\/span><\/p>

The other woman was gentle and polite, but a tactful rejection was still a rejection. She said both the grandes and conduct of the chosen student was absolutely impeccable since his first year of high school, and besides, the leader of the inspection team selected him personally. As such, there was really nothing she could do.<\/span><\/p>

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Xiaoyun was under even more pressure than before. She felt her back break out in a nervous sweat.<\/span><\/p>

Her company had been having a rough time recently, and now there was trouble with her son\u2019s school on top of that. Why were so many bad things happening all at once? She didn\u2019t know what had gone wrong, but they didn\u2019t get their hands on the antiques, and Section Head Wang from the Provincial Bureau of Land and Resources could not be reached. What’s more, Liyun Town\u2019s land development plan had been canceled!<\/span><\/p>

Since that day, the company had one headache after another: not only did the prepared bid plan became useless, but all their real estate under development was suddenly subjected to intense scrutiny. Jiang Xiaoyun thought it was probably Mr. Wang, offended because they didn\u2019t keep their end of the deal. She was so anxious she couldn\u2019t sleep, and her hair began to fall out from stress. She went around looking for government officials who could help, wanting to invite them out for a dinner, but they either avoided her or bluntly refused. Mr. Wang was much more powerful than she thought!<\/span><\/p>

Having went for wool and came back shorn, Jiang Xiaoyun was filled with regret\u2014had she known the things would end up like this, she would have never tried to put a ladder against the sky!<\/span><\/p>

Despite all this, she still gently coaxed her son to return home. After Jiang Run left, she sat alone in the empty office, too drained to even get upset.<\/span><\/p>

She had already used all her connections and exhausted all means available. As she slumped in her chair, impotent, the pile of newspapers on the table caught her eye.<\/span><\/p>

On the front page of <\/span>Liyun Town Post<\/span><\/em>, the black-and-white photos of ancient bronzes were striking, piercing her eyes like countless small needles. Her head hurt.<\/span><\/p>

What determination, really<\/span><\/em>.<\/em> She didn\u2019t expect Lin Jingzhe would rather donate the bronzeware to a museum than let them get ahold of it. The moment she saw the article, her doubts about the failure were finally answered. Looking at the words \u201cYan City\u201d and \u201cNational\u201d printed in bold in the headline, Jiang Xiaoyun realized that she would never get them in this life.<\/span><\/p>

She had no choice but to contact the person she was least willing to deal with\u2014<\/span><\/p>

Jiang Qiaqia.<\/span><\/p>

Some time ago, they had a big fight over the bronzeware fiasco, and they hadn\u2019t contacted each other since. Jiang Xiaoyun didn\u2019t want to be the first to back down, but she had to, for her son\u2019s sake.<\/span><\/p>

Jiang Qiaqia was not happy to get a phone call from her sister.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cWhat\u2019s the use of looking for me!\u201d Right now, she herself balanced on the edge of a cliff\u2014where did she have time to care about her nephew\u2019s studies? She didn\u2019t even want to hear it, and hung up after a few perfunctory remarks.<\/span><\/p>

After putting down the receiver, Jiang Qiaqia looked up and saw her mother-in-law. The old lady wore a satin <\/span>cheongsam<\/span><\/a><\/em>, a pearl necklace, and had elegantly permed hair. She sat erect, like an empress dowager on her throne, and watched her with disapproval.<\/span><\/p>

\u201c…Mom,\u201d Jiang Qiaqia greeted her with a smile.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cIs it your country relatives again? How many times have I told you\u2014since you have married into Qi, you should have less contact with your birth family, and don\u2019t let them ask you for favors.\u201d The old lady sucked in her cheeks. She dropped the remote, displeased. \u201cQi Qing has missed dinner for several days already; just how many things does he have to clean up after you? If you can\u2019t be of help to him, then at least don\u2019t make trouble!\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Jiang Qiaqia\u2019s heart was full of bitterness. All she wanted was to put her hands on the wretched old hag\u2019s throat and choke her to death, yet she had no choice but to meekly bow her head.<\/span><\/p>

