I was forced to start the second round because I was raised in poverty

Chapter 261: Which school is the second-year graduate student at?
In fact, according to Su Cheng's judgment, Xue Yan is equivalent to Tian Yuxuan a few years later.

The two people are essentially the same person.

However, Tian Yuxuan's growth rate is slower than Xue Yan's.

Tian Yuxuan has not yet graduated, but Xue Yan is already a second-year graduate student.

After another two or three years of experience, he will be on the same level as Xue Yan.

One of the neighbors sitting at the same table asked Xue Yan curiously, "Xiao Xue, I heard from your mother that you are studying in Jingzhou?"

"Yes, I am a second-year graduate student at Jingzhou University of Chemical Technology."

"Oh my, Xiao Yan is such a high achiever! I wish my child was like you." The neighbor was keen to chat with highly educated children like Xue Yan.

Xue Yan smiled awkwardly: "Auntie, actually I'm not that good, just average."

Su Cheng glanced at Xue Yan as if he were a monkey.

In fact, when most people say they are of average ability, they are secretly rejoicing that they are better than the average person.

Judging from the changes in Xue Yan's expression, Su Cheng was certain that this was what he was thinking at that moment.

The neighbor continued to inquire, "Xiao Yan, after you graduate, are you staying in Jingzhou or going back to our hometown?"

"Uh, I haven't thought about it yet."

What did your parents say?

"My parents don't quite agree."

"My dad wants me to take the civil service exam, but my mom says I should stay in a big city and she'll buy me a house there."

"That's good, what do you think?"

At this moment, Xue Yan, with a sense of superiority, explained his plans and intentions for the future to everyone.

"I also plan to give it a try first."

The neighbor played the perfect straight man: "Yeah, boys should definitely take a chance too."

After getting the information she wanted to hear, she turned to inquire about her second uncle's son, "Where's Yuxuan? How's his exam preparation going?"

Tian Yuxuan is a senior who hasn't graduated yet, but all that's left is his thesis defense.

Tian Kun's idea was for Tian Yuxuan to return to his hometown county to take the civil service exam, so Tian Yuxuan has already started preparing for the exam, attending classes and doing practice questions every day.

Tian Yuxuan really wanted to venture out into the world, but his academic background wasn't impressive enough; he studied Chinese language and literature, not science and engineering.

He didn't understand it at the time, so he let his parents choose the major for him.

In fact, after the college entrance examination, Tian Kun had already planned out Tian Yuxuan's future path.

Tian Yuxuan wanted to venture out into the world like Xue Yan, but he wasn't very eager to do so.

At the same time, he was afraid of risks and worried that he wouldn't be able to make it in a big city, so he felt that he was more suited to taking the civil service exam.

Therefore, Tian Yuxuan's heart is actually conflicted.

Going out into the world allows you to see a wider world.

As for taking the civil service exam, Tian Yuxuan felt it was more prestigious and stable.

You don't need to worry about medical care or retirement.

Tian Yuxuan heard that his father's company's insurance even reimburses heart stents, so he doesn't have to worry about getting sick.

After retirement, they can receive a very high pension every month.

After weighing the pros and cons, Tian Yuxuan felt that taking the civil service exam was the better option.

Su Cheng didn't actually like it.

He is willing to contribute to the country, but he doesn't like certain people.

There's nothing seriously wrong with them, but Su Cheng just can't bring herself to like them, and they can't get along.

You can see his sense of superiority, but you can't grasp it, which is very annoying.

That jumping style is so stupid.

As for saving face, that's utter nonsense.

Su Cheng repeated the same statement.

You passed the civil service exam, not ascended to the ranks of immortals.

Su Cheng estimated that even someone like Han Yu probably wouldn't get along with Xue Yan and Tian Yuxuan.

Unless they become Han Yu's underlings.

Of course, they have no business dealings or conflicts with Han Yu. If Han Yu were to befriend them, it would mostly be a superficial relationship, and they would most likely be nodding acquaintances.

The generation of my second uncle and aunt may have had the power to mobilize resources, but for the generation of Xue Yan and Tian Yuxuan, they were really just grassroots staff.

Therefore, it is undeniable that...

People like Tian Yuxuan, Xue Yan, and even Han Yu are slowly "declining".

They have a high level of education and an easily identifiable social status.

Not rich, but respectable.

They don't hold power, but they are 'respected'.

It served as a discourse center and identity benchmark within a small area of ​​the county structure, but this ecosystem is quietly losing its effectiveness today.

