A fat man who was reborn from the dead? He transforms into a perfect male god in a week.

Chapter 31: Shocked Jiang's Parents; Father's Love as Solid as a Mountain, Mother's L

The table was soon filled with dishes.

Braised fish, braised pork, braised spare ribs, braised pig's trotters, and in the middle, a large pot of ginseng, chestnut, and old hen soup.

Steaming hot, with a wonderful aroma.

Jiang Chen looked at the "Braised Family Reunion" dish on the table and felt a surge of emotion.

In his previous life, after graduating from high school, he went to work in the city where Su Qingyao lived. He rarely had the chance to eat his father's cooking. Later, he tried to cook it himself, but he could never make it taste the same.

"Come on, Xiao Chen, sit here!"

Wang Xiulian pressed Jiang Chen into a chair, then turned around and filled a bowl with rice, piling it up like a small mountain.

Then came another large bowl of chicken soup, filled with meat and chestnuts.

"Eat more! Finish all of this!"

As Wang Xiulian spoke, she kept piling food into Jiang Chen's bowl, and in the blink of an eye, the bowl was piled up into a pyramid.

Jiang Jianguo sat down with a smile and poured himself a glass of baijiu: "Xiao Chen, don't push yourself too hard at school!"

"Exercise is important for weight loss, but health is the foundation of everything. Look how thin you are..."

Jiang Chen looked at the "mountain of food" in front of him, took a deep breath, and picked up his chopsticks.

eat!

Although he had already eaten dinner at school.

But this is my parents' heartfelt gift, the taste of home.

He ate his meal in a flash, taking bites of rice, meat, and soup.

My dad's cooking skills are truly amazing.

Having worked as a head chef in a state-owned enterprise canteen for over twenty years, I've mastered the art of braising.

The fish is fresh and the meat is tender, the ribs fall off the bone, and the pig's trotters are soft and glutinous. Every dish is very flavorful, and the old hen soup is so delicious that it will make your tongue fall off.

"Eat slowly, don't choke."

As Wang Xiulian spoke, she continued to add food to Jiang Chen's bowl.

"Xiao Chen, let me tell you, your current weight is already very good, please don't lose any more weight."

"And don't put too much pressure on yourself while you're studying. Look how thin you've become..."

She paused, then her voice softened.

"The college entrance exam is coming up soon. Just do your best. If you do well and get into a good university, Mom will be happy!"

"If you don't do well on the exam, you can go to a vocational college, learn a skill, and make a living. So please don't put pressure on yourself!"

Jiang Chen put down his chopsticks and looked up at his mother.

Under the lights.

Wang Xiulian has very obvious wrinkles around her eyes and gray hair at her temples, but she is only in her early forties!

In his past life, he failed his college entrance exam and went to work. His parents never blamed him; they just sighed in secret.

Later, he left for Su Qingyao and could only return home a few times a year. Every time he came back, he found that his parents had aged a bit more.

"mom!"

Jiang Chen put down his bowl, his tone serious.

"I won't go to a vocational college. I want to go to university, and I want to go to the best university in the country."

He paused, then said, word by word, "For example, Tsinghua...Peking...University..."

Swish!

There was a moment of silence at the dinner table.

Wang Xiulian and Jiang Jianguo exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise, then relief, and finally... disbelief in each other's eyes.

"Xiao Chen!"

Jiang Jianguo took a sip of his drink, his tone gentle, "I'm very happy that you have this ambition."

"But Tsinghua and Peking Universities... those are not places that just anyone can get into."

"In our Jiangcheng, only two or three people can get into this school each year, and they are all geniuses like Ruoxi."

He patted Jiang Chen on the shoulder: "Dad doesn't expect you to get into Tsinghua or Peking University. If you can get into a second-tier university, Dad will be very happy. Really, just do what you can."

Wang Xiulian nodded in agreement: "That's right, Xiaochen. We don't want Tsinghua or Peking University, they're too far away. If you can get into a second-tier university, Mom will go to the best temple in the city to burn incense and give thanks!"

Jiang Chen felt a mix of warmth and sadness as he looked at his parents' careful and cautious manner, as if they were afraid of hurting his self-esteem.