There was a sound, and the two looked towards the entrance. It turned out to be Qi Qing, finally coming home from work.<\/span><\/p>

As Qi Qing was shook off his umbrella and removed his dress shoes, Jiang Qiaqia came to meet him: \u201cAre you back?\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Qi Qing looked at her, but only nodded slightly. He handed his briefcase to his mother, who also approached, and headed straight for the living room, barely brushing against his wife\u2019s shoulder as he passed by.<\/span><\/p>

Jiang Qiaqia was left standing in the entrance, blankly staring at the patches of rainwater on the floor.<\/span><\/p>

She understood clearly\u2014Qi Qing blamed her.<\/span><\/p>

They abruptly lost contact with Section Head Wang and couldn\u2019t find anyone else to support them, so Qiqing Real Estate failed to win a land lot at the auction. This matter was already enough for Qi Qing to tear out his hair but soon, other troubles followed. The bank loans, the contracted builders\u2026 One by one, the chain links broke off. By this point, it was impossible to think everything was just bad luck.<\/span><\/p>

No matter how unwilling Jiang Qiaqia was to admit it, this was probably Mr. Wang\u2019s revenge, in rage because he failed to get the antiques.<\/span><\/p>

Qi Qing, originally wild with joy to have gained a connection with such an important man, was now drowning in regret. Every day, he ran himself ragged trying to douse the fires; inevitably, all his negative feelings focused on Jiang Qiaqia, leading to their relationship chilling.<\/span><\/p>

Jiang Qiaqia didn\u2019t go for dinner but hid in the bedroom. In the darkness, she looked at the empty, cold double bed, and thought wearily\u2014<\/span><\/p>

Why was this happening?<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Before the college entrance examination, Liyun No. 1 High School gave students three days off.<\/span><\/p>

Lin Jingzhe had been living in Gao Sheng\u2019s house during this time. On the day of the exam, they got up early. Hu Yu brought them porridge with fermented bean curd topping and stood aside, nervously watching them eat.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cMom,\u201d Gao Sheng called, grabbing a piece of fermented tofu with his chopsticks. \u201cWhere are salted duck eggs? I want some!\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Hu Yu stamped her foot and glared at him. \u201c<\/span>Pooh!<\/span><\/em> Eating salted ducks eggs today? What stupid thing are you saying! You want to \u2018eat an egg\u2019 on the exam too?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>

\u201cEating an egg\u201d was scoring 0 points.<\/span><\/p>

Lin Jingzhe almost laughed out loud. Gao Sheng complained, \u201cMom, you\u2019re a teacher, how can you believe in superstition?\u201d<\/span><\/p>

\u201cDon\u2019t talk nonsense\u2014if I say you\u2019re not allowed to eat it, then you\u2019re not allowed,\u201d Hu Yu said unreasonably. As the two friends packed their bags, she hovered by them, fussing<\/span> endlessly: \u201c…Do you have your exam admission tickets? You can\u2019t forget them. Have you checked if the information on them is right? Remember to write legibly, don\u2019t scribble! Don\u2019t hand in the papers early, no one is rushing you\u2014use the remaining time to check your answers\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>

They changed their clothes and left the house accompanied by almost non-stop chatter. Hu Yu checked the contents of their bags multiple times to see if they had everything needed but still felt they must\u2019ve forgotten something and in the end, escorted them all the way to the examination hall.<\/span><\/p>

Zhou Haitang and Deng Mai waited in front of the door, accompanied by their parents, who were so nervous as if their little babies were about to face a trial of life and death.<\/span><\/p>

After exchanging greetings, the parents, with tears in their eyes, watched their children enter the examination hall. They stayed in front of the door, patting each other shoulders encouragingly.<\/span><\/p>

Gao Sheng lifted his head to face the sky and sighed, \u201cGod, I\u2019m so nervous.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