The predicament is not just about declining income, but about the gradual degradation of the very environment in which people live.

The biggest and most slow-moving change in county towns stems from population loss.

Young people migrate to cities and never return to their hometowns, while middle-aged people shift their family focus outwards to focus on their children's education and job hunting.

Disconnects will gradually emerge within counties, directly leading to the decline of the "relationship-based society".

For them, their original voice came from the density of their close-knit social network.

After the population thins out, there are no listeners, students, patients, or other collaborators, so no matter how reasonable your words are, no one will listen.

No matter how systematic the process is, if no one cooperates, there will be no one to follow along.

The loss of influence is not because they have become worse, but because the networks on which they wield influence are collapsing.

When people disperse and consumption shifts overseas, their cultural capital can only circulate on its own and is no longer recognized by the real economy. Relationships break down, and their status advantage becomes meaningless.

However, as systems become more transparent, processes become more platform-based, and population mobility increases, these capabilities are rapidly depreciating.

The shift to online services for education, medical care, and schooling reduces the space for human intervention, and young people are increasingly disapproving of using connections or acquaintances to get things done.

These people still retain their status, but only nominally. The resources and channels that are truly valued have shifted outside the system.

They may seem unanxious, but they are actually living in a "localized safe haven." Many people don't see the anxiety in these groups, and they are often content or even grateful. This does not mean that they are truly without difficulties.

Rather, it is several structural reasons that have masked the problem.

The sense of superiority derived from comparing themselves to those below them allows them to maintain a dignified image even among those in more disadvantaged groups.

The delayed effect of hallucinations within the system means that the identity labels given by the system remain, as if nothing has changed.

With adaptive and defensive mechanisms, many people no longer consider "climbing the ladder" and instead emphasize stability, contentment, low desires, and retirement as a direct result of passing the civil service exam. This is not an absence of anxiety, but rather an anxieties silenced by structural protection.

Xue Yan and the others at the table were chatting animatedly when he looked at Su Cheng, who had remained silent.

He felt something was off and wondered if his cousin was a relatively introverted person.
How come he talked about so many outstanding achievements, grand future plans, and the confidence he exuded, while my cousin didn't say a word?

Did I scare him?
Xue Yan prompted Su Cheng, "Hey, cousin, I heard from my mom that you work in Jingzhou?"

"Yes, I'm in Jingzhou."

What kind of work do you do?

Su Cheng didn't really want to talk to Xue Yan. He was too lazy to flatter Xue Yan, and he didn't even bother to exchange a few polite words with him like a neighbor would: "Just do some information-related work."

Information-related jobs?

what is that?
Xue Yan immediately thought of several job positions: customer service sales? Debt collection? Real estate agent?

That’s not right either.

He heard from his mother that Su Cheng, like him, was from a 211 university.

Moreover, Su Cheng attended the best 211 university in Yuzhou.

Although there are undergraduates everywhere in Jingzhou, it's not like they should end up working as real estate agents, is it?

Xue Yan also heard from his mother that Su Cheng had found a girlfriend from Jingzhou and had even driven her Volkswagen Magotan back to his hometown.

That must be a relatively respectable job. Surely she wasn't after her cousin's modeling skills?
Although Xue Yan was very reluctant to admit it, Su Cheng's modeling was indeed good.

But simply having a good model doesn't have a significant effect.

This isn't like going to a nightclub to pick out model guys.

People in Jingzhou aren't stupid. When they're dating, they consider factors like ability, emotional intelligence, background, and family. Physical appearance is a relatively minor factor.

His uncle was just a construction worker in a small county town; frankly, he was just a laborer and couldn't possibly provide Su Cheng with any resources.

Xue Yan became curious about Su Cheng and started asking further: "What kind of information-related job, bro?"

Tian Kun and his aunt didn't ask because they didn't care at all and didn't think much of it.

Xue Yan asked, simply because he wanted to compare Su Cheng with himself.

He affectionately called Su Cheng "brother".

Su Cheng explained calmly, "It's nothing fancy, just helping clients solve some problems and acting as a go-between."

Ok?
Xue Yan seemed to understand.

Could it be that Su Cheng's job is that of a middleman in some industry?

Are they the kind of people who specialize in connecting people, profiting from information asymmetry, and selling favors?

This job really requires a certain level of ability and emotional intelligence; otherwise, it's impossible to do it.

