Restarting your life starts with filling out your college application.

Chen Zhiyuan remembers it more clearly: if history hadn't changed, Li Chenghua's actual college entrance examination score would have been around 500 points, he couldn't remember the exact number, but it was definitely less than 510.

Now, looking at Liu Lanxiang with her head down, her face gloomy, and her hurried steps as if she wanted to disappear immediately... it's clear that her son failed the exam, and failed quite badly.

Chen Zhiyuan's heart skipped a beat. He quickened his pace and went to meet him, a warm and "concerned" smile on his face, his voice exceptionally loud so that all the neighbors passing by could hear him:

"Aunt Liu! What a coincidence, you're going grocery shopping yourself!"

Liu Lanxiang was extremely depressed—she had just checked her son Li Chenghua's score and found that he only scored 504 points!

My estimated score was over 570, but this sudden drop of 60 or 70 points felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured over me.

Forget about top-tier universities, it's even two points short of the minimum admission score for regular universities (506 points)!

She could only attend a junior college. This huge gap was both hard for her to accept and made her feel ashamed.

She was keeping her head down, wanting to escape this place where she might run into someone she knew as soon as possible, when she suddenly heard someone calling her, in such an "enthusiastic" voice.

Her heart tightened, and she subconsciously looked up, only to meet the smiling faces of Zhang Hui and Chen Zhiyuan.

They seemed to be in a good mood... Could it be that Chen Zhiyuan did well on the exam?

This thought made Liu Lanxiang want to hide even more.

She forced a smile that looked worse than a grimace, mumbled an "Ah," and turned to leave.

How could Chen Zhiyuan let her "escape" so easily?

He remained incredibly enthusiastic, seemingly genuinely happy for his neighbor, his voice loud and clear:

"Auntie! The college entrance exam scores are out! How many points did Li Chenghua get? He estimated such a high score, he must have done exceptionally well and made it into a top-tier university!"

These words were like a needle, precisely piercing Liu Lanxiang's most painful spot.

She was furious: Was this kid really that clueless, or was he doing it on purpose? Didn't he see my face turn black?

Her lips moved, but she couldn't utter a single word; she just wanted to leave this place of trouble as soon as possible.

Chen Zhiyuan seemed oblivious to her unpleasant expression and continued with feigned concern, "Auntie, why do you look so pale...? Could it be... that Li Chenghua didn't do well on the exam? Could it be... that he didn't even make the cutoff for a top-tier university?"

Today is the day for checking scores, and the minimum admission scores for each batch have also been released simultaneously (537 for top-tier universities and 506 for regular universities), which is known to almost everyone.

His shout immediately attracted the attention of several neighbors who were also taking a walk, buying groceries, or had just returned from checking their scores.

The National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao) is always the hottest topic during this period.

An elderly man who lived nearby and was always eager to ask questions was the first to come over, asking with a "concerned" look, "Little Liu, did your Chenghua really not do well on the exam?"

Before Liu Lanxiang could answer, an older woman next to her chimed in, "Oh dear, don't be too upset about not doing well. You can retake the exam next year and try harder!"

Once someone started, other neighbors who might have previously disliked Liu Lanxiang's boastful and somewhat condescending nature also began to "show concern":

"Lanxiang, didn't your Chenghua estimate over 570? What was his actual score?"

"Many people misjudge their scores; it's not uncommon for them to be off by tens of points!"

"I heard there are differences of over a hundred points!"

"Judging from your face... you didn't even make it into a regular undergraduate program, did you?"

"..."

The cacophony of "concern" and discussion formed an invisible net, trapping Liu Lanxiang firmly in the middle.

Those words carried a hint of schadenfreude, or even a subtle mockery. She wasn't usually well-liked, and now she felt even more isolated and helpless.

Liu Lanxiang's face flushed red and then turned pale. She was so angry that her chest felt tight, but she couldn't refute him—her son's pitiful score of 504 left her with no confidence.

She couldn't stay any longer, and disregarding all decorum, she suddenly lowered her head and practically fled, her back view disheveled and pathetic.

Watching Liu Lanxiang's hurried departure, Chen Zhiyuan's smile deepened, and he felt a surge of pleasure.

Zhang Hui, who was standing next to her, couldn't help but laugh as well.

The pent-up frustration from a week ago vanished completely, leaving me feeling refreshed all over, like taking a big gulp of ice-cold plum juice on a sweltering summer day, a feeling of coolness spreading from my throat to my heart.

Chen Zhiyuan smiled, feeling a sense of relief, especially when he saw Liu Lanxiang's disheveled figure.

After smiling happily, Chen Zhiyuan said, "Mom, I'm going to the internet cafe now."

"Go on, go on, remember to come back for dinner. I'm going to buy groceries now."

After separating from his mother, Chen Zhiyuan went to an internet cafe.

Soon, Chen Zhiyuan and Jin Liang were having a great time playing games in the internet cafe.

Jin Liang, in particular, under Chen Zhiyuan's almost "cheat code" leadership, the two of them wreaked havoc in Diablo, sweeping away monsters and dropping a whole lot of glittering equipment.

Jin Liang grinned from ear to ear; if there hadn't been so many people around, he would have almost called him "godfather" on the spot.

In stark contrast to the cheerful and noisy atmosphere in the internet cafe, Zhao Sisi's home was shrouded in gloom and despair.

She had already checked her score, and it was even lower than she had predicted—only 509 points, a mere 3 points higher than the minimum admission score for regular undergraduate programs.

This score, like a cold stone, weighed heavily on her heart, leaving her suspended in mid-air, neither up nor down.

She applied to Jiangzhou Normal College, but the school's admission score last year was 516.

509 points... How slim the hope is.

Wang Xiujuan and Zhao Guoqiang exchanged a glance, both seeing helplessness and heartache in each other's eyes, and sighed softly in unison.

Wang Xiujuan sat down next to her daughter and gently comforted her, "Sisi, don't be too sad. At least... we've made it to the undergraduate admission line. Even if we can't go to Jiangzhou Normal University, we can still go to other undergraduate schools."

Zhao Sisi's gaze was somewhat vacant as she stared blankly out the window, as if she hadn't heard her mother's words.

Her thoughts had already drifted far away, and her heart felt like a jumbled mess of emotions: sorrow, resentment, anger, grievance... all sorts of negative feelings intertwined and churning within her.

Why did I do so poorly on the test?

Why does Chen Zhiyuan stop talking to me?

Why am I the only one who's so unlucky...?

Seeing his daughter's distraught appearance, Zhao Guoqiang felt extremely distressed and tried to persuade her, "Sisi, how about... you ask your mother to take you out for a walk to cheer you up? Go to a nearby city for a few days, change your environment, maybe it will make you feel better."

Zhao Sisi remained motionless, like a lifeless porcelain doll, unresponsive to her parents' attempts to comfort her.

.......

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