\u201cWhy?\u201d Lin Jingzhe asked. \u201cThis is the zero hour. Getting nervous is useless\u2014right now, you should relax and try your best. After all, what\u2019s the worst that can happen? At most, you will only fail to get into university. It\u2019s not as if there are no other choices available to you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Deng Mai bumped Gao Sheng\u2019s shoulder. \u201cOld Gao, it\u2019s over, I\u2019m done for. I forgot all about how to solve that math problem Lin Jingzhe reviewed with us yesterday\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Gao Sheng searched his memory, then exclaimed with horror, \u201cYou mean the one about square pyramid?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Alarmed, everyone gathered together and reviewed the pyramid problem again to help Deng Mai and other unfortunates remember. They only broke up, reluctantly, after the time to start the exam was about to arrive and the teachers urged them to take their seats.<\/span><\/p>

The classroom was spacious; the distance between the seats seemed as wide as an ocean trench. Before opening the exam, Lin Jingzhe glanced at the unfamiliar faces surrounding him. For a moment, he had an illusion he was transported to another world, finding his surroundings<\/span> both intimately familiar and startlingly strange.<\/span><\/p>

The world bizarrely turned full circle\u2014after everything he had went through, all the struggles and painful experiences, he sat here again, having a chance to start his life anew.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cThe student over there, don\u2019t look around!\u201d A stern reminder woke Lin Jingzhe up from his daze. He obediently nodded then focused on the exam paper.<\/span><\/p>

He leafed through it carelessly, about to pick up the pen to write his name, when something caught his eye and he froze.<\/span><\/p>

On the second page, next to a large 15-point question, there was a picture he was very familiar with\u2014<\/span><\/p>

It was the square pyramid they had just reviewed!<\/span><\/p>

Soon, he found more questions he was familiar with. The structure or the numbers might\u2019ve changed but, though different on the surface, they used the formulas he\u2019d come to know by heart.<\/span><\/p>

Lin Jingzhe\u2019s pen flew. At this moment, he was generously rewarded for studying like crazy since the day of his rebirth\u2014the answers to these questions seemed to be buried in his mind, appearing when he needed them without him even having to think. It was as if he was picking razor clams on the beach at low tide, easily grabbing them at just the right moment after they popped out. His hand never stopped moving.<\/span><\/p>

The proctor in charge of this side was surprised by the speed of his writing. A little doubtful whether this student was answering the questions randomly, he came down from the dais and walked between the rows of desks, pretending to casually approach Lin Jingzhe.<\/span><\/p>

However, after barely a glance, he was so shocked he stopped in place. He stood by the desk, watching Lin Jingzhe write.<\/span><\/p>

Another proctor noticed him stop in the middle and gave him a questioning look. Had he perhaps caught a student cheating?<\/span><\/p>

The first proctor signaled him with his eyes, indicating he should come and see.<\/span><\/p>

The second proctor did so. In such a short time, Lin Jingzhe had finished one page and moved on to the next. The man, who stopped next to his colleague and also observed for a while, was dumbfounded. As the two slowly walked away from Lin Jingzhe to watch other candidates, they couldn\u2019t help but sigh silently.<\/span><\/p>

It turns out people really weren\u2019t born equal.<\/span><\/p>

Lin Jingzhe felt as if he was taking a walk on one of those perfect spring days when Mother Nature seemed to do everything to make people comfortable. By the time he finished, most of the other students weren\u2019t even half-done. He didn\u2019t hand the exam papers in, though, and began to check them repeatedly. Finally, before the bell rang, he found a minor mistake in a multiple choice question and corrected it hurriedly.<\/span><\/p>

By the time he handed in the exam and left, it was almost noon. When the hot air outside blew in his face, he felt like he was about to take off!<\/span><\/p>

The English exam in the afternoon went even smoother. During the listening test, he almost completed the sentences faster in his mind than the recording played.<\/span><\/p>

That day, after the exams ended, the friends followed Gao Sheng home, feeling like they were dreaming.<\/span><\/p>

Gao Sheng said, \u201cI think I knew most of the questions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Zhou Haitang was also confused: \u201cI really completed all the extra problems\u2026?\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Deng Mai was even more bewildered: \u201cSomehow, I feel I might actually pass?\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Everyone looked at each other, hesitated for a moment then, at the same time, rushed to grab Lin Jignzhe\u2019s chemistry review materials spread on the desk!<\/span><\/p>

