A perfect score on the college entrance exam? The Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng has astonis

Mr. Chen sat up from the recliner, staring straight at Mrs. Chen, his lips trembling.

He heard everything.

Tsinghua University and Peking University are the top universities in the country.

The aunt was the first to react, and a huge smile spread across her face.

"Wow! Tsinghua! Peking University! The top universities in the country! Sister-in-law, is your Chen Mo going to be the top scholar in the imperial examination?"

My second aunt chimed in, her voice even louder than my eldest aunt's: "I've always said Chen Mo is a promising young man! Look at his face, he's clearly destined for good fortune!"

Aunt Chen stood there, her mouth agape.

She was still holding that glass of juice in her hand.

The juice was no longer cold, and the water droplets condensed on the glass were dripping down her fingers.

She was completely unaware.

She was just saying, "Our Xiao Jie scored over 600 points."

They're still saying "Tsinghua is a long shot," and "It's normal not to want to talk about how badly the kids did on the exam."

Every word she uttered was like a boomerang she had thrown herself, now flying back at 300 kilometers per hour.

"sister in law,"

Aunt Chen's voice changed, becoming soft and sweet.

It felt like someone had poured a jar of honey down my throat.

"I knew it! Chen Mo has always been different from other kids—he's smart! Look at our Xiao Jie, no matter how hard he tries, he only gets around 600 points. Chen Mo, on the other hand, is now among the top in the country. This kid is amazing!"

When she said, "My son Xiaojie only scored a little over 600 points," she used the word "only."

She bit me lightly and quickly.

It was as if they wanted to retrieve that "600+ points" dart from thin air.

But it's too late to take it back.

My aunt had already started messaging other relatives, her phone screen displaying a long string of text: "Something terrible has happened! Chen Mo got the top score in the country! Tsinghua and Peking Universities are both vying for him!"

My second aunt chimed in, "I knew it! Chen Mo is no ordinary kid. Look at his eyes, so bright and lively!"

Chen's mother sat under the parasol for quite a while.

She didn't speak, and neither did Mr. Chen.

The two of them sat there, looking at the distant sea.

Chen Ma's fingers were still trembling slightly.

"The best in the country."

She suddenly spoke.

His voice was a little hoarse.

It felt like something was stuck in my throat.

Mr. Chen hummed in agreement.

"Both Tsinghua and Peking Universities have called."

"Um."

"Our son."

"Um."

Chen's mother turned her head and glanced at Chen's father.

Mr. Chen remained in the same position as before.

Lean forward slightly.

Place your hands on your knees.

Chen Ma didn't say anything more.

She picked up her phone and scrolled to the contact list with the name "son".

A finger hovers above the screen.

It paused for two seconds.

Then I pressed it.

beep - beep - beep -

Three times.

The phone was answered.

"mom?"

Chen Mo's voice came through the receiver.

With a touch of afternoon laziness.

It looked like he had just gotten out of bed.

Chen Ma took a deep breath.

"son,"

She tried to keep her voice as calm as possible.

But the last syllable still floated up a little.

"Tell your mother, what score did you get on the college entrance exam?"

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone.

"What's wrong?"

Chen Mo's tone carried a hint of confusion.

"What's wrong?"

Chen Ma's voice finally broke down, rising an octave.

"Both Tsinghua and Peking University have called me!"

"Tsinghua University Admissions Office! Peking University Admissions Office!"

"They kept calling my cell phone! If they hadn't called me, I wouldn't have known my son was so successful!"

When she said the word "old lady".

The sound was bright and crisp.

Mr. Chen's lips twitched slightly.

He hadn't heard his wife speak in that tone in a long time.

The last time was probably when Chen Mo got first place in his class in elementary school.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

Then Chen Mo's voice came through.

With a suppressed laugh, she said, "Mom..."

"Don't call me 'Mom'!"

Chen Ma's voice grew louder and louder.

But Gao's expression betrayed an undisguised joy.

"Tell me the truth, have you been putting on an act with me and your dad all along? You pretend to be stupid during exams, deliberately getting scores of 400-something, making your mom worry about you, lose sleep over you, and worry about you—"

When she said "I can't sleep because of you," her voice suddenly choked up.

Those lights that stayed on late at night, those sleepless nights when I tossed and turned.

All those tentative inquiries over the phone about "how's your studies going lately" came flooding back.

"And then you suddenly throw such a huge question at me in the college entrance exam?"

Her voice softened.

It was so soft it didn't sound like a question; it sounded more like a mother scolding her son.

"So you've been putting on an act with us all along?"

Mr. Chen, who was standing to the side, finally couldn't hold back anymore.

The corners of his mouth turned up.

He remembered that Chen Mo was like this when he was a child.

They insist they can't do a problem even though they know how.

When everyone else gives up.

He then casually gave the answer.

Then he looked at everyone with an innocent expression.

On the other end of the phone, Chen Mo's lips twitched.

He leaned against the headboard, staring at the ceiling.

He was thinking about something else entirely.

If it weren't for my knowledge of the previous world's culture, I would have failed the college entrance exam.

But of course he wouldn't say that.

"Isn't this a surprise for you?"

His tone became more relaxed.

"Isn't this a surprise for you?"

His tone became more relaxed.

Do you like it?

"surprise?"

Chen Ma's voice rose again.

But this time it's different.

It's the kind of laugh that gets interrupted halfway through.

"I almost had a heart attack! Do you even know how old your mother is? I can't take this kind of scare!"

She started laughing as she spoke.

Halfway through laughing, I felt I shouldn't let him off so easily.

He straightened his face again, but he couldn't suppress the corners of his mouth.

Watching her from the side, Chen's father thought to himself: You were crying like that just now, and now you're laughing like this. Aren't you afraid of deepening the wrinkles on your face?

But he didn't dare say it.

"Alright, alright."

Chen Ma's voice finally returned to normal volume, but her tone still floated upwards.

"Eat your food properly, don't forget to eat because you're so happy. We'll talk about your grades when you get back."

"Okay, Mom."

"Then I'll hang up."

"Um."

Chen Ma's finger was on the hang-up button, but she didn't press it.

She hesitated for a moment, then put the phone back to her ear.

"son."

"Um?"

"Mom is happy for you."

Her voice was very soft, as if she was afraid of being overheard.

But Mr. Chen, who was standing nearby, heard it.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

"Thank you, Mom."

The phone hangs up.

Chen's mother placed her phone on her lap and let out a long breath.

That breath was very long, as if it released all the anxiety, sleepless nights, and unspoken questions of the past three years.

Then she turned her head and found that Mr. Chen was looking at her.

That look in his eyes was very complicated.

It wasn't anger, nor was it complaining; rather, it was a kind of melancholy.

A kind of melancholy, like that of a dog abandoned at home by its owner, forgotten by the whole world.

"What are you looking at?" Aunt Chen raised an eyebrow.

Mr. Chen didn't say anything.

But that look was even more resentful.

It's as if it's saying: I also want to say something, why won't you let me?

"What are you looking at?"

Chen Ma's voice was crisp and bright, with the confidence of a general who had just won a battle.

"My son's achievements are entirely due to my teaching! What's wrong with me saying a few more words?"

Mr. Chen's lips twitched.

You think you can teach me this?