Su Cheng's standing in Xue Yan's heart suddenly rose several levels, but she was still only barely worthy of his attention.

After all.

This job is essentially like being a high-end intermediary, and it does allow you to connect with some people from relatively wealthy families.

Driving a Volkswagen Passat isn't a big deal.

Xue Yan still didn't approve.

He wants to conquer the stars and the sea!

Su Cheng had already gleaned a great deal of information from Xue Yan's pupils.

This young man was just as Su Cheng had expected, but he was even more arrogant than his aunt and uncle.

No matter what job Xue Yan thought he had, the other party didn't even look at him.

Why is this?

This guy often imagines himself five years from now and compares that to Su Cheng now.

My belief and rule of conduct is: I will definitely be better than him now in the future.

What's the point of imagining this?
You might not even be alive in 5 years, buddy.

Su Cheng ignored Xue Yan, thinking that saying another word to him would be a waste of her breath, and focused on eating her meal.

The birthday banquet was halfway through.

Su Tianyan's voice rang out from behind Su Cheng: "Come on, make way, Xiao Cheng, take the fish with you."

Su Cheng turned around and saw that Lao Deng was carrying a tray with two carp on it, gesturing for Su Cheng to take it.

Su Cheng was taken aback for a moment, but quickly helped put the fish on the table.

He then followed behind Old Deng.

"Hey? Why are you following me? Go eat your food."

"Dad, why are you working as a waiter?"

“A young man just burned his arm. We’re short-handed, so I came to help out.”

ha?
Even though you're the son-in-law, you're still considered part of the family, right?

Why should they be treated the same as the hired help?
How do you calculate it after someone else sees it?
Needless to say, Lao Deng had the lowest status in his maternal grandmother's family.

Generally speaking, at this time, the eldest and second uncles should call some friends to come and help.

"Hey, your eldest and second uncles are busy, why are you worrying about this?"

"Besides, I'm already full and can't eat anymore."

How could I not care?
Su Cheng will definitely hold a grudge.

Busy?

What are you busy doing?

Drinking and bragging with their friends, huh?

Su Cheng believes that Lao Deng will also care.

But Old Deng was deliberately acting like he didn't care, clearly wanting Su Cheng to hold her grandmother's family responsible for the incident.

It's still the same set of educational principles.

Old Deng wanted to use the Tian family's suppression of him in order to awaken Su Cheng's filial piety.

seriously.

My second uncle's family really wanted to suppress Lao Deng.

Old Deng also wanted his maternal grandmother's family to suppress him. He didn't even need to deliberately guide or arrange it; it was a natural place for them to do so.

It was truly a case of one party willing to give and the other willing to receive.

It's meant for Su Cheng to see.

Su Tianyan wasn't angry at the moment.

Su Cheng wasn't sitting on the aisle, but he deliberately went around in a circle and walked behind Su Cheng so that Su Cheng could serve the fish and he would notice him.

He longed to hear, "Dad, go home and eat. I'll help serve the dishes."

Su Cheng knew exactly what her father was planning.

Isn't the point to make Su Cheng stop eating halfway through and then go do chores for him?
Su Cheng refused to comply.

But he still had to put on the appearance of a filial son, instructing Su Tianyan with care and kindness:

"Oh, Dad, be careful not to burn yourself."

"I'm going back to eat now, I'm not full yet."

Su Tianyan watched as Su Cheng simply sat back down and ate the fish.

His expression was puzzled.

???

What's the situation?
Why is it completely different from what he expected?
Shouldn't that brat feel sorry for him not being able to eat or drink, and then offer to serve him the food instead?

Why did you just go back like that?

No... you actually believed me when I said I was full?

After the party ended.

Su Tianyan found an opportunity and began to order Su Cheng around: "Xiao Cheng, come over and clear the table and sweep the floor."

"Oh, okay."

Su Cheng certainly couldn't disobey her father's 'orders'.

But when it comes to actually doing the work, Su Cheng doesn't want to.

The Tian family has so many people; they don't need him.

And there's also Old Deng, that hardworking old donkey, leading the way.

My dad portrays himself as hardworking and observant.

Like Ye Li, Lao Deng also said things like wiping the table and serving tea to the leaders.

Su Cheng thought: Since you're so diligent, why don't you do it all by yourself?

"Dad, I'm going out to take this call."

"Oh, go ahead."

Su Cheng didn't answer the phone at all. He made up an excuse and secretly drove away from the scene.

(End of this chapter)