Liyun Town\u2019s college entrance examination lasted for two and a half days. At noon of the third day, when Lin Jingzhe stepped out of the classroom with his bag, Gao Sheng was already waiting for him.<\/span><\/p>

Outside, Hu Yu awaited them anxiously. When she saw the two of them walking out, she immediately rushed forward. She touched their heads and grabbed their hands, saying, distressed, \u201cYou must be exhausted, poor things. Let\u2019s quickly return home\u2014you will drink some soup and take a nap.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Then she pulled Lin Jingzhe\u2019s hand again. \u201cJingzhe, how do you think you did?\u201d<\/span><\/p>

He thought back on his state in the examination hall, and the way the two proctors\u2019 gazes locked on his back every time he went out after handing in the papers.<\/span><\/p>

He hesitated, then said uncertainly, \u201cProbably\u2026 not bad?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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When they went upstairs, they saw three figures squatting in the dark corridor in front of Hu Yu\u2019s door.<\/span><\/p>

Lin Jingzhe was vigilant until Hu Yu called out, \u201cYu Zhiliang? How come you\u2019re here?\u201d<\/span><\/p>

The youngest one among the three raised his head. With a crew cut and thick glasses, he looked like a stereotypical honor student.<\/span><\/p>

Noticing the home inhabitants were back, he blushed and whispered, \u201cTeacher Hu, Classmate Lin Jingzhe, Classmate Gao Sheng.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

\u201c<\/span>Aiya!<\/span><\/em> Teacher Hu, you are back.\u201d A much more outgoing middle-aged woman with a headscarf tied on her head who squatted beside him immediately got up. She stepped forward and said, her voice loud but friendly, \u201cIt\u2019s nothing! We just came to see you!\u201d<\/span><\/p>

When her gaze fell on Lin Jingzhe, she was instantly overcome with joy: \u201cYou\u2019re Lin Jingzhe, right? <\/span>Aiya<\/span><\/em>, you\u2019re such a handsome boy. Auntie heard people say you helped Zhiliang get the admission quota. Thank you so much, auntie is very grateful to you!\u201d<\/span><\/p>

As she spoke, she held out her hand, her eyes full of tears. Lin Jingzhe, somewhat at a loss, hurriedly reached out and shook it.<\/span><\/p>

He knew she was a farmer as soon as he touched her hand; the calluses and rough, thickened skin almost hurt his palm.<\/span><\/p>

It was just an accident Lin Jingzhe recommended Yu Zhiling to get the quota, so he had no idea how to react to the other\u2019s party sincere gratitude. He opened his mouth, unsure what to say, but the woman suddenly exclaimed, \u201c<\/span>Aiya<\/span><\/em>, what am I doing? You must be tired after today\u2019s exams. We will just give you this and stop bothering you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

As she said that, she called over her shoulder. The skinny middle-aged man behind her smiled and put the burlap sack lying on the floor on his shoulder. Mother Yu gestured to it: \u201cHurry up and open the door, Teacher Hu\u2014this bag is very heavy, the old man will carry it inside before we leave.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Hu Yu wanted to protest, but seeing the man struggle under the weight, she didn\u2019t dare to delay and hastily opened the door.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cPlease stay for a meal, I cooked a lot of soup!\u201d She desperately tried to hold them back.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cNo, no, we have to go back to the village, and the bus doesn\u2019t run in the evening. There\u2019s no time!\u201d The couple skillfully fought back. Before leaving, they once again expressed their gratitude to Lin Jingzhe. \u201cReally, thank you so much. Our family is poor so we couldn\u2019t bring you anything good, but after Zhiliang graduates from Qunnan University, he will make money and repay you.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

\u201cYou really don\u2019t have to\u2026\u201d Lin Jingzhe held her arm so she could put on her shoes. Dismayed, he kept protesting, but the couple would hear none of it. They also promised to bring Hu Yu a sack like this every year.<\/span><\/p>