He knew that given his past achievements, his parents' expectations were already quite high.

"Dad, Mom."

Jiang Chen smiled. "You don't believe I can get into Tsinghua or Peking University?"

Wang Xiulian quickly said, "It's not that Mom doesn't believe you, it's just...it's just that Tsinghua and Peking University are too difficult to get into!"

Jiang Jianguo chimed in, trying to smooth things over: "Right, right, let's set a more realistic goal, like... the engineering college in Jiangzhou? Their cutoff score was only a little over 400 last year..."

Jiang Chen didn't say anything. He put down his chopsticks, took out a neatly folded piece of paper from his schoolbag, and gently pushed it in front of his parents.

"What is this?"

Wang Xiulian picked it up with a puzzled look.

Jiang Jianguo also went over to take a look.

The two lowered their heads, their gazes fixed on the paper.

one second.

two seconds.

three seconds.

"Clatter".

Jiang Jianguo dropped his wine glass on the table, spilling wine all over it.

Wang Xiulian's hands began to tremble, and the papers rustled in her hands.

"This...this is..."

Wang Xiulian looked up, her eyes wide, her voice trembling, "Xiao Chen, this...this is your report card for this month's exam?"

Jiang Chen nodded: "That's right!"

"Chinese 150... Math 150... English 150... Science 300..."

Jiang Jianguo read it out word by word, and when he got to "total score 750," his voice trembled. "First in the class...first in the grade..."

He suddenly looked up, staring intently at Jiang Chen: "Xiao Chen, tell Dad the truth, this report card... did you photoshop it? Or did you get a fake from somewhere?"

"dad!"

Jiang Chen was both amused and exasperated. "Where would I get the skill to Photoshop a picture? Besides, am I crazy to fake a perfect score?"

Wang Xiulian's hands trembled even more violently.

"But...but how is this possible?"

"You only got 300 on your final exam last semester, but this time you got... a perfect score on the monthly exam?"

Suddenly realizing something, her face paled: "Xiao Chen, did you...cheat?!"

Jiang Chen quickly shook his head: "Mom, there are surveillance cameras in the exam room, and the teachers are watching the whole time. How could I cheat? Besides, I'm the only one in the whole school who got a perfect score. Who would I copy from?"

"Then...then..."

Wang Xiulian still didn't believe it, but a glimmer of hope had appeared in her eyes.

Jiang Chen sighed and took out his phone.

"If you don't believe me, you can call our homeroom teacher, Ms. Pan."

"Or go ask Ruoxi across the hall now; she can testify."

Jiang Jianguo and Wang Xiulian exchanged a glance.

Ask Ruoxi?

That girl has never been able to lie since she was little. If she testifies, it's probably true.

But it's nighttime now, so it's not a good idea to knock on someone's door...

Jiang Jianguo suddenly got up and strode into the bedroom.

A few seconds later.

He came out carrying a tattered little notebook, his fingers trembling as he flipped through it.

"Found it... Teacher Pan's phone number..."

He took a deep breath and looked at Jiang Chen, "Xiao Chen, did Dad really hit him?"

"Go ahead and fight," Jiang Chen nodded.

Jiang Jianguo pressed the dial button, his hand trembling so much he almost pressed the wrong one.

The phone rang five or six times before it was answered.

"Hey? Is this Teacher Pan? I'm Jiang Chen's father, Jiang Jianguo..."

Jiang Jianguo's voice was a little strained, "I'm so sorry to bother you so late..."

"I just wanted to ask about Jiang Chen's grades on this month's exam..."

He put it on speakerphone.

Pan Zhenhua's familiar voice came from the other end of the phone, tinged with laughter: "Jiang Chen's father, I was just about to find time to talk to you! Jiang Chen did so well on the exam this time! A perfect score of 750, first in the grade! All the teachers in our school are shocked!"

Jiang Jianguo's hand trembled, and his phone almost slipped out of his hand.

Wang Xiulian covered her mouth, her eyes instantly turning red.

Pan Zhenhua continued, "Jiang Chen has made remarkable progress recently, and his attitude towards learning is also very positive."

"As long as you maintain this level of performance, getting into Tsinghua or Peking University in three months is absolutely no problem! Parents, don't worry, the school will do everything in its power to nurture you..."

