With three superpowers at his fingertips, he could dominate the 1970s.

The most sensational college entrance examination in the country has begun.

Zhang Chong applied to Kyoto University of Mining and Technology.

It wasn't that she didn't want to apply to better schools; it was her first time taking the college entrance exam, and nobody knew how she would do or what level others were at, so she was unsure. She estimated her score again and again, and finally applied to a school that wasn't top-tier but also not bad.

As if they had planned it all along, the female educated youth from Kaoshantun all applied to universities in Kyoto.

Because Jiang Zhiyu is in Kyoto.

Because she said she would meet in Kyoto at the end of the year.

During the month they waited for the notification, they were filled with anxiety, running to the county town every day to inquire about the results. But the admission results hadn't been released yet, and each trip was a wasted one. With their grades hanging in the balance, they spent a dull and tasteless New Year; they couldn't enjoy dumplings or set off firecrackers with any enthusiasm.

Until the fifth day of the first lunar month.

The news has finally arrived. The results are out.

The brigade leader personally drove over in a tractor early in the morning and pulled the educated youth out of the kang (a heated brick bed) one by one.

"Let's go, let's go to the county town to check the results!"

The tractor chugged towards the county town, with ten people crammed into the back. Eight educated youths plus two young men from the village—these were the only ten people from Kaoshantun taking the college entrance exam.

No one spoke, but everyone's hands were trembling.

Upon arriving in the county town, before the tractor had even come to a complete stop, several male educated youths jumped off.

The ten people went straight to the red list as soon as they got off the bus.

A dense crowd had already gathered in front of the notice board, several layers deep, with people craning their necks to peek inside. Below, whispers filled the air; some were sobbing uncontrollably, others were jumping for joy, and still others stood there in a daze.

Human joys and sorrows are never shared.

Zhang Chong squeezed to the front, his eyes scanning the list line by line.

Read from the first name to the last.

No.

She didn't believe it and watched it again from the beginning.

still none.

She read it again, making sure she saw every word clearly, and then pointed at each item on the list one by one.

Her name is still not listed.

The other educated youths behind her also came over to help watch. They all knew that Zhang Chong was the best student among them, and they would ask her for help whenever they didn't understand something. There was no way she couldn't pass the exam.

But she wasn't on the list.

Of the ten people from Kaoshantun, seven passed the exam.

One boy in the village failed the exam, one male educated youth failed the exam, and there was another one, Zhang Chong.

The captain also found it strange.

He personally watched the children study for the exams. For months, they weren't allowed to work a single day; they stayed indoors all day studying. The two other children from the village, along with other educated youth, would go to her with questions they didn't understand, and she would explain them clearly and logically. It didn't make sense that all the other kids passed the exams while she didn't.

He pulled the somewhat stunned Zhang Chong aside.

"Girl, are you sure you answered all the questions?"

Zhang Chong nodded blankly.

"While I wouldn't say I'm completely right, it's absolutely impossible for me to fail the exam. Especially my last choice—a relatively unknown school in Kyoto. If I don't get into my first or second choice, this one is definitely a sure thing."

As she spoke, her eyes reddened and her lips turned pale.

The captain patted her on the shoulder.

"Don't worry. Little Jiang, the educated youth, gave me her phone number the other day. I can call her if I encounter any problems. Come on, let's call her now."

Zhang Chong grasped at this opportunity as if it were a lifeline.

"Yes, yes, Captain, let's call Zhiyu right away and ask her to check it out for me."

Without hesitation, the two turned and ran towards the phone booth.

...

Jiang Zhiyu was a little surprised when she ran next door to answer the phone.

Weren't the college entrance exam results released these past few days? Could something have gone wrong?

She picked up the phone, but instead of good news, she heard Zhang Chong crying.

"Zhiyu... I didn't pass the exam..."

The crying was intermittent, as if she had been holding it in for a long time and finally couldn't hold it in anymore.

"But I'm sure it's impossible that I didn't pass even one. Seven people from our Kaoshantun village passed, and I just happened to fail. Zhiyu, I was the first to start studying, and my foundation is more solid than theirs..."

Jiang Zhiyu held the microphone, not in a hurry to speak, and waited until she finished crying before speaking.

"Don't cry, I understand. What's your first choice for university?"

Kyoto Mining Institute.

"Okay, I understand. Don't worry, I'll ask someone to find out what happened."

Suppressed sobs could be heard from the other end.

Jiang Zhiyu lowered her voice.

"Zhang Chong, don't cry. Even if you don't pass the exam, I'll wait for you next time. It's not like we can't take it again. No matter how many times you take it, I'll always be waiting for you in Kyoto."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone before someone choked up and said "okay" before hanging up.

Jiang Zhiyu put down the microphone and stood there thinking for a moment.

Zhang Chong couldn't possibly fail the exam; she knew that better than anyone. She personally oversaw the quality of the materials and notes, and the three math notebooks that Grandpa Song had acquired were unique in the entire country. If even she couldn't pass, then there must be something wrong.

She turned and went back into the house, where she sat down at the table.

We need to find someone to investigate and figure out which part of the process went wrong.

...

With a mix of trepidation and excitement, Zhang Chong boarded the tractor to return home.

The tractor sputtered back, and no one spoke in the trailer.

Even those who passed the exam felt a bit heavy-hearted.

Zhang Chong was the best student among them, yet even she failed the exam, leaving them completely baffled and increasingly suspicious.

Song Laidi glanced at Zhang Chong furtively. She sat in the corner with her head down, not saying a word, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes until her knuckles turned white.

Li Hongmei opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end she just moved closer to Zhang Chong and sat down next to her.

The captain, driving the tractor, glanced at the silent young people in the rearview mirror and sighed.

The tractor continued churning back, and no one was in the mood to talk.

The outline of Kaoshantun was already visible in the distance, with wisps of smoke rising from its chimneys.