They were still shouting thanks as they were leaving, only stopping after they left the building. Lin Jingzhe breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to Yu Zhiliang, who barely said anything the whole time, and gave him a nod as a farewell.<\/span><\/p>

Behind the glasses\u2019 lenses, Yu Zhiliang\u2019s eyes were fixed on Lin Jingzhe. He looked at him for a while, then lowered his gaze and whispered, \u201cThank you. Also, I\u2019m sorry\u2014when Li Yurong made you change classes, I was too scared to speak up for you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

\u201cDon\u2019t worry about it,\u201d Lin Jingzhe replied lightly. \u201cIt\u2019s not as if I meant to help you, things just turned out this way.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

The shake of Yu Zhiliang\u2019s head was surprisingly forceful. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter. Anyway, without you, I definitely wouldn\u2019t have been given the admission quota, and I doubt I would\u2019ve gotten into Qunnan University on my own.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Lin Jingzhe let out a sigh. \u201cMaybe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Though, in his last life, this was exactly what must\u2019ve happened. After all, with the exam results at that time being so tragic, if somebody from their school managed to get into Qunnan University, it would\u2019ve surely made a deep impression on him.<\/span><\/p>

This admission seemed to have satisfied Yu Zhiliang. A bit flustered, he assured, \u201cI will definitely repay you. And\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

He paused, then whispered, \u201cAnd the other students in Class 1 asked me to tell you, they\u2019re sorry too. After taking the English exam the day before yesterday, most people said it was particularly difficult, and many things weren\u2019t included in what Teacher Li taught us. If it hadn\u2019t been for you and Teacher Hu, everyone would have done really badly.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Saying this apparently embarrassed him, and without waiting for Lin Jingzhe\u2019s reply, he turned and fled.<\/span><\/p>

Lin Jingzhe looked at his rapidly disappearing back. He sighed, both gratified and melancholy.<\/span><\/p>

This wasn\u2019t half-bad. His past life was full of hardship, but he got another chance; if possible, he wanted other people to be a bit happier this time around.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The sack\u2019s contents shocked Lin Jingzhe\u2014Yu Zhiliang\u2019s parents actually gave them a wild boar they caught!<\/span><\/p>

Distressed by this windfall, Hu Yu went around delivering the wild pork to her neighbors. It was getting dark, and Lin Jingzhe turned on the desk lamp. Though the college entrance exam was over, he still read the preparatory textbooks.<\/span><\/p>

Gao Sheng felt he did quite well on the exam, and was in a good mood. He wandered around the room holding his soup bowl, daydreaming about the future.<\/span><\/p>

\u201cJingzhe!\u201d He called out suddenly. \u201cSay, if I get a high enough score to get into college, which one should I choose?\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Lin Jingzhe, who didn\u2019t understand his excitement, replied dully, \u201cCheck the minimum admission score and choose the best one you can get into.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

\u201c<\/span>Tsk!<\/span><\/em>\u201d Gao Sheng clicked his tongue, dissatisfied, but soon cheered up. \u201cDon\u2019t you want to study in Yan City? Then I will go to Yan City with you!\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Taken by surprise, Lin Jingzhe stared blankly at the page. <\/span>Yan City<\/span>\u2026<\/span><\/em><\/p>

He had so many memories there, both precious and painful.<\/span><\/p>

He came back to himself and nodded. \u201cYes, this isn\u2019t a bad idea.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

\u201cThen, what major do you think I should study?\u201d Gao Sheng asked excitedly. \u201cShould I become a teacher like my mom?\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Lin Jingzhe did a double take\u2014this random, impatient, hot-tempered guy, a teacher?!<\/span><\/p>

He vaguely recalled Gao Sheng loved to play video games in his last life. After pondering the future employment prospects, he said, \u201cYou should consider Information Technology.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

\u201cWhat the hell?\u201d In Liyun Town in 1990, computers weren\u2019t very popular. Gao Sheng had to think for a moment before he figured out what it was. \u201cYou mean, the one about computers? Are you nuts? Why would I study that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>