Jiang Jianguo and Wang Xiulian could no longer hear what was said after that.

Only a few words echoed in their minds:

"Full marks."

"First in the grade."

"Tsinghua and Peking Universities are absolutely no problem"

……

After the call ended.

The living room was so quiet that you could hear the ticking of the wall clock.

Jiang Jianguo slowly put down his phone, turned his head, and looked at Jiang Chen.

His eyes reddened, his lips trembled, and he couldn't speak for a long time.

Wang Xiulian was already crying.

It wasn't the kind of heartbroken crying I was seeing earlier; it was a cry of excitement, pride, and disbelief.

"My son..."

She hugged Jiang Chen tightly and cried even harder than before.

"You really got a perfect score? You're really first in the grade? Mom isn't dreaming, is she?"

Jiang Jianguo also came over and patted Jiang Chen's shoulder hard, once, twice, with enough force to break him apart.

"Good! Good! Good!"

He said "good" three times, his voice choked with emotion, "My son, Jiang Jianguo's son... has made something of himself!"

Wang Xiulian cried for a long time before letting go of Jiang Chen. She carefully flattened the report card, as if it were a rare treasure, not daring to crease it even slightly.

"Build a nation!"

Suddenly remembering something, her eyes lit up. "Tomorrow! Tomorrow morning I'll go buy a picture frame, the best kind! I want to frame this report card and hang it in the living room!"

Jiang Jianguo wiped his eyes and grinned, "Wait until tomorrow? I'll go right now!"

After saying that, she actually got up to leave, but Jiang Chen grabbed her arm.

"Dad, what time is it? The shop has been closed for ages."

Jiang Jianguo then realized what was happening, sat down awkwardly, but kept his eyes fixed on the report card, chuckling to himself.

"Oh, right!"

He slapped his thigh, "I have to go back to the countryside in a couple of days! To pay respects to my ancestors and burn paper money! It's all thanks to their blessings!"

Wang Xiulian nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes, yes! We also need to tell Xiaochen's grandparents and maternal grandparents! Let them be happy too!"

She paused, then suddenly lowered her voice, her eyes gleaming: "And those relatives... they always said our Xiaochen was fat, didn't do well in school, and couldn't compare to their kids, but this time..."

Jiang Jianguo understood, and chuckled, "This time we really need to give them a proper 'report'!"

Jiang Chen felt a warm glow in his heart as he watched his parents' excitement, which resembled that of children.

But he still reminded them, "Dad, Mom, this is just a monthly exam. It's not too late to tell the relatives after the college entrance exam results come out and we get the admission notice."

Jiang Jianguo and Wang Xiulian were stunned for a moment, then nodded at the same time.

"My son is right!"

Jiang Jianguo said seriously, "We can't be too ostentatious now; we need to keep a low profile!"

"After the college entrance exam, let's go back to our hometown and throw a big party with dozens of tables, inviting all our relatives! Then..."

He imagined the scene and laughed so hard his eyes disappeared.

Wang Xiulian was already holding the report card, wandering around the living room, wondering where to hang it most conspicuously.

Jiang Chen watched this scene, picked up the bowl, and drank the rest of the chicken soup in one gulp.

The taste of home.

Parents' love.

And... there's that childhood sweetheart across the hall who's waiting for him to go shopping together tomorrow.

In this life, he must protect all of this.

……

Late at night.

Jiang Chen lay in bed, listening to his parents next door whispering about "what style of picture frame to buy" and "what gifts to bring back to the countryside," and couldn't help but smile.

My phone vibrated.

He picked it up and saw it was a message from Tang Ruoxi.

Tang Dynasty: "Are you asleep?"

Lao Chen: "No."

Da Tang: "Don't forget, tomorrow morning at eight o'clock!"

Old Chen: "I can't forget it."

Da Tang: "And... if you dare tell anyone about you touching me there today, I'll... I'll never speak to you again!"

Jiang Chen smiled and replied:

"What reward will I get if I don't tell anyone?"

There was a long silence on the other end.

Just when Jiang Chen thought she wouldn't reply, his phone vibrated again.

Da Tang: "As a reward, I'll treat you to milk tea tomorrow! The largest size!"