\u201cWeren\u2019t you envious there was a computer course at the high school in the provincial capital? You said you like the computer games.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Gao Sheng and his father went to Qunnan City last year, and happened to play a computer game. It left a profound impression on Gao Sheng. \u201cYeah, I do, but what\u2019s the use of studying this if I can\u2019t find a job later? I still need to eat.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Explaining would be a bother, so Lin Jingzhe just said, \u201cYou want to go to college, but would you be able to study anything besides computer science? Other majors read books and memorize a ton of material every day, high school homework doesn\u2019t even compare. Well, whatever, if you want to choose something else, go ahead.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Frightened by these terrifying prospects, Gao Sheng swallowed. \u201cIs it really so bad?\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Suddenly anxious for his future, he began to admit computer science really might be a good choice for him. He looked at Lin Jingzhe raising an eyebrow. \u201cMan, you really know me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Then his face became serious again. \u201cActually, my mom asked me to ask you, do you\u2026 um, have you got enough money for tuition?\u201d<\/span><\/p>

Lin Jingzhe put down the book and turned to look at him. A warm smile thawing his cold face, he said, \u201cI have money, tell Teacher Hu not to worry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>

But this money was far from enough.<\/span><\/p>

Before his grandfather died, he secretly gave Lin Jingzhe a passbook, worried that his son and daughter would make trouble for him. There was 10,000 yuan saved there.<\/span><\/p>

In this era, when average income was a bit more than a hundred yuan, ten thousand yuan was a very large sum, more than enough to pay tuition.<\/span><\/p>

However, Lin Jingzhe knew very well how frighteningly fast inflation would rise in the next decade or two due to the country\u2019s rapid economic growth.<\/span><\/p>

Now that the college entrance examination was over and done with, he should temporarily put the studying aside and think about how to make some money.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Translator’s Notes:<\/strong><\/h3>
  1. To go for wool and come back shorn<\/strong> – lit. \u5077\u96de\u4e0d\u6210\u8755\u628a\u7c73, to try to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice used to lure it<\/em>; it\u2019s an idiom meaning to try to gain an advantage only to end up worse off.<\/li>
  2. \u201cShe would have never tried to put a ladder against the sky\u201d<\/strong> – as in, \u201cambition is putting a ladder against the sky.\u201d The saying means that an ambitious person reaches for the sky (the highest limits). He or she is so ambitious that a ladder is placed against the sky\u2014that is, there is no caution and all risks are taken to achieve a goal. (Source<\/strong><\/a>)<\/li>
  3. Picking razor clams<\/strong> – this looks both disgusting and fun: video<\/strong><\/a>.<\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Translators: Eques, Teo<\/em>
    Editor: Bet<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    Eques:<\/h3>

    Here’s more info about the college entrance exam (aka the Gaokao):<\/p>

    Explainer: Everything You Need to Know About the Gaokao<\/strong><\/a><\/p>

    What Is the Gaokao?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>

    What is GaoKao: A Look At China’s Most Important Exam<\/strong><\/a><\/p>

    Gaokao: how one exam can set the course of a student\u2019s life in China<\/strong><\/a>

    China gaokao exam: sample questions to one of world’s toughest tests<\/strong><\/a><\/p>

    …Okay, I might’ve gone a little nuts with these. \ud83d\ude05<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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    IMPORTANT!
    10\/27\/19: I’m very sorry, I missed yesterday’s update due to real life commitments (as in, I was swamped with work). After deliberation, there will be no late update… BUT, you will get a whole chapter next week instead of a half. \ud83d\ude47\u200d\u2640\ufe0f<\/p>

    As a note: from now on, many of the chapters will be divided in half due to their sheer length – they’re usually about one-third or even two times longer than DPB chapters, which makes them 16-20 pages long (where the usual chapter’s length on JJWXC is about 5 pages).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    ...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[35,39,68,41],"class_list":["post-9271","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-eor","tag-bl","tag-modern","tag-power-couple","tag-second-chance"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9271","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9271"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9271\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11548,"href":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9271\/revisions\/11548"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/betwixtedbutterfly.com\/translations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}